News in brief


JEREMY ALDERTON NAMED MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PALMER & HOWELLS Jeremy Alderton has been appointed managing director of specialist independent school caterer Palmer & Howells. Alderton started his career as


a chef for restaurants and five-star hotels before joining Sodexo, where he progressed from catering manager to managing director. He spent almost 20 years at the business, developing experience in the education and business and industry sectors. He joins Palmer & Howells from independent caterers Cleverchefs, where he was chief operating officer. Since his appointment in July,


Palmer & Howells said Alderton had been committed to creating seasonal menus from locally sourced ingredients.


APRIL JACKSON TO OPEN FIRST STANDALONE BAR


A spokesperson for Lancashire


Police said” “We were called to the Promenade, Blackpool, to reports a 10-year-old boy had been found unresponsive inside a hotel. “He was taken to hospital with injuries consistent with coming into contact with a high voltage of electricity and very sadly died in hospital yesterday (Thursday, September 7) His family were by his bedside and our thoughts are with them at this time.” Lancashire Police launched an


initial investigation, which has now been passed to the local authority. The hotel has closed voluntarily.


COMPTOIR GROUP TO OPEN FIRST NEW UK RESTAURANT IN FOUR YEARS


CHAMPNEYS OWNER DOROTHY PURDEW DIES AGED 91 Dorothy Purdew, the co- owner of the Champneys spa and hotel business, has died at the age of 91. Purdew was born to a


working-class family in London’s Clapham in 1932 and built Champneys into one of the most successful and recognisable spa brands in the world. The business, which is


now valued at over £300m, includes spa hotels Eastwell Manor in Kent and Mottram Hall in Cheshire. It became a favourite of the rich and famous and has welcomed guests including Naomi Campbell, Brad Pitt and Diana, Princess of Wales. A spokesperson for


Comptoir Group, the operator of the Comptoir Libanais, Yalla-Yalla and Shawa brands, is to open its first new UK restaurant in four years this autumn. The company has secured a


London restaurateur April Jackson is to open her first standalone bar, SideChick, in Brixton in October. It will mark her fourth south


London venue, following the launch of restaurant Wood and Water, which she rebranded from Three Little Birds in 2021, as well as two bars in shipping container complex Pop Brixton, ABV and Batanga, the latter of which opened last year. SideChick will be Jackson and her


partner Lee Tan’s first standalone bar, which she said would offer something “slightly different” to their previous ventures. Guests at SideChick will still be


able to order a selection of “small and cute” bites inspired by the flavours of the American South, such as buttermilk boneless fried chicken, pulled pork nachos and fried okra.


BOY DIES AFTER ‘HIGH VOLTAGE’ INCIDENT AT HOTEL A 10-year-old boy has died after he came into contact with a “high voltage of electricity” at a hotel in Blackpool.


The incident occurred at


10.39pm on Sunday 3 September at the Tiffany’s hotel.


8 | The Caterer | 15 September 2023


3,325 sq ft site on Ealing High Street in west London which is expected to relaunch as a Comptoir Libanais in October. It will serve an all-day menu including sharing platters of hot and cold mezze, grilled meats, salads and wraps alongside Lebanese wines from Ksara. The opening follows a turbulent


year for the Comptoir Group board, which saw its chairman and chief executive step down in August 2022 following a battle for control of the business with founder Tony Kitous.


DEVELOPERS REIGNITE PLANS FOR CRISTIANO RONALDO-BACKED HOTEL


Champneys said: “Dorothy could never believe a girl from a working-class background could become one of the world’s most influential spa operators. “Champneys became her


life. Even into her nineties, she would read the guest feedback every morning, eager to learn of how the business could improve.”


Consent was granted in


December 2020 to build an 11-storey, 151-bedroom hotel in the city centre, which had been set to operate under Portuguese hotel group Pestana’s CR7 brand, which is backed by Ronaldo. The property was due to be


built on the corner of Piccadilly and Newton Street in Manchester and would see the redevelopment of several existing buildings. It was originally expected to


open this year, but development has stalled, and the planning


permission is approaching the three-year deadline after which it would expire. Southern Green, a joint venture


between site owner Eastern Green and Pestana, has applied to discharge several conditions attached to the 2020 plans to move forward with the scheme.


BAXTERSTOREY ENTERS CONTRACT WITH LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY BaxterStorey has secured a one- year catering partnership with


Plans to build a Manchester hotel under the brand backed by footballer Cristiano Ronaldo have been reignited by developers.


www.thecaterer.com


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