St Modwen Properties PLC Backs the Great British Kitchen’s £40 million Leisure, Retail, Hotel & Cookery Development

The Great British Kitchen’s plans for a major Leisure, Retail, Hotel and Cookery College development have taken a major step forward. The £40m scheme on the 28 acre St George’s hospital site in Stafford, has won backing from the leading urban regeneration specialist developer St Modwen Properties PLC. The scheme will be up and trading in 2003.

The scheme combines the restoration of the existing Grade II listed building and new build for the retail element. St Modwen will take responsibility for all construction and development work and will manage the retail and visitor attractions.

The proposal has already received planning consent for 14,000 square metres of food and kitchen related retail including a British Food Showcase. In addition the scheme will embrace restaurants, an ‘Eating History’ visitor attraction, hotel and banqueting and the British Cookery College together with a ‘Food in Art’ Gallery.

The scheme’s creator The British Food Trust is supported by some of the best known names in cooking including Chairman of Trustees Prue Leith, Delia Smith, Jane Asher, Lloyd Grossman, Gary Rhodes and Sophie Grigson. Both Stafford Borough Council and Advantage West Midlands are also strongly supporting this project with both funds and other resources.

St Modwen has significant business expertise in developments based on making sustainable use of historic buildings and structures. Such projects have always played a part in its development programme. For example, at Brighton, the Company has entered into a development agreement with the Brighton West Pier Trust and obtained Heritage Lottery support for the restoration of the West Pier and its use and that of an associated area on the Esplanade as a 13,700 sq m. very high-quality restaurant led leisure retail development. The Great British Kitchen will therefore benefit from the full range of St Modwen’s skills.

Richard Froggatt, Executive Director of St Modwen Properties PLC said:

“St Modwen is delighted to be backing this exciting visitor destination, which is already generating strong interest from manufacturers and retailers who want a national showcase. It represents yet another opportunity to add to our very healthy hopper of projects.”

Prue Leith, for The Great British Kitchen, commented:

“We aim to stir more active involvement and interest in the pleasures of good food and cooking right across the country – we are delighted that such a high quality developer with specialist skills as St Modwen is backing our plans.”

For further information please contact:

St Modwen Properties PLC 0121 456 2800 / 0860 455556

Richard Froggatt, Executive Director

Bill Oliver, Finance Director

The British Food Trust 01452 312209 / 07771 570272

Scott Antony, Development Director

Golin/Harris Ludgate 0207 324 8888

Reg Hoare/Kirsten Hughes