David Holborow


Director – Education, colleges and Universities contact details dholborow@acumenfc.com  07983 061413

David has been involved in the foodservice industry since 1972. After grammar school in Swindon and completing an HND in Hotel Catering and Tourism at college in Cheltenham, David worked in the West End in various hotel management roles.

David joined Horwood Catering in 1975 in sales and was promoted to Contracts director in 1978, with responsibility for project managing all UK projects.

In 1982 David formed Prima Contracts Ltd, based in Basildon (later to become Prima Group International), and over the next 10 years Prima grew to become one of the foremost foodservice design and contract company in the UK working for many of the leading breweries, hotel chains, private hospitals, restaurants and food service consultants. As managing director David oversaw the company’s development which included opening an office in Warrington, and the formation of a specialist division to manage consultants led projects.

Prima also worked in Europe and David was involved in designing, supplying and project managing works in Paris for the “hospitality impresario” Bob Peyton. David’s company also undertook the fit out of bob Peyton’s first themed fish restaurant – Peyton Plaice in London’s West End.

David was also heavily involved in the project management and fit out of the Magic Kingdom Hotel at Disneyland ,Paris.
In 1992 , Prima closed and David opened a restaurant in a sailing resort in Suffolk. This was very successful, but after 4 years David decided to return to food service industry design and supply.

1996 - 2000 David worked as design consultant/sales director for Anglo European at Ipswich developing the business portfolio mainly in East Anglia and London.
2000 – 2010  David has worked with Richard Todd at Catershop Ltd, assisting a small dedicated team to provide professional design, project management, and commercial kitchen equipment supply  in various market sectors, particularly in the education, college and university fields.* *Please refer to the project portfolio information section.
Working with Richard Todd the Hydralift range of height adjustable equipment was designed and is now marketed successfully throughout the UK. www.hydralift.eu