Dawnay Day buys 50% of London restaurant business
Dawnay Day has quietly snapped up a 50% stake in The Wolseley, the London restaurant created by Jeremy King and Chris Corbin, the original restaurateurs behind The Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey. Dawnay Day is understood to have bought half of its 50% stake in CKL Restaurants, the company that owns The Wolseley. Under the terms of the deal, it is thought Dawnay Day will also take a half share in Rex Restaurant Associates, a newly created company set up to own St Alban, King and Corbin’s new restaurant. – Sunday Times, 19 November.

Bid to establish new world-ranking hotel chain
Secretive property billionaire Simon Halabi plans to build a leisure empire to rival the best hotel and country club chains in the world. Halabi has already indicated his interest by setting aside millions of pounds to restore the In and Out Club in Piccadilly and turn it into the city’s only six-star hotel. – Mail on Sunday, 19 November.

45 Ramada Encore hotels to be opened in next five years
Ramcore Hotels, a new venture between BDL Hotel Group, Capital & Provident, the property investment firm, and Wyndham Worldwide Hotels, has announced plans to develop 45 Ramada Encore hotels in the UK over the next five years. – The Times, 18 November.

Champneys to roll out mini-versions of spa concept
Hotel and health spa chain Champneys is set to roll out the brand into 100 market towns with mini versions of its health farm concept. – Mail on Sunday, 19 November.

Hotel chief donates £10,000 to SNP
Sandy Orr, co-founder of the City Inn and Macdonald hotel groups, has donated £10,000 to the Scottish National party, saying that a separate Scotland could enjoy greater prosperity. – Sunday Times (Scottish edition only), 19 November.

By Bob Gledhill

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