Conran reports brisk restaurant business over Christmas
Conran Holdings, Sir Terence Conran’s restaurants business, will report a strong end to the year today after what it admitted had been “an up-and-down 2005”. Its recently launched restaurant and bars at the Royal Exchange, in the City of London, are said to have done particularly well over Christmas, contributing to a 9% rise in like-for-like sales for Conran Restaurants in December. - The Times, 28 January.
London’s Bonnington hotel to be sold
Jim McGettigan, the veteran Donegal hotelier, has told investors that he plans to bring the Bonnington Group onto the market “in due course”. This weekend McGettigan was in Dubai, where his interests include Bonnington Tower, a 40-storey apartment complex and a five-star hotel at the exclusive Jumeirah Lakes. The group’s flagship hotel is the Bonnington in London which has almost 250 rooms. - Sunday Times (Irish edition), 29 January.
Chelsea Harbour Club is eyed up for bid
Esporta, the privately owned health club chain, is considering teaming up with Robert Tchenguiz, the property tycoon, to launch a £150m bid for Next Generation, which owns the prestigious Harbour Club in Chelsea, west London. - Sunday Telegraph, 29 January.
Savoy hotel sale avoided tax
A consortium fronted by Derek Quinlan did not pay any tax on the €327m (£222m) sale of the Savoy Hotel in London last year, because it availed of certain reliefs, new documents reveal. Quinlan Private sold the hotel to Sheikh Alwaleed bin Talal and HBoS, eight months after buying the Savoy Hotel Group for €1.6bn (£1.09bn) from the Blackstone private equity fund. - Irish Independent, 29 January.
New bidder for Compass’s SSP arm
The £1.5b bidding war for Compass Group’s Select Service Partner (SSP) is heating up, with Candover Investments throwing its hat into the ring. Candover is considering placing a second-round bid for SSP, which includes the UK’s Moto motorway services brand and Upper Crust. Compass’s financial adviser for the sale, Citigroup, is working through the second-round list, expected to be finalised in the next two to three weeks. - The Business, 29 January.
Chef walks out at Buckingham Palace
Robert Pine, pastry chef at Buckingham Palace and an employee in the palace kitchen for the past 35 years, has resigned amid speculation of a personality clash with head chef Mark Flanagan. - Mail on Sunday, 29 January.