2. Identify key points in the article and extract information from it to pass on to your partner.
3. Let your partner see whether key points identified by you are the same as those covered in the article. Let him agree or disagree with you.
Case 2
Background:
Plenty of problems are in store for anyone willing to open a hotel in London. An outlay of ,,6m-7m on the property alone is needed. Besides, commercial property rates are calculated in an arbitrary way. All this may result in mutual misunderstanding, directly affecting hoteliers' profits.
1. Read the supporting article and provide detailed answers to the case questions below.
Chequing in (Part 2)
(Why are Britain's hotels so expensive?)
Peter McKay, who co-owns two of the city's finest small hotels — Hazlitt's in Soho and The Gore in Kensington — says the problem starts with finding a suitable building. «You're going to need between 25 and 55 rooms*, he says. «In the West End, that means an outlay of «6m-7m on *the property alone*. After successfully fending off competition from residential and commercial bidders, gaining the necessary planning permission and converting the existing building from top to bottom, all according to strict building regulations, you could easily be looking at a capital investment of 10m ($15m).
«And then*, says Mr McKay, «there are the rates*. Commercial property rates are calculated according to an arcane formula whose secrets, it seems, are fully understood only by a select few initiates among the bureaucratic brotherhood. Those hoteliers who have the wherewithal to do so regularly challenge their assessment. This can save them hundreds of thousands of pounds — underscoring the apparent arbitrariness of the whole process.
No wonder, then, that most London hotels are run by multinational chains. Continental Europe, by contrast, still has a strong tradition of independent hotels, many of which remain in the same family for generations, and can thus operate with a lot less pressure from bank managers or shareholders
Mr McKay has nothing against corporation-owned hotels; he just doesn't want to run one himself. A really good hotel, he believes, bears the personal imprimatur of its owner — it should reflect his or her «commitment to the thing». Flexibility is the key. «The nearer you are to your customers, the easier it is to be flexible*. That can affect every aspect of how you do business — from the overall look and feel of a hotel to its willingness to serve butter on a dish instead of in a packet. Not for Mr McKay the dead hand of chain-hotel sameness. This sentiment is one his Continental counterparts would recognize immediately — Vive la difference!
Vocabulary notes
to co-own владеть чем-либо совместно с кем-либо; быть совладельцем
West End, the Вест-энд — респектабельный и престижный район Лондона, где расположены ведущие столичные театры
outlay затраты, издержки; сумма денег, которую нужно внести при покупке существующего или открытии нового предприятия, бизнеса и т.п.
bidder тот, кто предлагает продавцу большую сумму денег, пытаясь «перебить» своих конкурентов
to fend off зд. защититься от чего-либо, проигнорировав или свалив это на кого-либо другого
from top to bottom целиком и полностью; букв, сверху донизу
initiate зд. новичок; человек, начавший работать в данной организации совсем недавно
arcane труднопонимаемый, загадочный, таинственный
wherewithal все необходимое (как правило, деньги и возможности) для того, чтобы сделать что-либо или добиться чего- либо
to underscore подчеркивать, делать упор на что-либо
to challenge ставить под сомнение
apparent очевидный, бросающийся в глаза
arbitrariness предвзятость, необъективность, произвол; избирательное отношение к чему-либо
imprimatur зд. отпечаток личности
flexibility д. гибкость, способность изменяться в зависимости от ситуации
the nearer….. the easier…. чем ближе... тем легче...
packet пачка, упаковка
dead hand резко отрицательное воздействие, длящееся долгое время
sameness сходство, неизменность, отсутствие перемен
sentiment чувство
Continental зд. европейский (за исключением Великобритании); букв, континентальный
Viva la difference! франц. Да здравствуют отличия!
Case questions:
1. What does Peter McKay co-own?
2. How much money should a hotelier raise to start the hotel business in London?
3. Why is it so difficult to calculate commercial property rates?
4. Why do some hoteliers regularly challenge the assessment of commercial property rates?
5. What proves the apparent arbitrariness of the whole assessment process?
6. What can save hotel owners hundreds of thousands of pounds? Why?
7. Why are most London hotels run by multinational chains?
8. What are the advantages of independent hotels in Continental Europe?
9. Why are independent hotels so rare in London?
10. Do all hotel owners want to run their hotels themselves?
11. What is the key to a really good hotel, according to Peter McKay?
12. Is chain-hotel sameness a positive factor in running a hotel?
Role-play:
Pretend you are planning to start a hotel from scratch. You have already raised $1,5 million but the bureaucratic brotherhood in the assessment committee keep telling you that this amount of money won't be enough. You have serious doubts they are right. What measures will you take to open your hotel?
While making a final decision consider the following possible steps:
• to challenge their assessment;
• to show them the apparent arbitrariness of their assessment;
• to fend off competition from residential and commercial bidders;
• to find a more suitable building;
• to save tens of thousands of dollars;
• to struggle against chain-hotel sameness.
2. Identify key points in the text and extract information from it to pass on to your partner.
3. Let your partner see whether key points identified by you are the same as those covered in the text. Let him agree or disagree with you.