Forte Group
| Company type | Public limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1935 |
| Founder | Charles Forte, Eric Hartwell, Sidney Hartwell |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Fate | Taken over by Granada |
| Headquarters | London Borough of Camden , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, International |
Key people | Charles Forte (Founder, CEO 1971, Chairman 1983), Rocco Forte (CEO from 1983) |
| Products | Hotels, Restaurants, Catering services |
Forte Group plc was a prominent British hotel and restaurant enterprise that traded on the London Stock Exchange and was included in the FTSE 100 Index until its takeover by Granada in 1996. The company’s main offices were situated in the London Borough of Camden.
History
The company was established in 1935 by Charles Forte (1908–2007), a British-Italian entrepreneur specializing in catering and hospitality, together with partners Eric and Sidney Hartwell. Their initial venture was the opening of a "milk bar" on Regent Street, operating under the name Strand Milk Bar Ltd. After the Second World War, the firm transformed into Forte Holdings Ltd and expanded its portfolio by purchasing The Café Royal in 1954. Forte played a significant role as a caterer during the 1951 Festival of Britain and managed dining facilities at London Heathrow Airport. In 1960, it pioneered the UK's first motorway service area at Newport Pagnell.
The company diversified into the confectionery sector by acquiring Fullers and subsequently Terry's of York in 1963. In 1970, a merger between Trust Houses Group Ltd and Forte Holdings resulted in Trust Houses Forte (THF), which was later renamed Trusthouse Forte in 1979.
Over time, the group evolved into a multibillion-pound conglomerate owning prestigious venues such as The Café Royal, Grosvenor House Hotel, Quaglino's, and London's Talk of the Town. Its holdings spanned Little Chef roadside eateries, Forte Grand, Travelodge, Posthouse and Crest hotels, Harvester restaurants, contract caterer Gardner Merchant, the Summerland leisure complex on the Isle of Man, wine merchant Grierson-Blumenthal, sports retailer Lillywhites, along with a controlling interest in the Savoy Hotel. Internationally, its assets included Parisian establishments like Hotel George V, Plaza Athénée, and Hotel de la Tremoille, as well as Bermuda’s Bermudiana hotel. In 1986, Forte expanded further by acquiring Happy Eater and five Welcome Break motorway service stations from Hanson Trust.
At its peak resembling a diversified conglomerate, Forte also held stakes in Sidgwick & Jackson publishing, Terry's confectionery company, Puritan Maid food products, and had an investment in Thomas Cook travel agents.
Charles Forte took on the role of CEO in 1971 and became chairman in 1983 when his son Rocco Forte assumed CEO duties. During the early 1990s, the company shortened its name to Forte, introduced a crown emblem as its logo, and developed distinct sub-brands for its hotel properties. Lord Forte transferred complete leadership to Rocco in 1993. The group further expanded by acquiring the Le Méridien hotel chain in 1994.
Soon after Rocco's leadership began, Forte encountered a hostile takeover bid from Granada. Granada ultimately succeeded with a £3.9 billion offer in January 1996, resulting in approximately £350 million being paid to the Forte family.
Following Compass plc’s separation from Granada’s media division in 2001, ownership of the Forte brand name reverted to Sir Rocco Forte to help distance it from the takeover history. He currently manages the Rocco Forte Hotels group.
Operations
The majority of hotels were operated under these key Forte Group brands:
Travelodge
Forte acquired Travelodge, an American budget hotel chain, and expanded its presence throughout the UK. Many Travelodge locations were strategically placed adjacent to the group's Little Chef roadside restaurants. The brand was identified by navy blue colors. The former headquarters of Forte Group at 166 High Holborn in London was later converted into a Travelodge property as part of the brand’s urban growth strategy.
Forte Posthouse
Designed primarily for business travelers, these three-star hotels were commonly situated in central urban areas or close to key highways. A number of these establishments were later transferred to Holiday Inn. The brand was distinguished by its use of red in its visual identity.
Forte Heritage
This segment consisted of smaller country house hotels such as The Old England Hotel in Windermere, the Berystede in Ascot, and Leeming House near Ullswater. It also included former coaching inns like the Burford Bridge Hotel at Box Hill and the Swan in Lavenham. Larger resort properties such as the Grand Atlantic in Weston Super Mare, along with smaller resort hotels like the Dart Marina Hotel in Dartmouth, were part of this group as well. Some hotels were sold to Macdonald Hotels, while others continue to operate under Mercure Hotels or independent ownership. Forte Heritage was recognized by its dark green branding.
Forte Crest
Targeting a more premium business clientele than Forte Posthouse, these mostly four-star hotels were located in cities and followed a naming pattern of Forte Crest followed by the city or area name (e.g., Forte Crest Sheffield, Forte Crest Gatwick Airport). The largest property was Forte Crest Heathrow, which has since become a Holiday Inn. The brand’s color scheme featured light blue and aquamarine tones.
Forte Grand
This upscale international collection included notable properties such as London’s Waldorf Hotel, Westbury Hotel, and Hotel Russell; Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel; Bath Spa Hotel; Oxford’s Randolph Hotel; Harrogate’s Majestic Hotel; Marlow’s Compleat Angler; St Andrews’ Rusacks Hotel; and Torquay’s Imperial Hotel. Some hotels operated solely under the Forte Grand name, including the Abu Dhabi location. Following the acquisition of Le Méridien, the Forte Grand portfolio was significantly downsized: metropolitan hotels were rebranded as Le Méridien, while regional UK properties were reassigned to Forte Heritage. The Balmoral Hotel was reacquired by Rocco Forte and refurbished as part of The Rocco Forte Collection. Forte Grand signage utilized bronze with dark red and burgundy hues.
Le Méridien
Purchased from Air France in 1994, this global hotel chain became the foundation of the Group’s international mid-to-upper market segment. The hotels within this brand employed grey-themed branding.
Exclusive
The highest tier within Forte’s portfolio, branded as Exclusive Hotels by Forte, featured renowned five-star properties such as Hôtel George-V, Plaza Athénée, and Hotel de la Tremoille in Paris; Brown's Hotel, Grosvenor House, and Hyde Park Hotel in London; the Ritz in Madrid; Westbury and Plaza Athénée in New York; Hotel des Bergues in Geneva; Hotel Eden in Rome; and Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados. Although The Savoy Group sought to elevate this collection's status, Forte’s Exclusive brand was somewhat weakened due to its association with the broader hotel portfolio. At the time of Granada's acquisition, the Exclusive segment consisted of 21 hotels. Granada encountered difficulties selling them collectively and eventually divested individual properties to various owners including Mandarin Oriental (Hyde Park Hotel London, Ritz Madrid), Four Seasons (Hotel des Bergues Geneva, Hôtel George-V Paris), Marriott International (Grosvenor House London under JW Marriott), and Rocco Forte Hotels (Brown's Hotel London).
London hotels
The group's expansion within London's hospitality sector began with acquiring The Waldorf. Certain hotels were allocated to sub-brands such as Forte Grand—including Hotel Russell, Westbury, and Waldorf—while premier properties continued operating under the Exclusive brand. Additional London-based hotels were managed under the Posthouse and Crest labels. Properties not affiliated with any sub-brand—like Cumberland Hotel, Regent Palace, and Strand Palace (purchased from J. Lyons and Co)—were consolidated under the London Hotels category. Following the discontinuation of the Forte Grand brand, most of its associated London properties transitioned into this category, except for The Cavendish, which was reassigned to Crest. These establishments maintained their distinct logos alongside Forte's corporate emblem, featuring a white and navy blue crown.
Viscount Hotel
During the 1980s, Forte held ownership of the Viscount Hotels brand within the United States market.