CEO of Best Western GB who was branded the real-life 'David Brent' due to his management style in A Very British Hotel Chain admits he watched 'cringeworthy' show through his hands - but says he was 'stunned' by firm's rocketing sales figures

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The CEO of a national hotel chain, who was ridiculed on social media for his 'David Brent' management style in a fly-on-the-wall documentary, has admitted he watched the 'cringeworthy' show through his hands, but now he can't take his eyes off the firm's rocketing sales figures.

Chief executive Rob Paterson has become the unwitting star of Channel 4's A Very British Hotel Chain: Inside Best Western, which features the ups and downs of life in Britain's largest collection of independent hotels.

An Australian, the CEO previously claimed he had never heard of Ricky Gervais' infamous character in The Office, before viewers of the documentary declared he was, in fact, David Brent's natural heir.

'They think they're in an episode of the office,' quickly declared one viewer on Twitter referring to Rob and his real-life side-kick Mark Stanley when the show's second episode aired last Monday.

CEO of Best Western GB, Rob Paterson (pictured at Best Western GB headquarters, near York), from Australia, who was ridiculed on social media for his 'David Brent' management style in a fly-on-the-wall documentary, has admitted he watched the 'cringeworthy' show through his hands

A Very British Hotel viewers were left confused when Australian-based CEO Rob Patterson compared Best Western to being the 'Eddie The Eagle of the hotel world.' Pictured, the Olympian during the ambition conference

For their annual Christmas video, the team decided to film two donkeys in their four-star hotel - but it wasn't long before one made a mess on the carpet

Many who tuned in took to Twitter during the episode, with one writing: 'Funny they impress by showing off their prime hotel and half hour later show donkeys s****ing on its carpets' (pictured)

'Massive The Office vibes,' declared another referring to the sitcom which featured the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictional Wernham Hogg paper company.

Among tweets celebrating the Best Western's unintended 'comedy gold', tweeters also demanded to know 'who signed this off?'

Meanwhile, social media was awash with memes and images of Ricky Gervais playing David Brent in the actual BBC2 mockumentary, which only ran for 14 episodes between 2001 and 2003, but continues to be remembered because it appeared to caricature every bad boss Britain ever had.

However, while the show has brought mockery to Best Western GB – and Rob - it now appears it may actually have been a masterstroke of marketing at a time when hotels are clinging on due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

'At a time when we are in desperate need, it has been phenomenal,' Mr Paterson told Mail Online, adding that visitors to the company's website and sales have rocketed.

During the hour-long episodes, there have never been less than 1,000 people viewing Best Western's web pages meaning tens of thousands of new users are coming to the brand.

Rob Paterson (pictured) has commented on being compared to The Office's David Brent character. Pictured, Best Western GB headquarters, near York

CEO Rob (pictured), who has been compared to The Office's David Brent, said: 'When we announced we wanted to reach 500 hotels by 2022. There wasn't many people who could see that happening. 'A bit like our speaker today Eddie the Eagle, nobody thought he was going to make the Olympics, he persevered and he got there'

One person who tuned in joked: 'Donkey s*** everywhere. If I owned that hotel I'd cross charge the carpet cleaning to head office' (pictured)

Following the screening of the first two episodes, sales increased 200%, compared to the rest of the lockdown period, which began on March 23.

Not only that, but 10 hotels have asked to join Best Western's stable as a result of 'A Very British Hotel Chain', compared to just four requests in the whole of last year.

'I was stunned to hear the figures,' said Rob, who watched a screening of the three-part series before episodes were aired on Channel 4.

'You almost watch the programmes through your fingertips. I was thinking it is going to be a disaster,' said the open and affable forty-something, who is nothing like David Brent in the flesh and describes himself on his own social media channels as a 'sport-loving, travel-addicted Aussie'.

'The production company were saying David Brent is a well-liked character, but I was thinking, 'I do not want to be that guy'.'

The straight-up Aussie, who enjoyed a 16-year career with brands such as Accor, De Vere, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, before joining Best Western GB in 2018, came in for the most online abuse when he unveiled his new values to staff at the company's headquarters on an industrial estate near York.

Those who tuned in compared CEO Rob to Ricky Gervais' character David Brent, in it comedy The Office (pictured)

Others who tuned in took to social media to draw comparisons between the hotel documentary at comedy hit The Office

'The first one is 'give a s***,' second one is 'own it,' 'be courageous', so take a risk and be bold, 'beat yesterday' and 'smash it,' he explained. 'We want these signs on the building saying 'beat yesterday.' So, we don't just want to hit out numbers, we want to smash our numbers.'

Meanwhile, Mr Paterson's right-hand man, Mark Stanley, head of hotel development at Best Western, only made things worse when he showed viewers the company's previous values, which included the phrase, 'make the magic happen' and he explained: 'We are going to the next level now.'

Mr Stanley's performance drew online comparisons with David Brent's onscreen assistant, Gareth Keenan, played by Mackenzie Crook.

When Mail Online caught up with Mr Paterson at the Best Western HQ, which is not currently in use because 80% of the staff are furloughed due to the pandemic, he admitted it has been a challenging week.

'It has been difficult,' said Mr Paterson, whose partner dropped him off at the deserted offices on Wednesday evening so he could conduct conference calls with business partners in the United States until late in the evening before cycling a few miles home.

'There are people on social media who say some nasty stuff. They are just looking for a rise. And you have to ignore that.'

And he can't quite hide the fact he is annoyed at the production company, Plum Pictures, which made the series during 18 months of filming.

'I am talking to them,' said the native Sydneysider, who is a big fan of the Melbourne-based Aussie rules football club, Essendon.

In a previous episode, Rob's right-hand man, Mark - head of development - showed the camera crew the old values which were still mounted on the wall (pictured)

Rob (pictured) appeared to take the comparison in good humour, and shared a video where he can be heard pretending to talk to Ricky Gervais

'We have not completely fallen out,' he added with a smile. 'But we do not agree.

'We wanted an audience rooting for us. I think they have made a programme where the audience is laughing at us. That was their intention. They have edited it to hell. It is 16 months of filming boiled down to three hours.

'If I knew what I know now, of course, I would not have gone on the show. But I would not change my approach. I would take a risk again.'

Even so, he can see the funny side – and the positives.

Best Western took part in the documentary because they want to showcase themselves as a collection of individual hotels, in contrast to what they describe as more corporate, 'homogenous' competitors, such as Mercure and Holiday Inn. And the figures suggest they are making an impact.

'People are talking about the brand when that was not the case two or three weeks ago,' said the CEO of Best Western GB.

'We have a tight camaraderie in this office and among members. It feels like a family. You spend so much time at work, we try to have fun.'  

The CEO (pictured right) has shared snaps of himself and friends in holiday hotspots across the world on his social media, including the Munich Beer Festival

Originally from Sydney, but proud to now be working and living in ‘beautiful UK’, Rob Paterson claims to be a ‘sport loving, travel addicted, Aussie. Pictured, front row left

Despite the reaction from viewers, Rob has maintained a polite and cheerful demeanour on social media and even made a short video in which he pretends to be taking a call from Ricky Gervais above a line that says 'Ricky Gervais and Steve Marchant can only dream of material like this'.

And Rob and sidekick Mark are planning a second film in which they will reproduce a particularly cringey David Brent dance from The Office.

'We have some fun with it,' said the chief executive, who graduated from Kenvale College in New South Wales, Australia, in 1999 with a qualification in Tourism and Hospitality Management.

'We all watch it. Everyone gets dressed up and we have some champagne. For this one I had a tux on.

'If you react snotty and upset it just fuels it. The production company have created a character on TV for entertainment value, but the team here know who I am.'

In contrast, one of the producers of Plum Pictures production tweeted her view of the documentary series before it launched last week.

'I've never been prouder of a series than this one, starring the loveliest, most brilliant folks @BestWesternGB and finished for @channel4 from my spare room during lockdown,' she wrote. 'Hope you have as much fun watching as we had making it.'

Speaking of the final episode which aired on Tuesday, Rob added: 'I have seen it. They are upping the ante on the David Brent parallels…'

And he said with a wry smile: 'I am going to be likened to David Brent for the rest of my career.'

Rob (pictured) has also taken a selfie in front of the famous Hollywood sign in America

Rob (pictured) has also shared photos of himself standing on cliffs in the Greek Islands with his social media following

True to style, A Very British Hotel viewers were left amused following the final episode when the CEO compared Best Western to being like the 'Eddie the Eagle of the hotel business' - and trailed two donkeys through a four-star hotel to film the annual Christmas advert.

In last night's final show, Rob Paterson surprised staff with a guest speaker at a hotel conference.

While many took punts that Nicola Sturgeon or Clare Balding might turn up, the much-awaited celebrity guest was Eddie the Eagle - who in 1988 became the first competitor since 1928 to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping, finishing last in the 70 m and 90 m events.

And when Rob commented that he thinks the Best Western is the 'Eddie the Eagle of the hotel business,' it wasn't long before viewers took to Twitter.

'BW is like Eddie the Eagle? What? Last place?' joked one, while a second commented: 'Best Western is the Eddie The Eagle of the hotel world' Not the most ringing endorsement is it?'   

During his speech, Eddie the Eagle Edwards began: 'Welcome to the ambition conference. Yes, I'm last again! 

'When I was little I was always a bit of a daredevil and whenever my friends dared me to do something, I would go and do it - just for a laugh. I didn't realise it would result in me competing at the winter Olympics. 

The more that people told me that I couldn't do something, the more that inspired me to prove them wrong.'

'Anybody in this room, wherever you want go, whoever you want to be, whatever you want to do, you can achieve anything if you just put your mind to it. 

Providing further explanation to his choice of guest speaker, Rob went on: 'When we announced we wanted to reach 500 hotels by 2022. There wasn't many people who could see that happening. 

'A bit like our speaker today Eddie the Eagle, nobody thought he was going to make the Olympics, he persevered and he got there.'  

During a previous episode, Rob could be seen standing in front of his team pointing at his annotated whiteboard. Pictured, at a direct booking summit

Elsewhere, the hard-working team set to work cleaning the luxurious four-star Mount Pleasant ahead of their Best Western video shoot for the annual Christmas advert - which starred two donkeys. 

After trailing the animals through the hotel reception, it was time for the bedroom scene - where the donkeys were photographed in bed and even in the bath.

But it seemed the staff weren't the only excited ones, as the donkeys decided they needed to go to the toilet on the freshly cleaned carpet. 

Taking to social media, one person joked: 'Looking forward to going onto to trip advisor this week to see if someone wrote a review citing donkey s**t on the floor,' while a second commented: 

'Funny they impress by showing one of their prime hotels .... and half hour later show donkeys s****ing on its carpets.'

A third wrote: Donkeys in a hotel what more do you want on channel 4 hahaha,' while a fourth added: 'They used their top hotels to allow donkeys s**t in it for their marketing campaign.'