Web Solutions - Websites & Microsites
Old English Inns
There are 82 Old English Inns throughout the UK. The estate had recently been acquired by Greene King and had undergone a branding evolution and an ongoing physical refurbishment programme.
Our brief was to develop a new website with additional features to those existing. We were given a new creative execution, which we adapted and developed for the web. Each Inn or Greene King Hotel has its own mini-microsite, with 3-4 pages detailing information that is subject to periodical change.
Certain centralised content also changes daily, i.e. the range of offers, from late availability to special interest breaks, to be managed by a non-technical Central Reservations Team. This required the design and build of a straightforward, easy-to-use administration system. Through a series of admin pages, the Team is able to add, edit or delete content, update offers and even revise pictorial content from a purpose-built picture library. Functionality extended to text and banner ads being displayed according to time-sensitive criteria, and to house manager access so as to allow menu details to be personalised.
The site is an operational success and it was delivered three weeks in advance of schedule. Since its launch in September 2002, there has been a 50% increase in enquiries, and many positive comments, both externally and internally.
CMS
The content management system for Old English Inns permits levels of access from a centralised team and also a decentralised trade audience.
The legacy system permitted a limited level of access, but didn't allow the user to input information within the code, as this required considerable expertise.
The new system allows authorised entry for laypeople via a password-protected, word-based administration page. Users can quickly and easily add, delete or amend existing information and, through a series of text boxes, click to update the website in real time - simple, really!