Sector lines are blurring as operators morph: The eating-out market is changing and traditional segmentation lines are blurring, four casual dining pioneers argued at the Casual Dining show in Islington, London yesterday. While the trade is caught up with segmenting the marketplace, consumers are less interested in strict definitions, they agreed. “If a customer wants a coffee, they look for the nicest coffee at the best price in the best environment,” said Ian Neill, chairman of Las Iguanas, who sat alongside YO! Sushi’s Robin Rowland, Carluccio’s Simon Kossoff and Living Venture’s Tim Bacon on a CGA Peach Panel called “The Chain Gang”. Neill said: “Pret is morphing as it develops a strong coffee offer. Customers will go to Pret now just for a coffee, whereas they wouldn’t have before. It’s very exciting, although it may not be so good for the coffee operators!” Furthermore, when it comes to consumer behaviour, urban populations act the same in London as in Manchester as in Dubai, Rowland said: “We basically have two communities, and the urban ones around the world are eating the same way.” Asked the difference between the two big UK cities, Bacon replied: “The biggest difference between Manchester and London is the numbers – you don’t get the numbers of people outside of London. If you have a successful site in London, you can’t put it in a secondary site location outside of London, and this is something new operators are beginning to understand.” Kossoff concurred: “Outside of London, you have to have the very best site.” Bacon called it “disgraceful” that the government did not incentivise companies in the food and drink sector to take on and train young people. This sector was the gateway for young people entering the workplace, yet there was no incentive for operators to offer work and training to young people, Bacon said, something Living Ventures did very well, with its training programme and wage structure encouraging and nurturing stable management and team structures.

Casual Dining Show features Propel today: The UK’s first Casual Dining show, held at the Business Design Centre, will feature a panel chaired by Propel’s managing director, Paul Charity, today. The panel looks at future directions in the pub industry and will feature Whiting & Hammond’s managing director, Brian Whiting, TLC Inns’ founder, Steve Haslam, the co-founder of Yummy Pub Company, Anthony Pender and the ALMR’s chief executive, David McHattie. Other speakers today include: Simon Stenning, foodservice strategy director at Allegra, looking at the UK branded restaurant market; Andrew Guy, chief executive of Ed’s Easy Diner, whose presentation is titled: “Fast casual – all trends point this way”, and Kate Nicholls, strategic affairs director at the ALMR, who will examine whether casual dining is the saviour of the high street.

Minimum wage to increase by above inflation: The minimum wage will increase by more than inflation for the first time in five years and will reach record levels as the economy recovers, government advisers have stated. The Low Pay Commission has said that the wage will increase by 3% – compared with a forecast inflation rate of 2.3% – to £6.50. This will add an extra £370 a year to the pay packets of more than one million workers. The commission said that the rise will be the start of a “new phase of bigger increases”. The increase, due to start on 1 October, means that the number of jobs covered by the minimum wage is set to rise by more than one-third to 1.25 million. However, the rise falls short of £7 an hour that Chancellor George Osborne had suggested for 2015-2016.

Edinburgh planners to re-write policy to attract restaurants to Princes Street: Planners in Edinburgh are to rewrite the rules for Princes Street in a bid to attract cafes and restaurants to the capital’s premier shopping street. Council chiefs believe encouraging food outlets will help revitalise the street, particularly at the west end, as retail businesses gravitate to the east, attracted by Princes Mall, Multrees Walk and the planned redevelopment of the St James Centre. Already, plans for a ground-floor bank and first-floor restaurant have been given the go-ahead for the former Gap store site at the west end of the street. The city’s planning committee will set a limit of no more than three food outlets clustered together.

Westfield reports London sales up 3.1%: The shopping centre developer Westfield has reported strong trading in 2013 at its two London sites. It said: “In the United Kingdom, the strong performance of Westfield London and Stratford City continued with combined annual sales of almost £2 billion, an increase of 3.1% for the year. The future development pipeline for the international business includes landmark developments at Croydon in London and Milan in Italy together with the expansion of Westfield London.”

Casual dining sector doubles in size in just over a decade: The casual dining sector has doubled in size since 2003 and is currently worth £7 billion, according to Peter Backman, managing director of the insights firm Horizons. Speaking at the Casual Dining Show at the Business Design Centre in London yesterday, Backman said the main companies to watch were the ones with five to 25 outlets and growing quickly. Brands mentioned included Wildwood, Ed’s Easy Diner, Bill’s, Bistro Pierre, Leon and Peach Pubs. Backman highlighted the five key strategies for growth: understand your customer; be in the right place; control the bottom line; be imaginative; and go out and sell. He said: “It’s not just about eating out at lunch or in the evening, but it’s all day long. Carluccio’s and JD Wetherspoon have addressed that and have become open and available. Other key opportunities are in coffee and healthy menu items, sharing dishes, such as mezze, and all-you-can-eat buffets.” Backman said that research showed that in a shopping mall environment, consumers spent 85% more if they had eaten in the centre. “It makes sense to attract more of these outlets into that space.”

Darden unveils biggest menu changes at struggling Olive Garden in brand’s history: Darden Restaurants in the United States has re-cast the menu of its struggling Olive Garden chain in what it is calling “the most significant evolution in the restaurant’s history”. The new menu has more than 20 new items, including lighter fare and a dinner customisation programme. The 834-unit brand has also expanded its “Tastes of Italy” section with new small plates, introduced more light options and added specialty items made possible by the chain’s new Piastra flat-top grill. A new section on the dinner menu, “Cucina Mia”, lets customers mix and match six pastas and five sauces for $9.99

Hampstead pub campaign makes front page of The New York Times: A grass-roots campaign to save one of the oldest pubs in Hampstead, North London has made the front page of The New York Times. Thousands have backed the fight to save The Old White Bear. The New York Times ran the story about the threat to the 300-year-old pub, in Well Road, on its front page on Monday. The pub was sold by Punch Taverns in the summer for £1.575m to Braaid Ventures, an Isle of Man-based property developer. Braaid has submitted a planning application for the conversion of the pub to a six-bedroom home.

Former Habitat head designer – food and drink sector moving to holistic retail: The food and drink sector is increasingly moving into an holistic world of retail, with product design and manufacture not far away, according to Theo Williams, former head designer at Habitat and John Lewis and now creative director at Designed and Sourced. Addressing the Casual Dining show in London yesterday, Williams said restaurants were moving into a rounded world of retail, with bakers now selling cake tins, and Italian restaurants selling pasta and biscuits. “In New York, hotels have become shops. You sleep there, but there’s a strong retail offering,” he said. It begs the question, he continued: “Where next? A move into product. With brands like Itsu establishing such a strong brand, it makes sense to move forward to the next step – to create branded products. I’m not saying it’s happening now, but I think it will in a few years. Why can’t a big restaurant chain design and make their own chairs, rather than buying them in,” he concluded, adding that Canteen had designed its own tables.

Loungers boss – ‘we’re looking for clever pitch rather than off pitch’: Alex Reilley, managing director of Loungers, has described his company’s site criteria as not so much “off pitch, but clever pitch”. Speaking at the Casual Dining show yesterday, Reilley said demographic profiling played a key role in identifying new sites, with Loungers requiring secondary locations within a minimum 3,000 sq ft, and within walking distance of target customers. Ludo Lounge, in a Bournemouth suburb was one such good example, on a high street with a poor food and drink offering. His company took over a former Woolworths site, which resulted in other operators opening. “It’s a great example of food and drink business playing a major role in the regeneration of the high street,” Reilley said. With a rent of £45,000, the site has forecast sales for 2014 of £964,000 on a capital expenditure of £582,000, a ROCE of 35.8%. Reilley said that using his strict site finding criteria, he had not closed or disposed of a site to date. “We work hard to ensure we don’t make mistakes,” he said.

PizzaExpress founder looks at opening vegetarian restaurant: PizzaExpress founder Peter Boizot, who is to publish his autobiography later this year, is looking at opening a vegetarian restaurant. He told The Peterborough Telegraph: “When I set up PizzaExpress I was told that would never work, but I told them it would. At the moment I’m investigating the possibility of setting up a vegetarian restaurant called Pete’s Place. I would like to set that up and not just have it as two dishes on a regular menu. In restaurants, people go in and eat a steak because there is no choice.”

Buenos Aires founder hits out at “Scores on the Doors” damnation: The founder of the Argentinean steakhouse chain Buenos Aires, which is planning its eighth opening, in Horsham, Sussex later this spring, has criticised the effect of a low “Scores on the Doors” rating, two, on his site in Reigate, Surrey. Cristian Barrionuevo hit out at Reigate and Banstead Council for urging customers to boycott his restaurant, and all others with a food hygiene rating of between zero and two. In a news item posted on its website in the run-up to 14 February, the council said: “Whatever your recipe for eating out this Valentine’s Day, make sure you choose an eatery rated with a food hygiene rating of three or more out of five.” Barrionuevo said: “It is unfair of the council to make such a recommendation. It is not right; they are saying to people, ‘don’t go to this restaurant’. We work very hard every day. Our restaurants are spotless.” He said the rating of two – meaning “improvement necessary” – was given after an inspection last June and was linked to a broken window and a ventilation issue, which had been fixed straightaway.

TGI Friday’s launches academy of excellence: TGI Friday’s has launched an academy of excellence, a new centre and training programme that will offer tailored training courses to develop and progress team members within the company. The academy, based in Luton, has been developed to help ambitious team members meet their career aspirations through “carefully designed” training courses. The restaurant brand is also opening its doors to new recruits. As part of this recruitment drive, the Academy will provide a platform for manager recruitment, running 12 “talent showcases” over the course of the year. Jacqui McManus, director of culture and people development at TGI Friday’s, said: “From master bar classes, to management knowledge, the academy is a way for people of all backgrounds and levels of experience to progress their careers, with the TGI Friday’s culture at the heart of all our training.” TGI Friday’s chief executive, Karen Forrester, will deliver a presentation on the importance of “recognition” as a motivating force within her business at the Propel Multi Club Conference on Thursday 13 March.

Former Anthony’s head chef opens tapas bar in Ilkley: The former head chef at The Fleece in Otley and Piazza by Anthony in Leeds, Simon Miller, is opening a new Spanish tapas bar, named La Casita, in one of the most iconic turn-of-the-century buildings in Ilkley, Yorkshire, the Victorian Arcade on South Hawksworth Street. The 68-cover tapas bar, co-owned by Miller and his business partners Ben Riley and Oliver Renton, will occupy the mezzanine level of the building and is due to open its doors in March. Miller, the chef proprietor, said: “The mezzanine area, reminiscent of laid-back Spanish street bars, was a huge source of inspiration for the look and feel of La Casita.” The bar, whose name translates as “little house”, will offer a mix of classic and modern tapas plates including spiced lentil stew with flaked cod, chicken and Spanish ham croquettes with tarragon mayonnaise, calamari, paella and Spanish tortillas. Its bar will serve Spanish wines, cavas, sherries and sangria as well as a range of Alhambra Reserva beers.

New piazza planned at Gloucester Quays as TGI Friday’s looks to opening: A new £1.5m piazza is planned at Gloucester Quays, while TGI Friday’s has revealed it is moving to the city. Market Square will become an open-plan area set to replace the car park in front of the Waterways Museum. TGI Friday’s will occupy the 5,000 sq ft unit that runs along Llanthony Road underneath the Gloucester Antiques Centre. It will create more than 40 jobs and is expected to open after Easter. Industrial canopies in the car park at Gloucester will be removed to make way for a square ideal for hosting outdoor events such as the Rugby World Cup 2015 “fanzone”. Plans for the new square are expected to go before Gloucester Council’s planning committee in the next few weeks, while city councillors are also expected to approve a licence for TGI Friday’s opening hours.

Pizza Hut chief executive gives his top business tips: Pizza Hut’s chief executive, Jens Hofma, gave his top business tips at the Casual Dining show in London yesterday. He said: “When one’s business becomes big and corporate you can lose touch with the front line. You spend more and more time talking at trade shows like this and you start to believe that it’s not about the thousands of people in your restaurants achieving the results, but it’s me! That’s very, very dangerous. You need to think with your head and your heart, and relate to the people who work for you.” His tips were: the fast, early growth at the start of any business is not sustainable long-term, keep in mind plans for a long-term trajectory; innovation versus execution – founders of small businesses are full of passion and creativity, however what you can do with four or five outlets, and what you can do with 200 is very different; an average idea well-executed is better than a great idea poorly executed; and stay true to the essence of your restaurant business and yourself. “Pizza Hut lost its way when it tried to react to every trend in the market: two years ago we refocused on the American pizza concept, it gives us credibility and is so much simpler,” he said. Hofma said operators should “ditch the tunnel vision approach in favour of concentrating on the four key concepts” – service, food, assets and communication. “Your brand only comes to life when you focus on all four at the same time,” he argued.

Two nightclubs in Bournemouth sold: Two Bournemouth late-night venues, Bliss and Chilli Whites, have been sold by the agent Davis Coffer Lyons to Pure Lounge Bar Bournemouth, which has acquired new 15-year leases on the nightclubs, which are both approximately 9,500 sq ft in size. Goadsby was joint agent on the deals. Jonathan Moradoff, associate director at DCL, said: “The leisure market in Bournemouth is going from strength to strength at the moment and it was no surprise the amount of interest we received in these two popular venues. These are excellent premises right in the heart of the town’s late night district. We have no doubt that the new owner will make them a success.”

Wetherspoon sets July opening date for first pub in Irish Republic: JD Wetherspoon is to start building work on its first pub in the Republic of Ireland on Monday (3 March). The company is developing the former Tonic Bar in Temple Road, Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock. The pub, to be named The Three Tun Tavern, is set to open on Tuesday 8 July. Wetherspoon is investing €1.5m (£1.23m) developing the site, making a total investment of €3m, including the purchase. The Three Tun Tavern will create 60 full and part time jobs. It will be managed by John Hartigan who has worked for Wetherspoon for the past 13 years and is currently the manager at one of its pubs in London. Hartigan, who was born in Kerry and raised in Dartry, has worked in England for the past 30 years. He said: “I am delighted to be returning to Blackrock to manage Wetherspoon’s first pub in the Republic of Ireland.”

Carluccio’s wins three star sustainability status: Carluccio’s has been awarded three-star status, the highest accolade possible, by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), making it the largest restaurant group ever to achieve this rating. The restaurant group, which now has 78 sites in the UK and Ireland, joined the SRA as a founding member in 2010, achieving its first sustainability star in 2011 and a second in early 2013. Over the past year, Carluccio’s has worked hard to increase its commitment to sustainability. Highlight initiatives include a move to 100% recyclable napkins across the estate – in addition to its 100% recycled menus – and collaborating with the charity Kids Company to set up a cookery class programme to support vulnerable inner city children. The business has also increased energy saving practices as well as continued its commitment to fairly traded products (chocolate and sugar) and chemical-free cleaning products. Simon Kossoff, chief executive of Carluccio’s, said: “A lot of work has gone into improving the social and environmental impact of our operations and we are very proud to have achieved the three-star rating. This is a real triumph for a restaurant group of our size. However, we are aware the hard work continues.”

YO! Sushi picks up Kensington High Street site: YO! Sushi has signed for a 4,400 sq ft restaurant on Kensington High Street in West London. The company, which has around 70 restaurants, will pay around £250,000 a year in rent to landlord Ignis Real Estate for the site at 176-206 Kensington High Street, in a deal brokered by property agent Colliers International. YO! Sushi has taken a new 20-year lease and received three months rent-free, plus a capital contribution to the fit-out. Lunson Mitchenall acted for YO! Sushi. Charlotte Brunt of Colliers International said: “This is a significant letting for this stretch of Kensington High Street. YO! Sushi is a very strong food offer and a significant driver of footfall.”

Greggs launches rewards app: Greggs has launched its new “Greggs Rewards” mobile payment app designed to reward its customers for their loyalty while making shopping in its 1,700 shops more convenient. The new rewards app is the first entirely digital loyalty scheme launched by a UK food-on-the go retailer that eliminates the need for customers to carry a separate loyalty card or their wallet when they shop. By registering for a Greggs Rewards account via the app or online at www.greggs.co.uk, customers can top up their accounts with any amount from £5 to £50 using their debit/credit card or with PayPal, allowing them to pay securely in-store with their smartphone. Greggs Rewards will also reward them with exclusive treats and rewards built in to the app. These offers include a free Greggs’ breakfast when opening an account with at least £20, hot drink incentives (buy seven coffees, get your next free), a birthday treat and a monthly prize draw for the chance to win an iPad when shopping using Greggs Rewards. PayPal is also giving the first 10,000 Greggs’ customers a free £5 bonus credit to spend when they sign up and register for auto-top up with PayPal.

Orchid creates People Team: Orchid Pub Company has merged its HR and training departments to create what it is calling “The People Team”. It will be headed by Tracy Read, who will take on the position of Head of People. Commercial director Simon Dodd said: “Over the last eight years, Tracy has been instrumental in shaping and delivering Orchid’s outstanding training and development strategy. Successful projects pioneered in Orchid include Steps to Excellence (40% of our managers are now Orchid grown), Steps to Success (45% of our area managers have been home-grown), apprenticeships (we now have over 250 and won two awards for our contribution in 2013), our management development programmes and, of course, the prestigious Investors in People Gold Accreditation.” Lucy Craig has been promoted to senior development and recruitment manager.

Mornington heads towards eight: Mornington Pub Company, the managed pub subsidiary of Wellington Pub Company, is to open its seventh venue this week, with an eighth on the way. Mornington is reopening the Royalty in Yorkgate, Otley Chevin, reckoned to be the highest licensed house in the Leeds metropolitan area, after two and a half years of closure. The pub, which has a stone-floored public bar with a wood-burning stove, and a conservatory that overlooks the runway at Leeds-Bradford Airport and offers panoramic views, has been given a “major” revamp. Greg Mulholland, the Lib Dem, MP for Leeds North West, and president of the Otley Pub Club, said: “It is good news and a great relief that at last the iconic Royalty will be opening its doors again and serving walkers and other visitors to the Chevin, as well as locals.” Mornington, which was set up in June last year with five pubs, has one other soon-to-be-opened new venue.

Douglas Jack issues ‘Add’ recommendation on Restaurant Group shares: Numis Securities’ leisure analyst, Douglas Jack, has issued an ‘Add’ note on Restaurant Group shares, with a price target of 725p, after yesterday’s full-year results. He said: “We agree with management’s stance that [the company’s] prudent capital structure has been appropriate. The company’s rent roll is over £60m per annum and net debt (up £5.9m to £41.9m in 2013) is not forecast to fall by much owing to the company’s intention to increase expansion and dividends. The 21.6x P/E (11.8x EV/Ebitda) rating is full, in our view. However, news-flow should be positive in 2014E, a year in which we expect like-for-like sales momentum to continue and cost pressure to be subdued. The company should be capable of maintaining double-digit earnings growth over the medium-term, in our view.” Meanwhile, Nick Batram, leisure analyst at Peel Hunt, said: “Over the last five years earnings per share has risen 71% and the dividend by 82%. During most of this period the UK consumer has been relatively subdued. Therefore, with a growing pipeline, high returns on investment, strong cash flow and the prospects for a broader consumer recovery, the shares remain a core buy.”

Nightclub faces hefty fine after being caught with no PRS licence: A nightclub in Workington, Cumbria faces a hefty bill after a High Court judge banned it from playing copyrighted music. The Vault, in Ladies Walk, was handed the bill after a wrangle over its right to play commercial artists dragged on for months. Mr Justice Barling ruled that the club must now get an up-to-date commercial music licence. He imposed a £6,000 legal costs bill on the nightclub’s owners, Darren Dawson and Dawn Murray. The order was imposed after the court heard that the two were caught playing music on the premises when they did not hold a licence from the Performing Rights Society (PRS). The club was initially told it owed PRS £21,000, and Darren Dawson told the court been trying to negotiate a reasonable payment, he said.

McMeechan to open second pub after £250,000 co-investment with Punch Taverns: Licensee Mary McMeechan is to open a second pub, The Crown Inn in Post Office Road, Alrewas, Staffordshire after a £250,000 co-investment with owner Punch Taverns. McMeechan, who also runs The Swan with Two Necks in Longdon, has installed a stone-baked pizza oven at the site. It will have a new food menu featuring home-made specialities made from locally sourced produce. Thursday will be fresh fish night and Friday will be steak night.

Local investors buy £1.6m Nottingham boutique hotel: Local investors have bought the 16-bedroom boutique Walton’s Hotel in Nottingham off an asking price of £1.6m. The Grade II listed Georgian boutique hotel is situated on the corner of Derby Road and North Road, on the edge of the Park estate, immediately west of Nottingham City Centre. The hotel consists of main bar, brasserie/restaurant and function bar and 17 en-suite letting rooms. The Walton’s Hotel has been in the same family hands for a number of years. Ben Freckingham, director at Christie + Co, said: “This is one of Nottingham’s top five hotels.”

SSP promotes Mark Angela to chief commercial officer: The transport hub foodservice specialist SSP has promoted its UK chief executive, Mark Angela, to chief commercial officer. Angela joined SSP two years ago, prior to which he was chief executive of PizzaExpress. At the pizza chain, he grew sales and profits by circa 30% over four years in face of consumer recession, improving ebitda margin with new customers, a sales focus at restaurant level, trade-up and margin/cost efficiencies. He also opened 80 new restaurants, delivering average ROCE of 35% plus. Angela ran Greene King’s managed division for three years where he grew turnover by £330m to £510m, a 55% increase, and lifted trading profit £57m to £105m, an 84% increase, through a series of acquisitions including Laurel, Belhaven and Hardys & Hansons.

Clink Charity opens HMP Brixton restaurant: Clink Charity has opened its new restaurant at Brixton prison in South West London, the third restaurant operating with a prison. Clink Charity plans a total of ten restaurant training facilities in operation across the UK prison estate by 2017. A spokesman said: “With over 18,000 people dining at the Clink Restaurants at HMP High Down and HMP Cardiff last year, the opening of the first training restaurant in the capital has been eagerly anticipated by supporters of the initiative and those who have more recently discovered the charity.”

Freehold of Crystal Palace pub offered for £875,000: Agent AG&G is offering the freehold of the Grape & Grain pub, overlooking Crystal Palace Park in South London, which is undergoing a long-term upgrade to return the 73-hectare park to its original Victorian design, for £875,000. A Chinese company, ZhongRong Group, is planning to reconstruct the original Crystal Palace, which burnt down in the 1930s, and pledges to “also fund the restoration of the wider park in line with the approved masterplan to create a modern 21st century park of national importance”. AG&G director Anthony Alder said: “The knock-on effects for the Grape and Grain from the extensive renewal on their doorstep could be huge, so we expect a lot of interest from investors. The original Crystal Palace pulled in visitors from all over the world and the new one would have the same effect. European Bars currently run the pub. It is free-of-tie and they have introduced several real ales and developed an excellent reputation, winning several awards and appearing in the Good Beer Guide for the last four years running. Permission was previously granted to turn the pub and an adjoining property into a two-screen cinema with cafe/bar and foyer and although this has lapsed, it points to possible change of use.” For the guide price of £875,000, the new freehold owner will earn a rent of £55,000 a year, rising to £60,000 a year this December, with a rent review to follow in December 2016. The new landlord has the right to terminate the lease by giving notice at least a year before the break date in September 2016. Otherwise, the lease expires in December 2021.

Hummus Brothers hires Jon Hassall as managing director: Hummus Bros has hired Jon Hassall, most recently UK operations and commercial projects director of Patisserie Valerie and formerly of AMT Coffee and McDonald’s, as its managing director, a newly created role. Founders Christian Mouysset and Ronen Givon will remain with the company, focusing on brand development. Hassall said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Hummus Bros at such a pivotal time in the company’s development, the plans for the next few months are fast paced, exciting, challenging and across multiple channels. I’m hoping to keep in touch with suppliers, landlords and business partners that I’ve worked with before and meeting with plenty of new ones in the next few months.” The company recently secured additional funding from existing and new shareholders including some from one of the major operators of franchised casual dining outlets in the UK. Mouysset said: “I am delighted to welcome Jon on board and am confident that he will make a significant contribution to the development and ongoing success of our business.” Hummus Brothers currently runs four outlets in London, specialising in “Levantine” food.