 Pidd working as the leading hand.From early February 1908 the hotel was advertising for staff and, by early March 1908, it was welcoming guests and advertised as being 'newly erected'.The first proprietor and host of the Hotel Cecil was Harry Taylor, formerly a blacksmith at Nerang, who arranged for the construction of the building, owned the freehold on the property and occupied the hotel as the licensee with his wife and daughter.