Paramount private members’ club opens to the public next month

Private members’ club Paramount, located atop the Centre Point building in central London, is set to open to the public next month.

Owners Pierre and Kathleen Condou, who used to own Bistrot Bruno and L’Odéon, have decided to open up the space on the top floors of the 33-storey tower building on New Oxford Street following “overwhelming demand from the public”.

Paramount, which counts Graham Norton and Stephen Fry among its celebrity shareholders, narrowly avoided administration earlier this year after creditors agreed to a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) that wiped out 70% its £1.4m debt by paying them 30p for every pound they are owed.

However, Pierre Condou told Caterersearch the decision to open to the public had “nothing to do with the financial restructure”.

“We had a good look at where we are as a business and made the decision both from a operational and a public point of view,” he said. “It’s such an incredible space and the views should be seen by everyone not just selected people.”

Paramount first launched in November 2008 comprising an events space on the 31st, a restaurant on the 32nd and a bar on the 33rd floor offering 360 degree views over central London.

Set to open to the public on 14 May, it will extend its dining capacity to 110-covers. Head chef Colin Layfield, who recently joined Paramount having previously worked with Condou as head chef at L’Odéon, will serve an all-day British menu. Average spend will be £50 plus.

Condou said that the bar on the top floor will eventually also be turned into restaurant. “We really want to start to concentrate on the food offer at Paramount,” he said.

Paramount private members’ club averts administration >>

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By Kerstin Kühn

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