Friday five: the week's top hospitality stories
- Brett Graham’s Notting Hill restaurant The Ledbury has been named the Best Restaurant in the UK 2024, 12 years after it last held the title. The restaurant was crowned the UK’s Best Restaurant and also the Best Restaurant in England at Restaurant’s annual National Restaurant Awards. The Ledbury launched in 2005 and held the title of the UK’s Best Restaurant between 2010 and 2012. It closed during the pandemic and reopened in 2022 after a two-year hiatus.
- Jason Atherton is to open a neighbourhood-style bistro on Pavilion Road in London’s Chelsea. The restaurant’s name will be Three Darlings in homage to the Athertons' three daughters and is described as offering ‘seasonal, stylish, yet joyously casual dining’. It will run in partnership with Atherton’s wife and business co-director, Irha. Three Darlings is the second planned opening announced by Atherton in as many months.
- Richard Caring is set to sell his entire share in The Ivy and its sister restaurants to an as yet unidentified buyer. Caring is expected to completely cash out of the business, having initially been expected to retain a residual stake in the group of about 25%. Caring launched a £1bn auction for his share in Troia (UK) Restaurants, the parent company of The Ivy Collection, back in January. He is a co-owner of the restaurant group in a 50/50 partnership with former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin-Jassim Bin-Jaber Al Thani.
- Minor Hotels has drafted in restructuring experts to advise on cost management issues at The Wolseley Hospitality Group. Sky News reports that Minor, which acquired full control of the business, formerly Corbin & King, in April 2022 following a prolonged and very public battle for ownership with the group's co-founder Jeremy King, has brought in advisors from AlixPartners. The project is said to be at an early stage and could lead to a range of outcomes, according to industry sources.
- Hammersmith stalwart The River Café will launch a more casual offshoot. Mere steps away within Thames Wharf Studios, The River Café Cafe will offer Italian-style breakfasts in the morning with options including brioche and cakes and fresh fruit. Throughout the day the Rainville Road venture will offer plates of prosciutto and mozzarella, seasonal vegetables such as zucchini and grilled peppers in the summer and roasted pumpkin, squash, and borlotti beans in the winter. River Café desserts will be served all day, while pastries, ice creams, Italian hot chocolate, teas and coffees will be available to take away.
