Who's who in the North
Pubs & Bars
Inventive Leisure Inventive Leisure is the Manchester company behind Revolution Vodka Bars. It operates 33 Revolutions, all individually designed. Recently openings have concentrated on providing dedicated areas for eating, lounging and dancing. Locations include Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Preston, Doncaster and Lancaster, and this year saw openings in Harrogate and Chester. The group has opportunities on every level, from chefs to managers.
Contact: Human resources on 0161-330 3876.
Web:www.revolution-bars.co.uk
Wolverhampton & Dudley This independent brewing and pub retailing group has scooped the British Institute of Innkeeping's training award three times in a row. It prides itself on its dedication to people development, with a number of head office staff employed as training executives. It operates two breweries and 1,630 pubs, of which 1,035 are run by tenants. Its branded concept is Pitcher & Piano; the rest of its managed pubs are traditional local pubs, which stretch from the North-east to the South-west.
Contact the recruitment division on: 01902 329126
Web:www.fullpint.co.uk](http://www.fullpint.co.uk)
Hotels
De Vere Hotels This Cheshire operator has 35 hotels, mostly located in the North of England and falling under two distinctive brands. The 21 De Vere Hotels consist of four- and five-star individual properties, while its 14 Village Hotels & Leisure Clubs are mainly purpose-built midmarket hotels. It also has a rapidly growing stand-alone health and fitness brand, Greens. A variety of training courses are available.
Contact: Human resources manager Mandy Digby on 01928 712111 or e-mail jobs@devere.co.uk
Web:www.devereonline.co.uk
Malmaison
This funky boutique group has hotels in Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle as well as two in Scotland and one in London. Plans are under way to open more hotels, including one in Liverpool. The group has adopted the Government's pilot scheme to extend its NVQ training to those over 25 and has a number of other training schemes, including one specifically aimed at turning operations managers into general managers. Its aim is to offer an open and friendly environment for guests and staff.
Contact: Human resources manager Gaynor Webb on 0113 398 1000
Web:[www.malmaison.com](http://www.malmaison.com)
Contract catering
Dine Consulting Leeds-based Dine specialises in events catering and planning (particularly weddings), but is also gaining ground in events catering for National Trust properties throughout Yorkshire and the Midlands. The company is part of the Pool Court Group, which owns the Michelin-starred Pool Court at 42 in Leeds and its sister restaurant, Brasserie 44.
Contact: Managing director Daniel Gill on 0113 2754545
Web:www.dine-services.com
Cygnet Catering
This growing company was formed three years ago as an offshoot of food production company Cygnet Foods. It specialises in the business and industry sector and now has 80 contracts, including deals with big northern names such as Armitage Shanks and Warburton Bakeries. The company employs 300 people and provides specialist training, depending on individual requirements.
Tel: 01925 712107
Web: www.cygnetfoods.co.uk
Restaurants
Paul Heathcote
It's all happening at the Heathcote empire. The leading Lancashire chef-restaurateur already owns six restaurants in the North of England, including four branded under his Simply Heathcotes name - in Preston, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds - and another one opens this month in Wrightington, near Wigan. Heathcote's new concept, the Olive Press, serving pizza and pasta, recently opened in Preston and a second is due to open this month in Manchester, with plans for a further one early next year in Liverpool.
Contact: Max Gnoyke on 01772 252732
Web:www.heathcotes.co.uk
Ego Restaurants
Jason Ellison and Jonathan Poole, both in their early thirties, opened their first Mediterranean restaurant, Ego, in Heswall four years ago. Its success has led to further outlets in Liverpool and Chester, with the 100-seat restaurants doing high-volume business and often serve 200 for dinner. The pair are actively looking for three more sites around Manchester. Tel: 01244 401501
Web:[www.egorestaurants.com
Ones to watch
Trendy hotel group Alias, which has sites in Manchester, Brighton, Cheltenham and Exeter, is to open its fifth hotel under the Alias banner in Liverpool next autumn. Word has it that it is keeping an eye out for sites in Nottingham, Sheffield and Birmingham.
Contact Nikki Broom on 0117 957 6800
Web: www.aliashotels.com
It's a bar, a restaurant serving modern British cuisine and a smart club all rolled into one. Leeds's three-storey Firefly, which opened this year, is on the expansion trail. It is just about to open its second branch in Cardiff this year it has its sights set on a Manchester opening in 2004 with plans for around seven sites in total.
Contact: Deborah Sugden on 0113 243 1122
Web:www.welcometofirefly.co.uk
For independent careers advice, get in touch with Springboard UK on 020 7395 9489 or visit www.springboarduk.org.uk
