Gloucestershire & North Wiltshire
Gary Ockwell
Gary Ockwell – Stocktaker Cotswolds & Gloucestershire
Based in Cirencester and covering Swindon, Gloucester, Stow-on-the-Wold
I was a hotel & hospitality General Manager with over 30 years of experience. I decided I wanted a change in my career path, but I still wanted it to be linked to the industry. I wished to work for myself, and after a chance conversation with my then Stock Auditor, I embarked on buying his franchise as he was retiring. I completed this purchase in October 2019. Now, I enjoy working with and helping hospitality operators optimize and maximize their profitability.
Since I had bought an operating franchise, I acquired the existing client base, most of which remain. The COVID-19 pandemic was clearly a challenge, and a few clients didn’t survive. However, my customer base has steadily developed and is now as stable as I would wish it to be. Much of this growth has been organic and through word-of-mouth recommendations.
I worked as a hotel & hospitality General Manager for the likes of Metropole Hotels, Ramada Jarvis, and DeVere Hotels, in addition to some independent operators.
As a franchisee and Stocktaker Cotswolds & Gloucestershire, I posses an inbuilt record of delivering great customer service, I am proud of my ability to deliver a personalized, flexible advisory service for my clients.
I love food and wine and have dined in some of the finest restaurants around (as well as some not so good ones!). Cooking is also a great passion of mine. I took up skiing when I was 30 and made up for lost time by having at least two trips every year since.