Seven team members from the Suffolk based TA Hotel Collection have been accredited with their Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level One Award in Wines.

The staff from four of the flagship hotels within TA Hotel Collection spent a day gaining a hands-on introduction to the world of wine in January, exploring the main types and styles of wine through sight, smell and taste, while also gaining the basic skills to describe wines accurately and make food and wine pairings.

Pierre Crespin and Sara Le Fanu from The Swan at Lavenham Hotel & Spa; Jane Dearing and Mark White from Thorpeness Golf Club & Hotel; Rob Dixon and Shuhana Khatun from The Brudenell in Aldeburgh and Nicolae Arcalean from The Crown at Woodbridge all passed the level one exam and received a WSET certificate and lapel pin.

François Belin, group sommelier and wine buyer for TA Hotel Collection said: “All of our restaurants have a large and varied selection of wines for our guests to choose from and enjoy and as hosts we want to provide the best experience and service possible for our patrons, and that includes our staff having the knowledge to give advice such as what wine would complement their meal best.

“Attending the WSET training not only benefits our guests, but also boosts our staff confidence and sends them home with a qualification, which is good to have on their CV.

The TA Hotel Collection is a group of award winning, luxury hotels and businesses located across the beautiful county of Suffolk and includes The Brudenell and White Lion Hotels in Aldeburgh; Thorpeness Country Club and Golf Club & Hotel; The Swan at Lavenham Hotel & Spa and The Crown at Woodbridge.