Thistle hotels get set for a commotion

Thistle hotels is launching a chain of coffee shops inside its lobbies after a trial operation in London. Two themed restaurants will also be opened, in a bid to compete with high street eateries.

The first Commotion coffee shop opened in the Thistle Marble Arch at the end of last month, with interiors designed by Enfield consultancy Bernard Trevillian Associates. A further six will be opened this year across the UK.

“It’s a fusion of an Italian café with a New York deli, mixed in an Art Deco style,” says Thistle Hotels food and beverage director Stefan Breg.

“We are taking a radical approach to our restaurants and bars. We want to play catch-up with what’s happening on the high street,” he adds.

Breg says two Thistle restaurants will also be opened, in King’s Cross and Euston. ADI and Thompson McCloud are working on the design of the restaurants, understood to serve a blend of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine.