Stanborough Beefeater restaurant celebrates its 10th birthday

A POPULAR eating establishment and hotel in Times Territory celebrates its 10th birthday earlier this week.

The Stanborough Beefeater restaurant and Premier Inn, which overlooks Gosling Sports Park, first opened its doors for business on March 4, 1999.

Phil Wilkinson has been manager of the Stanborough Road site for the entire decade.

With the credit crunch apparently leading to fewer people going out to eat, do the late 90s now seem like a fond and distant memory?

"Actually, we seem to be holding our own in the recession," he said.

"Hopefully that will continue."

Mr Wilkinson attributes The Stanborough's success to good service at fair prices, plus the ability to adapt and change.

"Originally, we had 60 bedrooms and the layout was based around a film studio design, because of the old film studio on Broadwater Road.

"We've changed over the years. We trial a lot of Beefeater's new menus and restaurant designs."

He added: "We've got some good value menus, which are very popular.

"At certain times, you can get a steak for �5.95.

"And the hotel is very competitive in itself; we charge by room not by person, and we offer an all you can eat breakfast where children under 16 go free."

An extra 30 bedrooms were added in 2006, and Phil said there were still "hundreds" of regular diners at the restaurant.

Waitress Jo Bonner has worked at The Stanborough for seven years and said she had no plans to leave.

The mum-of-two said: "I love it here. It fits in with my family life, I love the customers, and it's such a lovely environment to work in.

"It's professional, but we have a laugh too. And Phil's a great manager."

Asked what she thought kept the customers coming through the doors, Jo added: "The quality.

"It's very good value for money. It's such a friendly place, the food is good, and what you get for your money is just fabulous.