Livebait bought out of administration

Richard Muir, director of SBG Restaurants, has acquired the successful Manchester city centre restaurant, Livebait.

The restaurant was bought from Paramount Restaurant Group, which also traded eight Chez Gerard sites, before it fell into administration.

Muir said: "We know the Manchester restaurant scene very well having been involved in business within the city for many years – Livebait is a great restaurant in a fabulous location and we look forward to re-energising the offer and providing something a little more funky."

He needs to. The current operation is looking tired and feeling tired. It needs shaking up. Along with the much anticipated new menu, Livebait will undergo a complete refurbishment in spring 2012. Muir currently owns the prestigious Café Fish Restaurant in Edinburgh and has been a household name within the Scottish restaurant and hospitality industry for more than 30 years; starting out as a chef, and working with Grandmet , THF and Scottish & Newcastle, then becoming the managing director of Sodexo's UK corporate business, which included the management and development of Gary Rhodes restaurants. He also bought and redeveloped the Carmelite Hotel in Aberdeen, winning various awards including Aberdeen restaurant of the year.

Despite the change of ownership the name Livebait will remain. The kitchen will be headed up by executive chef, Dave Spanner who will work with the existing Livebait team.

Spanner has most recently been working on Yachts of Seabourn as executive chef de cuisine and has worked in high-end establishments all over the world; Australia, Paris, San Francisco and Edinburgh.

Spanner will use his expertise to create a new Livebait menu that will be introduced early in 2012. The new menu will showcase the 'beauty and simplicity of fresh fish featuring more shellfish and grill dishes'.

Muir has teamed up with William Rollason the ex-executive chairman of Paramount Restaurant Group and this is the first acquisition for their new company, SBG Restaurants. The business plans to secure other central sites in major UK cities with Glasgow, Leeds and London already on their radar.

• This story first appeared on our sister website Manchester Confidential .