Analysis of Business Skills and Legislation in the Hotel Industry

This report provides a detailed analysis of essential business skills and their application within the hotel industry, specifically focusing on the impact of various legislations. It covers key areas such as the Licensing Act 2003, emphasizing its implications on alcohol sales and consumption, including restrictions on underage drinking and operating hours. The report also examines the Data Protection Act 1998, highlighting the importance of managing and securing customer data to prevent misuse. Furthermore, it discusses the Health and Safety Act 1974, underscoring the need for maintaining a safe working environment and the Food Hygiene Act, amended as the Food Safety Act 1990, ensuring safe food handling practices. The Risk Management Act is also addressed, focusing on strategies to safeguard against various risks, including natural disasters and cyber security threats. Additionally, the report delves into the Hotel Proprietors Act 1956, outlining the liabilities of hotel owners regarding guest property. The Four Seasons Hotel in London is used as a case study to illustrate the practical application of these legal requirements, providing a comprehensive overview of the legal and operational challenges within the hotel industry. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings, emphasizing the importance of adhering to these regulations for successful hotel operations and maintaining a positive reputation.

BUSINESS
SKILLS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
DISCUSSION AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS................................................................................1
Licensing.....................................................................................................................................1
Hotel Proprietors Act, 1956........................................................................................................2
Data Protection, 1998.................................................................................................................2
Health and Safety Act, 1974.......................................................................................................3
Food Hygiene Act.......................................................................................................................3
Risk Management Act.................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Business skills is an ability that is acquired through systematic and deliberate effort for
carrying out complex tasks smoothly and effectively. Managers and employees plays an vital
role in smooth functioning of hotel industry. Managers assign certain tasks to employees and
they do it in an efficient manner in order to achieve goals of an enterprise. Both managers and
hotel staff need to take care of some legislation like liability, data protection, food hygiene, risk
management, licensing, health and safety ,etc. Four Season Hotel that is located in London deals
with hospitality and hotel industry . This hotel fulfils the demands and need of its customers by
satisfying them. It provides quality services to its guests and take care of their preferences and
requirements.
The purpose of this report is to identify different legislation acts occurring in hotel
industry such as liability, data protection act, food hygiene, risk management, licensing, and
health and safety act. Managers and owners need to take care of all these regulations for smooth
running of its operations.(Assiter, 2017).
There are various legal risks in hotel industry such as negligence in order to maintain its
premises, bias with employees, data protection, health and safety, obligation of taxes, issues
incurring in food, disagreement of contract with staff, management between employees, and so
on. Hotel industry need to overcome from these risks by managing overall activities in an
desired manner.
DISCUSSION AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Licensing
The Licensing Act 2003, is an act of Parliament of United Kingdom. According to this
act, a single integrated scheme is established for the sale and supply of alcohol. This act deals
with offences that are related for the supply and consumption of alcohol in hotel industry.
Licensing Act serves different objectives such as the prevention from crime and disorder, safety
of public, public nuisance prevention, and to protect children from harm (Müller, and vom
Brocke, 2014). The hotel industry needs to have license for supplying alcohol to its customers or
other enterprises. Once a license is granted to hotels, than it is free to supply or sell alcohol under
rules and regulations of government. According to this act, children under the age of eighteen
years are prohibited for the consumption of alcohol. If they found guilty than they will be
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charged under this act , also the person who is supplying alcohol to children under eighteen years
of age will be charged under this act. This act has gained criticism from some of the British
drinkers and tourists because this act prohibits them to drink after 11 pm. According to them,
liberal drinking should be allowed as it would reduce the time of drinking if they will drink
according to clock (Bailey, 2014). Four season hotel London is provided license for selling and
supplying alcohol under the rules and regulation of government of United Kingdom.
Data Protection, 1998
As per the act, people are the lifelines of hotel industry, relationship with different people
determine the success of hotel industry, from customers to employees. Obtaining and storing of
personal information of clients is a activity performed by hotel staff. So it is the responsibility of
hotels to carefully manage this information and keep the data confidential (Jackson, 2014 ).With
enforcement of this act it become necessary hotels manager to stop all kind of misuse of data
mainly related with information about their bank account , debit /credit card , etc. hotels must
follow a proper and systematic procedure for data recording and also have a provision for proper
disposal of personal data. The Four Season hotel of London is completely applying or fulfilling
the provisions of data protection act but still there are chances left for misuse of data. Hence,
some changes are required to make this act more stronger to stop all kind of data
misappropriation.
Health and Safety Act, 1974
In accordance with the act, it is found that the provisions of this legislation are aimed at
maintaining health and safety within in the hotel premises is important for all. If proper safety is
not maintain than chances of accidents and illness will increase, that will increase the overall
working cost of hotel and an ill worker will not work with efficiency , hence profits will also get
reduce. Good health and safe premises improves the reputation of hotel and also reduces the
chance of legal obligation. Hotel management can not provide a environment to workers where
their well being is at risk. To ensure safety of employees proper safety audit can be conducted to
control workplace hazards (Nguyen, Newbyand Macaulay, 2015). The Four Season hotel is
considering the provisions of helth and safety at workplace act, 1974 and thus providing
adequate training to staff to properly understand the health and safety procedure.
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Food Hygiene Act
Food hygiene act is amended as Food Safety Act , 1990. According to the provisions of
this act hotels are required to show and prove that food handling and preparation process are safe
and should have sufficient documentation to prove this (Quinlan and. et. al., 2019).They have to
prove that food prepared and offered to customers is safe to eat and have no hazardous impact on
health of guests. Food hygiene authorities are having right to inspect the premises to check
whether legal requirements are fulfilled or not. In countries like UK, authorise issue hygiene
ratings which have an significant effect on reputation of business. The Four Season hotel is very
focused for its food quality. It follow all provisions and fulfil all requirement of food hygiene.
They are taking true care of health of its customer and always make use of fresh raw material for
preparing delicious meals.
Risk Management Act
It is essential for hotel industry to have an effective risk management strategy. It basically
aim at safeguarding all employees and other people from accidents, natural disasters and even
from cyber security breaches ( Silbiger, 2016). For hotel management the main risks involved are
like sustaining a burn from hot dish, customer felt sick due to poor food quality, etc. the risk
from natural disasters may include risk of flood or earthquake or another natural phenomenon,
therefore pre consultation of government authorities are required before opening a hotel to verify
that location of hotel should not be prone to high occurrence of natural disasters. It is pre
requirement for every hotel to have adequate measures to tackle or manage these risk like facility
of fire extinguisher, proper escape way, etc. The Four Season hotel is fulfilling all requirements
of risk management act and provide a safe and sound accommodation to its customer and
employees.
Hotel Proprietors Act, 1956
This Act deals with loss or damage to property of guests. Under this act, hotel proprietor
is responsible if any kind of loss or damage of property takes place even though it was not due to
fault of hotel staff or manager. The hotel industry is liable to any kind of loss of its guests or
customers. This liability is -
 extended to the property of only those guests who have engaged in sleeping arrangement
of hotel and not for visitors (Raven and Le, 2015.)
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 Limited up to 50 euro for any one article and total 100 euro in case of any customer
except property that is deposited or offered to deposit for safety purposes.
 This act will not cover cars or any kind of vehicles lost with them and hotel staff is not
liable for this.
 It does not cover loss of horses or any live animals of guests.
According to this Act, Hotel is defined as establishment that provides sleeping facilities,
good and drink as an reward for all guests without any specific contract.
CONCLUSION
As per this report, it has been concluded that for successful running of an hotel industry,
managers and hotel staff need to follow various rules and regulations imposed by government
such as Health And Safety Act, Licensing, Hotel Proprietors Act and so on. It is necessary for all
hotels to comply with provisions of these act. Proper follow up of theses act provide a safe and
healthy environment and also improves the reputation of hotels. Data protection is mainly
concerned with the security and confidentiality of personal data of people to have a check on its
misuse. Health and safety act is related with the physical health and work environment of
employees. Food hygiene act is having focus on quality on food and on hygiene factor to prevent
illness and ill health of customer and it also help in crating a good name as quality food is the
speciality of hotels. Risk management act is all about safeguarding people from risk or accidents
might happen or occur in hotel premises. These acts highlighted that hotel industry is not liable
to supply alcohol after 11 pm as per the Licensing act 2003. It has also concluded that hotel staff
and mangers are liable if any kind of damage of property of customers will take place as per
Hotel Proprietors Act 1956. Moreover, various legal risks associated with hotel industry is also
concluded.
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