News in brief

Andrew Staff
Selfridges's executive sous chef, Andrew Staff, has died aged 34. Staff had been battling a rare form of cancer for the past two years and passed away on the 5 March. Staff started his career at the Tudor Park hotel in Maidstone, Kent, and then moved to the Great Danes hotel in Hollingbourne. He spent time in Hong Kong and Vietnam, before returning to England in 2000 as executive sous chef at Mezzo in London. He is survived by his wife, Yen Hai, and children Samuel and Emma Linh.

£1b deal for Condor Condor, the joint venture between Whitbread and Marriott, is about to complete a £1b deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) for 46 UK hotels. The 50:50 joint venture was created in March 2005 to take on the complete ex-Whitbread portfolio. The deal with RBS includes properties in London, all the country clubs, and hotels in cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Leeds. Marriott will continue to run the hotels under long-term management agreements.

Cheyne Walk expands Chelsea eaterie the Cheyne Walk Brasserie is expanding with new sites in Waterloo, Islington and a second Chelsea project. The Old Vic Brasserie is scheduled to open on 1 September opposite its namesake theatre. The new, 100-seat restaurant will be based on the original Cheyne Walk brasserie concept with traditional French fare. Ray Duhaney, co-director of Cheyne Walk Brasseries, said a third brasserie would open in Islington in the latter half of next year and a second Chelsea project over the next 6-12 months.