Jeremy King was at work as usual yesterday at the Wolseley, his flagship restaurant in the grand old car showroom on London’s Piccadilly.
Though King is threatened with losing his castle🏰thetimes.co.uk/article/the-ba…
Though King is threatened with losing his castle🏰thetimes.co.uk/article/the-ba…
Shareholder Minor International say the Wolseley has gone into administration suggesting financial difficulty — which King says isn't’ the case.
🗣️“People are saying, ‘Will I still be able to come in tonight?’ Yes, absolutely!”
🗣️“People are saying, ‘Will I still be able to come in tonight?’ Yes, absolutely!”
So despite the headlines about the group being unable to pay its bill, the restaurants are not about to close? “Absolutely not!” And will he still be at the helm? “Yes,” King says, but adds: “It’s a battle for control” thetimes.co.uk/article/the-wo…
Walking into the hum and bustle of a Corbin & King restaurant feels like an event.
When Sir David Frost was alive there wasn’t an occasion I went to the Wolseley when the great interrogator wasn’t holding court, recalls @Damwhit
When Sir David Frost was alive there wasn’t an occasion I went to the Wolseley when the great interrogator wasn’t holding court, recalls @Damwhit
Famous faces can be found all around the Wolseley.
Nigella Lawson, Nigel Slater, Bill Nighy, Bradley Cooper, Keira Knightley, James Righton, Jude Law and Emma Watson to name a few have all dined there
Nigella Lawson, Nigel Slater, Bill Nighy, Bradley Cooper, Keira Knightley, James Righton, Jude Law and Emma Watson to name a few have all dined there
In 2020 King predicted that a third of restaurants in London could potentially close because of the effect of the pandemic on the hospitality industry. But he says his nine restaurants (in seven venues) are not in jeopardy
🗣️:“I think 2020 was a particularly difficult year, but we’ve come through that and are climbing out well”
King says there has been a fundamental disagreement about the future of the company, with Minor keen to take the brands to many new destinations
🗣️:“[Minor] felt that we should take Wolseleys into parts of the world which we felt were completely inappropriate. I’m afraid if you just scattergun Wolseleys across the Far East and Middle East, it’s not going to work”
Is all this damaging for the Corbin & King brand?
🗣️:“The word ‘administration’ suggests that the company is really in trouble. The company is not in trouble. It’s purely a technicality on a loan,” King insists
🗣️:“The word ‘administration’ suggests that the company is really in trouble. The company is not in trouble. It’s purely a technicality on a loan,” King insists
“The whole process was so unnecessary and really damaging for the brand, for the staff, for everybody,” King says
Despite recent events, and the fact that he is now 67, King says he has absolutely no plans to retire. “I don’t think so. It keeps me young”
Despite recent events, and the fact that he is now 67, King says he has absolutely no plans to retire. “I don’t think so. It keeps me young”
Read more here👇thetimes.co.uk/article/the-ba…
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