Picture by Adam Fradgley

Great news for Felixstowe: top chef Marco Pierre White will be opening two new venues in the Suffolk seaside town.

An investment of over £750,000 will see the town’s Best Western-branded Brook Hotel transformed into a boutique-style hotel called Hotel Coco. The investment will create over 20 jobs for the local area and should open as a hotel, restaurant and pub by early summer 2024.

Hotel Coco will feature a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, as well as a pub-based venue called The Queen’s Head. Falling under the Marco Pierre White Ale House brand, it will be the first venture of its kind in the country.

The new Steakhouse Bar & Grill will replace the hotel’s former restaurant. It follows a deal between the hotel’s owners, the Govindasamy family, and Black and White Hospitality: the franchising arm of MPW’s restaurants.

Promising “affordable glamour”, the menu at the Steakhouse Bar & Grill will include signature steaks, alongside timeless English and French classics. With a mix of childhood favourites and modern-day delicacies on offer, there will also be a range of cocktails and wines to accompany the food offering.

Want something more casual? The Queen’s Head will serve classics like pies, fish and chips and butcher’s steaks in a traditional, homely setting.

Muralee Govindasamy, owner of the hotel since 2002, says: “We’re incredibly excited about the plans for the hotel and restaurant. The investment will elevate the venue considerably and we’re absolutely delighted to have someone of Marco’s calibre open one of his restaurants in Felixstowe.

“This is great news for the town and is also fantastic news for the whole area.

“Alongside the new restaurant, the private dining areas and courtyard are being completely transformed to offer a superb dining experience within the hotel for both residents and non-residents alike.

“In addition, to be the first location in the whole of the UK to open the new pub concept is a massive privilege and we can’t wait to start pulling pints and serving classic pub food to travellers and locals alike.

“We also want this to become a real hub where local residents, families and community groups feel comfortable to meet up and enjoy the atmosphere of a venue that has been devised by one of the country’s most respected hospitality greats.”

Nick Taplin, Chairman and CEO of Black and White Hospitality added: “This is fantastic news for Felixstowe. The Steakhouse is the perfect fit for the hotel’s restaurant space, not only in terms of the location but for those who will dine in it including residents of the hotel and guests who just want a good meal out.

“The Great British pub is more than just a place to drink beer. The best become hubs of their community or places where locals go out to eat. The Marco Pierre White Ale House will offer quality food in a more casual atmosphere and we’re delighted to have teamed up with Muralee and to be opening in this fantastic location.”

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Link to the Original Blog Post: Marco Pierre White to open two new Felixstowe venues – Breaks and Bites