Newstrack

PDK Shehnaz Hotels to lay stress on banquet business Expands in Singapore

EH Staff - Kolkata

PDK Shehnaz Hotels is betting big on the banquets business. It plans to create banquet space of 28,500 square feet in the city of Kolkata by 2008-09. The company who has a banquet space of over 20,000 sq ft in Salt Lake's sector V and 1,000 sq ft at 22, Camac Street, where it will create another 7,500 sq ft with an investment of Rs two crore next year as part of its total investment plan of Rs 3.5 crore.

"Apart from five-star hotels, no other venues in the city provide plush banqueting for gatherings in excess of 500," said executive director (operations) Arvind Bhatnagar, elaborating on the need for the new venture. A banqueting facility at a five-star hotel in Kolkata charges around Rs 2,000 a head. The new facilities are likely to charge 15 per cent less. "We intend to create more space for banqueting in future," he said.

The company, which already has a presence in Singapore in the semi-fine-dining segment, has planned to enter the ready-to-eat segment in that country with GO India Express. The RTE outlet, which will serve chilled Indian food, is eyeing an average per cover of around US$ 12. The APC in the semi-fine-dining segment is US$ 60. "We plan to launch five more express outlets in Singapore, operating through a central Kitchen," Bhatnagar said. The company, which earns the major share of its revenue from the Singapore operation, is eyeing a turnover of Rs 42 crore by 2008-09.