I have lived in Liverpool all my life, and The Adelphi Hotel was once one of the city's crowning glories. I remember having tea there with my sister when we were kids, as a treat from my mum. I was awestruck by the glittering chandeliers and the ornate ceilings. It was like stepping into another world.
Around 15 years ago, I read a library book written by a former staff member of the Adelphi (I’ve forgotten the title and the author’s name). In the book, she reminisced about her time working there in the 1960s. What struck me most wasn’t just her stories of guests or the routines of hotel life, but her description of an entire hidden world above the hotel: the top floor, which comprised of staff live-in apartments. Not only that, but there was also a refectory, a TV room, a laundry and a shared lounge. Staff were also given perks like discounted train fares, due to the Adelphi being owned at the time by British Railways, which operated a number of railway hotels across the country.
When I read about all this, I was amazed, not just at the physical scale of the arrangement, but at the attitude behind it. It was a different way of treating and caring for staff: one that acknowledged their worth, not just as cheap labour (as might be the case these days), but as human beings who deserved dignity, stability and a sense of belonging. Sadly, that world is gone forever. Today, the top floor is, I understand, just storage space.
The Adelphi was not the only hotel that had staff live-in apartments. This was true of most hotels worldwide. Having staff living in hotels was more than merely being the decent thing to do, it was also the foundation of impeccable service. Staff could respond instantly to guests’ needs, ensuring that hotels maintained a high level of customer care.
Removing staff live-in apartments has forced staff into daily commuting, thus increasing stress, fatigue, staff dissatisfaction and staff turnover.
Reinvesting in staff well-being, including reintroducing staff live-in apartments where possible (I appreciate that only the large hotels could do this), would restore some of the decency and efficiency lost in the name of false economy. Hospitality is a human business—and its foundation depends on people who feel valued, and genuinely part of the workplace they serve.
