The Hotel Where the Witches Was Filmed Is Looking For a Resident Witch

Quick Facts: Headland Hotel Witch Job

• Location: The Headland Hotel, a Grade II listed Victorian hotel on Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall.

• Film connection: The hotel served as the Hotel Excelsior in the 1990 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Witches.

• Job title: Witchy Welcome Host, informally the hotel's "Grand High Witch."

• Contract dates: October 17 through November 2, 2026, with a possible early appearance in early October.

• Costume: The hotel supplies the mask and cape. You bring the black outfit and the attitude.

• How to apply: Send a 30-second video of your best witch performance to [email protected].

• Selection method: No CV screening. The hotel says the witch who makes them jump gets the job.

The Headland Hotel in Cornwall, which stood in for the Hotel Excelsior in the 1990 film The Witches. Image Credit: Tripadvisor.

What the Job Actually Involves

The role centers on the hotel's Restaurant RenMor, which is running a Halloween-themed Afternoon Tea this season. The job listing is pretty specific about what it wants: a cackle that carries, a flair for the theatrical, and enough confidence to work a room full of families without ever breaking character. Expect playful scares, lots of guest interaction, and the occasional parent who may be enjoying this even more than their kids.

This definitely isn't a stand-in-the-corner-and-look-spooky kind of job. The hotel wants someone who can commit to the bit for an entire afternoon, chat with total strangers, entertain small children, and keep the witchy energy going even after the tenth request for another cackle. If that sounds less exhausting and more like your dream shift, you may have found your calling.

Afternoon Tea at Restaurant RenMor inside The Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall. Image Credit: Tripadvisor.

The Film That Made This Job Possible

The Headland has been having fun with its Hollywood history for years. With its Victorian turrets, grand staircase, and dramatic clifftop setting, it was a pretty perfect choice for the 1990 adaptation of The Witches, and the hotel has embraced the connection ever since with themed stays and Grand High Witch Afternoon Teas. This year's witch hunt is basically the next step, only now they're asking the public to audition for the part.

And honestly, the building does not need much help feeling a little spooky. The Headland spent part of World War II as an RAF hospital, and the hotel has its share of ghost stories, including tales of nurses still wandering the halls. Add in more than a century of history, Atlantic wind outside the windows, and a few very dramatic turrets, and you can see why Hollywood looked at this place and thought, yes, witches.

Elegant lounge inside The Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall, with green velvet sofas, patterned curtains, and classic Victorian-style decor. Image Credit: Tripadvisor.

Dates, Costume, & How to Apply

The Witchy Welcome Host contract runs from October 17 through November 2, 2026, with the hotel also flagging a possible appearance or two earlier in October. The exact early dates are still being confirmed, but the main Halloween stretch is set.

A few important details:

Contract dates: October 17 to November 2, 2026

Possible extra dates: Early October, still TBD

Costume: The hotel provides the mask and cape

You bring: A black outfit and, according to the listing, “a wicked streak”

Pay: Not listed publicly, so applicants should ask directly

Audition: A 30-second witch performance sent by email

And this is one of those job listings we would not sit on. It is seasonal, highly specific, and already getting attention, so there is a very good chance the posting will not stay open for long. If this sounds even remotely like your dream Halloween job, we would apply ASAP rather than spending three days perfecting the cackle.

The audition itself is wonderfully simple. There is no formal panel interview, no presentation, and thankfully no five-year witch career plan. Applicants just need to record a 30-second video showing off their spookiest performance and best cackle, then email it to [email protected].

If you have ever been told you are “a lot” at parties, this may finally be the professional opportunity you have been waiting for.

The Headland Hotel sits dramatically above the Cornwall coast in Newquay. Credit: Tripadvisor.

Is This Job Open to Americans?

The catch is that this is a short-term, part-time job in the UK, and the listing does not mention visa sponsorship. For most applicants, that means you need to already have the legal right to work in the UK through citizenship, settled status, or an existing visa that allows employment.

For Americans, that rules out anyone hoping to fly over on a tourist stay and pick up a few weeks of witch work. The U.S. also isn’t part of the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme, so unless you already have UK work authorization, this one is probably off the table, no matter how convincing your cackle is.

If you do already have the right to work in the UK, though, this is absolutely fair game. And honestly, if we ever find a haunted hotel in the U.S. looking for its own resident witch, we’ll be sure to let you know.

The Headland Hotel serves a witch-themed afternoon tea in Newquay, Cornwall, tying into the hotel’s famous connection to the 1990 film The Witches.

If You Can't Be the Witch, Come Watch Her Work

Not everyone wants to send a cackle audition tape to a stranger, and that's fair. If your interest in this story is more "curious tourist" than "future Grand High Witch," you can still get in on it. Book a stay during the Halloween Afternoon Tea season and you'll get a front-row seat to whoever the Headland picks, no thirty-second video required.

The Headland's witch hunt is a reminder that a good filming location never really stops working for a hotel. Thirty-five years after the cameras left, the Headland is still cashing in on its Roald Dahl cameo, and this year it's turning the bit into an actual job listing. Whether or not you can apply, it's a fun excuse to add the Headland to your Cornwall wish list, Halloween season or not.

Frequently Asked Questions: Headland Hotel Witch Job

What movie was filmed at the Headland Hotel?

The Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall served as the Hotel Excelsior in the 1990 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Witches.

What is the Witchy Welcome Host job?

It's a seasonal role at the Headland Hotel where the hired "witch" swoops through public areas during the hotel's Halloween Afternoon Tea season, entertaining guests and staying in character as the hotel's Grand High Witch.

When does the job run?

The contract runs from October 17 to November 2, 2026, with a possible early appearance in early October still to be confirmed.

How do I apply for the Witchy Welcome Host role?

Send a 30-second video of your best witch performance and cackle to [email protected]. There's no formal interview beyond that video.

Does the hotel provide a costume?

Yes. The hotel supplies the mask and cape. Applicants need to bring their own black outfit underneath.

Can Americans apply for this job?

Not without existing UK right to work. The listing doesn't mention visa sponsorship, and the US isn't part of the UK's Youth Mobility Scheme, so US citizens without a UK visa or settled status generally aren't eligible.

Where can I see the official listing?

The job is posted on UK job platforms including BeBee, under the title "Witchy Welcome Host" with The Headland Hotel Co. Ltd.