Bounce co-founder raising funds to launch ‘Topgolf/Flight Club’ experience for padel: Entrepreneur Dov Penzik, who co-founded Bounce with Adam Breeden, has launched a fundraising round to back the launch of what he said will be the “Topgolf/Flight Club experience for padel”. Through his No Strings vehicle, which he founded with hospitality entrepreneur Charlie Myers, Penzik is looking to build a “national portfolio of innovative padel clubs that combine elite-level play with elevated social experiences”, starting in the US. He said: “Padel is growing fast, but most clubs still sell court time, not a repeatable sports entertainment product. Over the past 18 months, our team at No Strings has been building a technology-led Sportainment platform designed to make padel more social and repeatable with new game formats, live scoring and event leaderboards; drive higher utilisation and spend per visit than traditional clubs; and build scalable unit economics for multi-site expansion. We now have our first US flagship site secured and targeting opening in the third quarter of 2026. My co-founder, Charlie Myers, and I are excited to share we’ve appointed Oakwell Sports Advisory as corporate finance advisers to manage our seed raise. Oakwell brings deep experience across sports, leisure, and sports-tech, including work on F1 Arcade and Pool House.” Propel’s 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, an exhaustive report on the market, is now available. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location. It also provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, with 3,700 sites. The report is available for free to existing Premium subscribers and £595 plus VAT for non-Premium subscribers. 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.

 

Last day to register for the UK's largest marketing and technology conference: Today (Friday, 16 January) is the last day to register for next week’s 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit – the UK's largest marketing and technology conference. Returning for its eighth edition, the conference takes place on Tuesday (20 January) and Wednesday (21 January) at Hilton Bankside in London. This new, bigger venue allows for a dual-stage format, with double the amount of content than last year. Circa 800 people have registered to attend with hundreds of companies sending their marketing, technology and innovation teams for networking and inspiration. Propel managing director Paul Charity said: “Marketing and technology are key battlegrounds for the sector. The conference next week is a fantastic opportunity to hear about the sector's best marketing and technology from operators themselves. There are literally hundreds of operators attending on that basis.” The conference will focus on technology, marcomms strategies, proposition, brand building, the latest market insights, digital developments and diversification of revenue streams. It is designed for customer focused chief executives, senior marketers, technology and innovation teams, as well as investors wanting to better understand the latest marketing, technology, innovation and development opportunities to build market share and grow. For the full speaker schedule, click here. A one-day ticket for operators is £320 plus VAT while a two-day ticket is £575 plus VAT. Supplier tickets are £950 plus VAT for the two days. Propel Premium Club subscribers receive a 20% discount. To book, email: rmi@propelinfo.com.

Propel 500 report – growth in the experience economy is expected to outpace that of the wider UK economy in 2026: Growth in the experience economy is expected to outpace that of the wider UK economy in 2026, reports Katherine Doggrell, Propel’s editorial advisor. Doggrell was writing in Propel 500 – 2026, the sector-leading report covering the top 500 hospitality companies in the UK. She said the global aspirations of companies such as Red Engine have attracted the attention of investors and 2026 is expected to see further funding rounds as well as likely consolidation. Doggrell said: “As the leading players become larger and hone their craft, we expect to see more mergers and acquisitions in the sector, as it matures into a must have and size increasingly matters. And it won’t just be competitors looking to buy their way into a heft advantage; the likes of Netflix been linked with deals for experiences away from the sofa and possible acquisitions in competitive socialising.” Doggrell also examines the key developments in UK hotels. The 45,000-word report includes exclusive analysis to provide a full understanding of the market’s dynamics, as the top companies in the sector shift position after a challenging year. Mark Wingett reviews the mergers and acquisitions changing the shape of the top 500 as size increasingly matters, while Tim Street dissects the UK’s rapidly developing franchise market. Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, looks at emerging growth sectors, while Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova analyses the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market. Propel 500 – 2026 is now available free to Premium Club subscribers. 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.

 

Christmas boosts engagement for UK Hospitality but margins remain under pressure: Christmas trading delivered the strongest engagement of the year for the UK on trade in December, with venues busier, visits longer and spend per head at its highest point of 2025. However, rising costs continued to cap real value and margin recovery, according to new data from The Oxford Partnership. The number of operating venues rose to 100,018, lifting the number back above the 100,000-mark as temporary and marginal sites returned for the festive period. Consumers stayed out longer than at any other point this year, with average dwell time reaching 150 minutes, while occupancy increased to 63.9%. Average spend per head climbed to £26.53, the highest level recorded in 2025, driven primarily by food-led festive occasions, group bookings and set menus. However, spend intensity remained constrained as higher headline spend was spread across longer visits. Operators kept average weekly opening hours steady at 64.5 hours, prioritising availability across lunch, evening and late-night occasions to capture festive demand. But elevated energy prices, wage inflation, higher national insurance contributions and ongoing food and drink input costs continued to weigh on profitability, with additional festive staffing and utility usage further diluting gains. From a category perspective, year-to-date performance continues to be driven by premiumisation. Stout stands out, up 9.1% year to date, benefiting from strong winter relevance and growing mainstream appeal. Premium and world lager remain in growth, while craft and ale continue to face pressure as consumers narrow repertoires and prioritise trusted choices. Christmas Eve was the single biggest trading day of the year, delivering approximately 2.75 million pints across around 10,000 outlets, with multiple festive days clustering at the top of the rankings. Alison Jordan, chief executive of The Oxford Partnership, said: “Christmas doesn’t just outperform other occasions; it anchors the year. In a challenging trading environment, festive performance remains structurally essential to annual outcomes for the UK on trade.”

 

Christie & Co – ‘we are already seeing the signs of an increase in distress for pubs and restaurants in 2026’, ‘potential for an uptick in M&A activity’: Christie & Co has said it is already seeing the signs of an increase in distress for pubs and restaurants in 2026, and it sees the potential for an uptick in activity in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In its Business Outlook 2026 report, Christie & Co said despite economic challenges, demand for quality pub and restaurant assets remains strong. In the pub sector, 91% of freehold pubs sold by Christie & Co in 2025 were for continued use, and less than 2% of sales were distressed, while private buyers accounted for 57% of transactions, highlighting confidence at the individual investor level. In the restaurant sector, Christie & Co said franchising continues to attract hospitality entrepreneurs seeking certainty, while drive-thru and takeaway sites remain in high demand despite rising rents. Looking ahead to 2026, Stephen Owens managing director – pubs and restaurants, said: “We expect the market to remain polarised. We are already seeing the signs of an increase in distress. However, while the mid-market proves more challenging, demand for pubs is strong at the top and bottom ends of the market. We expect the larger pub companies to accelerate the churning of their estates and reinvest proceeds to ensure they are well-positioned to compete in a market where the consumer will be more discerning than ever. Consolidation may also enable costs to be spread, and we see the potential for an uptick in M&A activity.” In the hotel sector, Christie & Co said while 2024 was dominated by large-scale M&A activity, 2025 saw single-asset transactions account for nearly 80% of deals, with domestic investors stepping up significantly in the UK. The report highlighted liquidity in the market and reason for optimism, with portfolio-led activity expected in early 2026.

 

Reeves urged to go further on pubs package after £4bn bond boost: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been urged to extend a business rates bailout for pubs to hotels and restaurants after a sharp drop in borrowing costs handed the chancellor a near-£4bn boost. Business chiefs told The Telegraph that Reeves should use billions of pounds generated by a recent slump in government debt interest charges to support the hospitality sector as it faces surging tax bills. UK borrowing costs have fallen to their lowest in more than a year in a move economists said would hand Downing Street a multi-billion-pound boost ahead of Reeves’ spring statement in March. UKHospitality chair Kate Nicholls said the money should be ploughed into the sector. She said: “If there’s anything that is good news within the economy that means more can be done, then hospitality is a good beneficiary, because we will reward that return on investment many times over, particularly through jobs, growth, investment and tax revenues.” Alan Morgan, chief executive of Las Iguanas and Bella Italia owner Big Table Group, said: “Any relief to the wider hospitality market could literally save people’s jobs that are at risk without it. It is already well documented that most hospitality businesses have had to dramatically reduce people costs [by cutting jobs] and many are struggling to stay afloat as a result of previous government decisions that hurt the industry.” Sir Rocco Forte, the hotelier, said: “A temporary sticking plaster solution targeted only at pubs will go nowhere near far enough. Pubs pay around 1% of the total business rates bill. This is not fair and sustainable – and many other types of business, ranging from pharmacies to gyms, are also going to be hammered.” Meanwhile, Simon Emeny, executive chairman of Fuller’s, has said the government must be held accountable for not delivering on its promise to reform business rates. He said: “We’ve now had two decades of government promising business rates reform and what we saw in the recent budget was really disappointing, not just for small pubs but actually for the wider hospitality and retail sectors who’ve been waiting patiently for reform. What we got was really disappointing and incredibly damaging.” The government is expected to deliver a package of “temporary relief” to support pubs in the coming days and there are reports Reeves may extend support for other hospitality businesses.

 

More than 50 UK hotels, restaurants and bars launch new ‘Help Out Hospitality’ campaign: More than 50 UK hotels, restaurants and bars have launched a new ‘Help Out Hospitality’ campaign – inspired by the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme rolled out by the government during covid-19. Running from now until the end of March 2026, the campaign is encouraging customers to rediscover the best of UK hospitality through more than 100 special deals available nationwide. A commission-free ‘Help Out Hospitality’ online platform is now live for sector businesses to promote offers, attract direct bookings and allow customers to enjoy the best value over the quieter winter months. These include discounted overnight hotel stays, food and beverage offers and family-friendly dining promotions. Barry Knight, director of food procurement business The Full Range, is spearheading the campaign. Businesses which have confirmed their involvement include Turas Hotels, Original Collection Hotels, Inglenook Group and Mosaic Pub Group, plus many other independent operators across the UK. Ian Griebenow, group operations manager for the Original Collection, said:

“Hospitality businesses continue to face significant pressure, particularly through the quieter winter months, and initiatives like Help Out Hospitality provide genuine, practical support at a time when it’s most needed. Being part of a collaborative industry-wide effort that helps operators protect margins, attract guests and keep trading sustainably is something we strongly beli

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a multi-faceted estate in Somerset that is looking for an experienced, qualified head of engineering to lead a sizable team. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This property sits in the apex space where old meets new. From rare-breed agriculture and heritage crops through to bespoke bio-mass boilers and high-end luxury, it has it all going on.” The salary is up to £90,000. For more information, email sheila@corecruitment.com

 

M&B CEO – ‘we are working on the basis that nothing will be done on rates, many individual site records were smashed over Christmas’: Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One, Toby Carvery and Harvester operator, has told Propel that the company is “working on the basis that nothing will be done on rates”. Urban said: “I am fearing that any help would be only for small companies, which disadvantages the bigger players even further. We are working on the basis that nothing will be done, so if rates were reduced, that would be a nice surprise, but I hold out little hope. If the chancellor doesn't do something, it will accelerate business failures in the sector.” Urban was talking after the business reported “very strong” trading over the festive season, including a record-breaking Christmas Day. For the seven weeks to 10 January 2026, the group’s like-for-like sales were up 5.2%, with food like-for-like sales up 5.6% and drinks up 4.7%. Urban told Propel: “Our festive delivery gets better and better each year, and as demand for key dates has been good, some sites will operate more covers but always be careful not to get greedy and not to spoil the ambience. Ego also had more sites open Christmas Day this year. Standouts pretty much reflect the ongoing pattern, with Nicholsons leading the way. Many individual site daily/weekly records were smashed across all brands, including a record day and week for both the company as a whole and at site level.”

Marston’s shares rise on activist call for board changes: Shares in Marston’s rose almost 2% to 64.88p during yesterday’s (Thursday, 15 January) trading on the back of a US activist’s attempt to reshuffle its board and increase shareholder returns. The FT reported that Bradley Radoff, whose investment firm Fondren is based in Houston, said in an open letter that Marston’s leadership had shown “indifference” to his calls last year to initiate a share buyback or dividend programme. The US activist investor is pushing for the removal of Marston’s five non-executive board members, accusing the UK pub group's board of a “persistent refusal to act in shareholders’ best interests”. Shares in the circa 1,300-strong company have climbed almost 60% in the past year, reaching their highest price since 2022, but remain well below pre-pandemic levels. The company last paid a dividend in January 2020. Radoff said that together with affiliates, he held an approximately 3% stake in Marston’s. He said he would vote against the re-election of the company’s non-executive directors at its upcoming shareholder meeting, scheduled for the end of January. “If board members are congratulating themselves for the recent increase in the company's share price, the embarrassing reality is that this recent outperformance is based off a crashed price,” Radoff wrote in his letter. In this week’s Propel Premium, which will be sent to Premium Club subscribers today (Friday, 16 January) at 5pm, Propel’s Mark Wingett looks back at the key news stories of the week, including Marston’s, Stonegate and Costa Coffee, and gets his crystal ball out to make some predictions on what 2026 has in store for the sector. 

Urban Pubs & Bars delivers ‘best Christmas ever’ to cap off ‘exceptional’ 2025: Urban Pubs & Bars, the London pub operator founded by Malc Heap and Nick Pring and backed by Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual, has told Propel it delivered its “strongest Christmas trading performance on record”, which capped off “an exceptional 2025 for the group”. The 66-strong business said trading throughout December was significantly ahead of last year, with like-for-like sales growth of 14.5% and a 40% increase in total covers. Chris Hill, managing director of Urban Pubs & Bars, said: “We’ve delivered our best Christmas ever. The energy across the business continues to be fantastic and this performance is a huge credit to our teams. Finishing the year so strongly puts us in a brilliant position as we head into the new year.” The record-breaking festive period builds on a year of sustained growth for Urban Pubs & Bars, which it said was supported by continued investment, an expanding portfolio and a “relentless focus on creating welcoming, high-quality neighbourhood pubs, bars and restaurants”. Earlier this week, Propel revealed Urban Pubs & Bars had made its sixth acquisition of the year after securing The Birdcage in east London from Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog. Last week, Propel revealed Urban Pubs & Bars had added a further five pubs to its growing estate, including the acquisition of four former Food & Fuel sites in London from The Restaurant Group-owned Brunning & Price. 

YouMeSushi aiming to grow to 50-strong estate within 18 months, plans to double that number over following few years: YouMeSushi, the restaurant and takeaway business, has told Propel it is aiming to grow to a 50-strong estate within 18 months – and plans to double that number over the following few years. It comes as the brand said it is set to open 14 sites in 2026 as it builds on three new launches in December. The sites opened in London’s Victoria, Watford and Chatham. Openings in 2026 include Islington and Wandsworth in London, Canterbury and Milton Keynes, before beginning its expansion north. Founded 18 years ago and franchising since 2021, YouMeSushi now operates 29 locations nationwide. Tim Circus, franchise development director, told Propel: “We are aiming for 50 sites within 18 months – a goal we are well on our way to achieving – and plan to double that number over the following few years. Year-on-year sales in 2025 were up 14%. The strong performance of our hot food menu helped mitigate seasonal effects. Results for early January are encouraging, primarily driven by our ‘KatsuKrushJanuary’ campaign. This initiative is active both in-store and online, supported by an exclusive partnership with Uber Eats. We are excited about our February campaign, ‘Love at First Roll’, and the launch of our loyalty programme in partnership with Vita Mojo. Guests will be able to collect stamps in-store, online, and via main aggregator platforms to experience the full generosity of YouMeSushi.” He added: “Our experienced team has spent years refining a strong, scalable franchise model.  While the market has grown, the quality and freshness of our food remain unmatched, driving exceptional customer loyalty. All three recent openings were delivered by existing franchise partners, reflecting confidence in the brand and appetite for multi-site growth. To meet rising demand, YouMeSushi is now also welcoming new franchise applicants.”

 

ETM Group reports record festive trading with like-for-like sales up 14%: ETM Group, the 17-strong, London-based operator, has reported record like-for-like sales growth for the Christmas and new year period. For the five weeks to 4 January 2026, the business said its like-for-like sales were up 14% against the same period last year. It said that this included record trading days, both company wide and across half of the estate, most notably on New Year’s Eve, as well as record trading weeks at several sites. Ed Martin, chief executive of ETM Group, said: “We’re delighted to have delivered an incredibly strong festive period, particularly in what continues to be very challenging circumstances for the hospitality sector. I’d like to thank our exceptional teams across our venues and head office, who through their continued dedication really drove these exceptional results. We’re looking forward to carrying this momentum into 2026, with an increased focus on live entertainment – be it music, interactive games or the outstanding sporting calendar this year has to offer.”

 

Plan Burrito planning to more than double in size to 40-plus stores this year: Tex Mex franchise Plan Burrito has said it is planning to more than double in size to 40-plus stores this year. Plan Burrito, founded in 2015 by former industrial pipe fitter Stephen Hopper, has since grown to 15 locations. Hopper told Propel in December that it is lining up five openings in the next six months – including Treforest, Stevenage, Lincoln and Crawley – and is in talks on a further 13 prospective locations. A company spokesman told whichfranchise: “2026 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet for Plan Burrito, as the business accelerates its national footprint and strengthens its position as the UK’s leading independent Tex-Mex franchise. Key focuses for 2026 include expanding to 40-plus stores nationwide. With strong franchise demand and a proven operating model, Plan Burrito expects to surpass 40 operating restaurants by the end of 2026. New territories across Wales, the Midlands, the north west, and Greater London are already in development. The beginning of 2026 will see the continued rollout of the Welsh expansion, with openings in Cardiff and Wrexham, alongside growth in cities and towns such as Lincoln, Stevenage, Crawley, Northampton and additional London boroughs. The business will introduce new seasonal items, enhanced digital ordering and expanded partnerships in delivery, payment and loyalty technology – strengthening both customer experience and franchisee profitability. 2026 also includes measurable sustainability targets, including packaging improvements, reduced food waste initiatives, and strengthened community partnerships in each trading area.” Hopper previously said the business has the potential for 500 UK sites long-term and 100 by 2028 but revised those to 100 by 2030 and a total potential of 250-300.

 

JW Lees reports record December: North west brewer and retailer JW Lees has reported a record December. The company’s 49 managed houses led the charge, with Christmas Day sales up 20.5% on 2024, and over the six-week trading period to include Christmas and new year, retail sales were up 9.9%, with drink sales up 8.4%, food sales up 10.4% and bedroom sales up 15.7%. The three-week core Christmas period from 15 December to 4 January was particularly busy, with retail sales up 14.1%. Managing director William Lees-Jones said: “Our team executed Christmas extremely well with both events and walk-ins performing well. In some ways, it was a perfect storm, with Christmas Day falling on a Thursday and no snow or named storms in the festive period – and there was probably some relief after the chancellor’s Budget, since things were not as grim for consumers as had been trailed in the media. We will continue to lobby the chancellor to make changes to both inheritance taxes and business rates since we believe that well-run family businesses and the hospitality sector are critical for growth in the UK economy and taxing these sectors to the hilt will stop growth.” Last month, JW Lees, which also has 87 tenanted pubs, reported retail sales were up 10.8% in the first 38 weeks of its financial year commencing April 2025.

 

Bubble tea brand Cupp closing in on international debut: UK bubble tea brand Cupp is closing in on its first international site. Propel revealed in March 2025 that Cupp had signed a partnership to expand to Hyderabad, in central India, with the first store to opened by a franchisee who discovered the brand while studying in the UK. Giving an update on social media. Cupp founder Lee Peacock said: “Our first store in Hyderabad, India is almost complete. We're super excited for this store to open and start our expansion into India. Big thank you to our franchise partners, Angharad Jackson, and our team for getting us to this part. The fun now begins!” Cupp, which currently has 33 UK locations, also launched a new Express format last year. These will take the form of grab-and-go tea stations that fit into locations from service stations, gyms and convenience stores to restaurants, theme parks and holiday parks.

 

Individual Restaurants sets sights on year of growth after ‘strong’ festive performance: Individual Restaurants, the Restaurant Bar & Grill and Forbici operator, has set its sights on a year of growth after a “strong” festive performance. The company said it outperformed the market, closing the year with record New Year’s Eve trading, with sales up 10% year on year. Across the Christmas period, total sales grew 6% year on year. Performance was consistently strong across brands, with premium occasions, private dining and group celebrations driving momentum, the group said. Looking ahead, Individual Restaurants said it is positioning 2026 as a “defining year”, with a clear focus on brand growth, guest loyalty and innovation. Chief executive Andrew Garton said: “Our restaurants are built around special occasions, great food, exceptional hospitality and the people who bring those moments to life. In a challenging trading environment, our teams rose to the occasion this Christmas, delivering record results when it mattered most. As we move into 2026, our focus is firmly on growth in the UK and overseas. We have new concepts in development, fresh ideas ready to bring to market and a leadership team built to turn ambition into action.” As revealed by Propel earlier this month, to support this next phase, Individual Restaurants has strengthened its senior leadership team. Promotions at group level include Francesco Fiore being appointed managing director for Piccolino and Tolga Sen appointed director of operations for Restaurant Bar & Grill, Riva Blu, Forbici and new concepts. Toni Dennan has become group marketing and sales director and Samantha Dhaliwal is now concept and international director, while Selena Green is commercial and insights director. Individual Restaurants said it will continue to invest across the estate, and three new sites are confirmed to open before summer, with further locations planned later in the year, including several new concepts. A new and improved loyalty programme and app will also launch in the spring.

 

Time Out Market to close food halls in Boston and Chicago: Time Out Group is to close two of its four food halls in the US, blaming the impact of higher operating costs. The company said it will close its Time Out Markets in Boston and Chicago at the end of January, although the digital media brands will remain active in both cities, promoting food-and-drink destinations in each market. Time Out Markets chief executive Michael Marlay said: “Following the pandemic, we have seen the Boston Market recover and grow, and we have focused on initiatives driving further growth. However, footfall until today remains inconsistent in the area due to ongoing hybrid working and in addition, operating costs have increased – all of which prevents consistent profitability.” In a separate post, Marlay used the same quote, but about Chicago’s Fulton Market. The closures will leave New York as the only US city left with a Time Out Market. A location in Miami, the group’s first in the US, closed two years ago. In September, the company opened a second New York location in Manhattan’s Union Square.

 

Spinners to invest £1m in new Chester site: Spinners, the competitive socialising concept that last summer secured £4m in new investment, is to invest £1m on its new site in Chester, which will open this spring. Propel reported earlier this year, that the company, of which Richard Morris, the former chief executive of Tortilla, is chairman, will open on the former Poundland site on Frodsham Street, with games including duckpin bowling, electric darts, interactive golf lanes and its own ‘clayshot’ game. Last June, the three-strong Spinners secured £4m in new investment from Gresham House Ventures. The business opened its first site in Reading in 2021 and also operates sites in Plymouth and Solihull. “We’re incredibly excited to bring Spinners to Chester,” said Jamie Bylett, chief executive of Spinners. “Our venues are all about connection, giving people a place to laugh, compete and create great memories together. Spinners will introduce a completely new type of venue to Chester, combining our spin on interactive games, refined interiors and high-quality food and drink.” Bylett told Propel last year that the business plans to get to double figures over the next few years and create a “truly national brand”.

 

Insomnia Cookies lodges plans for Newcastle site: Insomnia Cookies UK, the late-night bakery business, has lodged plans for a site in Newcastle. Propel revealed in November that the business, which saw out 2025 with nine sites following openings in Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool, was lining up an opening at 28-34 Clayton Street, in Newcastle. Plans have now been submitted seeking planning permission, listed building consent and advertising consent for the grade II-listed building, which dates to 1837. Newcastle City Council will now review the application. Insomnia Cookies, founded in 2003 by Seth Berkowitz, has more than 350 bakeries across North America and has expanded rapidly in the UK over the past year. Launching in Manchester in 2023, the brand has three sites in the city, along with further outlets in cities such as Leeds, Nottingham and Sheffield. 

 

We Do Play secures Livingston sites for Flip Out: We Do Play, the multi-concept experiential leisure operator, has secured a site in Livingston, Scotland, for its trampolining concept, Flip Out. Livingston Designer Outlet asset manager Global Mutual has announced the signing of a 20,000 square-foot venue for the second Flip Out site in Scotland. The site will feature activities including trampolining, Ninja Tag, inflatables, soft play, a roller rink, party rooms and a diner. Richard Beese, co-owner of We Do Play, said: “We are looking forward to bringing Flip Out to Livingston Designer Outlet. The team can’t wait to bring our family-focused, adrenaline-fuelled experiences to the town.” We Do Play operates circa 35 Flip Out sites in the UK, including the world’s biggest, which opened in Leeds in September – covering 100,000 square feet at Coal Road in Whinmoor. We Do Play, which is backed by the Frasers Group, is also behind Putt Putt Social and Rumble Rooms, and is rolling out Canadian gaming brand Activate in the UK.

 

Bespoke Inns to breathe new life into historic castle site: Derbyshire-based independent pub group Bespoke Inns has announced a new partnership which will result in a historic castle reopening to the public in early summer. The company has teamed up with The Duchy of Lancaster to breathe fresh life into Tutbury Castle, which sits on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border. The revitalised Tutbury Castle will feature a new restaurant, café and a large events and wedding space within the castle grounds, creating an exciting new destination for both local residents and visitors. Emily Nash, director at Bespoke Inns, which operates five sites in the region, said: “We are incredibly excited to begin this new chapter at Tutbury Castle. It is rich in history and deeply valued by the community, so we feel very privileged to play a part in shaping its future. Our aim is to create a welcoming destination where great food, memorable events and the unique character of the castle come together. We look forward to working with the Duchy and developing new, exciting plans for Tutbury Castle over the months ahead.”

 

Three holiday parks in west Wales sold out of administration in deals worth nearly £17m: Three holiday parks in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, have been sold out of administration in deals with a combined value of nearly £17m. Following the collapse of Celtic Holidays Parks last year, joint administrators Alistair Wardell and Richard Lewis, of Grant Thornton, appointed Savills to market Meadow House, Noble Court, and Croft Court Country Park. Croft Court Country Park has been acquired by Henson Leisure Group for £3.5m. The family-owned company operates six other sites in west Wales. Croft Court Country Park has 124 static holiday caravans of which 75 are privately owned. Planning permission exists for a further nine pitches to be developed. The site extends 12.88 acres. Meadow House has been acquired by Hall Bros Leisure for £10m. Meadow House consists or 187 static holiday caravans and twin unit lodges. Some 178 are privately owned with the balance being for hire. The site extends to 15.92 acres. Hall Bros Leisure also operates Shoreline Caravan Park in Burry Port, which was built in the mid-1960s and has been owned and managed by brothers Philip and Julian Hall since 1994. Noble Court has been acquired by Threesix Holdings for £3.2m. Noble Court accommodates a mixture of 173 privately owned and hire fleet holiday caravans, lodges and glamping units. The site extends 49.70 acres. Richard Prestwich, director in the leisure and trading team at Savills, said: “The parks attracted exceptional interest thanks to their prime locations and the strong reputation of the business. More than 100 parties expressed an interest, demonstrating the strong demand for these types of assets.”

 

JD Wetherspoon certificated as top employer: JD Wetherspoon has been certificated as a top employer in the UK for 2026. This is the 21st time the pub company has been certificated by independent organisation the Top Employers Institute. The certification is based on independent research that shows Wetherspoon has “outstanding people practices and offers excellent working conditions”. It also includes talent acquisition, learning, well-being and diversity and inclusion. Wetherspoon people director, Tom Ball, said: “We are proud to be considered among the best employers in the UK, particularly as the recognition comes from an independent organisation, which researches numerous companies. The company employs more than 42,000 staff across its pubs in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, as well as at its head office. Wetherspoon is committed to offering employees the best opportunities to succeed and grow within the company, including studying for qualifications and apprenticeships. This is evident in the number of staff progressing to more senior positions at Wetherspoon.”

 

Team behind London Vietnamese restaurant opens second site after almost 25 years: The team behind Vietnamese restaurant Song Que Cafe in London’s Hoxton has opened a second site in the city – almost 25 years later. Song Que Café opened in 2002 at 134 Kingsland Road. Now, the team has opened Song Que Pho Bar in what was once Tom Brown’s seafood restaurant Pearly Queen at 44 Commercial Street in Spitalfields. While the focus is on its pho noodle soup, the venue will also serve “all our classics and best sellers that customers love at our current restaurant.” Salvatore Di Natale of CDG Leisure acted for Song Que Pho Bar while Marc Rogers of MKR Property acted for Pearly Queen Restaurant.

 

Japanese hand-rolled rice concept to make comeback after securing Central London site: Temaki, the traditional Japanese hand-rolled rice concept inspired by California’s handroll bars, is to make its comeback. Founded by American Alex Maximilian Dupee, Temaki takes its name from the Japanese words “te” (hand) and “maki” (roll) and focuses on the skilled rolling of rice and fish in front of customers. The concept was launched in Brixton, south London, in 2021 but closed in August last year. Now, Temaki is making its return in a new and bigger Central London home, opening in Maddox Street in Mayfair next month after Dupee agreed a deal with landlord The Crown Estate. The restaurant will span two levels. Upstairs will be a dining room for 16 guests around a counter overlooking the chefs at work. Downstairs will feature a 28-seat space that takes inspiration from Japan’s listening bars and will also be available for private dining. Dupee said: “We loved our time in Brixton, and with our new creative team we are excited to build on that success in Central London.”

 

Real estate investor acquires nine Premier Inn hotels for £89m: Real estate investor LondonMetric Property has acquired a south east-focused portfolio of nine Premier Inn hotels for £89m from Whitbread. The properties are let on new 30-year leases and generate a combined annual rent of £5m. Together, the hotels total 955 bedrooms, spread across locations at Southampton airport, Kings Langley, Milton Keynes, Poole, Colchester, Fareham, Waltham Abbey, Chipping Norton and Warwick. Whitbread is now LondonMetric's fourth largest occupier, contributing £11.3m of annual rent and accounting for 2.7% of LondonMetric's total rent. Andrew Jones, chief executive of LondonMetric, said: “This transaction adds high quality and mission critical assets that generate a long, strong and growing triple net income in a sector that continues to benefit from evolving consumer preferences for travel, entertainment and experience. It follows on from our recent £44m hotel portfolio acquisition from Whitbread and increases our ownership to 22 modern Premier Inn hotels.”

 

Two new independent operators join line-up at Gloucester Food Dock: Two new independent operators have joined the line-up at Gloucester Food Dock. South-Indian street food business Mazala Dosa offers dosa, vada, uttapam and kothu, and uses autonomous robots to deliver dishes. Meanwhile, premium street food concept Wagyu & Feather has taken a permanent residency. Founded by Paul and Karen Sheeran, the menu is built around British wagyu, supported by carefully developed buttermilk chicken and a dedicated daytime deli sandwich offer. The additions mean all but one of the scheme’s 15 spaces are now occupied. Gloucester Food Dock opened at the end of 2023.