Clapham House Share Discussion Threads

[zimzoot] 14/1/2008 12:38

good bet ;)

[caffe] 14/1/2008 09:40

I visited the Crouch End Branch of the GBK brand on Sat night with 10 friends.

Wow how wrong can these guys get it!! With no table service there is no upsell at any point , after having to write the whole order down on the back of a serviette and go to the bar to order whilst the staff just stand and watch you (we were the only customers) 8.30 pm on a Sat!! The only upside is that our spend per head averaged out at £17!! Compared to a usual spend in a rest of around £20-£25 , this is cheap as chips and why?? No starter, no desert and no after meal drinks!!

Sort it out Page or get someone else to run it!!

[jazza] 14/1/2008 08:30

liveinhope,

Can't help thinking the private equity guys will get CPH for a song....and all because market players can't look beyond a recession that probably won't even happen.

Fast forward 3-5 years and CPH would be refloated, in a healthier economic backdrop, worth loads more and recent sellers would wonder how they got so royally mugged.

J.

[liveinhope] 14/1/2008 08:26

Also according to recent UKREG announcemenents looks like others hold interesting stakes as well.

Wellington Man't 5.24%
Henderson Global 5.09%
Deutsch bank 5.03%
Fidelity Int 4.75%
MF Global 4.02%

Interesting times could be ahead as most of above seem to have added to their holdings when share price falls which might indicate share price has bottomed out but in this current volatile market who really knows anymore?

[jazza] 14/1/2008 08:06

another 4% taken on by capricorn...now hold 18.39%.

[bugs22] 11/1/2008 18:48

Sure can Caffe, stake building taking place.

[caffe] 10/1/2008 09:24

Well if they are not they should do so now. Can't see this share bouncing back now.

[mitzis] 09/1/2008 15:56

Guess every ones out of this one now.

[jazza] 15/12/2007 10:30

Not surprised to see this stake-building...remember a time when Pizza Express (then a quoted company) had a rough spell....everyone said that they were stuffed...LOL....now worth a lot more than they were then.

An easy way to get good brands/units on the cheap.


As for the brokers, what a shower.....their recs/price targets merely follow the newsflow....you may as well ignore 'em.

J.

[mitzis] 14/12/2007 08:41

More on stake building..

[laugher] 14/12/2007 00:32

Not sure its of any help but I wandered past both the GBK in Covent Garden and TRG at Kembles Head and both were full. They should be on a Thursday evening before Christmas of course but at least they were, others nearby weren't. They were waiting for tables in the GBK.

[mpilot] 13/12/2007 23:21

Come-on - this used to be right in the middle of the pre-Christmas period. Office do's girls re-unions, the haunts should be buzzing.

I'm guessing there's just to many places seeking the limited spending budgets. The bubble has burst and the consumer will not keep funding the growth in establishments.

Are we going to see blood on the walls??

[mitzis] 13/12/2007 22:30

Indeed Caffe mind you even the PizaExpress next door was half mt...put it down to the pre Xmas period.
I agree a bid would be the best thing.

[caffe] 13/12/2007 22:09

Not a good sign then!! Only way this brand will survive is if they get bought out....IMO

[mitzis] 12/12/2007 21:49

Passed by Hill Road Cambridge unit between 3 and 4 and there was not onecustomer.. incredible.Usually there are at least 10 people at any one time but none is a first.

[liveinhope] 12/12/2007 13:35

More Capricorn buying according to regualtory announcement released today (holding up from 11.2%).

"The Board of Clapham House announces that, pursuant to the Financial Services
Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules, they received formal notification
on 12 December 2007 that following an acquisition of ordinary shares in Clapham
House by Capricorn Ventures International Ltd ("Capricorn") on 10 December 2007,
Capricorn is directly interested in 5,351,916 ordinary shares in the Company
representing 14.34% of the issued share capital of the Company."

[silverfern] 11/12/2007 17:21

Holders might think 'sweet' but I think the culinery term is 'jammy'.

[liveinhope] 11/12/2007 11:35

If the share keeps going up at the rate it is today (and for the 6th day running) we might be back near to the price it was before it crashed on Dec 3 (circa 250p before it went down to 130.5p). Incredible.

[mitzis] 11/12/2007 09:33

The recent take-over news is doing wonders for the share price

[lomax99] 10/12/2007 12:37

Further comment:

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Clapham House Group PLC shares were up 5 pct this morning to 201-1/4 pence after it was revealed on Friday that Capricorn Ventures International had taken an 11.25 pct stake in the Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) and Tootsies Group.

Capricorn amassed the holding after Clapham House last Monday unveiled a profit warning which sent its shares tumbling 40 pct. Analysts are speculating that Capricorn, which owns the Nando's chain, may be preparing a takeover bid for Clapham House.

Capricorn previously took the PizzaExpress chain private in 2003. At the time, David Page and Paul Campbell, who are now chairman and chief executive respectively of Clapham House, were heading up the pizza business.

Thomson Financial News understands Clapham House has not had any discussions with Capricorn regarding the private equity company's intentions, and has been in talks with its own shareholders since unveiling its first half results last Wednesday.

Clapham House, however, refused to comment on Capricorn's stake-building.

In a note to investors, Numis said it is not unreasonable to expect that a takeover battle may loom, with GBK the star prize. The broker said it is putting its 'Hold' recommendation and 176 pence price target under review, but suggested 250-280 pence a share as a "realistic take-out price range" -- valuing the business at 91-101 mln stg.

"Alternatively, Capricorn Ventures may put pressure on Clapham House to de-merge GBK," it said.

Dresdner Kleinwort added Capricorn could look to re-branding some of Clapham House's struggling restaurants as Nando's. It adjusted its target price to 200 pence, taking into account the bid speculation, and reiterated its 'Hold' recommendation.

Numis added that private equity interest is being rekindled in the restaurant sector, given the recent plunge in share prices. It added this is not surprising, given the long-term attractiveness of the sector.

[bugs22] 10/12/2007 09:58

Thanks liveinhope

[caffe] 08/12/2007 10:12

GBK have to wake up to the fact that their concept needs tweaking Better service, add on products and up-selling will make the difference.
Like I said in my earlier post it's easy to be busy on the weekend.
And a final thought January is a key month to these businesses - Heavy food i.e burgers and chips do not go down well....best concept on the high street is Wagamama...recession proof, good honest food and fanstastic service.

[dorisken] 07/12/2007 18:57

Jazza, I am with you , GBK is a great concept and that is why I have got shares in it and also why I had lunch in the GBK in Richmond again today...just really good food.
But rather to my horror, the restaurant was very quiet... much quieter than when I have been in before. I suspect that actually Carluccios is the better bet as a restaurant investment as the one in Richmond has people in it all day. It does a great breakfast and serves all ages and types of people from 9am to 11pm with meals, coffees, snacks...

[mitzis] 07/12/2007 08:55

This article on Citywire regarding the fall out..