One of the region’s largest independent restaurant companies, 21 Hospitality Group started with one restaurant in 1988 on Newcastle's revamped Quayside. 21 Queen Street was set up by chef Terry Laybourne, his wife Susan and brother Laurance. Within three years, it had won a Michelin star. Wanting to appeal to a wider audience, and offer different styles and venues, Terry gradually added Bistro 21 (classic bistro, rustic style), Caffe Vivo (contemporary Italian 'peasant' food) and Cafe 21 at Fenwick (sassy, department-store eaterie), The Broad Chare (a new kind of 'old' pub) and turned the original fine-dining restaurant into Cafe 21, a smart, city-centre bistro. Numerous awards were won along the way including a Michelin Star, Egon Ronay Star, Independent Restaurateur of the Year, Gold Winner Taste of North East England, Newcomer of the Year and an MBE for service to the Hospitality Industry.
