Exclusive – Be At One co-founder agrees to take on trio of ex-BrewDog sites: Rhys Oldfield, the co-founder of the Be At One cocktail brand, has entered into an agreement with the administrators of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, to occupy three venues on licence, through his Saviour Bars business, Propel has learned. The three sites – in Basingstoke, Bath and Bristol – were among 38 bars closed following BrewDog going into administration earlier this month with US firm Tilray subsequently acquiring the remaining BrewDog estate in a pre-pack sale. The three-site agreement will take Saviour Bars to six sites, and the company said the deal “represents a significant step in the group’s expansion”. The company’s existing portfolio comprises Northcote Saviour in London’s Battersea, which was the debut site in November 2024, along with Saviour Wokingham (formerly Sit & Sip Wokingham, which reopened in January following a full refurbishment and rebrand), and Sit & Sip Horsham, which will rebrand to Saviour Horsham later this year. Oldfield told Propel: “When three well-located sites become available simultaneously in cities where we have been looking to grow, you move. These are good spaces in strong locations, and they deserve an independent operator who will invest in them properly. That is what Saviour does. We are looking forward to bringing what we do to Basingstoke, Bath, and Bristol.” Be At One was founded in London’s Battersea in 1998. The group grew to 35 UK sites before its sale to Stonegate Group in 2018, in a deal valued at £50m. Saviour Bars is Oldfield’s return to independent bar operation, with a “deliberate focus on quality drinks, genuine hospitality, and site-specific character”.

Coaching Inn Group founder Kevin Charity to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings: Kevin Charity, founder of the Coaching Inn Group, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 19 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Charity will talk to Propel chief operating officer – editorial, Mark Wingett, about his life in the sector, growing Coaching Inn Group into a 36-strong group with more than 1,000 rooms, to this year being named hotel group of the year, how the business balances food and beverage and accommodation, and his take on the wider industry. 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.

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Thursday: The updated Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Thursday (2 April). The database will show the details of 136 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. The database will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published monthly, and Premium Club subscribers will also receive a 10,359-word report on the 136 new additions to the database. It is segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor 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.

Increased use of weight-loss drugs ‘reshaping people’s relationship with alcohol’: The increased use of weight-loss drugs is reshaping not only eating habits but changing people’s relationship with alcohol, new research has revealed. The findings from insight consultancy KAM, in partnership with UK charity Drinkaware, reveals a 29% reduction in how often users of GLP-1 drugs consume alcohol. The report, Drinking Differently: GLP-1 and Alcohol, shows GLP-1 use is already having a measurable impact on alcohol consumption. After starting GLP‑1 medication, average drinking frequency drops from 3.1 to 2.2 days per week (a 29% reduction) while average alcohol consumption falls from 4.3 to 3.6 units per week, representing a 16% decrease in overall alcohol intake. Alongside this was a 22% drop in weekly spend on alcohol for home consumption and a 30% decrease in typical spend per trip on alcohol in the on-trade. However, 71% of GLP-1 users said alcohol is central to their enjoyment of social occasions. GLP-1 users report changes in the types of drinks they choose, with growing interest in lower-ABV options, smaller serves and alcohol-free alternatives. KAM partner Katie Jenkins said: “The data shows while many GLP-1 users are drinking less, they are not withdrawing from social occasions. Instead, they are redefining how those occasions look, from drink choice to spend to frequency.” Research from KAM suggests as much as 7% to 10% of UK adults are taking weight-loss drugs (up to 5.5 million people), with only around half (52%) obtaining them through NHS prescription. 

‘Widening gaps’ between women's ambition and opportunities available in sector: New findings from WiHTL and Diversity in Retail’s Working Women: Breaking Barriers, Powering Progress 2026 report shows while ambition remains strong, the conditions needed for women to progress are weakening. Based on insight from 833 respondents and now two years of comparable data, the report highlights where progress is being made and where it is slowing, stalling or reversing. The data shows nearly seven in ten women aspire to senior leadership, yet only a third currently hold senior roles. The report said: “The figure is unchanged, showing the issue is not ambition but the conditions in which it must succeed. Confidence is a particular barrier for women returning from maternity or caring breaks, while sponsorship, mentoring and access to leadership development continue to be the strongest drivers of progression. Across inclusion however, the picture has generally worsened. Far fewer women feel they benefit from inclusion policies; more report discrimination and perceptions of inclusive culture have declined. The strain is most visible at senior manager level, where burnout peaks, trust in promotion processes is lowest and nearly half have considered leaving. This is the point at which the pipeline is most at risk.” Tea Colaianni, founder and chair of WiHTL & Diversity in Retail, said: “This year's findings are a wake‑up call. Every organisation has levers it can pull now, from sponsorship and development to truly inclusive leadership.” Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of brewer and retailer Greene King, said: "These findings reinforce that progress for women to senior leadership roles cannot be left to chance. Sustained focus on inclusion is essential to retain talent, strengthen our leadership pipeline and deliver long-term performance.”

Cardiff gives go-ahead for visitor levy: A visitor levy will be introduced for overnight stays in Cardiff after the city council backed the plan, which it said has public support. The levy follows the passing of new Welsh legislation, which received Royal Assent in September 2025. The legislation allows councils across Wales to charge a small fee to overnight visitors from April 2027. Cardiff Council said 62% of respondents expressed support, following a public consultation. The fee, as set out in the legislation, will be £1.30 per person per night for most accommodation types and 75p for campsites and shared rooms such as hostels. Some visitors will be exempt, including children under 18 staying in campsites or shared rooms, people staying more than 31 nights in a single booking, and those in emergency or temporary accommodation arranged by the council. The visitor levy is subject to VAT, and if an accommodation provider is VAT-registered, they must apply standard rate VAT to the amount collected for the levy. Money raised from the levy, estimated at £3.5m each year, will be paid to the Welsh Revenue Authority, which would then pass it on to local authorities. The city council will work with tourism businesses to shape how the levy is used to grow the visitor economy, create jobs and support local businesses. As part of this, the council will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with UKHospitality, which will help ensure the funds are used to grow the sector in the city.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a Central London hotel that is seeking a director of sales. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The hotel is looking for a driven individual who is a sales expert in hospitality along with experience managing and mentoring a sales team. The director of sales will identify and grow new business, develop strategic long term customer relationships, organise and carry out in-market sales tours, and act as the market segment specialist.” The salary is up to £65,000. For more information, email ed@corecruitment.com

Auntie Anne’s to roll out container concept in UK as it sees travel hubs as ‘huge long-term opportunity’: US pretzel brand Auntie Anne’s is to roll out its container concept in the UK as it sees travel hubs a “huge long-term opportunity”. The brand, which is being rolled out here by Freshley Baked, opened its first container concept location in Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet last year. Designed as a low capex, high impact store in a destination with strong footfall, the store has “performed ahead of expectations amid strong demand for high quality and handcrafted treats-on-the-go”. Over the coming months, Auntie Anne’s will explore new opportunities to roll out the format, building on its 45-strong UK footprint today. Auntie Anne’s UK & Ireland said this will focus on new container sites in locations with highly transient customers, such as travel and non-traditional locations. The roll out will support the group’s ambitious UK expansion strategy with the brand having already stated it aims to scale up to 100 locations by 2030. In January, Auntie Anne’s said it was aiming to open at least ten sites in the UK this year as it reported sales increased 14% to £15.2m in 2025. Max Burton, managing director of Auntie Anne’s UK & Ireland, said: “Our container format in Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet has been a huge success. Auntie Anne’s has always been seen as a shopping centre brand in the UK and Ireland; however, our container format has allowed us to explore new opportunities. We see travel as a huge long-term opportunity for us, so are excited by the planned roll out of our container concept. We think it will create a strong win-win-win for our customers, our franchisees and our brand, which will benefit from greater levels of brand awareness thanks to an increased presence in high footfall locations. Auntie Anne’s operates 2,000-plus locations in more than 25 countries. 

Wenzel’s opens debut kiosk location, launches first loyalty app: Family-owned bakery brand Wenzel’s has launched its first kiosk location, in London. The company, which operates more than 100 bakery stores in southern England and the Midlands, has opened the new format site in Burnt Oak, Edgware. The business has also launched a new website and loyalty app. Karl Spinks, chief operating officer at Wenzel's, said: “It’s been a busy and exciting six weeks at Wenzel’s, with lots happening as we continue to invest in growing the brand and improving the experience for our customers. We’ve launched our new website, making it easier than ever for customers to explore what we offer, and introduced a new range of catering platters designed for offices, meetings and events. We’ve also rolled out our new app, giving our loyal customers access to exclusive benefits and a more convenient way to engage with the brand. We’ve also continued to invest in our stores, including the launch of our first kiosk location in Burnt Oak, marking an exciting new format for Wenzel’s. At the same time, we’ve completed a refit of our Archway store in the capital, introducing a new in-store model where all products are positioned behind the counter. This approach is designed to create a safer environment for our teams while helping to minimise shoplifting activity, and we’ll continue to monitor how this format performs. Internally, we’ve also introduced mystery shopping across the business to help us continue raising standards and improving the customer experience.” Last December, Wenzel’s said after half a century of operating as a business, “the time was right for franchising” having partnered with Southern Co-op. Wenzel’s, which was founded in 1975, told Propel that it believes the move into franchising will see it double in size.

Albion & East losses neared £2m in year before sale: Albion & East, the London group of all-day venues, saw its pre-tax loss quadruple to close to £2m in the year before it was acquired by Urban Pubs & Bars, the London pub operator founded by Malc Heap and Nick Pring and backed by Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual. The four-strong Albion & East reported a pre-tax loss of £1,919,777 in the 12 months to 24 June 2025. against a loss of £481,663 the year before. Albion & East operated Canova Hall, Serata Hall, Teatro Hall and Botanica Hall. During the year, Martello Hall was closed and the lease successfully assigned for a premium. The company said: “As a result of the closure, turnover for the year was flat at £8,573,488 (2024: £8,700,850) and gross margins, including labour costs, for the year were £4,126,726 compared with £4,097,894 in the prior year. This was a good result given the continuing inflationary pressures on the business of food, drink and labour. Company Ebitda for the period was a loss of £195,418 (2024: Ebitda of £24,499).” Urban Pubs & Bars completed the acquisition of Albion & Eat last October. Urban Pubs & Bars acquired Martello Hall from Albion & East in January 2025, investing into the site before relaunching it as The London Fields a month later.

Evolv Collection to expand Chop House & Tavern concept beyond London including first outside UK with New York launch: Evolv Collection, formerly D&D London, is set to expand its Chop House & Tavern concept beyond London with two openings: Stories Tavern in Birmingham and Queens Tavern in New York's Hudson Yards – its first outside the UK under the format. The openings follow the launches of Liverpool Street Chop House & Tavern and Paternoster Tavern in London. Following the launch of 24 Stories (formerly Orelle) in Birmingham, Evolv Collection will transform the venue's downstairs bar into Stories Tavern, opening on Monday, 27 April. Queens Tavern at 20 Hudson Yards, New York, will open on Monday, 4 May. Martin Williams, chief executive of Evolv Collection, said: “We started with a simple idea, bring the £5 pint back to British cities. The Tavern concept has been extremely well received in London and we're looking forward to welcoming guests in both Birmingham and New York to experience our re-imagination of our founder’s [Sir Terence Conran] vision. It's an exciting next step in the evolution of Evolv Collection.” In December, Williams set out plans to expand Evolv Collection’s 30-strong portfolio to more than 100 venues by 2030, in turn, generating an estimated £100m in underlying profits. He told The Times that to scale globally, Evolv Collection must consolidate and focus on a collection of “powerhouse” brands.

Shore Capital – ‘Fuller’s well positioned to manage sector headwinds’: Sector analyst Greg Johnson at Shore Capital has argued that with a “well-located, well-invested and predominantly freehold estate, which over-indexes to higher-income households”, Fuller's “appears well positioned to continue managing through the current challenging economic and trading environment”. Initiating research coverage on Fuller’s with a “Buy” recommendation. Johnson said: “Fuller's is arguably the highest-quality pub estate across the UK sector, underpinned by asset flexibility and an unencumbered balance sheet. Supported by a strong operational performance, this flexibility has enabled the group to be more shareholder friendly than its peers, with earnings per share having more than doubled since FY23 and with the potential to grow at a double-digit compound annual growth rate over the medium term. We do not believe that such progress is reflected in current valuation metrics and see fair value of circa 1,100p on a two-year view (nine times Ebitda and an 8% free cash flow yield), with further upside from balance sheet optionality (notably the tenanted estate) and improving operational metrics. We initiate coverage of Fuller's with a Buy recommendation.” Johnson said on top of a robust operating performance, the business retains a significant freehold backing (87%), and its estate was last valued in 2022 at around £1bn, which he estimates is the equivalent to £4.5m per managed pub and an average of £1.2m across its tenanted estate. Johnson said: “We also see the opportunity for further recycling of the asset base, especially in the tenanted division where assets tend to be more liquid, a key point of difference to its peers. Having disposed of 37 tenanted pubs in 2024 for circa £18m (representing an Ebitda of circa 11 times), it effectively recycled the proceeds into the acquisition of Lovely Pubs for £22m on an Ebitda multiple of circa seven times.”

Yummy Pubs co-founder returns with Surrey pub, to host Faber pop-up: Jason Rowlands, who founded Yummy Pubs in 2007 with Anthony Pender and Tim Foster, has made a return to the sector, with the reopening of the Plough in the village of Dormansland, Surrey, in partnership with All Our Bars chief executive Paul Wigham, and with support from Pender. The business is held in a subsidiary of All Our Bars, in which Rowlands and Pender are shareholders. In autumn 2022, Rowlands, Pender and Foster sold their original site, the Wiremill near Lingfield in Surrey, to family brewer Hall & Woodhouse. The deal saw Rowlands and Foster leave Yummy Pubs to pursue separate projects, with Pender carrying on with the group's then remaining London sites, Somers Town Coffee House in Euston and the Victoria in Mile End, under The Yummy Collection umbrella. Pender has since launched the Faber concept, which debuted in Hammersmith in late 2023. Pender said: “Just over 20 years ago, I started working with a young chef. A few years later, we became business partners. We went on a long journey together before I stayed in London, and Jason went to live on the coast. Jason was there as a steady, helping hand when we opened Faber. Roll on three years, and I'm proud to say he has opened his own venue, and I get to play a small part and call him my business partner again (although he is very much the senior partner in this project alongside Paul Wigham, another industry legend). The Plough in Dormansland is Jason through and through. So, to celebrate a long friendship rooted in hospitality and culinary delights, we are taking Faber – our two Rosette restaurant – and setting up camp for one night on Friday (3 April) at The Plough to serve 60 guests a five-course Faber sourced menu ‘From British Shores’!”

Fitness franchise brand Transform Hub planning to open another 11 sites this year as it targets 100-strong estate by 2028: Fitness franchise brand Transform Hub, which targets over-35s who want to get healthy, is planning to open another 11 locations across the UK this year as it targets a 100-strong estate by 2028. Transform Hub, which focuses on group-based personal training classes, was founded in Preston by personal trainer James Calderbank. The franchise business has 27 gyms across the UK but is now planning to roll out new venues in Worcester, Cheltenham, Southampton, Altrincham, Hull, Cambridge, Northampton, Nottingham, Winchester and Gosforth. Meanwhile, the franchise has secured intellectual property trademarks in the US and Europe as the business plans for gradual expansion overseas. In 2023, Transform Hub secured £1m in backing from investors Andy Bell and Fergus Lyon. Transform, Hub said last year its gym memberships rose 28.4%, from 2,878 to 3,695 active members, helping revenue rise 61% to £1.7m. The company said around 80% of its members are aged 30-60. Calederbank told Business Live: “When I created Transform Hub, I saw a huge gap in the market for people to access personal training in a different way. Online coaching delivers incredible accountability and lifestyle change, while in-person training creates energy, community, and real momentum. But most people were forced to choose one or the other. Transform Hub connects the two. What’s also exciting is the opportunity this creates for franchise partners: people looking to open gyms under the Transform Hub name.”

Chaiiwala to open second Surrey site with Woking launch: Indian street food brand Chaiiwala is to open its second Surrey site, in Woking. The outlet at 3 Chobham Road will launch next month and be operated by franchisees Aadil Asghar and Usman Tariq, who already have more than a dozen locations with the brand. Founded in Leicester in 2015, Chaiiwala operates circa 115 sites across the UK, 23 in Canada, and a handful in Dubai. The brand has an ambitious strategy to reach 500 global locations within the next ten years, with a strong focus on expanding across the UK. Chaiiwala said this will include strengthening its footprint in existing towns and cities and expanding into new areas of the country where the brand is yet to establish a significant presence – like Surrey. Co-founder Sohail Ali said: “Woking not only brings our brand into a high-traffic, commuter town with locals demanding high-quality food-on-the-go, but it also opens us up to a new audience of consumers who may not yet know our brand. This presents a meaningful opportunity for us to introduce new consumers to our unique all-day street food menu and world-famous Karak chaii, build brand loyalty, and get a step closer to Chaiiwala becoming a household name.”

Popeyes eyes new Coventry site: Popeyes UK, the TDR Capital-backed business, is eyeing a new site in Coventry. The company has applied to the city council to convert the former Topshop unit at 54-56 Broadgate that has been vacant since the retailer ceased trading in February 2021, reports Insider Media. If approved, the site would join Popeyes’ other restaurant in Coventry, which opened in December at the Arena Shopping Park and was the brand’s first drive-thru in the West Midlands. Popeyes launched in the UK in 2021 and has about 110 restaurants having opened circa 50 sites in 2025. Chief executive Tom Crowley previously said he believes the brand can “keep opening at a similar pace” in 2026.

Wingstop UK opens second Reading restaurant: Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has opened its second site in Reading. Located in Reading Gate Retail Park, the 3,722 square-foot site has 106 covers. The opening follows Wingstop’s restaurant at The Oracle shopping centre in the Berkshire town. Wingstop currently operates 92 sites across the UK and Ireland, employing more than 3,000 people, with plans to grow to as many as 200 sites within the next five years. Chris Sherriff, chief executive of Wingstop UK and Ireland, said: “With our Oracle spot always busy, we’re excited to open a second site in Reading and bring our flavours to more fans. With its strong student scene, growing community of young professionals and bustling town centre, Reading is the perfect spot for us to expand.” Last week, the brand opened its fourth Bristol site – a 4,520 square-foot, 168-cover site at Cribbs Causeway.

Cornish Bakery opens Lincoln site: Fast-growing independent brand Cornish Bakery has opened a site in Lincoln – its second launch of 2025. The venue has launched at 9-12 Cornhill. The site features an open kitchen, building on the brand’s first such opening in Newbury earlier this month, and has space for up to 54 guests. Next month, Cornish Bakery will open its biggest site yet, at 2,500 square feet, and first in Wales. The store, in Betws-y-Coed, will also be the first site under the company’s new “RISE by Cornish Bakery” concept, which will expand its traditional coffee and bakery offerings to include small plates. Earlier this month, founder Steve Grocutt said the new concept “represents a significant opportunity for us to reshape hospitality”. The circa 75-strong company is also set to open new sites in Portsmouth, Wells and Witney in the coming months. Cornish Bakery managing director Mat Finch was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. All videos from the conference will be released to Premium subscribers on Friday, 10 April, at 9am. Premium subscribers receive all the videos from Propel conferences each year – around 100 in total. 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.

Increase in member levels drives revenue to £85.3m at The Club Company: The Club Company, the UK's leading country club operator, reported an increase in revenue to £85,285,000 for the year to 30 September 2025 compared with £69,403,000 the previous year, on the back of a rise in member levels. The company, which operates 17 clubs across the country, saw pre-tax losses narrow to £6,390,000 from £9,952,000 the year before. Operating profit grew to £12,084,000 from £10,151,000 the previous year. Membership levels and income grew over the estate in the year, “with a particularly wet autumn/early winter turning into a more favourable dry and warm summer”. The group said inflationary pressures remained a challenge, notably staffing, utility and food and beverage costs. The business said: “Like-for-like membership subscriptions (excluding acquisitions and Cams Hall in Hampshire) increased 12% versus the prior year, partly driven by an increase in member levels which were 5% higher at the end of September 2025 than September 2024 on a like-for-like basis. Like-for-like operating revenue increased 10% driven by continued strong demand and the impact of capital investment in the current and prior year, higher membership levels and favourable summer weather. Group Ebitda increased 29% from £15.6m in 2024 to £20.1m. The group Ebitda margin of 23.5% represented a 1.1% improvement over the previous year, despite the macroeconomic headwinds described above. The group's like-for-like revenue and Ebitda were 11 % and 13% higher year-on-year respectively with the total group's results being further bolstered by the acquisitions of the Nottinghamshire club in January 2025 and the full year impact of the 2024 acquisitions and new health club at Cams Hall.” After the end of the financial year, the business extended its debt facility by three years to 26 November 2029. As part of this amendment, a further £30m capital and acquisition fund was made available and the revolving credit facility was increased to £4m.

Dave’s Hot Chicken to become David’s Hot Chicken for debut site in Wales: Dave’s Hot Chicken, the US brand that is being rolled out in the UK by the Azzurri Group, will become David’s Hot Chicken when it opens its first site in Wales on Friday (3 April). The site in St Mary Street in Cardiff will be called “David's Hot Chicken” in a nod to the Welsh patron saint. The Cardiff site will be the first Dave’s worldwide to be named in honour of a new location. Keyana Mohammadi, head of marketing at Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, said: “We’re excited to finally land in Cardiff. It’s a vibrant and buzzing city, full of culture with an epic foodie scene. Changing the name to David’s is a mark of respect for the Welsh patron saint and a bit of fun. We are considering other changes for other Welsh venues such as Dayfdd Hot Chicken or even Dai’s Hot Chicken.” The brand, which recently opened its tenth site in the UK, in Bristol’s Cabot Circus scheme, also has openings lined up in Sheffield, Liverpool and in Dublin. On the latter, the brand will open in the former Central Bank headquarters in Dame Street. Last September, Azzurri signed an exclusive agreement to roll out the US brand across Europe and develop a minimum of 180 Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants across ten European countries, including Portugal, Spain and Germany.

Frasers Group-owned padel operator submits plans for new Leeds site: Padel operator Slazenger Padel Clubs, which is owned by Frasers Group, has submitted plans for a new site in Leeds. Slazenger Padel Clubs has applied to the city council to convert a unit off Millshaw Park Lane. Permission is sought to convert the 51,843 square-foot building into a padel facility with 13 courts, pro shop and customer facilities, including changing rooms and toilets. An optional pickleball court is also included, reports Insider Media. Slazenger Padel Clubs currently has 12 clubs across the UK, including one in north Leeds.

Barworks sees turnover top £10m on the back of new openings: London bar group Barworks saw its turnover climb to £10,559,645 for the year to 30 June 2025 from £6,538,818 the year before on the back of two new openings. In July 2024, the group opened Mare Street Market King’s Cross – the flagship expansion of the concept. This site covers 18,000 square feet over ground floor and mezzanine and the company said it built on the “proven blueprint” established by the original Mare Street Market in Hackney. The company, which also operates The Starman in Mayfair, said: “With Mare Street Market King’s Cross open and trading, the group was able to concentrate on the redevelopment of Two Floors in Soho, which reopened in November 2024. On the back of these two new openings, turnover from continuing operations rose 61.5%. Gross profit from continuing operations rose from £4.3m to £7.5m, a rise of 74.9%. Operational improvements and price increases to combat cost headwinds elsewhere improved the gross profit margin, which rose from 65.7% to 71.2% during the year. The established sites in the portfolio generated positive Ebitda during the period; the group-level position reflects the expected investment phase associated with two significant new openings. The Mare Street Market concept represents the primary long-term growth driver for the group – a differentiated, multi-offer destination format with a demonstrated capacity to activate large buildings and spaces. The pubs and bars portfolio provides a complementary and resilient earnings base, and the directors expect to grow both sides of the business in a disciplined manner.” Pre-tax loss for the year stood at £2,140,264 versus a loss of £1,400,286 the previous year. Propel revealed earlier this week Barworks had acquired the George & Dragon in Clerkenwell for its fifth site in total.

The Fat Duck Group alumni to open new Berkshire restaurant and pub with rooms: Chef Dom Chapman and restaurateur Nigel Sutcliffe, who met while working at The Fat Duck Group, are teaming up to open a restaurant and pub with rooms in the Berkshire village of Binfield. Opening in May, the launch of The Jack O’Newbury – or as it will be known The Jack – follows a two-year “considered” restoration of a former village inn of the same name. The site has been “transformed into a rural destination” complete with 80-cover dining room and terrace, 11 bedrooms and dedicated kitchen garden set within two acres of private grounds. Chapman was part of the kitchen team at Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck, before he was head chef at sister site The Hinds Head, and then head chef of The Royal Oak Paley Street during which time the restaurant received a Michelin star. Sutcliffe – who will oversee day-to-day operations at The Jack – brings three decades of experience shaping some of the Home Counties’ best-known hospitality venues, including The Fat Duck, where he served as a director. “Dom and I are excited to be bringing this beautiful property back to life,” Sutcliffe said. “It’s a rare opportunity to restore this characterful village inn and create somewhere that feels special, with a focus on genuine hospitality. Our aim is simple: to offer wonderful food, warm service, and a place people will want to return to time and time again.” Last year, Sutcliffe joined forces with Barry Wagner, owner of butchers Gabriel Machin in Henley, to acquire The Three Tuns pub in the Oxfordshire town.

Stack’s plans for Leeds site move forward after application submitted: Leisure venue operator Stack has submitted plans for a site at Leeds’ Kirkgate Market. The proposed Stack Leeds venue would be a two-storey structure made up of repurposed shipping containers and situated in part of the market’s outdoor trading area. The venue would have space for six bars, eight street food outlets, a coffee shop, a stage for live entertainment, and giant digital screens. There will also be marquee-style tents partially covering the central plaza. Neill Winch, chief executive of Stack, said: “We know from our previous experience that once Stack opens, it brings huge economic benefits to the wider area. It will turn a spotlight on the Leeds Kirkgate Market area and bring in greatly increased footfall. One of the many reasons we are successful is because we offer something for everyone. We firmly believe Stack Leeds will be a huge asset to the city and we look forward to moving on with the scheme.” Stack currently operates four sites across the north east – Seaburn in Sunderland, Middlesbrough and two in Newcastle – along with Stack Lincoln. Stack plans to open new venues in Wigan, Manchester, Bishop Auckland, Durham and Whitley Bay, and is developing a concept in Northampton that integrates a shopping centre with the Stack venue. 

London sister restaurant concepts Uli and Huo launch independently managed delivery platform: London sister restaurants Huo and Uli have launched Huo at Home and Uli at Home, a new independently managed online delivery and collection platform designed to bring their cuisine directly to customers. Available from all four restaurant locations – Huo in Chelsea and Belsize Village and Uli in Marylebone and Notting Hill – the new service allows guests to enjoy the restaurants’ signature dishes at home via delivery or collection. Orders can be made directly through Uli and Huo’s websites, with deliveries available within a three-mile radius of each restaurant. At the heart of the platform is a new loyalty programme, with customers automatically enrolled when they place an order. Diners will earn one point for every £1 spent, with points redeemable for free menu items, exclusive offers, and special discounts. Co-founder Adam Wilkie said: “With Huo at Home and Uli at Home, we wanted to create a service that reflects the same level of care, quality and attention to detail that people expect when they dine with us, while making it more accessible across London. Bringing the platform in-house allows us to oversee every part of that journey, and the introduction of the loyalty programme is one way of giving back to the community that has grown with us over time.”

Matcha bar concept Frothee to launch second London site: Matcha bar concept Frothee is to open a second site in London, in Covent Garden. The concept, which is the brainchild of 25-year-old Hanife Hursit, a London-based photographer and social media manager with Turkish roots, is to open on the former Whipped London site at 29 Bedfordbury. With support of her father Ram, Hursit launched her debut site last year in Caledonian Road, King’s Cross. The drinks menu at Frothee leans heavily into matcha, complemented by coffee, cold foam creations, and an assortment of sweet treats. Hursit documented the entire journey behind the opening of the debut site online, which helped the café go viral.

Leicester aparthotel shuts restaurant amid declining footfall and bookings: Leicester aparthotel The Gresham, which is located within the grade II-listed former Fenwick department store in the city, has closed its restaurant following a decline in footfall and pre-bookings. The restaurant, operated by Kiran Parmar’s Black Iron Social until 2024, has shut in a move the aparthotel said will allow it to concentrate on its core hospitality offering. Located in Market Street, The Gresham was launched in 2021 by developer Aimrok Holdings following a £17m refurbishment and features 121 serviced apartments. Mark Hills, general manager at The Gresham, said: “We've seen a shift in how guests choose to spend during their stay, particularly in light of the wider cost-of-living landscape. This has given us an opportunity to refocus on what we do best, expanding opportunities to create memorable and personalised stays. We have several exciting developments in the pipeline, all designed to further elevate the guest experience, from thoughtful in-room touches such as welcome hampers to enhanced service offerings and convenient bookable extras. The bar will remain open and available to both guests and walk-ins. We are working hard to retain our core kitchen team to deliver a great breakfast and mitigate redundancies.”