Sorry, but what this top butler saw he isn't telling

But for Anthony Seddon-Holland, it is simply all in a day's work. Mr Seddon-Holland has carved out a reputation as one of the world's leading butlers in a career spanning more than two decades.

And during that time he can lay claim to having worked for some of the richest and highest profile people in America, the Middle East and Russia – as well as introducing the concept of the English butler to Las Vegas.

However, Mr Seddon-Holland's talents will be evident a little closer to home after he has been appointed as the head butler at the region's newest luxury hotel, the Cedar Court Grand Hotel and Spa.

He is currently recruiting a four-strong team of butlers to take care of guests at what is aiming to be York's first five star hotel, which is due to open on Friday next week.

And while the successful candidates will be trained by one of the most experienced butlers around, Mr Seddon-Holland maintained that his team will have to possess some very special qualities.

He said: "We do live in a kiss and tell society, but I can safely say that no one who I have ever worked for has anything to worry about whatsoever. "To be a butler, you have to have the utmost discretion to earn the trust of the people who are employing you.

"I have to admit that I probably know enough to bring down a country from all the people I have dealt with. But I would never write a book or sell my story as I would not be able to sleep at night – it would be a betrayal."

Mr Seddon-Holland's height of discretion means that he is unwilling to name who he has worked for – although he admits that clients have included Hollywood A list actors, some of the world's most famous musicians and royal families in Europe and the Middle East.

His inside knowledge has even seen him offered 500,000 by a Sunday newspaper to reveal all about one high-profile client – an offer he declined.

He helped introduce a butler service to some of the most exclusive hotels along the Las Vegas Strip during the late 1990s.

But despite his travels across the globe, York retains a special place in Mr Seddon-Holland's heart.

His appointment at The Grand is a return to his Yorkshire roots after Mr Seddon-Holland grew up in Catterick Garrison and Ripon before his family moved to London when he was aged 15.

The 49-year-old is the great-great-grandson of George Leeman, the legendary railway pioneer who was elected the Mayor of York on three occasions, and butlering has also figured heavily among Mr Seddon-Holland's ancestors.

He followed in the footsteps of his father, Ernest Holland, and grandfather, Arthur Martin, who both served in the Army before embarking on a career as a butler.

However, Mr Seddon-Holland is quick to stress that the profession is not for everyone – throughout his time in Russia, he often worked 21-hour days.

And during a stint in America, he worked through the night at least once a week before taking a quick shower, draining a cup of coffee and starting his duties again without any sleep.

The career is far from conducive to a family life, and Mr Seddon-Holland, who was engaged before his fiance died from breast cancer four years ago, remains single.

And he is keen to point out that the traditional perception of the butler, as portrayed by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in the television adaptation of the Jeeves and Wooster novels, is little more than a stereotype.

Mr Seddon-Holland said: "A team of butlers should be able to reflect society, whether it be their ethnicity, background or gender. I am looking to recruit people who I will be able to tailor to individual guests . In fact my first appointment is a lady who served in the Navy."

A team of 126 builders is working on the 20m project to create the 107-bedroom hotel in the former headquarters of the North Eastern Railway Company on Station Rise. While a fifth-floor penthouse suite overlooking York Minster will cost up to 600 a night, rooms will start at 150 a night.

Profession where right qualities still ring a bell

The arrival of Anthony Seddon-Holland as the head butler at The Grand Hotel in York will provide guests with a taste of a profession which has dwindled in popularity since its Edwardian and Georgian heyday.

Mr Seddon-Holland admits that the demands on a butler have changed dramatically but he remains adamant that the ethos is still very much the same.

A painstaking attention to detail and a desire to cater for every whim while never appearing flustered or under pressure are all key attributes.

And Mr Seddon-Holland's CV sets him apart from almost every other one of his contemporaries.

After serving as a rifleman in the Army, he started as an under-footman at a country house in Hampshire before becoming the head butler after eight years.

Since then, he has worked in America, Russia, the Middle East and China, and trained teams in 30 properties across the globe as well as concierges in nine different luxury developments in Asia.

He established the British Butlers' Guild in 2007, and remains its managing director.