Boulestin Restaurant to open in St James this September – Chartridge Collection goes on market – Guy Wallis takes on The Plough at Finstock
Boulestin to open September with Andrew Woodford as Head Chef
Joel Kissin is set to launch a new restaurant called Boulestin in St James, London this September, and has announced Andrew Woodford as Head Chef.
Andrew was most recently head Chef at Colbert on Sloane Square, which he helped to launch, and had previously held Executive Sous Chef positions at The Wolseley, Brasserie Zedel, and The Delaunay.
Located in the heart of St James’s and inspired by the legendary cookbook writer and restaurateur Marcel Boulestin who inspired diners in Covent Garden for nearly seventy years, the new Boulestin will comprise a 60-seat bistro, private dining room, and Cafe Marcel, a 30-seat brasserie.
Joel Kissin co-founded Conran Restaurants with Terrence and opened numerous London restaurants including Le Pont de le Tour and Quaglino’s. Boulestin will be inspired by the French restaurateur, author and pioneering TV presenter Xavier Marcel Boulestin, whose Covent Garden restaurant opened in 1927.
Boulestin, 4 St James’s Street, London, SW1A 1EF
Chartridge Collection for sale
The Chartridge Collection of three hospitality venues in south east England is for sale.
The three venues — Hitchin Priory in Hitchin, Hertfordshire; Chartridge Lodge in Chesham, Buckinghamshire; and The Beeches in Bournville, Birmingham — were previously operated as five-day, midweek residential conference and training centres. Since the shareholders appointed Hamilton Hotel Partners as managers in January this year, the portfolio has undergone an intensive review and re-launch as “The Chartridge Collection”.
Hitchin Priory (top) has a high profile town centre location but, uniquely, benefits from a 19-acre parkland setting. Its characterful main building, the site of a former monastery, has original period features dating back to the 14th century. Its facilities across the main house and adjoining buildings include 52 guest bedrooms, 17 conference rooms (with capacities between 25 and 90 delegates), a 90-cover restaurant and two bars — as well as a gym, sauna, steam room and croquet lawn.
Hitchin Priory is available on a 999-year leasehold basis at a guide price of £3 million.
Chartridge Lodge (above) is a charming period property redolent of the ‘Arts & Crafts’ movement-style. This former British Airways management training centre comprises three interlinking sections — the original Lodge, East Wing and The Lee. The business comprises 57 guest bedrooms, 18 conference rooms (capacities between 30 and 80 delegates), traditional bar and restaurant (60 covers), business centre, gym, sauna, nine-hole pitch-and-putt course and outdoor floodlit tennis court. Like Hitchin Priory it, too, has a croquet lawn. In addition, it has a detached cottage and also 25 acres of gardens and woodlands.
The freehold of Chartridge Lodge is available at a guide price of £3 million.
The Beeches (above) was originally built by the Cadbury family for their employees in the early 20th century, used variously as a holiday and convalescent home and subsequently as a Cadbury training centre. This mid-market residential training centre includes 56 guest bedrooms, 24 conference rooms (capacities from 10-275 delegates), a 180-cover restaurant, bar, lounge, fitness room and games area.
The leasehold of The Beeches is available at a guide price of £1 million.
Offers are invited for the whole Chartridge Collection portfolio based on the combined price of £7 million. The assets are available either with the benefit of Hamilton Hotel Partners remaining in place under a management agreement or with vacant possession.
For further information click here
New owner gets behind The Plough
Popular country pub the Plough Inn at Finstock has been sold to Midlands hospitality sector veteran Guy Wallis in a deal brokered by Peter Brunt at Colliers International.
Locals packed the pub this week following a refurb and re-launch under Guy Wallis previously ran the Meynell Arms in Abbots Bromley near Stafford, the Belper Arms near Measham in Leicestershire, and the Golden Cross in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Built in 1772, the Plough Inn at Finstock, north east of Witney, has a thatched roof, low beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls and flagged floors, and is renowned across Oxfordshire as a characterful village pub complete with feet warming inglenook.
Son Jordan will once again join up with Guy as head chef, with a good value food offering expected to make up to half the takings.