May Fair Inter-Continental to retune restaurant as Opus 70

London's May Fair Inter-Continental has become the latest hotel to try to cash in on the capital's booming restaurant scene, by creating a separate identity for its restaurant.

Opus 70, formerly known as the Château, reopens on 11 February with its own entrance at 70 Stratton Street. The revamp is intended to ensure that the restaurant can compete with other fashionable eateries in the area and to allow it to offer a less for-mal dining experience than before.

"Almost all our lunchtime trade was made up of non-residents, anyway," said restaurant manager Philippa Perkins. "Now we want to increase the number of non-residents at dinner."

Michael Coaker, who joined the May Fair in 1986, will continue as head chef at the restaurant. He has devised a contemporary international menu with British, American and Far Eastern food.

The 86-seat restaurant has been refurbished in a contemporary style and includes a private dining room with seating for 12. Average spend per head is about £30 for dinner, including wine, and the restaurant is expected to serve 150 covers a day.

With the launch of Opus 70, waitresses will work in the hotel's main restaurant for the first time in its 70-year history. "It's always been French men in the past," Ms Perkins explained.