Fri 13th Nov 2015 - Quaglino’s operator D&D London to open second Leeds site Quaglino’s operator D&D London to open second Leeds site: Quaglino’s operator D&D London is to open a 7,807 square foot restaurant at the £165m Victoria Gate development in Leeds. D&D’s rooftop unit will include an outside dining terrace. The restaurant will be the group’s third restaurant in the UK outside of London. Among its portfolio, D&D operates Le Pont de la Tour, Bluebird as well as the recently opened, German Gymnasium in Kings Cross. The group has also has restaurants in New York, Copenhagen and Tokyo. Following the launch of Victoria Gate next year, the new 53,400 square metre (574,745 square foot) Victoria Estate, which encompasses Victoria Quarter, will become the city’s new, premium retail quarter. Anchored by a flagship John Lewis store, the scheme includes a two-street covered arcade to accommodate new aspirational retailers as well as the rooftop space for restaurants that is set to transform the retail and dining offer in Leeds. Sarah Fox, head of restaurant and leisure at Hammerson, said: “We are delighted to be able to welcome D&D to the Victoria Gate. Not only is this a significant first for Hammerson’s shopping centre portfolio, securing a restaurant group of the calibre of D&D is a fantastic result for the development and reflects the aspirational retail, dining and leisure experience we are bringing to Leeds.” Des Gunewardena, chief executive and chairman of D&D London added: “We are very excited to be opening a restaurant in what I think will be a spectacular rooftop space above Hammerson’s new Victoria Gate shopping centre. This will be our second venture in Leeds after the launch of Crafthouse and Angelica which have proved big successes for us, and we enjoy very much being a part of the city’s restaurant scene.” D&D London, the successor to the group of restaurants founded by Sir Terence Conran in the 1980s, saw its turnover rose 13% from £93.1m to £104.9m in the financial year to March 2015. Profits rose 50% from £5.5m to £8.2m. Gunewardena said average spend per customer was about £65, including VAT and service, and the group sold 200,000 oysters, 800,000 cups of coffee and 400,000 glasses of champagne and sparkling wine in the year. Strong growth at D&D London has encouraged the company to invest £5m in the German Gymnasium in King’s Cross, which opened yesterday (Thursday, 12 November). It has 27 restaurants in the capital. D&D London also operates Crafthouse at Trinity Leeds.