Wallace's property team busy in leisure sector: Caffe Uno expansion

August 2006

Wallace’s commercial property department is going from strength to strength, with particular emphasis on the hotel and leisure sector. Most recently, the firm has started advising Caffe Uno Brasseries, the nationwide Italian restaurant chain with 54 restaurants around the country. This month we acted for Caffe Uno in the company’s significant move to establish restaurants in hotels for the first time. Caffe Uno has agreed in principle to take leases of restaurant premises within a number of Premier Travel Inn hotels over the next five years.

National firm Blake Lapthorn Linnells advised Premier Travel Inn on the deal.

Martin Otvos, lead partner on the deal, commented: “It’s exciting to be instructed by Caffe Uno for the first time, particularly as the transaction involved both employment and property aspects. Given our extensive experience on deals of this nature, this was something we were well equipped to handle."

Also this month:
• Wallace completed the purchase of a major hotel, The Best Western Leicester Stage Hotel, in Wigston, for national hotel group Lester Hotels. The 77-room hotel had a guide price of £6 million. Wallace has a long standing relationship with Lester Hotels. Martin Otvos led the Wallace team.
• The firm advised joint venture companies between The Khalastchi Family and William Pears in a net £172,000,000 transaction with The Rank Group which included the purchase of 40 Mecca Bingo Clubs and 4 Grosvenor Casinos. Partner Simon Edwards led the deal and has been acting for The Khalastchi Family for over 20 years.

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Notes to editors
Wallace was recognised earlier this year by Legal Business magazine. The firm was shortlisted Boutique Law Firm of the Year 2006 and was commended for “building on its commercial property strength to establish its credentials as a full-service player, winning increasingly impressive instructions from existing clients, notably El Al Israel Airlines, and new clients such as Thistle Hotels.”

Noteworthy clients in the leisure sector (hotel/restaurant/gaming/golf courses) include:
• Thistle Hotels 
• Groupe Chez Gerard Restaurants
• Deep Restaurant
• 21 Restaurants
• Lester Hotels
• Simon Bridbury Properties