ON-TRADE: NEWS

French to ditch les fags

France will institute a smoking ban in public places starting from February next year. In a television interview, French prime minster, Dominique de Villepin, cited health issues, including figures of smoking-related deaths in France, as motivating factors for the ban.

He explained that cafés, nightclubs and restaurants will have until January 2008, before they are included in the ban. The initial ban will include public areas such as stations, but will exclude streets, homes and hotel rooms.

This decision is a result of a report produced after five months of debate by a parliamentary committee.

A date has yet to be announced for the UK smoking ban, and discussions continue regarding the definition of “enclosed spaces”, the signage required, and the government’s proposals regarding fines.

In Scotland, where a ban on smoking has been in place since March, cigarette sales are reported to have increased by 5%. According to the Scottish Grocers Federation, sales of cigarettes in bars and pubs remain unchanged.

Paternoster’s pizza to go

Pizza Express owner, Gondola Holdings, is set to return to private ownership, after less than a year on the Alternative Investment Market.

Paternoster Acquisitions, formed by Cinven Ltd, made a cash bid of £559 million for the restaurant chain company that also runs the Ask and Zizzi chains.

The offer includes £4.15 per share, 29.7% more than the initial share price in November last year. This means, however, that a dividend of 4.7p per share, proposed in September, will not be paid.

A restaurant chain that remains on the Alternative Investment Market is Carluccio’s. Since its floatation nearly a year ago, the Italian café chain has opened five new locations in the UK. It reported a turnover of £45.6m, an increase of 24% over 2005.

Carluccio’s was established in 1991 as a food shop in Covent Garden in London, and has since opened a number of shops and cafés.

Beginners’ beer guide

An accreditation process has been established for the Cyclops tasting guide. The guide was developed by Camra and Everards Brewery, and targets pub-goers who are relatively new to real ale. The new accreditation process formalises the process for breweries who want to use the style.

Cyclops, using a symbol chart and categorisation, as well as other information, aims to simplify beer tasting notes for consumers and bar staff.

Brewers can now contact Camra who will arrange for an accreditor to visit their brewery. This centralisation of the use of Cyclops will ensure that the guide continues to be used in line with the agreed standards.

Everards’ head of marketing, David Bremner, says this “will ensure the standards remain consistent and therefore the programme will retain its credibility with the licensed trade and the consumer alike.”

London Openings

For new places to eat and drink in London, Fulham is the place to be. Last month saw the launch of The Waterside within the Imperial Wharf development. Located over three floors on the banks of the Thames, the pub is located near Chelsea Harbour and King’s Road. The Waterside features incredible views of the river, a menu created by AA Rosette winner Riad Zaik, and an extensive selection of wines, classic cocktails and ales.

Nearby, The Arbiter is scheduled to open this month. The first site of the new pub group Arbiter Enterprises, the two-storey venue is located on the former site of Meum Cor. The intention is for The Arbiter to be relaxed and comfortable, and to offer a bar menu as well as a seasonal lunch and dinner menu.

In Camden, Solo (fomerly known as Bar Solo) has had a makeover, with an emphasis on its basement, New York style, lounge and cabaret cocktail bar, Under Solo. It will host various events such as live comedy and music nights.

Primrose Hill’s classic restaurant, Odette’s reopened last month following refurbishment. The restaurant was recently acquired by Vince Power, founder of the Mean Fiddler Group. The menu will be seasonal, featuring modern French and British food.

Another restaurant celebrating British cuisine opened in Knightsbridge recently. Langtry’s is owned by Stein Group Hotels. The group recently took over the adjacent Cadogan Hotel, prompting this revival. Langtry’s originally formed part of the actress Lillie Langtry’s home.

Further east, in the five-star Marriott West India Quay, Curve has undergone a transformation, with a greater focus on fresh fish and seafood, sourced from the nearby Billingsgate fish market. The newly refurbished restaurant also features an oyster bar, as well as a large terrace overlooking the West India Quay.

Tokyo tops eating out expense chart

Tokyo’s Aragawa, a steak house, has retained its title as the most expensive restaurant in the world for the second year, in Forbes.com’s annual list.

The restaurant is hidden in Tokyo’s Shinbashi district, lacks any impressive decor, and only offers steak as an entrée. The average price per person is £199. Wagyu beef, served with just pepper and mustard, is apparently sourced from a single local farm.

Forbes’s list, compiled in association with Zagat restaurant guides, excludes US restaurants.

Next on the list is Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athinie in Paris, at an average of £125 per person. The restaurant apparently has a staff of 55, despite catering for just 50 people.

London’s original Gordon Ramsay restaurant in Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea takes bronze in Forbes’s list, at a comparatively reasonable £108 per person. The restaurant boasts three Michelin stars, and serves dishes such as pigeon with fois gras. With only 13 tables, bookings are usually taken two months in advance. The average cost includes tip, and only one drink.

Ramsay may come in third, but the Zagat guides lists London as only second to Tokyo for most expensive city for eating out.

In another resource for diners, the Which? Good Food Guide 2007 recently listed 1,200 top restaurants in the UK, including 333 entries from London.

In second place, Manchester was responsible for 26 listings, followed by Edinburgh with 22.

© db November 2006