David Baldwin has succeeded Nick Scade as chairman of the Restaurant Association (RA). Baldwin, previously RA vice-chairman, owns Sheffield restaurant Baldwins Omega.

The new vice-chairman is Robert Walton, proprietor of Trunkwell Mansion House hotel, Reading, Berkshire.

Scade has now been named president of the RA. In 2003, he steered the organisation through a merger with the British Hospitality Association. He described the merger as a "job well done", but said that the time was now right to hand the role over.

Baldwin said: "I'm determined to continue protecting members' interests."