
Douglas Joins NI School
The Northern Ireland Hospitality School has announced the appointment of Ashley Douglas as director of operations.
Established in 2021 following collaboration between the Galgorm Resort, the Tullyglass House Hotel and the Adair Arms Hotel, the school, which was initially funded by independent charity The Gallaher Trust, has now attracted support from a number of private sector businesses including Britvic Ireland, Henderson Foodservice and Bushmills Distillery.
Ashley Douglas has managed his own tiki bar in Portrush while providing a number of comprehensive bartender training programmes across Ireland on behalf of Diageo, Belfast Met and the Northern Regional College.
The Northern Ireland Hospitality School includes a bar academy, a chef academy and a food service academy, where participants gain a mixture of theory, practical skills and hands-on experience in order to gain a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification.
The School has already proven to be an effective solution, helping to bridge the gap and provide real opportunities for individuals seeking fulfilling and rewarding careers in hospitality. To date, a total of 143 individuals have completed training with the NI Hospitality School, including 13 from the Chef Academy, 21 from the Food Service Academy and 109 from the Bar Academy. This year, four more cohorts of the Bar Academy are planned as well as five cohorts for the Food Service Academy.