Shepherd Neame CEO – ‘government scheme to pay businesses £3,000 to employ young benefits claimants is crackers’: Jonathan Neame, chief executive of south east brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame, has told Propel the government’s move to pay businesses £3,000 to employ young benefits claimants is “crackers”, having inflicted the highest employment costs in Europe. Earlier this week, work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden announced employers will receive the taxpayer subsidy for hiring under-25s who have been on Universal Credit for more than six months. Speaking following Shepherd Neame’s interim results, Neame also called for a “reset of the sector” to help drive the economy forward. “The economy is at a standstill, and it comes back to the fact the sector is fundamentally saturated by tax,” he said. “While other European countries have supported their hospitality industry with measures such as reducing VAT, we have the highest rate in Europe. We have the highest employment costs in Europe. That’s why the unemployment rate is going up. If we want to get the economy moving, then we need a different approach. We need a reset of the sector. We need the cost of employing people to be reduced, not be subsidised to take them on. It’s crackers to tax businesses in the way they have and then introduce such a scheme.” Neame said while trading is becoming more occasion led, with Christmas getting “bigger and bigger”, London has continued to see a recovery, with like-for-like sales up 11.2% in the first half of the financial year. Neame said Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays were “strong” while weekend trade is “better than it used to be”. He added the business was seeing volume and value growth in the capital, while outside London, it was “a bit softer on volume and price has provided more growth”. Neame said the business had worked hard to improve its food offer, which was reflected in the 4.3% growth in like-for-like sales during the period. Neame said the company’s focus remains on inward investment rather than acquisitions with “lots of sparkle projects” planned alongside further major projects.

Sponsored message – register now to join hospitality leaders at HRC and Hospitality Tech360: HRC returns to Excel London from 30 March-1 April alongside new launch Hospitality Tech360, bringing together suppliers, operators and industry leaders from across the hospitality spectrum. HRC remains a must-attend event for foodservice and hospitality professionals, welcoming suppliers across food, drink, equipment, furniture, interiors and tableware, designed to help operators source, compare and future-proof their offer. Plus, new for 2026, the show will include a dedicated street food section and Street Food Stage with a programme curated by catering association NCASS. The Vision Stage and Future of Drinks Stage will host three days of insight spanning menu development, hospitality leadership, industry trends, sustainability and commercial strategy. Running alongside HRC, Hospitality Tech360 makes its debut as a dedicated showcase for the digital tools reshaping hotels, restaurants and pubs. From EPOS and payments to artificial intelligence, data, marketing platforms and back-of-house systems, HT360 provides a 360-degree view of hospitality technology in action. A highlight of the programme will be ‘Lessons from the front-line of global QSR’, where Burger King chief executive Alasdair Murdoch joins Propel chief operating officer – editorial, Mark Wingett, for a fireside chat on leadership, scale and navigating today’s trading environment. Complete your complimentary registration here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

JD Wetherspoon founder Sir Tim Martin to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Sir Tim Martin, founder and chair of JD Wetherspoon, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 19 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Sir Tim will discuss the group’s move into franchising and handing his brand over to other operators, its international expansion plans and maintaining its value-led proposition in a hostile cost environment. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £345 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality tomorrow: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will be released to Premium Club subscribers tomorrow (Friday, 20 March), at midday. Another 67 companies have been added to the database, which now features 1,493 companies. This month’s edition also includes 172 updated entries. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent developments reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel chief operating officer – editorial, Mark Wingett, and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Two 24-hour Tube strikes next week called off: Two 24-hour strikes by London Underground drivers next week have been called off after progress in talks to try to resolve a dispute over working hours, the RMT union has announced. However further walkouts called for April and May remain on. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the cancellation of next week’s action as “positive news for Londoners, businesses and visitors.” The RMT has said its members are taking action because transport bosses are pushing ahead with plans to compress a normal working week into four days. The union says its members have a number of concerns including about shift lengths and the potential impact on tiredness and safety. Members of the union had been set to walk out at midday on Tuesday, 24 and Thursday, 26 March. Other planned strikes are still set for 21 and 23 April, as well as 19 and 21 May.

  

John Vincent – ‘the government has a lot of good ideas about how to destroy business’: John Vincent, who bought back Leon, the naturally fast-food brand, last October, has said he didn’t realise how “imaginative the government could be in destroying business”. He told The Telegraph: “It has a lot of good ideas about how to destroy business, and it is deploying a lot of them. You start to wonder if it is doing it deliberately. I don’t think Sir Keir Starmer understands entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises. We have a problem [in government], which is we either have politicians who studied PPE, which has nothing to do with life, or people who studied law, like Tony Blair and Sir Keir. When you only have a hammer, every problem looks nail shaped. When you are a lawyer, you default to legislation. But when you have not been part of a thriving entrepreneurial community, you don’t know how they tick.” On turning around Leon, Vincent said even if everything goes to plan, he does not know yet how much potential growth the company could have. “I want Leon to get as big as it can without being rubbish,” he said. “I don’t know where that is yet.” On competition in the sector – from the established like Pret and Itsu to newcomers like Farmer J and Atis – Vincent sees the positive side. “The story for me is there is enough room for a whole bunch of great players in that space,” he added. Vincent will be among the speakers at the first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2026, which is open for bookings. Vincent will talk about his return to the healthy-eating fast-food brand, what he found when he returned, the changes he has since made, the results, what comes next and his hopes and fears for the wider hospitality sector. The conference takes place on Wednesday, 25 March, at Park Plaza Victoria London. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium subscribers who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

Italian restaurant in London’s Chelsea to relaunch offering with ‘simplified price structure, in response to rising cost of eating out’: An Italian restaurant in London’s Chelsea is to relaunch its offering with a “simplified price structure, in response to the rising cost of eating out”. Mucci’s, in Kings’s Road, has been operated by Guiseppe Mucci for the past six years. Launching in April, it’s new “10/20” format is built around set pricing by course and will see every starter priced at £10 and every main at £20. Mucci said he developed the concept after listening to guests who wanted good food “without the uncertainty of an ever-growing restaurant bill”. He said: “People still want to go out, but they also want to know what the bill will look like before they sit down. With 10/20 we’ve simplified the whole restaurant. It’s about keeping dining out fun, relaxed and accessible.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a multi-site restaurant group growing across London that is seeking a restaurant group director. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a senior leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, profitability, brand standards and team development across a portfolio of high-performing venues. The restaurant group director will report directly to the ownership/board.” The salary is up to £100,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email lara@corecruitment.com.

 

Blank Street to make south coast debut as it targets ‘select growth in new areas’: US coffee brand Blank Street, which made its debut in the UK in 2022 and now operates more than 50 sites here, has secured its first site on the south coast, in Brighton, as it targets “select growth in new areas”. Propel has learned Blank Street has secured the former Jones Bootmaker site at 21 East Street, near The Lanes. The company said: “It's perfectly positioned and surrounded by premium and popular retailers. It's a beautiful, listed building and our store will span over two floors, with seating on ground and first. All going well, we’ll open this summer.” It comes as the businessthis week opened in London’s Notting Hill, at 102 Westbourne Grove. Propel revealed last month that Blank Street is planning to open its first site in Liverpool, having submitted plans for a new kiosk within Liverpool ONE. Located in Paradise Street, the site is currently occupied by a Krispy Kreme kiosk. Blank Street, is also planning to make its debut in the south west of England, having lined up an opening on the former Fred Perry site in Park Street, Bristol.

 

Ollie’s House team to launch new concept The Daily Tray, converts site in London’s Parsons Green to Common Pizza format: The team behind pan-Asian, all-day concept Ollie’s House is to launch its new neighbourhood diner/deli concept The Daily Tray next week, in London’s East Dulwich, alongside its Common Pizza format, Propel has learned. It comes as the team closes its pan-Asian, all-day Ollie’s House site in Chelsea and converts the other, in Parsons Green, to a Common Pizza. The new Daily Tray and Common Pizza site will open on the former Megan’s site at 99 Lordship Lane. Ollie’s House, which is the brainchild of Oliver Norcliffe, a former operations manager at bakery and café concept Gail’s, launched in the former Cote site in Fulham Road, Chelsea, in 2022. A year later, the team opened a second site, on the ex-Megan’s site in Parsons Green. Last spring, Norcliffe launched a new pizza venture Common Pizza in Clapham Common. The venue was on the former Megan’s Terrace site and traded over the summer. On the new East Dulwich site, Norcliffe told Propel: “The concept is brunch by day, pizza by night. Common Pizza, the established concept that also opened in Parsons Green last month, will be the food offering from 3pm, with the new concept I have developed named The Daily Tray until 3pm. At 3pm the menus will change over and so will many other aspects. The Daily Tray is the original neighbourhood diner x deli. Serving made-from-scratch breakfast, brunch, lunch classics – from our kitchen diner and our deli trays from our counter to take away or have in.”

 

Wingstop UK increases London presence: Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has increased its presence in London by opening in Wandsworth. Located in the Southside shopping centre, the new two-storey 3,896 square-foot site hosts 90 covers. The restaurant is Wingstop’s third dine-in site in south west London as it continues to expand across the capital. The company currently operates 90 sites across the UK and Ireland, employing more than 3,000 people, with plans to grow to as many as 200 sites within the next five years. Chief executive Chris Sheriff said: “Wandsworth has been on our radar for a while, and we're thrilled to finally bring Wingstop to Southside. With millions of visitors coming through its doors every year, it's the perfect location to serve up our bold flavours to a new wave of fans. This opening is another exciting step in our growth journey, and there's plenty more to come.”

 

Joe & The Juice adds to regional estate with Cribbs Causeway and Bullring sites: Joe & The Juice, the juice and cafe bar brand which operates circa 90 sites in the UK and circa 480 globally, is to add to its growing regional estate here with openings in the Cribbs Causeway scheme, near Bristol, and at The Bullring in Birmingham. The Danish chain has signed a ten-year lease to occupy an 1,800 square-foot unit at Cribbs Mall. Katie Searle, director, asset management, at Sovereign Centros by CBRE, the scheme’s landlord, said: “Joe & The Juice is a favourite amongst younger audiences so perfectly caters for our thriving Generation Z customer base, which grew by 13% last year. Its arrival follows the recent openings of Honest Burgers and Pizza Express, who are already performing exceptionally well, and we look forward to the upcoming launch of Wingstop at Cribbs Venue later this year.” At the Hammerson-owned The Bullring, the Joe & The Juice store will span around 2,130 square feet and will seat over 50 covers.

 

Sticks‘n’Sushi to continue regional expansion push with Leeds site: Danish-Japanese premium restaurant group Sticks‘n’Sushi – in which McWin, the backer of Gail’s and Big Mamma Group, acquired a majority stake last year – is to open a site in Leeds early next year. The company, which will open its 17th site in the UK, in Manchester, next month, will join the heritage-led Vicar Lane regeneration scheme in Leeds. Occupying an 8,839 square-foot grade-II listed building at 80 Vicar Lane, the three-storey property will include a 220-cover dining room, 30-cover terrace and an upstairs bar with private hire space. The company said that the new restaurant will create 60 jobs. Andreas Karlsson, Sticks‘n’Sushi group chief executive, said: “Vicar Lane is one of the most vibrant retail and leisure hubs in Leeds and aligns with our dining experience from lunch through to dinner. Continued UK expansion is central to our growth strategy, and we look forward to building a new team and becoming part of the Leeds community. This will mark our second north of England opening, following Manchester next month.” Founded by half-Japanese, half-Danish, brothers Jens and Kim Rahbek, and Thor Anderson in Copenhagen, Sticks‘n’Sushi currently also operates 12 sites in Denmark and three in Berlin.

Eatphoria launches brand licensing proposition: Multi-brand restaurant group Eatphoria has launched a brand licensing proposition – enabling foodservice operators to serve its portfolio of brands including Wraps & Wings, Eggsquisite, Holy Bagel, Mad About Doner and Dim Dum. It will enable partners to license individual brands to complement their existing catering offer or operate multiple brands from the same kitchen to cover different dayparts. Eatphoria said this model “reflects its broader strategy to scale its multi-brand platform across multiple channels”. In addition to its franchised and company-operated sites and a network of cloud kitchens, the group sees “significant opportunity” to work with contract caterers, universities, hospitality operators and stadium venues seeking differentiated food offers. Eatphoria chief executive Mohammad Shaikh said: “Foodservice operators, like many in the market, are wanting to innovate and bring new dishes to their local consumers but don’t have the operational set up or supply chain to do so effectively. Leveraging our proven portfolio of differentiated brands, we want to create opportunities for foodservice operators to level-up their F&B propositions to not only support the growth of their business but also create fantastic experiences for consumers. We want the days of the boring cafeteria lunch to be in the distant past.” In January, Propel revealed that Eatphoria is planning to expand to 100 sites across the UK through its hybrid model following a multi-million-pound investment from TAN Food, part of Italian venture capitalist TAN Holdings. The company currently has five physical locations and more than 40 virtual ones – and has said it is aiming to open 12 restaurants this year.

 

Roseacre reports turnover and profit boost following new acquisition: Midlands operator Roseacre Pub Company has reported a turnover and profit boost in the year to 31 March 2025 following a new acquisition. During the year, the company opened its tenth site – The Roseycombe in Binley Woods, near Coventry. Post year end, as previously reported, the business added an 11th pub – the Shires Inn in Peating Parva, Leicestershire. Director Ashley Gartshore said: “Turnover for the year has increased from £12,592,719 in the prior year to £14,311,412, an increase of 13.65%. Though administrative expenses have increased, largely based on an increase in wages necessary to support The Roseycombe, operating profit has still increased in both percentage and in total, from £1,276,378 (10.13%) in the prior year to £1,669,871 (11.66%) in the current year. This is as a result of improved operational efficiency. As a result of the positive changes noted above, profit before taxation has increased considerably, rising from £1,278,439 in the prior year to £1,669,704 in the current year. Looking towards future periods, the upcoming changes to the minimum wage will have an effect on all companies in the sector. The directors believe the company is well placed to ensure continued profitability without having to compromise the customer experience.” Dividends of £538,000 were paid (2024: £228,621).

 

Retro gaming concept to open fourth site this month, six more in the pipeline: Retro gaming concept Continue Arcades is to open a fourth site this month, with six more in the pipeline. The first Continue Arcades was opened by founder Austin Wood in Plymouth in 2023, offering retro classics and consoles, pinball machines and shooting, racing and table games. A second site opened last April, in the former Suite Dreams site in East Street in Taunton, followed by a third site and first in Wales, at 32-34 Princes Way in Swansea, in December. It will now open in the former British Heart Foundation charity shop at 19 Southgate in Chichester, on Friday, 27 March. Franchise consultant Joel Bissett said: “This will be the fourth operational location for the brand – and it’s arriving as the momentum behind Continue Arcades continues to accelerate. Behind the scenes, the growth pipeline is moving quickly. Six additional locations currently in planning and preparing to open. Over 37 units already signed to launch over the next three-four years. Rapidly expanding demand across multiple territories. While many territories have already been secured, a small number of investment opportunities are still available in selected regions for partners looking to join the expansion.”

 

Pasta Evangelist franchisee lines up Winchester opening: Amsric Group, the first franchise partner of Pasta Evangelists, has lined up an opening in Winchester, Hampshire. The company, which is led by Amish Patel, is set to open a site on Winchester High Street later this year. It already operates a handful of franchise sites under the Pasta Evangelists brand, including in Richmond. The business signed a deal to become the brand’s first franchise partner and operate Pasta Evangelists restaurants in South London and South east of England, with “ambitious development plans to grow the business over the next few years”. Earlier this month, Pasta Evangelists signed a multi-restaurant development agreement with Champion Brands, the umbrella vehicle which also oversees Blank Table, a franchise of US brand Wendy’s. The first site under the new agreement will open later this year in Cambridge. Pasta Evangelists currently operates from more than 50 restaurant and local food delivery locations across the UK.

 

Boxpark signs multi-year partnership with The Jockey Club: Boxpark has secured its first multi-year partnership with The Jockey Club, which will see the brand return to the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse from 2026. The agreement follows the company’s “hugely successful” debut at the event in 2025, where it introduced a Boxpark pop-up venue in the Festival Zone featuring street food traders, bars and live entertainment. Under the new partnership, Boxpark will double the size of this activation. The business said it will also programme a series of complementary events from Boxpark Liverpool during the Festival period, including pre-race brunches, post-race parties and family-friendly experiences. The company said the deal forms part of its wider strategy to “significantly expand the events side of its business” at “some of the UK's biggest cultural and sporting moments”. Matt Snell, chief executive at Boxpark, said: “Building partnerships like this is an important part of how we continue to grow the Boxpark brand beyond our venues. The response to our debut at Aintree last year showed how well our concept translates to major events, and we’re excited to build on that success with The Jockey Club in the years ahead. As we continue expanding into some of the UK’s biggest cultural and sporting moments, it brings us closer to our vision of becoming the world’s most sought-after hospitality experience brand.”

 

Tapas Revolution owner to launch new Pintxo bar for sixth site: AppleYard Restaurant Group, the Tapas Revolution owner, is to open a sixth site – a new Pintxo bar concept called Bar Eduardo’s. The growing independent group, which is led by James Picton, will open Eduardo’s, which will be circa 70% wet-led, in a retail unit next door to its existing Txoko Social by AppleYard restaurant in Bexley, south east London. The business also operates the Tapas Revolution sites in the Bluewater and Westfield London shopping centres, La Viña Leadenhall Market and Susana’s by AppleYard in Sidcup. Propel understands that trading across the group has been positive and it is looking to develop new concepts for both Tapas Revolution sites. It is thought that going forward, the business is looking to develop individual concepts under the by AppleYard umbrella.

 

Ex-Bel & The Dragon COO’s hotel venture acquires first pub: Signet Collections, the hotel group founded in 2019 by Hector Ross, former chief operating officer of gastropub operator Bel & the Dragon, has acquired a roadside pub in Berkshire, in which it plans to launch a new training hub for the business. The four-strong business has purchased The Halfway Inn, located just outside Newbury and next to its existing hotel, The Retreat. The pub, which has been closed since 2023, will now be completely refurbished to house the first training academy for Signet, which will be designed to upskill and train in-house. Housing a new research and development kitchen, the new academy will also comprise six bedrooms, to encourage team members from further afield and international chefs to participate. Stage two of the project will see The Halfway Inn reopen and welcome guests from breakfast to dinner. Ross said: “Purchasing The Halfway Inn is a landmark step for us and showcases our commitment to our team, our future growth plans and our local community.  It’s a privilege to be restoring this Inn back to its former glory and we look forward to not only building a workplace where our team can thrive, but welcoming guests back to enjoy great food & drinks with a menu that champions all things local.” The Signet Collection also operates The Mitre in Hampton Court, The Barnsdale in Rutland and The Alfriston on the South Downs.

 

Liverpool operator Harrison’s Group adds to portfolio: Liverpool operator Harrison’s Group has added to its portfolio in the city. The company has acquired the grade II-listed Wavertree Town Hall. The restaurant, bar and function space closed in October. Harrison’s is investing in the building, ahead of reopening later this spring. The site will continue to be split across three areas. The front of the building will be a traditional pub serving locally sourced food such as steak and ale pie and scouse. This will be complimented by the larger back bar, which will show major live sporting events and feature dart boards. Upstairs will become a function lounge with a total capacity of about 100. Nicola Halton, business development manager for Harrison’s Group, said: “We are well into our refit of this site and look forward to bringing this much-loved old building back to life. Wavertree Town Hall is such a stunning building and to be given the chance to take up this project as custodians is a real privilege.” The group’s other venues include The Harp pub with hidden cocktail bar Dwntwn underneath, and Harrison's Aparthotel, Bar & Kitchen.

Team behind Sunday in Brooklyn in the UK to open new Irish-American pub restaurant next month: 13th Street Hospitality Group, which is behind the US concept Sunday in Brooklyn in the UK, is to launch its new pub restaurant venue, The Horsemen and Fitzgerald’s, in the City next month. As revealed by Propel last year, the business is to launch the new venture, which is described as an “Irish-American free house and club dining” venue, at No.1 Broadgate. The site is split into two distinct spaces – The Horsemen, a traditional Irish freehouse at the front, and Fitzgerald's, an intimate jockey-club inspired dining room at the back. The Horsemen will open its doors to the on Tuesday, 7 April, with Fitzgerald’s opening on Monday, 13 April. 13th Street Hospitality Group currently operates two sites in the capital under the New York-inspired restaurant concept, Sunday in Brooklyn. The first opened in London’s Notting Hill in July 2021, after the business took over the site previously occupied by French brasserie Cote in Westbourne Grove, and a second opened in 2024, in St Christopher’s Place. 

 

Lady Of The Grapes to open second London site in May: Lady Of The Grapes, the restaurant and wine bar concept, will open its second site, near London Bridge, in May. The business, which is the brainchild of Carole Bryon, will open a “chef-led, French restaurant and wine bar” concept at the grade II-listed Menier Chocolate Factory, in Southwark Street, which dates to the 1870s. Lady of the Grapes SE1 will feature a 60-seat ground floor restaurant and a 20-seat terrace, offering a French bistro menu paired with a 400-plus wine list. Speakeasy-style wine bar Forbidden Fruit, meanwhile, will sit in the basement, a 45-seat space serving a charcuterie menu alongside the Lady of the Grapes wines list. Byron said: “We are excited about this new chapter for Lady of the Grapes. We're looking forward to launching a bigger space to welcome more people, bring joy through good honest French cooking and, most importantly, continue to support the talented women making delicious wine all over the world.” The debut Lady Of The Grapes site opened in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, in the summer of 2018. Dan Brown, of Restaurant Property, acted on behalf of Lady of the Grapes on the Southwark Street acquisition.

 

Former fashion journalist who retrained at Le Cordon Bleu opens second site for bakery concept: Former fashion journalist Charlotte O’Kelly, who retrained at Le Cordon Bleu after starting a family, has opened a second site for her bakery concept. O’Kelly launched Astrid Bakery at 118a Alexandra Park Road, in London’s Muswell Hill, in 2024. Sister site Astrid Atelier has now opened a few doors down, at number 114, offering an extended range of artisan sourdough bread and lunch options as well as a curated retail counter. A chef’s counter takes centre stage in the new location, which can seat 20 people both inside and out. More space means the Astrid range has now been extended to include savoury items, such as heritage tomato pain suisse, red onion and stilton focaccia and twice-baked smoked ham and cheddar croissant. Furthermore, pizza pop-ups, sourdough masterclasses and the return of weekly delivery breakfast boxes are all in the works for 2026.

 

Mediterranean restaurant brand Jul’s makes UK debut: Mediterranean restaurant brand Jul’s has made its UK debut. Jul’s was born in Ibiza in 2018, created by chef Christos Fotos, Jem Akyuz and his son, Ilhan. The group, which also includes Humain by Jul’s in Athens, has now opened in St James’s, in a former bank in Waterloo Place. There is a Greek-inspired Mediterranean menu “shaped by seasonality and locality” and a 6.5-metre glass wine wall running the height of the ground floor – featuring European fine wines, “combining renowned and well-established producers with small artisanal growers”. Below ground, No. 11 operates as an open bar laboratory offering cocktails “that reflect the kitchen’s flavour profile”.

Center Parcs begins work on debut Scottish location: Center Parcs has begun work on its first site in Scotland – and its seventh in the UK and Ireland. Center Parcs first unveiled plans for a £450m village is in the Scottish Borders, approximately three miles north of Hawick, in November 2024. Planning permission was granted in December, and with work now underway, it is hoped the new village will open in the summer of 2029. Center Parcs chief executive Colin McKinlay said: “This marks another momentous milestone in the creation of Center Parcs Scottish Borders. We are very grateful for the support of the Scottish Government, Scottish Borders Council, South of Scotland Enterprise and many other partners who have worked with us to unlock the potential of this project, and it is incredibly exciting to see work at the site now getting underway.” Center Parcs Scottish Borders will feature up to 700 lodges and apartments, a subtropical swimming paradise, a village centre with shops and restaurants, and a forest spa. Plans also include two newly created lochs designed for water sports and recreation, a nature and heritage centre, wildflower meadows, wetlands and nature trails, alongside a wide range of outdoor activities. It will be Center Parcs’ first new village since Longford Forest in Ireland opened in 2019.

Suffolk Indian restaurant owner acquires second site: Suffolk Indian restaurant owner Ash Malik has acquired a second site. Malik, whose family is behind The Royal Bengal in Woodbridge, has acquired Bombay Nite in the village of Walton, near Felixstowe. Bombay Nite, in High Street, closed in July after owner Mahbub Alam Shamim, known as Shammi, retired after 35 years in the business. The restaurant is trading again – and still under the Bombay Nite name, reports the East Anglian Times. Malik’s father Shahidul launched The Royal Bengal in 1982 with Malik taking over as manager in 2014. 

Property developer to launch £3m competitive socialising and late-night venue at hospitality-led scheme in Wigan this month: Property developer The Heaton Group will launch Factory Floor, a new competitive socialising and late-night venue set inside the historic Eckersley Mill at Cotton Works in Wigan, this month. Backed by a £3m investment, Factory Floor will transform part of the grade II-listed mill into a large-scale “social playground” featuring interactive games, street food and a central bar. Opening on Thursday, 26 March, Factory Floor will accommodate around 350 guests and offer seven interactive games including darts, shuffleboard, pool, karaoke, skee ball, basketball and beer pong, alongside retro arcade machines. As night falls, the venue will evolve with DJs, dancers, disco lighting and immersive productions. Over time, the space will evolve into a food hall-style venue, with selected games making way for independent food traders and a stage area. Cotton Works is also home to pub The Three Mills and creative workspace Weave Co-Working, which opened in the summer of 2025.