Crisis Management 101 | Enhancements at The Norwich Inn

“Never let a crisis go to waste” is a quote attributed to Winston Churchill as the world emerged from World War II. Sometimes a severe challenge such as COVID-19 can cause some to shift paradigms: how they view their world…even at a country inn. Maybe it’s getting around to things we always wanted to do; maybe it’s totally new.

Refinished Floors and a Restored Bar Top

In the former category, since our restaurant has had reduced hours and mandated capacity restrictions, we’ve been able to refinish the floors in a number of our dining venues while also restoring the bar top to its original luster. We are lucky to have Dale, our talented and versatile maintenance manager, put his skills to work. Everything looks like new. 

We’ve also instituted a Shuttle Service to area attractions: Dartmouth College, King Arthur Baking Company, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

The Newhart Room

In the latter category, we’ve re-imagined our original Dining Room into a multi-purpose space. Now our guests can eat, drink, work, meet, watch TV, or all of the above. We ran a contest to name the new space, and the winner was “The Newhart Room.” Where did that come from? Media sources have it that The Norwich Inn and the Town of Norwich were the inspiration behind the popular TV Show, “Newhart,” an eight-season, Golden Globe-nominated sitcom featuring Bob Newhart.

We’ve also incorporated “Whistle,” which is a premier customer service and communication platform for hotels. Whistle improves customer service through real-time engagement utilizing text and mobile message communication with our guests.

Enhanced Al Fresco Dining

The Norwich Inn has always had seasonal al fresco dining. While it had been popular, the surge in demand for the outdoors caused us to re-evaluate how to enhance and broaden the space. First, a sail cover was installed over our Patio, decorated with string lights. Second, we opened our Beer Garden to foodservice. Between the two venues, The Norwich Inn now has the most ample outdoor dining capacity in the area.

On tap for the 2021 season is a total redo and expansion of the Patio with upgraded coverage and new heaters.

While “COVID era” challenges have been daunting, it has caused us to rethink what we do to increase our relevance and enhance the guest experience.

To learn more about the historic Norwich Inn, please visit us online.