Cosy Club MD – ‘the successful evolution of the brand has given us the confidence to make London step’: Cosy Club, the Loungers-owned concept, will enter London for the first time later this year with a flagship opening at Westfield Stratford – a move managing director Lucy Knowles told Propel the brand now has the confidence to make following two years of evolution across food, design and hospitality. The decision comes after a run of four successful sites — two new openings in Reading and St Albans and refurbishments in Manchester and Leeds — that have showcased the brand’s new look and upgraded offer. Knowles said the recent work hasn’t just refreshed Cosy Club but fundamentally strengthened its market position. She said: “We’re on a journey, and the work we’ve done has shown us that guests like what we’re doing. The last four sites have definitely given us confidence.” Cosy Club is now a year into its rebrand and two years into its food transformation, a process that began with bold decisions — including delisting its former top‑selling dirty chicken burger — to push the menu into a more modern, balanced space. The design overhaul has been equally significant, with the new aesthetic, now live in four sites, delivering a step‑change in guest reaction. Knowles recalls watching customers enter the St Albans site and physically pause. She said: “People take a breath when they walk in. So many have said it feels like London has come to St Albans.” Alongside food and design, Cosy Club has invested heavily in service, launching its ‘World Class Hospitality’ programme last year to “sharpen consistency and guest experience across the estate”. Drinks is now the next major focus as the brand continues to refine every touchpoint. While Stratford is the headline move, Knowles said the wider growth appetite remains intact, with a longer-term goal of doubling the 37-strong brand. It will open a further new site in Swansea later this year and more refurbishments are planned, although the pace will depend on the complexity of working within the brand's many listed buildings. New sites are also in the pipeline, but not yet ready to be announced.

 

Two weeks to go until Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, book now: There are two weeks to go until 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. The conference provides the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the pub and bar sector and help operators overcome the myriad of challenges facing the sector. 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 while Premium Unlimited Plus subscribers receive four free tickets to the conference. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Propel’s new International Brands report – scale meets adaptability in QSR: US brands continue to lead the UK’s quick service restaurant (QSR) sector, according to Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova, writing in Propel’s forthcoming International Brands report. Vanifatova said despite this, the market for chicken was evolving into one of the most competitive and rapidly expanding areas of the quick service market, with British brands demonstrating resilience as chains such as Morley’s and Pepe’s maintain strong positions and continuing to grow customer visits despite the arrival of new international competitors. Vanifatova also reflects on how the coffee, bakery and sandwich segments remain areas where British brands hold a stronger competitive position. She said: “Despite the substantial presence of international quick service brands, the UK foodservice market continues to be shaped by a balance between global scale and local adaptability.” Vanifatova’s insight features in this year’s highly anticipated International Brands report, alongside comment and analysis from Craig Rachel, director, corporate finance and capital advisory at AlixPartners, Matteo Frigeri, founder and business director at Seeds Consulting, Michael Ingemann, chairman and partner at Think Hospitality Group, and Propel editorial advisor Katherine Doggrell. It will feature 160 international brands operational in the UK with turnover where available – plus those planning to open. The International Brands report is available for £450 plus VAT, with existing Premium Club members receiving it free. The report is published on Friday 22 May at 9am. Order your copy today or sign up to Premium by emailing kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive new UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database this week: The next UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers this week. The database, which will be sent out on Friday (8 May) at 12pm, now has 400 entries and more than 230,000 words of content on brands already franchising in the UK, or looking to franchise here. Among the new entries are four overseas brands actively seeking an entry to the UK market, including German bakery brand Cinnamood, Saudi Arabian shawarma brand Shawarma Hlayel, Croatian seafood concept Fish Delish and US bakery business Magnolia Bakery. 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 Franchisee 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 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. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Popeyes launches new learning and development programme including apprenticeship offer: Popeyes UK, the TDR Capital-backed business, has launched a new learning and development programme, including an apprenticeship offer. Called Popeyes University, it will focus on “building a culture of continuous learning across its head office and restaurant teams” including the ‘Louisiana Ladder’ – a structured development pathway from entry-level roles to operations manager careers. As part of the launch, Popeyes is also launching ‘Brass Roots’, a new apprenticeship programme that offers Level 3 and Level 4 hospitality qualifications. The company has committed to taking on 25 apprentices through 2026, six of which are already on board. Furthermore, for the first time, Popeyes will be taking part in the UK Youth Summer Jobs Programme, which will see participants undertake a one-week, paid pre-employment training course, followed by a five-week paid work placement. Since entering the UK market in 2021, Popeyes has grown to more than 110 restaurants and approximately 3,500 employees, with further expansion planned across the UK and Ireland in 2026, and as the business continues to scale, it said investing in people and developing future leaders remains central to its long-term strategy. Matt Hudson, chief people officer at Popeyes UK, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the culture we’ve built at Popeyes, which has been recognised through awards such as The Sunday Times Best Places to Work and the World’s Happiest Workplaces list. Popeyes University is the next step in that journey. It’s about giving our ‘joy creators’ clear pathways to grow, develop new skills and build long-term careers with us.”

 

San Carlo Group launches art programme: San Carlo Group has launched an art programme, Art of San Carlo, aimed at “transforming San Carlo’s restaurants into living galleries”. The programme has launched at San Carlo Bristol on Corn Street and will be rolled out across “key cultural destinations” including Birmingham, Leeds and London. The Bristol edition is a collaboration with the Bristol School of Art which has seen pieces from three artists – Sienna Kenniston, Ashleigh Ford and Hafsa Mohamoud – exhibited within the restaurant, with the pieces also available for purchase. Two permanent works from Bristol-based artist Connie Celeste have also been commissioned, while a partnership with Clifton Fine Art will see a rotating programme of curated exhibitions installed within the restaurant. San Carlo Group chief executive Marcello Distefano said: “Art has always played a meaningful role in the atmosphere of our restaurants, and with Art of San Carlo, we’re bringing that connection to the forefront. We’re incredibly proud to showcase the work of emerging artists and to give them a platform that sits at the heart of our spaces. As Art of San Carlo expands across the UK, we look forward to celebrating local talent in every city we call home.”

 

Chippies sell catfish as ‘traditional fish supper’: Rogue chip shops have been passing off catfish as “traditional fish and chips” to cut down on costs. A BBC North West investigation found a catfish species being sold in the region’s chippies without customers being fully aware of what they were buying. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute said that while the mis-selling or misdescription of fish was not a widespread issue it acknowledged “there are still some unscrupulous businesses”. Catfish, which is safe to eat, is generally farmed and imported from south east Asia and is significantly cheaper, at about £3.40 per kilogram wholesale, than traditional species such as cod and haddock, which typically go for £15 per kilogram. The investigation was prompted by the owner of a Liverpool chip shop contacting the BBC to complain about the dishonest practice. National Trading Standards told the BBC that fish being sold under the wrong name would be the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to investigate, while the FSA advised that local authorities would likely lead on isolated cases. “It probably does go on,” said Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers. “I was only talking to somebody the other day who went into a pub and ordered fish and chips and he thought it was pangasius, and when he tackled them about it, they said it was. It is fine to eat, but when you go and get fish and chips most people expect a marine species, so cod, haddock or plaice. I think if you've got something that's farmed, like pangasius, as long as it's advertised as such, that's fine. It's when it's being sold at a cod price that's a problem, and shops need to be careful about doing that. As an industry, we’ve got to have the trust of the public.” 

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a procurement business that is looking for a commercial director. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will be responsible for shaping and delivering the company’s commercial strategy, overseeing sales performance, developing high-value client relationships, and ensuring commercial excellence across all services. This is a senior leadership role requiring strong commercial acumen, keen focus on client management and ability to drive sustainable growth.” The salary is up to £85,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mikey@corecruitment.com

 

Tossed aiming to open next franchise site this year, Nottingham ‘good testing ground’, now targeting tier one cities outside London: Healthy eating brand Tossed has told Propel it is aiming to open its next franchise site this year, with its Nottingham site proving to be a “good testing ground”, giving it the confidence to now target “tier one cities outside London”. Tossed returned to the franchise trail last year with a site in Nottingham launched by franchisee Badar Zaman. Managing director Neil Sebba said the site is “doing pretty well” five months in and is in line to achieve a record sales week. “It’s the first time we’ve opened in a city that isn’t London, so it’s been really interesting to see how it’s landed and how people respond to it,” Sebba told Propel. “Opening a salad bar just before Christmas probably isn’t the best time, but we had a strong January due to the health kicks, and we’re looking forward to a first summer of trading. We’re seasonal, so it’s hard to get a proper read until you’ve traded through a full year. Nottingham was deliberately targeted as not one of the massive cities and so gives us better data on what lands than if we’d just opened somewhere like Spinningfields (in Manchester), which is just like London. University towns will suit us well, and we’re targeting tier one cities outside London. The likes of Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cardiff are on the radar, but it’s about phased growth and not scattergun, so the franchisees can grow successful businesses, and we don’t flood the market.” Tossed is working with Presman & Colard on restructuring its growth strategy. Presman & Colard chief operating officer Charlie Mander added: “I would like to say this year for the next franchise opening. Nottingham is proving itself very well, and we do have now about seven or eight applications applying for a franchise. It’s not about onboarding all seven, it’s about onboarding the right ones at the right times in the right places to be able to make a consistent story of growth for Tossed across the UK.” Propel revealed on Friday that Tossed is set to make its airport debut later this year, with an opening at Gatwick.

 

Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck Group secures backing from ‘Queen of Bond Street’: Christina Ong, dubbed the “Queen of Bond Street” due to her extensive property and fashion portfolio, has made a strategic investment in Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck Group via her Como Group vehicle. Singapore-headquartered Como Group, which has two hotels in London – Como Metropolitan and Como the Halkin – said it has invested a “significant” sum into the Fat Duck Group’s holding company SL6. It is understood the investment will support potential expansion opportunities for Blumenthal’s award-winning restaurants, including the three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, and the Hinds Head pub, also in Bray, near Maidenhead. Blumenthal said: “I’m incredibly proud of how the Fat Duck Group has evolved over the past 30 years – helping to shape modern dining through curiosity, creativity and a willingness to do things differently. Partnering with Como Group, with its extensive international experience in hospitality and dining, is an exciting step as we look to the future. Its expertise and global perspective will help us build on what we’ve created, giving us the platform to pursue our ambitions in a thoughtful and sustainable way. We are excited to explore new possibilities for the group. Having Como Group’s experience and perspective opens up new doors for what comes next.” Ong, one of Singapore’s most successful businesswomen, said: “Heston is one of the most original and influential culinary minds of our time, and the Fat Duck Group represents a truly unique part of global gastronomy. Across Como Group, we have built a global portfolio of restaurants, hotels and wellness destinations, united by a focus on passion, creativity and style. That philosophy strongly aligns with what Heston and his team have achieved, and we see this partnership as the beginning of something very special.”

Exclusive – Little Door & Co to open biggest site yet: Little Door & Co, the house-party-inspired late-night bar and restaurant concept, is to open its biggest site to date, and its first in east London, in Shoreditch. Propel has learned that the five-strong company, which was founded in 2014 by Kamran Dehdashti and Jamie Hazeel, will open the Little Neon Door later this summer, in Great Eastern Street. The new site, which will open in June, will be split across two levels and feature “five experiential rooms to explore”. The company said: “Following the much-loved Little Yellow Door (Notting Hill), Little Blue Door (Fulham), Little Orange Door (Clapham), Little Scarlet Door (Soho) and Little Violet Door (Carnaby), The Little Neon Door is the next evolution of the Little Door & Co. The Little Neon Door is designed exactly like the best kind of flat-share – one where every room has its own personality and no one ever wants to call it a night.” The site’s mezzanine will host the “ultimate games room and party in one”, featuring a giant-screen Nintendo 64, table football and a ping pong table (which later morphs into a secondary DJ station). In February, Propel revealed that Little Door & Co had secured new funding from ThinCats to support the next stage of its growth, with plans to open two new venues in 2026, including its first site outside the capital. Zack Azulay at Restaurant Property acted on the Shoreditch deal. 

M&B in talks to take small package of Whitbread sites: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One, Miller & Carter and Harvester owner, is in talks to acquire a small package of sites from Whitbread, Propel has learned. The Phil Urban-led business is believed to be in talks on a package of less than ten sites, which could be announced later this week. Last week, Whitbread, the Premier Inn owner, announced it is to exit its branded restaurant operation spelling the end of the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre brands as it unveiled a new five-year plan “to drive a significant increase in both margins and returns that will fund substantial cash returns for shareholders”. The new plan includes selling 110 of the remaining 197 branded restaurants with the rest being converted into hotel rooms, leading to the loss of nearly 4,000 jobs. It has already concluded the sale of 51 branded restaurants for £50m and said that it had agreed terms of sale subject to conditions on a further 60. Alongside the M&B talks, Whitbread is thought to be in talks with one party on circa 40 sites, and another party on an 11-strong package. M&B has previously completed two deals with Whitbread. In 2008, it exchanged 21 of its hotels for 44 Whitbread pub-restaurants in a straight asset swap involving no cash. Both sides valued their assets at around £78m. Two years earlier, the All Bar One operator completed the acquisition of 239 pub-restaurants from Whitbread in a £497m deal. Last month, Propel revealed that M&B had added four new sites to its estate and exchanged contracts on a further eight pubs and hotels.

Tom Ward to step down as Bao MD: Tom Ward is to step down from London operator Bao, which was founded by Shing Tat Chung, Erchen Chang and Wai Ting Chung, after eight years with the business, including the past two years as its managing director. Ward, formerly of London Union and Leon, joined the then JKS-backed Bao as an operations manager in 2018. Last summer, JKS sold its stake in Bao London to The Lo & Behold Group (TLBG), a Singaporean hospitality group. TLBG acquired JKS’ position in the company and said it would support the seven-strong Bao in its next phase of growth. Ward said: “After eight wonderful years, it’s finally time for me to say goodbye to Bao. I joined the business as operations manager at the beginning of 2018, and my time at Bao has gone way beyond anything I could have hoped for back then. We’ve grown the business from two to seven restaurants, built an incredible brand loved by many, made the top 100 best places to work, navigated some frankly scary times, managed an acquisition and celebrated our tenth birthday just last year. It means so much to me that I’m leaving Bao in a strong position for the next ten years ahead. This chapter now comes to a close. There’s a new one ahead that I can’t wait to share.”

Gymkhana Fine Foods launches in the US, secures new funding round: Gymkhana Fine Foods, the JKS-backed premium Indian food brand born from London's two-Michelin-starred restaurant Gymkhana, has announced its launch in the US and a new round of funding. The business is debuting exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores across the US and online. The launch coincides with the close of an $8.5m Series A funding round led by CAVU Consumer Partners, building on its partnership with the brand since its 2024 seed round, and arriving just months after the debut of the first US Gymkhana restaurant in Las Vegas. “Gymkhana Fine Foods is a natural extension of the mission we set out with thirteen years ago when we opened Gymkhana in London,” said Karam Sethi, co-founder and culinary and creative director of JKS Restaurants. “Each sauce, marinade and chutney has been created to deliver the same bold, authentic flavours found in our restaurants. As we expand into the US from our first restaurant in Las Vegas in 2025 to the launch of Gymkhana Fine Foods across the country, our aim remains the same: to offer Indian cuisine in its purest form, whether you’re cooking in your own kitchen or dining with us.”

Steak concept Cow & Sow developing QSR concept, earmarked several sites for expansion north: Steak concept Cow & Sow, founded by entrepreneur Mark Warburton, has told Propel it is developing a quick service restaurant (QSR) concept and has earmarked several sites for its expansion up north. Cow & Sow currently has two sites in Bristol and one in Birmingham and told Propel earlier this year that it was considering sites in Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow among others. It comes after the company last week launched a home delivery service. Warburton told Propel: “We have earmarked a couple of opportunities north of Birmingham, but we will be taking a very measured approach with the onslaught of costs landing on us (implications from the budget) from April. That said, we have moved our recent focus more towards developing the ‘at home’ offering and a new and exciting QSR brand – more to come on that in due course.” Warburton added that the four months from January to April 2026 has seen “positive trading, with like-for-like sales up 9.8% on the previous year”. He said: “This has been driven largely through an extensive refurbishment at our original Bristol site, a continuity of an excellent and settled team in Birmingham and a razor-sharp focus on menu development and presentation.”

 

Chopstix extends express format with Scotmid launch: Chopstix, the fast-growing, quick service restaurant brand backed by QSRP, has opened a second site under its express format in Scotmid’s new concept store in Uddingston. The store has been designed around modern convenience, “tapping into a heightened demand for grab and go formats in the region”. Situated at 319B Old Edinburgh Road, the new concept features a scaled down version of the Chopstix menu and builds on the success of the brand’s first Express format that opened in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, last summer. The latest in a string of openings, the unit in Scotmid Uddingston marks the seventh opening for the brand in 2026. The company said the expansion into Scotmid, Scotland's largest independent co-operative, is reflective of “Chopstix’s wider growth strategy, introducing these streamlined formats in high footfalls areas that the brand has seen continued success with”. Rob King, finance and franchise director, said: “We’re thrilled to be strengthening our partnership with Scotmid and extending the Express concept with Scotland’s largest independent co-operatives. Our Express format gives us huge flexibility in the type of units we can operate in, broadening the opportunity for the brand significantly. Having seen the success of the unit in Scotmid Fountainbridge we have every expectation this store will be a huge success. We know the format is perfectly suited to these high footfall sites – offering the same bold, Chinese flavours to our customers in Scotmid's brand-new multi-concept store, alongside high-quality, locally sourced Scottish produce.”

Turtle Bay makes CFO change: Turtle Bay, the 50-strong Caribbean restaurant brand, has hired Daniel Hawes Baker, formerly of veterinary group IVC Evidensia, as its new chief financial officer. Propel understands that Hawes Baker joined the company earlier this year after 16 months as interim finance director at Anthesis Group. Before that, he spent five and a half years at IVC Evidensia, including three years as deputy finance director – mainland Europe. He replaces Steve Robinson, formerly of Young’s and the Walt Disney Company, who stepped down earlier this year after six years at Turtle Bay. Last week, Propel revealed that Scott Grimbleby had stepped down as chief operating officer of Turtle Bay, having joined  last spring after two and a half years as chief operating officer at Gusto Italian. Turtle Bay was bought back by founder Ajith Jayawickrema last May from Piper, the private equity firm, which had backed the business since 2013. Turtle Bay was founded in 2010 by Jayawickrema and Crispin Tweddell, who remains a shareholder. 

 

Former trade minister quits as chair of Groucho Club-owner Artfarm: Lord Davies, the former trade minister and one of Britain’s most prolific corporate figures, is stepping down as chairman of the company which owns London’s Groucho Club. Sky News reports that Lord Davies, who served as a minister under Gordon Brown after a career in banking which included a long stint running Standard Chartered, is leaving Artfarm Group after eight years. Artfarm, which saw pre-tax losses grow to nearly £18m in 2024, owns a portfolio of luxury hospitality assets in the UK and abroad. As well as the Groucho, Artfarm owns venues including the Fife Arms in Scotland and Mayfair's Mount Street restaurant and Farm Shop, which has branches in London and Somerset. Artfarm said it has recruited Christoph Hoffman, an experienced hospitality executive, as its executive chairman and chief executive. Hoffman founded 25hours Hotel Company, which was sold to Accor, the multinational hotels giant. The company said his appointment comes at a time when it is expanding its international footprint, with Hotel Castell in Zuoz and several other projects in development”. It added: “Among Mr Hoffman’s priorities is likely to be determining a way forward for the opening of a branch of the Groucho Club in Yorkshire, which was announced in 2024 and supposed to open this year. At this stage we are unable to confirm an opening date for Groucho Bretton. This is a complicated project, and we are working closely with Rushbond Group on further developing our proposals for this amazing site.”

Soho House founder puts private Scottish island up for sale: Nick Jones, the founder of Soho House, has put his private Scottish island up for sale. Situated in the centre of Loch Lomond, Inchconnachan Island is being advertised to buyers for £3m. The Telegraph reports that for an extra £7m, Jones will oversee the creation of a bespoke luxury retreat on the 100-acre plot. Jones has put the island up for sale six years after buying it for £1.6m with his wife, Kirsty Young, the former presenter of the BBC’s Desert Island Discs.

 

Family entertainment centre and gaming operator reports record turnover of £11.8m but falls to loss: Family entertainment centre and gaming operator Godden Gaming has reported turnover increased to £11,841,408 for the year ending 31 March 2025 compared with £7,177,306 the previous year. The company, which operates four family entertainment centres and 25 sites under the Palace Amusements brand, posted a pre-tax loss of £656,778 compared with a profit of £935,231 the year before. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “The group continued to acquire underperforming venues centres, further investing in refurbishments and new infrastructure and gaming machines to bring forward turnaround strategies to all these new venues. The group continues to seek purchases of underperforming venues as well as new site greenfield opportunities. The group also continued its programme of acquiring strategic freehold assets to complement its current and future operations. The group intends to maintain the number of freehold sites from which it trades at greater than 50%. During the period, the group acquired and disposed of several gaming centres and continue to open greenfield locations as well as investigating multiple acquisition opportunities. In March 2025, the group reopened the De Luxe Bingo Hall in Hastings, East Sussex, following its acquisition in the previous year.” No dividend was paid (2024: nil).

 

Five Akhis to open in Cambridge: Gourmet burger concept Five Akhis, which has fast-pizza brand Fireaway founder Mario Aleppo as a backer, is to open in Cambridge. Five Akhis, which currently has 17 locations, will open at 24a Chesterton Road. Propel revealed last month that its next pipeline of openings will include a second location in the capital – in north London. Five Akhis is also understood to be lining up sites in Blackburn, Cambridge and Peterborough. Aleppo invested in the fledgling business in 2023, taking a 5% stake as well as lending his expertise. Five Akhi’s was founded in 2021 by four friends, or “brothers in Islam” (Akhi meaning “brother” in Arabic), who grew up in Milton Keynes together.

 

Edyn Group strengthens leadership group: Aparthotel operator Edyn Group, which operates in the UK under three primary brands – Locke, Saco and Cove – has strengthened its leadership group with three senior hires. Dan Merchant will lead people strategy, bringing experience from his previous roles as chief people officer at Freehand Hotels and Generator. He will guide talent, culture and organisational development strategies, along with key HR operations across the business. Joining as vice president of development and design, Dominique Florian, who previously held leadership and senior roles at Freehand Hotels, Generator and JLL, will oversee hospitality projects from early concept through to delivery. His role includes shaping the company’s broader property development strategy, with particular focus on continued European expansion, including the upcoming launch of Locke London Canary Wharf in May. The final appointment sees Darrell Spencer join as vice president of IT, bringing extensive experience across hospitality and lifestyle sectors. He will oversee technology strategy, infrastructure and cybersecurity across the property portfolio, having previously held senior roles including global IT director at Generator and Freehand and chief technology officer at Village Hotels. Edyn chief executive Alastair Thomann said: “We have ambitious plans for our brands and portfolio of properties across Locke and Cove by Locke. Dominique, Darrell and Dan bring unparalleled expertise, knowledge and experience to build for the future as we continue to expand and evolve.” Edyn’s premium lifestyle hotel brands, Locke and Cove by Locke, include 28 properties across eight countries.

 

Co-founder of London’s Four Legs to open new pizza bar concept with Philadelphia chef this week: Ed McIlroy, co-founder of London burger concept Four Legs, will open his new pizza bar venture in the capital with Philadelphia chef Joe Beddia on Thursday (7 May). As previously reported, McIlroy, who with business partner Jamie Allan is also behind Tollingtons fish bar and The Plimsoll pub in north London, is launching Bar Etna with Beddia at 47 Newington Green. Marking Beddia’s first restaurant outside the United States, Bar Etna “will blend the spirit of New York and Philadelphia pizza culture with the ease of an Italian neighbourhood bar”. Opening in the former site of Italian restaurant Nino’s, Bar Etna will feature a ground-floor bar area, and an upstairs dining area will seat up to 40 guests. The Italian-American inspired menu centres on 14-inch thin-crust pizzas, each featuring a range of toppings. Drinks will include a selection of house spritzes, negronis on tap, beer and low-intervention wine. Beddia, whose first opening in Philadelphia, Pizzeria Beddia, was this year awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand, said: “I’ve always wanted to do something outside of the US, but it had to be the right place. London’s been at the top of my list for a long time – the quality of the produce, the people and the food scene all make it feel like a natural fit, and doing it alongside Ed and the Four Legs team makes it even more exciting.” McIlroy added: “We wanted Bar Etna to feel like a proper neighbourhood spot. It’s not just about pizza – it’s about creating a place people can drop into whenever.”

 

RBH Hospitality Management adds Liverpool and Newcastle hotels to portfolio: Hotel management company RBH Hospitality Management has added two properties in Liverpool and Newcastle to its portfolio. The company has been appointed by ParkProperty Europe and its local asset manager, Maya Capital, to operate the Staybridge Suites sites, adding a total of 260 keys to their portfolio. The 128-bed Staybridge Suites Newcastle and 132-bed Staybridge Suites Liverpool expands RBH’s relationship with long-term partner IHG Hotels & Resorts, with RBH now managing more than 2,500 keys across 19 of IHG’s UK properties. The signings build on RBH’s presence in key northern regions, with Staybridge Suites Liverpool marking RBH’s third hotel in the city, while Staybridge Suites Newcastle marks its return to the Newcastle market. David Hart, chief executive of RBH Hospitality Management said: “These signings are a clear reflection of our ambition to continue growing as a business and the strength of our enterprise. This is an exciting period for RBH, and these new signings reinforce our ability to operate high-quality hotels and serviced apartment properties in key UK locations, while also strengthening our valued partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts.” RBH operates more than 50 hotels.

 

Padel operator PadelStars trialling extending opening hours until midnight: Padel operator PadelStars is trialling extending its opening hours until midnight following growing demand for late night games. PadelStars has 11 venues across the south and south east of England, with plans to open a further six in the next six months. Chief operating officer Jeevan Gill said: “Padel has a new midnight club. Players want to play late into the night. We’ve noticed real demand from players for courts after 10pm, and I’m sure it’s the same for many other UK clubs. The behaviour of players is fascinating. This is what we’re seeing: Players willing to stay up late just to secure bookings. Shift workers and flexible professionals looking for off-peak access. A growing “after-hours athlete” culture, similar to 24-hour gyms. At one of our clubs, we’re now trialling extended hours. We’re going to open until midnight. We’ll trial it on Thursdays and Fridays. If it’s popular, we’ll add extra days/venues. The big question is: will our courts be full at midnight? It’s still too early to say. But it’s clear that there’s a segment of players who want more flexibility, availability and ways to fit sport into their lives. By opening later, padel is starting to adapt to modern lifestyles. For me, this trend also creates a bigger question: are we heading towards the first 24-hour padel clubs in the UK? In hotter countries, late-night play is normal and 24-hour gyms are already a thing, so the behaviour is already there. If demand keeps rising, the midnight club of players might not be a trend, it could become the norm.”

 

Essex operator expands further into Suffolk for sixth site: Essex operator Tiny Town Beer has expanded further into Suffolk for its sixth site. The company, based in Manningtree, has taken over Waterfront Bistro in Ipswich, located on the town’s marina. It is a second site in the town for the Tiny Town Beer team, which is also behind The Lord Nelson pub in Ipswich. Tiny Town, led by Tom West, also operates The Red Lion in Manningtree, The Marlborough in Dedham, The Swan in Holbrook and Wrabness Community Shop & Bar. For now, the name The Waterfront remains, although West hinted that a rebrand could be on the cards in the future as the identity evolves, reports The Ipswich Star. He said: “We are really excited. It's really important that we have another premier location for us in a town that is on the ascendancy.”

Lazeez Tapas to reopen this month following refit and rebrand: Lazeez Tapas, the Lebanese cuisine restaurant in London’s Mayfair, will reopen this month following a refit and rebrand. The family-run café, at 29 Duke Street, will now be known as Lazeez Mayfair, offering dishes such as falafel, baklava and shawarma, alongside lesser-known delicacies such as kunafa, moutabbal, labneh, manakish and rakakat. It also has a new partnership with illycaffè to serve its premium Italian coffee and also offers freshly made teas and juices. “We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of Lazeez Mayfair,” says Emilio Malik, founder and owner. “Our family has been running a café at this site since 2007, and the evolution to Lazeez Mayfair marks an exciting next chapter for our business, helmed by a new creative team.” In December, Malik said he is in conversations to bring Saudi coffee brand Archi to the UK. Founded in March 2021, Archi opened its first branch in Al Khobar before expanding to 32 locations across the kingdom.