Le Poussin Group moves into Southampton with new buy
Michelin-star winning chef Alex Aitken has bought the Latimers on the Quay restaurant in Southampton for close to the asking price of £595,000.
The acquisition marks Aitken's first move outside his New Forest heartland, where he owns the Parkhill hotel in Beaulieu, and the 30-seat brasserie Simply Poussin in Brockenhurst.
Aitken said he planned to spend a six-figure sum refurbishing the Grade-II listed property, which will be fully reopened in December.
"We will have a seafood, oyster and champagne bar on the ground floor and what will possibly be called City Poussin on the first floor doing Le Poussin food," he said.
The Southampton restaurant will have 75 seats on the ground floor (with another 75 outside) along with 50 in the first-floor restaurant. It will be led by Aitken's sons, Justin and AJ (Alex).
Local property agents Goadsby handled the sale.
Latimers is Aitken's second buy this year. In April he bought Ski Poussin, a 45-bedroom ski hotel in France with two luxury chalets.
Parkhill is currently undergoing a £20m refurbishment and will reopen in December 2007 as a five-star hotel.
Alex Aitken - poultry resources >>
By Angela Frewin
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