Tragus, the Blackstone-backed, John Derkach-led group, is to convert one of its two remaining Ortega sites to a new British-focused concept called Hawtons, M&C Report understands.
The Café Rouge-operator is currently converting the Ortega site at the Center Parcs, Longleat Forest to the new bar and restaurant brand that offers “great flavours, traditional British dishes” from “doorstep sandwiches to cod and chips, pie and mash and bubble and squeak”.
The new site is due to open on 2 December and would leave just the Ortega in Leadenhall in operation from what once was a seven-strong estate.
The tapas brand was launch in 2006, and at one point had sites in places such as Southend and Milton Keynes
Speaking at M&C Report’s Restaurant Conference earlier this year, Derkach said: “There won’t be much of a future for Ortega. We only have a couple of those and it never really worked as a brand. Trying to make a tapas operation work with kitchens the size of broom cupboards wasn’t a good idea. We have one site that trades really well so we won’t do much with that.”
