A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry...
Cowdray moves from Claridge’s to the Dorchester
Christopher Cowdray, managing director of Claridge's for the past six years, has been appointed general manager of the Dorchester. – The Times, 1 May
Starwood in bidding for Wentworth golf course
US-based Starwood Hotels, whose hotel brands include Sheraton, is preparing an offer of about £100m for the exclusive Wentworth golf club in Surrey, according to City sources. – The Observer, 2 May
Schools’ reward scheme for healthy eating is burger and fries
A reward scheme to encourage healthy eating in Scottish schools has been branded a fiasco after it emerged youngsters are being rewarded with discounts at McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut. Thousands of pupils have been issued with electronic smart cards for use in school dining halls, allowing teachers to monitor what they eat and recognise those who pick healthy options. – Scotland on Sunday, 2 May
Ex-QMH boss in bid for Premier Lodge
Andrew Coppel, the former chief executive of Queens Moat Houses, has teamed up with stockbroker Collins Stewart in its bid for Premier Lodge, the budget chain. Coppel spent a decade running Queens Moat Houses and was instrumental in helping it stave off bankruptcy. – Sunday Times, 2 May
Scottish restaurant smoking ban steps nearer
A plan to ban smoking in Scottish restaurants has won overwhelming backing from public bodies and policy formers. Scottish pubs are likely to remain a haven for smokers, but it is now almost inevitable that smoking in restaurants will be outlawed, with proposals unveiled by the end of this year. – Scotland on Sunday, 2 May
Jurys Doyle directors acquire Irish Travelodges
Seamus McGowan, the group general manager of operations for Jurys Doyle Hotels, and his partner Richard O’Sullivan, the group financial controller, are leaving to set up their own budget hotel company. The two men have paid more than €20m for Travelodge Ireland in a deal that will see them acquire eight hotel properties and the master franchise for Travelodge across Ireland. – Sunday Times (Irish edition), 2 May
Fire ravages top Rome hotel
Fire swept through one of Rome’s most luxurious hotels yesterday, killing three people and forcing some of the biggest names in tennis to flee for their lives. The blaze, which started at 5am, quickly spread through the five-star Grand Hotel Parco dei Principi. While none of the fatalities was associated with tennis, world number two Andy Roddick was one of many who had to be rescued by firefighters. – Sunday Herald, 2 May
Hotel group accused of misleading websites
InterContinental has been accused by ABTA of misleading customers searching for hotels by setting up dozens of websites that look like independent travel agents but, in reality, direct customers to its own products. The separate sites, with innocuous names such as accommodations.info, discounthotelreservations.co.uk and hotel-deals.com, state only in tiny print at the bottom of the web page that they are actually owned by InterContinental. – Sunday Telegraph, 2 May
Irish pubs switch to pavement cafés in wake of smoke ban
Pubs, restaurants, cafés and hotels in Ireland can expect to pay thousands of euros to councils for street furniture licences as the hospitality industry is forced to apply for outdoor tables and chairs to retain customers following the introduction of the smoking ban. – Sunday Times (Irish edition), 2 May
Urban Dining set for AIM listing
Urban Dining, a £3m cash shell established by former PizzaExpress director John Metcalfe and former Punch Taverns director Tim Woodcock, will soon list on the Alternative Investment Market. Its plan is to buy small restaurant chains with up to 20 outlets and expand them. – Mail on Sunday, 2 May
Caffe Nero to buy closed Dixons stores
Caffe Nero is in talks to buy some of the 106 stores being closed by high-street retailer Dixons. Caffe Nero is also looking into selling alcohol at some of its branches. – Mail on Sunday, 2 May
Compass sued for £100m by Autogrill
Italian restaurant chain Autogrill has accused Compass Group of unfair competition, including the illicit procurement of confidential information about its business strategy in a £100m legal claim for damages lodged with a Milan court. - The Business, 2 May
Whitbread profits set to rise
Whitbread is expected to announce full-year profits of £240m on Wednesday, against £222m a year ago, with strong performances from its Beefeater restaurants and Travel Inn hotels. Investors also want to know Whitbread's intentions towards the acquisition of Premier Lodge, which would fit well with Travel Inn. – Daily Telegraph, 3 May
Malmaison chain out to double under new chief
Boutique hotel chain Malmaison plans to double in size over four years after the appointment of new managing director Robert Cook in January. Projects are in the pipeline in Belfast, Oxford and Liverpool, and sites are being sought in Bristol, Guildford, Southampton, Cambridge, Reading, Durham, Sheffield, and London's West End. – The Times, 3 May
Wagamama may face bid
Urban Dining, the new restaurant company planning an AIM flotation by the end of this month, has admitted it might be interested in buying noodle bar chain Wagamama. – The Times, 3 May
Former Holiday Inn Express boss joins Premier bid team
Collins Stewart, the stockbroker bidding for Premier Lodge, has hired Shane Harris, former European head of Express by Holiday Inn, to run the budget chain if it wins the £550m auction. The finance director would be Ian Harris, formerly of motorway services group Welcome Break. – The Times, 3 May
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