Sandpiper looks to open Gourmet Burger Kitchen
Saturday 22nd January 2011, 2:29PM GMT.
UPMARKET chain Gourmet Burger Kitchen is coming to Guernsey.
Sandpiper CEO Tony O’Neill (pictured) confirmed that the company is planning to open a franchise later this year.
‘We are opening one in Jersey in two weeks’ time and I am looking for a site in Guernsey for premises,’ he said.
‘As soon as I can find the right site we will get going. I will be disappointed if we are not open by the middle of the summer.’
GBK is a UK chain that first opened in London in 2003.
- Read the full story in the Guernsey Press. See below for subscription details.
- To read Guernsey Press stories in full click here for subscription details. Individual editions are now available online.
Island Life
All about Guernsey
Ambassador of the Year 2011
History & Heritage
Visitor Information
Guernsey's government
Campaigns
Voice For Victims
Voice for Victims is a campaign aimed at promoting the rights of those affected by child sexual abuse.
This is Guernsey
Guernsey Press
Useful Links
Aren’t the burgers about £10? Quite expensive for a burger.
Report abuse
Will this be a restaurant or take-away??? If the latter, can we be assured that it will not be another outlet dishing out those foul polystyrene boxes that litter the island.
Report abuse
@rosie. Polystyrene boxes are also non bio-degradable. What’s worse, toxins leak from polystyrene into the food. Over time this causes ill health. For islanders good health, Guernsey must legislate that food of any kind must be placed into only that which is healthy for human beings. It’s common sense.
Report abuse
Expat80,
What evidence do you have to substantiate the claim that polystyrene food packaging ’causes ill health’?
Report abuse
Yum yum yum! GBK is brilliant! They maybe ten pounds a pop but when you see them you will understand why.
And Rosie, whenever I have got take out in the UK they are wrapped in paper not the plastic boxes.
Report abuse
It’s a restaurant http://www.gbk.co.uk/
To be fair, it’s the average price of a meal out isn’t it?
Report abuse
Do we really want a chain that supplies barbarically slaugthered Halal meats?
Report abuse
Good for them, sadly the Guernsey public will support it for a few weeks and then have the usual “cant be bothered” attitude.
After all we wanted KFC, that went when not supported, we wanted Pizza Express, that went after not being supported, we wanted Burger King .. that went under different circumstances though, we wanted Wimpy , that went unsupported.
If they are as good as they appear to be according to the reviews I have read then brilliant , I will certainly support them, as long as the opening times support the business, i.e not just close at 5pm
Report abuse
toady
this is all about supply and demand. your post is so typical of The “we want it chorus.”
simple fact is that if any of the aformentioned firms thought they could turn a profit here they would still be here.
how many mcdonalds do you see in leafy well heeled retirement suberbs?
Report abuse
Toady
Do you mean that you would eat there just to keep them in business at your expense or because you actually want to eat there because you love the food?.
And why should the public be bothered? what should they be bothered about?.
Report abuse
Yes, please, Helen.
Only barbaric to the uninformed.
Yum, yum!
Report abuse
Kevin
I am not one of the “we want it brigade” at all. Please get the time to know me and my background before making judgement on me.
I am probably double your age and remember all of the above being here, KFC going back to the late 70′s. Their location was on the bus terminus and was more often than not empty. The same goes for the Wimpy when it was in Smith Street and that closed at 5.30 every night .
I welcome any new business and the employment that will make but they will NOT make a profit if they don’t get the support after the initial 2 weeks, If I remember rightly Burger King despite being next to most of the town nightclubs closed at 10pm most nights but was open at 7am, hardly condusive to making a profit.
Anyone wishing to open a McDonalds ? I can give you all the relevant details on who to contact to get your franchise , YOUR input into the business is £500k, hence the need to support any business that comes here !
Report abuse
Right , I hold my hands up and say that my punctuation and/or grammar was probably not right for which I apologise.
I am a supporter of any business that wants to be in the island , if that means me shopping/eating there then if the business has what I want at that particular time I will do. For me a burger always tastes good during the interval at a film etc. but I look forward to having a gourmet meal with one!
Approx 6 years ago I looked into opening a Subway franchise, had all the meetings and was just about to sign on the dotted line when Pizza Express closed down due to “lack of interest”, I still have in my possession all the contracts which show that I would possibly have now been in debt by approx £120,000 if that had gone the same way.
Guernsey people, and I am one, tend to want things one week and then change their mind the next. The problem is that for a burger joint, more so a take away than a restaurant, will need to open more hours than the usual.
Times are changing , apparantley we no longer want “greasy spoon” cafes, ( I disagree )but look at the amount of people who frequent the take aways after closing hours, all run and owned by non-guerns.
Come on Guerns , embrace the fact that someone wants to invest in the island and support this venture, Don’t use it for 6 months and then forget about it , it would be such a shame.
I no longer frequent town after Horlicks hour but are places like Costa still open after say 8pm ? I look forward to your guidance ….
Report abuse
Pillsbury – I consider myself to be very well informed, and Halal slaughter is downright cruel.
For the record, I am a vegetarian of conscience, having made this choice due to the WAY food animals live and die, and not just because meat is dead animal.
So, if you are able to inform me as to why Halal slaughter is not barbaric, more so than stunning the animal first, I would be interested to hear what you have to say – and I don’t just want links to Muslim websites thank you.
Report abuse
Toady – I don’t think the average “Guern” consumer is any different to the UK market. Kevin is right – it’s about supply and demand.
When it comes to food retailing, one of the reasons I think some ventures don’t succeed over here are that we already have a large choice of good food outlets so any new venture has to be on the button from day one – news travels fast over here, especially bad news.
For example, I had wondered about trying the new Indian restaurant along the front however I’ve already heard a number of bad reports from people I trust – and one good report. As I already have a curry supplier that does the job for me, why should I risk disappointment by changing?
In the competitive world of the hospitality, in my opinion, in order to break into a market and stay there new food outlets don’t just have to equal the competition, they must better them.
Report abuse
toady
sorry if I offended but I was just pointing out that demograhpically Guernsey is not going to have demand for certain types of businesses. It is not about people changing their minds just the make up of our population. you are right about macdonalds though. Your experience with subway is entirely believable which goes to show that to be successful the demand has to be there.
Report abuse
GBK are really great burgers, with loads of fresh produce. We should welcome any new venture to the islands. I have eaten at GBK a few times on the mainland and never been dissapointed. They do sit down meals and takeaways. They cater to vegetarian and non vegetarians too. I think the restaurant up at the Mallard would be the perfect location(right next to the cinema).
PS. They use paper to wrap their take away burgers. Cant wait believe me you wont be dissapointed
Report abuse
These comments seem to be a bit ill-informed.
GBK is not a predominantly take-away restaurant.
On the mainland their restaurants offer excellent burgers, made with good beef and quality ingredients (buns/salad) And the Oreo cookie milkshake is awesome.
They do have the option to take-away- but as one person pointed out, they are an expensive option for a take-out.
I’d happily have an extra one built in my town if Guernsey doesn’t want one.
Report abuse
My old M8 Plaza John does a good Burger,a sprinkling of Grated Cheese, Lettice and some secret recipe BBQ sauce £7.99 with a Cola
Report abuse
I’ve eaten at GBK in London and Dublin and loved it, they were tasty burgers with a good range of ingredients and the garlic mayo is gorgeous. I will certainly use it occasionally.
Toady – Costa isn’t open late and I think that’s something Guernsey lacks. It would be nice to have somewhere like Costa or preferably Starbucks to go and get a decent coffee in the evening, say after the cinema or a chinese or indian meal. It would be a nice way to finish an evening.
Report abuse
They should promote with a slogan
FEED THE DONKEY
Report abuse
VQ – Starbucks???! That is not decent coffee!
Report abuse
If they want a burger specific restaurant why don’t they just start one up using local produce. I’d put money on that being more popular and also better for the Island.
VQ – If you are looking for somewhere to have a late night coffee I suggest you try Christies, its a nice atsmophere, great coffee and its unique not a UK chain…
Just my 2p of course
Report abuse
My wife and I along with a couple of friends had lunch at GBK a few years ago in Manchester. My wife had the pleasure to find (part way through eating) a deep fried mosquito in her burger! Let’s hope that the proprietor of the new restaurant in Guernsey deals with it a little better than his or her Manchester counterpart. For the record she was offered a minor percentage reduction in the bill (being the percentage of the burger uneaten) and a very thin apology!
Report abuse
@ St. Peter. You more or less took the words right out of my mouth! Should be someone local instead of bringing in yet another Overseas company to take business away from the Guernsey traders. They’re finding it hard enough as it is
to survive against non local “big boys”. Smaller traders don’t get a look in in prime areas due to the high rents and uk “non genuine” sales. Etc. It would be nice to approach locals first!
Report abuse
Griffin – if I’m not very much mistaken, GBK is going to be a franchise operated by Sandpiper – who are already here.
So there won’t be “yet another overseas company” coming over.
Report abuse
Two points that I would like to make:
1. I hear that Pizza Express is also coming to Guernsey, fingers crossed on that score!
2. The only reason people go to the takeouts in town is because they are very drunk. Does anyone ever see very many people near them before the pubs and club close??
I agree with many of the comments in that I hope it is supported and does survive. But it will need to deliver on service, price and quality and importantly, find it’s place in the market. I doubt that it will get regular customers from restaurants such as Da Nello’s from stopping going there any instead choosing GBK.
Report abuse
But they are franchising another English company, surely Sandpiper could help a local catering business that is already in the Island and invite them on board instead of inviting GBK over to take a good business opportunity away from local traders???
Report abuse
Isn’t Gourmet Burger an oxymoron?
Report abuse
@Griffin
Surely the fact that you , as a business person already , hasn’t already seized the open opportunity says quite a lot . the opportunity is there should you so wish.
Sandpiper as a company is bringing in new business rather than handing out cash to the ones who don’t see the opportunity. There is nothing stopping any of us doing it. No one can blame Sandpiper for trying something new
Report abuse
bring back the ‘WIMPY’… I remember the little wimpy takeaway/eat in when i was a kid…. It used to be a nice cheap place to get a reasonable burger…!!
Or why not go bigger now and involve McDonalds..??
Report abuse
Sandpiper did not appear to advertise this opportunity or approach a local caterer that’s what i mean. Or is it, maybe that sandpiper can only offer franchise deals to overseas businesses?
Report abuse
Griffin – Sandpiper doesn’t advertise. It’s up to the business to go to them. Do you think they went knocking on GBK door? No. GBK were probably on the look out for franchise partners and wanting to expand. Sandpiper then arranged a meeting and once all the figures made sense an agreement was made.
I should imagine there are a hundred and one other well known brands which just weren’t good enough for Sandpiper.
Local businesses et al should take that approach. Make your business eye catching, profitable and investable. Why would anyone want to invest in a Company that isn’t any of these? This is not Sandpiper’s fault this is the way of the world my friend.
Report abuse
Sorry, just saying. …. Maybe local traders are too small to afford the cost involved anyway, just as they are not able to afford prime trading areas that the Overseas companies can (and that again is thanks to some franchise deals which are prob only reachable to those with enough financial backing) there is nothing to help local traders over they’re being priced out of their own town!!! What local trader can afford £100,000 a year for a decent size shop? Ridiculous!
Report abuse
How can the words “Gourmet” and “Burger” be used in the same sentence, let alone the same name?!
Never mind, they’re probably made of lamb which will please the sheep in Guernsey willing to follow any new trend! Baaaaaaaaaaaa, humbug.
Report abuse
Do not underestimate the power that big names can bring to local traders. Big names with the finance backing will (ok I’m not talking about GBK now but perhaps other well known retailers) bring life back into the town and therefore trade for the independants.
However, far too many of these well known brands are being monopolised by a Mr TC…
Report abuse
Not sure i understand ur reasoning fully Dave. Lets say, for arguments sake, that i start making and/or selling reasonably priced clothing or want to start up a small shop of some kind. As a small local retailer starting out and not wishing to have a huge empire but happy to own one shop and earn enough to survive comfortably, please, tell me Where am i supposed to trade? Town and other prime retail areas are not affordable to small set ups (cottage size industries). The reason for that being that most are owned by greedy overseas companies or finance businesses that command ridiculous rents which smaller traders probably wouldn’t even make in a year! Anywhere else where I may be able to afford I would prob get told by E.D dept that I can’t trade there because policy states it is’nt within a designated (“preferred”) area or it’s the wrong type of building! I give that example because if Griffin is who i think, then they are typical examples of what happens to good hardworking small local traders over here who do not have the backing of large companies, bank accounts or chains of shops. (I hope they don’t end up closing just because of beauracratical B**l S**t and some jobsworth who thinks they’re God because they hold a book of senseless and substance lacking policies that should have been revised by the states years ago)! So i agree with Griffin about giving locals a helping hand and not just overseas companies.
Report abuse
Forgive me if I am wrong ( and I may well be ) but is not Sandpiper a local company ? regardless of where they obtain franchises from they are employing workforce that , generally are already in the island, they stock local produce on their shelves and sell at local(ish) prices ( unlike a certain high street store selling at VAT prices ). They have given us a coffee shop , regardless of wheter you like the coffee or not, they run the local bakery, they used to run the local pubs.
A lot of the small “local” traders are no longer local people , they are people who come to Guernsey because its cheaper tax , I can think of quite a few offhand but guess that if I did name them they would be edited out
As the only person who can answer this other question , as far as we know , Griffin, what percentage of your goods are produced/sourced locally ?. I am guessing that certain “Guernsey” items are made off island , Its a general trend , not to be taken seriously. I know that all Guernsey fudge these days is made in Devon, whereas it used to be made at the Strawberry Farm. I looked at a Guernsey ashtray the other day in a small shop, it had “Made in Thailand” on the back – the situation is no different to London and anywhere else
I agree that high street rents are ludicrous , that’s because of greedy local property owners.
There is no doubt on how hard working some people are and how much things cost. Sandpiper are here to make money, and good for them for doing it , they are paying local taxes, local electricity / phone/ rates etc.
The old saying “if you cant stand the heat” is more relevant these days than ever and the heat has been turned up a notch.
Report abuse