The details of the company's 'exciting new venture at Gatwick', which a company spokeswoman told BigHospitality was in planning earlier this month, have finally been revealed with the new restaurant, bar and bakery set to occupy an area of 6,000 sq ft in the airport's North Terminal in June as part of a £1.2bn investment programme to update the airport.
New concepts
Jamie's Italian at Gatwick will operate in the same way as its high street counterparts, but will also offer breakfast, while the Union Jacks Bar, a scaled down concept of the restaurant of the same name, will serve a selection of the restaurant's most popular small dishes alongside a more bespoke menu for Gatwick as well as UK produced beers and British wines.
The restaurant company's first bakery will work alongside Jamie's Italian and will serve freshly baked pizzas, salads and cakes to takeaway and eat onboard flights.
Oliver said: “This will be something really special. I’ve worked with my team to take the very best bits from Jamie’s Italian and Union Jacks and build them into something beautiful and exciting just for Gatwick."
Airport dining
Charlotte Christiansen, business development manager, catering & services at Gatwick Airport said 70 per cent of departing passengers shopped, drank or dined when at the airport so it was important to provide right options for them.
"We’ve worked closely with Jamie Oliver to create a concept that would appeal to all of our passenger groups - whether it’s a family or couple that have the time to sit down for a meal in Jamie’s Italian or Union Jack’s, or those simply wanting to ‘grab’ food to ‘graze’ on the plane," she said.
More restaurant operators are starting to see the potential of opening sites at transport hubs. Last month Tragus opened a new branch of its Oriel brasserie at Heathrow's Terminal 3 and there are plans to develop dining at the airport's Terminal 2.
Earlier this month BigHospitality also revealed details of new restaurants opening at King's Cross station's newly developed concourse in March.