McAleer & Rushe has received planning consent for a 206-bedroom hotel on the site of the former Belfast Metropolitan College adjacent to Blackstaff Square. The hotel will have an entrance facing on to Blackstaff Square. The Cookstown-based developer, acquired the site just over a year ago and intends to develop the site with a mixed-use hotel and student accommodation … [Read more...]
EatFirst secures $8 million to drives restaurant sector
EatFirst, one of the world’s first quality online restaurants, is pipped to radically evolve the UK’s dining-in experience. Having secured an investment of over $8million, EatFirst delivers delicious and fresh cuisines across London and Berlin. Noted for its huge growth potential, this capital injection will allow the app-based restaurant to significantly build on its rapid … [Read more...]
Greater activity and spend predicted for European Meetings & Events in 2016
According to the American Express Meetings & Events 2016 Global Meetings Forecast, 2016 will see growth in meetings activity across Europe, in terms of both spending and meeting numbers. In last year’s Forecast, the trend amongst meeting planners was ‘doing more with less’; this year, it is ‘doing more – with a little more’. For the first time since the initial Forecast … [Read more...]
The Sky’s ‘No Limit’ for Alpha LSG Chef at Open Kitchen Live
Paul Mason, Head of Culinary Excellence at Alpha LSG, is responsible for a team of 120 chefs who provide top-class restaurant quality food to passengers travelling with many of the world’s leading airlines. Appointed in 2013 to take charge of Alpha LSG’s ground-breaking Culinary Academy, created within a state-of-the-art £10 million Premium Kitchen facility at Heston, … [Read more...]
Risk Capital Partners invests in Small Batch Coffee
In another sign of the continuing potential and growth of the coffee and cafe market in the UK, Risk Capital Partners, the private equity firm chaired by Luke Johnson, has announced that it has bought a majority stake in Brighton based Small Batch Coffee Company, the artisan coffee business. Small Batch began roasting in 2006 and has since developed its own retail concept, … [Read more...]
WSH Academy course achieves IoH Approved Centre status
The Leadership Academy, supporting BaxterStorey, Holroyd Howe and Caterlink, has achieved Approved Centre status from the Institute of Hospitality for its Foundation Course. The course, which delivers the Institute of Hospitality Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management, was initially approved in 2014 and, after a recent thorough inspection, official status from the … [Read more...]
Bespoke Hotels acquires The George at Piercebridge
Bespoke Hotels is welcoming The George Hotel to its burgeoning fold. This traditional coaching inn, set against the banks of the River Tees in the heart of County Durham, marks the group’s first foray into the region, and stands alongside a growing collection of quality inns and guest houses across the UK. Boasting 29 bedrooms, a spectacular ball room and variety of function … [Read more...]
Devonshire Club appoints Ian Palmer for launch
The City of London’s newest private members club, the exclusive Devonshire Club, has hired top club host Ian Palmer, as General Manager. Palmer is tasked with launching what is described as London’s most talked about new members club. The £25m club is situated on the South East corner of Blackstone’s private estate Devonshire Square and is due to open in May … [Read more...]
IHG signs Hotel Indigo London – Aldgate
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the signing of Hotel Indigo London – Aldgate. The newly built hotel will operate under a franchise agreement with Meadow Partners and Roquebrook.The 207-room hotel opening in 2017 will be located in Aldgate place, east of the City Of London. Set in the heart of a major residential and commercial development project taking … [Read more...]
Sodexo and WWF pilot Green and Lean meals
Sodexo has teamed up with conservation charity WWF to develop and pilot a set of 10 sustainable meals. The project is part of Sodexo’s partnership with WWF on LiveWell, WWF-UK’s flagship programme of work which aims to encourage businesses and policy-makers to facilitate the adoption of diets which are both healthy and sustainable. The meals, which were developed jointly by … [Read more...]
George Clooney at The George marks start of partnership with Social Bite
A 12-month support by Edinburgh’s George Hotel for the charitable enterprise of Social Bite sandwich shops has kicked off in style: the newly refurbished hotel was home to Hollywood A-lister George Clooney during his whistle-stop tour of the capital. The George Hotel on George Street has announced details of a year-long campaign to raise funds for the social venture charity … [Read more...]
Travelodge offers Lavazza coffee and new unlimited breakfast menu
In a UK first and as part of its brand transformation programme, Travelodge has partnered with the authentic Italian espresso brand, Lavazza, to offer its customers a premium coffee range as part of its new unlimited breakfast menu. This partnership is the first time a hotel chain has rolled out a fully-branded Lavazza coffee menu, giving customers the best quality Italian … [Read more...]
Canterbury restaurant triumphs at FreeFrom Eating Out Awards
Antony Worrall Thompson presented the FreeFrom Eating Out Awards silver salver of excellence to Sarah Ormond Smith of the Canterbury restaurant Oscar & Bentleys at a presentation ceremony at Food Matters Live on 17 November. Oscar & Bentleys, second time winner of the Restaurant category at the FreeFrom Eating Out Awards, was praised as ‘faultless’ by the incognito … [Read more...]
Waitrose brings fresh Sushi Counters to its shops
Waitrose is to become the first national supermarket in the UK to offer sushi, which has been freshly made in its shops. The new sushi counters will be launched in co-operation with Sushi Daily, the European market leader in sushi bars and counters. The first Sushi Daily counter will be opened at Waitrose's new Battersea shop on 19 November. This will be followed by … [Read more...]
General Manager for the Old Swan & Minster Mill
In a month in which the Old Swan & Minster Mill celebrates the Tattinger Conde Nast Johansen Award best country house hotel win and the beginning of an exciting spa development, owner Lana de Savary has brought in a general manager to take the hotel forward into the next stage of its exciting development. The property is a luxury five star, 55 bedroom inn and boutique … [Read more...]