THE MEWS MAY 2025
Introducing Matthew and Laura – New Faces at Longcroft HQ
Dear lovely Longcrofters,
We’re delighted to welcome two brilliant new members to our HQ team — Laura and Matthew, who have both hit the ground running and are already bringing fantastic energy and expertise to the Longcroft family.
As most of you know, Laura has already been working with us for a number of years, mostly with admin support, but she will now be heading up our social media and marketing. She’ll be looking after all things digital — from blog posts to content planning — and helping us shine a light on everything that makes each of you and your hotels so special. She’ll also be coordinating our social campaigns, so all those lovely photos and videos you send in will be given the spotlight they deserve (and then some!).
Matthew joins us as our new Commercial Support Manager. With a background in business analysis and commercial insight, he’s already proving a real asset. One of his first goals is to help us all feel more confident when it comes to understanding performance — making your numbers simple, useful, and genuinely helpful in supporting your hotel.
Over the coming weeks, and if you’d find it helpful, Matthew will be offering short one-to-one sessions with each of you to walk through your data and reporting tools. Whether you’re someone who loves digging into the details or prefers to keep things high-level, this is a relaxed and supportive chance to ask questions and explore what’s working — and where we can make things even easier.
We’re so happy to have Laura and Matthew on board and know you’ll give them both a very warm Longcroft welcome. We can’t wait for you to meet them both properly in the weeks ahead.
With sunny springtime purrs,
Abi and Lucy
NEWS ITEMS:
Merchandise requests
We wish Megan the very best as she has now left Longcroft to go on maternity leave. Please can all merchandise requests now be sent to Abi, via info@longcroftcathotel.co.uk
Pricing review
We are in the process of reviewing our suite prices with a view to updating our rate card in 2026. One item we are considering, is introducing a specific suite rate for diabetic cats requiring insulin injections. This should reflect the additional time and care these guests require.
We welcome your thoughts on current pricing and where you think changes could be made for next year. Please contact Lucy@ with your thoughts by Friday 16th May 2025. Thank you!
Managing the numbers
Are you curious about your hotel’s figures? Do you want to know how you can better keep track of your turnover? Matt and Lucy are here to help! Please book your 30 minute one-to-one with Matt and Lucy directly and they will be happy to give you the assistance you need with all things financial planning using a new analytics tool that identifies your Top 10 customers, revenue, 2 kitty % and so much more! Please email lucy@ and we can book a date and time in to suit you.
Getting to know Matthew …
10 Questions with Our New Commercial Support Manager
What drew you to join the Longcroft team?
Nobody does it quite like Longcroft! Longcroft is a truly unique business that is setting the gold standard in cat care away from home, as well as empowering people (all of you!) to take control of their own future and run a business with great back end support, which is something I really admire and support. There is so much excitement in and around Longcroft, with a growing family, expanding reach, internal development and positive change process and I jumped at the opportunity to help drive some of that.
Tell us a little about your background and experience before Longcroft.
I’m actually a commercial solicitor by trade (boo! hiss!) which makes me incredibly boring. I have spent the majority of my career advising businesses, from small businesses to large PLCs on a really wide variety of issues. I’ve always found it to be a little bit dull, and I really fancied a change and an opportunity to get more involved with one singular business on a granular level, as opposed to working with multiple businesses at a high level at once.
What does your role as Commercial Support Manager involve day to day?
A bit of this and a bit of that! Generally as Commercial Support Manager I bolster the duller side of cat hotel ownership. Whilst I’d rather be cuddling cats, I focus on contract and risk management, growth planning, business analytics and forecasting.
What are you most excited about in your new role?
I am most excited about working with the whole team and striving for positive change together. Longcroft is an incredible business with an incredible team, with limitless potential – I want to see just how far we can push the vision. No cat deserves less than Longcroft.
Do you have any pets of your own?
I don’t have any cats at the moment, sadly, but I do have a dog! A 4 year old Golden Doodle called Stanley. He is as daft as a brush but as cuddly as you can imagine. You literally cannot sit down anywhere without the 35kg of pure fluffiness jumping all over you.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
Secret chick flick lover, serious crier. I may look tough on the outside (I really don’t), but I am a HUGE softy. TV adverts, films, songs, anything really can get me going. Most of my wedding photos show me in fits of tears.
What’s been your proudest moment in your career so far?
Having the strength to quit my job. I have a 6-month-old son, and I was working at a job that required too much of me, with too much time away from home. I decided to put my family first and just quit, so I can pursue things I am passionate about – like what I am doing with Longcroft. It was a scary thing to do, but I am so glad I did.
How do you unwind after a busy day?
A cuddle with my son and my dog, a cup of tea, a sit down, and some rubbish TV.
If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
Hmm, tough one. Provided it was only for one day, maybe an astronaut. I’d love to see the world from that perspective but I don’t think I’d like to stick around too long up there.
What’s your favourite thing about working with a brand like Longcroft?
Cats, cats, cats and more cats!
Getting to know Laura …
10 Questions with Our Marketing Manager
What drew you to join the Longcroft team?
I think Longcroft is a very special place to work – with a really innovative and enthusiastic team, who are very caring and supportive. I love animals and like working for a company that is focused on improving standards of care for them and providing the best possible service for customers. I’m excited to take on a bigger role in spreading the word about Longcroft and helping the Longcroft family achieve the success I think it deserves.
Tell us a little about your background and experience before Longcroft.
I worked in communications and marketing in the charity sector – for the Willow Foundation, based in Welwyn and Hatfield. Before that I worked for Archant newspaper group. In more recent years, I’ve been home based and primarily focused on raising my kids – two boys, who are now aged 14 and 11, and my daughter, aged 9. It’s great to now be able to use my PR and marketing skills to help raise Longcroft’s profile.
What does your role as Marketing manager involve day to day?
It’s a pretty varied role – I still do some customer emails and invoicing, which is great because I feel it keeps me in touch with our customers and their lovely pussycats. I am focused on raising Longcroft’s profile and ultimately trying to tell more potential customers about us, and ensuring a consistent standard and clear messaging. This includes writing and sending out press releases, supporting the launch of new hotels, online listings and marketing for the hotels, posts on social media, updating our website and writing blog articles, creating video content and marketing materials.
What are you most excited about in your new role?
I am excited to tell more people about Longcroft – it’s such a fantastic company with so much personality and a record to be proud of!
Do you have any pets of your own?
Yes – I have a 6-year-old brown Burmese cat called Ziggy, who is a big personality and adept at opening doors and getting into places he shouldn’t! And I have a 4-year-old Chocolate Labrador Retriever called Moose, who is like a huge, soppy bear. What’s sweet is that they’re actually really good friends!
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I’m also a bit of an artist – I love to paint portraits, landscapes and animals, including dogs and cats!
What’s been your proudest moment in your career so far?
I helped launch the Willow Foundation as a national charity, taking it from a local Hertfordshire based organisation to helping seriously ill young people across the UK. And now I’m excited to be part of Longcroft as we reach more customers across the UK too.
How do you unwind after a busy day?
I like relaxing at home with my family and pets. And I love a bbq with friends in the garden when the sun’s shining!
If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
I love to travel and write – so maybe a travel journalist getting to go to lots of lovely places and enjoying free holidays!
What’s your favourite thing about working with a brand like Longcroft?
I think it’s working with such fun and positive people – including the Longcroft team and also some really lovely customers. And of course writing and talking about gorgeous cats all day!
