Member Article

Purple Peacock to ruffle restaurant feathers

Marketing Director, Sonali Craddock, has drawn on all her experience of launching a high end restaurant in India to come up with a concept that should ruffle a few feathers on the North East hospitality scene.

Having lived and worked on the sub continent for the best part of a decade, she has adapted the vibrant designs, used to such great effect there, to influence look and feel of the new Purple Peacock restaurant, which is scheduled to open its doors in Newcastle in October.

It will replace the Fat Buddha - under 55° North - as High Street Hospitality takes on the lease for this outlet and the adjacent Antler restaurant, which will evolve to deliver a sports bar theme. The move is part of a plan to create a new hotel in the space beneath the apartments.

Sonali, who heads up the marketing team of The High Street Group of Companies – of which High Street Hospitality is part – lived in India with her parents as a child and later returned to work in Delhi.

She said: “The décor is unique, extravagant and bold, with a royal jewel colour palate and themed accessories to complement the restaurants colourful name. There will be a giant peacock, lots of feathers and bird cage features.

“We believe that visitors to the restaurant will be compelled to take photos and share these across social media. The food will be contemporary with an element of Asian / classic fusion and we plan a strong emphasis on vegan and vegetarian cuisine.”

High Street Hospitality has also opened a Purple Peacock at the Parkmore Hotel in Eaglescliffe, which it bought last year. Since then a £1 million plus refurbishment has been underway in a drive to make it one of the leading dining, wedding and leisure destinations in the region.

The hotel – which was originally built in 1896 - will enjoy improved function and spa facilities, the upgrade of all 55 bedrooms to a very high, boutique standard and the establishment of a new bar, as well as the restaurant.

High Street Hospitality is committed to constructing or acquiring 15 to 20 hotels across the North of England over the next 10 years. Cosy, boutique style hotels – under the company’s Hotel 52 brand – are already established in Whitley Bay and Stanley, while the company also acquired The Sea Hotel in South Shields and The Three Horseshoes at Washington. Recently it bought land at DurhamGate, near Spennymoor, for a sixth outlet.

In addition, it has opened Pazzo and Rustica Trattoria (Italian) and Loca (Latin American) restaurants as well as several Bar52 sports bars.

With its headquarters in Stockbridge House, the group was established by Gary Forrest in 2006. It has grown to become a leading financial and property group employing around 350 people in activities including large scale property development and construction, hospitality and leisure.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Dobbie .