Showbiz restaurant set to be hottest ticket in town
Their company represents British showbiz royalty through its talent agencies, owns eight theatres and produces the UK’s most lavish star name pantomimes every year. Now Nick Thomas and his wife Sandra have lifted the curtain on their latest spectacular production: a dramatic reworking of The Tanglewood restaurant near York.
No one knows more about creating an unforgettable night out than Nick, chairman of the Qdos Entertainment Group, the company he founded 27 years ago, based in Scarborough and London’s Covent Garden.
Qdos has produced and co-produced West End shows including ‘Buddy’, ‘Jolson’, ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘The King And I’. Stars like Joan Collins, John Barrowman, Brian Conley, Nigel Havers & Bradley Walsh appear in its pantomimes up and down the country. The company stages touring floor shows and productions all over the world, most recently in China, and aboard US based Celebrity Cruises.
Among the artistes represented by Qdos talent agencies are Paul Merton, Mitchell & Webb, Shane Richie, Julian Clary and Joe Pasquale. And two more talented entertainers from their stable, Bobby Davro and Kenny Lynch, bring their Swinging With Sinatra show to the Tanglewood later this month and will be the highlight of the restaurant’s official grand Press Launch.
However, The Tanglewood is already open to the public, and early reaction to the magical atmosphere and superb food suggests that the all-new Tanglewood is set to be a smash hit.
“Whether you’re staging a West End musical or serving a three-course meal, the aim is the same – to deliver something special,” said Nick, who has homes in London and North Yorkshire.
“Our talented Tanglewood team are dedicated to creating a standout experience every day of the week, and one that the whole family will love.”
Although the restaurant is familiar to thousands of people from its prominent position on the A64 Malton Road north of York the interior has been transformed by the new owners.
The Tanglewood’s walls and ceilings are covered in evocative stage and screen memorabilia dating back to the 1950s.
Whether in the large dining room, with room for 70 guests, or the new York and Helmsley suites, which each accommodate up to 25, seating has been carefully arranged so everyone can enjoy this unique décor and atmosphere.
The menus have also undergone a complete makeover. From breakfast till dinner, the emphasis is on modern British cuisine, with plenty of Yorkshire ingredients.
Dishes such as Eggs Benedict get the show on the road from 10.30am, while the mouthwatering lunches include Salmon Fishcakes and Confit of Local Duck.
In the evening, the ensemble of gifted chefs create daily changing specials from the finest game and fish, as well as an à la carte menu featuring the best in local, seasonal produce – all the steaks are Yorkshire Grand Reserve Beef.
Much thought has gone into making the children’s menu one of the best around too, with delicious treats kids will love made from fresh and healthy ingredients.
The Tanglewood is Nick and Sandra’s second restaurant. They opened The Copper Horse, in Seamer near Scarborough, to immediate acclaim in 2005, and it went on to win Best Restaurant in both the Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Awards and the Les Routiers Awards.
“People have been very kind about The Copper Horse, and we’re confident that The Tanglewood will prove to be another tour de force,” Nick said.
With such a successful team behind the remake of this iconic restaurant, The Tanglewood is sure to run and run.
For more information, visit: thetanglewood.co.uk
