News round-up
Coubrough joins contract caterer Holroyd Howe
David Coubrough is quitting as chief executive of recruitment company Portfolio International and Prime People to join contract caterer Holroyd Howe as a nonexecutive director.
Coubrough will use his experience at Portfolio to help the caterer win contracts in the City, West End and Home Counties. He will also be "heavily involved" in developing the company's management structure. In what Coubrough described tongue-in-cheek as "going plural", he will also help Robin Sheppard's company Furlong Hotels develop management contracts.
Coubrough, who will remain on the board at Prime People, is expected to be succeeded at Portfolio by managing director Lesley Reynolds.
Ewart swaps china for Springboard UK post
After four years with Villeroy & Boch, marketing director Glenn Ewart is to join Springboard UK as marketing and communications director on 1 June. He will have responsibility for sales and marketing, PR and the charity's website.
He will be based at Springboard's head offices in London's Denmark Street. Ewart takes on the post from Georgia Saxon, who is "moving back into the commercial world".
Pub openings help to boost Wetherspoon JD Wetherspoon has outperformed the market in the third quarter, reporting sales up 22% at £186.6m compared with the same time last year. It was helped by the addition of 34 new pubs over the year, taking the total to 641.
Finance director Jim Clarke said the company was still seeing good growth in sales, and was on target to open 16 additional pubs by the end of July.
Expansion blamed for Po Na Na troubles Po Na Na's unlucky expansion into northern towns has blown a £1m hole in its operations, leading to the company calling in the receivers.
The bar and club company had already closed 12 of its 50-plus sites in an attempt to reduce loses while talks were under way with the Royal Bank of Scotland. But last week its shares were suspended.
The company's 35 sites continue to trade while the receivers look for a buyer for the operation, which had a turnover of £25m.
Anthony Harris memorial at London Hilton A memorial service will be held at the London Hilton on Sunday 18 May at 11am for Hilton chief executive Anthony Harris, who died in March.
Testimonials will be read for the various stages of his life and career. All his friends and colleagues in the industry are welcome to attend.
