- More than 60 hotels in the UK have opened their doors to help those in need during this crisis
- Accor has launched an emergency response platform to provide NHS, key workers and disadvantaged people with accommodation solutions in UK. Across the country, more than 60 hotels have already been repurposed for NHS, key workers and welfare bookings from local authorities and charities
- Hotel brands including ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget, Mercure, Novotel and Adagio have opened their doors to NHS and other government mandated key workers, in addition to local and national government needs including the homeless, asylum seekers and repatriation of Brits returning home to the UK
- Excel hotels to support Project Nightingale, accommodating front line NHS staff at the new hospital in the Excel Centre
Accor has been focused on the safety and wellbeing of its customers, communities and employees on a daily basis for more than 50 years. Since the beginning of the spread of the coronavirus, Accor has had specialist teams working on ways to support its local and global communities and open its doors to the needs that this global pandemic has created.
A specific objective has been how to efficiently make services available to front-line medical staff, to all people engaged and mobilised in the fight against the spread of Covid-19, and to the most vulnerable populations.
Accor has launched an emergency response platform to provide NHS, key workers and disadvantaged people with accommodation solutions in UK. Across the country, more than 80 hotels have already been repurposed for NHS, key workers and welfare bookings from local authorities and charities
The Accor Response Desk has been created in collaboration with Accor’s hotel owners in order to centralise needs and provide accommodation solutions for NHS and other healthcare providers, key workers, local authorities and charities seeking accommodation across the UK for those most in need. Through this platform, all requests can be sent to Accor Response Desk via ARD.UK@Accor.com. This system means the company can respond quickly to needs and pen the doors of hotels across the UK for emergency use.
In the UK, Accor is also working in conjunction with the Government, local authorities, NHS Trusts and charities to continue to identify additional needs and respond as effectively as possible to requests nationwide.
So far, more than 60 hotels across the UK (ibis, ibis budget, ibis Styles, Mercure, Novotel and Adagio) are offering beds to accommodate NHS workers, Key workers, the homeless and government repatriation of Brits returning home.
The Accor Response Desk will make it possible to centralise all accommodation requests from other public authorities and professional associations and to provide them with rapid and tailored responses in accordance with needs.
ACCOR SUPPORTS PROJECT NIGHTINGALE
Accor, in partnership with key hotel owners, has committed to supporting the needs of Project Nightingale, the new hospital at ExCeL London, one of the UK’s biggest convention centres. Novotel London Excel is now housing front line NHS teams working at the new field hospital. As the need for the hospital grows, others Accor hotels in the Excel area will open their doors to the NHS.
KEY EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
- Novotel London Excel is now housing NHS workers in support of NHS Nightingale. Others Accor hotels in the Excel area have pledged to support NHS staff as the need grows. These include ibis London Excel Docklands, ibis Styles London Excel, ibis London Canning Town, ibis London Docklands Canary Wharf and Novotel London Canary Wharf.
- Mercure Wigan responded to the need of local charity, The Brick, and has provided 25 rooms for homeless people to support them throughout this crisis
- Ibis Glasgow has made 104 rooms available for Government use and asylum Seekers
- Novotel Southampton has made 50+ rooms available for NHS professionals
- Mercure Bedford has made 60 rooms available for rough sleepers
- Mercure Nottingham has made 30 rooms available for local rough sleepers
- Mercure Birmingham West Hotel has made up to 100 rooms available for the NHS as an emergency accommodation centre for local hospitals
- Mercure Norwich housing essential offshore workers
- Multiple Heathrow hotels supporting Home Office repatriation of Brits
COMMENT FROM ACCOR
Thomas Dubaere, COO Accor Northern Europe, said: “Our business is committed to people and hospitality and as such we are pleased to put our hotels to use in fighting the spread of Covid-19 and accommodating those in need during this national and global crisis. The need today is for hospital beds and beds for front line workers, not for beds for travellers, and we are answering this need.
“We are proud to accommodate the NHS and front line health workers who are working tirelessly to keep our communities safe, provide care to patients and stem the flow of COVID-19. We will always be immensely grateful for everything that they are doing in these unprecedented circumstances.
“We will continue to do everything we can to support the needs of the government during this national and global crisis, including providing emergency safe spaces for those without anywhere else to stay. Through government and charity partnerships, we are able to provide safe accommodation for the homeless who are especially vulnerable during this crisis. By offering hospitality and comfortable space to those in need we can help take the pressure off local hospitals and our community and help stem the spread of this global crisis.
“Welcoming, protecting and taking care of others is at the very heart of what we do and who we are. We have mobilised our teams and hotels to support those who need to be protected and those on the front line who are protecting us.”
***
