Macdonald to open a second Boisdale

Scottish restaurateur Ranald Macdonald is opening a second Boisdale restaurant in London next month.

Boisdale of Bishopsgate will open on the site of the former wine bar and restaurant Bill Bentley's, which Boisdale bought from Young's Brewery two weeks ago.

It is intended that a ground-floor Champagne and oyster bar will open on 10 June, with a downstairs 100-seat restaurant and bar due to begin trading in early September.

Macdonald's original 60-seat Boisdale restaurant and bar near Victoria railway station has been running since 1989.

The style and menu of the new Boisdale would be closely related to the first, but would try to retain some of the ambience of Bill Bentley's, said Macdonald.

"I look forward to welcoming Bill Bentley's former City customers, many of whom will be old friends from the Belgravia restaurant anyway," he added.

It will employ 12 to 15 staff, some of whom will be retained from Bill Bentley's.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 30 May - 5 June 2002