ONE of the most acclaimed awards in the world of hospitality has been made to the head concierge of one of Craven’s best-known hotels.

Andrew Seward, of the Devonshire Arms Hotel, Bolton Abbey, was presented with a gold lapel pin by ‘Les Clefs d’Or’ - the Society of the Golden Keys - at a special ceremony at the Amba Hotel at Marble Arch, London, earlier this month.

The society says that the award shows that Andrew is recognised as among the very best in his profession.

The Devonshire Arms’s general manager James O’Donnell, who accompanied Andrew to the event, said: “I was very privileged to be asked by Andy to join him as he was elevated to Les Clefs d’Or.

“An internationally recognised institution, it’s an organisation which prides itself on ‘service through friendship.’

“This is a characteristic that Andy has displayed for years. This is a real feather in his cap - after all of his years of dedication and excellence in his role here at the hotel, he can now feel justifiably proud of his achievements - and it’s a proud moment for the hotel as a whole.”

Andrew has worked at the hotel for 10 years, where his duties have been taking care of guests and ensuring that they make the most of the hotel and their stay in the region.

Award recipients must be proposed by two established members of ‘Les Clefs D’or’ and must have been a concierge for a minimum of five years.

Andrew also had to undertake a series of tests, interviews and placements within the industry at other leading hotels in the north, to strengthen his professional networking and to ensure that the society’s selection process was completed.

A hotel spokeswoman said that Andrew is also involved with environmental projects at the hotel, where bees are kept in its walled kitchen gardens, and is currently leading a special project to deliver a 50 per cent reduction in plastic consumption by the hotel over the next 12 months.

Les Clefs D’ Or was formed in1952, when a group of head hall porters of several top London hotels set up a professional organisation similar to one formed some years earlier in France.