A taste of the Orient may well be evident in the cuisine at The Swan at Streatley, following the arrival of Head Chef Gavin Russell, from Hong Kong.

And, for those of you who would rather sample traditional English fayre in Cygnetures restaurant, don’t worry – Gavin’s plans for the menus will suit you too.

“The restaurants I worked in during my eight years in Hong Kong were very colonial and, therefore, quintessentially English, like The Swan.The menus I develop here – for Cygnetures, the Cygnet Bar and room service – will focus very much on traditional cuisine with perhaps just a touch of Oriental spice thrown in for excitement!”

Gavin’s career spans more than 20 years, with experience gained in establishments such as The Ritz, Claridges, Gleneagles and,
latterly, Peninsular Clubs in Hong Kong.

He is delighted to have joined the team at The Swan. He said: “This is a great opportunity for me to use the experience I have gained over two decades in many different catering environments. I think The Swan has the potential to offer diners a really outstanding culinary experience and we will be pulling together, as a team, to focus on
good food and hospitality.” As Connections went to press, another new face arrived at The Swan. Jeffrey Ward took over as General
Manager on 8 September. Look out for his profile in the spring edition.

The John Nike Leisuresport Centre in Llandudno is fast developing into one of North Wales’ top tourist attractions – a fact proven by both the number of visitors to the centre this winter and its appearance on national TV.

GMTV’s Keith Chegwin went along to the ski and snowboard centre in July as part of the TV breakfast programme’s travel slot promoting things to do in Great Britain. He thoroughly enjoyed his ride on the toboggan and, as a result, the centre has attracted visitors from far and wide.

Central TV also included John Nike Leisuresport, Llandudno, on its travel programme, with the presenter trying a snowboard lesson. John Bell works at John Nike Leisuresport, Llandudno. He said that the centre’s location (near resorts like Rhyl) has made it a top choice for a day out all year round.

He told Connections: “We see literally thousands of tourists during the winter months with the toboggan ride being the most popular attraction."

This winter skiers from all over the UK have visited John Nike Leisuresport Centres to compete in competitions at both regional and national levels.

Andy Rushton, Ski Co-ordinator and Manager at Chatham Ski and Snowboard Centre, said: “The feedback from the racers and organisers has been positive, both for the facilities and the teams who work hard to put the events on at each centre.”

Throughout the race season, the thriving John Nike Leisuresport Alpine Ski Club continued to go from strength to strength with many members finishing in the top three of their event.

Each centre offers experienced skiers the opportunity to develop their skills to become ski racers – for example, Chatham’s Race Club has grown from 15 members when it started three years ago to over 90 who compete and train every week.

The Nike Group of Companies is pleased to announce two new managers.

Jeffrey Ward is the new General Manager of The Swan at Streatley. Jeffrey has a wealth of experience including time at Sopwell House Hotel and Country Club in St Albans.

George Black, who has a background in the leisure industry has taken over as Manager of the John Nike Leisuresport complex at Bracknell.