Westfield Stratford City Café Football closed

GG Hospitality's Café Football at Westfield Stratford City in London has closed as the group focuses on its core hotel business.

GG Hospitality chief executive Winston J Zahra said: "We have taken the decision that we will focus on the core of our operation, and the core of our operation is the ownership and management of hotels, and not single site, smaller restaurants dotted around. The decision is to focus on the hotel side of the business and grow that and not allow smaller operations like that to distract us and remove focus from the business.

"Café Football as a brand will remain the food and beverage offering within Hotel Footballs, so rather than standalone it will remain very much alive, but as part of Hotel Football, not as an independent, standalone operation."

Café Football Singapore will not close as the site operates under a franchise agreement.

The 140-cover restaurant was the first venue for former Manchester United teammates Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs' hospitality business, which now includes the 133-bedroom Hotel Football in Manchester, GG Events and Catering, as well as the soon-to-be-launched Stock Exchange MCR hotel, the 41-bedroom boutique hotel set to open in Manchester's Grade-II-listed former stock exchange building this summer.

The group announced on Monday that its Hotel Football had joined Marriott's Tribute Portfolio, a soft brand for independent hotels.

Café Football aims to capture football culture, with hints to the great game throughout the decor and menu.

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