Worldwide briefing
Mussel fatigue?
France-based mussels-and-chips restaurant chain Leon de Bruxelles could be taken over following a dramatic drop in profits. It made a net loss of £12.1m in 2000, compared with a £2.4m profit in 1999. The company, which has 33 restaurants, has put a £3m recovery plan in place but says it cannot fund the plan itself and is in talks with financiers.
American accent
Hotel company Marriott International has reported a 29% profits jump to $121m (£84.2m) in the three months to 23 March. But it warned that the US economic slowdown meant that profits for the full year were likely to fall below market expectations.
Irish eyes
Radisson Hotels has signed a management agreement for its second hotel in Ireland. The 210-bedroom hotel will be in the centre of Galway and will include more than 700sq m of conference and function space.
Contract expands
Contract caterer Sodexho saw sales rise by 14% to £6b during the six months to 28 February. "Organic" sales growth accounted for 8.3%, growth, acquisitions for 0.7%, and changes in currency exchange rates for 5%. In the UK and Ireland, sales were up by 11.8%.
Danish design
Scandic Hotels is to open a newly built hotel in the Sydhavnen district of Copenhagen, Denmark, in summer 2002. It will have 280 bedrooms, conference facilities, a restaurant, bar and café.
