Ronan Hunter, manager of Taunton’s Castle Hotel, is leaving after his second stint amid challenges and renovations.
Ronan left home when he began A-levels and started in hospitality to earn money. He needed to pay rent for his flat. He worked at a hotel in the evenings, from 6 PM to 2 AM, and also worked weekends. He eventually stopped A-levels and went to Europe, where he did many jobs, including washing dishes and bar work.
After some years, Ronan returned to Northern Ireland and worked in coastal restaurants and bars. While managing The Distillers Arms near The Giant’s Causeway, he loved catering. That place even won an award! At 23, he became a head waiter at The Castle and then assistant restaurant manager.
Ronan then worked at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck, which he said changed everything. Later, he moved to London and ran a big restaurant in Canary Wharf. He then worked at Angelus bistro. Famous people often visited Angelus, including Madonna and Alan Rickman.
He and his wife had a daughter and left London when she was two, as they did not want to raise her there. Ronan became manager at The Crown at Whitebrook, which had a Michelin star. He then oversaw another place at Celtic Manor, a five-star resort that Barack Obama once visited.
He launched a new concept at Celtic Manor and then became operations manager there. Many stars visited, and he even helped open a hotel later on. He returned to The Castle in 2020, just before the lockdown, and is now leaving this March.
He liked The Castle and kept in touch. However, things changed, and Covid made things hard for the hotel. The hotel kept opening and closing and had outdoor dining outside in a tent. They served many people each day and needed a new team since staff left.
The first closure was hard for everyone. They furloughed many staff, which still cost them a lot without income. They repaired the building, redoing bedrooms and function rooms. Also, they got a new kitchen and lounge, utilizing local workers.
Ronan lives in Monmouth with his family, staying at The Castle a few nights each week. He stressed the importance of taking breaks to avoid burnout. He also noted the business faced challenges, with rising costs this year as minimum wage and other fees increase. The hotel wants to care for staff’s mental health and ensure work-life balance.