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Look for Vingt-Quatre on Fulham Road and you will no longer find it – instead you will find the brand spanking new VQ. Those behind the restaurant which has had 16 years of success under its old guise have given the place a refit, a new menu and taken a leap of faith. But how much of a gamble is it to change the name of a restaurant, especially one which has a good reputation. Well it depends how it is done, after all there is no point in just changing the name and nothing else – for a start the old clientele will continue to call it by its old name if there is no difference inside. What Vingt-Quatre , or should we say VQ, has done is realise that it is time for a chain and that change can be good. They have opted to have a complete overhaul in one go with no half baked or confusing attempt and they have advertised their new look widely. It gives those customers who have visited the restaurant at some point over the past 16 years the chance to sit up and take notice of it again. The proprietors have not moved away from their original branding completely and this offers a useful link back to the reputation it has built up over the years. Steven Pike, director of The Mystery Dining Company , said: “Renaming is always a risk and needs to be managed carefully. However, in some scenarios, it can also be a big risk to not change. If your brand is tired or you want to change/update the messages that it broadcasts to customers, then a change in name is one place to start.” After all a lot has changed in the nation’s dining habits over the past 16 years and just like when you know it is time to get rid of a beloved jumper which is no longer the height of fashion, a restaurant’s name and overall style can be the same.
