A Red tape costs government £3m in lost taxes as McMullen opens new-build: Hertford-based McMullen has opened its first new-build pub in 25 years in Milton Keynes – The Prince George. But the project has taken six years to come to fruition thanks to red tape delays, meaning the government has lost an estimated tax contribution of £600,000 a year from the site over the period. Managing director Peter Furness Smith said: “This is good news for the Exchequer as it will now earn over £600,000 per annum from our investment in the form of various taxes as well as the income tax receipts from the 40 new jobs we have created. If I offered most people the opportunity to earn over £600,000 a year, without taking any risk, on the back of someone else making an investment, I doubt anyone would turn it down. More importantly, I suspect most would go out of their way to help speed-up the project. Amazingly it has taken us six years to buy the land from a government agency, get planning permission and then, at the last minute, experience a further delay of six months while we spent £20,000 on a survey to find six newts!” He added: “Despite the welcome reduction in beer duty in the last budget, we remain an industry that is not only over-taxed but one that is slowly being strangled by bureaucracy from enthusiastic agents of the state. It is also outrageous that government supports supermarkets to sell alcohol at pocket money prices therefore further undermining pubs, which also have to carry the cost of supervising the sale of alcohol. The solution is to create a competitive level playing field with supermarkets by reducing the rate of VAT for pubs to 5%. Such a measure is also forecast to be fiscally neutral as well as creating over 600,000 jobs all over the country, mainly benefitting the young unemployed. The short-term gap in funding could be narrowed by charging supermarkets VAT on ready meals, allegedly unhealthy and responsible for so much obesity.” The Prince George is the latest Chicken & Grill opening, which serves an average of 1,300 meals a week at established locations.

Crowdcube Venture Fund to close tomorrow: The first fund-raising round of the Crowdcube Venture Fund is closing tomorrow (Wednesday 26 February). Founder Luke Lang said: “The Venture Fund launched on 28 January and we’ve seen a huge demand for it. So that the fund can begin investing in businesses, it will close Wednesday with round two open for investment immediately. The Venture Fund is the first managed fund for people who want to benefit from the experience of a professional fund manager to build a tax efficient portfolio of equity investments from those businesses listed on Crowdcube. Available exclusively for Crowdcube members, the minimum subscription is just £2,500, making it far more accessible than a typical EIS fund.”

ALMR offers two places at Luke Johnson dinner: The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) is offering two free places to non-members at a ‘Growth Capital’ dinner with sector investor Luke Johnson on Wednesday 12 March. The event takes place at Drake & Morgan’s Folly venue in Gracechurch Street, London, starting at 7pm and is sponsored by Vianet. E-mail msteinhofel@almr.org.uk to book a place. 

Pizza prices may rise: The price of pizza may rise, according to The Grocer magazine. The magazine reported a 15% rise in the cost of pizza’s main ingredients in the last year, including cheese and processed tomatoes. Market analyst Mark Kozlowski said: “The price of almost all cheese has shot up over the past year due to low levels of milk production in the first half of 2013 and high global demand for dairy.” The UK pizza market has grown 4.2% in the past year and is worth £876m.

Independent Sheffield restaurant struggle to compete with branded chains: Four independent restaurants in Sheffield have closed in recent months as they struggle to compete with branded chains. Fitzwilliam & West (F&W), a bistro and cocktail bar that opened in the West One Plaza eight years ago, was shut on Monday. Liquidators have been called in. The closure comes less than a month after another long-standing independent, Platillos in Leopold Square, shut down. Artisan at Crosspool and Back of House on Ecclesall Road have also both ceased trading in the last three months. Chris Hawkins, co-owner and head chef at F&W, said: “We’ve been going eight years but the last two have been a continual battle. We’ve tried to struggle on and get through but it’s become increasingly difficult. The economic conditions haven’t helped but you also have big chains coming into the city and it’s just incredibly difficult for independent places to compete.”

Wirral Euro MP makes plea to save pubs: Wirral Euro MP Paul Nuttall has issued a plea for a fairer tax regime to keep pubs open. He said: “It cannot be right that supermarkets pay 1.5p in tax on a pint of beer yet pubs pay 15p. The pub trade has always been a vital component in community life but it has been steadily eroded over the last ten years and although the number closing each week has slowed down it is a trend that is still continuing. Pubs are being treated unfairly by the financial levies imposed and this situation needs to be addressed urgently. The government should be helping ease their financial burden and guaranteeing a level playing field so supermarkets do not have an unfair advantage with cut-price booze prices.”

McDonald’s education chief takes apprenticeship role: McDonald’s education chief Sue Husband has become director of the Skills Funding Agency’s apprenticeship division. Husband, national education manager at McDonald’s, will replace David Way, who stepped down as director of the Skills Funding Agency’s apprenticeship division in August. Stewart Segal, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, told Further Education Week: “I think it’s great that someone from an employer background has been appointed to this role. We look forward to working with her.” Husband was in charge of training at employer provider McDonald’s when it received a grade two rating from Ofsted, in November 2010, following its only inspection to date. The agency paid McDonald’s £10.5m in 2010/11, £6.8m in 2011/12, and £5.1m in 2012/13. Its current allocation is £10.1m from 16 to 18 apprenticeship funding and the adult skills budget.

Rex Restaurant Associates renamed Corbin and King: Rex Restaurant Associates, the operator of restaurants such as Brasserie Zedel and the Wolseley, has been renamed Corbin and King after its founders Christopher Corbin and Jeremy King. Companies House documents show the name change was formally agreed on 12 February. The company will open a new in hotel in Mayfair, The Beaumont, this year and Fischer’s on Marylebone High Street, in Spring.

McDonald’s UK seeks 400 new drive-thru locations: McDonald’s UK is seeking 400 new drive-thru locations. The company has advertised for sites in The Estates Gazette with a requirement for 3,600 square feet of space on retail and leisure parks, main arterial roads and pub sites that can be converted. The company is offering a £20,000 introductory fee.

Thai Square to close in Marlow: 18-strong chain Thai Square is to close its 110-cover Marlow, occupying a former pub, on Sunday 9 March. The closure announcement comes a fortnight after rival Thai chain Giggling Squid opened in the town. The 90-seater, two-floor restaurant Giggling Squid opened at the former Pachangas Mexican restaurant site in West Street. Marlow is Giggling Squid’s eighth location – and to be followed by openings in Horsham and Maidstone. There are now eleven Thai Square London-based restaurants and five restaurants outside London.

Flagship Itsu in Oxford seeks planning middle ground: The flagship £1m Oxford Itsu in Cornmarket Street, has applied for a change of use after a council warning. The store, which opened at the former site of The Works bookshop last September, classed itself as a retail unit rather than a restaurant. But the four-floor building has two floors of seating and city council developers are not satisfied with Itsu’s claim it is mainly a take-out venue. Oxford City Council has warned the brand it could take action if it does not address the change of use issue. But developer Rolfe Judd Planning, acting on behalf of Itsu, has written to the council to seek middle ground and change the licence to allow a mixed use premises. They have sent the council a £385 fee to request change of use, and revised flooring documents that outline proposed alterations to the four floors. A change of use could force the restaurant to make costly alterations to its interior or temporarily close while works are carried out. A decision is expected in April.

JD Wetherspoon plans Eastwood opening: JD Wetherspoon is planning to open on the high street in the former mining town of Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, occupying a former motor car sales showroom – the town is eight miles northwest of Nottingham. Wetherspoon had planned to call the pub Gooseberry Hall – but the name was met with criticism from locals and the firm has now decided to leave it in hands of people living in the town. Choices include The Lady Chatterley and The Lighthouse, both names that reference local author DH Lawrence.

Burger King opens first restaurant in Brunei: Burger King has opened its first site Brunei Darussalam in partnership with the company’s new franchisee, Sinofood Express. Said Elias Diaz Sese, president of Burger King Asia Pacific: “We believe that the Sinofood Express team has the business knowledge to build a strong brand presence in this market.” The restaurant in Brunei is situated in the heart of the country’s Central Business District.

Antic closes Colliers Wood pub: London pub operator Antic London, led by Anthony Thomas, has closed the doors on its Provenance pub in Colliers Wood. Antic took over the pub last May but said owner, Punch Taverns, is selling the property after asbestos, broken glass, fencing and detergents were found in the garden. Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, said: “The Provenance is my pub really and I’m very sorry to see it closing. I spoke to Punch Taverns and Antic London and Antic is leaving on 26 February and there is a new purchaser. It’s a very hard time for pubs.”

Wasabi opens two Leeds sites ahead of New York opening: Japanese restaurant group Wasabi has opened two new Leeds branches following an investment of more than £1m to expand outside of London for the first time. Both the new branches are in Trinity Leeds and the expansion into Yorkshire from its base in the capital comes ahead of a planned opening in New York. Wasabi has created more than 50 new jobs in the city. “We’re delighted to be opening in Leeds,” said Dong Hyun Kim, founder of Wasabi. “We choose our locations very carefully and Leeds, as a leading retail centre with a vibrant business community and huge student population, is a major draw.”

Starbucks UK launches Youth Action 2014: Starbucks UK has launched Starbucks Youth Action 2014. This programme supports young people from across the UK to make a difference in their communities by applying to Starbucks Youth Action for funding to get their projects off the ground. A spokesman said: “As well as supporting young people to bring to life projects that mean the most to them, we also offer training to young people on managing a budget, working with volunteers and project management. At the end of our third successful year we have supported over 150 youth-led projects around the UK and Ireland. Whether it is funding boxing equipment in East London, gift bags for children in hospitals in Hampshire or introducing bee-hives to an inner-city park in Manchester, we are committed to supporting young people to make their communities better places to be.” Deadline for entries is 17 March.

Charles Wells and Chris Gerard joint venture site opens: The new £1.3m joint venture between Bedford brewer and retailer Charles Wells and pub entrepreneur Chris Gerard, who runs the Innventure gastro-pub business, opened yesterday. A total of 40 jobs have been created with the opening of De Parys Hotel in Bedford. The 14-bedroom boutique hotel is run by a new vehicle called Apostrophe Pubs. The website states: “D’Parys is an all fresh food restaurant, a distinctive city bar, a coffee and tuck shop offering nostalgic sweets with handmade cakes and gelato with 14 bedrooms. We celebrate Bedford’s brewing, education and industrial heritage using exposed bricks and iron to create a unique and frankly rather random mix of Victorian style and contemporary design.”

Tiger Bill’s owner hires development chef: Devon-based Lifestyle Hospitality Group (LHG) has hired Richard Hunt as the company’s group development chef. The new role, specifically created for Hunt, is to ensure high standards are maintained across the group and the appointment comes as LHG experiences considerable growth and the company’s restaurant franchise – Tiger Bills – is launching imminently in Asia. James Eyre, director and owner of LHG, said: “We are really excited to be welcoming Richard to our team, especially at such a crucial time when we are launching one of our offerings overseas. Over the past 12 months, we have been looking at all aspects of our business and Richard’s role means LHG can continue to grow, and with his expert eye, we can ensure an uncompromising commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Richard will be responsible for developing menus, concepts and innovations across the group and we are really looking forward to seeing the changes he will make.”

Food critic Tom Parker Bowles praises Nando’s (mostly): Daily Mail food critic Tom Parker Bowles has praised Nando’s, with a few reservations. He wrote: “Nando’s used to be rather coy about the source of its birds, but I now notice that it talks about them being ‘hatched and reared in the UK’. Which in multi-national food terms is not quite ‘all our chickens are British’. It does, though, have Red Tractor ‘Assured Food Standards’ status. Which is a start. I just wish it would commit to fully traceable, free-range birds. Still, the chicken wings are sticky and charred and greasy, and demand your full attention. Just like the double chicken pitta, another of my standard orders. And the half chicken is generous, succulent and ever-reliable. The children love the place too. On the negative side, the chips are a sorry disgrace: commercial, industrial-oven dullards with all the appeal of a chicken manure roll.”

Spirit downgraded by Jefferies Group: Spirit Pub Company has been downgraded by equities research analysts at Jefferies Group to a ‘Hold’ rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday. The broker currently has a 85p price target on the stock, up from their previous price target of 75p. Jefferies Group’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 3.03% from the company’s current price. This month, analysts at Panmure Gordon reiterated a ‘Buy’ rating on Spirit shares while analysts at Numis Securities reiterated a ‘Buy’ rating on shares of Spirit with a 110p price target. Finally, analysts at Nomura reiterated a ‘Neutral’ rating on Spirit shares in a research note at the start of February.

Caffé Nero application in St Albans prompts saturation plea: An application by Caffé Nero to turn the former Monsoon and Accessorize site in St Albans’ Market Place into a cafe has prompted a complaint that the town has reached coffee shop saturation point. It is expected the new opening will draw around 2,500 customers per week. St Albans Civic Society has submitted a letter of objection to the proposal. Speaking on the society’s behalf, Eric Roberts said: “We have nothing against Caffé Nero but we just think we have reached a saturation point.” Last year Caffé Nero quashed rumours that it was interested in the unit, which has been vacant since August. A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have identified a site in St Albans and are hoping to open in the spring.”

Maltese group set to open 75 Costa Coffee shop in Spain: Malta-based Island Hotels Group is to develop the Costa Coffee brand in the eastern part of Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The project will be a joint venture with Buttigieg Holdings. The agreement allows the company to open and develop 75 Costa Coffee shops in Spain over the next five years. The Coffee Company Malta Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of Buttigieg Holdings Limited. Over the past 18 months, five Costa Coffee shops have been opened in Malta and another two are currently in the pipeline to be opened later on this year. Island Hotels said this opportunity is in line with the strategy of the group to continue to grow the area of its catering business and is the first opportunity for the Group to expand its operations and expertise into the international market.

Work starts on fifth McDonald’s in Gloucester: Work has started on the fifth McDonald’s restaurant in Gloucester, at St Oswald’s Retail Park. It will create around 65 jobs once it opens in the summer. The development, which includes a drive-thru and car parking, was approved in August. It is being built between the Frankie and Benny’s restaurant and the southern access to the retail park. When the plans were first lodged there was concern raised as to whether Gloucester needed another branch of the fast food chain.

Company that ran Gary Rhodes site goes into liquidation: The company that ran Gary Rhodes’ only remaining UK restaurant, Rhodes @ the Dome in Plymouth, has entered liquidation, although the restaurant remains open. RTD1 Ltd, which changed its name from Rhodes @ The Dome Ltd in January this year, entered voluntary liquidation earlier this month. The company was run by local restaurateur Ed Steven, who opened 150-cover restaurant in what used to be a museum building on Plymouth Hoe, overlooking Plymouth Sound, 13 months ago. The operation of the restaurant has now been taken over by a new operating company called The Dome (Plymouth) Ltd, of which Steven is also a director. A statement of affairs for RTD1 shows the company owes over £400,000 to creditors, including £240,000 to the Royal Bank of Scotland and nearly £120,000 in VAT and PAYE to the taxman.

13 schools take part in Jamie Oliver food pilot project: A total of 13 schools around the UK have taken part in the pilot phase of a project launched by TV chef Jamie Oliver in the next stage of his fight to improve school dinners. The project, which is scheduled for national launch in September, aims to give primary school children the knowledge and kills to turn healthy seasonal ingredients in to nutritious meals. Roger Clarke, head teacher of one of the schools taking part, Broadhempston Primary School in Devon, said it had been a steep learning curve for the staff and children. “We started trying to use a classroom for the lessons but it quickly became apparent this was far too difficult. We then tried using the nearby village hall and although there are still lots of challenges, we have found that we can deliver high quality learning for our children there. Now we have nine-year-old children going home with salmon fishcakes and cous cous salad that they have made from scratch in an afternoon.”

PizzaExpress plans Somerset town opening subject to planning consent: PizzaExpress has said it will open a site in the Somerset town of Street (population: 11,805), subject to planning approval. If plans are given the go-ahead, the restaurant could be opening its doors as early as June, providing Street with 25 new jobs. Dan Mason, a spokesman for Realm, which owns the proposed site, said: “It is a really good thing, it will give residents the option for where to go in the evenings. I think Street needs more restaurants overall.” He added that it should entice Clarks Village visitors to explore the High Street, boosting trade. The building it intends to converts the former Edinburgh Woollen Mills.

Luminar launches In the Mix nationwide tour: The UK’s largest nightclub operator, Luminar Group, has teamed up with Club 18-30 and Don’t Stay In, to launch the Joel Corry “In the Mix 2014” Nationwide Tour. Co-sponsored by BigBang and Global Brands VK, the tour kicked off at Oceana Watford on Friday 21 February and will take in 30 Luminar clubs across the UK. The partnership with Club 18-30 will give customers the chance to win the ultimate clubbing holiday for two to a range of top destinations including Zante, Ibiza and Magaluf. Clubbers attending the events will also receive a £50 18-30 holiday voucher. Luminar Group’s director of sales David Glendinning said: “This is the biggest tour that we’ve ever done and we’re really pleased to have Joel Corry headlining. Over the past couple of years, Joel has established himself as a truly global superstar DJ playing in some of the biggest clubs in Europe and, whilst achieving critical acclaim, every time he has appeared in one of our clubs he has absolutely smashed it.” 

Raymond Blanc flagship restaurant to be renamed: Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is to be renamed as the Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons under a re-branding exercise by its owner, Orient-Express Hotels. The Orient-Express name will be dropped from its 45 luxury hotels and travel experiences, which includes safaris and three river cruises, from 10 March in favour of Belmond. It will only be retained on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train, for which the company holds a long-term licence from the French rail company SNCF to operate the name.

Merlin Inns puts Chichester pub on the market: Marlin Inns has placed the freehold of The Anchor Inn, located in Chichester, West Sussex on the market through agent Fleurets. The pub, which fronts the B2145 road between Chichester and Selsey, is being marketed at an asking price of £525,000. A spokesman for Merlin said: “During the last 18 years, the Anchor Inn has been run under management. Over the past ten years, sales have averaged £275,000, net of VAT and a net profit of £50,000 per annum. The Anchor Inn has been a tremendous asset for the company. This is an excellent opportunity for either an individual or company to acquire an excellent business with potential for further growth.” Kate Dowd, of Fleurets, said: “This is a well known pub in a great area of West Sussex close to many attractions, which has the added benefit of being licensed for weddings. With good facilities and a large car park, we are sure this will appeal to a variety of operators.”

Cote to open in Cobham, Surrey: French brasserie chain Cote is to open a site in Cobham, creating up to 40 new jobs. Harald Samuelsson, joint managing director of the chain, said: “We are very much looking forward to opening up our new restaurant in the heart of Cobham and introducing our unique dining experience to the village. It is a vibrant place with huge economic potential.”

Burger King snaps up former McDonald’s site in Lincolnshire: A second Burger King restaurant is coming to the Skegness area and will be situated on the Fantasy Island resort, Sea Lane Ingoldmells. The new restaurant will open mid March, on the site of the previous McDonald’s restaurant, just in time for the start of the holiday season. It will employ 40-50 staff at the site, during peak times.

Stonegate Pub Company to open ninth and tenth Popworld venue: Stonegate Pub Company is to open its ninth and tenth Popworld this Friday (28 February) in Chester and Guildford. The venue will open on the ground floor of Rosies in Chester, the multi floor club, which employs over 100 people. The investment in the site will total over £120,000. A Popworld site will also open in Guildford on the same night. Popworld currently operates in Liverpool, Birmingham, Preston, Sheffield, Southampton, Swansea, Wolverhampton and York.

Former hotel may become whisky distillery: Plans to transform the former Jedforest Hotel, three miles south of Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders, into a distillery and bottling plant with visitor facilities including a 200-seat restaurant have been submitted by the Edinburgh-based company Mossburn Distillers. The company’s chief executive, Neil Mathieson, said that Mossburn had entered into a 12-week consultation with Scottish Borders Council and had submitted plans detailing how many jobs would be created and how many bottles produced. However, he said the scheme was still very much in the planning stage and that details would be made public when the proposals were finalised. Mathieson said the location had been picked because it offered an opportunity to establish a new whisky in an area where the drink has not been produced before: “We want to be original. I have nothing against Islay or Speyside, but does Scotland really need another distillery up there?” The eight-bedroom Jedforest Hotel was up for sale for £550,000 but was recently taken off the market. Earlier last week, Mossburn proposed building a distillery on Skye, only the second on the Hebridean island, at Torabhaig on the island’s south-east coast.

Fulham Shore raises £660,000: Fulham Shore, the ISDX-listed restaurant company led by David Page and Nabil Mankarious, has raised £660,000 via a placing of new shares at 5p per share. The company said the ‘net funds raised in the placing, in addition to the cash already held by the company, will be used by the company for the identification and acquisition of, or investment in, restaurant businesses, in line with its investing strategy.’

Horizons – food prices in pubs close gap with restaurants: Eating out in a pub is becoming more expensive with menu prices increasing year-on-year, according to the latest Menurama research from foodservice expert Horizons. The biannual Menurama survey, which analyses changes and trends on the menus of 115 eating out brands across hotels, restaurants, quick service outlets and pubs, reveals that while the average price of three courses in a restaurant has fallen 4.6% year-on-year, from £21.65 to £20.66, the average price of three courses in a pub has risen 7.4% from £17.38 to £18.67 during the same period. An average main course dish in a pub now costs £9.39, up 10.7% from £8.48 a year ago [Winter 2012 v Winter 2013]. While an average main course in a restaurant now costs £10.95, down 3% from £11.29. Year-on-year the average price of a starter in a pub has risen 2.7% to £4.93, up from £4.80. Restaurants, on the other hand, have reduced the cost of their starters over the same period dropping by 9.2% to £5.16 from £5.68. Desserts saw a similar price rise in pubs over the past 12 months with a hike of 6.1%. In Winter 2012 the average price of a dessert in a pub was £4.10, rising to £4.35 a year later. Restaurants reduced their dessert prices by 2.8% from £4.68 to £4.55. This is the fourth consecutive period of price increases in pubs, perhaps reflecting the improvement the sector is seeing in its food offer and the cost of producing better quality food. Restaurants have now shown two consecutive periods of price decreases, with pricing now back to Winter 2011 levels. Said Horizons’ director of services Nicola Knight: “These results indicate that restaurants, in particular, are still feeling the squeeze going into the New Year and have taken fairly drastic action to keep customers coming in. Overall operators have returned to the price points of Winter 2012 from higher levels set over the summer and have also used record levels of meal deal promotions to attract customers in. It is clear from our data that the pub sector is starting to feel more confident, evident in the fact their prices have risen as they feel able to pass on rising costs to their customers.” The survey revealed the use of meal deals reached a new high, with 76% of brands surveyed using meal deal promotions in Winter 2013, compared with 59% in Summer 2013 and 70% in Winter 2012. Menurama revealed that 23% of all adult menu items were part of a meal deal compared with 12.7% in Summer 2013 and 21% in Winter 2012. Pubs and restaurants continue to be the main users of meal deals. “It’s clear that rather than abandoning meal deals as a promotional tool, operators are now using them as a fundamental part of their Winter promotional package at a time when they need to encourage consumers to dine out,” added Nicola Knight. In terms of food trends, Menurama highlights the growing popularity of premium cuts of steak such as rib eye and sirloin, while rump steak is appearing less often on menus. Traditional roasts are also seeing something of a revival, with roast chicken and roast beef making their first appearances in the top 20 main course dishes. The survey also found an increasing use of health and lifestyle descriptions on Britain’s menus. Some 23% of eating out brands now list a gluten-free option on their menus, an increase of 37% year-on-year. More menus are describing dishes as ‘healthy’ (up 13% since Summer 2013), the use of the term ‘five a day’ is up 33%, while mentioning ‘omega 3’ on menus has risen 25%. Other trends include the growing popularity of pulled meats such as pork, beef, chicken and ham, up 105% year-on-year. Quinoa and arancini (rice balls) were recorded on menus for the first time, while the number of lobster dishes featured on menus has risen 11% year-on-year.