
ABOUT
Taking the Lead Solutions is an independent catering, leisure, and hospitality consultancy based in the North West of England.
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One of our key goals is to support our clients to reflect, identify and own their differences ensuring they stand out as unique in an ever-changing market place.
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Our understanding in delivering strategic and practical solutions for our clients is underpinned by over 30 years of cross-sector experience nationally and internationally.
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We are able to adapt our approach for clients leveraging on our wide-ranging industry relationships where specialist skills are required to support a range of client solutions. An approach that underpins our desire to “right size” solutions that are tailored to your specific strategic objectives.
Laurence is the founder of Taking The Lead Solutions. Prior to setting up Taking The Lead Solutions, Laurence was MD for one the UK’s leading Strategic Hospitality consultancy practises.
Laurence has been integral in delivering a wide range of client solutions. These include strategic procurement, implementation, product and service concept development, cultural change initiatives, leadership development, commercial modelling and overarching strategic planning.
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Laurence retains a seat on the board of Imago Venues Ltd as Chair and is a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.​

What we do
Taking The Lead Solutions assists clients in the formation and implementation of key hospitality, hotel, conference, leisure and retail catering service improvements.
Strategy Development
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Operational Assessment and Progression
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Project Integration and Transition
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Business Reconfiguration
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Leadership Support and People Development
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Commercial Exploration
Concept Initiation and Mapping
and so much more ......

How to work with us
To assist our clients with delivering solutions, we will want to understand you, your business and key objectives.
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Working collectively with you and your team team to interrogate the current service parameters, future operational landscape, culture and key client data to inform the future requirements and narratives within your business.
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We will be required to blend lots of “ingredients” to ensure we establish an overarching approach for you to be uniquely positioned to offer a relevant, innovative, professional, responsive and importantly, sustainable solution for the future.
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Whatever your strategic or operational Hospitality requirements, get in touch and we will can start “ the conversation” and build a framework of solutions tailored to you!
Testimonials
"During a complex and significant organisational change, we needed specific expertise to help us determine and appraise various operating models, develop service areas and identify business opportunities for our incredible new space. Laurence brought all his experience to support this work, got under the skin of our values and ambitions and recommended a clear and viable route forward. He is a reliable pair of hands and a problem solver, who brought in additional connections and advice, and it definitely helped that he is one of the good guys which made the work that much easier and more enjoyable."
Nadia Balfe | Manchester International Festival
“We have worked with Laurence and Taking The Lead Solutions” for a number of years now. They have provided the entire strategy for our F&B programme. Their industry knowledge and attention to detail is exceptional. We hope to continue the relationship going forward as we can see no reason to change”.
Kevin Bacon | Group CEO Urban Legacies
"It has been a pleasure working with Taking The Lead Solutions, Laurence is extremely knowledgeable and personable and he has gone beyond the remit of the brief to assist us in our recovery planning. We hope to continue the successful partnership over the coming years".
Dr Stephen Bloye | Deputy Director Estates, Facilities, and Capital Development | Manchester Metropolitan University