AB Hotels names team to run new £25m hotel

The management team in charge of the opening of new £25m five-star London hotel, The Arch, has been announced.

With experience at Firmdale Hotels and the Franklin, Beccy Gunn, a former Acorn winner and St Julian’s scholar, will head up the team as general manager of the 82-bedroom hotel behind Marble Arch.

Alastair Burgess, ex-head bartender at Pegu Club in New York, has been named as head bartender but will also be in charge of the 90-seat restaurant Hunter 486. The concept has been designed by Robbie Bargh, managing director of bar consultancy the Gorgeous Group.

Head chef Shane Pearson, formerly of Soho House and the Electric, will oversee the kitchen brigade serving a simple all-day menu of dishes including eggs Benedict, lamb shank and pizzas from a wood-fired oven.

Part of AB Hotels, owned by this year’s Hotel Catey Lifetime Achievement award-winner Willy Bauer, the property has been designed by RDD Interior Architectural Design. It combines seven Georgian townhouses and two mews homes from what were originally two separate three-star hotels. It is set to open on 30 November.

Charles Morgan, the group’s director of operations, said: “Everyone is passionate about what we’re doing here and we have got some of the best staff in London on this team. It’s very exciting.”

Hotel Cateys Awards >>

AB hotels puts 12m into London hotel  >>

Bauer gets back into hotels >>

Morgan leaves Hotel Du Vin >>


By Emily Manson

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