Boisdale turns 35

Boisdale celebrates its 35th birthday today.

To mark the occasion, 200 guests have been invited to a special lunch at Boisdale of Canary Wharf which was a relatively late addition to the Boisdale group.

At one point there were four Boisdale restaurants in London plus a pub (a former 12th century coaching inn) in Wiltshire.

The first restaurant was opened in Belgravia in 1989 by managing director Ranald Macdonald, the elder son of the 24th Chief of Clanranald.

Located in a Georgian townhouse, it was originally half its current size but was later extended into the property next door, hence the two doors at the front of the building.

Boisdale of Bishopsgate (near Liverpool Street) came next, followed by Canary Wharf (2011) and Mayfair (2014).

The Bishopsgate and Mayfair restaurants have since closed and the pub in Wiltshire is now owned by the Young’s pub chain.

Nevertheless the ongoing appeal of the Belgravia and Canary Wharf restaurants (the latter has developed into an important music venue) suggests there is plenty of life in the Boisdale brand, even if Ranald’s ambition to open a restaurant in Washington DC remains unfulfilled.

I can't attend today's lunch but I would nevertheless like to pay tribute to both Boisdale and Ranald who I first met 20 years ago.

I had heard of Boisdale (the Belgravia restaurant was half a mile from Forest's old office in Palace Street) but I had never been there.

However, after reading a comment by Ranald in the London Evening Standard opposing calls to ban smoking in restaurants and bars, I wrote to him, inviting him to support our campaign against a workplace smoking ban.

Dear reader, he didn't reply.

Undeterred, I contacted him again a few weeks later and this time he invited me to lunch and the rest, as they say, is history.

Ever since that first meeting Ranald has been a wonderful friend and supporter and Boisdale has hosted numerous Forest events including small private dinners, large gala dinners, and parties for up to 300 guests.

We marked Forest’s 30th and 35th anniversaries with events at Boisdale of Belgravia, and our 40th anniversary was celebrated with a gala dinner for 200 people at Canary Wharf.

We’ve also co-hosted two major events off site, as it were.

In September 2006 we joined forces for a Prohibition themed reception for 300+ delegates at the Conservative Party Conference in Bournemouth.

And in June 2007, five days before the introduction of the smoking ban in England, we organised what is still arguably our most ambitious and successful event, a smoker-friendly dinner for almost 400 people at The Savoy hotel in London.

Both events featured live music by the Boisdale Jazz Band, who also played on a 20-track CD, Songs for Swinging Smokers, that was recorded and released as part of our campaign against the smoking ban.

But the memory that will outlive most others is the sight of Ranald being led off stage, in handcuffs, at our event in Bournemouth following his ‘arrest’ for “inciting people to enjoy themselves”.

The fact that 300 people were happily singing ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ merely added to the surreal nature of the moment.

In short, it’s been a fabulous partnership with lots of laughs, and a working relationship that I’m very, very proud of.

Here’s to the next 35 years!

Above: Ranald Macdonald (centre) at the Forest Freedom Dinner at Boisdale of Canary Wharf in 2012; below: one of several innovative ideas Boisdale implemented during Covid to help cashflow.

Comments

[Professr Pie-Tin]

My oldest chum and I have wagered £100 each on a different bet on the last three general elections and the Brexit referendrum.
On each occasion we have done well enough to pay for a very long and liquid lunch at the Boisdale starting with a bottle of champagne and finishing with Montecristos on the terrace.
This time we're banking on +7-8 seats for Reform and we got decent odds before the Faragemeister came on board and they starting shortening.
Even if it doesn't come off we'll still get leathered over lunch at our favourite restaurant in town.
The Boisdale elegantly continues a long tradition of great food and service without all the gimmicks and small plate nonsense of trendier restaurants.
And Ranald, besides being a smark cookie, is also a gent.
I love the place.