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In brIef
Future bright for London restaurants
Macdonald hotels to
Operators expect an increase in takings and plan to hire more staff during 2010
open in Windsor
Macdonald Hotels and Resorts By Pete Hayman
is to open a new 120-room hotel
in Windsor, Berkshire. The A new survey of more than 300
contemporary townhouse style restaurants across London has
hotel will be built on the site of revealed that more than half of
the former Caley's department the capital's eateries expect to
store, what was the smallest of see an increase in takings
the John Lewis Partnership during 2010, compared with
shops and one of the oldest. figures for last year.
Several of the buildings which Despite tough trading
the store occupied in the town's conditions, nearly 90 per cent
High Street were listed of those questioned as part of
properties and part of the new Business Link's Restaurant
hotel will sit within the listed Barometer for London said they According to Business Link, restaurateurs can expect a boos in 2010
section and retain some of its are planning to maintain or
features. It closed in 2006. increase staff levels over the Ashley de Safrin, business innovation by restaurant
Scheduled to open in August coming months. advisor for the hospitality owners and operators.
this year, the new hotel will join However, poor weather sector at Business Link, said: "Success in 2010 will mostly
Macdonald's existing portfolio of conditions during January "Despite a slow January, be about innovation and
around 50 hotels and resorts meant that many owners - 49 prospects are looking up for development. For example, the
across the UK and Spain. per cent of participants – re- the restaurant sector. 2010 World Cup is fast
ported a decline in takings, "2010 should give rise to approaching and restaurants
Listed hotel sold to
when compared with the same increasing trade through more will have the perfect opportu-
chef Ockelford
period last year. targeted marketing and nity to be inventive."
The Grade II-listed Mill House
Hotel and Restaurant in
Green light for
Ashington, South Downs, has
M&C buoyed by strong Q4
been sold to entrepreneur and
Harrogate hotel
chef Richard Ockelford in a deal Hotel operator Puma
worth around £475,000. The Hotels has been given the
boutique hotel, which only has green light to develop a
nine bedrooms, dates back to new 107-bedroom lodge
the 1650s and was forced to property in Harrogate as
close in July 2009 after running part of a revamp of the
into financial difficulties. Agents Harrogate International
Knight Frank acted on behalf of Centre (HIC).
the previous owner on the deal. Harrogate Borough
Council has approved the
IHG reveals cautious
scheme, which will see the The group operates more than 100 properties around the world
outlook as profits fall
hotel element directly
InterContinental Hotels Group linked to a new 3,400sq By Pete Hayman ending 31 December 2009.
(IHG) has revealed it expects m (36,597sq ft) exhibition M&C – which operatos more
trading conditions to remain venue as part of the first Hotel operator Millennium and than 100 hotels around the
challenging until the business phase of the planned Copthorne (M&C) has received world – also revealed that
market picks up after operating HIC redevelopment. a boost after pre-tax profits for it had been "encouraged" by
profits declined by a third The property will also the fourth quarter of 2009 early trading for the current
during 2009. Compared with the provide improved access more than doubled, when year, but admitted it was "too
previous year, the hotel company to the HIC from the compared with 2008. early to predict the trading
saw operating profits fall from four-star Barcelo Majestic Despite posting a 20 per cent performance for 2010".
US$549m (£356m, €406m) to Hotel, which is also decrease in pre-tax profits for Chair Kwek Leng Beng said:
US$363m (£236m, €269m) but operated by Puma Hotels the full-year, the UK-based "For the year as a whole the
admitted it had seen signs of and is set to be extended group said that it had exceeded results are very pleasing owing,
improvement during the fourth by a further 85 bedrooms. market expectations in its in large part, to tough, prudent
quarter of the year. results for the 12 months and analytical management."
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