North West

The French by Simon Rogan

The French by Simon Rogan- Manchester

Located within The Midland Hotel, Manchester’s breathtaking prestigious property, The French by Simon Rogan is a fantastic restaurant overseen by the award-winning chef.

The restaurant has recently undergone a stunning makeover – implemented to update and modernise the exceptionally popular dining destination – and has proved a talking point for the city.

Work began on updating the restaurant at the end of January 2013 and reached completion just ahead of the site’s soft opening on the 7th March. The transformation process was very swift as The French by Simon Rogan is housed within a Grade II Listed room and mostly focused on providing the restaurant with a fresh new look.

All of the decoration works were undertaken sympathetically to bring out the existing features of the restaurant, whilst the biggest change was the introduction of a new and improved lighting scheme. New fixtures and fittings – including tables and chairs – were also incorporated into the newly spruced up restaurant.

To complete the project, some work was undertaken to improve the back of house areas, including the kitchen.

The French by Simon Rogan- Manchester

The design for The French by Simon Rogan was provided by Trudi Purtill, whilst a number of specialist subcontractors were appointed to undertake key areas of the transformation process. The team were specifically chosen as their skills matched the requirements of working within a listed building.

Commenting on the transformation of The French, Mike Magrane, General Manager at The Midland said:

“Since The Midland opened its doors in 1903, food has very much been top of the agenda, and we’re really proud to be associated with one of the UK’s finest chefs. The Midland has always been renowned for its excellent food service, but this partnership is about offering our guests an experience that cannot be found anywhere else in Manchester.

“We didn’t want to alter what has fundamentally made The French so successful, as it is an incredibly strong brand, therefore the modern revamp is respectful of the site’s Grade II listed status, incorporating many of its heritage features.

“We then approached Simon Rogan and as he loves Manchester and in particular loves the idea of The French, he decided that this was the site for him.”

The French by Simon Rogan- Manchester

Simon Rogan said:

“I have always loved Manchester – it’s like being in London, but on a smaller scale. It’s trendy and dynamic, but very accessible and friendly. Overall, the Manchester dining scene has been quite casual and bar-driven, but this is a great opportunity to set the trend for luxury dining, and the city is definitely ready for it.”

One of the most significant changes that diners will notice when returning to the restaurant is the installation of new, ball chandeliers. The chandeliers create a fantastic visual impact and give the impression that they are floating in the air.

Another interesting feature is a carpet which looks to the casual diner as though it is a wooden floor. The unique carpet design is certainly a talking point and is just another example of the significant alterations that have been implemented in such a short space of time.

Mike said:

“In its previous form, the room was very opulent, with heavy decoration and colour, so we have removed this and opened it up dramatically. We have also removed the drapes, which creates a better view into the restaurant and the colours that we have used are very different to what was there before.

“The French by Simon Rogan is a lot fresher in feel, a lot more contemporary, but it still retains a classic look.”

Mike added:

“This project has been incredibly important for The Midland. We wanted The French to remain as a top restaurant and the initial feedback following Simon’s arrival has been fantastic. There is a huge affection for The Midland Hotel in Manchester, and we’re confident our guests will not find a food offering of this standard anywhere else in the city.”

The French by Simon Rogan- Manchester

The French by Simon Rogan is housed within The Midland Hotel, a luxurious hotel that has previously played host to celebrities, prime ministers and royalty. The Midland is just 200 metres from Oxford Road Station, 800 metres from Piccadilly Station and provides guests with a sumptuous selection of bedrooms, suites and conference spaces.

For more information about The French by Simon Rogan, please visit: www.the-french.co.uk.

Parkside Decorating Services Ltd

Incorporating Parkside Interior Contracts – Parkside specialises in providing a professional personal decoration, refurbishment and fit out service to the hotel, leisure, commercial, educational and licensed retail sectors. Parkside Decorating Services Ltd was established in 1993 and has over 25 years of experience in the industry operating throughout the United Kingdom.

Parkside Decorating Services Ltd’s projects range in size and specification from small office suites, pubs and restaurants, hotel multiple bedroom and public area schemes through to entire decorations for high rise residential properties and public buildings. The company has also worked with many high profile clients, including Q Hotels, Marriott, De Vere, Barcello, J D Wetherspoon, Green King and Punch Taverns, Peel Holdings, Pochin and Bovis.

Working on The French by Simon Rogan, Parkside Decorating Services Ltd was responsible for the complete specialist interior redecoration works.

Commenting on the project, Bill Makin of Parkside Decorating Services Ltd, said:

“This project was important to us because it was for a prestigious new venture in a landmark Manchester city centre hotel for our highly valued existing client-Q Hotels.

“Parkside is committed to quality and ensuring completion of our projects safely, on time and within our clients’ budgets. We are proud to hold accreditaion with the following bodies: CITB, Construction Line, CSCS, CHAS, Achilles and Safe Contractor approved and we also hold recognition to Investors in People.”

Telegraph Contract Furniture Ltd

Telegraph Contract Furniture specialises in the supply of high quality contract furniture to the leisure industry. The company has been in operation for more than 25 years and within this time has worked with Living Ventures Restaurants, Bolton Wanderers FC, Royal Liverpool Golf Club and St Helen’s Rugby League Club, amongst other well known Manchester establishments.

Working on The French by Simon Rogan, Telegraph Contract Furniture supplied the restaurant with bespoke oak tables.

Telegraph Contract Furniture’s, Kim Pinnington – Partner, said:

“It was very important for us to be involved with this project for two reasons. Firstly The Midland Hotel is a very historic venue and secondly Simon Rogan is such a well respected chef that to be a part of it was a real privilege.”

Kim added:

“At Telegraph Contract Furniture we pride ourselves on the quality of our work and the service we provide.”

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