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inspirations - local people who change the world
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Star man
The local entrepreneur who's developing Hull's first four-star hotel
Andy Woodcock is a man with vision.
He had the vision to turn a run-down building in the city centre into Hull's first four-star hotel.
Work is now well under way on The Institute, in Albion Street, and it's on course to open as a hotel next March.
But the hotel's four stars won't be its only difference.
It's also the first "Owner Hotel" in the city - meaning its rooms will be owned individually by separate investors.
After buying a room, the deal is that investors receive 50 per cent of the income generated each time it's booked out to guests.
Investors can also spend 52 nights a year in their own rooms as part of the deal.
In the meantime, Andy's company - Owner Hotels - will manage the hotel.
It's an idea that's selling like hot cakes – or should that be luxury hotel rooms.
Of the 27 rooms in the hotel, 23 have already been sold, at a starting price of £70,000 for single rooms.
And it won't be long before the rest are snapped up, says Andy.
When the project is finished, Andy hopes to open more Owner Hotels throughout Britain and the world.
"Hilton built one hotel, then another, and another, and another. There's no reason why it can't be the same for Owner Hotels, with Hull as the flagship site," says Andy.
My parents were my inspiration
Andy (40) has already made a small fortune in property across Britain and Europe, mainly developing city-centre apartments.
His success is reflected in his Lamborghini sports car and in his house in Kirkella, where he lives with his wife and children.
Andy's upbringing in Longhill, east Hull, was less glamorous, but that's where he gained his values of hard work and self belief - mainly from his parents.
"My dad was a joiner and my mum was a cleaner," he says.
"We were not poor, but not rich either, and I was given a good upbringing.
"My parents were an inspiration to me, because they gave me a work ethic.
"My dad got a job at 14 and never had a day on the dole in his life. The example of my parents rubbed off on me, and even as a young lad I would be looking for ways to earn money, such as by doing morning, evening and Saturday paper rounds.
"It pleases me that they are able to see the fruits of their achievement in my life, and I'm able to pay them back – such as by recently taking them out to eat with Geoff Hurst, the England footballer and 1966 World Cup winner.
"It's the same for most people who are really successful in life – the Alan Sugars and Donald Trumps of this world have gone out and made their fortunes for themselves."
Andy also says he benefited from his education at Andrew Marvell School in Bilton Grange.
"School prepared me for the real world and taught me a lot about people, and how to learn.
"I believe young people can have everything I've got, if they believe in themselves and work hard."
Do it until it works
In the years since leaving school, Andy trained and worked as a quantity surveyor, and sold timeshare developments in a job which took him around the world.
Andy has also found inspiration in a way of approaching business, set out in a book called 'The Art of the Deal' by Donald Trump, the North American property tycoon.
"It says 'do it until it works'. It's a very simple and effective formula, and I've lived by it for 20 years. It's about not giving up, but keeping at things and doing whatever it takes to achieve your goals.
"Exactness, treating people right, overcoming setbacks, and making sure that what you do is always your best are also very important. I'm too passionate about what I do to accept or give out bog-standard work.
"There are talkers and doers in this world, and I'm a doer.
"This city deserves good buildings. I'm proud to be from Hull. I'm a Hull lad who is investing in his home city. I ask for nothing in return, just the chance to get on with it."
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