Latest news with #TheSocialHub
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Hybrid hospitality chief says firm serves 'diverse audience'
Read more in our exclusive Q&A here: Name: Ben McLeod What is your business called? The Social Hub Glasgow Where is it based? Glasgow What does it produce/do? We're a hybrid hospitality concept that combines hotel accommodation, with student and long-term stay rooms, coworking spaces, meeting and event venues, food and drink venues – all under one roof. It's a place where travellers, students, locals, and professionals can meet, learn, stay, work, and play. To whom does it sell? Our audience is incredibly diverse, from international students and business travellers to tourists and Glaswegians who come for a coffee, run their businesses from our coworking spaces, or to attend events to network, or simply have fun. We're also a growing destination for corporate and private event bookings. It's a community-first space designed to serve a wide cross-section of people with beautifully designed spaces aimed at building communities. How many employees? We currently have a team of 55. Why did you take the plunge? To be honest, I wasn't actively looking for a new role — I was headhunted through a recruiter. At the time, I was Head of Operations for a family-run hospitality group with multiple venues and hotels across Central Scotland. What intrigued me about The Social Hub was the uniqueness of the concept. The more I learned, the more excited I became. It felt like an opportunity to build something that hadn't been done before in the UK – certainly not in Scotland. READ MORE: 'Scotland's largest hotel' opens on site of famous former department store I've always loved hospitality. I got my start years ago in Grantown-on-Spey, working in bars and clubs while studying. Over time I took on more responsibility, worked across independent and branded operations, and spent time in Australia and the Middle East. What kept me hooked was developing people and seeing guests enjoy the experiences we create – that's the essence of hospitality for me. More than financial success, that's always been the pull. What were you doing before? I was head of operations for a family-run hospitality group, overseeing around 11 venues. It was fast-paced, hands-on, and a great grounding for the challenges of a launch like this. What do you least enjoy? There are always day-to-day challenges – mainly around managing people with different needs and communication styles, which requires constant adaptation. But that's also what makes it interesting, and also what makes our offering so unique – that mix of backgrounds and experience. The beauty of this role is that I'm not buried in paperwork. The business is well structured, and I have a fantastic team around me. That makes a huge difference. What are your ambitions for the firm? We want to be Glasgow's number one impact-driven hospitality venue… the go-to place for students, long and short term stay accommodation, dining and meetings and events. We aim to be the place to be in the city to meet people from all walks of life in a dynamic environment, and honestly, it feels like we're well on our way. We've already surpassed everything we thought we could achieve in our first year. The team has done a phenomenal job of showing Glasgow what The Social Hub can be. What single thing would most help? Continued support from our community and city stakeholders. We want to keep building something meaningful for Glasgow, and local backing makes a massive difference. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned? Trust your team. Give them the tools, space, and support to learn, grow, and make mistakes. You can't do it all yourself, although it's human nature to try. The real job of a leader is putting the right people in the right places, then letting them do their thing. What was your best moment? Helping to launch and build something entirely new in the UK has been incredibly rewarding. A real highlight was in May when The Social Hub Glasgow hosted its Better Society Academy – an event that brings together next-generation business leaders from across Europe to help the business world address Net Zero challenges. First Minister John Swinney was the headline speaker and toured the building as part of it. He absolutely loved it – and the community we've built. The nation's media was here, and seeing the First Minister's reaction to The Social Hub, and the positive change we are trying to drive in society was amazing. I also look back fondly on my time in the UAE, growing brands in a tough and complex market. It was highly international, and creating a culture where every voice mattered stood out to me. Working with Stewart Black, a former CEO I hugely admire, was another pivotal experience. He believed passionately in building profit through people and culture, and that changed the way I viewed leadership. I have another inspirational CEO now in Charlie MacGregor, and am learning so much from him too. What was your worst moment? Burning out at 25. I took on too much, too fast, convinced I was better than I was, and eventually walked away from hospitality altogether. I sold everything and travelled the world. In Australia, I had no intention of returning to the industry, but I ended up doing a trial shift at The Meat & Wine Co in Darling Harbour. I was supposed to be there for three hours, but I ended up staying until 11pm and I was hooked all over again. The culture was different, hospitality was a respected trade; people were career waiters and bartenders; Sundays came with a service charge that went straight to staff. It was thoughtful, balanced, and inspiring. I was offered the chance to stay, but the pull of family brought me home. Still, that experience gave me a new perspective and reignited my passion. How do you relax? Family is everything. I've got three very active kids, and I try to spend as much time as possible with them, whether that's swimming, being outdoors, or playing golf. I love getting to the driving range or squeezing in a round when I can. One of the best things about working for The Social Hub is that work-life balance is genuinely prioritised. I'm not contacted outside of work hours, and that's down to having a strong team and the right culture. It makes all the difference.
Scottish Sun
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Scot went from car salesman to boss of a $2billion business
'My first job was at the Toyota garage down in Cameron Toll. They used to push me out in front of the old, posh customers, because I could 'speak posh' TOP GEAR Scot went from car salesman to boss of a $2billion business CHARLIE MACGREGOR quit private school at 16 to become a trainee car salesman – and found the drive to build a European hospitality empire. The businessman revealed he was 'crap' in the classroom and couldn't wait to join the working world. Advertisement 4 Charlie started out life as a car salesman and now is CEO of The Social Hub. 4 The Social Hub Glasgow is the biggest hotel in Scotland. 4 Charlie relaxing in one of his hotels and the sort of activities guests can enjoy. His first job after leaving Merchiston boarding school in Edinburgh was flogging motors at Western Toyota in the city's Cameron Toll, where he used his privileged background to woo posh buyers. Growing in confidence, he later joined the building trade before turning his attention to hospitality. Charlie — whose dad, Charles, built Scotland's first student digs in 1980 for Edinburgh University — now owns 21 hotels in eight European countries under The Social Hub banner. They provide a mix of short and longer stay accommodation, plus co-working and event spaces. Through his Dutch-based firm, the entrepreneur last year opened his first UK venue — the £90million, 494-room, 4star Glasgow Social Hub. Advertisement Charlie, 49, from Haddington, East Lothian, recalls: 'I found school quite hard. I later discovered I was dyslexic before dyslexia was a thing. 'I was being told all the time that I was crap at everything and ended up leaving as early as I could. 'My dad was not so happy with me leaving school at 16, so told me to start earning a living. 'My first job was at the Toyota garage down in Cameron Toll. There was an old guy there who used to push me out in front of the old, posh customers, because I could 'speak posh', according to him. He told me to put on the 'posh school boy act' and I played up to it. Advertisement 'That helped build my confidence, but I guess I really found my mojo working on a building site. 'I discovered quite early on that I wasn't afraid of work the way I had been at school — it's just in the classroom I didn't understand what the hell was going on. 'But I worked like a dog and loved being part of a team. At work, I was the happiest I have ever been and have worked and worked since then.' Dad-of-four Charlie built his venues — which provide around 10,000 rooms — after raising almost £1.5billion from investors. Advertisement All are based on the same philosophy of offering luxury rooms for leisure and business travellers, as well as students and extended-stay guests. They also feature turntables and table tennis with bars, some with rooftop pools, restaurants, function rooms, a laundry and a gym. The most recent addition to the chain is Social Hub in Rome. Charlie reckons the key to his success is giving people more meaningful social experiences on a greater scale than they would get in the street or over a coffee. Advertisement He says: 'Bringing all these people together is only what we all experience on a bus or in Starbucks. Hotels seem to focus on one group or another, like, 'This is a business hotel, this is a leisure hotel, this is a health hotel'. And God forbid the locals are not allowed in there because they're just gonna disrupt the place, right? 'So we've come along and, with no hotel experience and in our naivety said, 'Hey, let's just bring everybody together and let's make sure the locals are part of it, too'.' Charlie's idea for Social Hub came after he got into the student accommodation business like his dad, opening his first Student Hotel in the Netherlands in 2006. He says: 'I grew up thinking, 'Jeez, these places don't really motivate good behaviour'. But build a space where their parents could come to stay — well, it naturally makes you behave better.' Advertisement Charlie believes other hotels need to 'rip up' the rule book if they want to follow in his footsteps. He says with a sigh: 'Do you know that in the big hotel chains, there's a standard operating procedure on how staff should sneeze? We have a reverse philosophy where the front of house staff — cleaners, receptionists — they're at the top of the tree, with me as the CEO at the bottom, because they really are frontline staff who are there to make your stay the best it can be.' Charlie would now love to expand his Social Hub accommodation into other parts of Scotland and Britain. He revealed it is 'really heartwarming' to see the concept working, and is particularly proud of his Glasgow venture. Advertisement However, he cautions: 'I wouldn't recommend to my own children to leave school at 16, but for me, getting out into the workplace really was the best thing I could have done.'
STV News
08-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Scottish brewer launches search for year long 'beer tasters'
An award winning Scottish brewer has launched a search for year long 'beer tasters'. Innis & Gunn have teamed up with video interview platform Willo to search for five candidates to be offered the position of Beer Taster for a full year, effective from July 1, 2025. Successful applicants will gain early access to new beers and will receive VIP tickets to some of Scotland's top cultural events, including Belladrum, Edinburgh Christmas Market, Celtic Connections, and even The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Full training will also be provided at the Innis & Gunn taproom. The process started with a pop-up booth at The Social Hub in Glasgow, where passer-by's were invited in to ask questions, ranging from 'describe the flavour of a pint in five words' to 'let's see you pull an imaginary pint'. You apply for the next pop up booth on the Innis & Gunn website. Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn said: 'Glasgow's got personality by the pint, so it made perfect sense to kick off our search for Scotland's top beer taster right here. 'We wanted to do something that felt less like a job interview and more like a laugh down the pub, and that's exactly what happened at The Social Hub. 'With help from our friends at Willo, we've captured some brilliant characters who know their way around a beer, and we can't wait to see who else throws their hat in the ring. This could genuinely be the best gig in the country – so get your applications in as soon as you can.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
08-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Fancy a job tasting pints? Innis & Gunn are on the hunt for Scotland's top beer tasters
Innis & Gunn are on the hunt to find Scotland's biggest beer fan for the role of a lifetime. In a unique recruitment campaign, the Scottish drinks company are searching for a new official Beer Taster. Beginning the hunt with a pop-up booth at The Social Hub in Glasgow - with the help of video interview platform Willo - potential "professionals" were asked a number of questions, ranging from "describe the flavour of a pint in five words" to "can you pull an imaginary pint". And for those who missed out, but who firmly believe their palate meets the brief, Innis & Gunn are also calling on lager lovers from around the country to apply online. We hit the streets of Glasgow to conduct some *very serious* pint-erviews 😉 No CVs. No awkward handshakes. Just plenty laughs and free beers! Want to be our Beer Taster? There's still time to apply - simply pick up a promo pack of our lager and scan the QR code. — Innis & Gunn (@innisandgunn) May 8, 2025 With five open roles, successful candidates will be offered the position of Beer Taster for a full year, effective from July 1, 2025. In addition to early access to new beers, successful applicants will receive VIP tickets to some of Scotland's top cultural events, including Belladrum, Edinburgh Christmas Market, Celtic Connections, and even The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Full training will also be provided at the Innis & Gunn taproom. Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn said: "Glasgow's got personality by the pint, so it made perfect sense to kick off our search for Scotland's top beer taster right here. "We wanted to do something that felt less like a job interview and more like a laugh down the pub, and that's exactly what happened at The Social Hub. "With help from our friends at Willo, we've captured some brilliant characters who know their way around a beer, and we can't wait to see who else throws their hat in the ring. This could genuinely be the best gig in the country - so get your applications in as soon as you can." Fancy becoming a Beer Taster for Innis & Gunn? Here's how If you're looking to throw your hat in the ring and become a Beer Taster all you need to do is pick up a promotional pack of Innis & Gunn Lager in-store and follow the instructions to apply online.
Entrepreneur
06-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
'I choose not to play ball in this war': Why CEOs must stand up proudly and say 'we support DEI'
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The rapid movement of DEI rollback has been surreal and unnerving to witness. As founder and CEO of The Social Hub, a B Corp Certified hybrid hospitality company which employs more than 1,000 people directly and welcomes more than 2 million guests per year, it has left me wondering what this all ultimately says about us. It should be noted, I say this as a privileged, educated, well-fed and loved white, straight, able-bodied man. I have had all the advantages our society can offer at my feet my whole life. Let's just take a moment to unpack what this acronym stands for: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Let them sink in for a second and consider what it would mean if we don't support this, if we want the opposite. Uniformity, Inequality, and Exclusion. It is an insane idea that you would run a team with this as your values in the western world in 2025, especially when you are targeting a wide range of customers. Before I go into the ramifications, though, I would like to rewind to the moment when DEI truly kicked off. DEI gained momentum as a unified response to the murder of George Floyd in 2020 by a white police officer in broad daylight. The fact that it was documented, the evidence undisputable, was a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter protests that summer, which unleashed a tidal wave of pledges of support for greater diversity, equity and inclusion. Compounded with the reckoning of the earlier #MeToo movement, it exposed a hard truth, one as old as time – our societies and our economies were not a level playing field. Rather, they systematically privileged a certain kind of straight, white, male above everyone else – again, people like me! It's not an exaggeration to say that it was a watershed moment that dismantled the myth, especially the American myth, of hard work as the only path to success, revealing instead deeply entrenched systemic issues. It offered a unique, global moment for self-reflection. As early as June of 2020, the World Economic Forum published a DEI toolkit for companies that, crucially to my mind, laid out not just a moral case for embracing DEI, but a business case as well. This wasn't rocket science after all. The world we live in is highly diverse. Organisations were successful when they created an inclusive work culture that tapped into the full potential of human diversity. The numbers backed it up too - companies that had already embraced DEI were consistently performing better than those that weren't. At my company, The Social Hub, we have a global customer base, just like these myriad S&P 500 companies backpedalling on their DEI (90% and counting of the top 400). We proudly cater for every person, no matter where they come from, what they have or don't have, what they do or don't identify as. As for these other companies, my question is this – how can you expect to attract global customers if you don't actually have teams who can help those privileged few at the top understand the needs, challenges, and wants of these other group. Which, by the way, are the majority when combined? The other argument we hear is that DEI has gone too far. While it is true that the left also has voices which can be scary and intimidating, it is up to us – my fellow CEOs – to make sure we find a balance which works for us, our teams and for our businesses. I am a super optimistic person, so a large part of me is really hoping, thinking, that these big international companies are simply 'Trump Washing' when it comes to DE&I. It doesn't make business sense to play ball with an old, white male bully, and taking these three letters down from websites, but not really going through with anti-DEI actions. I choose not to play ball in this war. I want to stand up proudly saying we support DEI. We want and need a diverse team, we will give everyone equal chances and we will do our best to make everyone feel included. After all, this is exactly what we are doing with our guests, each and every day and for each and every one of them. For us, having a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce is not charity, it's something we passionately advocate for. In such a wonderfully diverse world, we know it's the only pathway to a better future and to sustainable growth. It's nothing but a win-win for all of us. This is why all our hubs – no matter the location – are safe, welcoming spaces for everyone. So that together we can contribute to a fairer, more inclusive society. Last autumn, our efforts were rewarded when we became a B Corp, a huge milestone for us. We're now an active member of a community of like-minded companies that also use business as a force for good. This is also why I'm particularly proud of the work we do at my NGO Movement on the Ground, which is focused on turning refugee camps into what we call an active "CampUS." And, with our very own TSH Talent Foundation, we are promoting scholarships and other skilling opportunities for brilliant students from underprivileged and diverse backgrounds. At The Social Hub we commit 1% of our global revenue to fund the organisation, every year. Meanwhile, at our Better Society Academy at The Social Hub Glasgow last week, I saw what happens when people from all backgrounds – activists, business leaders, students, civil servants – get in a room and really listen. You get energy. You get ideas. You get progress. People actually hear each other – which is scarily rare in today's world. I've been meeting a lot of UK entrepreneurs lately – through our community in Glasgow and as we look to expand The Social Hub into other UK cities. And I get it: a lot of people are feeling worn down right now. Costs are up, growth is slower, and the temptation is to turn inward. But I truly believe this is the moment to look outward. To open the doors wider, not close them. To founders across the UK: this isn't about being 'woke' or ticking boxes. It's about building companies we're proud to run – places where people want to stay, want to grow, and want to do work that matters. If we can make room at the table, stay curious, and lead with purpose, then I really think we've got a shot at creating businesses that outlast the noise, do the right thing, and help build a better society. Ultimately, in my view, what it comes down to is this: be the kind person you are, who we all are… listen to your heart not your ego, trust this feeling when you meet people and, more importantly, don't forget to smile.
