Operations director leaves Belgo

Restaurant chain Belgo has announced the resignation of its operations director Tim Power just weeks after issuing a profits warning.

In a statement, Belgo said Power had decided to "seek a new challenge" and that he would leave the company straight away, by mutual agreement.

In January Belgo warned that financial results for the year to 30 June were likely to fall below market expectations.

It blamed poor overseas trading compounded by a disappointing first quarter in its UK restaurants, with the exception of the more upmarket Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey restaurants.

But the group said it would continue with its expansion plans for the Belgo and Bierodrome brands, as well as developing a new chain of pizza and pasta restaurants called Strada.

Last week saw the opening of the second Strada, in Parsons Green, west London.