The staff of a St Ives hotel will hope to draw in plenty of tourists this season after completing a course to improve their knowledge in wines and spirits.

The bespoke course was designed especially for the Carbis Bay Hotel and Spa staff by Truro and Penwith College’s business development team, with the aim of improving the experience of hotel customers with this expert knowledge and increase sales.

The UpSkill programme is part of the Skills Support for the Workforce project which receives European Social Fund (ESF) Convergence investment, co-financed by the Skills Funding Agency. The £13 million project run by Cornwall College offers tailored training to people in the workplace.

Karen Fey, further education projects manager at Truro and Penwith College, said: “Carbis Bay Hotel employs more than 60 trained members of staff throughout their already highly regarded hospitality team, Now Truro and Penwith College’s business development team has enhanced the hotel’s customer service and product knowledge by providing bespoke, specific training needs.”

Truro and Penwith College provided selected members of staff with the Wines and Spirit Education Trust Intermediate Certificate course.

Tony Evans, Carbis Bay Hotel food and beverage manager, said: “The UpSkill programme has allowed us to access funding for training in a specific area desirable to our business. We are focussed on developing our workforce in right areas and the UpSkill programme with Truro and Penwith College Business has supported our vision.”

Mark Yeoman, head of ESF Convergence Communication, said: “Successful businesses are built on the skills and experience of their staff. The ESF Convergence support has meant that a well-established hotel can strengthen its already good reputation and business by adding to its quality offerings to customers.”

Mark Williams, director of workforce development projects at Cornwall College, said: “The training support given by ESF has enabled this hotel to further develop its service which will help attract more visitors to enhance the local economy of Carbis Bay and St Ives.”