Jeffrey Hyman founded the first Pret a Manger in London on french baguette near me October 1983. The first Pret a Manger shop opened in Hampstead, London, in 1984. Opening in June 1983, the company traded at 58 Hampstead High Street for 18 months at which time takings had dropped to below break-even point and the company went into liquidation. Beecham and Metcalfe started a new operation, using the Pret a Manger name purchased from the former company’s liquidator.
They opened their first Pret a Manger in July 1986, located at 75b Victoria Street in London. Beecham and Metcalfe met while studying at university. The pair developed the chain’s menu of handmade natural food, prepared in shop kitchens, and as of 2017 remained significant shareholders in the company. In 1995, Metcalfe and Beecham set up the Pret Foundation Trust with the aim of alleviating poverty in the UK.
