Brasserie Blanc targets pubs for expansion

Raymond Blanc's high street restaurant chain Brasserie Blanc is to target pub and bar sites throughout the country as part of a nationwide expansion programme.

The company, which is steered by the former Loch Fyne management team, said it would take the best aspects from its eight Brasserie Blanc sites - including quality of food and service - and blend them with a more relaxed pub setting.

The new offering is to be called the White Brasserie Company. The first of two trial sites - the Queen's Head in Weybridge, Surrey - will open later this month. The second - the King's Head in Teddington, Middlesex - follows in September.

The move follows the raising of £3.3m in new funding from investors at the start of 2010.

The expansion is to be led by former Loch Fyne Restaurants directors Jeremy Hardie, Mark Derry and Ian Glyn. Restaurateur John Lederer, who has overall management responsibility for both brasserie businesses, is also part of the team.

Brasserie Bar Co chairman Jeremy Hardie said: "What we now want to do with the White Brasserie Company is to take the best elements of Brasserie Blanc and bring them in to the pub environment. We have a settled, proven and experienced team of people to realise our vision of brasserie style and quality in popular settings, serving a local market."

Meanwhile, there are plans to open 20 Brasserie Blanc sites by 2015. Existing restaurants are located in Bristol, Cheltenham, City of London, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Portsmouth and Winchester.

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By Neil Gerrard

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