‘We’ve always admired the three restaurants,’ said Matt Polli, Randalls managing director.
‘They have an amazing offering of food, drink and service levels. So when there was an opportunity to buy them, we thought it was a fantastic addition to our managed house portfolio – a perfect fit.
‘We don’t have a huge amount in St Peter Port, so it’s not going to compete with anything that we already do.
‘But we see the three places, with what they do already and the skills and knowledge they have, as a way to lift the standard generally across all our managed houses. Almost like training.’
Randalls has been in business for 150 years as brewers, distillers and suppliers. It owns and manages pubs, restaurants, hotels and shops across the island. The Red sites will join Prince of Wales and Slaughterhouse in town, taking to five establishments in the area. The group’s other sites include The Imperial, The Rockmount, The Farmhouse and La Reunion.
Mr Polli said Randalls is ‘absolutely not a franchise place’. This new deal brings opportunities for Red’s development, but Randalls is committed to preserving the character of each of the Lower Pollet and North Esplanade restaurants.
‘We can help them with importing stuff and making certain aspects of the business easier,’ he said.
‘But they are already three really successful businesses. We don’t want to make them any bigger, or change what makes them special. But we hope to make simple tweaks, like making it easier to get pizza online, for example. We’re hugely excited, it’s a great opportunity for us all and I’m very much looking forward to a future together.’
Randalls operations director, Rauls Silts, used to work at Red and helped the brand develop through its infancy.
‘I was with them for the first four or five years,’ he said.
‘Every site is unique, each treated with their own special approach. And now that Red is syncing together with the Randalls group, we want to keep all the quality that is there and who knows, possibly grow even more.’
The team at Red said they welcome the new adventure with open arms.
‘We’re really looking excited,’ said HR director Vicki Montgomery.
‘A lot of us already know each other, which is nice, it’s not like we’re strangers. We’re looking forward to all the opportunities that this will present for the whole group.’
Properties sold for first time in 100 years
Randalls has now bought the buildings which house its restaurants Red, Rosso and Tinto, marking the first time since the 1920s that the properties have changed hands.
59 and 61 Le Pollet were sold by Walter Property for an undisclosed sum.
‘These buildings were bought by my great-grandfather William Walter in the 1920s and have been owned by our family since that time,’ said Walter Property chairwoman Catherine Walter. ‘They have had a fascinating history over the last century and been home to many restaurants, and the place where many happy memories were created.’
Randalls’ local roots, dating back to 1868, had made selling the properties easier, she said.
‘We are confident that Randalls will be a responsible custodian of 59 and 61 Le Pollet, preserving their character while supporting their future success as part of Guernsey’s vibrant hospitality scene.
‘Its approach balances respect for heritage with a commitment to quality, sustainability and community, ensuring that both the businesses and buildings it acquires continue to thrive.’
Randalls’ Matt Polli said it had no plans to make any changes to what were three very successful restaurants:
‘We are delighted that the teams are continuing to do what they do so well,’ he said.
‘Owning 59 and 61 Le Pollet will allow us to invest in the properties to ensure the continued success of Red, Rosso and Tinto.’
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