Exclusive – Starbucks reshapes its UK licensing structure, one franchisee to hand over almost half its estate ahead of ambitious 100-store development plan: Starbucks has reshaped its UK licensing structure in a strategic process after fears it had become too fragmented, Propel has learned. Propel understands Starbucks has now completed the reshaping and divided its UK operations into seven development territories – two within Scotland and the rest covering England and Wales. This represents a material shift in how future growth within the Starbucks system will be accessed, as with territories now fixed, opportunities to enter the system at scale will be limited and expected to arise only when an existing partner chooses to step back, it is understood. A new process is now underway relating to the only development area remaining to be allocated – alongside the sale of an existing portfolio of stores to a new partner. As part of this new process, which is being led by London-based private investment firm Cornucopia Capital, Magic Bean, which currently operates 46 Starbucks stores across parts of England and Wales, will hand over 19 stores to the new development partner, to “help it go fast and hard”. Magic Bean – which was founded by Leon Esfahani in 2014 and was the first Starbucks licensee to open a drive-thru – is also leading the search for a new partner. It is hoped the process will be completed by the summer, and once Magic Bean has handed over a chunk of its portfolio, it will begin its own ambitious growth plans. After the process leaves Magic Bean with 27 stores, it will add 12 more this year to grow back to 39 by the end of 2026 and has agreed a development plan for circa 100 sites over the next five years. The focus of its new openings will be drive-to roadside locations at EV hubs. Other Starbucks franchisees have also been given development plans. Propel understands Magic Bean’s new development area covers most of the West Country, across to Oxford and into South Wales, and provides headroom for more than 50 additional sites that will accommodate all store formats, including drive-thru. Darren King, director store development and licensing for Starbucks UK, told Propel: “We remain focused on our long-term growth plans in the UK and are strengthening our licensing model through a strategic regional approach. This will create clearer regional opportunities for future store development and support the continued growth of both Starbucks UK and our licensed partners. Further details will be shared in due course.” Magic Bean has also reiterated it is seeking to find a guardian to its UK master franchise deal for US diner brand Denny’s, as it focuses on its Starbucks growth plan. Magic Bean first took on the Denny’s master franchise in 2017, opening a flagship store in Swansea, followed by a Glasgow store that has since closed. The master franchise was put on the market last summer, in a process that is now being led by investment firm Cornucopia Capital, with offers being considered. Starbucks features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, while Magic Bean features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database. They are two of six databases available exclusively to Premium Club subscribers.

Thesleff Group founder Markus Thesleff to speak at first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2026, open for bookings: Markus Thesleff, founder and chief executive of the Thesleff Group, will be among the speakers at the first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2026, which is open for bookings. Thesleff will talk about growing the premium dining business – which operates Los Mochis, Sale e Pepe and Juno Omakase – into a global player, including launching in the US, and the challenge of opening and operating several different high-end concepts in Central London. The conference takes place on Wednesday, 25 March, at the Park Plaza, Victoria. 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.

Premium Club subscribers to receive two updated databases and all 49 videos from Restaurant Marketer and Innovator this week: Premium Club subscribers will receive two updated databases and all 49 videos from Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (RMI) this week. The latest Propel UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database will be sent today (Wednesday, 11 February), at 12pm. The database will feature ten new additions plus updates to existing entries. The database now has 290 entries and more than 118,000 words of copy. Among the new entries are two McDonald’s franchisees – Principle Restaurants and Rahon Enterprises. Premium Club subscribers will then receive all 49 videos from RMI on Friday (13 February), at 9am. Premium Club subscribers will also receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (13 February), at 12pm. The database will feature 35 new companies and 154 updated accounts. The database now features a total of 1,227 companies, with 758 in profit and 469 making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to four other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. 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.

 

Greek food takes the lead at major events: Greek food has taken the lead on event menus as the rise in women's sports and changing consumer tastes result in a shift in fan eating habits, according to new insight from Freemans Event Partners. The findings, taken from events across 2025, show Greek food has now overtaken burgers as a fan-favourite – gyros outsold the highest‑selling burger by 150% at the Women's Rugby World Cup final at the Allianz Stadium last September. This marked the first time burgers have not featured in the top 20 products sold at a major event. At the same time, around 10% of food and drink outlets at the 2025 F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone offered Greek cuisine. Another standout performer at women's matches was churros, which ranked in the top ten items sold by both volume and value, a trend not seen at men’s fixtures. Freemans said this reflected the demographic shift toward more family and child attendance at women’s events, where sweet treats are in higher demand. The research also found drinking habits differ between men’s and women’s sports fixtures as well. At women’s matches, Pepsi Max and Pepsi both appeared in the top ten products by volume, whereas at men’s fixtures, water was the only soft drink to make the list. 

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with an eight-strong hospitality group that is looking for a general manager for a Central London venue. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The business is seeking someone with an outstanding background in bars and cocktails, who has developed into a creative, commercially minded general manager and a true industry leader.” The salary is up to £70,000. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com

 

Coca-Cola confirms it will retain ownership of Costa Coffee, UK ‘doing well’: Coca-Cola has confirmed it will retain full ownership of Costa Coffee after a failed attempt to sell the company, but said it was reviewing the brand’s business in China. Last month, it was reported that Coca-Cola had scrapped plans to sell Costa after bids from private equity suitors fell short of its expectations. Coca-Cola had been seeking about £2bn for Costa, roughly half the £3.9bn it paid to acquire the UK’s largest coffee shop brand from Premier Inn owner Whitbread in 2018. Firms in the latter rounds of negotiations included Asda owner TDR Capital and Bain Capital’s special situations fund, owner of Gail’s and PizzaExpress. Coca-Cola chief financial officer John Murphy told Bloomberg: “We have decided to continue to have Costa 100% owned inside our portfolio. There are no immediate plans to do anything with Costa other than to get it performing even better.” Murphy said certain core markets for Costa are doing well, including in the UK, Ireland and some western European markets, but the business in China has been “more challenging than we expected”.  He said the company had made no decisions, when asked about Costa exiting the Chinese market. “It’s one aspect of the portfolio that we continue to review,” Murphy said. “We will be looking closely at the China business throughout 2026.” Costa currently has more than 2,700 branches across the UK and Ireland. 

 

Greene King set to open 30 franchise sites in 2026 including first in Wales as it reaches 100-pub milestone: Brewer and retailer Greene King is set to open 30 franchise sites in 2026, including its first in Wales, as it revealed it has reached the milestone of 100 pubs under the model. The landmark has been hit just over four years after Greene King launched its first franchise concept, Hive Pubs, in late 2021 and almost two years after opening its first Nest Pubs franchise in 2024. In 2025, Greene King Pub Partners opened 30 new franchise pubs, including in Scotland, under the Belhaven brand, for the first time. To build on this momentum, Greene King said it will continue to grow its franchise business in 2026, with plans to open 30 more Hive Pubs and Nest Pubs. To support this growth, Greene King will expand its franchise operations into Wales and the south west of England for the first time. New franchise investments and openings already planned for the first quarter of 2026 include Millwrights in Aylesbury, The Freemasons Arms in Wigan and The Flag Inn in Egerton. This expansion will be facilitated by the growth of the Greene King Pub Partners franchise team – through the hiring of two new business development managers and the internal promotion of a franchise business development. Greene King said both concepts offer a ready-to-trade pub and proven business model for as little as £3,000 in-going cost and it is seeing “lots of interest”. Greene King Pub Partners managing director, Dan Robinson, said: “We are delighted with the ongoing growth of our franchise business, which continues to complement our very successful leased and tenanted pub business.”  

 

Maki & Ramen founder – ‘this is just the beginning of our London story’, makes international debut: Teddy Lee, founder of Japanese restaurant concept Maki & Ramen, has said upcoming openings at The O2 and in Soho are just the “just the beginning of our London story”. The 17-strong business will open a franchise site on the former Chopstix unit in Peninsula Square at The O2 next Tuesday (17 February). The company, which last week opened at Lakeside, will follow this up with an opening in Soho on Friday, 6 March. In December, the group secured the former La Bodega Negra site in Old Compton Street. The 3,200 square-foot Soho site will accommodate 110 covers and has a 1am alcohol licence and will double up as a late-night bar, setting it apart from Maki & Ramen’s regional sites. Propel also revealed last month that Maki & Ramen had added a site in London’s Old Street to its opening pipeline. The business, which was founded by Lee in 2015 and is led by Michael Salvador, is set to open a site at 2 Old Street Yards. Lee said: “We’ve been preparing for a London opening for a long time and finally bringing Maki & Ramen to Soho feels special. Soho is electric – it’s where food, drink and late nights collide. Our Soho site has its own energy, designed for long dinners that turn into late nights. This is just the beginning of our London story, and we’re excited to bring Maki & Ramen to even more neighbourhoods across the city very soon.” It comes as the group has opened its first restaurant site overseas, with an opening at the Mövenpick Hotel, Jumeirah Village Triangle, in Dubai. It follows a pop-up Maki & Ramen ran in Dubai at the end of last year. Lee said: “Dubai has pushed me to think differently – as a founder and as a chef. To slow certain things down, sharpen others and build with patience rather than urgency.” 

 

Simon Bradford steps down as MD of Ten Entertainment Group-backed escape room business Houdini’s: Simon Bradford has stepped down as managing director of the Ten Entertainment Group-backed escape room concept Houdini’s after four years in the role. Bradford, who was formerly at Costa Coffee and Soho House, joined Houdini’s at the start of 2022 and has helped grow the business to 31 sites spread across the UK. The business opened eight new sites in 2025, a year it described as one “of serious momentum” for the company. In 2019, Ten Entertainment, which is led by Graham Blackwell, entered into a joint venture with Houdini's, acquiring 50% of the business, which enabled it to offer a range of escape room games across a number of its locations. Ten Entertainment Group further upped its stake in Houdini’s two years ago. Bradford said: “After four fantastic years of growth and transformation, followed by a smooth transition to our new owners, I have concluded my time as managing director of Houdini’s. We have grown from a small, founder-led business with a great product, amazing people and huge potential, to a national, industry leading company that has disrupted the escape room marketplace and raised the bar for customer value and experience. We sold the business in 2024, adding great value for all stakeholders. After a year of transition, I am delighted to have left the business in a great place and in very safe hands. I would like to take the opportunity of thanking Johnathon and Holly Moore, the founders, for trusting me with their business (enjoy your retirement, both of you!) Thanks also to Graham Blackwell and [ex-Ten Entertainment chief financial officer] Antony Smith for their unwavering support and advice over the last four years.”

 

Drake & Morgan promotes Louise Carreras Cortes to operations director: Drake & Morgan, the premium operator of London bars led by Jillian MacLean, has promoted Louise Carreras Cortes to operations director. Carreras Cortes has been with the Bowmark Capital-backed business since 2018 and steps up from operations manager. She previously spent 12 years as director of food and beverage at Princess Cruises. A spokesperson for Drake & Morgan said: “Louise Carreras Cortes, previously operations manager at Drake & Morgan, has been promoted to operations director. Louise has been with the 16-strong restaurant and bar group with sites in London and Manchester for nearly eight years. She is responsible for Drake & Morgan's day-to-day operations, commercial and product development, and business efficiencies working closely with founder and chief executive Jillian MacLean.” Last October, Graham Hall, formerly of Gaucho and Ennismore, stepped down as Drake & Morgan’s chief development officer after seven years with the business to set up his own boutique hospitality agency, providing operational, creative and strategic project support for the leisure industry. He continues to support Drake & Morgan on a consultancy basis.

 

Better burger business Mr T’s opens in Middlesbrough for north east debut, secures second London site and first in Scotland: Better burger business Mr T’s has opened a new location, in Middlesbrough for its 14th site and north east debut. The company, founded in Bradford in 2016 by Tauseef Malik, has opened at 243 Linthorpe Hall. The menu includes fries, wings, parmos, burgers, tenders, grills, pizzas, donner, shakes and mocktails. As well as its original location in Bradford’s Great Horton Road and its latest restaurant, Mr T’s also has locations in Ilford, Halifax, High Wycombe, Batley, Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Manchester, Sheffield, Blackburn, Birmingham and a second Bradford site – in Leeds Road. Propel also understands the company has secured a second London location, in King Street, Hammersmith, and a first in Scotland, in Nelson Street, Glasgow. Malik is also behind the My Peshawar restaurants in Bradford, Batley and Manchester, with a Birmingham location also set to open this spring.

 

Malaysian super influencer turned restaurateur Nigel Ng to open debut UK restaurant: Malaysian super influencer turned restaurateur Nigel Ng is to open his first UK restaurant. Ng, known by his comedy alter ego Uncle Roger, is collaborating with Keng Yew – who is behind Hong Kong-style café The Eight, pan-Asian concept YiQi and hand-pulled noodles and soups-inspired San Hao – and Malaysian executive chef Daren Liew for the venture. Kawan by Uncle Roger will launch in London’s Chinatown, in Macclesfield Street, in April, following a deal with landlord Shaftesbury Capital. Spanning circa 1,600 square feet with around 60 covers, the restaurant will offer a range of Asian and family-style dishes “reinterpreted through a modern British lens”. Fried rice will sit at the heart of the menu, alongside a broader selection of Asian-British hybrid dishes. Ng, who has more than five million followers on YouTube, has six branches of his fried-rice-focused Fuiyoh! It’s Uncle Roger in Malaysia.

 

London Japanese pancake concept eyeing Middle East expansion: London Japanese pancake concept CA Japanese Pancakes is eyeing expansion to the Middle East. The company, which was founded seven years ago by Nina Siciliano and Marco Malone, has two sites in London – in Chiswick and Victoria. CA Japanese Pancakes signed its first international partner last September, in Munich, and said in December it is closing in on a deal to expand to Romania too. The company, which also said in December that it had secured a debut site in Scotland, in Edinburgh, is now looking to the Middle East. Malone said: “We’ve been invited to Animenia (anime convention) Abu Dhabi – and for us, this is more than an event. It’s a signal. We’re already receiving franchise interest from Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and we decided to say yes to Animenia because it’s the perfect stage to meet the market in real life: high footfall, premium audience, strong Japanese culture alignment, and the right partners in the room. We’re proud to represent a European brand that’s now becoming increasingly international, and we’re excited to use Abu Dhabi as a real launchpad for the region.”

 

Indonesia fine dining restaurant concept opens in London: Indonesia fine dining restaurant concept La Nusa has opened in London for its second international outpost. La Nusa, owned by Indonesian celebrity couple Raffi Ahmad and Nagita Slavina, originally launched in Jakarta before expanding to Paris in 2023. La Nusa has now opened at 227-228 Strand, offering a “refined and expressive interpretation of Indonesian cuisine”, drawing on the flavours of the country’s many regions. Dishes include Udang Jeruk Bali (prawns with pomelo, lime and chilli, Bebek Sambal Andaliman (pan-seared duck with green chilli and andaliman pepper), Soto Betawi (a coconut milk broth layered with ox tongue, tomato and melinjo crackers) and Tongseng Kambing (tender lamb shank in a Javanese curry). For dessert, a deconstructed kolak pisang layers caramelised banana with pandan, coconut milk and coconut ice cream.

 

KFC UK & Ireland increases spend on British chicken to almost £100m: KFC UK & Ireland is to add chicken wings to the list of products it will now source from British farms, which will boost its annual spend on British chicken by approximately £10m, bringing the yearly total spend to almost £100m. By the end of 2026, the business said 35% of the brand’s chicken will now be sourced from British farms. This will come through an expansion of its long-standing partnership with 2 Sisters Food Group. KFC said sourcing British chicken wings will increase the amount of British chicken on KFC’s menu to 35%, the equivalent of 82,700 metric tonnes of chicken annually, with only boneless chicken now sourced from other markets due to “insufficient availability of British farmed chicken breasts to meet the demand of UK consumers”. The company said the move represents a “significant step”, with hot wings being KFC’s most popular side. In 2025, KFC sold more than 164 million wings in the UK, equating to more than five a second, with the market expected to grow even further as “the UK’s appetite for fried chicken intensifies”. Marc Hayes, chief supply chain officer Europe for parent company Yum!, said: “This is a tough time for the poultry sector across Europe, with avian flu outbreaks pressuring supply, at a time of higher demand. The work that our British partners 2 Sisters Food Group and Pilgrim’s Europe have been doing to drive up chicken welfare against this backdrop is significant. We are proud we have been able to work with them for all our British chicken to now be reared with 20% more space than the industry average, at 30kg stocking density.” 

 

Nando’s celebrates 120 new graduates from ‘biggest cohort yet’: Nando’s is celebrating gaining 120 new apprentice graduates in its what is its biggest cohort yet, in the scheme’s ninth year. The Nando’s apprenticeship offers a full career pathway for people starting out at 16 years old through to management level – built around doing real work in restaurants to build skills and confidence. Among this year graduates are 2021 MasterChef champion Tom Rhodes, who graduated from pathway to strategic leadership. He said: “I now feel my journey has come full circle and I am incredibly lucky to be able to support people in my restaurant on their own apprenticeship journeys.” Carol Sommerville, chief people officer at Nando’s UK & Ireland, added: “Hospitality has so much to offer and we’re passionate about helping people learn, grow and build lasting careers. All our apprentices receive the same hourly pay and benefits as our other team members, including free meals, discounts and a paid sabbatical after five years.”

 

The Coffee House opens 41st site: North west independent coffee shop The Coffee House has opened in Walkden for its 41st site. The company has opened at Ellesmere shopping centre in Bolton Road in the Greater Manchester suburb. A spokesman for The Coffee House said: “We were excited to open our new store in Ellesmere shopping centre, Walkden, and it was wonderful to see such a warm welcome from the local community. Our opening weekend was amazing, and we’re looking forward to continuing to serve great coffee while getting to know our new customers and building a strong base of regulars in the area.” The Coffee House told Propel last month it will pass the 50-site mark in 2026 as it gears up for “one of its most significant years to date” – with 15 launches lined up this year. Co-founder Chris Shelmerdine told Propel in 2024 that The Coffee House is eyeing an eventual estate of more than 80 sites after securing a £4m cash injection from the founder of investment platform AJ Bell, Andy Bell.

 

Megan’s opens Windsor site: Megan’s, the all-day, neighbourhood restaurant concept, has opened its latest site, in Windsor. The now 21-strong business has opened Megan’s by the Crown on the former Carluccio’s site at Royal Station, Jubilee, The Arches. The company, which earlier this year said it had several new sites in the pipeline, has also exchanged on sites in Oxford and Cambridge. On the former, Megan’s will open on the ex-The Real Greek site at 24-26 George Street. Last month, the business announced a reshuffle of its senior leadership team, with Bridget Lambert promoted to managing director of the business. Megan’s has also welcomed two new senior hires to support the business through its next stage of growth, with Parisa Mousavi joining as finance director and Jay James, formerly of Pret A Manger, Prezzo and Rosa’s Thai, confirmed as its new marketing and sales director.

 

Midlands dessert concept opens in Wolverhampton: Midlands dessert concept Dolce Desserts has opened in Wolverhampton. Dolce Desserts has opened at 10 Broad Street for its 12th site, including one express dark kitchen, in Birmingham’s Aston Seedbed Centre. The company is also lining up a site within several empty units at 28-34 Corporation Street in Coventry, part of the Shunde Place development. Dolce Desserts was founded by Kamila Khan and Farzana Begum in 2014.

 

Club Mexicana closes remaining restaurant site, ‘exciting new locations’ planned: Club Mexicana, the vegan restaurant concept that offers Mexican and Californian-inspired street food, has closed its remaining restaurant site, in London’s Soho. The business, which continues to trade from three food hall sites, has closed the site in Kingly Court after six years of trading. The company said: “After six incredible years, we’re over and out of Kingly Court. We are not closing this site because it doesn’t work – it very much does! We are always packed and it’s been a fantastic, buzzy, always full restaurant. But the landlord has decided to make some big changes to Kingly and a big redevelopment plan is about to begin there. It will be a different Kingly Court but places change and we all keep on moving. This is the best thing about London really, nothing ever stands still here and neither do we. We’ve got some really exciting new location plans in the works that will be revealed over the coming months so watch this space!” Club Mexicana continues to operate concessions at Mercato Mayfair, Boxhall City and Market Place in Leicester Square.

 

The Indian Brewery Company opens Birmingham airport site in partnership with TRG Concessions: The Restaurant Group (TRG) Concessions has partnered with The Indian Brewery Company to open a new site at Birmingham airport. Located within the International Pier adjacent to the departure lounge, the new restaurant showcases a range of craft beer paired with the company’s range of Indian pizzas and breakfast naan sandwiches. The Indian Brewery Company said the location, its third in the city, represents a “significant milestone” for the business. Jon Knight, chief executive of TRG Concessions, said: “We are delighted to bring Indian Brewery to a new audience with the launch of its first airport location. This much-loved Birmingham business continues to build real momentum, and we are proud to be part of that journey.” Jaspal Purewal, chief executive of The Indian Brewery Company, said: “At Indian Brewery Birmingham airport, not only can you enjoy great food and drink, but also browse our exclusive range of merchandise, including beer packs and t-shirts for taking on travels worldwide.”

 

Cornish hotel operator reports record turnover of £12.3m after acquiring third site: Cornish hotel operator The Cornwall Hotel Collection has reported turnover increased to a record £12,345,940 for the year ending 31 March 2025 compared with £9,224,521 the year before. The company said the growth was driven by its acquisition of The Falmouth Hotel, which contributed £3,137,000 of revenue having been added to the portfolio in May 2024 for £5.1m. The hotel generated a loss after tax of £603,687 in the period since acquisition. This led to the company, which also operates The Greenbank in Falmouth and The Alverton in Truro, seeing pre-tax profit fall to £560,626 from £1,532,804 the previous year, with administrative expenses climbing to £3,654,697 from £1,991,322 the year before “reflecting the enlarged group structure”. In his report accompanying the accounts, director Aaron Pascoe said: “The Greenbank hotel continued to trade strongly. The Alverton delivered a resilient performance with exceptional occupancy of 85%. Revenue shifted slightly from room yield to food and beverage, reflecting changing consumer habits in the current economic climate. The Falmouth Hotel has had an accelerated programme of maintenance and operational restructuring to address historical deferred maintenance. This included a £185,000 investment in fixtures and fittings and significant expenditure on essential repair to the roof, grounds, and public spaces. Looking ahead, the group’s primary focus remains on the full integration and revitalisation of The Falmouth. Building on the initial operational improvements made in the current year, we have committed to further investment of £300,000 to unlock the property's full potential. Early indications are encouraging, with performance already tracking significantly ahead of budget, and we project the Falmouth Hotel will return to a positive equity position during the financial year ending 2027.” The group received government grants of £33,995 (2024: £19,375). Dividends of £372,750 were paid (2024: £621,000). 

 

Cantonese roast meat concept Mama Li opens third site: Cantonese roast meat concept Mama Li has opened its third site. The business, founded by Catherine Hua and her mother, has opened the venue in London’s Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf district. Located at 3 Rivington Walk, the site marks an evolution of the concept, introducing a “more considered dine-in experience”, although Siu Mei – Hong Kong’s roasted meat – remains at the heart of the menu. Guests can choose from four signature roasts – crispy pork, barbecue pork, soy chicken and roasted duck – served with rice and seasonal vegetables and selecting up to three meats before personalising their plate with additions such as fried egg or house chilli. Alongside these, the Wood Wharf menu has introduced a wider range of soup noodle dishes and a selection of “nostalgic” cha chaan teng favourites, including bolo bao with butter. Expanding on Mama Li’s earlier express-led sites, the new location “balances a dedicated dine-in space with a continued grab-and-go offering”. In place of bubble tea, the venue has introduced a new range of tea-based cocktails, developed in-house to pair specifically with Cantonese roast meat. After struggling to find Cantonese roast meat in London that tasted like the food they grew up eating, Hua and her mum set out to recreate those flavours using treasured family recipes, leading to sites opening in Great Tower Street and in London Wall in the City. Hua said: “With this opening, it was important to us that we stayed true to the food our customers already love, while giving ourselves room to show more of how Cantonese food is really eaten.”

 

London seafood restaurant The Melusine acquired out of administration by founder: London seafood restaurant The Melusine has been acquired out of administration by its founder. All Things Greek, trading as The Melusine, which oversaw the venue in St Katharine Docks, went into administration on 30 January 2026, with Nick Simmonds and Chris Newell, of Quantuma, appointed to oversee the process. A pre-packaged administration sale to Salty Fingers has secured the future of the business and protected all 13 jobs. Salty Fingers was incorporated in June 2025, and its directors include Theodore Kyriakou, who opened The Melusine in 2019 with Wade Mundford and is also a director of All Things Greek. The business reported turnover of £700,000 in 2024. However, the administrators said due to a series of challenging circumstances, including rising costs and a reduction in footfall for its restaurant, All Things Greek had encountered cashflow issues and was unable to restructure outside of a formal insolvency.

 

Birmingham padel operator lodges plans for second site: Birmingham padel operator Core Padel is looking to open its second site. The company has earmarked a vacant two-storey building off Upper Portland Street and Vicarage Road for the project. The plans, lodged with the city council, propose the site’s conversion to provide eight doubles and three singles padel courts, alongside stadium seating, a social area and reception, reports Insider Media. A planning statement said: “This site is perfect for a padel centre and meets the needs of the applicant's proposed use in terms of suitability, availability and viability. The proposal enables the business to trade from a purpose-built, modern building, fit for the 21st century, and can serve a wide audience in a sustainable location.” Core Padel currently operates a site in Redfern Road, Tyseley.