THE French and Italians are really good at it, the Scandinavians know what they are doing, and the Americans put us to shame.

If Dale Needham's career in the hospitality trade has taught him one thing it is that us Brits are not the most generous nation when it comes to tipping waiters and bar staff.

"I think we have a culture where we assume the service we receive is covered as part of the overall price, so we don't need to pay any more. But I think it is always nice to acknowledge it when staff go the extra mile," says Mr Needham, who heads the team attempting to wow guests at the Mercure King's Hotel in Darlington, which reopened three years ago following an £8m revamp that transformed the venue after it was ravaged by fire in August 2008.

"At this time of year things are pretty full on," says the man from Leicester, who became a passionate Newcastle United supporter and a great advocate of his adoptive region.

"For many people Darlington seems only to be known as a stop on the East Coast Mainline, but when you look at the history of the town there is so much more to it that that.

"This part of the world deserves much more promotion. Certainly in the run up the railway bicentennial you would hope the powers that be seize the opportunity to attract visitors to the town.

"After all, it is an ideal touring base for anyone looking to explore the North-East - from shopping in Newcastle, to walking on the North Yorks Moors or beaches it is all within easy reach."

If his comments sound like they have come straight out of a tourism brochure then it is hardly surprising as Mr Needham has been immersed in the hotel trade pretty much all of his working life. He recounts the tale of his first foray into the trade when he dropped some Royal Doulton China and earned himself a sharp rebuke from the French restaurant manager. Undeterred Mr Needham went on to study hotel and hospitality management at college before embarking on a career that has seen him work at most of the major hotel chains. He was eventually drawn to the north and now commutes from his home in East Yorkshire.

" I am lucky," he says."If I have worked late or have a very early start and don't fancy the drive home I can always sleep above the office, as it were. But recently I have been saying to the staff that I am a victim of our own success because there hasn't been a bed for me.

"Last night I was planning to stay overnight at the hotel but we are full so I had to drive home.

"As we get into the Christmas party season I might stay over more because there are more late nights. Although my staff tend to work later than me."

So when does the hotel begin to plan for Christmas? I ask.

"We start in January," he replies. "It is the best time to do it because everything is still fresh in your mind - what was good, what didn't go so well, what would you want to repeat, all of that sort of stuff.

"One of the hardest things is getting the pricing right because our costs keep going up throughout the year. People are very price sensitive in the town and we try to factor that in to our planning.

"I remember when we first opened after the fire we had some really loyal ladies who regularly came to our coffee lounge. They tpulled me to one side and told me in no uncertain terms that they had been coming to the hotel for years and they weren't happy with the coffee prices. We brought the prices down straight away by about 15p.

"That is another thing that I have learned - listen to your loyal customers and be prepared to adapt."

For any budding hotel manager his advice sounds like a good tip in anyone's language.

Five minutes with... Dale Needham

What is your favourite North-East building?

St James' Park in the capital city of football.

What was your first job and how much did you get paid?

I was the Saturday editorial messenger at the Leicester Mercury newspaper. I ended up with about £8 for the day.

What is the worst job you've had?

Stripping and cutting copper cables out of a disused chocolate factory.

What would you cook for me if I came around for dinner?

Spanish chorizo chicken with celeriac mash.

What would your superpower be?

The power of flight.

Name four people, dead or alive, who would be at your perfect dinner party

Charles Kennedy, John Cleese, Princess Diana and Kenny Everett.

What is the most expensive thing that you have bought - other than car or house - and how much did it cost?

At the time (in the early nineties) I bought lobster thermidor at a Lanzarote restaurant for £50.

Who is the best person to follow on Twitter and why?

I don’t generally use Twitter but I would have to admit that Joey Barton is amusing, but I certainly do not condone everything he Tweets.

Favourite book?

It is impossible to pick just one but perhaps I would go for the Harry Potter series or any of Simon Kernick's books. When I was a child I loved Stig of the Dump.

When did you last cry?

When Musharaff read a statement at the end of year assembly on ITV's Educating Yorkshire television programme.

What is your greatest achievement?

Becoming a father twice has to be tops.

What's the best piece of advice in business you've ever been given?

Be impatient.

Favourite animal and why

Elephants are just amazing for such a large animal. I missed seeing them by a matter of minutes when I was on a safari. There was just a pile of steaming dung left behind.

Most famous person on your mobile phone

Newcastle United's Ayoze Perez.

What was the last band or singer that you saw live?

Rita Ora.

Describe your perfect night in

Great company, an Indian takeaway, gallons of wine and a great drama on the box like Prime Suspect.

In another life I would be...

A criminal law barrister.

Who would play you in a film of your life

Tom Hanks.

What irritates you?

Racists and bigots.

What's your secret talent?

Humour, impersonating Winston Churchill and Richard Wilson.