Caffe Concerto to take on Pat Val Debenhams sites

Caffe Concerto is to take on 10 of the Patisserie Valerie sites across the Debenhams estate, which closed after the brand’s parent company went into administration, MCA understands.

The group, which currently operates 19 sites in the UK and four in the Middle East, is to take on the units in Chelmsford, London’s Oxford Street, Liverpool, Stevenage, Telford, Wandsworth and Westfield Stratford this week, with Edinburgh, Glasgow and Middlesbrough to follow next month.

Sam Shutt, Debenhams’ head of external food, told MCA: “This is a really positive end to what was obviously a sad story, as we were as disappointed as anyone to see those Patisserie Valerie sites close. We’re delighted to be working with Caffe Concerto, who are a perfect fit for those sites.

“We hope to be able to announce further partnerships with Caffe Concetto in due course.”

Meanwhile, Debenhams is trialling partnerships with Pieminister and Harry Ramsdens in its own restaurants. The Harry Ramsdens trials, in Bristol, Harrogate, Swindon, Manchester, Leicester and Ipswich started last week and Shutt said the restaurants had already seen a substantial boost in the volume of fish and chips served. The Pieminister trial is also in six sites but has been running since the end of last year.

Both see the brand’s offering presented on the hot counter with associated point of sale material.

Shutt said: “This is where partnerships really come into their own. Our customers love to eat fish and chips and pie and mash. So why shouldn’t they eat a really good fish and chips and really good pie and mash?”