Bill’s secures £37m new debt facility with HSBC: Bill’s Restaurants has secured a £37m facility with a new banking partner HSBC, according to accounts lodged at Companies House. The new facility, replacing an existing facility thought to involve an amount of £18,649,153 owed to Lloyds Bank, means the company has “available resources to continue expansion plans over the coming three years”. The company reported pre-tax profit of £3,977,326 in the year to 27 July 2014, up from £1,290,855 the year before. Turnover grew 95.4% to £53.9m and Ebitda grew by 97% to £7.7m. The company is set to hit turnover of almost £90m in the current year and current Ebitda run rate is more than £14m. The company has opened 14 sites since July 2014. It stated: “The new sites opened in the period have traded above our expectations and helped deliver our best trading results to date.” Bill’s reported Ebitda margin rose in its most recent full year to 14.2% from 13.4% the before. The company, which expects to open a further 20 restaurants in the next 12 months as it seeks to fulfill its ambition to create a 250-strong estate, also reported a partnership with the Prince’s Trust and Straight A to provide apprenticeships. It has created a 12-strong NVQ qualification programme ranging from cooking skills to leadership courses. It stated: “32 people are currently working through these qualifications from 15 of our restaurants and the first of these completed their qualifications in November 2014.” The company owed controlling party Richard Caring £7,450,000 (July 2013: £1,350,000) at its year-end – the loan is non-interest bearing and unsecured.

 

More than 300 booked in for Propel Multi Club Conference in March: More than 300 places are now booked for the first Propel Multi Club Conference of 2015 held on Thursday 12 March at the Lancaster Hotel, London – CLICK HERE to see the full programme and timings. Operators of multi-site companies can claim two free places by emailing adam.dickinson@propelinfo.com

 

Online ordering giant GrubHub moves into delivery: The American online takeaway food ordering giant GrubHub, which has an operation in London as well as in 700 US cities, is moving into actually delivering the food itself. GrubHub has been testing its own service in three markets, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago, and has now announced that it is acquiring two other home delivery operations, DiningIn of Massachusetts and Restaurants on the Run in California. The two deals mean that GrubHub will be executing deliveries for nearly 3,000 restaurants in around a dozen markets in the United States. Bill Gurley, a venture capitalist and GrubHub board member, told Fortune magazine: “There is economy of scale in the volume of deliveries. The more volume you have, the more economical you can be.” GrubHub plans to offer its own delivery service to restaurants at around the same 14% margin it currently charges for its backend infrastructure. This is significantly lower than the 20% to 30% that many restaurants are charged by current delivery groups, including DiningIn and Restaurants on the Run. GrubHub also plans to charge customers whatever nominal fee is needed to make the delivery break even, or nothing at all, depending on if it can offset that difference with increased deliveries. It already offers infrastructure products that live inside the restaurant (OrderHub) and for delivery drivers (DeliveryHub), and believes that using its own drivers will make the automation easier, and make the customer experience better.

 

Jamie Oliver hires advisors to sell stake in publishing business: Jamie Oliver has hired boutique investment bank Raine Group to sell a minority stake in his media and publishing business. The move is set to raise as much as £50m. A sale would not include Oliver’s restaurant business. The publishing company saw 2013 profits fall 37% to £6.2 million. Sales fell 7% to £32 million.

Ask Italian and Zizzi acquisition multiple was 7.9x: Bridgepoint’s acquisition of the Ask-Zizzi business for £250m was made at 7.9x its December 2014 run-rate Ebitda, it has been revealed. This is towards the bottom of the long-term range precedent transactions of between 7.5x and 12.6x (recent sales of PizzaExpress and Byron were at 9.5x). Yesterday, Propel reported turnover at the combined Ask Italian and Zizzi businesses grew 9.6% to £119m in the 28 weeks to 11 January. Ebitda rose 21.1% to £17.6m. Ebitda margin grew from 13.4% to 14.8% in the period. A statement said: “Trading has been strong in both Ask and Zizzi during the whole of 2014. Christmas was no exception, recording the highest ever weekly sales for the group for two consecutive weeks.” Commenting on the performance, Ask Zizzi chief executive Steve Holmes said: “These are exciting times for Ask-Zizzi. Bridgepoint’s acquisition of our business has just completed and we are delivering strong trading momentum. With a new supportive investor, our focus now is on the continued evolution of our brands, investment in our estate of restaurants and the development of our footprint in the UK casual dining market.”

Loungers reports all six Cosy Club sites in top ten of estate by sales: Loungers, the cafe bar brand founded by Alex Reilley and Jake Bishop, has reported that all six of its Cosy Club sub-brand sites were in the top ten of estate sales in the year to 27 April 2014, with its Cardiff Cosy Club the company’s top performer in sales terms. The company reports it is set to hit 61 sites by the end of the current financial year with 17 sites opening in the financial year. In the last financial year, turnover grew 52.3% to £33.73m. Underlying Ebitda rose 47.5% to £4.38m and site Ebitda rose from £4.74m to £7.34m. Like-for-like sales rose 5.1%. Total assets less current liabilities rose to £10.21m, an increase of £3.48m. Santander financed less than 30% of the opening cost of new units and, at the period end, the bank was owed £6.31m. Shareholder funds increased to £3.29m from £2.12m, “reflecting the underling profitability of the business”. Pre-tax profit was £1,276,477 compared to £1,053,397 the year before. Chief executive Nick Collins told Propel that Loungers recent openings are performing well with the company enjoying “fantastic like-for-like Ebitda growth” in the current year.

 

Living Ventures sells Suburbia site: Living Ventures has sold Suburbia, its late-night venue in Hale, Cheshire. The venue has been purchased, for an undisclosed sum, by Tom Thornton-Brookes, who has managed Suburbia for the past two years and will remain as the general manager. He said: “Suburbia has become a popular late-night retreat since we opened in 2009. I recognise how much the high standards set by Living Ventures are valued by our clientele and I will ensure these continue.”

 

Urban Pubs and Bars acquires fifth site: Urban Pubs and Bars, led by Nick Pring and Malcolm Heap, has acquired its fifth site, The Wheatsheaf, in Tooting, south London, an Enterprise Inns site previously run by Antic London. The company is understood to have negotiated a free-of-tie lease. The Wheatsheaf faced 18 months of uncertainty, with the potential closure prompting huge community concern and a campaign called Save the Wheatsheaf started with the backing of Tooting MP Sadiq Khan.

 

Brunning & Price tenanted pub sold for £1,375,000 – well above the asking price: A pub, The Mute Swan at Hampton Court, that is owned by the Crown Estate and tenanted by the Restaurant Group’s Brunning & Price brand has sold for £1,375,000 through agent AG&G – well above the asking price. “This was the first time we’ve acted for the Crown Estate and this trophy investment more than justified the final price paid by a private investor,” said AG&G director Anthony Alder. “It’s let to Brunning & Price at a rent of £65,000, giving a yield of 4.7% and reflecting the strength of the investment market. That yield is also protected – rent rises each year in line with the Retail Price Index, with a collar at one per cent and a cap at four, which means years of certainty on a lease that runs to 2034. It truly is an asset of which to be proud – It’s 19th century architecture at its best and has a great reputation. The location could not be more perfect. Who would not want to own a pub directly opposite the main gate to Hampton Court Palace with superb views?”

Brocklesby to recycle cooking oil from 934 Wetherspoon pubs: Recycling expert Brocklesby is to recycle used cooking oil from JD Wetherspoon’s estate of 934 pubs. Brocklesby will collect the used cooking oil from a central location for recycling, using its own dedicated fleet of articulated tankers. The used cooking oil from JD Wetherspoon’s pubs will be processed into a refined oil at Brocklesby’s national treatment centre, based at North Cave in East Yorkshire – a ten-acre site with a bulk storage capacity of 3,000 metric tonnes. The oil will then be used as prime stock for the UK’s biodiesel industry as well as other technical applications.

Former Atmosphere Bars and Clubs site set to sell after price drop: A former Atmosphere Bars and Clubs nightclub that closed down in 2013 is on the verge of being sold after its price dropped. Broadway Boulevard in Llandudno closed in June 2013 after Atmosphere Bars and Clubs went into administration. It was initially put on the market for £750,000 but this was reduced £500,000 last year. The nightclub then went up at auction in December but failed to meet the reserve price. Now, though, it has been revealed that the club is under offer and due diligence is now taking place with the hope a sale will shortly be concluded.

Change Capital favourite to buy Gordon Ramsay stake: Private equity firm Change Capital has emerged as favourite to buy a minority stake in Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant company Kevalake, according to The Sunday Times. Equistone and Primary Capital are among the other interested parties. Ramsay is selling a stake to fund international growth – he has at least ten international ventures in the works.

Dogs ’n’ Dough entrepreneurs to launch big ‘modern Chinese’ restaurant in Spinningfields: Brothers Drew and Adam Jones, who run Dogs ’n’ Dough, a gourmet hot dog and pizza bar/restaurant in Manchester city centre, are launching a big new “modern Chinese” restaurant under the name Tattu in Spinningfields in the city. The name of the venue is inspired by tattoos, and “representations” of body art will inspire the interiors, according to the brothers. The restaurant will be split over two floors, with a downstairs bar having a capacity for 200, while a fine-dining 130-cover restaurant will be upstairs, overlooking the ground floor. The brothers have secured the services of Andrew Lassetter, the former head chef with Joseph Ettedgui in Il Vaporetto, who has extensive knowledge of Asian cuisine, to create the menu. Adam Jones, who has been working with his brother on the project for two years, said: “We wanted to do something in Manchester that is truly unique, not just another nice restaurant. And the most important part of the venue is that it’s for you, the customer, it will be a very individual experience. That’s why we went with the name, body art is very much about the individual and being unique, and it relates to the fact we want to make our mark on the industry.”

 

Old El Paso opens first UK restaurant: The Mexican food company Old El Paso has opened its first restaurant, inside the Intu Uxbridge shopping centre in Middlesex. The cantina is on the High Street shopping centre’s ground floor, next to Debenhams, and its opening has created ten jobs. The company, which has sold its home meals in the UK since 1984, reported more than 100 customers bought fajitas, burritos and nachos on the opening day. Brand manager Rachael Clutton said: “With the Mexican food trend growing, our out of home business has many successful franchises in theme parks, universities and with our festival truck. Opening our first high street restaurant was the natural next step for us, as we continue to educate on Mexican-inspired cuisine.” The Old El Paso brand was founded in the United States in 1938, and at one point was owned by Grand Metropolitan of the UK. Today it is owned by General Mills, and its dinner kits, tacos and tortillas, sauces, condiments, rice and refried beans are sold around the world. The opening of its first restaurant comes as the Mexican segment is showing increasing expansion in the UK, with home-grown chains such as Wahaca, Tortilla and Benito’s Hat all growing, while overseas brand such as Chipotle Mexican Grill of the United States and Mucho Burrito, the Canadian-owned Mexican grill restaurant chain, look to find a market in the UK.

 

Walkabout Middlesbrough named as first bar to shut after CVA is approved: Intertain has named its Walkabout bar in Corporation Road, Middlesbrough as one of the bars that will close after a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) to secure the long-term future of the business was approved by 97% of the company’s creditors on Friday. Before the vote on the CVA, Intertain was saying the move would allow the company to focus on 25 sites, with the closure of seven. However, after the vote a company spokesman said that the number of eventual closures “will be dependent upon discussions with landlords, which are ongoing.” Intertain said it would be making a “small” number of closures. In a statement to The Middlesbrough Gazette, the company said: “Many are performing well, however a few sites are loss-making, so to continue to run them as they are is not viable. Unfortunately, Walkabout in Middlesbrough is one of those venues. Due to current market conditions and the high level of rent we have to pay, the venue is making a loss. Additionally, our trading predictions do not see any change in this situation in the near future. The venue is therefore likely to close in mid-March. This is a very sad day for us and our staff and it is not a decision we have taken lightly. Unfortunately though, we have no choice.” Intertain said there “may be some redundancies”, but it would do its best to find roles for staff at other UK venues. Walkabout first opened in Middlesbrough in 2002. The approval of the CVA enables a reduction in Intertain’s debt burden from £30m to £14m, while its lenders have committed to £6m of new money to fund a capital investment programme. The company is owned by Jon Moulton’s private equity firm Better Capital.

Camden Town Brewery launches crowdfunding campaign: Camden Town Brewery has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube to raise £1.5m in return for 2% of its equity. The company wants to fund a new brewery. A total 162 investors has pledged £121,090 so far. Sales have grown from £90,000 per annum to £9m in three years. Owner Jasper Cuppaidge, who began brewing in the basement of his Horseshoe pub in Hampstead in 2006 because of a lack of quality in the lager market, said: “We’ve been growing at a crazy pace down here at Camden Town Brewery over the last few years. A new brewery has been our dream for a while now and will make sure we’re able to keep up with demand and our ambitions. We hope Londoners will get on board with what we’re calling the ‘Hells Raiser’ crowdfunding campaign and help us reach our target and make this dream a reality. We want people to join the journey with us – and we’re certainly going to have some fun along the way!” The pitch states: “We think we’ve only just scratched the surface of what we can achieve at Camden Town Brewery. Were committed to delivering great beer as far and wide as we can and everyone at Camden believes passionately in our long-term vision. We hope that our shareholders choose to stay with us on that journey. Our goal right now is to reinforce our vision up to 2020 ensuring we keep creating great quality beer and pushing strong financial growth. Beyond that, we see a huge number of potential options for the company. You only need to look at the US craft beer market to see exit multiples of 13x Ebitda. Some craft brewers like the Appalachian Mountain Brewery have already gone public and we think there’s a real appetite for a company that can grow while staying true to its roots.”

 

Wrap it Up! Aims for 100 new sites within ten years: Healthy eating chain Wrap it Up!, led by Tayub Mushtaq, is aiming for as many as 100 new sites within ten years, The Sunday Telegraph has reported. The company, which sells healthy wraps and salads, saw turnover rise 50% to £2.5m across its 12 sites last year. It operates a franchised model and has leased a site in Manchester, the first site outside the capital. It plans a further 12 outlets in London this year and has acquired a commercial kitchen in Salford. Mushtaq told The Telegraph: “We have the potential to be the next Subway. We are going to be a global business.”

  

Bistrot Pierre names mid-April for Bath opening: Bistrot Pierre has pushed back the opening of its new Bath restaurant from March to mid-April. The chain is currently in the middle of holding three recruitment days at Bath Spa University for chefs and waiting staff, and expects to employ more than 30 people at the venue. The restaurant is opening on the site of the old Jika Jika coffee house and canteen. Robert Beacham, the co-founder of Bistrot Pierre, said: “Bath has been in our sights for some time. It is an elegant city that enjoys a rich heritage and to have found such a great spot in the city centre is perfect.” The Bath outlet will be the chain’s 13th.

 

Tampopo pledges support for mines charity: Pan-Asian brand Tampopo has teamed up with Manchester-based charity MAG (Mines Advisory Group) to raise funds that make safe those countries that inspired the restaurant’s creation. Tampopo will be donating 50p to MAG from the sale of every Vietnamese Pho. Tampopo co-founder David Fox said: “We’re delighted we’ve got this partnership off the ground – it’s something we’ve wanted to do for a while, so we’re really proud that it’s all come to fruition. The fact that a Tampopo Pho can now help to save a life in the country from which the dish originates now is very special to us.”

 

Carluccio’s set to open second Dublin site: Italian restaurant group Carluccio’s is set to open a second site in Dublin in April 2015, as part of its ongoing plans to expand in Ireland. It is located in the south Dublin suburb of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, in the prosperous seaside village of Glasthule. The 3,200 sq ft site will provide 88 inside covers. Simon Kossoff, chairman of Carluccio’s, said: “We have been keen to open a second site in Dublin for a while now and are delighted to have finally found the right site for us.” The new restaurant will create 35 jobs in the area and follows the success of the group’s (previously franchised) site on Dawson Street in Dublin, which was acquired in October 2013.

 

Nando’s opens seventh outlet in W1 district: Nando’s has opened its seventh restaurant in the W1 area of the West End of London. The Portuguese peri-peri chicken chain’s latest venue is in St Christopher Place, Marylebone, just north of Bond Street Tube station. The new restaurant has 84 seats and has created 30 new jobs. Nando’s regional managing director, Mike Schofield, said: “We’re thrilled to finally open the doors to our new West End restaurant – a great location which will provide a brilliant hang out for shopaholics.” The new site sits almost equidistant from Nando’s outlets in Glasshouse Street and Baker Street, about a thousand yards from each, and around 1,200 yards from Nando’s in Goodge Street and Berners Street.

 

New noodle bar plans kitchen in the window: Planning permission is being sought for a new noodle bar in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, where customers’ food will be cooked in the window of the restaurant. The applicant, Zahir Ahmed, wants to open Walk in Wok Out in a unit on Chepstow Road previously occupied by the mobile phone retailer Power Up. The application argues that the character of Chepstow Road would be enhanced by turning a currently unused shop into a noodle bar, while the risk of vandalism associated with vacant property would be reduced.

 

Yorkshire events catering and restaurant company CGC bought by rival: CGC Events, which runs restaurants, catering, concessions and hospitality services at 25 venues, including ten racecourses and five soccer and rugby stadiums, including Barnsley FC’s Oakwell stadium, has been bought by its larger rival SMG, which currently manages more than 240 venues, including the Manchester Arena and First Direct Arena in Leeds. In the year to 1 March 2014, CGC posted a turnover of £21.1m, up from £19.1m a year earlier. Pre-tax profit increased from £1.1m to £1.5m for the same period. Its outlets include the Attractions restaurant at Beverley racecourse, the Voltigeur restaurant at Redcar racecourse, and the Winning Streak restaurant at Catterick racecourse. Wes Westley, SMG’s president and chief executive, said: “By acquiring CGC’s established food service brand, SMG will further expand its presence in the UK market, combining best practices at CGC and SMG, as well as extend its UK foodservice business into additional business areas, including racetracks, rugby and soccer stadiums and heritage sites.” John Sharkey, executive vice president of SMG Europe, added: “CGC is a great addition to our European business. Its client focus and demand for excellence in customer service aligns with our ethos, and we’re excited to grow the food and beverage component of our entertainment and external catering operations.”

Grosvenor Casinos grow food sales by 6%: Grosvenor Casinos has reported that casual dining and focusing on value-for-money promotions allowed the business to deliver £15m worth of food and beverage sales in 2014. Food and beverage sales increased 6% year-on-year, Kevin Boyle, head of food and beverage at Grosvenor Casinos, argued that its fresh approach to casual dining, with an ‘eat everywhere’ approach has really paid off. He said: “Over the last year we’ve focused on growing our food and beverage offering to maximise the opportunities presented by casual dining. More consumers are now choosing to eat out but aren’t looking to break the bank and by offering great deals that deliver value for money in a relaxed environment has allowed us to grow this area of the business. This, coupled with our less formal approach to dining in the casinos, means that customers visiting for transactional gaming are able to dine wherever they wish to ensure they feel comfortable and doesn’t distract from our core casino offering.”

Amanzi owner taken to court over restaurant staff’s lost wages: Riad Erraji, the businessman and former husband of Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton, who opened a multi-million pound Asian fusion restaurant called Amanzi on Water Street, in Liverpool in December, has been served with a county court judgment after another of his restaurants shut suddenly last year with staff owed thousands of pounds in wages. Erraji opened House in Chapel Walk in the CrownGate Shopping Centre in Worcester in 2013, describing it as a “premier Worcester venue for premier people”. It followed the opening of the House bar and restaurant on Bold Street in Liverpool in 2012. However, the Worcester venue shut suddenly in October last year, with workers owed between £9,000 and £11,000 in lost wages. Court officers have now begun legal action against Erraji and his companies Hamiltons Worcester Ltd and the Echelon Group to recoup the cash. Worcester County Court was told bailiffs raided the empty restaurant on 16 January to try to recover some of the cash, but found just mouldy coffee cups and kitchen furniture. Enforcement officers said they were dealing with a number of former staff who are owed up to £1,335 each. The premises have now been reclaimed by owner, Crown Estates. The Echelon Group was formed in 2009 to run a chain of coffee shops under the Hamilton and H fascias, promising to get to 36 sites within the next five years. In 2013 it was forced to close a number of venues.

Dunkin’ Brands sees international like-for-like sales fall: Like-for-like sales fell 2% for 2014 at Dunkin’ Donuts’ international locations, and 1.2% at Baskin-Robbins venues outside the United States, the chains’ parent, Dunkin’ Brands, has revealed. However, at home, sales increased 1.6% at US Dunkin’ Donuts locations and 4.7% at US Baskin-Robbins outlets. Revenue for the year was $748.7m, up from $713.8 million in 2013. The company added a net 704 franchised locations in 2014, including 405 Dunkin’ Donuts units in the US, where the brand is expanding to the west. The company has introduced new blended-drink platform it hopes will give Dunkin’ Donuts in the US a boost this year. The new platform was introduced in some locations in the North Eastern US this month, and will expand gradually to the chain’s US system by early summer. It includes new smoothies made with real fruit and yogurt, frozen Dunkaccino drinks, and Coolatta Lite options with 30% to 80% fewer calories than regular Coolattas. Dunkin’ Brands franchises more than 11,300 Dunkin’ Donuts locations and 7,500 Baskin-Robbins units worldwide.

In-house management deal unlocks potential for iconic UK hotels: The owner of two iconic UK-based, four-star hotels has brought the overall management in-house giving each venue much more autonomy in its day-to-day running. Previously managed by Interstate, Hotel Indigo – The Cube in Birmingham and DoubleTree by Hilton, Cadbury House in North Somerset, both of which include a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, will now be overseen by New York Italian Ltd. Both hotels were developed by Sanguine Hospitality, of which Nick Taplin is a director and who is also chairman and CEO of New York Italian Ltd and the change in management is seen as a hugely positive move for each venue. The decision does not affect the day-to-day running of the hotel with all management, front of house, waiting, kitchen and restaurant staff carrying on as normal. Nick Taplin said: “It’s been a fantastic journey to develop and open these iconic hotels and the decision to bring the day-to-day operation of each venue in-house makes this a hugely exciting time. We are keen to have more presence in the business and speed up decision making processes and react a lot quicker to the hotels day-to-day needs and support.” With both venues receiving backing from Downing Investment and Lloyds Bank, Cadbury House has undergone a £26 million transformation over the last ten years, placing it as one of the leading four-star venues in the south west.

Heineken to change recipe of Newcastle Brown Ale: Heineken is to change the recipe of Newcastle Brown Ale, after fears over the caramel colouring it contains, which has been linked to cancer in animal studies. The company said it will now achieve the colouring and flavour of the brown ale using roasted malts instead. A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we are in the process of changing our recipe for Newcastle Brown Ale – sold in both the UK and the USA – and it will no longer include caramel colouring. Caramel colouring is found in many of the food and beverage products that we all enjoy, including many beers, and is permitted by recognised food standards bodies. The amount used in Newcastle Brown Ale is well within the recommended safe levels set by these bodies. However, we listened to consumer concerns that have been expressed, particularly in the USA, and chose to review our recipe. We will now achieve the distinctive colouring and flavour of Newcastle Brown Ale that our consumers enjoy by using roasted malts instead.” Newcastle Brown Ale was launched in 1927 and brewed at the Tyne Brewery in the city before production was moved to the Federation Brewery in Gateshead in 1999. Its production was controversially moved out of the north east of England to Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, in 2010. 

CG Restaurants set for £11.6m turnover as it acquires another Dirty Martini site: London leisure group CG Restaurants & Bars has continued the expansion of its flagship Dirty Martini brand, acquiring Clapham landmark venue “The Loft”. The bar, on highly-sought after Clapham High Street, will open in April 2015 as Dirty Martini’s sixth site in London and its fourth new site in 18 months. It follows the recent City openings at Bishopsgate in September 2013 and Monument and St Paul’s, which both opened late last year and ‘continue to exceed expectations’. Clapham also marks Dirty Martini’s first venture outside of Zone 1 in response to customer feedback. Chief executive Scott Matthews said: “We are extremely excited to be taking Dirty Martini south of the river to Clapham, where consumers have a huge appetite for our unique offer of high quality cocktails, glamourous interiors and famous Happy Hours.” After an exceptionally strong Christmas trading period Dirty Martini is on course to deliver £11.6m in sales in its current financial year. Matthews said that the company is on track for its target of 15 Dirty Martini venues by Quarter Four, 2016. Matthews added: “Our acquisitions specialists are highly knowledgeable about the markets that fit Dirty Martini and locations such as Clapham are the natural progression. We are hotly pursuing more opportunities both in central London and surrounding major leisure locations.”

 

Plans for Premier Inn and McDonald’s in Salisbury fail to win over city council: Councillors in Salisbury have voted to object to a £7.5m development which would see a McDonald’s drive-through and a Premier Inn on Southampton Road on the way into the city. The developer Life Properties gave a presentation on the plans to the city’s planning and transport committee meeting last week, telling councillors that the construction would create 150 jobs “hopefully by a local construction company” and once it was complete it would create about 80 to 85 jobs, roughly 60 at McDonald’s and 20 to 25 at the 65-bed hotel. However, councillors criticised the design of the buildings and asked what visitors would think when they drove through one of the main gateways to Salisbury and saw a McDonald’s sign. They also raised concerns over flooding, traffic and further development in Southampton Road. Nine councillors objected to the plans while one abstained. The public consultation deadline is 17 February. It is expected to go before Wiltshire Council for a decision on 13 April. 

 

KFC puts West Croydon store under new management after hygiene failure: A KFC store in West Croydon, South London has been placed under new management after it was rated just one out of five by hygiene inspectors. Its rating was the lowest score received by a branch of KFC in London, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website. According to research by The Croydon Advertiser newspaper, KFC branches scored an average of 4.53 out of five after 131 inspections in London. The FSA says any business that scores below three out of five has failed the inspection. The branch in London Road, West Croydon was heavily criticised after its last inspection on 26 June. KFC told The Advertiser: “Food hygiene and safety are top priorities for KFC and once we were alerted that the restaurant had not met our usual high standards, we took steps to rectify the issues identified and undertook a programme of upgrade and maintenance. The restaurant is now under new management and we are confident that when the next inspection takes place we will receive a much improved rating.”