CDP cooks up Blanc and Conran Shop

Raymond Blanc has commissioned Sir Terence Conran’s consultancy CD Partnership to design his new restaurant in Oxford.

The 279m2 Blanc restaurant, called Le Petit Blanc, will seat 150 people and is due to open in spring 1996. “It will serve simple family food and the design concept will reflect that with a light and airy ‘modern rustic’ feel,” says CDP director Paul Zara.

Last week the partnership was given the go-ahead for concepts for a new Conran Shop in London’s Marylebone.

The 2722m2 store, the second in London, will be sited at Burton’s Stables on Marylebone High Street. A restaurant is planned at Devonshire Mews.

The facade of the Marylebone High Street building will be retained. Existing arches will be restored and new openings created for the shop at ground and first floor restaurant levels.

“The development will serve to revitalise the area, creating a landmark development while restoring the currently derelict condition of the Burton Stables,” says CDP director Richard Doon.

CDP is also waiting for planning permission before starting work on a 30m shopping centre in Edinburgh. The concept aims to “attract international retailers that don’t have a presence in the area already”, says Zara. “If all goes smoothly, the centre should be open by 1999,” he adds.