JD Wetherspoon to serve rotisserie food at giant airport site: JD Wetherspoon is investing £2.7m to double the size of its Windmill site at Stansted airport – the only pub in the airport. The pub will open this month with more than 7,000 square feet of space and become the only pub in the estate with rotisserie-cooked food served in an open-plan kitchen. Industry sources report that the Windmill has been one of the company’s highest grossing pubs with circa £100,000 turnover per week – and there are hopes that turnover could double at the site. The new-look Windmill, located airside at Stansted and originally opened in May 2003, will offer customer space on ground floor and mezzanine level wit a bar on each. The company expects to serve more than one million customers, which amounts to more than 20,000 customers each week – it employs 175 staff. The pub has flight-information screens on display, a recharging area for mobile phones and laptaps, and a see-through cellar. Freshly cooked chicken will be served chips and chicken liquor. Other exclusive dishes served at the Windmill include crisp-fried buttermilk chicken, a Windmill burger made with own-recipe burger sauce and halloumi burger. A premium version of the traditional Wetherspoon breakfast will be served with award-winning locally sourced sausages, dry-cure back bacon, free-range eggs, and chestnut mushrooms. Pub manager Michael Wilkins said: “The new-look pub is a fantastic outlet and part of the multi million pound refurbishment of the airport.” 

Luminar seals comedy club tie-up: The UK’s largest nightclub operator, The Luminar Group, has confirmed the signing of two high profile comedy partnerships. Comedian Jason Manford’s highly acclaimed Manford’s Comedy Club and Darrell Martin’s equally popular Just The Tonic are joining Luminar’s stand-up line-up, as part of its focus on creating great entertainment experiences. These latest partnerships build on the company’s existing relationship with Jongleurs, which currently operates from four Luminar venues. Luminar’s head of procurement Philip Cooke said: “We are always seeking ways to maximise our assets and host big nights out for our customers and comedy is a natural fit. Our venues are often in the ideal location, with the capacity and infrastructure to host comedy nights of this nature. Just The Tonic and Manfords are fantastic brands and we very much look forward to building long-term partnerships that could see 20 of our venues hosting comedy nights by the end of the year.” Manford’s launches at PRYZM, Leeds on Friday 27 March as part of the nightclub’s first anniversary celebrations. The line-up includes MC Colin Manford, Mike Wilkinson, Vince Atta and Andy Askins. The comedy nights will continue every Friday and Saturday evening from 7.30pm within the club’s ‘Laughter Lounge’. And Just The Tonic launches at Casino, Guildford on Saturday 28 March with a trio of top comedians, Ed Byrne, Gary Delaney and Hal Cruttenden taking to the stage. The comedy will continue the last Saturday of every month, with doors opening at 6.30pm. The Luminar Group has 59 venues across the country and employs 2,800 people.