The industry's revolving door
At the end of January Charles Vere Nichol resigned as executive chairman of Regal Hotels after a boardroom row. At the beginning of March three more senior executives left the troubled group.
In February Phillip Britten left the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Capital hotel after 11 years as executive chef. EricCrouillère-Chavot, part-owner and chef at another of London's Michelin-starred restaurants, had to shut down because of poor business. He eventually ended up cooking at the Capital himself.
In April David Newbigging was appointed the new chairman of Thistle Hotels, replacing Rodney Price, who stepped down in February. Also in April, less than six months after joining London restaurant Frith Street, chef Stephen Terry quit. Later in the year he returned to Coast, the London restaurant he had left in January 1998.
Meanwhile, in May, chef Jean-Christophe Novelli pulled out of the deal to buy Gordleton Mill in Hampshire, even though he had already installed Richard Guest as head chef. Guest later moved to the Castle hotel in Taunton after the departure of Phil Vickery. In July Novelli decided that he would also be closing Les Saveurs and is now concentrating primarily on Maison Novelli in London's Clerkenwell.
In June chef Garry Hollihead quit London restaurant Morton's because its owners wanted a less elaborate menu. Roger Matthews resigned as executive director of Compass in July after losing out to US boss Mike Bailey in a contest for the job of chief executive. Francis Mackay became executive chairman in the reshuffle.
In July Tony Potter resigned as chief executive of Friendly Hotels to become chief operating officer of Millennium & Copthorne, while Roy Tutty became chief executive of Arcadian Hotels, replacing Robert Breare. In August Michael da Costa had his contract with Groupe Chez Gérard axed following a profits warning and the appointment of David Williams as chief executive.
In September John Wood became executive chef at Cliveden in Berkshire. October saw the confirmation that BobCotton will be the new chief executive of the BHA when Jeremy Logie stands down at the end of this year to become chairman of the Joint Hospitality Industry Congress. Later the same month Ramón Pajares, Britain's most award-laden hotelier, announced he would be standing down as chief executive of the Savoy at the end of the year.
October also saw Barry Warwick announce he would be retiring as chief executive of Old English Inns. And MarcoPierre White said that at the end of the year he would complete his transformation from chef to businessman by hanging up his apron.
