Wednesday 29th April 2020
The Victory Services Club (VSC), a private military members’ club based near Marble Arch in London, has been transformed into a hotel to accommodate key workers.
Due to the Coronavirus lock down the Club has made 100 en-suite bedrooms available to key workers. Fifty four have been used by military personnel from the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the Army, who have been deployed in London to work in the Ministry of Defence, Foreign and Common Wealth Office and the National Health Service to help with the Coronavirus pandemic.
The VSC has very committed staff who have volunteered to live-in at the Club and provide a bespoke service to key workers who are staying. Guests can order freshly cooked food and drinks which are delivered to their bedrooms.
The safety of the Club’s guests and staff is paramount; therefore, the Club has installed strict social distancing measures in all areas of the building coupled with an increased cleaning regime of the public spaces. Other staff members have been working remotely from home to ensure business goes ahead as usual.
Mark Field, Operations Director at Victory Services Club said:
“We have adapted our usual working practices to ensure our staff and guests remain safe: For example, our food offering has changed to meet social distancing and safety rules. We do not usually provide room service, but as our usually lively bar and restaurants are currently closed, we are now serving all meals in guests’ rooms – up to 180 trays per day. Guests’ can order meals to be delivered within a 30-minute timeslot. Staff and guests are leaving food trays outside the rooms to maintain social distancing rules.”
“The safety of our team is also very important, so we are operating with only the staff members who have volunteered to come to work; we currently have 20 staff members living in the Club each week on rotation. One of our conference rooms has been turned into an extension of our Staff Canteen to ensure staff have the space to observe the 2 metre distancing rule. The reaction from guests has been amazing with the team frequently complimented for their warm and friendly welcome.
“We are proud to be supporting our military and key workers through these challenging times and the Club will continue this support for as long as it is needed.”
If you are a key worker or you know a key worker looking for Central London accommodation, contact Mark Field, the Operations Director – [email protected].
