FCSI appoints new chairman
Niccola Boyd-Stevenson, Managing Director of Panache Consultancy, has just taken the reins as new Chairman of the Foodservice Consultants Society UK and Ireland (FCSI), succeeding David Bentley, who has served the membership for his allocated two-year tenure.
Niccola has identified key areas that she will personally focus on to further the FCSI’s aim to share knowledge and raise standards. Niccola: “Collaboration is central to my agenda. As the only professional organisation for catering management and design consultancy, the executive team and I will be working with our members to influence best practice, infiltrate Government policy, and standardise good practice across the industry. I will also be looking at how FCSI members can work collectively on large projects, both in Europe and worldwide, to play to the strengths of members’ individual skill sets and resources.”
About Niccola Boyd-Stevenson
Niccola is formally trained with a National Diploma in Catering Management and the HCIMA, both from Westminster College, London.
The majority of her 25 years’ experience has been in the education sector, but Niccola has also worked in the Health Service during Compulsive Competitive Tendering. Despite the challenging environment, she became the youngest-ever NHS Catering Manager.
Following the role of Regional Operations Director for a contract caterer specialising in education, Niccola set up Panache Consultancy in 1994, with her first client Homerton College, Cambridge. As Managing Director, Niccola has grown Panache Consultancy from strength to strength over the last 19 years to a group of ‘Catering Consultants with Passion’. It employs seven people and offers a range of services covering consultancy, sales & marketing, executive lease as well as specialist areas such as food safety and environmental management.
New Managing Director of The LateRooms Group
TUI Travel Accommodation & Destinations has appointed Jesper With-Fogstrup, as Managing Director of The LateRooms Group which includes the TUI Travel accommodation online travel agent (OTA) brands LateRooms.com, AsiaRooms.com and MalaPronta.com.
Jesper joined The LateRooms Group as Operations Director in April 2012 and was promoted to interim Managing Director following the departure of Chris Morris who left the business in February. From 1 June 2013, Jesper becomes Managing Director and is based in The LateRooms Group head office in Manchester, UK.
At The LateRooms Group, Jesper´s responsibilities include maintaining the momentum of the LateRooms.com brand in the UK, continuing to grow AsiaRooms.com in the Asia Pacific market and continuing the integration of MalaPronta.com, one of Brazil’s leading domestic accommodation OTAs acquired in September 2012.
About TUI Travel A&D
TUI Travel Accommodation & Destinations (A&D) is a global provider of accommodation and inbound travel services. Its businesses provides hotel accommodation, transfers, excursions and tours, meetings and events and cruise handling services to tour operators, travel agents, corporate clients and direct to the consumer.
A&D competes in fast growing areas of the travel sector through four business lines: Accommodation wholesaler; Accommodation OTA (online travel agent); Inbound services and Cruise handling. It has market-leading brands including the global brands Hotelbeds, Intercruises, Destination Services, Worldcome and Pacific World and leading local brands including LateRooms.com, AsiaRooms.com and MalaPronta.com.
In the financial year ended 30 September 2012, TUI Travel Accommodation & Destinations had sales of €3.3 billion.
Peninsula Hotels in talks to buy Grosvenor Place
Derwent London plc is in non-binding heads of terms to sell its 50% interest in 1-5 Grosvenor Place SW1 to Peninsula Hotels for £132.5 million before costs. The other 50% interest is owned by Grosvenor.
The existing properties comprise mainly offices and extend to 168,000 sq ft (15,600m2) at Hyde Park Corner, Belgravia.
In 2012, Derwent London and Grosvenor, the freeholder of 1-5 Grosvenor Place, restructured their interests and established a joint venture. Under that agreement Derwent London’s leases, which were due to expire in 2063 and 2084, were restructured onto a 150-year term.
It is intended that, following the disposal of Derwent London’s interest, Peninsula Hotels and Grosvenor will work together towards redevelopment of the site as an hotel and residential scheme.
Major refurbishment for Seckford Hall Hotel
A multi million pound investment project has been announced by leading Suffolk Hotel, Seckford Hall Hotel. The four-star hotel has been open for over sixty years and was sold to a new private owner last year. Work will begin this week with completion of phase one due in the first week of September.
This renovation symbolises another milestone for the luxury hotel following on from its’ 4 star status achieved two years ago. The aim is to reposition it as the leading 4 star hotel in the county.
The East Wing, once a private residence is being transformed into a new extension of the hotel. A new event space accommodating up to 40 guests, and an executive boardroom, with dedicated break out area and new lounge area overlooking the once private walled gardens, will be completed by the end of the summer. Public spaces will be refurbished on the ground floor to boost customer comfort. The restaurant will be refurbished at the end of July and the reception area will be moved into a new open plan check in and lounge area. The existing bar area will become an intimate snug bar. The Great Hall, whilst retaining its beautiful linen fold panels will become home to a superb destination champagne and cocktail bar. An extensive bedroom and bathroom refurbishment will also take place over the coming year which commences at the same time.
Further investment will continue over the next 18 months, which will see the leisure facilities being upgraded, with additional treatment rooms, a new steam room, sauna and spa area and a new restaurant concept in the leisure area. Plans for additional bedrooms in the grounds of the hotel are also planned.
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Wilson Vale strengthens operational team
Wilson Vale has appointed Alan Beddie as operations director to strengthen the business through a very exciting period of growth and development. Having spent five years in a business development role with Wilson Vale between 2003 and 2008, Alan re-joined the company on 3rd June, following a five-year term as director at Harbour & Jones. He now works closely with Carolyne Vale to ensure consistent quality and stability for the independent caterer’s growing client base.
A unique facet of Wilson Vale is that its entire operational team is craft-trained, and Alan is no exception. Alan spent ten years in various chef roles, the last of which was with Baxter & Platts, where he was then given the opportunity to develop into management. He has since held various senior positions, including area manager at Holroyd Howe, director of business development at First Choice Coffee and more recently, director at Harbour & Jones.
Three Ramada hotels are launched to market
Knight Frank LLP has been instructed by the owners to sell three Ramada branded hotels located in Birmingham – Sutton Coldfield, Gatwick and Hatfield.
The total asking price is £16.9 million and the hotels will be sold as a portfolio or individually. The properties were let to Jarvis Hotels Limited until the current owners took back control of operations in 2011.
The hotels have been, and continue to be, run under the management of Redefine BDL Hotels and will be available with vacant possession as going concerns.
Ramada Birmingham Sutton Coldfield is a lakeside, 170 bedroom three star hotel, set in approximately 14 acres of grounds. It consists of extensive conference facilities accommodating up to 700 delegates, and an established leisure club, consisting of approximately 1,000 members.
Ramada Plaza London Gatwick consists of 151 bedrooms with bar, restaurant and conference facilities and 152 car parking spaces. It is located close to Manor Royal Business Park and three miles from Gatwick, the world’s busiest single runway airport. miles to the north.
The Ramada Hatfield consists of 128 bedrooms with bar, restaurant and conference capacity for up to 148 people. The hotel is situated adjacent to the University of Hertfordshire’s de Havilland campus and Hatfield Business Park.
Henry Jackson, partner, Knight Frank hotels team, commented: “Despite the change of control from Jarvis Hotels back in 2011, the businesses have not been disrupted. We expect the hotels to be well received in the market as they provide a potential trading platform for an investor or operator.”