GFS boss Storey is moving on

Alastair Storey, managing director of Granada Food Services, is leaving at the end of March to set up his own company.

Chief executive Don Davenport said: "I understand he's made up his mind he'd like to have a crack at running his own company or even buy into small companies. I think he's always wanted to do something like that."

Over the next two months Storey would be completing a couple of important projects for Granada Food Services, Davenport added.

These included finalising the bid for a major contract with train operator Eurostar and looking at a possible acquisition of Beeton Rumford, caterer at the Earls Court and Olympia exhibition centres in London.

Davenport said Storey would not be replaced straight away. "In the short term I'm going to manage the business directly," he said.

Davenport played down rumours that Storey's departure was a prelude to a management buyout of the contract catering business from parent company Granada Group. "I don't think Granada would entertain that, and I suspect that it would be at such a high price it would be a very difficult one," he said.