Gordons helps Forsters become a tasty treat for Bradford
Monday 14th January 2013
The innovative Forsters Bistro & Deli has begun cooking with gas in Bradford, thanks to advice from Yorkshire law firm Gordons.
Located in Centenary Square, the 100-seat restaurant and bar has been opened by the city’s Forster Community College. The move follows the success of a bistro the institution has operated at its base in Captain Street since January 2012 as part of its bid to reduce reliance on public funding.
The new venture has created 16 full-time equivalent jobs and is providing work experience and training opportunities for catering students at the college’s chefs’ academy, as well as nine apprenticeships.
Nick Chamberlain, a partner in Gordons’ commercial property team, advised the college on the licence for alterations and 15-year lease on the premises, rented from Leeds-based property development and investment company Rushbond.
Sheila Philpott, chief executive, Forster Community College, said: “We’re really grateful for the assistance Nick provided. He not only helped us greatly through a process entirely unfamiliar to us but moved with exceptional speed, enabling the whole deal to be done within about three weeks.”
Forsters Bistro & Deli was one of the first businesses to benefit from the £35m Growth Zone project, administered by Bradford Council, which took effect at the end of October 2012. The project aims to enhance skills and encourage investment in Bradford by providing rate rebates for new and existing businesses that create jobs in a designated city centre area.
Mr Chamberlain said: “We’re delighted to have played a key role in bringing such an important and worthy venture about. The restaurant and bar could have gone to Leeds but the college wanted to develop business and provide employment opportunities in its home city and the Growth Zone has made this possible.
“Forsters Bistro & Deli has enhanced facilities around City Park and comes as a further boost to Bradford’s regeneration. Its opening follows developments in the preceding weeks such as a high-level delegation visiting London on a successful mission to attract new retail investment to the area.”
One of the UK’s most successful law firms with offices in Leeds and Bradford. Gordons has been established for over 168 years, currently employs 280 people and has a turnover of over £25m. Gordons’ excellence was recognised in a number of award schemes during 2012:
- Business of the Year in the £10m to £50m turnover category in the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards
- Private Client Team of the Year and Managing Partner of the Year in the Yorkshire Lawyer Awards
- UK and Ireland Regional Team of the Year in the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Private Client Awards
- Property Law Firm of the Year in the Yorkshire Property Industry Awards
- Runner-up in the Regional Law Firm of the Year category of the Lawyer Awards
- Highly Commended in the Excellence in Community Investment category of the Law Society Excellence Awards.
Clients include Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, construction and high performance materials manufacturer Saint Gobain, international brewers Molson Coors, greetings card retailer Card Factory and the world’s largest electrical heating business Glen Dimplex. For more information visit www.gordonsllp.com