MICHAEL Grange is a tough act to follow but Gurval Durand is now settling into his role as interim manager at Oxford’s Randolph Hotel.

Mr Durand was last year appointed interim general manager of the five-star, 151-bedroom hotel in Beaumont Street, following the sudden death in September of Michael Grange, who had run the five-star attraction for 12 years.

The 61-year-old’s death was announced by the Macdonald Hotels Group – which runs the Randolph – and friend KT Bruce, a freelance photographer was among those paying tribute to Mr Grange, saying he ‘cared deeply, deeply about his staff and all the guests who stayed at the Randolph’.

Following a devastating fire at the hotel in April 2015, Mr Grange led the £6.5m renovation project, which was completed last year.

Now Mr Durand is in charge of the team and a spokeswoman for Macdonald Hotels Group said: “Mr Durand is working as interim manager at the Randolph.”

She would not comment further at this stage.

Before joining staff at the Randolph Mr Durand worked on consultancy projects for the Idle Rocks in St Mawes, Cornwall; Gidleigh Park at Chagford, Devon; and the Barons Eden Group, after stepping down as general manager at Whatley Manor in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, in May 2016.

Prior to joining Whatley Manor, Mr Durand held the position of deputy general manager at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons at Great Milton, for nearly nine years, having joined the hotel in 1999, first as senior manager before later being promoted to restaurant manager.

Le Manoir is run by popular French chef Raymond Blanc.

Originally from France, Mr Durand trained in several Relais & Châteaux hotels, including L’Hostellerie de Levernois in Beaune.

In 2016 the Randolph’s 150-year history was celebrated in a new book.

Mrs Bruce and her husband Martin Bruce produced the 38-page history booklet.

Construction of the Randolph Hotel began in 1864 by William Wilkinson and it opened in 1866.

The hotel featured in the Inspector Morse TV series several times and there is a Morse bar in the hotel.

Major refurbishments of the hotel were undertaken in 1952, 1978, 1988 and 2000.

The devastating blaze happened on April 17, 2015 and started with a chef cooking beef stroganoff in the kitchen. When the pan caught fire, the flames leapt upwards, setting the roof and front gable ablaze.

Though only about five per cent of the building was damaged, an 11-month refurbishment of the hotel took place, with damaged bedrooms refurbished, a champagne bar added and the roof rebuilt.