Restaurants aim high by moving into the Shard
RESTAURATEURS behind the trendy Japanese restaurant chains Zuma and Roka and Hong Kong’s Aqua Restaurant Group have agreed to lease the entire restaurant space at Europe’s tallest building.
Sellar Property, the developer behind the Shard, revealed yesterday that Zuma duo Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney are to open a rotisserie and grill as well as a bar with live music and a lighter menu on the 32nd floor of the London skyscraper.
David Yeo, the founder of the Aqua empire, which runs 23 outlets across the globe, will open two restaurants on the 31st and 33rd floors.
“We are delighted to have signed agreements with these two respected giants of the international restaurant scene,” said Irvine Sellar, chairman of Sellar Property.
“These top name operators will combine with the best views of London to create a superb and varied restaurant offering within the Shard that will complement the building’s international landmark status”, he added.
The three restaurants, which span 30,000 square feet, are expected to open by April 2013.
The Renzo Piano-designed building which was inaugurated last month, has already pre-let floors 34 to 52 to the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, which will open in March next year.
Separately, a report by Lloyds TSB yesterday showed restaurants enjoyed the biggest annual rise in takings in the period up to and including the Olympics – up 11.5 per cent. This contrasts with 6.6 per cent rise in health and beauty products, six per cent on food and 0.6 in hotel spending.