"It's Like Having a Lawyer on Retainer": How The Hoxton Built a Culture of Coaching

The Hoxton is a series of open-house neighbourhood hotels that first opened in Shoreditch, London, in 2006, and now operates across the UK, Europe and the US. Built around vibrant lobbies, all-day restaurants and bars, and a front desk deliberately tucked out of the way, each hotel is designed to feel like a local hangout as much as a place to stay. The brand is part of Ennismore, the global lifestyle hospitality group.

Niccolò Sandrini, Food & Beverage Director at The Hoxton, Southwark, on why coaching became the tool he reaches for first.

The Challenge

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“The biggest challenge I had before was to synchronise and to be as effective a leader for people that working days are so different to mine.”

Niccolò Sandrini | Food & Beverage Director, The Hoxton

Niccolò leads a department of more than 120 people across kitchens, bars and events at The Hoxton, Southwark, supported by five direct reports. The job comes with a built-in mismatch: he works largely predictable office hours, while his team keeps a 24-hour operation running on a pattern that shifts by the week.

"Their working pattern is completely unpredictable, and it varies a lot. My weekly pattern is quite stable and predictable; theirs is the opposite."

That gap made consistent communication hard, and understanding how to get the best from a team whose working lives looked nothing like his own was, in his words, the thing he wanted to tackle most.

A No-brainer

“As soon as I read [about More Happi], I got on board with it. It was a no-brainer for me.”

Niccolò Sandrini | Food & Beverage Director, The Hoxton

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More Happi arrived at The Hoxton as a trial, offered to a small group within the business. Niccolò didn't hesitate.

But he went into that first session with a quiet caveat: this might not be the right coach for me.

"It was a no-brainer for me."

Fifteen years into a management career, he found the offer landed differently to any other benefit he'd been given.

"I love my medical insurance, but [More Happi], for me, was much greater in value for my career development and also as an individual. Opportunities like this don't come very often; you should really make the most of it."

Practical, not Theoretical

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“This is perhaps the biggest perk that I can remember any company has given me.”

Niccolò Sandrini | Food & Beverage Director, The Hoxton

Once he started working with his More Happi Coach, the sessions matched what he'd hoped for: grounded in real situations, not abstract skill-building.

"I tried to make it as practical as possible, because I wanted a result from a specific situation, as opposed to just wanting to become more empathetic."

He'd bring a live scenario to each session, and his coach would work the problem with him through questions rather than handing him a framework.

"The thing about coaching is that they don't tell you the answer, and I think that's the most effective part of the whole process. A mentor or a trainer would tell you what the outcome should be based on their own experience. Coaching facilitates your thinking, as opposed to instilling it."

A Lawyer on Retainer

“The most important asset that [caoching] has given me is the calm of knowing that this tool is at hand.”

Niccolò Sandrini | Food & Beverage Director, The Hoxton

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Asked to put a figure on what coaching had changed, Niccolò says it's hard to quantify, but he's in no doubt about the value.

"It's like knowing you've got a lawyer on retainer; whatever situation you have to navigate, you know you've got someone available who can help you dissect the issue. Having that is priceless."

Passing it on

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“Most of my team’s resistance is about lack of time … and I tell them: if you don’t have time, you’re in most need of coaching.”

Niccolò Sandrini | Food & Beverage Director, The Hoxton

Niccolò now builds coaching into how he prepares team members for new roles.

A metaphor from one of his sessions landed particularly hard.

"I've made it a requirement for every team member, as part of their development into a new role, to be part of More Happi. If you want to succeed in this role, one of my recommendations is to be part of the coaching."

He's just as direct with anyone who points to time pressure as a reason not to start.

"If you don't have time, you're in most need of coaching. It's similar to meditation; the busier your mind, the more time you should devote to it."

A Space of his Own

"When you start a new role, you're going to have training, a line manager, support in the department. But this is outside all of that. It's a safe, professional space where you can be as honest as you want, and make it as work-related - or not - as you choose."

Want results like Niccolò? Book a discovery call with the More Happi team to find out what coaching could do for your organisation.

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