One of the hospitality industry’s leading business women is stepping down from her role at The Apartment Group (TAG) after more than three years.
Northumberland-born Debrah Dhugga returned to her roots to become chief operating officer at the Newcastle leisure operator in 2019, having spent 10 years as managing director of luxury operator Dukes Hotel, overseeing hotels in London and Dubai. The Apartment Group owns and operates a strong portfolio incorporating hotels, wedding venues, bars and restaurants in Northumberland, Newcastle, Durham, and Sunderland and during her time at the group, Ms Dhugga has harnessed her expertise in the hotel industry to double the size of the group’s hotel portfolio.
During her tenure she has also transformed its city centre leisure venues, replacing its Madame Koos, Floritas and House of Smith bars with a string of new sites called the Collingwood Collection. Despite arriving at the company just before the pandemic, Ms Dhugga put plans action to invest millions of pounds into two new sites – Whitworth Hall Hotel & Deer Park and Jersey Farm Country Hotel to turn them into luxury boutique hotels, alongside the company’s existing popular Northumberland hotels Newton Hall and Le Petit Chateau.
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Jersey Farm Hotel, based outside Barnard Castle, has since reopened as Runa Farm – taking its name from the first two letters of ‘rural’ and ‘nature’ – a rustic inspired hotel, country pub and wedding venue, combining natural rural beauty with Balearic vibes.
Work on Whitworth Hall & Deer Park, based close to Spennymoor, a Grade II listed mansion which sits within its own private deer park, is now taking place. Meanwhile within the grounds of Newton Hall, she also oversaw the creation of Cabin Walk, a collection of luxury Scandinavian holiday cabins.
Ms Dhugga said two more announcements are due to be made before she leaves. She is yet to announce her next move, but said that in January she will be doing a project overseas working on a short-term development project in Dubai, before taking some time off to do some travelling before announcing her next move.
She said: “I have had a great three years despite the challenge of working through Covid, which hit all our industry and we all learned to manage different projects no one ever thought we would have had to. After 12 years in London and Dubai it’s been great to have some time in Northumberland . I have so many fabulous memories, as well as worked with some amazing people.
“TAG is already a very successful business, and I will keep watch on its new developments and wish Duncan and the team every success for its future .
Ms Dhugga’s six months’ notice period finishes at the end of the year and The Apartment Group are currently interviewing for her replacement.
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