A HOTEL chain with 77 properties across the country has chosen a Manchester firm to host its IT services on a £3m super secure computer system that is fire, flood and blackout proof.

The Alternative Hotel Group (AHG) employs more than 5,000 staff working under four brands, but wanted to centralise its IT, including its booking systems.

The contract was handed to CMS Group, of Manchester Technopark, which now has 16 racks of servers at its data centre dedicated to the project.

The move to consolidate is aimed at maximising the customer and business benefits of IT, while reducing overheads and increasing reliability.

The CMS servers are constantly monitored ensuring centralised booking, property management and internet services are available around the clock within a secure, high speed network.

Andrew Coop, CMS managing director, said: "Now that we are facing the credit crunch there has been a change in the market. Customers are looking more at increasing cost-effectiveness and service levels.

"One large hotel company has calculated the losses arising from a booking system failure at £20,000 an hour, which shows just how important having fast, reliable IT is to modern businesses."

He added: "Historically, firms wanted to be able to physically touch their IT, but that has gone now.

"Around half our business is in London and we are seeing more firms wanting us to host their IT in Manchester, so the old north/south divide seems to be fading."

CMS was able to complete the move over one weekend with no interruption to any internal and on-line services.

CMS employs 46 people with a turnover of £3.5m, a figure that has grown 25 per cent every year for the last three years.

AHG's IT director Jo Stanford said: "By moving to the CMS hosting service we're able to take advantage of 24 hour, on-site support that is designed to optimise our systems operations."

AHG is the UK's largest hospitality and training venue company and also trades under the names De Vere Venues, De Vere Collection, Greens Health & Fitness and Village Hotels, which has venues in Cheadle, Bury and Hyde.