Stump Cross Caverns on The Hotel Inspector: the inside scoop

Simon Edward • January 26, 2024

In October 2023, Stump Cross Caverns was featured on Channel 5's hospitality show The Hotel Inspector. Read on for the inside scoop.

Last October, we were proud to be featured on Channel 5's hospitality show The Hotel Inspector.

In case you're not familiar with the show, it features hotelier and businesswoman Alex Polizzi visiting establishments and giving advice on how to turn their fortunes around. Despite the name, the show isn't limited to hotels – luckily for us!

We contacted the show after seeing a call-out on social media. Since purchasing Stump Cross in 2003, our story has been one of growth – but like many businesses, we've experienced setbacks through the pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

Not to be unperturbed, we're always on the lookout for ways to expand and improve – so when a chance to go on The Hotel Inspector arose, we couldn't say no.

And while the episode was called "Into the Abyss", for us it was a look into the future and what it might hold for us. Since the episode was aired, we've had a 10-15% increase in visitors to the caves, double the number of visitors to our on-site shop and a 100% increase in profits.

We're hoping that by following Alex's expert guidance, those numbers will continue to go up. This way, more people will get to experience the treasures we're sitting on here at Stump Cross Caverns.

How it started

Our story over the last few years is not an uncommon one. The pandemic meant we couldn't keep our business open to visitors and the cost of living crisis has meant spiralling costs.

We're always thinking of ways to raise awareness of the caves. During the pandemic, we sold our camper van and apartment to keep the caves open. For a while, it was touch and go. We started to innovate, on one occasion sleeping in the caves for 105 hours to draw attention to our crowdfunding campaign.

Going on The Hotel Inspector was the next step in this awareness-raising mission. After coming across a call-out on Facebook, we filled out a detailed application form, crossed our fingers and waited.

When we found out we would take part in the series, we were over the moon. It was a real privilege to be selected and we were excited to gain some insights into how to make Stump Cross an even more attractive proposition to visitors.

Running a business can be all-consuming. It often becomes hard to see the wood from the trees. That's why getting outside support is so invaluable. Sometimes, you just need a second pair of eyes to realise where an improvement can be made.

It was wonderful to take part in the show, both as a way of showing off what we've already got and as a way to learn from an expert how to carry on growing. We hope that it will help keep the treasures here at Stump Cross open to the public for many years to come.

Alex's recommendations

Meeting Alex was daunting but exciting. She and her team came to the caverns in the throes of a bustling half-term holiday. Her first question was: "What's your problem?"

We had to explain that it wasn't always like this and that in off-peak and shoulder periods we didn't have the same footfall.

Alex addressed this head-on with some invaluable suggestions. One of her best bits of advice was to extend the season beyond the school holidays. This was tied to a broader suggestion that we should make the caverns adult-orientated as well as child-focused.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for us was Alex's feedback on our on-site shop. For those who haven't visited, it's a place where you can buy crystals, gemstones and all manner of souvenirs. We didn't think it needed to be changed – but once we'd heard Alex's opinions, we realised that there was room for improvement. We're committed to following her advice and streamlining what's on offer.

It wasn't always easy. It takes courage to accept criticism and commit to change – but we had made a pact to embrace Alex's suggestions before shooting began. And thankfully, all her suggestions were smashing!

We especially appreciated that her individual pieces of feedback added up to one big suggestion: to unify the different parts of the business and tell a story to visitors that encompasses them all.

It helped that the show's production team were so skilful, tactful and helpful. We all felt at ease and guided every step of the way. By the time they wrapped shooting, we felt like one big family.

How it's going

Since the show was aired, we've been delighted with the public response. The episode was a great showcase for what the caves offer. It was a high-quality advert and marketing workshop rolled into one.

Lots of people have been in touch off the back of the episode – and many of them have paid us a visit! We've already had good feedback about some of the changes we've made.

Alex was right about the shop. It's now much easier to maintain, freeing us up to focus on event planning, customer service and other essential aspects of the visitor experience. We're also excited to be making more and more connections with the local press as a way of attracting visitors.

What's next?

We're definitely going to follow all of Alex's advice. It's not going to be quick, but we're confident that it will mean an increase in footfall. We're happy to take it step by step – after all, running a business is a marathon, not a sprint. And we're delighted that Alex will be on hand to check in if we need more guidance.

As well as implementing Alex's advice, we're looking forward to a year full of unique events and experiences – from our regular fossil digs to one-off theatre and astronomy events. It's such a unique space that we'd be daft not to pack it with interesting experiences.

Above all, we want to make sure that customers enjoy their stay. It's our visitors who make it all worthwhile, and it gives us great pleasure to know that they leave with memories that will last them a lifetime.

We're so grateful to have been on the show. If you missed it, you can catch up on My5 until the end of October 2024.

We look forward to meeting you this year!

Are you looking for an unforgettable day out in Yorkshire? It's easy to book Stump Cross Caverns tickets online.

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