Ideal conference venue

Press, 10 September 1985, Page 33

Ideal conference venue

Although the Avon Hotel provides first-class accommodation for tourists, businessmen and holidaymakers, it is also in demand as a conference centre, restaurant and a venue for private social events for Christchurch residents.

The Canterbury Suite, upstairs at the hotel, consists of four separate rooms, three of which can be opened up to make one large area. Named after the four ships which brought the first settlers to Canterbury, the rooms are popular for seminars, week-end conferences, displays and meetings, as well as weddings, parties and many other private social events. A well-balanced menu is offered in the hotel dining room which can seat 150 diners. Traditional as well as more unusual dishes are prepared under the guid-

ance of the Chef de Cuisine, Mr Michael Coates, who was a judge for past national cuisine competitions held in Christchurch.

A La Carte dining is available from Monday to Saturday from 6 p.m., and smorgasbord lunches are available from Sunday to Friday, from noon until 2.30 p.m. The dining room is open for smorgasbord tea on Sunday evenings. The Avon Hotel is run by a full-time staff of 80 which is supplemented by casual workers during peak seasons.

The manager, Mr Tom Doosey, began his hotel management training in 1970 at the Avon Motor Lodge, as it was then called, becoming the manager of the Park Hotel in 1980, then the present manager of the Avon Hotel at the beginning of 1985.