Birmingham: Airport Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thread

[Brummiegem]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

The newly relocated Costa in the departure lounge is now open.
It is situated centrally between Burgerking and the Meridan bar.
The old Costa will become a Giraffe bar opening sometime in the new year.

The Est Presso serving unit on the first floor just by the security entrance has now been removed and this area is a seating area.You can get refreshments from the Upper Crust outlet although unlike Est Presso I don't think it is open 24 hours.Obviously Burgerking and Boots are close by depending on your tastes but at least you can have a sit down before you go through security.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Thanks for the update.

Good to see Upper Crust has stayed and one of the main complaints about airports seems to be lack of seating so I'm sure it will be welcome for many.

Any news on Frankie & Bennies or is it still undergoing the refurb?

 

[Brummiegem]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Sorry for the late reply,Frankie and Bennys is still under going refurb with a December opening.
I don't know the exact date but I will keep you informed.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Thanks for the updates.

I popped upstairs today to have a quick look and noticed the Upper Crust signage on the seating area, although the Est Presso signs were still up in places. It looks very temporary so I wonder if there will be something planned for the area soon.

 

[Brummiegem]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

The hoardings were taken down during the overnight period of Monday/Tuesday at Frankie and Bennys'.
It was open for business by the time I was back in for my shift on Tuesday night.
Although it looks fresh and smart I don't think it looks a great deal different to what it did before,although I am getting on a bit and my memory is not as good as it was 🙂

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

I saw the new look Frankie & Bennys today and have to agree it seems the same, just cleaner. Very nice though. The flight sim in the old business unit looks interesting, I might be tempted to have a go.

I also noticed signage for Resorts World has appeared throughout the terminals, they must be expecting a significant amount of international visitors to add them. From what I hear there is alot of interest in the project from the Far East.

 

[Brummiegem]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Yes I noticed that as well.Let's hope it does encourage some more long haul investors/visitors to our region.
Maybe even some first class passengers for Emirates :good:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

I hear Wetherspoons will be closing sometime in Jan for a refurb, apparently it'll be closed for 6 weeks so it looks to be a pretty extensive one.

 

[Brummiegem]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Wetherspoons airside will close at the end of this week,i think sunday but not 100% sure.
An 8 week extension and refurb project will follow.
The aim is to reopen before the summer schedules start at the end of march.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

It's good to see retail at the airport had it's 'best year ever' in 2014. I guess the centralised security area has helped with pax from both terminals being able to access each others retail.

We were delighted to join in the festivities with Birmingham Airport (BHX) last week to celebrate a landmark for the airport as it reached its highest retail sales ever in 2014!

http://www.blackjackpromotions.co.uk/about-us/

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Conformation in the Consultative Committee report that Est Presso will be replaced this year.

There have been major developments in the Departure Lounge over the summer
in partnership with with LSTR (Lagardere Travel Retail Services).
Eye Love, a new sunglass concept, was the
first to open followed closely by the Watch
Collection, selling high-end brands such as
Burberry, Longines, Tag Heuer and Mont
Blanc. ‘The Fashion Place’, now open in
space previously occupied by Tie Rack,
offers bags and small leather goods by
American brand ‘Guess’ alongside jewellery
and accessories from Austrian crystal
specialist Swarowski. Discover England
offers British themed souvenirs, gifts and food
and there are also two other top brand names
in Hugo Boss and Victoria’s Secret. Many of the units are the first in the UK for
LSTR and are the result of significant investment.
Page 20 Also in the Departure Lounge, WH Smith have now opened a dedicated Books
Plus store.

The Airport has embarked on an upgrade to its Food and Beverage estate. The
All Bar One unit in the south lounge has been extended to include a new
Espresso Coffee area. All Bar One continues to perform exceptionally well and
has vastly improved the food and beverage offer in the south lounge. Also airside,
a new Costa unit in the north lounge is now open. Frankie and Benny’s landside
has been refurbished to transform the look and feel of this popular restaurant,
while the Est Presso unit landside has disappeared and will be replaced in 2015
with a new offer.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

A photo on BHX Twitter of the refurbed Wetherspoons.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

That looks really cool. Does an airport Wetherspoons operate with high street prices or are they expensive?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

They're more expensive than the Wetherspoons you find on the High Street but I'd say they're still the cheapest option in the departure lounge.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Just wondered because it's generally the price that is most appealing to most people who like their brand. To be fair to them, the grub is pretty good too, or at least it is at our local spoons.

 

[Brummiegem]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

The central area on the first floor,just by the security screening entrance has now been cleared and fenced off.
I am not sure what is planned for this area,but I guess work will start on something very soon!

The area where the Giraffe bar is supposed to be is still boarded up,but I am not sure if any work is being done here.
The area opposite the newly refurbished Wetherspoons has been boarded up since before Christmas,but no word yet of when the new bar will open.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Thanks for the update.

The staff for the new Giraffe restaurant are currently training at the Solihull branch so I imagine it can't be too long until it opens.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Looks as though Giraffe is due to open on the 22nd. It says they'll also be aiming to serve food within 15 mins which is something I believe Frankie & Bennies offer?

GIRAFFE TO OPEN 173-COVER SITE IN BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT

TRG Concessions together with giraffe restaurant are set to open a new site airside in Birmingham Airport on May 22nd.
TRG has invested £1 million into the 173-cover, 3,800 sq ft site, designed by Harrison, and will mark the eighth site in the 10-year TRG and giraffe partnership.

The menu will include a range of all day breakfast dishes, a selection of sandwiches, burgers and salads as well as sharing platters and seasonal chef’s specials, while smoothies, freshly pressed juices and gourmet coffees and teas will be available through the day.

Food will be cooked to order, with staff aiming to serve all dishes within 15 minutes to appeal to time-poor travelers.

Sam Anstey, giraffe director of franchising and brand marketing, said: “We are proud to be partnering up again with The Restaurant Group Concessions and open at Birmingham Airport this month.

“We will continue our long-standing relationship with TRG who have been the perfect partner for us and invested considerably in delivering our award-winning brand within UK airports.”

Nick Ayerst, managing director of TRG Concessions, said: “giraffe is becoming synonymous with quality airport dining and we hope our hugely successful partnership delivers quality and great value dining for Birmingham Airport passengers.

The Birmingham site follows a recent airport opening as one of the 12 brands chosen in Stansted’s £80m redevelopment of its departure lounge.

http://eatoutmagazine.co.uk/giraffe-ope ... am-airport

 

[Brummiegem]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Something else I noticed the other night is,Burgerking has expanded either side of the counter with new seating for customers.There are also 3 new free standing drinks machines to the left of the counter.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Birmingham Airport - Retail and Food & Drink Outlets Thr

Looks as if Giraffe is now open 🙂

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/at- ... g/giraffe/