He was on the National Council of the Irish Hotels Federation and also served as a Director and subsequently as Chairman of Bord Failte, the Irish Tourism Board. Not content with looking after people here in Ireland, Doyle set his sights on oversees markets and The Doyle Clifton Ford, in London was acquired in 1984. .
Since this first acquisition in 1984 Jurys Doyle's presence in the UK has grown in leaps and bounds. Jurys range of UK hotels includes 4 star luxury or more affordable 3 star budget accommodation and can today be found in major cities in England, Scotland and Wales. The company has a number of prestigious UK hotels including Jurys Kensington hotel in London. Jurys Doyle have properties located throughout the country including five in London city and properties in Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Heathrow and Southampton.
In April 2002, Jurys Doyle Hotel Group plc announced three new Jurys Inn developments in the UK. The Inns will be located in Glasgow, Leeds and Chelsea, London and will involve a total investment by the Group of just under 90 million. The three new Inns, together with Jurys Inn Newcastle, which is currently under construction and expected to open in spring 2003, will add almost 1,000 to the total bedroom count of the Group, which are currently 6,145. This represents an increase of approximately 16% in Group capacity. It is planned that the new developments will be financed through a combination of internal resources and debt.
Today their current presence in the UK can be clearly viewed on the below map:.
.
Jurys Doyle said its strategy remains focused on the development of a balanced portfolio of 4 and 5-star hotels and 3-star Jurys Inns in major population centres in Ireland and the UK, and in the northeast region of the US.
Commenting on some of these recent developments, Mr. Pat McCann, Chief Executive, Jurys Doyle Hotel Group plc, said: "The development of three new Jurys Inns is a significant advancement of our development strategy and clear evidence of the excellent scope for us to increase capacity throughout the UK in major cities where we see significant opportunity to expand our unique brand.