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THE SUNDAY TIMES |
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Sunday, 5th September 1999. |
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Genial guru of the hospitality world |
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By Terence Pillay |
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When Alan Gooderson first arrived on our shores from England he was determined to change the face of the hospitality industry in this country. TERENCE PILLAY spoke to him about how 42 years later, he's become as much a part of Durban as the sun and surf. Alan Gooderson has come a long way since selling ice-creams from a truck. |
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EVEN when Alan Gooderson is on holiday in a foreign country, he finds it difficult not to make notes about his travel and accommodation conditions. But this is hardly surprising since the acclaimed hotelier has been working in the hospitality industry for 42 years. |
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In fact, his company, the Gooderson Leisure Corporation, has earned a reputation of being a pioneer in its fields. And that's in addition to being one of the most solid businesses in the industry. But the 62-year-old entrepreneur was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had to work tirelessly. He eventually bought out his father's and brother's shares in the family business, achieving enormous success that has seen him become the single shareholder of the Gooderson group. |
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"When we immigrated from England in 1957, my brothers and I went to work in my father's hotel, which was the Lonsdale Hotel," reminisces Gooderson. "I started in the kitchen and worked my way up to assistant manager in just over a year. "My father then appointed the three of us at different hotels which he had acquired, and in 1966 I got to manage the Tropicana Hotel, then known as Claridges." |
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So meteoric was his rise to the top that Gooderson was also charged with running their then-newly acquired Beach Hotel. For Gooderson, then only 31, the huge responsibility was not new. |
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"When we lived in England, we owned a factory that made and sold ice-cream in the summer and pies in the winter," he smiles. "My elder brother and I used to drive the delivery trucks and sell the ice-cream and pies from the back of the trucks. "We were still very young so the responsibility that was placed on us was enormous. "I am grateful for that though because it has certainly helped me in business." |
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But this sense of responsibility is not the only attribute he leans on for assistance in his daily running of the hotel chain. Gooderson is also a black belt karate expert who represented South Africa in Japan 30 years ago. The discipline and ability to keep a level head that the sport instils in its adherents is also something Gooderson claims comes in handy when he has to deal with potentially explosive work situations. "I never lose my temper and I never rant and rave," he muses. "I guess the years of training in the martial arts helped me get a handle on anger and I'm able to assuage situations calmly rather than aggressively. "Mind you, I will go for the jugular if the need arises, but the situation has to be extreme and that has never happened." |
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Another factor that helps Gooderson maintain a good balance between his personal and professional life, is his relationship with his wife, Judith, a Durban city councillor and champion for the rights of the underprivileged. In fact, he made a pact with himself seven years ago that he would not go into work before 9.30am so that he could spend quality time with his wife whose schedule is as demanding as his. |
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"My wife and I have a little cottage in the Drakensberg where we try and get away to every weekend," he says. "This is a great time for us to unwind and also catch up on the week's happenings. "Also, I usually wake up very early, but never go into work before half past nine. This allows me the time to bond with Judith, something I believe not enough marriages get because of the hectic work pace. "I guess this goes a long way to relaxing me and relieving a lot of the stresses that are a part and parcel of the hotel industry," he says. |
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But the sports-mad hotelier also regularly plays golf to rid himself of stress. While for the most part it works like a charm, the golf course, he says, is also the ideal place to network and make the necessary connections he often needs. "Although I play golf to relax, it's also a great place to meet other people involved in the industry. "We are able to share ideas and thoughts in a non-business environment. "In fact, many of my ideas were borne on the golf course," he winks. |
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And something that most people are not aware of is that Gooderson, who sits on a number of hospitality boards in South Africa, also has an unadulterated passion for racing horses. He owns 10 horses and says that the thrill when one of them wins is like nothing he's experienced before. But the hospitality guru rarely places bets on any of them and even if he does he won't bet more than R100. "I never place more than a R50 or R100 bet at a race course," he laughs. "The thrill I get when I win any money is far greater than even that of signing a cheque of R1-million. "It's a feeling of achievement, one that I could easily lose myself in." |
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And on the subject of passions, the world-travelled Gooderson also has a penchant for Scotch, cottage pie and poker - although not necessarily in that order. He says he enjoys the simple things in life and is far more comfortable eating fish and chips on his porch than sitting down to a formal meal at a fancy restaurant. "People don't really believe me when I tell them that I am not that complex," he smiles. "Whether it's personal or professional, I try and stick to rudimentary things like the fact that I am still not computer literate and don't even own a calculator. Everything is done in my head. "Also, I have never read a novel in my life. "They just never interested me. I tend to stick to trade magazines." |
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But this should not detract from the fact that he still knows exactly what goes on in every department of his company and having worked in every section himself over the years, he is able to rectify problems expediently and with little fuss. This is hugely why Alan Gooderson remains one of the most respected hoteliers in the country. |