We are very sad to share the passing of hotelier Martin Skan (A 51) on 11^th October, 2025, aged 90.

At Haileybury Martin was in the second XI and the Athletics team in 1952 and 1953, and School Boxer in 1951 and 1952. In 1954 he went to Harvard School in California as an exchange scholar. An astute businessman from an early age, Martin was a Director of his family confectionery and tobacco business, running over 200 sweets businesses. He went on to several other Directorships with J A & P Holland, Parkinsons (Doncaster) and the Harper Paper Group throughout the 1960s.

In 1965 Martin and his brother Trevor (A 51) bought the then rundown Chewton Glen hotel near Bournemouth. A significant risk at the time, Martin said ‘there are certain things in life you know to be right, and you just do them’. This proved to be absolutely true and under his leadership Chewton Glen went on to be the flagship of British country hotels. It received a Michelin star, a blue ribbon from the RAC and is the only privately owned hotel to receive Five red stars from the AA. Other significant accolades include the Egon Ronay Hotel of the Year (1977), The Times Hotel Restaurant of the Year (1989), the Catey Award for Services to Tourism (1990), Hotelier of the Year (Caterer and Hotelkeeper magazine (1991. The hotel was a Member of the Leading Hotels of the World and Relais et Chateaux.

Chewton Glen has hosted royalty, politicians, rock stars, authors and actors and has trained chefs including Jean-Christophe Novelli and John Burton-Race. Martin prided himself on the hotel’s attention to the very finest detail and believed that the guest experience was paramount.

In 1992 Martin became a founding Director of the Walpole Committee, set up to promote British excellence overseas.

In 1989 Martin married his second wife Brigitte who became a Director of Chewton Glen and worked alongside Martin. Brigitte has written to us of Martin’s great love of Haileybury – ‘I would like you to know how much he enjoyed Haileybury as a student. He always spoke so highly of his school days.’

The Society sends sincere condolences to Brigitte and the family.