GS MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2014 ISSUE by GS MAGAZINE

www.gsmagazine.co.uk issue 66

Fera at Claridges Beaumont Hotel Pig near Bath River Cottage Hixters

inspiring hospitality design

THE BEST OF

BRITISH

HOSPITALITY

PITALITY

Celebrate the best of British hospitality at the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest foodservice & hospitality show in 2015. The Hospitality Show is the premiere showcase of innovation and hospitality with unmissable networking opportunities. It is the must-attend event for finding the latest cutting-edge products across food & drink, catering equipment, interiors, exteriors & tableware, careers and technology.

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N C ULINA

Issue 66

OCTOBER 2014

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www.gsmagazine.co.uk issue 66

Fera at Claridges Beaumont Hotel Pig near Bath River Cottage Hixters

inspiring hospitality design Editor: Stirling Johnstone Tel : +44 (0)20 7833 3772 Mobile: 0788 402 1551 editor@gsmagazine.co.uk Design: Miles Johnstone Tel : +44 (0)7888 998208 design@gsmagazine.co.uk Cover Image Quaglino’s, Mayfair. Picture taken by Richard Southall of Emphasis Photography: Giles Christopher, Media Wisdom Photography G Gardner Nick Hook Richard Southall, Emphasis Photography Roger Thomas Anthony Weller Contributors: Cheryl Duerden Ian Dunstall Judy Hanley Janice Mitten Su Pecha Patrick Reardon Rupert Wheeler Print Stephens & George, Wales © STEVENSON PUBLICATIONS No part of GS MAGAZINE may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in GS are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor does he accept liability for any printing errors or otherwise which may occur. SUBSCRIPTIONS In the UK, GS costs just £16 per year or two years for £24.00. Overseas: £24 per year or two years for £36.00. You can also subscribe online. Go to www.gsmagazine.co.uk Alternatively, please post us a cheque (payable to Stevenson Publications) with your full address details to: Subscriptions. GS Magazine. 19 Wharfdale Road, London N1 9SB. GS Magazine supports the aims and objectives of ACID

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editor’s note

hen a venue fails to open on schedule, it is of course frustrating for all involved. Financially it can be devastating for the owners and operators and investors. For customers who have pre-booked it can mean the hassle of re-planning events, having to find

alternative accommodation and so on. And for contractors and suppliers (who are so often blamed for delays) it can mean delays in getting paid, the possibility of late schedule penalties and even legal action being taken against them. In this edition we look at the issues of purchase and supply and how to ensure that products arrive on site, on time and of the required quality and quantity. The article, on pages 40 & 41 is a part of our new business section, which also includes the Hotel Bulletin, a feature on Branding and a preview of three of the most important industry trade shows taking place in the coming months. We hope you find it useful. The cover image on this edition is of one of the most celebrated stairways in the restaurant industry. It is of course the glorious sweeping staircase of Quaglino’s restaurant in London’s Mayfair. Quaglino’s has just re-opened following a multi-million pounds refurbishment. Early reports are that it is every bit as glamorous and theatrical as when it first opened in 1929 or when it was reinvented by Terence Conran in 1993. We will be featuring the restaurant in our next issue to coincide with an interview with David Loewi, the co-owner of Quaglino’s and newly appointed CEO of The Restaurant Association. I am very much looking forward to it. The interview will be on the main stage at The Hospitality Show in January at the Birmingham NEC as a part of an exciting line up of presentations, panel discussions and talks put together by the team at GS. The full programme of events can be found at www.hospitalityshow.co.uk and we hope to see you there.

GS Magazine 3

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CONTENTS in this issue

12 14 16 20 22 24 26 28 31 34

 HIXTERS

Brand HIX continues to grow

 THE BEAUMONT

Absolute style at this new King & Corbin hotel

 THE PIG NEAR BATH

Living the good life in Somerset

 THE KINGS HEAD HOTEL

A new addition to the Cotswolds

 ORANGE TREE

Mr Fenton would most definitely approve

 THE FORGE

Architectural heritage is revealed in the City

 PAUL

The Patisserie chain bring their French restaurant concept to Britain

 FERA AT CLARIDGES

1930’s glamour sparkles in Mayfair

 RIVER COTTAGE

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s restaurant concept comes to Winchester

 LIMA FLORAL

Covent Garden welcomes Peruvian flavours BUSINESS SECTION

36 40

 THE HOTEL BULLETIN

 BRANDING

Market growth is revealed across the country with this in-depth analysis

 PROCUREMENT

Your ‘how to’ guide to purchasing and supply by industry expert, Gordon Anderson Strategist Ian Dunstall of Harrison on brand development and profitability SHOWCASE

44 46 48

 HOSPITALITY SHOW 2015  SLEEP 2015  SURFACE DESIGN SHOW 2015 REGULARS

 LAUNCHPAD

 EDITOR’S CHOICE

Including Rabbit, Grillstock, The Alchemist, Ippudo, Salmontini and Crocker’s Folly A round up of quality products and services

GS Magazine 5

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LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

GRILLSTOCK

Grillstock Bath is the latest opening from the organisers of the highly successful Bristol and Manchester Grillstock BBQ festivals. Evoking the spirit of the festival there’s a pumping hillbilly soundtrack with big sharing tables so that friends and strangers can sit cheek by jowl and soak up the barbeque atmosphere. The Bath opening follows just 6 months after the huge success of the Bristol Smokehouse, for which Grillstock and designers Simple Simon Design were shortlisted for the 2014 Restaurant and Bar Design Awards. The location is in Bath’s newest food quarter, The Vaults. The venue is housed within one of the vaults of a former railway building and the arch contributes to Grillstock’s backyard bbq joint feel. Design features include Grillstock’s signature long sharing tables with central wells for their own brand sauces. The dining space is further augmented with denim banquette seating and neon signage. The backyard feel of the reclaimed timber bar is offset by a riveted copper top, original Grillstock festival posters are stuck to the corrugated iron clad walls and the toilets are created entirely from OSB boarding with unique digitally printed doors to the cubicles. Grillstock Bath, Unit 4, 12 Brunel Square, Bath, Somerset. www.grillstock.co.uk

RABBIT

This autumn, the team behind the acclaimed Notting Hill restaurant, The Shed, launch a new restaurant in the heart of stylish Chelsea. Brought to London by three talented brothers, Richard, Oliver and Gregory Gladwin, Rabbit is a celebration of British ‘wild food’ with an emphasis on sustainability. Much of the produce including award-winning wines come from their family farm and vineyard in Nutbourne, West Sussex. Farmer Gregory provides the restaurant with home reared livestock and fresh seasonal produce from local suppliers. Richard, who has spent the last decade working in top New York and London restaurants, with notable projects before the Shed including the acclaimed Bunga Bunga, manages the restaurant. And talented Head Chef Oliver Gladwin trained at Oxo Tower, Launceston Place, Just St James and the River Cottage at Park Farm. He is passionate about foraging and cultivating ingredients, and at Rabbit he serves a daily changing menu with both small and large plates recommended for sharing. Rabbit, 172 Kings Road, London SW3. Tel: +44 (0)20 3750 0172 www.rabbit-restaurant.com GS Magazine 7

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LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

CROCKER’S FOLLY IPPUDO Founded in Japan in 1985, Japanese ramen specialist Ippudo opens its flagship European restaurant in central London. Ippudo offers Londoners many of the same signature dishes that has seen it become hugely popular in Japan as well as in Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong and Manhattan. A no reservations policy operates in the 80-cover restaurant, split over a ground floor and mezzanine level. The menu includes Hakata-style signature dishes, with a tonkotsu pork broth base, and a choice of vegetarian alternatives. There are also some dishes created exclusively for the UK market that marry Japanese flavours with high quality British produce such as Ippudo’s Japanesestyle fish and chips. Ippudo London, Central St Giles, London, WC2 www.ippudo.co.uk

The opening of the new Crocker’s Folly will give the capital the chance to reacquaint itself with the striking interiors of this beautiful Grade II* listed former Victorian gin palace, with its 50 kinds of marble, Romanesque columns, carved mahogany and huge open fireplaces. Closed in 2004 and subsequently placed on the top 10 endangered list by the Victorian Society, new owners Maroush Group spent three years bringing Crocker’s Folly back to its former glory. In so doing, they have given London a unique place in which to eat, drink and socialise. Crocker’s Folly has a wonderful history which can be read in full on the GS website. Crocker’s Folly, 23-24 Aberdeen Place, St John’s Wood, London NW8 Tel: +44 (0)20 7289 9898 www.crockersfolly.com GS Magazine 9

NEW CATALOGUE OUT NOWâ&#x20AC;Ś

The new Urban Vintage catalogue from Andy Thornton is out now. 56 pages of vintage-style furniture, (including shelving and display cabinets), industrial lighting and our exclusive metal tiles. Send for your copy. Call: 01422 376000 Email: marketing@andythornton.com Online: andythornton.com

LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

THE ALCHEMIST 6 Bevis Marks is a vast new commercial building recently opened next to St Mary Axe, more commonly known as the Gherkin, in the City. So far this property has yet to gain a nickname, possibly because its uninspiring block shape fails to drive the imagination. A new bar has opened on the ground and sub-level-one floor of the building which is already proving popular with city folk. The Alchemist bar and restaurant is the first Alchemist to open in London, the first two were launched in Manchester and a third in Trinity, Leeds. The interiors are pretty much in keeping with the other branches; trademark battered leather sofas surround a copper-topped wraparound bar, which houses a huge green vintage ‘cabinet of curiosities’. It’s all good fun and as the brand specialises in serving cocktails, you can go and try your hand at cocktail making under the personal supervision of the in-house mixology masters. The Alchemist, 6 Bevis Marks, Bury Court, London EC3. www.thealchemist.uk.com

SALMONTINI

Salmontini has opened off Sloane Street in Knightsbridge. The entire space has been transformed from its previous tenant, The Palm, with walls knocked down, a fireplace unearthed and restored and the whole kitchen replaced and reworked. Andraos Associates, the design team behind iconic London venues Café de Paris and Madame Jojo’s, has created a deconstructed, simplified procession of spaces, using leather, solid wood and raw steel. An existing mahogany floor which, when discovered, was almost black is now restored to its original beauty providing a beautiful warm shade, complemented by the contemporary greys, mauve and purple of the walls. The lounge bar in the adjoining room offers a relaxed, cool atmosphere, overlooked by a beautiful piece of marbled honey-coloured onyx on the back wall, installed as a focal point. The lower ground floor houses a charming private dining room seating up to 26 people, with warm amber columns and an impressive wine display. Salmontini, 1 Pont Street, London SW1. Tel: +44 (0)20 7118 1999 www.salmontini.co.uk

GS Magazine 11

Hixters

LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

Creating a strong brand is a complicated process. Getting it to stand out in a crowded market place is key and full credit must be given to the design team behind the creation of Hixters, bar and restaurant

here are now two Hixters in London - three if you count the Tramshed in Shoreditch that spawned the brand - and several more are planned. Hixters is the brainchild of chef and restaurateur, Mark Hix. To a degree it’s a vanity project; his celebrity is cleverly used at every turn. Brand HIX has become synonymous with quality food and more recently with good bars. Since 2008 he has opened ten bars and restaurants, seven of which use his name in their title. Hix is a great supporter of young (and not so young)British artists and a friend of many of London’s A Lister’s from the worlds of music, film and television - it can do no harm to your brand when the likes of Tom Parker Bowles and Tracey Emin are known to be regulars. And so the name Hixters appears over the door. Mark Hix, celebrated chef, personality and friend to the stars. And in case you forget whose restaurant you’re in, the basement bar at the newest Hixters in Bankside is called Mark’s Bar, which itself is an outpost of Mark’s Bar Soho. This is good, blatant marketing. It’s brand building. It cashes in on the reputation of the front man and it works in everyone’s favour, as 12 GS Magazine

long as standards and quality remain high. To achieve this Hix has surrounded himself with professionals that he knows he can depend upon to deliver. The interior designers, for example, are Stiff & Trevillion, the bar specialists are Concept Bars, the main contractors are Tekne Shopfitters; all companies whose reputations for excellence are well known. The Bankside Hixters is housed within the brick and iron carcase of an old tin factory, not an entirely dissimilar interior to the warehouse space of Hixters in Devonshire Square, meaning that the brand retains some visual consistency. Bare brick walls have become a gallery space to display many pieces of modern art. Works from, Gary Webb, Pauline Amos, Tim Noble and Gavin Turk can be seen here. On the ground floor, original timber floorboards have been flipped and sanded down, cast iron columns exposed and retained and crittall style windows are in keeping with the industrial look and feel of the building. An open kitchen provides theatre and when full the restaurant becomes a loud and buzzy space. Below stairs is the bar that appears to be a cross between a drinking den and a youth club, a place for boys and their toys. There’s a bar

billiards table, a booth designed like the inside of a London Underground train (courtesy of artist Helen Chadwick), and a central sunken bar surrounded by converted cinema seats. And with neon signs lighting the walls this is an unsophisticated space designed for those who want to have fun. But underneath the frivolity lies a serious and well considered drinks operation. Exotic and unusual cocktails designed by world-renowned mixologist, Nick Strangeway (a business partner in the brand) have proven to be popular with the locals of Southwark. And the bar itself, fitted out to the highest specification, has been deliberately ‘aged’ with a weathered zinc style solid bar top and refrigeration cabinets heavily disguised to look old with distressed timber fronts and black iron handles that keep with the industrial theme. It’s the attention to detail like that that becomes very important to building a brand. It’s detail that customers notice, it shows that the owners care and have invested in their product. It’s about quality and it’s about consistency, two things that brand HIX have taken to heart. Hixters, Metal Box Factory, 16 great Guildford Street, London SE1. Tel: +44 (0)20 7921 9508 www.hixterbankside.co.uk

GS Magazine 13

The Beaumont Patrick Reardon, whose practice, ReardonSmith Architects, worked on The Beaumont from the time it was a twinkle in his client’s eye, offers his perspective on one of London’s most eagerly awaited new hotels

here could never be any doubt that as soon as The Beaumont opened, guests would flock, such is the following of its operators, Jeremy King and Chris Corbin. The reputation of the partners as restaurateurs (The Wolseley, The Delaunay, Colbert, Brasserie Zédel and Fischer’s) was a wonderful gift to us, but we were also very conscious of our responsibility to act as guardians of this reputation in developing what would be their first hotel. Our first and continuing aspiration was to create an hotel as exceptional and endowed with longevity as their restaurants. Grosvenor, as building owners, were our contracted client and we had to ensure that their requirements were dovetailed into the vision of Corbin & King, the operators. Achieving this balance between owner and operator is not unusual in the hotel sector today and our challenge was to unify the objectives of each party into a single goal. Our collaboration with Corbin & King extended over many years, initially assisting in their search for a suitable hotel property. Then in 2009, Grosvenor approached them to participate 14 GS Magazine

in a competition for the development into a hotel of the then Avis Rent-A-Car garage, originally built in 1926. Thus the project was born. It was Grosvenor’s vision, as well as a requirement of Westminster’s Planning Department, that public art should form part of the building. Together with Corbin & King we decided to take this further and propose art that was actually integral to the building, not simply an afterthought, and this became a key principle of the winning scheme. Following further discussions, Antony Gormley was commissioned to create an inhabitable sculpture which is part of a unique suite and is open to the public on designated days each year. The conversion of a listed property on one of Mayfair’s prime sites was sensitive and we worked closely with City of Westminster planners, English Heritage and local residents’ groups to achieve agreements. The existing building needed to be extended to create a commercially viable and efficient hotel and our final scheme involved an extension to the existing north wing of the building, as well as two additional floors on the roof and two new

basement levels. These interventions achieved space for 73 guestrooms and suites, the Colony Grill Room and American bar, a separate residents’ lounge, a small private dining room and a spa. Key to the approved scheme was that the roof extension was clearly a modern intervention which did not attempt to copy the existing façade yet was sympathetic to it. Internally, works included the entire removal of the structure behind the retained façade, which was suspended and restrained by temporary steelwork during demolition and reconstruction. All the fenestration is new with crittall-style windows custom-designed to match the original windows while significantly improving their security, thermal and acoustic qualities. Four magnificent Art Deco style lamps on the front elevation are faithful replicas of the original lamps and the defining black iron balustrading to level four of the building was restored. The ground floor plan is on a simple axis so that guests are able to see immediately the flow of spaces before them, from entrance hall to bar and through to the restaurant and, to one side, the concierge and reception, with the staircase

behind sweeping down to the spa and private dining room below. Guestrooms are discreetly glamorous and enriched by Art Deco features. In most of the rooms, a sliding timber-veneered door can be drawn across the bedroom area to separate it from the entrance lobby, where the wardrobes and bathroom entrance are located, thus converting this entry zone into a dressing room. Having enjoyed the privilege of staying in a number of the rooms, I am very pleased by how well they work and how comfortable they are. So now our five-year project is becoming the story of its guests. The team’s goal has been to create the air of a fine 1920’s establishment – with all the functionality of a 2020’s hotel – and I believe this has been achieved. The Beaumont just might have been there for the past century, a Mayfair inheritance rather than a new-build hotel. The Beaumont, Brown Hart Gardens, London, W1. Tel: +44 (0)20 7499 1001 www.thebeaumont.com ReardonSmith Architects Tel: +44 (0)20 7378 6006 www.reardonsmith.com

GS Magazine 15

The Pig

here’s a certain style of property that lends itself to the Pig concept. As a prerequisite, it has to be old and a little quirky and it helps if it’s rambling. This is because Pig hotels need to be informal and laid back, in a warm and comfortable way. They’re ‘kick off your shoes and settle down in front of the fire’ type places that prefer to be referred to as restaurants with rooms as opposed to hotels: they place great emphasis on the food provision, sourcing local produce wherever possible. And whilst this as a concept is not entirely new - ‘shabby chic’ design and 25 mile menus have been with us for years - there is a uniqueness to the Pig that doesn’t exist elsewhere. A combination of eccentricity, English humour and good old fashioned friendly service underpinned by professional, behind-the-scenes attention to detail. The Pig near Bath opened for business earlier this year. It sits in the middle of what was once a large country estate, a part of the Abbey of Glastonbury, that has over the years contracted, through land sales to local farmers, to a manageable 22 acres of land, complete with its own deer park that surrounds the house and gardens. Hunstrete House, as it is still officially known, was created during the 19th century by extending and joining a number of outbuildings; a coach house and stables, to expand the existing Leyborne-Popham family owned Lodge house. It stayed in the same family for some 350 years 16 GS Magazine

near Bath

until, in 1956, it was sold to Sir Christopher and Lady Chancellor and sold again in 1977 to John and Thea Dupays, who converted it into a 13 en suite bedroom hotel. Since 1989 it has been owned by a number of hotel chains. It was, until 2011, a part of the von Essen collection and is now a Home Grown Hotel operating as The Pig. Over the years this house will have been knocked about, added to, changed and reconfigured so many times that it bears little semblance to its original design but, like so many country houses, it is the historic interference that give it its

personality and makes it interesting. Now the house positively brims with character. Large open rooms with open fires provide guests with ample space for relaxation. A solid wood framed period conservatory has been added to double the size of an existing reception room to create the hotel’s main restaurant, which, with its worn flagstone floors, indoor plants and unmatching old furniture, has turned into an instant classic. The current owners inherited a large walled garden to one side of the house which has been transformed into a

GS Magazine 17

The Pig

charming Mr McGregor-style kitchen garden, but on a grand scale. Here, within the space of just one year, the gardeners have helped to make the hotel practically self-sufficient in terms of providing fresh vegetables, salads, fruit and herbs. And with the surrounding deer park, the piggery and a few dozen happy hens and quails providing eggs, much of the produce that is served in the restaurant is sourced directly from the estate. Within the walled garden are two outbuildings (a former pool house and apple store) that have been converted into the cosiest accommodation. One of which, The Hide, backs directly onto the park and deer regularly walk up to the window to peer inside. The inner walls of these small brick houses have been clad with rough wooden boards of various widths and lengths, some stained, some painted, so that the overall effect is of an almost random wall covering. The ground floor room is dominated by a king size half poster bed, with plumped pillows and a bulging feather duvet covered in crisp white linen. In one corner a working log-burner, next to that a small writing table. The lighting is low, which adds warmth to the space and the overall effect is magical: a fairy-tale woodman’s cottage. The upper floor, built into the loft and eaves of the cottage, is equally charming in style and provides ample room for washing and dressing or soaking in the roll top bath situated by the window that overlooks the park and the rolling countryside beyond. In the main house, guests can relax in front of any of the many open fires, which can be found in the main hallway, the library room, the bar or in an interconnecting lounge. All of these spaces have a deliberately worn-in style. There is also a billiards room with a full size table that lowers and converts into a large boardroom-style table. In spite of its informality the hotel is becoming increasingly popular for business meetings and events. The largest and 18 GS Magazine

most impressive room is in the heart of the hotel. It houses a huge oblong oak table as its centrepiece, surrounded by high back carved wooden chairs. The room has stone floors, arched glass doors that lead to the inner courtyard and walls that appear to have been stripped down to their original plaster and simply polished (this in fact is a clever trompe-lœil painted effect). Two aged glass chandeliers add to the overall effect of a rather tatty, once glorious dining room modelled to resemble that of a grand chateau. It’s beautiful. There is another private dining room in the hotel, which provides a contrast to the opulent space of the larger dining room. This room has little natural daylight and is designed to resemble the inside of a gardener’s shed, with hanging rakes and garden tools, seed boxes, planting pots and strings of onions and chillies. Unsurprisingly, this space has become

immensely popular. It has character and humour and eccentricity; it typifies what we have come to expect of the Pig. A visit to a Pig hotel is a seducing experience. Once settled in it’s difficult to pull yourself away. Fortunately there are now four Pig hotels in the south of England to choose from, two of which are on the coast, so ‘pigging out’ is becoming more accessible to a wider audience. And they are surprisingly affordable too so there really are no airs and graces to observe. Thankfully these hotels are unhindered by any kind of star rating system, they are what they are; unpretentious, wonderful places to stay. The Pig near Bath, Hunstrete House, Pensford, Nr. Bath, Somerset. Tel:+44 (0)1761 490490 www.thepighotel.com

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irencester is a sleepy town within the Cotswolds national park. It is the largest town in the Cotswolds with a population of around 20,000. It has a charming high street, a bustling market (on Mondays and Fridays)and a beautiful cathedral-like Parish Church that towers over the market place. The Kings Head Hotel has just reopened under new management and ownership having undergone some serious renovation and restoration. The building, in the centre of Market Place, was first opened as a hotel in 1860 although during the restoration, underground vaults and mozaic tiled floors were unearthed dating parts of the site back as far as Roman times. Cirencester was Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second largest town during the Roman occupation so discoveries like this are commonplace, so much so that the archaeologists suggested that, once the finds had been recorded and photographed, they could be buried again. Fortunately the new owners have kept open a part of the Roman tiled floor within its original excavated trench and created a feature of it, lit and visible through a glass viewing floor. This can be found in the reception of the hotel. 20 GS Magazine

A lot of work has been carried out at this hotel, it closed in 2006 and since then they have almost halved the original number of bedrooms by making each one far more spacious. Now there are 41 rooms which are categorised as Feature, Deluxe, Superior and Classic. There are also four suites known as Indulgence rooms. The rooms are charming, no two are identical due to the nature of the building, most have exposed brickwork and beams and many have feature bathrooms fitted within spaces of great character. The hotel will be used by business travellers so all rooms have impressive in-room technology, a tailor made system developed by MOOW of London. Of the public spaces, perhaps the most impressive have yet to open. A warren of tunnels and vaults run under the hotel and these are being developed as a spa, a bar, a crypt-like private dining room, which has just opened, and a large function space. The arched brick spaces provide wonderful atmosphere and are bound to be much sought after venues for wedding parties and other private events. At the heart of the hotel is a bar area, a lounge and a dining room all within an open

plan space. The dining room suffers from a lack of natural daylight and the lighting within the restaurant fails to provide character and ambience. This is a shame because a lot of effort has gone into making the room comfortable and attractive for guests: quality furniture from Andy Thornton and Satelliet-Browns and two walls filled with an assortment of framed pictures, posters and photographs add visual interest. The lounge area is comfortable, it benefits from a large open fire and big comfy sofas. There is a second lounge for hotel guests only, located to the side of reception. This is to the front of the hotel so it has the advantage of two large windows that flood the space with light. It too has an open fire and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a delightful space to sit in and enjoy the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s atmosphere. This hotel benefits from an abundance of space. The owners have added more function and reception rooms to the rear of the building by knocking through walls to access the first floor of the adjoining corn exchange building. Here there is a main hall, a rooftop garden, a board room and a finishing kitchen which is served by the ground floor hotel kitchens via a system of lifts. The management are confident that from

TripAdvisor is a wonderful invention and if all those who comment on it were honest, unbiased, balanced and of a similar intelligence and social standing as its readers with the same likes and dislikes then it would be very useful indeed. Sadly, the system is open to abuse and the odds are stacked against the service provider in this respect; reviewers can say whatever they like. One unhinged customer can cause serious damage to a business’s reputation. Reviews of the Kings Head in Cirencester are very mixed, a few in the ‘excellent’ category and a few rated it as ‘very poor’ but most are in the middle making it ‘fair’. That’s not so bad. It’s hard to hit the ground running every time and providing the hotel takes heed of the more serious comments made it has the potential to be rated amongst the highest in the area.

the one main kitchen they can simultaneously cater for banquets upstairs, a full restaurant, private dining parties and room service. At full capacity this will represent several hundred guests at once. There’ll be a lot of marketing involved to get it to that stage but once fully operational, the town of Cirencester will welcome this influx of outside visitors as they’re bound to boost the local economy in one way or other. The Kings Head Hotel, 24 Market Place, Cirencester. Tel: +44(0) 0285 700 900 www.kingshead-hotel.co.uk GS Magazine 21

The Orange Tree

he recent opening of The Orange Tree Hotel has seen this prominent Richmond High Street site transformed. Fusion by Design worked closely with client Young & Co.’s Brewery plc over 12 months to respect and enhance this iconic London Pub converting it into a 13 bedrooms boutique hotel and fully refurbishing the ground floor pub and dining rooms. The concept for the scheme is circulated around a fictional character whom we imagined once resided in the building, whom we named ‘Mr Fenton’. We looked to his hobbies and interests throughout the scheme. Sporting life is expressed across the bar area, rugby, walking and cricket, with gardens and nature being the inspiration for the dining rooms and the upper hotel floors. All the design elements merge to provide an elegant, personal style for The Orange Tree Hotel and delivering a great addition to Young’s rapidly growing hotel business, we think Mr Fenton would approve! The ground floor was completely refurbished providing a new drink and dining experience. Open throughout the day, serving coffee and breakfast to both hotel guests and passing customers, our brief was to provide an all-day experience with the ability to cater for the needs of customers throughout the day. Leather upholstery, timber and ceramic floor finishes are softened with brighter fabrics and clean metro style tile finishes. We have provided a variety of seating styles for general drinking; refurbished 1940’s style chairs and bar stools, are mixed with comfy sofas and wing back chairs in front of the fireplaces for relaxed lunches and coffee breaks. Utilising the mid-height tables, perfect for buffet breakfasts, we then provided high level drink shelves to the front windows which are perfect for single guests to have breakfast whilst looking out onto the street, watching the world go by. These covers are also great for perching with a pint during busy rugby events. The rear dining area has a lighter, somewhat feminine ambiance, drawing on the influence of the Richmond Park and the botanical interests at Kew Gardens. The provision of a new dresser style coffee station central to the dining area, allows glimpses of the area beyond. Fenton’s Dining Room has a potting shed quality, with a hint to ‘The Cabbage Patch’ which is a nickname given to Twickenham rugby stadium. Using fixed furniture and window style screens, bespoke digital wallpapers adorn the walls with Victorian inspired plant illustrations. We have also provided new booth style seating for groups or private meetings to take place. In keeping with Young & Co.’s Brewery plc’s 22 GS Magazine

desire to ensure their hotels deliver a boutique style, Fusion By Design have worked closely with Young’s and architects LAP to convert the staff accommodation to the upper floors of the building into 13 stunning new bedrooms all with new en-suite bathroom facilities. With a project cost of £1.7m, there were a number of major changes required to the building to convert its use into a hotel. The main structural works included the relocation of the former pub toilets to the basement, freeing up space on the first floor for new rooms, a new single storey extension provided to the rear and the conversion of previously unused attic space to ensure that all guestrooms are comfortable in size and provide all the facilities expected of a boutique London hotel. The concept for the hotel has a botanical inspired theme, referencing Richmond Park and nearby Kew Gardens. The focus of the rooms are the generous Hypnos beds and the bespoke feature headboards. Reclaimed furniture pieces are mixed with bespoke items and classic BTC light fittings. Using a relatively neutral palette we have injected the scheme with colour in

furniture pieces and artwork complimented with the use of beautiful patterned fabric and wallpaper with floral and trellis motifs. The new en-suite bathrooms are generously sized and are finished with neutral wall tiling with two of the feature rooms providing roll top baths within the bedrooms for an extra level of luxury. As well as roll top baths the feature bedrooms to the third floor provide bespoke furniture and unique digital print wallpapers with panelled walls and dramatic deep green bathroom tiles. The completion of The Orange Tree Hotel follows hot on the heels of the recent developments for Young & Co.’s Brewery plc by Fusion By Design. The most recent of which are the Bar and Dining rooms of The Castle, in Tooting and The Dog & Fox Hotel, a 17 bedroom boutique hotel in Wimbledon village. The Orange Tree Hotel, 45 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey. Tel: +44 (0)20 8940 0944 www.orangetreerichmond.co.uk We are grateful to Cheryl Duerden of Fusion by Design, a leading UK hospitality Interior Design Consultancy, for contributing this article. www.fusionbydesign.co.uk

GS Magazine 23

The Forge

nternational hospitality designers Harrison are forging a name for themselves on the London club scene with the renovation and reinvigoration of the old Abacus late night venue, part of a dynamic refresh programme from operator Novus Leisure. Located in the Cornhill area of the City, the newly-named Forge restaurant, cocktail bar and club has just opened to some great reviews, impressing guests and critics alike with its multi-layered hospitality leisure experience and innovative industrial design chic. Harrison’s transformation of the listed venue was completed within an impressively short seven week closure, with great care given to maximising the historic aspects of the building. The accelerated works programme covered three floors and included significant internal changes. Harrison associate director Jon Bentley, who headed up the redesign, explained: “One of our biggest challenges with this particular project was its listed status. We had to ensure that we worked within all the bureaucratic and architectural limitations to maximise the operational use and aesthetic appeal of the space.” Forge’s ground floor entrance now opens onto a relocated bar area, incorporating folded metal and pewter which celebrate the venue’s strong industrial theme. An open kitchen adds theatricality to the lower restaurant area, with food cooked on elevated grills. 24 GS Magazine

The basement level is stripped back to reveal more of the original architectural structure. A new island bar introduces a stylish cocktail lounge ambience with booth seating radiating from this central focus. As guests continue their journey through Forge, the late night club area becomes increasingly raw and uncompromising with a more standout DJ booth and VIP area. Throughout the refurbishment, the historic status of the building, which was once a bank, has been carefully accentuated by the Harrison design team, and the layout sensitively and skilfully devised. Jon Bentley continued: “Many of the original standout features of the venue’s location had been concealed by past designs, but we felt that they should become part of the whole Forge experience. Even the stone details that had previously been damaged were worth revealing as they had stories to tell. “These features have now become an intrinsic part of the new layout, which also included raising the very low area to the rear of the venue, repositioning the bar and allowing the new open kitchen to energise the far dining area. The core components of the space are now working hard to exert influence over guests, giving Forge something positive and powerful to say on a number of levels.” The Forge, 24 Cornhill, London EC3. Tel: +44 (0)20 7337 6767 www.forgedinlondon.com

GS Magazine 25

PAUL

ot all readers will be familiar with PAUL. In the UK, PAUL bakeries can only be found in London at present. It is possible, however, that you may have stumbled across a PAUL on your global travels; there are over 500 shops in 29 countries although more than half of those are in France, where the brand originated. I confess that I am no fan of globalization. And I despair that you can find a MacDonalds, a KFC, a Strada, a Pizza Hut or a Pizza Express, a Caffè Nero or a Starbucks, a Prezzo or a Bella Italia on just about every high street in every town and city across the land. The chains have muscled out the independents and by doing so they have replaced individual character with something rather predictable. But there’s something uniquely different about PAUL. This is not a large British owned leisure company giving their take on a French product. This is the real McCoy. A French owned family business, sticking rigidly to tried and tested recipes developed in France generations ago, freshly prepared and cooked on the premises in exactly the same way that they always were. A genuine 26 GS Magazine

slice of traditional France. It shows. I have yet to find a PAUL shop front that doesn’t ooze Gallic charm. And the produce inside, prepared from scratch every day and cooked on the premises: fresh breads, cakes and tarts that taste every bit as delicious as they look and smell. In some of PAUL’s larger premises they do provide seating but rarely more than just a few tables and chairs. As an exception, the Covent Garden branch (the first to open in the UK) had sufficient space to provide tea-rooms serving hot snacks and puddings. This proved so successful that, they decided, the obvious progression was to open it as a fully operational restaurant along the same lines as the ones they have in Paris. So Covent Garden offers a menu of traditional French staples throughout the day, from breakfast, through brunch, lunch and afternoon teas to dinner served with a small but decent selection of quality French wines. And the interior matches the authenticity of the food, typically French. And so it should, not least because much of the furniture and art has been imported from France and the project orchestrated by a French architectural practice called Panatude. This company has delivered the PAUL design

concept for years, on all their outlets at home and abroad, so they know exactly what is expected of the brand. Panatude have now completed work on PAUL’s first out of London site, a PAUL bakery on the High Street in Oxford. Another, including a restaurant, is currently at late planning stage so should hopefully be opening within a few months. The master plan is to roll out the bakery and restaurant concept throughout the UK ensuring that each site is suited to the joint operation of running a bakery and a restaurant, preparing ingredients and cooking fresh produce daily and on site. Smaller sites will still be considered to house the bakery alone. It’s a superior brand and prices are typically a little higher than most local bakeries or casual dining restaurants so it won’t work in all areas. No doubt there’ll be targeting the more affluent cathedral cities and commuter belt towns but they’re a canny lot and they know what they’re doing. You might say here’s a business that knows how to make dough! Watch out Café Rouge. The French are coming! PAUL Boulangerie et Pâtisserie (et le Restaurant). www.paul-uk.com GS Magazine 27

FERA at Claridges

esigner Guy Oliver of Oliver Laws is no stranger to Claridges. In fact he has been working with the hotel for nearly twenty years having decorated such iconic spaces within the hotel as the French Salon and Drawing Room and all of the gloriously opulent Suites. So taking on the design of Fera, Simon Rogan’s new restaurant on the ground floor, must have seemed a little like working at home. The room that formerly housed Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant has been transformed into an elegant and fresh space, revealing many original features to celebrate the hotel’s Art Deco glamour. Simon Rogan, of course, is one of Britain’s top name chefs having earned himself accolades and stars aplenty with his Lake District ventures, L’Enclume, Rogan & Co, and more recently the Pig & Whistle pub. In addition he has opened two restaurants within The Midland Hotel in Manchester; The French by Simon Rogan and Mr. Cooper’s House & Garden. He introduced his unique and flavoursome style of cooking to London by taking a short term lease in a building in Marylebone and opening Roganic. He closed that restaurant within two years in the full knowledge that he would soon return to more opulent surroundings at Claridges. Simon’s technical approach, combined with his love and understanding of the balances of nature, is inspiring a whole generation of sustainably and environmentally aware young chefs. In terms of designing a fine dining restaurant for Simon Rogan, Guy Oliver needed to find another balance. A restaurateur who is principally all about sustainability and the country way of life, showcasing food within the opulence of a grand Mayfair hotel. Two diametrically opposed concepts were required to work in harmony. This

28 GS Magazine

has been achieved by incorporating references to nature within the design scheme. A tree of white bleached Manzanita branches rises, Phoenix-like, in the centre of the room. The colour scheme is a warm grey, a suitable and unimposing background in which to let the food on every plate shine like a star. Instead of linen tablecloths, which Simon was opposed to, Guy designed and created some exquisite polished walnut dining tables with brass detailing. Coupled with the cool cream leather upholstery of the chairs and banquette seating they add a touch of class and refinement. A subtle ripple effect design has been hand drawn onto one entire wall by renowned American artist, Linn Meyers. Her expressive and detailed work resembles shifting sands or the patterns of swirling water. As Guy Oliver says, “Fera is inspired by the rhythms of nature.” Yet 1930’s glamour is also ever present in this scheme. To achieve this, Guy Oliver imagined how it would have been during the Art Deco period, researching as much of the hotel’s archived material as possible, and created an interior that evokes the decadence and style of the age. Much of this has been realised with the help of an exceptionally well designed and concealed lighting scheme. Lighting Design International backlit several glass features, including the decorative sunburst laylights and the ribbed glass walls to great effect. Spots hidden deep into the ceiling roses light individual tables below to create intimacy and discrete uplighting is used to provide drama to the columns and capitals above. There is a small but stylish holding bar to the corner of the room and on the back wall is a series of framed drawings and photographs of some of the hotel’s more famous guests. These are created by Claridges’ resident artist, David Downton, and

fashion photographer, Ellen Von Unwerth. What has been achieved here, within a timeframe of less than five months, is quite remarkable. When the restaurant was run by Gordon Ramsay, it was good, very good in fact, but the interior design ignored the heritage of the building. What Guy Oliver has now created is a modern day tribute to a bygone era. It’s theatrical. At the front of the restaurant his design leads guests through a series of small arrivals to build up a sense of excitement and anticipation, each one slightly bigger and more dramatic than the last. And the main dining room doesn’t disappoint. It’s decadent and refined. A handsome space for latter-day Katherine Hepburns and Clark Gables to enjoy. But the real star of the show is Simon Rogan’s exceptional cooking which is amongst the very best in Britain today. Perfect food in wonderful surroundings. Fera at Claridges, Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1. Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 8888 www.feraatclaridges.co.uk

“What Guy Oliver has now created is a modern day tribute to a bygone era”

PARTRIDGE

VENTILATION

Cardrew Industrial Estate, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 1SS Tel: 01209 204700 Fax: 01209 204701 www.partridge-ventilation.co.uk

PARTRIDGE

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Kitchen ventilation specialists including design, manufacture, installation, and maintenance.

Kitchen ventilation specialists including design,tomanufacture, installation, Partridge Ventilation is proud have been involved with and suchmaintenance. a prestigious project and would like to congratulate River Cottage Partridge Ventilation is proud to have been involved with such a prestigious project and would like to congratulate on their opening of their latest canteen in Winchester. River Cottage on their opening of their latest canteen in Winchester.

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River Cottage Canteen by Rupert Wheeler

he River Cottage Canteen in Winchester is the fourth restaurant to be opened by Hugh FearnleyWhittingstallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high profile West Country operation, adding to those in Axminster, Plymouth and Bristol, and it is the third one to be designed by Mackenzie Wheeler. The restaurant has been created within an 18th century Grade 2 listed mill, known as Abbey Mill, located within Abbey Mill Gardens in the centre of Winchester and very near the Cathedral. The mill comprises a collection of fairly utilitarian brick buildings, developed and adapted over the last three centuries as milling technology changed but, rather oddly, was faced with a fine classical portico in 1800 so that the building might present a more attractive faĂ§ade to the new public park formed in the centre of the city at that time. Internally the building comprised a complex arrangement of fairly small and low ceilinged spaces on varying levels GS Magazine 31

that, while typical of most old mill buildings, did not seem to offer a very attractive venue for a new restaurant. However, with a grand entrance accessed directly off the public park and built over the fast flowing mill race, a tributary of the River Itchen, the location and setting was both very attractive and quite unique. River Cottage aspires to the highest standards of sustainability in all its operations, from the sourcing of ingredients to building construction and energy generation, so the emphasis of the project was to make the best use of the existing building stock and the embodied energy present within these buildings. This approach also offers the best way of achieving a unique sense of place so that the venue is properly rooted within its location and quickly becomes an integral part of the city. The brief required the delivery of at least 130 dining covers, a small area for book sales and a bar, both to support the restaurant and to trade in its own right. A further 50 covers were required outside to capitalise on the unique parkland setting of the venue. The restaurant should also offer a base for River Cottageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental campaigns, offer cookery demos and provide a venue for live music nights, meetings, presentations and events. The diverse range of internal spaces has been used to create a variety of dining areas, but the trick to making all these spaces light, accessible and visible has been the removal of various areas of floor to create a sequence of double height spaces through which the main dining spaces can be viewed. The result actually adds to the complexity of the original sequence of spaces but offers fascinating views through the building, inviting visitors to explore further, opens up the public areas to space and daylight and cleverly reveals the historic development of the old mill. The entrance through the grand classical portico leads to a raised reception area. This overlooks the first double height volume over 32 GS Magazine

the cafĂŠ and gives views of the open kitchen at the lower level and the bar on the upper level. Passing down through the canteen leads to another double height space through which you enter the old milling room that now forms one of the main dining areas. Climbing up to the bar level leads you past this second double height space and into the granary at first floor level that forms the second main dining area, under a lofty roof supported on great exposed timber trusses. All these spaces are linked with views, balconies and a second staircase to create what

is an unconventional layout but one that clearly expresses the buildings historic development. This sensitive and highly sustainable development of the old building creates a unique and engaging interior that now matches the unique setting. The materials largely comprise those found within the original building, so the patchwork of brick and stone to the original walls is retained and exposed. The original pine and elm floor boarding remains on the upper levels while the ground floor is tiled with simple red quarry tiles

to suit the utilitarian nature of this space. The only new area of flooring is in the old milling room where beautiful Purbeck stone from the Dorset coast replaces an earlier concrete floor to give a lighter finish of much greater quality. The ceiling of this room is lined with hand cut timber laths that would have supported the original plastered ceiling. Old fittings, ropes and pulleys from the original milling operations prompted the development of a lighting design that features numerous lights hung from a network of ropes

that run throughout the upper roof spaces, linking all these spaces and dropping down through the double height spaces to light the dining areas at the lower level as well. Furniture has generally been sourced from the West Country and is of a simple functional design, enlivened by some colourful floral fabrics that echo a patterned wallpaper found in the bar on the first floor. The highly sustainable approach to the project is to be capped with the future development of the mill race to provide hydro

electric power for the restaurant operation. This, the creation of the new restaurant and bar, and River Cottageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of the venue for its campaigning work will ensure that the old mill buildings once again form a lively and valuable local resource for the people of Winchester and its many visitors. River Cottage Canteen, Abbey Mill, Winchester, Hampshire. Tel: +44 (0)1962 457747 www.rivercottage.net We are grateful to architect Rupert Wheeler of Mackenzie Wheeler for writing this article. GS Magazine 33

Lima Floral B3 Designers showcase interiors for newly opened Peruvian restaurant

3 Designers have designed the interiors for newly opened restaurant, Lima Floral. Located in Garrick Street, Covent Garden, Lima Floral follows the success of Lima in Fitzrovia that opened in July 2012. B3 Designers’ brief was to develop an interior that stayed true to the core values of the Peruvian dining offer with strong references to nature, geometry and materials of the earth. The 200sq m space is set over two floors accommodating 107 covers – 60 covers in the main restaurant on the ground floor and the others in the bar and private dining room in the basement. With the inspiration coming from Peru’s biodiversity, with a variety of food sourced from land and sea, the overall style is simple with emphasis on geometry and materials of the earth’s natural elements. The ground floor has an almost monastic approach with geometric details and feature lighting. In addition, an intricate metal work screen with a natural, twig-like composition is used to separate the entrance to the dining area. The basement floor has deep, rich midnight blue toned floral patterned tiles, creating a backdrop to textured finishes. Key features include bespoke wall lighting in 34 GS Magazine

various shapes in the basement – tear-drop and round shaped - that refer to elements of nature and materials of the earth which also reference growth. They are illuminated through glowing opaque glass with thin metal edging. The ground floor bespoke lighting scheme is geometric shapes – triangular - and ceiling fixed creating a light pattern, almost installation across the ceiling. Special materials, such as hand-glazed tiles on the back bar in the basement and blue pearl granite used to the front of the kitchen server counter on the ground floor and to the front of the basement bar provide patterns as well as texture as they reflect the floor tiles. To add to the mix of textures, B3 Designers have placed a large waney edge table in the private dining room in the basement and five 2-seater individual waney edge tables in the main restaurant on the ground floor. “We wanted to take the client’s ideals of fresh, organic produce, ethically sourced and inspired by a variety of landscapes from the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon and the Andes Mountains and design the interior to evoke a spirit of this natural environment while allowing the space to be casual, comfortable and interesting.” says Mark Bithrey, Design Director at B3 Designers.

Lima Floral is an evolution on what Lima Fitzrovia offered diners with the aim of showcasing Peru’s full diversity: ecologically, culturally and historically, sharing an authentic and native culinary offering - high end dining with a casual relaxed level of service. The main restaurant serves an innovative menu overseen by Virgilio Martinez and Head Chef Robert Ortiz. The basement bar selling ‘piqueos’— traditional Peruvian small tapas plates – offers a menu designed for sharing. The dishes sit alongside an extensive cocktail list based on Pisco infusions with Amazonian fruits including the famous Peruvian pisco sour. Lima Floral, 16 Garrick Street, London WC2. Tel: +44 (0)20 7240 5778 www.limafloral.com

GS Magazine 35

Hotel Bulletin: Q2 2014

ish y t n of

Analysis completed in this edition reveals that the majority of cities reviewed are now generating RevPAR beyond pre-downturn levels. The UK transaction market has been dominated by single asset sales this quarter although this is set to change as a number of portfolios progress towards completion. This edition focuses on Edinburgh and considers how the historically robust hotel market may be impacted by a ‘yes’ vote in September.

ely if nefit ch medium

Selected UK hotel markets – demand and supply

ctive re be

14%

Key:

10% 6%

 Occupancy % change(1) (Q2 Y-o-Y)  Average Room Rate % change (Q2 Y-o-Y)  RevPAR % change (Q2 Y-o-Y)  Supply % change since 30 June 2013 Active pipeline >10%, 5 to 10%, <5%

Aberdeen (3%) 5%

12%

Edinburgh

(2%)

Glasgow

19%

26%

7% 4%

12%

Belfast

Newcastle

16%

4% 0% 8%

10% 9%

Liverpool

Leeds

11%

Manchester 8%

10%

Cardiff

Birmingham

(1%)

9% 5%

Bath

(1%)

London

(4%)

Source: AM:PM, HotStats Notes: Q2 covers the three months to the end of June Q2 Y-o-Y compares the average of Q2 2014 to the average of Q2 2013 Supply and pipeline analysis relates to number of hotel bedrooms (1) Occupancy percentage change represents actual rather than absolute percentage change Active pipeline refers to hotel bedrooms with an opening date in the next three years

Key highlights of the quarter Jun-14

RevPAR exceeds pre-downturn levels Eight of the 12 cities reviewed recorded average H1 2014 RevPAR beyond pre-downturn levels, with the remaining four rapidly approaching this level. Reaching this benchmark is a cause for optimism and will give certain hoteliers the confidence to invest time and money in expansion. Hotel performance in London and the regions has continued to improve in Q2 2014. For the third quarter in a row, all of the cities reviewed recorded RevPAR growth. Rate driven growth is likely to result in profitability improvement.

ndustry in rsion. For om or call

com

Single assets dominate transaction market; however, portfolio transactions to come Over £411 million of transactions completed in Q2 2014, significantly more than the £154 million that completed in Q2 2013. In H1, over £1.9 billion of hotel transactions completed. In Q2 2014, the majority of transactions were for single assets. This trend is likely to change in the remainder of the year. Already in Q3 2014, Hallmark Hotels, 144 Travelodge hotels, 11 QMH hotels and 19 LRG hotels have transacted and, in addition, a number of other portfolios are progressing towards completion.

Advisory & Restructuring

09/09/2014 13:05:14

36 GS Magazine

Zolfo Cooper, AM:PM, HVS Hotel Bulletin: Q2 2014

Demand

Suppl

RevPAR 12 months ended H1 2014 versus CY 2008(2)

For the second consecutive quarter, Belfast recorded the highest RevPAR growth (26%) of the cities reviewed. A significant amount of investment has been made in the city in recent years and in this quarter, performance was buoyed by the Giro D’Italia’s Big Start in May. Other top performers included Leeds (16% RevPAR growth) and Glasgow (12% RevPAR growth).

RevPAR returning to pre-downturn levels The graph opposite compares average RevPAR for the 12 months ended 30 June 2014 and 31 December 2008. Eight of the 12 cities reviewed have now returned to pre-downturn RevPAR levels. Aberdeen, Bath, Edinburgh and London are generating RevPAR which is far in excess of 2008 levels, demonstrating the strength of these markets. Belfast, Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle are the only cities yet to fully recover from the downturn. However, given recent RevPAR improvement and continuing investment in these cities, it is unlikely to take long to surpass pre-downturn RevPAR levels. After years of flat/declining performance in the UK, returning to 2008 levels is likely to provide confidence to UK hoteliers.

RevPAR 2008

Birmingham

Cardiff

Liverpool

Newcastle

Leeds

Belfast

Glasgow

Aberdeen

Bath

Manchester

Outside London, RevPAR grew by an average of 11%. Growth was predominantly rate driven in all cities except Newcastle, where RevPAR improvement was underpinned by a 7% increase in occupancy. Hoteliers who continue to improve rates will see the benefit in the bottom line.

London

RevPAR in London increased by 4% in comparison to Q2 2013 as a 5% increase in ARR more than compensated for a slight drop in occupancy. London’s RevPAR has now increased in ten out of the last 12 quarters.

Budget

140 120 100 80 60 40 20 Edinburg

In Q2 2014, and for a third consecutive quarter, all of the 12 cities reviewed recorded RevPAR growth compared to Q2 2013. On average, RevPAR increased by 10%. Consistent and strong growth is encouraging and is likely to leave investors in a confident mood.

Continued wide-spread growth in Q2 2014

RevPAR H1 2014

Source: AM:PM, HotStats Notes: (2) Analysis does not consider any inflationary adjustment

Investment indicators Although high-level demand and supply metrics alone will never fully inform an investment decision, the graph below is intended to highlight demand and supply data for cities that may attract, or concern, investors.

•

The interaction of demand growth, historical supply and active pipeline are considered. Demand growth has been calculated as the average RevPAR growth for the last four quarters to provide an indication of recent demand trends. Historical supply has been calculated as the increase in rooms in the last two years in order to allow for an appropriate amount of time to contextualise recent trading performance. Active pipeline has been included in the analysis to provide an insight of each city’s hotel market in the upcoming years. Only bedrooms with confirmed opening dates are included.

•

The UK hotel market is displaying characteristics of a cyclical upturn, with demand consistently growing strongly in spite of additional supply. The forward looking concern is active pipeline growth which is beginning to respond to performance improvement. This is particularly evident in Aberdeen, where active pipeline as a percentage of current supply has increased from 9% to 17% in the past year.

Investment indicators

UK cur

25% 20% 15% 10% 5%

Demand growth

Historical supply change

Positive indicators

Newcastle

Cardiff

Birmingham

Liverpool

Glasgow

Manchester

London

Leeds

Edinburgh

Aberdeen

Bath

Belfast

Active pipeline

Risk indicators

Ap Source: AM:PM, HotStats Notes: Demand growth calculated as the average quarterly RevPAR change for the last four quarters Historical supply change calculated as the change in hotel bedrooms between June 2012 and 2014 Active pipeline calculated as the active pipeline as a percentage of current supply The majority of the 12 cities reviewed appear to be displaying positive indicators - the arrow has been shaded to reflect this

02 Advisory & Restructuring

GS Magazine 37

Birmingham

Hotel Bulletin: Q2 2014 Zolfo Cooper, AM:PM, HVS

Supply and pipeline

Transactions

Budget hotel domination set to continue

2014 transactions progress toward £2 billion mark

In the graph below (left), we compare the proportion of current supply (inner circle) and active pipeline (outer circle) in the UK market by sector.

In H1 2014, approximately £1.9 billion of transactions have completed. Over £411 million of these were in Q2 2014, which was over £250 million more than Q2 2013.

The budget market(3) remains the largest in the UK and this is set to increase with 50% of active pipeline bedrooms in this category. It is a market that continues to be dominated by brands, with 66% of current supply and 98% of active pipeline being branded. Independent hoteliers in this sector may rightly be concerned about being squeezed out of the market.

The majority of transactions in the second quarter were for single assets. We expect this trend to change in the remainder of the year. To date in Q3 2014, Goldman Sachs, GoldenTree AM and Avenue Capital have acquired 144 Travelodge hotels, Topland Group has acquired Hallmark Hotels, Marathon AM has acquired 11 QMH UK hotels and Kew Green has acquired 19 LRG Hotels. In addition, a number of other portfolios are moving towards completion, including two De Vere portfolios.

Budget hotels on city fringes are likely to benefit from increasing numbers of Chinese tourists visiting the UK, which has increased by 19% each year since 2011. The majority of Chinese tourists travel in tour groups, which favour these types of hotels due to cost considerations. Given the recent easing of visa requirements for Chinese visitors the number of tourists is expected to rise significantly. Notable new openings and developments in the quarter include: • Accor Group opened two of their mid-market brand Novotel in London (437 bedrooms) in the quarter. Accor is also developing its aparthotel offering, with four Adagios (608 bedrooms) set to open in Aldgate East, Stratford (both London), Birmingham and Edinburgh. • The 202 bedroom Shangri-La opened in the quarter in London. The five star hotel, located on floors 34 to 52 of the Shard, cost the Hong Kong based group over £90 million in lease and fit-out costs (approximately £450,000 per room). • Five Premier Inns (572 bedrooms) opened in London, Glasgow and Wigan in the quarter. A number of less established budget brands continued to expand. Z Hotels opened the 112 bedroom Z Piccadilly, its third hotel in London and fourth hotel in the UK. CitizenM is set to open three hotels (827 bedrooms) in 2015, including the CitizenM Tower Hill which sits opposite The Tower of London and within The Tower conservation area. UK current supply and active pipeline by grading

Notable transactions include: • The sale of The Park Inn Hotel & Conference Centre, London Heathrow to AXA REIM for approximately £72 million (over £80,000 per room). The 895 bedroom, four star hotel is the closest hotel to terminals 1, 2 and 3 at London Heathrow. Zolfo Cooper acted as joint administrators of the seller. • A joint venture between Lone Star and Somerston Capital has acquired the morethanhotels portfolio of 12 Holiday Inn Express hotels with a total of 1,399 bedrooms from a bank consortium. • Two Holiday Inn Express hotels in Edinburgh and Dunfermline have been acquired by Chardon Trading. Debt funding for the acquisitions was provided by RBS. The hotels are managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts. • Kew Green Hotels followed the acquisition of four Holiday Inn hotels in January 2014 with the acquisition of the 110 bedroom Holiday Inn in Bromsgrove. • Starwood Hotels & Resorts sold its leasehold interest in the 303 bedroom Park Lane Hotel, London back to Sir Richard Sutton’s Settled Estates. The hotel will continue to operate as a Sheraton under a new management contract and will undergo a major refurbishment. Transactions by quarter

1 11%

3.0

2.5 2.0 4% 3%

£bn

28%

36%

27%

1.5

50%

1.0 30%

0.5

Apartments

Budget

3 star

4 star

5 star

Source: AM:PM, Financial Times Notes: Active pipeline includes developments with a confirmed opening date in the next three years (3) The budget category includes hostels, budget and two star hotels

Portfolio 2013

Single asset 2013

Portfolio 2014

Single asset 2014

Total

Source: HVS Note: Only disclosed hotel transactions over £6 million included in analysis

Advisory & Restructuring 03

38 GS Magazine

Zolfo Cooper, AM:PM, HVS Hotel Bulletin: Q2 2014

Focus on: Edinburgh The market

The vote

Edinburgh’s hotel market benefits from strong leisure and corporate demand. It is the UK’s most popular conference destination outside London and has recorded average occupancy levels of 78% in the last four years (the highest outside the capital).

Independence has been met with scepticism by parts of the Scottish hospitality industry. They consider that investors may be put off by uncertainty surrounding the economy and creation of independent Scottish bodies. That being said, there has been no noticeable sign of investment in Edinburgh hotels slowing down following the announcement of the vote.

The city hosts 12 annual festivals, including the popular Edinburgh Festival and Fringe events. These festivals together attract audiences of over four million each year. Edinburgh’s new tram system, opened in May 2014, and current plans for the £850 million redevelopment of the St James Quarter are set to increase the city’s popularity further with tourists.

Last twelve month performance Edinburgh’s RevPAR has grown each month compared with the previous year. The period began with significant RevPAR and GOPPAR growth of 30% and 50% respectively in July 2013 as Muirfield hosted the Open Championship, with 142,000 spectators attending over four days. Strong top line performance continued for the remaining months of the year with the city recording average year-on-year RevPAR growth on a monthly basis of 12%.

Analy level numb hote

Some argue that Scottish tourism can be marketed more effectively if Scotland becomes an independent nation. The city would also benefit from the influx of professionals advising on structural change which would increase demand for hotel accommodation in the short-to-medium term.

Sele

Regardless of the outcome, Edinburgh is likely to remain an attractive city for global investors due to its established corporate and leisure offering. It remains to be seen how other parts of Scotland would be impacted by a ‘yes’ vote. Edinburgh’s current bedroom supply by offering

18%

From March to June 2014, Edinburgh’s hoteliers were unable to grow ancillary revenue streams at the rate of room revenue, which resulted in flat or declining GOPPAR performance. Q3 2014 is likely to be a successful quarter for Edinburgh as the city hosted diving events in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Edinburgh Festival, however, improving profitability performance in the long-term will be crucial for the city’s hotel market.

25%

32%

36%

14%

Supply and pipeline Current supply in Edinburgh is similar to the rest of the UK with the exception of having a lower proportion of three star hotels and a higher proportion of four and five star hotels. Edinburgh’s visitors are prepared to pay a premium for this higher-end concentration of hotels as highlighted by Edinburgh’s average ARR in the last two years being over 20% higher than the average for the UK (excluding London). Aparthotels account for 25% of Edinburgh’s active pipeline, which is significantly higher than the UK average of 9%. This demonstrates the strength of the city’s corporate offering. Source: conventionedinburgh.com, scotland.gov.uk, telegraph.co.uk

17%

43% Apartments

Budget

3 star

4 star

5 star

Edinburgh’s year-on-year change in demand by month

Source Notes:

50% 40%

t: +44 (0) 188 782 0006

Zolfo Cooper 10 Fleet Place London EC4M 7RB t:+44 (0) 20 7332 5000 f:+44 (0) 20 7332 5001

RevPAR

TRevPAR

RevP

Jun-14

t: +44 (0) 20 7878 7729

May-14

t: +44 (0) 20 7332 5115

Key Apr-14

e: alan.gordon@ampmhotels.com

Mar-14

e: tsmith@hvs.com

Feb-14

e: gsmith@zolfocooper.eu

(10%) Jan-14

Alan Gordon

Dec-13

Tim Smith

Oct-13

Graeme Smith

10%

Nov-13

AM:PM

Sep-13

HVS

20%

Aug-13

Zolfo Cooper

30%

Jul-13

For further information please contact:

Eight pre-d level. certai

GOPPAR

Source: AM:PM, HotStats Note: The budget category includes hostels, budget and two star hotels

Hotel in Q2 record profit

Follow our Twitter feed: @ZolfoCooperLLP This publication does not constitute professional advice. Whilst every care has been taken in its preparation please note that it is intended as general guidance only. Before acting upon any information provided within this publication you should consult with a suitably qualified professional advisor. Zolfo Cooper accepts no liability for any loss sustained by any person who chooses to rely on this publication. Copyright © Zolfo Cooper 2014. All rights reserved.

The Hotel Bulletin Q2 2014 v2.indd 1-2

HotStats is a leading company providing profit and loss data to the hospitality industry in the EMEA. We go beyond RevPAR to focus on total revenues and profits conversion. For further information, please visit www.hotstats.com, email enquiries@hotstats.com or call +44 (0) 20 7892 22 22.

www.zolfocooper.com

Adv

GS Magazine 39

Best Practice Purchasing & Supply

hen a venue fails to open on schedule, it is frustrating for all involved. Financially it can be devastating for the owners, operators and investors. Some delays are unavoidable but often delays are the result of bad management and planning. In this article we look at the issues of purchase and supply. How can we ensure that products arrive on site, on time and of the required quality and quantity? To find out a little more, we contacted Gordon Anderson who has recently set up his own company, Blue Moon Hotels Procurement specialising in Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment ( FF&E ) and Operating Supplies and Equipment ( OS&E ) “It can at times be very complicated but the over-riding principles are to deliver excellent quality, fit for purpose products at the right price and at the right time” Gordon went on to explain that all owners, investors, operators and designers have their own methodology and ways of working often depending on the brand (if any), style, budget and location of the Hotel. “As Procurement Agents it is very important that we are part of the Design team and attend all progress meetings throughout the design and construction period. This gives us the opportunity to present our own progress for the procurement and logistics side of the project and, just as importantly, understand any pressures appearing within the construction side.” Stories abound within our Industry of first guests arriving to a sea of wet paint signs, checking into rooms with no beds, no hot food being available etc. Behind this is the probable argument between the building contractor stating that practical completion has been achieved, an angry investor threatening legal action against everyone and a despairing Hotel Manager running around with her or his staff putting out fires both imaginary and real! “There are of course extremes in all contracts and as opening day looms the pressure increases all round. It is very important to co-ordinate the deliveries at the right time but to build in flexibility so that last minute changes can be made and, if possible, without financial penalties. In an ideal world there will be plenty of storage at the hotel site so products are delivered in advance and available when needed. If suppliers are delivering direct on the actual

40 GS Magazine

day required and there are no storage options then potential problems exist which have to be micro-managed.” Earlier in the process, the Procurement Agent will have had many client and designer meetings to agree on the purchasing strategy. This will include all aspects of the supply chain – budget, quality to be achieved, quantities required including spares, tendering procedures, which suppliers to invite to quote and the approval process which will include sampling, factory visits and the creation of model rooms. On the subject of quality, it’s often said that furniture made in places like China and the Far East are considerably cheaper to purchase but poorer in quality than UK and European products. Is that the case? “The Far East supply

chain has improved dramatically over the past decade or so” says Gordon. “But as always its ‘caveat emptor’ – buyer beware! One of the main reasons for the improvement has been the large number of direct investments and joint ventures between European and Far Eastern companies. This has led to a large number of Europeans moving to the Far East to oversee and implement quality control systems within their partner companies. This in turn has led to a closing of the quality gap but has also reduced the financial advantage, along with other macro-economic factors affecting the region. There is still a reasonable financial advantage but any potential supplier must be checked vigorously - especially their previous history and at Blue Moon we always take up references.” So when a buyer is in talks with a potential supplier, what should they be looking for? What credentials should suppliers have?

“Blue Moon issue a prequalification document that all suppliers have to complete.” continues Gordon. “Amongst the areas of interest that we investigate are financial stability, environmental policies, years of experience, design and drawing capabilities, trading history, projects completed, key personnel information,

current work load and capacity.” What if a supplier lets you down on delivery? Do you have a back-up plan? “Great question – a hotel contract I worked on in the Middle East had a beautiful ballroom opening up with plain brown tufted carpet for the first four weeks after a supplier failed financially. The key thing here is to pre-empt any potential for failure by constantly keeping in touch with the supply chain, visiting factories during manufacture and insisting on progress reports with photographic evidence. If something does go wrong then it’s all hands on deck to investigate alternative solutions which could mean things like temporary carpet, furniture hire, kitchens in portacabins and so on.”

The Procurement process • • • •

• • • So what is the ideal time-frame? “All procurement companies will say longer than they have been given! In an ideal world 16 weeks to deliver model rooms, 12 at a push. After model room approval and if the same suppliers are being used then 10 to 12 weeks for the main part of the contract. Public areas generally also require 10 to 12 weeks but that depends on the complexity”. Finally. What do you think makes a good procurement agent? “The short answer is a good Procurement Agency will have an in-depth knowledge of both the design and construction processes coupled with excellent procurement and communication skills.”

• • • • • • • •

Procurement Agent appointed Design kick off meeting Interior Designer issues FF&E control books Procurement Agent creates/comments on budget with Cost Consultants/ Project Managers Procurement Agent goes to market for quotations Negotiation stage Procurement Agent makes recommendations to client and design team with samples if necessary Procurement process - Purchase orders raised for client signature Purchase orders placed with suppliers Control stage with factory vists Monthly project reporting on progress, budget and quality Delivery and Logistics stage Seeking out stage for Guestrooms and Public Areas Preparation and hand over of Care and Maintenance manuals Supplier payment and final account stage

Gordon Anderson has been involved in purchasing in the hotel sector for most of his career working with many prestigious brands at home and abroad. Prior to starting his own business, Blue Moon Hotels Procurement Services Ltd., he enjoyed 13 eventful years as Director, Projects Procurement, at the InterContinental Hotel Group. Whilst there he led the European and Middle East rebranding of the Holiday Inn estate and was instrumental in launching the new style Holiday Inn Express room. Gordon will be speaking at the Hospitality Show, Birmingham NEC, on Tuesday 20th January 2015 where he will also be one of the Show’s mentoring experts. www.bluemoonprocurement.com GS Magazine 41

Branding

he secret of long-term hospitality brand success? According to Ian Dunstall, brand development consultant at hospitality designers Harrison, the answer lies in a well-considered market strategy and clearly understood brand positioning. “Back in the 1980’s, when I first stepped onto my career path in hospitality marketing, brands in our sector were little more than a badge and a corporate theme. Now, more than thirty years later, branding has become a highly sophisticated science and a psychology which is absolutely crucial for outshining the competition. What has changed over the years is that we are now in a vastly bigger marketplace, with a UK eating out industry valued at over £40bn. As well as a constant tide of new and exciting entrants, there are also a growing number of established brands celebrating over half a century of success. As a result, the opportunities out there for hospitality operators are unprecedented, but so is the competition. The pressure is really on for brands to remain relevant and popular with their target market and at least one step ahead of their competitors. So, how should hospitality operators manage 42 GS Magazine

their brands to assure their long-term appeal and profitability? The answer lies in the brand’s strategy, its positioning and its longer term evolution. The starting point is to clear up exactly what this thing called a brand is. There are a multitude of definitions, but what they all boil down to is a simple idea: brand development is the creation of an experience which consumers want or need, linked to a positive emotional association with the offer. All great brands are built on a well considered strategy and clearly understood brand positioning. This means that everyone associated with the business, from owners to operators, customers to suppliers, has to have a shared understanding of what it represents and how it behaves and performs. Operators need to be able to get inside the heads of the target customers they serve and be able to visualise, in full, the role they play in their customers’ lives. In particular, they need to develop strong brand values to associate positively and relevantly with their customers, and they need to know how their brand sets them apart from the competition. Brand strategy and positioning should always be viewed as an ongoing process and should not

be seen as a ‘one off’. The brand has to constantly evolve, and operators must observe and respond to the changing needs of their customers and to the competitive landscape. If they fail to do this, they will lose out. Thankfully, there is plenty of help out there for the hospitality sector, not least from Harrison. Our portfolio of hospitality and architectural design services includes a dedicated brand strategy, positioning and development consultancy offering highly skilled individuals with significant sector knowledge. We can assist you with your market strategy and all aspects of your brand positioning and development journey, whether you are creating new concepts or reviewing and revitalising existing brands. For further details, please do email me, Ian Dunstall, at Harrison on idunstall@harrison.hn and also take a look at the company’s website – www.harrison.hn Finally, if you have taken the time to read this article, I’d like to thank you for starting your brand journey with me – and I’d also like to congratulate you. You obviously already understand the importance of a great brand – now we just need to get on with the right strategy and positioning!”

GS Magazine 43

Images from The Hospitality Show 2013

A message from the Editor The Hospitality Show returns to celebrate the very best of British hospitality...

sk any successful business person about defining moments in their career and you can bet that at some point in their rise to prominence there will have been someone mentoring them or giving advice. There may be one or many, but the importance of a figurehead, there to help drive you on, or offer that bellwether piece of advice that you never forget and take with you throughout your career, cannot be understated. Mentoring is crucial to growth and development which is why in 2015 The Hospitality Show (19th-21st January, Birmingham NEC) is reprising its highly popular Business Mentor scheme to help visitors with business challenges. Sited alongside the Business Briefing Stage, which offers laser guided insight, debate and discussion on the most relevant topics and trends making the headlines. The programme sees some of the most respected specialists in the hospitality industry on hand to pass on targeted business advice, offering visitors totally free bookable one-to-one sessions. Previous mentors include: celebrated restaurateur David Moore, Michelin-starred chef Andreas Antona, former National Chef of the 44 GS Magazine

Year, Hayden Groves, General Manager of the Midland Hotel in Machester, Michael Magraine, highly respected chef Paul Askew, founder of Grand Union Pubs and Bars, Adam Marshall and many more. At present our 2015 lineup is still under wraps but visitors can be assured it will contain a heady mix of mercurial chef patrons, multisite operators, hoteliers, menu development specialists, branding strategists, procurement officers, drinks experts and high-level delegates from high street names. The full line up will be promoted on the Hospitality Show website and the GS Magazine website simultaneously during November. Visitors looking to benefit from 15 minutes with a Business Mentor will soon be able to book online at www.hospitalityshow.co.uk. Late appointments can also be taken at the show but advanced booking is advised as the sessions prove extremely popular. Registration is now live at www. hospitalityshow.co.uk, with a core focus around the best of British â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a launch pad for everything new and great in British hospitality. New products, new designs, new exhibitors, new ideas and a new business focus will all be ushered in on a wave of New Year optimism as the NEC

Birmingham opens its doors for three days of insight and inspiration. The show consistently attracts high quality exhibitors and special guests sourced from across the hospitality spectrum. Focus areas include: hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafĂŠs, delis and the cost sector, with the show providing a glittering showcase for cutting edge products and services from the core fields of design, food & drink, technology, catering equipment and careers. Key attractions such as the prestigious culinary competition Salon Culinaire and HOSPACE Hub for the very latest technology trends return in 2015. Working as a partner to the organisers of the Hospitality Show, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re tremendously excited to welcome the hospitality world to our doors yet again to help kick start the business year into life. I urge anyone looking for that spark of inspiration, whether it be from a mentor, exhibitor, speaker or otherwise, to take time out, and experience the most relevant, businessfocused trade show in the hospitality calendar. For further information please see www.hospitalityshow.co.uk and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/HospShow for everything Hospitality.

The Hospitality Show 2015

GS Magazine 45

Surface 2015

urface Design Show is the only event in the UK that focuses on interior and exterior surfaces. The Show provides the perfect setting to showcase products whilst inspiring and educating architects, interior designers and specifiers. Since the first show in 2005 Surface Design Show has gone from strength to strength and returns to London’s Business Design Centre between 10-12 February 2015. The show is an inspirational place for industry people to discover the latest materials, gain new insights and understand how environmental considerations are impacting design. This year’s event is already proving to be 46 GS Magazine

a huge success. All of the ground floor and mezzanine has been filled with key exhibitors leading the organisers to extend the show to the balcony area to meet the demand for space. There will be over 120 exhibitors including, Acoustic GRG Products, Decolan, Knauf Cosentino, James Latham, Meyer Timber, Headlam UK, Ardex, Mundy, Veneer and Vescom to name just a few, as well as keynote speakers that will hold discussions during the main show. Surface Design Show is also delighted to be welcoming some new exhibitors including Concreate, Finsa UK, Jotun Paints Europe, Levantina and RAK Ceramics. ‘This year we’ve seen an 82% increase in

sales which proves that Surface Design Show is getting bigger and better year on year. It’s great to see the enthusiasm of all those involved, the inspiration it provides and the creativity that comes out of the show’, said Event Director Christopher Newton It will be great to see a few familiar faces and events returning too. Proceedings will kick off with the annual Preview Evening, a Live Debate hosted by RIBA Journal. The ever popular PechaKucha Evening, taking place on the evening of Wednesday 11th February and hosted by Cany Ash, founder partner of Ash Sakula will again provide a lively, informal and fun presentation of inspirational slides for the on-looking

architects and designers. BIM4FitOut, a special interest group to the government BIM Task Group, which represents the finishes and fit out sector will again be organising an engaging workshop at the Show. The inspirational Trend Wall, created by Global Color Research™ will also make another appearance at the Show this year. The influential colour consultancy company behind Mix Magazine and Mix Trends colour forecast book will present The Mix Trend Wall, featuring unique colour and material trends for 2015 to give insight into future trend concepts. We’re also pleased to announce that Light Collective will be running two days of lessons in Light School. As well as featuring hands on demos with top UK lighting designers who will be taking on the role of lecturers, there will be a host of top name exhibitors including Commercial Lighting, Wila Lighting, Anolis, LED Linear, Spectral and Concord. Plus, many of the teachers returning will be joined by new colleagues to enable them to increase the number and diversity of presentations. New highlights to the show include ‘Materials Speed Dating’ the 2015 version of Future Thinking, a fun and interactive way to explore new materials which will be hosted by the Materials Council. This playful yet engaging concept allows architects and designers to explore the process of materials scouting and

selection via a rapid introduction to a number of fascinating materials, surfaces and finishes so that they can find their ‘perfect match’ to partner up with. Part of the outstanding success of the show is the commitment to recognising excellence with the Surface Design Awards. The Awards recognise examples of progressive design and the use of innovative surfaces in projects both in the UK and Internationally. Categories cover projects in Retail, Commercial, Housing, Public Building, Light and Surfaces and Temporary Structures. Launched in 2013, the Awards have grown quickly both in stature and the number of entrants. This year, 181 projects were entered, a record number increasing by a staggering 62% with a third of entries from overseas making it the UK’s leading award scheme to identify innovation in surface design. ‘The response has been phenomenal. Our panel of judges now has the really difficult task of selecting the finalists from a large number of very innovative projects,’ said Event Director, Christopher Newton. Finalists of the Awards will be announced late October 2014 and the Awards presentation will take place on Thursday 12 February 2015 at the Business Design Centre in London on the last day of Surface Design Show. To find out more about the show visit www.surfacedesignshow.com GS Magazine 47

Sleep 2014 Europe’s hotel design destination...

leep, Europe’s favourite and most established annual event dedicated to hotel design, development and architecture, returns on 26th and 27th November to London’s Business Design Centre with an unparalleled showcase of design-led products from an exceptional array of brands that share an ethos of quality craftsmanship and a commitment to serving the hospitality industry. The two day exhibition brings together a hand-picked selection of first-time exhibitors and new exclusive brands along with recognised industry names from around the globe. Amongst the exciting new features at Sleep this year will be mycoocoon with one of their innovative pods set up for visitors to experience colour immersion therapy which, enhanced with sounds and aromas, balances energy levels and awakens the senses. French contemporary lighting design and manufacturer Designheure will debut with its striking Nénuphar modular system, whose sculptural shape allows enormous creative scope for designers. And newcomer Acrylic Couture is to show its prize-winning Italian-manufactured metacrylic panels in which fabrics and other materials are suspended to achieve intensely radiant 3D effects, offering boundless opportunities for bespoke high-end projects. Launching products that fuse hi-tech functionality with cutting-edge style, pioneering companies Punkt., Gira and ABB / Busch-Jaeger will each present their forward-thinking designs aimed at hotel operators and guests. Sleep is a vital destination for the industry’s most respected brands to reveal their latest products to the hotel design community. Harlequin returns with two fashion-forward collections from the extended Momentum range that channels the style and sophistication of international boutique hotels. Leading flooring company OW Hospitality is to introduce its first collaboration with US interior designer Roger Thomas, Custom Tailored, classic style with a modern twist inspired by the time honoured elegance of menswear. Chelsom will feature its new LED Dock, a warm white reading light housed within a rectangular head that ‘docks’ into a semi recessed back plate providing the perfect bedside lighting solution. Two spectacular lighting installations are set to create visual drama – Ice Cube, a meticulous composition of handmade crystal glass cubes by Preciosa is to feature in the main hall, while ‘floating’ above the entrance lobby will be a bespoke sculpture by Swarovski, a wave-like form of sparkling crystal pieces designed to instil a space-centring effect. Highlighting the value of well-appointed outdoor spaces is Above & Beyond, a new feature dedicated to landscape design curated by Phil Jaffa of Scape Design Associates. Furnished by KETTAL Outdoor Collections with surface and light sourced by Cullinan Interior, Above & Beyond will provide ideas and inspiration for creating unrivalled experiences for hotel guests including rooftop bars, restaurants, terraces, pool decks and gardens. A two day Conference runs alongside the exhibition, presenting a unique opportunity to hear and engage with industry stars, influencers and the big thinkers. Legendary restaurateur Jeremy King, who recently welcomed guests to his first hotel - The Beaumont in London’s Mayfair, opens the conference. A late night opening, until 8pm on Wednesday 26th November including a cocktail hour from 6-7pm, will give visitors the chance to take in the show and toast The Sleep Set winner announced at 7pm, followed by a presentation to the ReardonSmith Student Award winner. Visitors can pre-register online for their complimentary ticket to Sleep, avoiding the £30 entry fee, at www.thesleepevent.com Keep up with the latest news on Twitter @sleepevent and look out for the hashtag #Sleep14.

48 GS Magazine

Mycoocoon – pod

Preciosa Ice Cube

Scape Design Associates – Above & Beyond

OW Hospitality

Chelsom – LED Dock

Harlequin Momentum

GS Magazine 49

Enhance your guest experience with Linsar Linsar bring to the hospitality industry two of the best solutions which will streamline your business, and enhance your guest/customer experience. Firstly enhance your “in-room guest entertainment” with no disruption, huge cost savings and no downtime. Possible? – welcome to Linsar Colanax. Secondly, how would you like to promote bespoke content, to your customers at the right time of day, week, etc…? – sounds like a dream? Linsar have done it again by bringing this dream to life with their Linsar Cameo solution. Linsar Colanax – your guests expect a home to home experience, and that includes the TV solution that you provide in their room. It’s a massive upheaval to install new cables to provide a SMART platform, let alone the disruption, cost and taking the room off-line. The Linsar HD TV’s can be integrated to provide that exact solution but without all the disruption, cost and having a room off-line. It seems that Linsar understand the wants and needs of both your guests, as well as your wants and needs with this solution. Linsar Cameo – engage with your customers in the most modern, cost effective and user friendly way possible, to promote menu’s suited for the time of day, stock availability or promotions. The real message about this solution is you show your customers the bespoke content when you want and have full control of this through a very user friendly interface – the technology does the hard bit for you. This really is the most user friendly, set up friendly integrated complete solution on the market today for all sectors, menus, promotions, digital signage what-ever, who-ever and wherever you want. The consistent message we are getting about Linsar is that they are not a company standing still. More of a British company standing true to their word of wishing to support the British Hospitality further in terms of great products, great solutions, great peace of mind and of course good old great British customer service and support. For more information contact Paul Reynolds on 01202 723330 or Paul.reynolds@linsar.com

50 GS Magazine

Telling your story with guest amenities Guest amenities are much more than just a convenience for your customers. The brand and style of amenity you choose encapsulates the character and ambience of your hotel, demonstrating not only an understanding of your guests, but declaring your commitment to certain standards and values. Sysco Guest Supply is a leading supplier of guest amenities to exclusive hotels all over the world. This year the company received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise – here’s a selection of just some of the luxury brands they represent. Institut Karité – NEW RANGE Sysco Guest Supply has given us an exclusive insight into a French brand they are partnering with for launch in 2015. Insitut Karité was launched in 2004 after many years of research on shea butter; a rare balm that, according to legend, was the secret behind the divine beauty of Queen Nefertiti. The research proved that shea butter has such nourishing and restorative properties that it single-handedly satisfies all the skin needs and has therefore become the active flagship ingredient in all the French cosmetic brand’s products, including the new Guest Collection. The key notes in this elegant range come from the essential oil of the Lemon scented Verbena leaf, which has been used as a fragrance for centuries and has a fresh scent which suits both men and women. The complete range includes products for the face, body and hair and will be available exclusively from Sysco Guest Supply in 2015. Korres Korres is a beautiful Greek brand which was founded on a passion for capturing the best of the natural flora, herbs and traditions of Greece. The aromatic formulations are based on four groups of natural and certified organic ingredients which were originally defined by company founder,

George Korres, who ran the first homeopathic pharmacy in Athens. Sysco Guest Supply and Korres have partnered to create a guest amenity range which reflects the brand’s core values. These have been clinically proven to deliver effective results and include Aloe and Pro-vitamin in the shampoo and conditioner to revitalise and strengthen hair, and a cleansing shower gel and body lotion with a fresh citrus fragrance. Acca Kappa The Acca Kappa Guest Collection was created from one of the brand’s most famous fragrances, Muschio Bianco (or White Moss). With its fresh Mediterranean harmonies of essential oils of lavender and juniper, Muschio Bianco evokes sweet, warm and sensual notes, with a slight perfume of wood, amber and moss. This sophisticated line is specially formulated to respect the skin and appeal to men and women. Sysco Guest Supply has been partnered with the stylish Italian brand for a number of years, providing luxury hotels with the White Moss Guest Collection. Next year will see a new design for the range, further accentuating its elegance and sophistication.

Salvatore Ferragamo Five star brand Salvatore Ferragamo is truly distinguished with luxurious fashion collections. A brand endorsed by celebrities and featured in major fashion and lifestyle magazines across the globe is available from Sysco Guest Supply for your in room amenity requirements. Sysco Guest Supply has a worldwide partnership to supply the luxury Tuscan Soul Lifestyle Guest Collection to the Hotel Hospitality Industry. The Tuscan Soul fragrance expresses the exclusive Salvatore Ferragamo lifestyle for men and women. It is a contemporary Eau de Toilette with notability and character providing the perfect fragrance for the brand’s flagship amenity collection. The range includes hair and skin care which will undoubtedly exceed your guest’s expectations and provide them with an unforgettable and truly indulgent experience. A number of other brands are also available. To enquire further about supplying any of these brands to your hotel, please contact Sysco Guest Supply on 0118 981 7377 or see the website www.guestsupply.com

GS Magazine 51

TOTO at Rosewood

Rosewood London has already been featured in GS Magazine as one of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most stylish new 5* hotels. At that time parts of the hotel had yet to open including the Grand Manor House Wing, which is surely the most opulent space within the hotel. Located in a private wing of the hotel and consisting of six guestrooms measuring an unrivalled 6,318 sq ft., a private entrance and elevator, it even has its own postcode! The luxurious finishes offered in the Grand Manor House Wing and the Garden House Suite extend into the multiple bathrooms available, where TOTOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Neorest LE Washlet has been used. Tel: +44 (0)20 7831 7544 eu.toto.com Image shows detachable remote control with multiple cleaning functions

52 GS Magazine

Award winning Ormer restaurant designer employs Craftwood Interiors...

Commissioned to work with Martin Brudnizki Design Studio and Shaun Rankin Martin Brudnizki contacted Craftwood to manufacture the desired bespoke banquettes. Having previously collaborated on a number of successful projects, there was no doubt that Craftwood would deliver a first class result together. Previous projects included The Club at The Ivy, J Sheekey and several of Jamie’s Italian restaurants. Craftwood created bespoke Chesterfield style banquettes in a luxurious mohair fabric which embodies the perfect blend of comfort and sophistication. Sprung seats were chosen for optimum comfort and lifespan, ensuring supreme quality - regardless of the level of usage. As the seating is predominantly used for dining, it was vital that important elements such as seat heights, depths and lumbar support were all addressed for maximum comfort and style. The beautiful buttoned scroll arms, with metal studding detail, mounted on reeded turned legs completed these stunning banquettes. The Chesterfield design of seating is a sought after addition for its elegance and class. Tel: +44 (0)1953 854 009 www.craftwood-uk.com

... Award winning self-stabilising tables

With StableTable™ dozens of new possibilities have opened up to interior designers, architects and anyone involved in designing new restaurants, pubs, bars or coffee shops. The ingenious, selfstabilizing table works equally well indoors and outdoors and was the winner of the innovation Award at Hotelympia 2012. In fact, with the new technology applied to their later ‘flip-top’ innovation they also won the award for 2014, making them the only company to win back to back innovation awards at Hotelympia. With StableTable™, the fully mechanical and patented system sits well protected inside the central pillar, hidden away from dirt, rain and gravel. The table base comes in a range of different sizes, heights, colours and finishes and can be combined with any table top. The tables automatically and instantly level out to comfortably manage gradients, bumps and groves up to 25mm so no more wobbly tables! www.stabletable.co.uk info@stabletable.co.uk

GS Magazine 53

THE HUNTER FAN COMPANY Low Cost Cooling! Ultra Low Energy DC Ceiling Fan Using an incredibly low 3w of power on low speed, the latest range of Lucci low energy DC ceiling fans is now available in the UK. The Airfusion Climate range use the innovative control technology coupled with LED lights to make big energy and cost savings. At full speed it uses just 35w compared to 2,500w for an equivalent air conditioning unit. Ceiling fans are a great choice for hotels since they are easy to install and are more comfortable for clients as they don’t dry the air. Being incredibly quiet they can also be left on all night to provide a more comfortable sleep. They also work in reverse so that in winter hot air can be reclaimed from the ceiling saving more energy. With their stylish contemporary designs they can bring a unique focus to any room. The Hunter Fan Company Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)1256 636 509 www.hunterfan.co.uk

T LONDON T London is a new British-born brand of Bath & Body Care formulated with the finest botanicals, combined with a unique blend of essential oils to relax and renew the soul, no matter how hard the day or how long the journey. T London is inspired by tea and the delicacy of its subtle and reviving aromas combined with its ability to refresh and restore. Each essential oil selected by the T London parfumiers is done so with the utmost care. Enriched and blended with a twist of sweet orange reminiscent of warm Mediterranean nights, zesty lemongrass from the palm-filled tropics, vibrant nutmeg from the spice trails of Kerala and Lemon from temperate groves, the signature T London Darjeeling collection is a delicate and refreshing fragrance that calms and clears the mind. It is these oils, along with the patient attention to detail which goes into every blend, that makes each T London product so distinctive. Ethically packaged and manufactured, not tested on animals and free from parabens, sulfates, artificial colours, mineral oils, urea and glycols. Formulations are up to 98% natural so guests can relax assured and enjoy them to the full. For more details contact +44 (0)20 7284 5939 or info@t-london.com

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The home of innovative surfaces for architects and designers www.surfacedesignshow.com/gs Incorporating

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GS Magazine 55

Effective engagement, maximum impact Want a modern and cost effective way to visually engage your customers? Display your content, promotions and events using Intelligent Real Time Digital Menus and Digital Signage with Linsar Cameo. - Remote management of content - Right content, right people, right time - Works with all Linsar TV’s and comes as a complete solution. Contact Paul Reynolds to discuss 0845 555 1101 paul.reynolds@linsar.com

Look familiar? Want to provide your guests with their desired in room entertainment, but dread the upheaval and disruption to your business when installing additional cabling? Well look no further, Linsar Colanax can provide the perfect solution and save you on costs AND downtime.    

Fast Installation NO downtime Huge cost savings NO new cabling needed

Works with all Linsar TV’s and comes as a complete solution. Contact Paul Reynolds to discuss 0845 555 1101 paul.reynolds@linsar.com