From a hotel lobby transformed into a mini golf course to the exacting requirements of professional sports teams, meet Nishchal Agir – one of the people working behind the scenes to elevate customer service and event delivery at Crowne Plaza Newcastle – Stephenson Quarter.
A mini Tyne Bridge. The Angel of the North. A golf course running through the hotel lobby.
It’s fair to say this wasn’t an ordinary corporate event.
For Nishchal Agir, Duty Manager and Guest Services Manager at Crowne Plaza Newcastle – Stephenson Quarter, it was one of the hotel’s most memorable events he has worked on.
The large industry conference and awards saw a major UK construction company take over all 251 bedrooms and the hotel’s meeting spaces for two days, transforming the lobby into a mini golf course featuring familiar North East landmarks.
It’s a reminder that events can extend far beyond the traditional conference room – and behind every creative idea is a team working to make it happen.
For Nishchal, that means being involved across the hotel, from reception, food and beverage and meetings and events to guest experience and operations.
“People will say, ‘Nish, we have this issue. Can you help us sort it out?’” he says. “I always try to find a solution.”
Approachable, motivated and, in his own words, “dependable”, Nishchal has been part of the hotel team for three years.
Among the groups regularly welcomed to the hotel are professional sports teams, bringing a very particular set of requirements.
Privacy can be essential, with discreet entrances and carefully planned room allocations. Then there’s the food.
“Some sports teams travel with their own chefs or nutritionists,” Nishchal explains. “They have specific diets they want to follow before and after a game.”
And those requirements vary between football, rugby and cricket teams. “You need to understand what they need and make sure everything is ready.”
For Nishchal, it all comes back to understanding what people need – ideally before they have to ask.
Great service starts before you arrive
Nishchal believes the guest experience begins much earlier than check-in. That might mean finding out that someone would prefer a quieter room, needs to be closer to a lift, or is visiting for a special occasion.
And often, it’s the smallest details that make the biggest difference. “Those little things make people feel genuinely cared about,” he says. “It comes down to preparation and teamwork.”
From India to Newcastle
Nishchal’s own hospitality journey began thousands of miles from Newcastle.
Originally from India, his first job away from home was at a five-star hotel in the UAE at the age of just 19. “It made me realise you can achieve anything you want in life,” he says.
In 2019, Nishchal moved to Newcastle to study for a master’s degree at Northumbria University. “The first couple of months were about getting to know the slang and the culture,” he laughs.
And Newcastle quickly won him over. “After that, Newcastle draws you in and you fall in love with it. This is where I belong now.”
And what made the city feel like home? “The people. Definitely the people,” he says. “It’s the Geordie love, the humour and the pride people have in Newcastle. There’s a little spark here that pulls you in.”
For Nishchal, hospitality is ultimately about people – whether that means helping to transform a hotel for a major event, understanding the precise requirements of a professional sports team or simply noticing when someone needs help.
Because great service isn’t always about the grand gesture. Sometimes, it’s about getting the smallest details right before anyone even has to ask.
