FRENCH independent restaurant group Bistrot Pierre is celebrating a landmark birthday this month following 21 years of trading.
The group’s Derby bistrot plans a host of special events to mark the auspicious occasion. There will be a number of initiatives on the anniversary date of 29 July to thank diners for their support including ‘golden tickets’ under chairs in the restaurant with prizes of free meals. Customers who find a golden ticket will win a prize ranging from a free dessert – to a complimentary three-course meal for up to four people.
The bistrot has also given away complimentary Veuve Devienne French sparkling wine to 10 lucky Derby couples who followed Bistrot Pierre on Facebook. Diners are invited to take a ‘selfie’ of themselves celebrating in the restaurant during July with the hashtag #bistrotpierre21.
Co-owner Rob Beacham, who set up Bistrot Pierre with business partner and old friend John Whitehead 21 years ago, said: “We are delighted that Bistrot Pierre is turning 21 and celebrating more than two decades. We want to thank our Derby customers – and to do that we have come up with lots of prizes and celebrations.”
Left to Right John Whitehead & Rob Beacham
Bistrot Pierre specialises in great value French food, freshly made by chefs every day.
“Seeing our business grow, working with our fantastic restaurant teams and delivering a great customer experience that you cannot get anywhere else gives us a sense of enormous satisfaction,” added Rob.
“To be expanding during tough economic times make us both very proud. But it’s the people at the sharp end, those who work on the restaurant floor and in the kitchens, who should take the credit.”
Co-founders Rob Beacham and John Whitehead have been friends since school and always dreamed of going into business together.
The pair originally opened their first venue as the Nottingham franchise of restaurant chain Pierre Victoire in 1994 – followed closely by the Derby restaurant. When things took a different direction and the Pierre Victoire group folded four years later, Rob and John rebranded and soon expanded the operation into other cities.
As the group has grown, so has the brand, with each bistrot styled to compliment the building and surroundings and adding its own slightly different flavour locally to the building. Bistrot Pierre has not only survived the recent recession, it has managed to thrive – capturing the growing demand for high quality food at affordable prices.
As well as Derby, Bistrot Pierre now has restaurants in Nottingham, Bath, Cardiff, Harrogate, Ilkley, Leamington Spa, Leicester, Plymouth, Sheffield, Stockton Heath, Stratford upon Avon and Torquay. Bistrot Pierre is planning a refurb at the Derby restaurant later this year.
The group plans further openings in Newport in 2015, Birmingham and The Mumbles, Swansea in 2016, with further sites in the pipeline for 2017.
Bistrot Pierre also operates The Bear Freehouse and Kitchen in Stratford and The Crescent Inn, a pub with 11 boutique bedrooms in Ilkley.
