All the latest news from Living Ventures http://www.livingventures.com/news/index Matthew Norman from the Telegraph is impressed by the food and the surroundings at Australasia in Manchester, to read the review please click here. http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=51 A historic village with a rich heritage, Alderley Edge has witnessed many changes over the years. With an abundance of bars and restaurants this is a place that has truly moved with the times and catered for all tastes – well just about. One thing perhaps conspicuous by its absence is a proper village pub. Due to open May/June 2012 The New World Pub Company's decision to situate their second Pub "The Botanist",  following the phenomenal success of Manchester's Oast House, on the same site as the fabled Number 15 Wine Bar, has been very carefully considered and its hoped it wil http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=50 Our newest addition Peppermint Bay is now open. Peppermint Bay in Spinningfields is a new deli style café, rifting on a cool, continental theme which brings together the zesty flavours of the New World with la dolce vita - a stylish option for those looking to eat in or take out.The Aussie heritage and travels through continental Europe of Tim Bacon (Living Ventures Managing Director) have inspired the menu.  Offering snacks and meals for busy schedules including Turkish flatbreads, salads, sushi and an array  of other temptations include heavenly, home-made, jammy http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=48 Living Ventures is doing a Pub!! A traditional Oast House is certainly not something you expect to see - around these parts. Usually associated with the fields of the beautiful Kent countryside and not Spinningfields in Manchester, The New World Pub Company, courtesy of Allied London, are providing a new home for a very old building.This reclaimed Oast House – a place where they used to roast hops in the 16th Century – has been brought brick by brick, from Kent via Ireland, and reassembled at its new city centre address. Offering a fresh take on the time honoured estab http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=47 Tim Bacon talks to Waterfront Magazine about our brand's success, click here to view online and click on the bookmark. http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=46 At our newest establishment in Manchester; Australasia is up to speed with the latest technology offering an extensive iPad wine list. Our iPad wine list has proved very popular with our guests and has recently been recommended by wine connoisseur and writer Jancis Robinson. Click here to view Jancis Robinson's latest article about the iPad wine list. www.australasia.uk.com http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=45 We are very proud to announce that we took the Best Group Restaurant Employer award at the Best Employers in Hospitality Awards 2011 which are run by Caterer.com the online recruitment company.  The awards are the result of surveys undertaken directly of the staff of Businesses who were asked to complete independent online surveys about their employers. http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=44 Gordo at Manchester Confidential has taken another trip down-under; he just can't seem to stay away. However, this visit brings us more good news and in Gordo's opinion there's even a possibility of a Michelin star. Click here to view Gordo's review. http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=43 Manchester Confidential are the first to taste what Australasia has to offer, click here to see how Jonathan Schofield rates Australasia. http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=42 "Manchester's got everything except a beach" – the Stone Roses inimitable front-man, Ian Brown once said.  But golden sands and rolling surf weren't the only things missing, until now that is.   Tim Bacon – Managing Director of the Living Ventures Group – certainly knows about giving the people of Manchester what they want. Blackhouse Grills, Gusto, The Alchemist and historically The Living Room are just a few of the brands he's created.  He's not about to put his feet up though. True to form, Tim's at it again. And this time it's personal. Raised in http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=41 Our newest restaurant The Grill on New York Street recently opened to the public with great success, the official opening party was attended by the who's who of Manchester and we have since received a great review written by the Natter, please click here to view. http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=40 We are pleased to announce that our new restaurant; The Grill on New York Street opens to the public today! The Grill on New York Street is the new kid on the block, a sister restaurant to the ever popular Grill on the Alley which will undoubtedly stamp its own footprint onto Manchester's culinary scene. The carefully selected menu offers a combination of innovation and comfortable old favourites. This stylish restaurant and bar will provide the perfect setting for a business lunch, a leisurely dinner or simply cocktails after work. http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=39 The AlchemistSpinningfields (city centre)January 2011 (Casual dining review) Overall: 4/5 Arguably the most important bar opening of last year came right at the end of it, with The Alchemist. Not only because of its excellence (CityLife bar writer Rachel Esson gave it five-star status last month) but because it solidified Spinningfields' coming of age as a retail and leisure quarter. There were http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=38 The Alchemist opened on 6th December 2010 in Spinningfields, Manchester. Already making its mark on the Manchester bar and restaurant scene, check out the reviews below: http://www.thenatter.co.uk/2010/12/alchemy-welcomed-in-spinningfields/ http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=37 Cheshire based Restaurant and bar group Living Ventures today announced the acquisition of 5 restaurants from the Heathcote's group for an undisclosed sum. The deal sees three of the Olive Press branded restaurants in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire Liverpool and Manchester city centre, moving over to Living Ventures. Grado also in Manchester and a site in Alderley Edge will also be operated by the group in the deal announced today. Living Ventures operators of the GUSTO premium Italian brand and the BLACKHOUSE Seafood and Steak group of restaurants, whose brands recently t http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=36 Living Ventures, John Lewis http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=35 Bacon's on the march again with the New World Bar Company. He's striding back into the city centre, more specifically into Spinningfields, with a bar called Alchemist. Click on the following link to view Manchester Confidential's article:  Fine Dining in Manchester? http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=34 Suburbia can be found on the main street in Hale, from the outside it looks like someone has set up house, far from it! This latest addition to Cheshire scene is a rare treat, a distance from normality. Suburbia prides itself on setting the standard not following and this is evident in the drinks menu and the staff who serve them. A cocktail list this imaginative and extensive has not been seen in these parts for many a year…. if ever – our favourite is the Family Jewels, a Champagne cocktail served in a trunk or try the Tiny Tini a modern presentation of the classic martini! http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=33 Minster celebrates training success 27th April 2009 By Sheryl Moore - Business Correspondent THE minister for culture, media and sport, Andy Burnham, is today visiting a Manchester restaurant to help celebrate the success of its management traini http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=32 The Hale Grill now features live music every evening. Book Online at www.blackhouse.uk.com http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=29 Enjoy a superb value lunchtime offer at all GUSTO restaurants - see www.gustorestaurants.uk.com for details http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=28 Dynamic restaurant and bar operator, Living Ventures, owners of Glasgow's Grill on The Corner and GUSTO restaurant and bar in Edinburgh were today (2nd June 2008) celebrating a major award win. The company have been awarded the CIS (Catering In Scotland) Excellence Award for Innovation in Training. The CIS Excellence Awards are positioned as the industry's ultimate accolade. Organised in association with the Federation of Chefs Scotland and judged by a board of renowned individuals from the Scottish hospitality industry, the awards are open to all types of established and emerging b http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=26 PRESS RELEASEWEDNESDAY 30TH APRIL 2008 GIVING IT 'GUSTO' IN KNUTSFORDIT'S ALL A MATTER OF TASTE LIVING VENTURES the restaurant and bar company who developed "The Living Room" and "BLACKHOUSE" brands is completing the next exciting phase in the company's future growth with Est Est Est in Knutsford opening as GUSTO ~ restaurant and bar at the end of May. The company has invested over £5 million in rebranding and refurbishing its existing Est Est Est restaurants into GUSTO ~ restaurant and bar (GUSTO – Latin/Italian for 'taste and enjoyment') over the last n http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=22 Local shops, restaurants and their guests are set to gather at the newly re-launched Gusto Restaurant & Bar, Alderley Edge (Formally Est Est Est) on Thursday 13th March to help raise money for Charity. With an evening of international fashion, style, good causes, delicious nibbles, live entertainment and a fantastic selection of raffle prizes with all proceeds going to the NSPCC. Gusto Restaurant & Bar Alderley, is to fully embrace that voguish feel of city living in its biggest fashion show yet; transformi http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=15 EST EST EST  UNDERGOES £1 MILLION REFURBISHMENTLIVING VENTURES the restaurant and bar company who developed “THE LIVING ROOM” and “BLACKHOUSE ”  has unveiled plans for the next exciting phase in the company's future growth. The company is to invest up to £10 MILLION in renaming, rebranding and refurbishing its existing EST EST EST restaurants into “GUSTO restaurant and bar” . Gusto (Latin for ‘taste' and Italian for ‘vigour') will replace all of Living Ventures' Ests by September next year. The change will mark the end of Est Est Est on the high street. Livi http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=11 Streetsmart really is putting the money where the mouth is! Top chefs from BLACKHOUSE Grill restaurants will be visiting the Booth Centre charity on Monday 17th December. The Chefs will demonstrate to Booth Centre kitchen staff, how food can go further with exceptional nutritional value. The food cooked on the day will provide meals for homeless people of Manchester that evening. The idea is to show how catering for a large number of people with simple ingredients can be made easy. The Booth Centre is one of the many charities that has benefited from donations made from Streetsmart http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=9 15th November 2007 DRINK AND BE DRIVEN THIS NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH LIVINGVENTURES RESTAURANTS! Living Ventures Restaurants are driving home the safety message this New Years Eve by offering all its customers of its non city centre locations a free lift home after the party celebrations. This year the designated driver will be redundant as all diners will be driven home free of charge! New Years Day is renowned for a shortage of taxis which makes it difficult to plan a celebration to remember. Trying to get home at the end of the night is the biggest problem for reveller http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=7 LIVING VENTURES the restaurant and bar company who developed “THE LIVING ROOM” brand has unveiled plans for the next exciting phase in the company's future growth.The company is to invest up to £10 MILLION in renaming, rebranding and refurbishing its existing EST EST EST restaurants into “GUSTO restaurant and bar” . Gusto (Latin for ‘taste' and Italian for ‘vigour') will replace all of Living Ventures' Ests by September next year. The change will mark the end of Est Est Est on the high street. One of the first units to undergo a major transformation is the Living Ventures Qua http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=13 GIVING IT GUSTO!LEADING RESTAURANT OPERATOR ANNOUNCES NEW CONCEPT IN "LIVING" LIVING VENTURES the dynamic restaurant and bar operator who developed "THE LIVING ROOM" and "BLACKHOUSE GRILL" bars and restaurants, has unveiled plans for the next exciting phase in the company's future growth. The company is to invest up to £10 MILLION in renaming, rebranding and refurbishing its existing ten EST EST EST restaurants into "GUSTO bar and restaurant" an exciting new concept. Inspired by the Latin and Italian meaning of "taste and enjoyment". GUSTO will embody refinement http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=8 11/12/07 LEADING RESTAURANT OPERATORCREATES 50 NEW JOBS ON THE WIRRALFOR NEW CONCEPT IN "LIVING" LIVING VENTURES the dynamic restaurant and bar operator who developed "THE LIVING ROOM" and "The BLACKHOUSE grill", has today unveiled plans for the next exciting phase in the company's future growth. The company is to invest up to £10 MILLION in renaming, rebranding and refurbishing its existing ten EST EST EST restaurants into "GUSTO bar and restaurant" an exciting new concept. Inspired by the Latin and Italian meaning of "taste and enjoyment" GUSTO will emb http://www.livingventures.com/news?news_id=10