Whitley Bay Boutique Hotel Gives Rooms to NHS Frontline StaffOne of Whitley Bay’s newest hospitality businesses has allocated its apartments free of charge to NHS frontline staff who are unable to return home due to COVID.
Stay Coastal is a luxury self-contained apartment complex with seven rooms and suites including mini-kitchens and luxury walk-in showers. After an extensive refurbishment to convert the former traditional seaside guest house to boutique standard, Stay Coastal opened its doors to holidaymakers and business visitors in the summer. Now, however, despite steady bookings, government guidance has meant that the hotel has had to close to the general public.
Rather than leaving the building empty, the three directors of 3NB North East who own Stay Coastal; Debbie Dorans, Jacqui McGuire and Anna Fisher decided to offer the rooms free of charge to NHS frontline workers in a bid to raise their spirits and offer them a place to relax following busy stressful shifts helping other people.
“The beauty about Stay Coastal is that it is COVID secure with self-service check-in and keyless entry which means that anyone using our facilities can come and go without coming into contact with others,” said Debbie. “This is our small way of helping in the fight against COVID by offering a safe place to relax after the rigours of a busy shift. It’s also helping to keep others safe too if the doctors and nurses who use our facilities have to isolate from their families.”
Sunderland property investor Debbie Dorans is no stranger to helping good causes and charities. She has previously raised much-needed funds by trekking the Grand Canyon, taken part in an expedition to Everest base camp and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. She is currently preparing to walk to the North Pole, a challenge that she is looking forward to as she is related to polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
“I’m training hard to get my fitness levels high for the expedition to the Arctic but for now my challenge is to make a difference to those fighting COVID,” she said.
Debbie is a member of North Tyneside Business Forum and they are supporting her and her fellow director’s pledge to help the NHS.
Karen Goldfinch is the Chair of the Forum: “What Stay Coastal has done is commendable and I’d urge other North Tyneside businesses that want to contribute to get in touch. It may be that someone could make cup-cakes for NHS staff to enjoy as they return to the hotel or someone may be able to offer online relaxation therapy etc. We all want to help in whatever way we can,” she said.
NHS bookings can be made via www.stay-coastal.co.uk
