Eileen Hinson

Director

Eileen has considerable experience across the leisure, visitor economy, culture and heritage sectors, encompassing: tourism studies/visitor  centres/economy; hospitality; arts; commercial leisure; and sport and recreation. The focus of this work includes: strategic planning; business planning; market and financial feasibility studies; and work with commercial leisure operators. More recently, Eileen has been involved with operational and business reviews focussed on improving the financial performance of a range of organisations in the public, private and trust sectors.

She is a Fellow of the Tourism Society, a Member of the Chartered Management Institute and a member of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity.

To contact Eileen Hinson email: eileenhinson@leisureconsulting.co.uk

Ron Hinson

Director

Ron is responsible for the financial management and marketing activity for The Leisure Consultancy as well as undertaking a range of project based leisure assignments . 

Experience:

Ron is an extremely experienced marketing consultant.  He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has been involved in business planning and marketing activities in both small  start-ups and established PLC companies. 

He has been instrumental in the preparation of marketing and action plans including:

• Market research
• Product analysis and development
• Events promotion

He has worked with companies as diverse as EJ Riley, Blacks and Peter Cox and,  in recent years has advised on business planning and marketing to a diverse range of businesses.

His work with TLC covers strategic business reviews and crisis management whcih is an increasingly important facet in TLC's portfolio. Ron is also active in guiding and recruiting PR companies for clients and overseeing website production. The production of Marketing Plans is also an important part of the role he plays at TLC, bringing his years of marketing experience to bear in this area.

To contact Ron Hinson email: ronhinson@leisureconsulting.co.uk

Dorothy Wilson MBE FRSA

Associate

Before taking up her role at Mac Birmingham as Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Dorothy spent 14 years at West Midlands Arts, including seven years as deputy director, working across a range of art forms.

• For 7 years till late 2009 she chaired the West Midlands Regional Arts Council and served on the national board of Arts Council England.
• She is currently Chair of the boards of a number of charitable boards including the BBC Performing Arts Fund, Artrix - Bromsgrove’s arts centre, Motionhouse Dance Theatre and The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry.
• She is a Council member of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and a Board member of Dancefest Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Dorothy led the redevelopment of mac through a £15.2m expansion and refurbishment programme. Leading the fundraising and capital development teams, Dorothy championed a fully funded project which was completed on time, reopening in May 2010 to enormous acclaim. In its first year the new centre welcomed over 850,000 visitors.

Dorothy is an associate of The Leisure Consultancy Ltd and was heavily involved in The Drum, Brighton Dome and Carnegie studies.

To contact Dorothy Wilson MBE FRSA email: info@leisureconsulting.co.uk

Keith Gristwood

Associate

Keith has over 30 years’ experience across the leisure, hospitality and attractions sectors, encompassing resort projects, historic, cultural and entertainment-based attractions, and other sports and recreation. The focus of this work includes: business planning; strategic planning; valuation studies; highest- and best-use studies; disposition strategies; market and financial feasibility studies; and work with major developers and operators. Keith has an established reputation in tourism/resort/attraction development.

Qualifications

BA in Hotel & Catering Management, Strathclyde University, 1978

To contact Keith Gristwood email: info@leisureconsulting.co.uk

Andrew Dean

Associate Consultant

Andrew has been involved in the catering sector for over twenty-five years and has over twelve years' experience as a Catering Specialist working with many clients in the Heritage, Leisure and Cultural Sector.

Following a successful career in opening and change managing a number of catering and leisure operations (including a 35 bedroom grade II listed hotel, a multi-site contract as well as owning his own restaurant), Andrew realised his skills could be put to better use by advising other businesses where catering was not their primary business function. His analytical skills, eye for detail, managerial and operational background along with his patience and personal desire to craft a solution that balances and weaves the clients' needs alongside commercial requirements means that Andrew has been in demand ever since he started consulting in 2000.

Andrew has worked with TLC on a number of projects, advising on the catering, including:

• Carlisle Cathedral
• Blakenall Village Centre
• Sandwell Valley Country Park
• Dinton Pastures Country Park
• The Peak District National Park Authority.
• The Cathedral of St JohnThe Baptist Norwich

One of  Andrew's current engagements is assisting Lincoln Castle develop the catering operation for their  multi-million £ rebuild and refurbishment project; this includes detailing the offer, service and staffing requirements for the operation, the design of all catering areas and compiling financial projections and returns. Two of his recent projects have involved assisting management to turn around visitor attraction based catering operations from deficit to profit within 4 months.

AD Consulting is an independently owned specialist catering advice practice specialising in creating and delivering commercially focused catering operations for clients whose catering operation is not necessarily their primary business function. In today's climate commercial focus has never been more important with clients needing to maximise income from their catering operation; this is where AD Catering excels.

To contact Andrew Dean email: info@leisureconsulting.co.uk