in brief

corus bosses cash in

Corus and Regal Hotels managing director Nicholas Crawley increased his total pay last year by 29.7% to £284,000, including bonuses and benefits. Executive chairman Charles Vere Nicoll, who resigned in January, saw his pay increase 45% to £389,000.

sofitels to expand

Accor is stepping up the world-wide expansion of its luxury Sofitel chain. It plans to add 40 hotels to the present 113 by the end of 2001.

Ryan levels high

An increase in the number of hotels in Dublin did little to damage occupancy levels for Ryan Hotels last year. The group achieved average occupancy of 79% in the year ended 28 January, two percentage points up on the previous year. Pre-tax profit increased by 22% to IR£6.1m (£5.13m) from IR£5m (£4.3m).

Mogford goes alto

Jeremy Mogford (above), pioneer of the seven-strong Browns restaurant group, which was sold to Bass Taverns last year for £35m, is opening a restaurant called Alto Bar and Grill in Oxford, in August.