Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hotel and restaurant group, has reported a good start to its financial year as shown in its trading performance for the 13 weeks to 30 May 2013. Andy Harrison, Chief Executive of Whitbread comments: “Whitbread had a good start to the new financial year with first quarter Group sales up 13.8% and like for like sales up 3.1%, in line with our … [Read more...]
Giggling Squid: Reigate opening heralds ambitious plans
Giggling Squid will open its 98-seater Thai restaurant in Reigate in early July, taking the group’s venues to six - Brighton, Hove and Crawley in Sussex, Tunbridge Wells in Kent and Henley in Oxfordshire. Giggling Squid opened its first restaurant in 2009 in Hove and has established a strong reputation for its authentic, rustic and fresh Thai cooking with the emphasis on … [Read more...]
RHUBARB to flourish in the Sky Garden
The premium food experience brand “rhubarb” will be creating several new dining spaces at the top of London’s latest landmark building, 20 Fenchurch Street also known as the Walkie-Talkie - with uninterrupted 360-degree views of the Capital. Joint venture partners Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group have announced a significant leasing deal with “rhubarb” to design and … [Read more...]
The premium coffee market: quality delivers for Nespresso
Coffee, as H & C News readers well know, cannot be neglected by any hospitality business today: it’s important not only because more and more customers expect good quality, but also because it attracts significant revenue in its own right. H & C News was therefore pleased to have the opportunity to meet Ian McDonald of Nespresso UK to find out more about how … [Read more...]
Schrager + Atherton = Berners
The London Evening Standard reports that Ian Schrager is coming to London. Schrager is the former owner of some of New York’s most famous hotels and nightclubs - the legendary Studio 54 was his, and he is often credited as the founder of the ‘boutique hotel’ sector. Now, Schrager is working with Marriott to open a 173-room hotel in the former Berners Hotel in Fitzrovia, not … [Read more...]