The latest project from Focus Hotels Management Ltd, The Newgate Hotel in Newcastle Upon Tyne announces the appointment of Julie Riddell to the position of General Manager. Julie is taking over the hotel following its 200k refurbishment, bringing with her a wealth of previous experience in order to develop it to Focus Hotel standards.

With over 20 year�s experience, Julie joins The Newgate Hotel following a strong record of career successes in business management at hotels throughout the UK, most recently a General Manager position at Quality Hotel in Newcastle Upon Tyne. In addition Julie has managed the Esplanade Hotel in Whitley Bay and Balitmore Hotel in Middlesbrough. Julie�s expertise in hotel management will ensure the delivery of quality service and standards at The Newgate Hotel and enable further growth for the hotel.

The Newgate Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of Newcastle city centre, adjacent to The Gate and just a few minutes from Eldon Square. The hotel provides good value accommodation with bright, modern d�cor offering a comfortable �home from home� environment. The renovation programme includes a bar on the first floor, which has been furnished with leather sofas and a 50 inch plasma television, showing all Sky channels and free Wi-Fi available in all public areas of the hotel.

-Ends - Media information For further information please contact: Eleanore Longley, Flora Gandolfo or Jeff Bacall Bacall Associates, 63 Catherine Place, SW1E 6DY Tel: +44 (0) 8704 288 401 Fax: +44 (0) 8704 288 402 Email: firstname@bacall.net www.bacallassociates.co.uk About Focus Hotels Founded in July 2007 by hospitality guru Peter Cashman and fellow board directors Alun Edwards and Tony Mylchreest, Focus Hotels provides management and management support services to hotels in key city centres and prime business destinations across the UK.

Offering management and consultancy to UK hotels in the mid-market, Focus Hotels draws on a formidable 60 years of hotel and hospitality industry experience at senior level and an in-depth understanding of the business environment to deliver consistent profitability in an increasingly competitive market.

The Focus Hotels portfolio currently includes 13 unique, credible three- and four-star properties. Focus Hotels is rooted in the belief that there is a strong opening in the current market for quality hotels offering good value and excellent service. Shying away from the ubiquitous standardised �formula� hotel, the group offers a wide variety of hotel styles at a range of excellent locations, all sharing one thing in common: a determination to offer friendly service, �home from home� comfort and great value.

CEO Cashman was a founding and main board director of Choice Hotels (CHE Group PLC) for over 20 years and has also held senior management roles with Centre Hotels (now mainly Holiday Inns), Trust House Forte, Comfort Hotels International and Ladbrokes Hotels (now Hilton). He is also currently a director of Kasterlee Ltd, an Irish based hotel brand which operates 10 four-star hotels in Ireland and the UK.