Lancashire feels like home for Hampton by Hilton new general manager

With more than two decades of hospitality leadership behind him, Yaqoob Khan has taken the helm at Hampton by Hilton Blackburn. His priorities are simple: look after the team, connect with the community and give guests a reason to return.

When Yaqoob Khan joined Hampton by Hilton Blackburn in June, he knew the hotel business inside out. What he hadn’t expected was how quickly Lancashire would feel like home.

“One of the first things I noticed was how welcoming people are,” he says. “Whether you’re in the supermarket, attending a business event or simply walking through town, people genuinely take the time to say hello. That warmth is something quite special.”

It is a fitting observation from someone whose career has been built around people.

Yaqoob brings more than 20 years of experience across hotels, conference venues and hospitality operations. Before coming to Blackburn, he held senior leadership roles with DoubleTree by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent, Leonardo Hotels, Nottingham Venues, Hilton at St George’s Park and De Vere Hotels.

Along the way, he was awarded an Innholder Scholarship and completed the Talent Development Programme at Cranfield University, strengthening the leadership skills he now brings to Blackburn.

He also volunteers as a Springboard Ambassador, encouraging people to consider careers in hospitality and helping the charity inspire the industry’s next generation.

That commitment to developing people is central to Yaqoob’s plans for Hampton by Hilton Blackburn.

Inside the hotel, his first priority is the team. He recently led its Team Member Appreciation Week celebrations, recognising the colleagues responsible for welcoming guests each day.

Beyond the hotel, he has wasted little time getting to know the area. He has attended a Lancashire Business View magazine launch, spoken to Blackburn College students about careers in hospitality and welcomed local professionals to the hotel’s growing Corporate Social networking evenings.

These events are helping the hotel become a place where Lancashire businesses can meet, exchange ideas and build relationships, not simply somewhere for visitors to spend the night.

“Hospitality is about people and relationships,” Yaqoob says. “I want our hotel to be more than somewhere people stay. I want it to be part of the local community, supporting local businesses, developing future talent and giving every guest a reason to return to Lancashire.”

His determination is just as evident away from work. Earlier this year, Yaqoob completed the Manchester and London Marathons within the same week, taking on challenges in both the north and south while raising money for Caudwell Children’s charity.

He arrives during a positive period for Hampton by Hilton Blackburn. The hotel has been named a finalist in the Large Hotel of the Year category at the Lancashire Tourism Awards, recognising its place within the county’s visitor economy.

It has also passed an important renewable energy milestone. The hotel’s solar panels have now generated more than 100 megawatt-hours of electricity. According to its monitoring data, the installation has avoided more than 103 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions to date.

For Yaqoob, the next step is to build on that progress: investing in the team, strengthening relationships with local organisations and helping more business and leisure visitors discover Blackburn and the wider county.

Lancashire’s welcome has already made a lasting impression on him. Now he wants the hotel to offer that same sense of welcome to everyone who walks through its doors.