Terra Nova to reopen at the end of August

By McPherse Thompson, Staff Reporter

The Terra Nova Hotel

THE TERRA Nova Hotel at Waterloo Road in St. Andrew, which was closed for refurbishing a few months ago, will be re-opened on August 31 with "a new look, feeling and attitude," according to general manager, Evatt Bloomfield.

The hotel was shut down reportedly because of refurbishing work that was taking place in its kitchen area, as well as the general poor state of its health care procedures.

Since then, Guardian Life, the local arm of the Trinidadian conglomerate Guardian Holdings, has leased the property to Silex, which is said to be representing the Hussey family, who have substantial interests in pharmacies and racehorses. Guardian Life Jamaica yesterday declined to say for how long the lease arrangement would be in place.

Mr. Bloomfield, a former general manager at the 205-room Beaches Negril, who has been ushered in to manage the affairs of the popular St. Andrew hotel and restaurant, said extensive refurbishing work has been undertaken to upgrade the infrastructure and products. The refurbishing work included upgrading the hotel's electrical system by expanding the standby capacity from 75 Kilovolt Amperes (KVA) to 800 KVA, which will allow it to carry the entire facility during an emergency.

In addition, Mr. Bloomfield said, they were putting in place infrastructural facilities using fibre optics that will allow for high speed access and therefore enhancing the capability of its information technology system.

Terra Nova, which he said was already known for its very good food and beverages, was also upgrading those products. According to the general manager, "Terra Nova will be new in terms of its look, feel and attitude. The only thing that will be old is the Jamaican hospitality clients have come to know and cherish."

He said the hotel has already completed most of its recruitment for staff, who, as of next week, will be undergoing orientation and training "that will underpin the delivery process to customers and clients."

While the hotel will be re-employing some of the staff members who had been with the business up to the time of its closure, Mr. Bloomfield said some have sought employment elsewhere and hence there will be some new faces drawn from a cadre of gifted, talented and qualified personnel who have undergone training in the hospitality industry at institutions such as the HEART Academy and the University of Technology (UTech).

The Terra Nova Hotel and Restaurant became part of the assets handed to Guardian Life following its $1.1 billion deal in May 1999 when it acquired the individual life and pensions portfolios of Jamaica Mutual Life Assurance Society, Dyoll Life and Crown Eagle.

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