Upper Crust boss Kate Swann glides out with M&S café plan

Marks & Spencer will open its first standalone café with help from franchise operator SSP, whose boss on Wednesday said she is leaving the business.

The High Street bellwether, which has been struggling with a slump in profits, will sell wraps, freshly made baguettes, sushi, salads, beers and wines from “early next year” at Birmingham airport.

If sales take off, the franchise will be replicated more widely, said Kate Swann, the outgoing chief executive of more than five years at SSP. She inked the deal with help from Simon Smith, her successor. Swann added: “Simon will rule the world with this concept. There’s loads of potential for it. The relationship with M&S is very close.”

SSP, which owns Upper Crust and works with the likes of Starbucks too, today posted a 24% increase in underlying pre-tax profit to £184.4 million for the year to September 30. Revenues were up 9.5% to £2.5 billion from £2.3 billion the year before.

The company, which will start opening franchises for various brands in South America for the first time, will dish out £150 million in special dividends.

Tats all, folks

The ex-WH Smith boss Kate Swann on Wednesday admitted she doesn’t have any plans after she leaves SSP and said she “would like to learn to be a tattoo artist”.

Swann, who joined the business in September 2013, has transformed the business. She is renowned for keeping investors on her side and dishing out generous dividends. SSP’s shares have rocketed during her tenure from 200p to nearly 700p today.

The chief executive will depart at the end of May.