Oxford Concierge says “I Will” to ending lockdown
William Thomson, once the friendly concierge face of Oxford’s Randolph hotel, is gearing up for a surge in wedding and party planning as the country looks beyond the end of lockdown. His new business, the concierge and event planning venture Ask William, is fielding a boom in enquiries for weddings, anniversaries and events from a pent-up public wanting long awaited celebrations.
“Last year was the year of the cancelled birthday, abandoned trips and delayed weddings” says William “but we are now sensing a real urgency for help with bookings and arrangements for this summer and beyond.”
In the last week, Ask William has advised on various weddings, rescheduled birthdays, a corporate dining club and an overseas business trip to Oxford. With the prime minister’s roadmap out of lockdown suggesting that restrictions could be gone by June 21st, the event organiser is cautiously confident in the return of celebration. According to William, people are desperate to have something to look forward to and many, having saved money during lockdown, have the funds to make things happen in style.
A recent report by the Bank of England says that British households have built up record savings during the pandemic ‘hibernation’ , saving up to five times as much as in any other nine month period on record. If households start spending the £125bn now believed to sit in savings, post pandemic Britain could see a boom. Forecasters are predicting strong competition for hotel rooms and restaurant tables as people escape their ‘cabin fever’. Sources in London suggest that Saturday weddings in the capital may already be fully booked for 2022.
William says “Like everyone, we are longing to see restrictions lifted safely and permanently. It’s early days, but we are definitely seeing hopeful first steps towards people planning their return to social life. We are busy working with venues and other hospitality suppliers to help make the transition back to normality with caution and care”.
William has been a familiar face to locals and visitors to Oxford for over fifteen years. He started his career at the Bear hotel in Woodstock at age 18 before quickly moving on to assist guests as the flamboyant head concierge of Oxford’s five star Randolph hotel on Beaumont Street. Made redundant last September as a result of Covid and new hotel ownership, William decided to launch his own business instead of joining the long ranks of those out of work.
He is now busy drawing on his large professional network to form expert and colourful teams, ready to create and deliver exceptional events. William is Oxford’s only member of the international group of elite concierges, Les Clefs d’Or, giving him access to top class assistance around the world. This prestigious organisation awarded William the global accolade of “Young Concierge of the Year 2016” in a competition with peers from around the world.
Closer to home, he works with specialists such as Chauffeur/Owner Jonathan Sayers of Concierge Wedding Cars and florist Alison Thompson of Kidlington’s Flower Ladies. His little black book of trusted colleagues lists the county’s premier venues, caterers, tailors, milliners, photographers and many other crafts people and specialists in the world of travel, tourism, events and leisure.
William hopes that bringing businesses together in this way will help revitalise the local economy, and hospitality in general: “I have been in the world of hospitality all my life” William explains “and I am determined to do whatever I can to help my beloved industry get back on its feet and thrive again. As we leave this terrible pandemic behind, I will bring everything I can to the table, to get this party started!”
Contact William and his team at www.askwilliam.co.uk Call 01865 341993 or 07960 289961
Key dates for wedding and event planning:
March 29th: Limited weddings of 6 people allowed from Mar 29th.
April 12th: Restricted weddings of 15 people for a ceremony and reception . Non-essential retail reopening. This will include wedding suppliers such as bridal salons and florists. Venue show rounds currently allowed from 12th April. Menu tastings in line with social mixing rules can be held outside for 2 families or 6 individuals from 12th April.
May 17th: Restricted weddings of 30 people for a ceremony and reception. Most social contact rules are currently expected to be lifted. Menu tastings in line with social mixing rules (six people or two households) can be held inside from 17th May.
June 21st: Unrestricted weddings allowed from June 21st. All legal limits on social contact are currently expected to be removed.
Full guidance on weddings in England during this period can be found on the Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships
