Swift takes off in Sheffield

Young catering entrepreneur Simon Swift is to open a new bistro in Sheffield in two weeks' time, adding to his existing portfolio of coffee shop and contract catering businesses.

This month Mr Swift won the northern regional final of the 1995 LiveWIRE Business Start Up Awards, a scheme sponsored by Shell UK which rewards under-25s who make significant progress in the first years of their own business.

The new outlet, to be called John Mitchell's Bistro, will have 34 seats and will offer traditional English cooking at an average spend of £10-£12 a head.

Mr Swift told Caterer: "In Sheffield there are currently very few places offering that kind of good-quality food, good value for money deal."

His contract catering business, SA Swift Catering, has more than 100 corporate hospitality contracts in Sheffield. It also caters for banquets and weddings.

Turnover of the business is currently £100,000 a year but this is projected to rise to £250,000 next year with the contribution of the bistro.