No1 Hospitality Marketing Platform
November 2023
Contents Head Of Marketing -Daniel Draper • dan@highendhospitality.co.uk 07507941770 • Sales Manager – Molly Lloyd molly@highendhospitality.co.uk • 07704036444 Editors - Lillian Graham info@highendhospitality.co.uk
04-08 Latest Hospitality News 12-15 Food and Drink 17-21 Christmas Preview
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24-28 Commercial Lighting
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33-37 Hospitality News
Editors Assistant – Louise • info@highendhospitality.co.uk
And more amazing content and companies inside…
Sales Executive – Thomas info@highendhospitality.co.uk
With over 25 years experienced team behind us we will be happy to help promote any brands or stories you would like to share.
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Latest Hospitality News
As the UK hospitality sector continues to face challenges, 39% of Brits think hospitality venues aren't trying hard enough to encourage them to visit. The research, commissioned by independent finance broker Charles & Dean, highlights that half (48%) now expect more from hospitality venues if they are to visit, as over 1 in 2 (55%) would visit a restaurant that invested in new developments and 43% admit spending more in recently renovated venues. What’s more, the difficulty of the last few years and a lack of recent investment hasn’t gone unnoticed: 41% say their local restaurants look below par and in need of an update. In its ‘Feeding Growth for F&B’ report, Charles & Dean has mapped potential investment areas and developed a Hospitality Investment Index, outlining the investment areas likely to drive most ROI in restaurants and bars. The research reveals that consumers are not only willing to visit hospitality venues due to these investments, but they will spend more when there. The data reveals that, on average, they would spend £19.44 extra per person in venues with music or entertainment and £19.96 in a venue with outside space. New and innovative technology looks to be a winner: Brits would pay an average of £20.62 more at venues with features such as self-ordering or technology that pours drink.
Even the most futuristic-seeming features have appeal, with 50% saying they would spend more (an average of an additional £22.27) at venues that incorporated AI or machine learning into the experience, and 48% in venues with ‘robot’ waiters or chefs at an average spend uplift of £23.24 per person. Tom Perkins, Director and Co-founder, Charles & Dean, commented: “Long-term uncertainty has plagued hospitality businesses, who have been holding back on innovation and investment. Our research has shown that even introducing a new menu or incorporating new technology is likely to help attract and retain customers and so, while this may require some extra thought, planning and investment, it can also be the key to unlocking further revenue.”
Latest Hospitality News
Hollywood’s most prolific ‘Bad Ass’ actor, Danny Trejo (Machete, Spy Kids, From Dusk Till Dawn, Heat), is bringing his iconic Mexican brand, Trejo’s Tacos, to the UK with the launch of its first site in West London’s Notting Hill from end of Q4 2023. With its cult following, Trejo’s Tacos has cemented itself as one of the biggest success stories within the Los Angeles restaurant scene, and now the hotly anticipated arrival of Trejo’s Tacos in the UK marks the first instalment of a Europe-wide rollout strategy over the next five years.
Located on the iconic Portobello Road, Trejo’s Tacos is a two-storey destination restaurant over 3,000 sq’ ft large, able to house 70 covers for inside dining and a further 30 covers for alfresco dining on the outdoor terrace. As a flagship restaurant and concept showcase, it will immerse clientele in an elevated Mexican dining experience; from an opulent cocktail bar serving the finest tequila and mezcal infused drinks, to an illicit underground speakeasy with a second bar featuring DJs for the after-dinner crowds. Catering for the morning and local market crowd will include Trejo’s world-famous breakfast burritos and tacos.
Famed for its brand of ‘mindful Mexican cuisine’ using fresh, clean, and sustainably sourced ingredients, the menu will feature all the beloved signature dishes. From the slow-roasted pork carnitas taco, served with fresh pineapple and fermented hot sauce, to Anthony Bourdain’s proclaimed favourite – the streak asada taco with pepita pesto - to a host of unmissable staples including shrimp tostados, Baja-style beer-battered fish, blackened salmon, and beef-brisket. There is also a diverse and plentiful range of gluten free, celiac friendly, vegan, paleo and pescetarian dishes including its asada-style mushrooms, young jackfruit, and roasted cauliflower taco which the Los Angeles Times proclaimed as “Recipe of the Year.”
Continuing the Mexican celebration, Trejo’s will serve a premium range of local craft beers and focus on agavebased tequila and mezcal spirits with a wide selection of fresh-fruit infused margaritas including its signature frozen OG Margarita and its Lavender Paloma, which combines tequila with smoky mezcal and fresh lavender, marrying traditional Mexican fare with a dash of Los Angeles. As a renowned advocate for nonalcoholic beverages, Danny Trejo’s recently launched inhouse brand of ‘Trejo’s Spirits’ includes its zero-proof tequila alternative crafted from a blend of essences, extracts, and distillates from around the world, ensuring a ‘kickass drink that tastes like a full-on celebration’.
Trejos Tacos is the result of two passions colliding; a family heritage of Mexican cooking passed down through generations, and a 40-year career as one of Hollywood’s most beloved acting icons, with over 500 credits in television and film to his name. Following a serendipitous conversation on the set of ‘Bad Ass’ with veteran film producer Ash Shah, the two cooked up a shared vision for Trejo’s Tacos, opening the first taqueria in Los Angeles in 2016 followed quickly with openings in Hollywood, the Original Farmers Market, Santa Monica and downtown LA. The taco empire now boasts seven restaurants including Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts.
Through its partnership with Live Nation, Trejo’s Tacos has firmly secured its cult status as the go-to food concept in the US festival and events circuit. Plans are also afoot to expand this partnership to UK festival audiences including Glastonbury and Wilderness. Actor, restaurateur, and bestselling author, Danny Trejo, said: “When we launched Trejo’s Tacos in LA, our aim was to serve a better version of Mexican food that won’t clog your arteries. In Mexican cooking, recipes are handed down through generations, and that’s what inspired this whole concept: generations of my family’s recipes. We’ve taken out the stuff that isn’t healthy, without losing the great taste and flavour.” “When it comes to restaurants, everyone asks me: what’s my secret? Restaurants usually die within their first year. We’ve opened seven in four years. People come for the food, good service, and a feeling of community. People come back for the good food…and because they feel at home when they step back inside a Trejo’s Tacos. That’s all.” “I’m so ready to bring Trejo’s Tacos to London. I love the creativity that the city inspires, and I can’t think of a better place to launch internationally than with our friends in London. I’m excited that we found the perfect time and team to bring Trejo’s to its second home.” The London based venture is spearheaded by leading restaurateur Jerome Armit, the driving force behind The Crazy Bear Fitzrovia, Truffle Hunting’s pub group including Newman Street Ttavern and The Princess Victoria, Crazy Homies and Soho’s El Camion - and film producer and financier Sean O’Kelly (Deep Fear, Iron Sky, Margin Call), who will jointly helm the operation as CoCEOs. The advisory team also includes Yianni Papoutsis, founder of MEATliquor credited as ‘The Godfather of the street food revolution.’ The shared vision is to elevate the fast food and casual dining market by bringing healthy, sustainably sourced, tasty, and contemporary eating to a lifestyle conscious crowd. Co-CEO of Trejo’s Tacos UK, Jerome Armit, added: “When Sean and I set out on this journey, we knew we were onto something special. Mention it to anyone who’s been to LA and they’ll tell you it’s the first place they visit. We knew there was a huge gap in the market here in the UK for authentic and healthy Mexican Food. We could not be more excited to be working with Danny and Ash to bring this world-leading brand to the UK. The diversity and cultural hub of West London’s iconic Portobello Road is the perfect home for our first site. We can’t wait to open our doors later this year.”
Latest Hospitality News
Announced at the VIP opening session of the annual Surf Park Summit tradeshow event in San Diego, CA, EpicSurf® is proud to have been chosen as the surf wave technology for the Leander Springs (Leander, Texas) the $1 billion 78-acre mixed used development project in the Austin TX MSA. Central to this new urban neighborhood is a 4-acre crystalline lagoon surrounded by 10 acres of boardwalk and related amenities- serving as the “centerpiece” for more than 1 million square feet of commercial development.
The lagoon will bring the real-feel of beach living to Leander with crystalline water for swimming, wading, paddle boarding, kayaking, in-water fun and lounging around the perimeter. As the demand for beachfront properties has continued to grow, Leander Springs will bring the idyllic beach lifestyle to their residents and vacationers. With the 4-acre lagoon, comes a lot of surrounding beach area for family, entertainment, relaxation and activities. One of these core activities coming to Leander Springs will be inland surfing.
“We are honored that EpicSurf has been chosen as the surf wave technology for the Leander Springs project in Texas,” said Bruce Quay, COO of Aquatic Development Group & EpicSurf. “EpicSurf will be the perfect feature to complement the lagoon and associated amenities offered in this mixed-use development. With the ability to tailor the wave to all of the residents – for surf lessons, expert level sessions or even for the spectators who just want to get up close to the excitement, EpicSurf provides an experience for everyone.” One of the key partners involved in the project, ICON Leisure developed the program of activities and engagement elements surrounding the lagoon, introducing EpicSurf as the surf wave technology provider. “I have worked on many lagoon and surf park projects over the past decade, and this one is particularly exciting because of its fantastic location in the Texas Hill Country,” said Brian Stovall, managing partner of ICON Leisure. “ICON Leisure is proud to work alongside this team to provide operational design consulting and management for Leander Springs.” Along with the attractions and amenities, Leander Springs will also offer office space, retail space, restaurants, 1,600 multifamily residential units, a 400-room hotel and 20,000 sf conference center. “This dynamic mixed-use development is a game changer for our community,” said Leander Mayor Troy Hill in a city release.
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THE GORING HOTEL APPOINTS JEET CHAUHAN DIRECTOR OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE London’s iconic luxury hotel The Goring is delighted to announce the appointment of Jeet Chauhan as Director of Food and Beverage. A proactive and guest centric individual with over 14 years of experience within Food and Beverage, Jeet will be in charge of culinary offerings and beverages served in The Dining Room, The Goring Cocktail Bar, The Veranda , Room Service and all Private Dining Rooms.
Jeet is no stranger to London’s culinary scene and brings critically acclaimed skills to The Goring. His career began in New Delhi India before moving to London where he has worked at The Savoy for the past eight years. It was there where he demonstrated and further developed his leadership, business operation, and communication skills. Other hotel groups Jeet has worked for during his impressive career include: Jimmy’s World Restaurants Limited, The Imperial (New Delhi, India), Mist Restaurant at Agni Night Club (New Delhi, India) and The Oberoi Amarvilas (Agra, India).
In January 2013, The Goring was granted a Royal Warrant of appointment to HM The Queen for Hospitality Services and in 2016 The Dining Room was awarded its first Michelin star.
Jeet’s wealth of experience within the luxury Food and Beverage hotel industry perfectly complements The Goring’s rich and iconic history. The Goring was opened in 1910 by Otto Goring and is now the only five-star luxury hotel in London that is owned and run by the family that built it. Jeet Chauhan, Director of Food and Beverage at The Goring commenting on his appointment, “I'm thrilled to be part of The Goring team. The warm, family-like atmosphere here immediately drew me in. I see this as an opportunity to craft my own narrative and I'm truly looking forward to what we'll achieve together.” The Goring was opened in 1910 by Otto Goring and is now the only five-star luxury hotel in London that is owned and run by the family that built it. Deep in the heart of Belgravia, close to Buckingham Palace, The Goring is within strolling distance of the Royal Parks and some of the city’s finest shops, theatres and galleries.
Christmas 2023 Preview
Padstow Christmas Festival 7th - 10th December 2023 As one of the UK’s largest Christmas food festivals, this highly anticipated event will be bringing some of the world’s most revered Chefs to Padstow, Cornwall, along with press and media attention from far and wide. The guests planned for this year are already creating a buzz, with a who’s who of over 70 top-tier chefs from across the country joining culinary kings Rick Stein and Paul Ainsworth. The festival also holds huge significance to the local community, generating funds and helping small businesses survive out-of-season.
With over 50,000 visitors expected to attend and a whole host of activities, entertainment and celebrity chef shenanigans to experience, we are gearing ourselves up for the most exciting and extravagant Padstow Christmas Festival to date!
If you’d like to be involved, we’d love to hear from you and we’ll do all we can to fulfil your wishes and help shape your story! We have full access to all chefs in attendance, we can organise interviews, arrange content and anything else that might be helpful.
If you would like to attend the festival please shout as we’re on hand to make arrangements and can support you with accommodation, dining etc. Flights are super quick and easy from London to Newquay, and Padstow is just 30 minutes away, so the Festival could be the perfect pre-Christmas getaway!
padstowchristmasfestival.co.uk
ENJOY A VERY WIGHT CHRISTMAS AT FORESTERS HALL This Christmas, make the most of the UK with Foresters Hall and its festive welcome for the ultimate staycation. The Isle of Wight is a fairy-tale Christmas scene, it doesn’t get much more quintessential than Cowes and the island’s most spectacular and diverse coastlines.
A three-night stay, afternoon tea with jazz band on arrival, complimentary hot chocolate bar, delicious dining, wellies for winter walks, late check out for a luxurious lie-in… and of course, there are the usual Foresters Hall touches to make it extra special. Prices from £917.50pp sharing a cosy room with a kingsize bed and from £1385 for the same room for solo travellers.
Whether you're looking for a place to call home for a few nights in the run-up to the big day or a luxury hideaway with availability over Christmas Day itself, Foresters Hall is available to book now for the festive season.
Sunday 24th is when the party starts. Guests can tuck into Afternoon Tea full of boozy mince pies and spiced mulled wine listening the hotel’s favourite Jazz trio.
“And an exciting way to usher in the new year” ‘Tis the season to indulge in some festive fun. And Foresters Hall is the perfect home-away-from-home to get cosy, relaxed and recharged. ‘A Very Wight Christmas’ is all you need from a hotel package over Christmas. The team at Foresters Hall will not only take care of all the prepping and cooking, but they also have an itinerary lined up that will leave you feeling like you have had a truly magical Christmas.
As the afternoon drifts into twilight, visitors can venture out to explore Cowes and return to the sound of champagne corks popping as the hotel kicks-off the celebrations with Christmas cocktails. And it doesn’t stop there, after dinner by Smoking Lobster Chef Jake Storey’s seasonal -inspired menu, there will be live music and merry making. The unwinding really continues with a late nightcap and stocking hanging.
On Christmas day guests can stay snuggled-up in bed to enjoy opening stockings before making their way down to breakfast. For the more adventurous, the morning can be spent working up an appetite with a bracing walk by the sea or simply enjoy each other’s company in front of the hotel’s open fires.
And for the most relaxing stay, guests can enjoy a liein with a later check out on the 27 th and enjoy a hot breakfast before heading off. ‘A Very Wight Christmas’ is prices from £917.50pp sharing, and from £1385 for solo travellers and includes:
Christmas Lunch by Chef Storey will be an indulgent four course meal including juicy turkey with all the trimmings, and of course, not forgetting the ultimate Christmas Puddings.
Christmas Eve:
After lunch, guests will sink into sumptuous sofas in-front of an open fire, some taking advantage of the choice of books in the hotel library; or for those who want a post-turkey stretching of the legs, they can enjoy a crisp balmy walk in the hotel’s complimentary wellies. For those who’s appetite isn’t quite fulfilled, there will be more delicious food at the ‘leftovers’ buffet - perfect for grazing all evening, whilst relaxing with loved ones and eventually drifting off to bed. On Boxing Day, a Bloody Mary with hot breakfast might be just what the doctor ordered, before guests head out for the traditional Boxing Day Swim from Gurnard Beach or to explore the island on the hotel’s complimentary bicycles, before a late Boxing Day lunch at Smoking Lobster Cowes (optional) on the High Street and its Asianinspired menu. A 3-course dinner will be available at the hotel for residents in the evening.
Afternoon tea with Mulled wine and Jazz
Christmas Cocktail
3 course dinner
Nightcap
Christmas Day:
Hot breakfast
Christmas Day Lunch
Leftovers Buffet
Boxing Day:
Hot breakfast with Bloody Mary
[lunch at Smoking Lobster Cowes is optional and not included in price)
3 course dinner
27th December:
Hot Breakfast
Late check-out
For those who are looking for a festive knees-up for New Year with many of the same activities, guests can enjoy a similar half board offer to the Christmas package (either in addition to Xmas or on its own) - a three-night stay at Foresters Hall and ten course tasting menu on New Year’s Eve itself, including a glass of champagne while listening to a Jazz Quartet (from £1420 for solo travellers and £947pp sharing). What better way to welcome 2023 than in beautiful style, fine company and enjoying delicious food and drink? As a way to start the year as you mean to go on, or as a special treat, Foresters Hall will make sure you ring in the new year with bells on.
Adding a touch of Scentered to your Christmas We have compiled our top three favourite Scentered products to use and incorporate into the festive season. Whether you are looking for some lastminute dining table décor, a guaranteed good night’s sleep or the perfect travel companion, we have got you covered…
Ensure you really can dream of a white Christmas… When we reach Christmas Eve it feels like a weight is lifted from our shoulders. The Christmas gifts have been bought, wrapped and sitting neatly under the tree. The food has been swept off the supermarket shelves and officially chilling in the ready to burst fridge, and the vegetable peeling is well underway. After all of the Christmas planning and prep you deserve to have the happiest of Christmas days. The way to achieve that? A good night’s sleep the night before. We recommend that you pick out your cosiest pyjamas, apply your Sleep Well balm and light your Sleep Well candle on Christmas Eve in order to drift off into your best night’s sleep yet.
The finishing touch to your dining table décor.. You have probably been planning your Christmas dinner table décor for months but perhaps you are looking for a finishing touch? Adding burning candles to your dining table is a must for completing the festive atmosphere. We will personally be lighting our Scentered love candles for our festive mealtimes. The love candle encompasses everything that we believe Christmas defines. It is a heart-warming and rich, spicy floral blend of Rose, Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Aniseed and Coriander which aims to promote feelings of harmony, peace and love. It will be your calmest and most soothing meal yet!
Your perfect travel companion… Many of you will be travelling short and long distances in order to visit family and friends this Christmas. Whilst these are special and memorable trips, they can be draining and busy times of the year. Therefore we recommend that no matter how far you are travelling you always carry our Travel Essentials Therapy Balm Duo alongside you. Our therapeutic sleep balm allows you to enjoy a soothing sleep wherever you rest your head and our stimulating Focus Therapy Balm helps to awaken the senses and focus the mind, leaving you ready to face whatever the day or night brings. Please contact dawn@scentered.com for more information scentered.me
Elstead Lighting have just released their 2024 collection. This 1000-page master catalogue is separated into Interior and Exterior sections and captures over 300 new models launched in the last 12 months. Elstead has a comprehensive collection with something to suit all styles, sizes and budgets. From stunning chandeliers and pendants to exceptional portables and stylish ceiling fans, there are many great lighting options for hospitality interiors. For outdoor living and patio areas there is a wide selection of traditional or modern lanterns and lamp posts, including a great range of bollards to light up car parking areas and pathways. With almost 55 years of manufacturing lighting products, Elstead now offers an extra ordinary collection of decorative interior and exterior fittings for the hospitality sector. They are proud to sell products to a truly worldwide audience, lighting beautiful hotels, restaurants, and coffee bars in more than 50 countries. Head-quartered in the UK, Elstead now have sales and distribution subsidiaries in Ireland, Poland, France, Germany and Dubai, so that they can service turnkey projects more efficiently. For more information or to request a catalogue contact: enquires@elsteadlighting.com or Tel: 01420 82377 or visit: www.elsteadlighting.com
Selina Hotels Announces Exciting Partnership with West Midlands Trains: Exclusive 20% Discount Offer for UK-Based Travellers To mark and celebrate its recent collaboration with West Midlands Trains, Selina Hotels, the fast-growing experiential hospitality brand targeting millennial and Gen Z travellers, is providing a special 20% discount on stays at any of its six UK-based properties. This exclusive offer is available to all travellers with West Midlands Trains and can be redeemed using the dedicated promo code UKTRAINS, which remains valid until December 2024. To take advantage of the discount and find out more about Selina Hotels, simply head to Selina.com/uk and enter UKTRAINS when checking availability and booking. 20% will automatically be removed from the final price. With six stunning properties in Birmingham, Manchester, London, Liverpool, Margate and Brighton, Selina blends beautifully designed accommodation with coworking, recreation, wellness, and local experiences. Founded in 2014 and custom-built for today's nomadic traveller,
Selina provides guests with a global infrastructure to seamlessly travel and work abroad. Each Selina property is designed in partnership with local artists, creators, and tastemakers, breathing new life into existing buildings in interesting locations. West Midlands Trains provides 1m passengers per week with a convenient and comfortable connection from Birmingham and Liverpool to London. Previously known as London Midland, West Midlands Trains is now split into two separate train services, both with a different purpose for its passengers. With Birmingham New Street serving as a hub and interchange for the passengers, the two routes provide both long-distance and short-distance routes, enabling commuters to travel across the Midlands at relative ease. West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services. London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast Main Line to and from London Euston. West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill.
Burts unleashes £6m investment into Leicester factory Burts has invested £6m into its Leicester
These improvements to the factory have created 16
factory this year, doubling the site’s capacity to
new jobs at the Leicester location for frying and
produce more hand-cooked chips and
popping operatives. The premium snacks brand was acquired by leading
compression popped snacks to keep up with
French snack producer, Europe Snacks earlier this
demand.
year to better serve existing clients and unlock
Nationally acclaimed for its premium products and superior
growth through a wider offer of delicious snacking
taste, the investment aligns with the company's organic and
products and a market leading innovation pipeline.
strategic growth plan, creating new avenues for progression
Burts continues to operate from its two
and opportunities for its employees.
manufacturing sites in Leicester, Plymouth and Devon.
As part of the investment, installations include two new state-of-the-art fryers, one new bagging system and 14 compression poppers to create the brands popular Lentil Chips, along with doubling the potato storage capacity and updating handling operations.
Dave McNulty, managing director at Burts, said: “It’s an exciting time for the business, and the investment means we’re able to double our capacity at our Leicester site to keep up with the demand of our products. The improvement this will have on our manufacturing capabilities will allow us to continue to grow and innovate at a time where we want to continue building the momentum in the snacking category.”
Alongside the improvements to its Leicester factory, Burts is striving to further develop its sustainability programme by reducing its UK packaging, sourcing electricity from a local Devon solar farm and sourcing all its potatoes within an 85-mile radius of its Plymouth HQ. McNulty continues: “We know that there is still a long way to go in terms of sustainability for the business, but we are confident these changes are a step in the right direction for the business and the planet, without compromising on our great tasting hand-cooked snacks.”
burtschips.com
THE FOREST SIDE WINS THE AA’S HOTEL OF THE YEAR The Forest Side restaurant and rooms in Grasmere, in the Lake District, has been made the AA’s ‘Hotel of the Year England’ in the 2023 awards. The highly prestigious award, one of the biggest in the hospitality industry, was handed to General Manager Alasdair Elwick, Head Chef Paul Leonard and Owner Andrew Wildsmith at a ceremony held last night (25th September) at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London. Alasdair Elwick of Forest Side said: “I’m not going to lie – we’re absolutely buzzing to win the AA Hotel of the Year for England, it’s an absolutely megaachievement for us all at The Forest Side. We work so hard doing our thing, in our way and how we want to do it, our guests love it, and our honest and genuine approach clearly has been recognised. We’re going to have one awesome party!”
Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media said: “Every year we present awards to the very best AA-rated hotels, restaurants, spas and their teams across the UK. We introduced the renowned star rating scheme for quality in 1908 and are honoured to shine a welldeserved spotlight on individuals and establishments who consistently deliver excellence to their guests.”
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With exclusive grounds to discover and a unique food offering, The Forest Side is in a world of its own making at the heart of the Lake District. It is a magical retreat surrounded by the stunning countryside of Wordsworth's beloved Grasmere. Set in a gothic mansion, with a charming team to provide every comfort and service, there are 20 beautiful bedrooms, welcoming lounges and a highly creative bar team. This is the home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, led by Head Chef Paul Leonard designed to be a reflection of the very landscape in which it sits. To help achieve this, the kitchen selects only the freshest locally sourced seasonal produce, which is then paired with an exclusive wine list featuring small organic and bio-dynamic wine producers. Many of the ingredients are homegrown in The Forest Side gardens and kitchen garden providing about 60% of the fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables needed, as well as an array of flowering plants and herbs.
DOBBIES OFFICIALLY OPENS ITS LARGEST EVER STORE AT THE JUNCTION, ANTRIM Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer has officially opened its largest ever store (Thursday 5 October) at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park. The 110,000sq ft flagship store is Dobbies’ second venture in Northern Ireland and has created 120 new jobs, making it one of the largest employers within the Antrim and Newtownabbey borough.
Local retail brand Musgrave to supply over 1,800 food hall products in first-of-its-kind partnership As further commitment to driving and investing in local growth, a unique partnership has been forged with Musgrave NI, a leading retail and wholesale business, who will supply a specially curated range to Dobbies’ 3,539 sq. ft food hall including Signature Tastes, Donnybrook Fair, Happy Pear and Frank & Honest Gourmet Coffee.
Television presenter Pamela Ballantine officially opened the doors this morning joined by Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Councillor Rosie Kinnear; Dobbies CEO, David Robinson; Dobbies Antrim General Manager Ken Ferguson and Operations Manager Jenny Campbell; and The Junction landlord, Lotus Property’s MD Alastair Coulson. Dobbies also welcomed school children and their families through the doors following the announcement of a partnership between Dobbies and local SEN school, Riverside. This is the largest store in Dobbies’ UK portfolio with outdoor and indoor plant areas; gardening products; seasonal items; pet, gift and toy departments as well as cookshop and home décor; a food hall, a Little Seedlings children’s soft play area and new restaurant and coffee shop, serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.
Opening ahead of the Christmas season, the new store features Dobbies’ full festive product range with an extensive programme of seasonal events planned from November onwards including Santa’s Grotto, a Quiet Grotto experience for those with additional needs, Santa Paws, Santa’s Breakfast and more.
Dobbies CEO, David Robinson said: “I’d like to share a huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in this project. It’s been amazing to see so many colleagues from across the business supporting the local team, and we’re proud to have created so many jobs in the local area. “I’d also like to thank everyone from the local community who has been so helpful and made us feel so welcome. We hope visitors to The Junction enjoy this fantastic Dobbies’ experience and we look forward to building on the strong relationships with our Junction neighbours and the wider Antrim community.”
Lotus Property Managing Director, Alastair Coulson: said: “Dobbies opening its doors onsite today is a real gamechanger for The Junction. We are very pleased to have a nationwide household name open its flagship store with us. I’m delighted to say occupancy levels are now at 92% – a testament to the investment and commitment the team here at The Junction have made to drive this destination forward.” Speaking on the food hall partnership, Julie Cherry, Trading Director at Musgrave NI said: “An in-store food hall partnership is a first-of-its-kind concept for Musgrave and one we’re very excited about. Building long-term, stable relationships is one of our values, so we’re delighted to partner with Dobbies to reach more shoppers across NI with our quality convenience food offer.” Celebrations for the opening will continue on Saturday 7 October, with the Cool FM Bus on site at The Junction with presenters Melissa Riddell and Curtis McCosh.
About this title // Don’t be shy! Let them know how great you are. This is the back cover of your booklet, so it’s one of the first and last things the recipient sees. It’s a great place for your ‘elevator pitch.’ If you only had a few seconds to pitch your products or services to someone, what would you say?
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