John McLean steps down as managing director of Stafford Collection

John McLean has stepped down as managing director of the Stafford Collection.

The Caterer received written confirmation he had left the business, though no other comment was provided at this time.

It comes roughly a year after he was promoted to managing director of the hotel collection. He had joined the business in May 2024 as general manager from a position at the Cadogan hotel in London’s Chelsea.

Prior to that, he worked as general manager of the Kensington in London’s South Kensington, as hotel manager and interim general manager of Brown’s hotel in London’s Mayfair and as executive head of F&B at the Lanesborough in Mayfair.

McLean had also worked at the Stafford London over 30 years ago as a chef.

The Stafford Collection consists of the Stafford in London’s Mayfair, Norma in London’s Fitzrovia, and, as of June 2025, chef Michael Caines’ Lympstone Manor hotel in Devon.

Caines was also appointed culinary strategist at the Stafford London in April last year, overseeing the relaunch of the former Game Bird site as his first restaurant project in London.

After Michael Caines at the Stafford opened its doors in September, it was awarded a Michelin star at the awards in Dublin last month.

The Stafford London dates back to the 17th century, when it operated as private residences for Lord and Lady Lyttelton. In 1995, it was purchased by family-run brewery Daniel Thwaites, and in 2009, the property was bought by BHL Global Limited.

BHL Global Limited founded the Stafford Collection in 2019.

Northcote previously sat under the Stafford Collection until the sale of the Lancashire hotel and restaurant to Silkstone Finance, an investment vehicle run by husband-and-wife team Alf and Clare Ellis, in April 2025.