No reprieve for Wright as Pétrus is upgraded
The AA said this week that it will not be offering Simon Wright his job back, after it emerged that London restaurant Pétrus has been awarded five rosettes in its Restaurant Guide 2003.
Wright resigned as editor of the guide in July after AA managing director Roger Wood overruled its professional inspectors and refused to allow Pétrus to be upgraded to five rosettes.
Wright quit on the grounds it had become "ethically impossible" for him to stay in the job.
Soon after his resignation became public Caterer revealed that the guide had admitted it was wrong and reversed its decision. At the time the AA refused to confirm this, but when the guide was published this week Pétrus had been duly upgraded.
Marcus Wareing, chef-patron of Pétrus, said he was "delighted" but added that he did not believe Pétrus would have been promoted if Wright had not made his ethical stand.
He said: "None of this would have come to light if Simon Wright had not resigned.
"He has lost his job and I don't think the AA is going to be able to right all the wrongs overnight. It has a lot of bridges to build."
Albert Hampson, AA business manager of hotel services, said it would not be asking Wright back and added: "The AA did not ask Simon Wright to leave. We have advertised for a new editor and we have had a good response."
It has also been confirmed that Winteringham Fields in Winteringham, Lincolnshire, has been upgraded to five rosettes, while Hibiscus in Ludlow, Shropshire, and the Vineyard at Stockcross in Newbury, Berkshire, have been upgraded to four.
The Restaurant of the Year awards for England, Scotland and Wales have gone to La Trompette in London, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles in Auchterarder and Felin Fach Griffin in Brecon.
by Louise Bozec
New three-rosette restaurants
In addition to the new four- and five-rosette restaurants, the following were awarded three AArosettes for the first time:
Priory House, Yeovil
Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, London
Club Gascon, London
Hotel des Clos, Nottingham
La Trompette, London
Midsummer House, Cambridge
Monsieur Max, Hampton
Simpsons, Kenilworth
Yorke Arms, Ramsgill
Locanda Locatelli, London
Amaryllis, Glasgow
Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Auchterarder
Blinis, Bath
Chavignol at the Old Mill, Shipston-on-Stour
L'Ortolan, Shinfield
Mju at the Millennium Knightsbridge, London
Nahm, London
Ockenden Manor, Cuckfield
Richard Smith@Thyme, Sheffield
Stock Hill House, Gillingham
Suma's, Jersey
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 19-25 September 2002
