Tonight:
-5°c
Smoked salmon with views of the Olympics
Matthew Beard26 Jan 2009
Britain's oldest fish smokery will open a restaurant next month with unrivalled views of the Olympic Park, completing a remarkable turnaround for the firm.
H Forman & Son had feared the 100-year-old company would go up in smoke when London won the 2012 Olympic bid as it was on the Stratford site earmarked for the 80,000-seat main stadium.
But after four years, and a bitter struggle with then-Mayor Ken Livingstone over relocation terms, it has moved only 150 metres away from its former home, and is separated from the Olympic Park by the river Lea.
More than 80 local people work at the factory — shaped like a fish and painted salmon-pink — on Fish Island.
Earlier this month Mayor Boris Johnson was guest of honour at a reception linked to the Games. He said the design and construction of the premises in eight months was an example to builders working on venues for 2012.
Shortly after the Olympics were awarded to London, company owner Lance Forman had been told by the London Development Agency he would have to move. He avoided compulsory purchase and did a deal with the LDA that covered the cost of moving to the one-acre site, formerly owned by a housing association and once valued at £6 million. Mr Forman said: “There's plenty of opportunity linked to the Olympics . We got off to a good start last summer when the 2012 team hired me to do a staff barbecue on the Games site.”
The client list for Forman's top-class London Cure salmon includes Fortnum & Mason and Harrods.
The 160-seat restaurant will offer two menus — smoked-salmon-only, and British, designed by chef Lloyd Hardwick, who used to run the restaurant at Tate Modern. Forman's was one of about 200 businesses relocated by the LDA.
Reader views (2)
Will the staduim be built in time for this?
- Mark, Watford, 26/01/2009 16:27
Report abuse
Why would anyone want a view of that hideous Olympic stadium?
- Cally G, Essex, UK, 26/01/2009 14:48
Report abuse
