Michelin-star chef devastated after burst pipes flood restaurant

Top restaurateur Michael Deane is facing substantial losses after severe flooding closed his flagship Belfast restaurant. The well-known chef said Deanes on Howard Street could be closed for a month with an estimated weekly loss of £30,000 ( €33,400) in takings. That figure doesn’t include the cost of repairs, which he hopes will be met by insurers.



Mr Deane was alerted to an emergency at the upmarket establishment when alarms went off at around 3am yesterday. He found the floor of the Michelin-starred establishment flooded with two inches of water after it cascaded through the ceiling. It is thought pipes may have frozen over and burst on Saturday night.

“It’s a disaster,” Mr Deane said. “We have around 40 members of staff here. The ceiling will have to come out and there’s an awful lot of damage. The air conditioning units are affected and there’s water running down the walls over some of the paintings we have up. With January being a quiet month anyway, it has basically brought this business to its knees — but at least nobody has been hurt.”

The restaurant had been open for business on Friday and Saturday.

“We didn’t expect to come in on a Monday morning and find this. It’s like someone put a petrol bomb through the window. But we just have to pick ourselves up and get on with it though these are hard times with all restaurants fighting for every customer and grasping every penny.”

Instead of customers, the restaurant swarmed with insurers, structural engineers, electricians, plumbers and architects. He said his businesses had been targeted in robberies — but the present crisis was the worst yet. “I’m a bit stunned, things like this put the heart out of you.”

The premises was formerly split into Deanes Brasserie downstairs and fine dining establishment Restaurant Michael Deane upstairs. But around three years ago, Restaurant Michael Deane was closed and the ‘fine dining’ moved downstairs and renamed Deanes.

Mr Deane, who is married to former UTV news presenter Kate Smith, also owns Deanes Deli at Bedford Street, Deanes at Queen’s in south Belfast, and Simply Deanes at The Outlet shopping mall in Banbridge, Co Down.

Empire Nightmares As Ramsay Loses Star

Gordon Ramsay's empire received a fresh blow after his restaurant at Claridge's lost its single Michelin star in the latest edition of the guide. But the celebrity chef retained his place at the top of the tree, with his Chelsea restaurant keeping its coveted three stars, one of only four in the country to hold the honour.



Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester joined Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal and Alain Roux in the three-starred elite of Great Britain and Ireland. Mr Ducasse, whose restaurant at The Dorchester Hotel in London won the coveted three stars, said: "To receive such prestigious recognition from Michelin is a great honour. The team here has worked very hard to maintain the level of service and cuisine, and I am very proud of our achievements."

This year's guide also featured one new two-star, for Brett Graham at The Ledbury in Kensington, London, and 18 new one-star establishments. These included the Sienna, a small, family-run restaurant in Dorset, and The Harwood Arms, the first pub in London to achieve this accolade.

There were also three new stars in Scotland and three in Wales. Michelin Guide editor Derek Bulmer said: "Last year was clearly a difficult year for hotels and restaurants but those establishments who reacted by being more flexible and creative appear to be riding the storm. Value for money has also been an important factor and we have awarded 28 new Bib Gourmand awards - 'good food at moderate prices' - which reflects this. Chefs have had to be more resourceful and restaurants have had to adapt to changing eating habits. Some have even introduced 'credit crunch' menus to help fight the recession. Long-established restaurants have proved to be resilient but we have also seen plenty of new openings."

The Michelin Guide first introduced its restaurant star system in 1926, adding the two- and three-star rankings during the early 1930s. This year, Britain has more stars in the guide than ever, with 140 restaurants receiving the honour. The updated guide for 2010 will be released next Thursday.

30 hotels offer 2,010 free nights in Galway

CASH-STRAPPED Galway hotels are returning to the pre-Celtic Tiger practice of closing for the first two months of the year in an effort to ride-out the recession and stave-off closure.

But in a major drive to drum up tourism business in Galway this month, 30 of the city hotels that are remaining open are offering 2010 rooms free of charge to holiday-makers on a first-come, first served basis for the remainder of January to celebrate the opening of the Galway to Dublin motorway.

The local Irish Hotel Federation (IHF) has confirmed to the Sentinel that several hotels in Galway have decided to close for January and February because of the lack of demand for hotel space in the city.

The practice of closing in the early part of the year, which was a regular occurrence in many hotels in the 1980s and 1990s but which was largely abandoned after 2000, is a sensible option, according to hotel representatives.

Last year, many hotels in Galway adopted a ‘wait and see’ strategy and closed during weekdays in January and February but have now decided to go ‘all out’ and shut temporarily to protect their businesses and jobs in the long run, according to Paul Gill, Chairman of IHF, Galway branch.

Mr Gill said many hotels in Galway used to close in the first two months of the year during the 1980s and were on three-day weeks when the September 11 terrorist attack in New York severely hit the industry, but he added that those hotels that temporarily closed their doors are still thriving and trading today.

“I know of several hotels that have decided not to open in January and February – I’m not going to get into how many or which ones but it is happening because the demand for rooms just isn’t there,” said Mr Gill, who admitted he considered closing his Claregalway Hotel for a number of weeks in the New Year but decided remaining open was better for the long-term interest of the business.

“There are hotels that are making these decisions in order to protect their business and they will do so depending on their cost base. For some it makes sense in the long term to close in January and February and for others it doesn’t make sense."

Another tough year but business sentiment more optimistic

As less fly abroad, Fáilte Ireland to launch new Home Holiday campaign.

Following a very difficult season in 2009, the Irish tourism industry is relatively more optimistic about its prospects for this year, with almost two thirds of operators expecting that business in 2010 will be similar or better than in 2009 according to the latest Failte Ireland Tourism Barometer.

Tourism revenue declined by almost 17% in 2009 to €5.2 billion - its lowest level since 2004, reflecting difficult trading conditions in key overseas markets, most notably Britain and the United States and intense price competition within the accommodation sector, particularly hotels. The number of overseas visitors travelling to Ireland fell by 12% and as expected, domestic trips within Ireland are estimated to have declined by about 5%.

Introducing Fáilte Ireland’s End of Season Review and Outlook, Mr Redmond O’Donoghue, Chairman of Failte Ireland emphasised –
“The downturn in international tourism witnessed over the second half of 2008, accelerated during 2009 and made for an ugly year of trading for many businesses. That said, it is hoped that 2010 will be ‘the last tough year’ in what has been the most challenging cycle that Irish tourism has experienced. Businesses successfully trading through 2010 will have proved themselves resilient and capable of taking full advantage of the inevitable global economic upturn. We, in Fáilte Ireland, have already refocused much of our investment towards supporting businesses and employment through the next 12 months and positioning the industry best for a recovery which we believe will begin in some markets from the second half of the coming season.”

Prospects for 2010
The current indications are that 2010 will be another tough year for Irish tourism as many key markets continue to battle adverse economic conditions. The prospects for some markets, such as Germany and other key Continental European markets appear relatively favourable and growth is expected in 2010. Larger traditional markets including Britain and the United States will remain challenging, regardless of exchange rates. Home market prospects remain unclear although consumer research indicates further potential as Irish people cut back on foreign trips. Overall, tourism operators are more optimistic about the coming season than they were a year ago. Heading into last year, only 20% of tourism operators expected business to either hold or improve. This year, 63% expect 2010 to be on a par or better than 2009. A majority expect employment levels in 2010 to be the same as 2009, while less than one in twenty acknowledge the prospect of any increase.

Successful steps taken by individual businesses in 2009 to cut costs substantially paid off and have put the industry on a stronger footing than a year ago. However, many businesses are now expressing deep concern about the continuing high cost of Local Authority charges, energy and insurance.

Fáilte Ireland’s CEO, Shaun Quinn, drawing on these indicators, pointed out - “This time last year, as we surveyed the tourism landscape, the outlook amongst tourism operators was universally bleak, prompting a widespread belief that 2009 was all about survival. This year the tectonic plates of business sentiment are shifting somewhat. Now operators are expressing greater confidence about the immediate future and at the very least are expecting greater stability upon which to begin recovering market share. That said, 2010 will still be a year of tough trading. Pressure on revenues remains intense and while many operators have taken tough steps to reduce those costs within their control, the continuing high level of local authority charges, energy costs and to a lesser extent restrictive pay structures are collectively placing an undue burden on the industry. Hopefully, this year will be the one where we turn the corner. However, there is no room for complacency and Fáilte Ireland will be stepping up its efforts – from helping to sustain individual businesses to stimulating consumer demand – to develop Irish tourism to reach its full potential”.

10 best Irish Hotels for 2010

The Good Hotel Guide has just announced its hot list for 2010. Pól Ó Conghaile picks his favourites around the country.


Rosleague Manor, Letterfrack, Co Galway
Those familiar with the Foyle family's manor house in Connemara won't be surprised to see it win the César Award for Irish Hotel of the Year 2010. Mark Foyle, who has taken over day-to-day running of the business from his father, Edmund, is singled out as "a personable manager, involved in all aspects of the hotel". The guide also sings the praises of Pascal Marinot's "uncomplicated menus", Rosleague's elegant lounges and stunning views. Nice.

Details:
Rosleague Manor (095 41101; rosleague.com) has B&B from €80pp, set dinner at €48 and B&B with dinner from €105pp. Open from Easter to Halloween; accepts group bookings off-season.

Lorum Old Rectory, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow
Bobbie Smith's mid-Victorian pile is perfectly positioned in the Barrow River Valley, just beneath the Blackstairs Mountains. Good Hotel Guide readers are enamoured with the communal dinner Bobbie serves around a large mahogany table ("I plan what I am going to cook and discuss it with the people staying," she says). The spacious, high-ceilinged bedrooms (ask for a four-poster bed) also merit a mention. There's a leisurely breakfast, and Lorum is an ideal staging post for Carlow's garden trail.

Details:
Lorum Old Rectory (059 977 5282; lorum.com) has B&B at €70pps, set dinner at €48 and B&B with dinner from €123pps. Open from March to November.

Seaview House, Bantry Bay, Co Cork
The Good Hotel Guide commends Seaview's value for money. "The hotel runs like clockwork," chimes one report -- due in no small part, one suspects, to owner Kathleen O'Sullivan ("nothing passes her by"). Set above Bantry Bay in Ballylickey village, other clever touches in the Victorian four-star include fresh flowers, an airy conservatory extension to the restaurant, mini-suites, rich fabrics and a triple AA rosette dinner menu that is priced, in a zeitgeisty gesture, according to the number of courses taken.

Details: Seaview House (027 50073;seaviewhouse hotel.com) has B&B from €70pps, set dinner from €35 and B&B with dinner from €95pps. Open from March to November.

Richmond House, Cappoquin, Co Waterford
The "pleasantly old-fashioned feel" of Paul and Claire Deevy's Georgian house, set in the Blackwater Valley, has once again caught the eye of Good Hotel Guide readers. Interiors stuffed with antiques and chintz furnishings are singled out, as is the long-serving staff. The cooking "majors" on local produce, there's an "imaginative" wine list and scones arrive straight from the oven. Background music is the only criticism.

Details: Richmond House (058 54278; richmondhouse.net) has B&B from €70pps, set dinner from €55 and two nights' B&B plus one dinner from €160pp. Open from mid-January to mid-December.

Flemingstown House, Kilmallock, Co Limerick
Imelda Sheedy-King can permit herself a blush. The owner of this 18th-century gem is "the heart and soul of the place", the "perfect hostess, attending to every detail", according to Good Hotel Guide reports. The five-bed house is "comfortable" and guests are advised to give plenty of notice (and bring their own wine) if they wish to avail of Imelda's cooking. Add-ons include "fluffy towels" and Wi-Fi, and spacious bedrooms boast views of the Ballyhoura Mountains.

Details: Flemingstown House (063 98093; flemingstown.com) has B&B from €60pps, set dinner at €45 and "special rates" for stays of more than one night. Open from March to October.

Currarevagh House, Oughterard, Co Galway
Currarevagh House (pronounced 'Curra-reeva') is run by June Hodgson and her son Henry. Henry's wife, Lucy, is the chef. June's husband, Henry Sr, is retired, "though he still takes pleasure in greeting guests old and new". Still with us? It's a family affair, you see.
Fresh flowers, hot water bottles, afternoon tea and an Edwardian breakfast buffet are the highlights of this 15-bed country house, and the family has its own boats and ghillies on Lough Corrib.

Details: Currarevagh House (091 552312; currarevagh.com) has B&B from €80pps, set dinner at €49 and B&B with dinner from €120pps. Open from March to October.

Ballinkeele House, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
"The real charm of the place lies with the family who look after you," says a regular visitor to this Victorian mansion. John and Margaret are the fifth generation of the Maher family to live here. They offer "well-appointed" bedrooms with communal dinners, plus a Euro-Toques menu featuring home-grown vegetables. The house stands on a working farm and a large park, with lakes and woods all crying out for ambles.

Details:
Ballinkeele House (053 913 8105; ballinkeele.ie) has B&B from €90pp, set dinner at €48 and B&B with dinner from €108pps. February to November.

Coopershill, Riverstown, Co Sligo
Enjoy old-fashioned hospitality in a Palladian mansion where candlelit dinners are served with the family silver and "we can boast that the distance from farm to plate for 75pc of the ingredients is 200 metres", the O'Hara family says. Set on a Sligo estate teeming with mature woodland and red deer, Coopershill is plump with 18th-century furniture. Ask for a room with a four-poster.

Details:
Coopershill (071 916 5108; coopershill.com) has B&B from €109pp, set dinner at €59 and B&B with dinner from €159pp. Open April to October; house parties by arrangement.

Mornington House, Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath
Owned by the same family since 1858, this Anglo-Irish pile is the centrepiece of a 50-acre estate near Lough Derravaragh. Good Hotel Guide reports recommend Warwick and Anne O'Hara as "wonderful, welcoming hosts, great conversationalists" and find much to admire in the "grand yet homely" house. Features include original furniture, country-house cooking and colourful if "idiosyncratic" bedrooms. Dinner is communal and we're told Warwick serves a "very good" breakfast.

Details:
Mornington House (044 937 2191; mornington.ie) has B&B from €75pp, set dinner at €45 and B&B with dinner from €120pp. Open April to October.

Gregans Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
Last time I visited Gregans, Steven Spielberg had just been for dinner. Squirreled away in the Burren, Simon and Freddy Hadden’s Georgian manor is that kind of place — unassuming and luxurious; somewhere you’d happily disappear for a week without your mobile (and there are no TVs). The food is raking in rave reviews too. The Good Hotel Guide singles out Mickael Viljanen’s “inventive” modern dishes and an “excellent” wine list.

Details:
Gregans Castle (065 707 7005; gregans.ie) has B&B from €97.50pps, with set dinner at €65 and B&B with dinner from €145.50pp. Open from mid- February to the end of November.