The family run, four-star AA-accredited Parkway Hotel & Spa in Cwmbran, which was bought by the award-winning de Savary family in November 2012, has put a fun twist to work by introducing Employee of the Year Awards.

Owner, Lana de Savary, named Zak Yearsley, demi-chef de partie 2013 Employee of the Year and he received a £1,000 prize.

Runner- up, Sue Hopkins, a coffee shop assistant, won an all expenses paid weekend away at her choice of the Old Swan & Minster Mill in the Cotswolds or the Cary Arms on Babbacombe Beach in Devon, both luxury boutique hotels owned by the de Savary family.

The Parkway works closely with the local community and council and Councillor Maria Graham was on hand to present the prizes and congratulate the winners.

She said: “I am really pleased to be able to celebrate the work of the staff at one of our most important local venues. The Parkway makes an important contribution to the local economy both as an employer and service provider. So many staff play a vital role in ensuring that a venue such as this delivers a first class service, many though are not always visible to the public. These awards recognize the contribution of those staff who show determination in achieving those goals and I am delighted to be able to support them”.

General manager Kerry Jennings said: “It’s always good to welcome the local councillors into the hotel as the local community is very important to us. We ourselves and most of the staff are all from this small town of Cwmbran and think it’s very important to support each other.”