THE general manager of a successful city centre hotel is signing out after 21 years in residence.

David Brooks will leave Dean Court Hotel in Duncombe Place at the end of July.

Under his leadership, the hotel has won Welcome to Yorkshire's Hotel of the Year award once and Visit York's Hotel of the year award twice.

" It’s been like one long ego trip of having things happen at the hotel and being part of it all” he said. “I just love the whole thing. The celebrations, the VIPs of the city, the individuals, local heroes – anything and everything can happen. What other type of business has that excitement and people buzz?"

He said he particularly enjoyed hosting the hotel's Literary Lunches with famous authors for six years.

Mr Brooks started in the hospitality industry aged 15 when he began training as a chef at the Queen's Hotel in Eastbourne, where his future wife Wendy worked as a receptionist.

The couple were based in Switzerland for a time where he was a chef before returning to England and posts at a country house hotel in Surrey where he was head chef and she was head of reception.

They moved to Yorkshire with their two sons 21 years ago when he took up the reins at the 37-bed hotel next to York Minster.

"I have so many highlights to recall," he said.

"From my early days of working towards recognition and raising the standards of the hotel, and the huge investment from its owners over the years, and having such loyal support of a very dedicated team, who have been an absolute delight to work with, we went from being a 3 star hotel to 4 stars status. That was so rewarding."

He said he particularly enjoyed hosting the hotel's Literary Lunches with famous authors for six years.

Mr Brooks, who started riding motorbikes in his forties when he bought a Yamaha Thundercat, is looking forward to spending more time with his grandchildren during his retirement.