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Fri 8th May 2015 - Propel Friday News Briefing |
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Story of the Day:PizzaExpress submits plans for first delivery site: PizzaExpress has submitted plans for its first takeaway store in its 50 year history, to be located in Cambridge. The store will be in the building currently occupied by Liberal Democrat campaigners in Hills Road. A spokeswoman told Cambridge News: "We're in the early stages of looking at how we can build on 50 years of heritage by launching a new delivery service. Our aim is to offer the same delicious style of pizzas our founder, Peter Boizot, created in 1965, as well as the same great service and value our restaurant customers receive. We hope to trial a site that is dedicated to delivery from the early autumn." Documents submitted to Cambridge Council last week read: "The same handmade pizza, the same great service and the same attention to detail that is found in PizzaExpress restaurants will now be available through home delivery and collection/takeaway services. The intention is that PizzaExpress Delivered will be distinct from other high street pizza delivery chains in terms of the quality of the product and service." The opening is expected to generate up to 25 full and part-time jobs, including delivery staff, who will deal with around 100 orders a day. Of these around 90% are expected to be delivered by scooter, which could mean 32 scooter deliveries could be made per hour during the peak times of 5pm and 9pm. The company has stated previously: “For many years our loyal customers have been asking us why we have not taken our amazing pizzas to the delivery market. Well, now that time has come. We want to deliver the handmade pizza and customer experience we are known for to people’s homes and places of work. Everything from our famous Romanas to everyone’s favourite fudge cake, delivered fresh and hot with the same great service. It’s PizzaExpress, at your front door.”
Industry News:Handful of places left for Propel Operators and Investors Dinner: More than 90 operators and investors have now booked to attend the annual Propel Operators and Investors Dinner, which takes place on Wednesday 17 June at the Banking Hall, Cornhill, in the City of London, and is sponsored this year by Britvic and Carlsberg. Investors attending include Downing, Enterprise Inns, ICE Capital Partners, Maxcap Partners, NatWest, Santander, Metro Bank, Piper Private Equity, Kings Park Capital, Bowmark, Santander, Risk Capital Partners, Star Pubs & Bars, Barclays, True Capital, Business Growth Fund, Panmure Gordon, Hawthorn Leisure, Beringea and Greene King. Operators who have booked include Giggling Squid, Anglian Country Inns, Ed's Easy Diner, Flat Iron Steak, Dalziel & Vine, Distinct Group, Bulldog Hotel Group, K10, Steamin’ Billy Brewery, Foundation Inns, Malvern Inns, TCG, The Victorian Chop House, Oak Taverns, Casual Dining Group, Ignite Group, Hache, Luminar, Faucet Inn, Mamuska, Resolution Leisure, Crussh, Square Pie, Bill's, The Snug Bar, TLC Inns, Barburrito, Banwell House, Tortilla, Benito's Hat, British Street Food, Chozen Noodle, Big Easy, Oakman Inns and Restaurants, New Pub Company, Whiting & Hammond, Yummy Pub Company and Beds & Bars. Tickets to attend cost £100 plus VAT. Propel's managing director, Paul Charity, said: “The dinner is a great opportunity to extend mutual networks in an informal setting. We launched the event last year and it was a great success, so we’re delighted to hold another dinner this year.” Anyone who would like a ticket should email Paul Charity on paul.charity@propelinfo.com
Scottish government to give evidence on minimum pricing to European court: The European Court of Justice is to hear evidence from the Scottish government on its case for introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol. The hearing in Luxembourg will enable the court to produce its preliminary ruling on the policy. Legislation to bring in a minimum unit price of 50p was passed by the Scottish Parliament in May 2012. But a legal challenge was brought by the Scotch Whisky Association, which argued that it breached European law. Judges are due to hear oral evidence from the Scottish government. EU member states will also have the opportunity to make representations to the court, with Ireland, Norway, the UK and Sweden expected to argue in support of the policy. The Scottish health secretary, Shona Robison, told the BBC: "In Scotland we drink far more than we did a generation ago and alcohol consumption is almost a fifth higher than the rest of the UK. Heavy drinking places a heavy burden on society, not just by damaging health and causing premature death, but also by contributing to crime and disorder. Introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol is the best, most targeted way to tackle the affordability of cheap, strong alcohol consumed by heavy drinkers without penalising moderate drinkers." A preliminary ruling by the court in Luxembourg will be issued later this year and the case will then be referred back to the Court of Session for a final decision.
Alan Millar – nightclubs are facing a ‘perfect storm’ of threats: Nightclubs are facing an unprecedented “perfect storm” of threats that is undermining London’s claim to be an exciting 24-hour destination, according to a former nightclub operator, Alan Millar, who has set up a new trade body, the Night Time Industries Association. Millar told The London Evening Standard that some of London’s best-known venues, such as Vibe Bar on Brick Lane, Madame Jojo’s in Soho and Club Colosseum in Vauxhall, have been forced to close because of a combination of ever-tougher licence conditions and spiralling security costs. Clubs catering for up to 24,000 people a night at the weekend have shut down in the past two years, according to data compiled by Millar, who ran Vibe Bar for 20 years. He said the Night Time Industries Association aimed to persuade local authorities to relax the red tape that made many venues unviable. Millar told The Standard: “We want to have a serious conversation and extend our arms to work with authorities – we are part of the rich fabric of London and UK life – and we believe we can act as a beacon and great advertisement for the UK and London. The prevention of later licences and ever-further restrictions, of more and more security measures when we are at historically low levels of serious crime and people behave very well, means that British and London business is being impacted detrimentally."
Israeli developer ordered to rebuild historic London pub: A developer that illegally demolished a historic London pub has been branded a “wanton architectural vandal” and ordered to rebuild it brick-by-brick. Councillors in Westminster approved an unprecedented legal move to force the owner of the Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale to reconstruct the 94-year-old pub. It was bulldozed on 8 April under the orders of its Tel Aviv-based owner, CLTX, two days after a law change designed to protect Britain’s threatened local pubs. The judgment was made during a one-hour hearing at Westminster City Council offices in Victoria Street, where councillors condemned CLTX for its actions.
Company News:Starbucks to make Pod food fresh in-store at ten sites: Starbucks and the healthy eating brand Pod are extending their partnership to bring Pod's food offer to seven more UK Starbucks stores. The newly developed menu offers breakfast, lunch and "anytime" options ranging from "superfood scrambled eggs" and slow-cooked porridge, to a "slow burner salad" and pulled pork wrap. Two new POD blitz juices, the Supergreen Blitz and Fruit Boost Blitz, will also be available in selected Starbucks stores. After the success of the trial launched in October last year of Pod food on the menu at three London Starbucks stores, in Harewood Place, off Oxford Street, in Moorgate and in Pentonville Road, the roll-out will continue to a further seven stores in London and the South East. Steve Flanagan, director of marketing and category at Starbucks, said: “Offering freshly made food prepared in-store alongside our great range of drinks is a new direction for us and we’re delighted by the positive response we’ve received. With more than 80,000 different ways to customise our drinks, we’re delighted to offer an increased choice of delicious, healthy food to our customers.” Tim Hall, founder of Pod, said: “We launched our new partnership with Starbucks in September 2014 with three Starbucks offering a selected range of hot and chilled pod food. We’ve been really flattered by the positive feedback from customers and are now expanding the project to enable more fresh preparation in-store and also adding further stores to the roster. The new menu is brimful of innovative, nutritious, healthy food and we hope this exciting project will help thousands of people to live healthier lives.”
Whitbread boss nets £6.9m from share sale: Whitbread chief executive Andy Harrison has sold 132,000 shares in the company, more than half of his holding. The stock was sold at an average price of £52.27, for a total value of £6,900,643.20. He retains 122,187 shares. Whitbread said the sale “part of his financial planning” ahead of retirement. Harrison is due to step down at the end of the current financial year. He earned £4.5m last year and is due to make more than £6m under various incentive schemes over the next three years.
Wetherspoon plans Muswell Hill return for October: JD Wetherspoon's chairman, Tim Martin, has told Propel that the company expects to open a pub in Muswell Hill, North London this October, marking a return to the area where it was founded. Wetherspoon plans to open the Mossy Well pub on the site of the old Village bar in Muswell Hill, which closed in 2013. The company paid £3m for the freehold of the Village in December 2013, with a further £1.5m spend planned to re-open the venue. James Grimes, of the property agent AG&G, said at the time of the acquisition: “With a total site area of 907 sq m, an existing 470 sq m unit and planning permission to remove the roof from an old tram shed on much of the remaining area, Wetherspoon could either create one of the best beer gardens in London or double the size of the current pub. The potential of the site is huge.” Martin said of his old Muswell Hill stomping ground last year: “It was the launch pad for Wetherspoon’s success across the UK. I’m looking forward to seeing a Wetherspoon pub in Muswell Hill again.” Revolution Bars Group signs £100m supply agreement with Matthew Clark: The newly listed company Revolution Bars Group has entered into a supply agreement with Matthew Clark which covers the supply of beer, wines and spirits. Revolution expects the value of the spend over the contract to be more than £100m of product purchases, all of which will be sourced from and delivered by Matthew Clark. Revolution Bars Group operates 58 bars under the Revolution and Revolucion De Cuba brands and claims to be the leading bar retailer in the UK. Mark McQuater, chief executive of Revolution Bars Group, said: “We are delighted to renew our long-term relationship with Matthew Clark, the industry leader in this area. The current reputation of Revolution for product innovation, particularly in the growing cocktail market, will be well positioned to continue strongly under this agreement.” Greene King takes back pub let to Whitbread to convert into a £3m Farmhouse Inn: Greene King has taken back a pub in Ascot, Berkshire, the Royal Foresters, previously let to Whitbread, with a view to converting it to its Farmhouse Inns format, the template formerly known as Cloverleaf. On Tuesday Greene King said Farmhouse, along with the coaching inn brand Old English Inns and its premium local format Metropolitan, are currently its best-performing brands or formats. The Ascot pub will be south east England’s first Farmhouse Inn. A Greene King spokesman said: “We are excited to be applying for planning permission for a family-friendly Farmhouse Inn, the first in South East England. Usually popular with business users and families, Farmhouse Inns are good-value restaurants known for daily carveries, home-made cakes, cask ales and children’s activity play areas.” The pub had been leased to Whitbread, which operated it as a Beefeater. A Beefeater spokesman said: “We can confirm that the Royal Foresters in Ascot is closed after being taken over by landlord Greene King. We have enjoyed serving the community in Ascot for more than 30 years but guests can visit our other sites close by.”
Thwaites executive joins JW Lees as managing director of managed division: Tony Spencer is to join JW Lees on 1 July with responsibility for managed houses and hotels. He started his career at P&O but has spent the vast majority of his working life with Daniel Thwaites where he has been the managing director of Shire Hotels for the last eight years. JW Lees recently announced plans to invest in its managed house division and two new area managers will also be joining to support that growth. Lisa Kettle joins from Elle R Leisure, operators of Dukes 92 and Albert’s Restaurants on 11 May, and Neil Lawrence joins on 1 June from Mitchells and Butlers where he was area manager for Vintage Inns in the north west. Managing director William Lees-Jones said: “We are very excited about Tony starting at JW Lees and, with Lisa and Neil joining us too. This means that we have a ratio of area managers to pubs of less than 1:10 giving us both capacity for growth and the ability to deliver exceptional experiences for guests eating, drinking and staying in JW Lees pubs, inns and hotels.”
Fulham Shore opening two sites this week: Fulham Shore, the quoted restaurant operator led by David Page, will open two sites this week. A Real Greek outlet opened last night in St Martins Lane, Central London and a Franco Manca pizza restaurant opens in Soho, Central London on Saturday. Page told Propel that four more Franca Manca openings are planned for this calendar year, with sites in Ealing, Covent Garden and Bermondsey confirmed, and six are expected to open in the full financial year. Fulham Shore plans to open one more Real Greek site in the current calendar year.
Petra Wetzel’s West Brewery to open second site today: The Glasgow-based brewer West is open its new bar and restaurant in the west end of Glasgow tonight (8 May). The new site is in the former Halt bar on the corner on Woodlands Road and will trade as West on the Corner. West also operates an outlet at Templeton Building at Glasgow Green in the east end of the city, which opened nine years ago. The launch comes after the success of its pop-up bar in the premises last summer. The outlet has been refurbished and turned into a 120-seat bar and restaurant with open kitchen and will stock at least ten draught West beers. West's owner, Petra Wetzel, told the Daily Record: “I believe we have given 160 Woodlands Road a second lease of life. The new layout and offering is very much what myself, my family and my friends seek out when socialising. I wanted to create a place that we would all love as much as the original West on Glasgow Green. Woodlands Road was my home as a student at Glasgow University and I am thrilled that people in the local area, and from further afield, now have an alternative West in the West End.”
Itsu chooses Intelligent Business Systems for epos contract: Itsu has chosen Intelligent Business Systems to provide epos and hospitality business management technology. The chain, led by Julian Metcalfe, has 58 "healthy fast-casual" outlets, and a dedicated store-opening team will launch an anticipated ten to 15 stores by the end of 2015. Itsu’s head of technology and infrastructure, Terry Rose, said: “Our five year plan is to grow in the UK, to develop a dynamic evening business and to develop in two foreign territories – that should keep us all pretty busy. We selected Intelligent Business Systems after a thorough investigation of the market. They ticked all the right boxes and understood the ethos of Itsu from the off. All their products work exclusively in the cloud and give us live reporting, so we have complete control over our performance. Having the right technology in place is essential for our ambitious expansion plans, especially when we look to grow overseas.” Intelligent Business Systems' managing director, Gareth Powell, said: “An independent technology consultant approached us with a brief outlining what Itsu wants to achieve in terms of speed, ease of use and appearance. We’ve worked for Julian before when he ran Pret A Manger and know all about his passion for look, feel and quality. Our initial response saw us shortlisted alongside other epos providers and after a successful trial period we won the full contract. We’ve been busy installing three sites a week overnight, starting at 10pm on a Thursday, the end of Itsu’s trading week, ensuring the stores are ready to open 12 hours later.”
Bone Daddies to open at The Bower: Ross Shonhan will open his fifth Japanese restaurant in London this August on Old Street. Shonhan, chef proprietor of Bone Daddies Ramen Bar and Shackfuyu in Soho, Bone Daddies Kensington High Street and Flesh & Buns in Covent Garden, is opening a third Bone Daddies ramen bar in the Bower development on Old Street. Bone Daddies Old Street will be on the corner of Baldwin Street, within the Bower complex. The restaurant will incorporate a bar counter and will seat up to 60 covers. The new site will be open for lunch and dinner and will adhere to the usual Bone Daddies no reservations policy.
Mitchells & Butlers has average rating of 'hold' from analyst community: Mitchells & Butlers has been given an average rating of “hold” by the ten analysts who are covering the company. It publishes first-half results next Thursday (14 May) Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a "hold" rating and four have given a "buy" rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the past year is 416p.
Pizza Rossa opens at The Pump, Shoreditch: The old petrol station on Shoreditch High Street in East London. which has been turned into The Pump, a food market housing a range of vendors with an eclectic mix of foods, is the latest home for Pizza Rossa, the award-winning City-based company specialising in artisan pizza al taglio. With this opening, Pizza Rossa, which already runs two shops in the City, at Leadenhall Market and at London Wall, operating Monday to Friday, is moving into its first seven-day "street food" set-up. The Pump officially opens on 14 May. Pizza Rossa's founder, Corrado Accardi, said: "We are extending beyond the City to reach the young and trendy crowd that makes up Shoreditch, not only at lunchtime but also in the evening, when casual diners and hungry club-goers are looking for quick, tasty grub. Our pizza al taglio – by the square slice – is inspired by the street food vendors of Italy, and it is a high-quality artisan food. The Pump at Shoreditch is the ideal venue to offer this street treat, thus expanding our core offer and bringing a new dimension to the company as we grow.” Pizza Rossa at The Pump Shoreditch will offer the best-sellers from the full menu at the shops, but in slightly larger sizes, including four types of pizza.
Brain's to open craft beer and pork pie bar next week: The Cardiff-based brewer and retailer SA Brain will open a craft beer bar serving pork pies, the Cambrian Tap, in St Mary Street, Cardiff, next Friday (15 May). It will have 15 craft taps with speciality beers from Brain's ten-barrel craft brewery, plus a range of international bottled and caned beers. The site, formerly known as Kitty Flynn’s, will sell a selection of pork pies and a new beer, Cambrian Pale, brewed to celebrate the opening of the venue. The company said: “The craft beer scene in Cardiff is thriving, and we’re so pleased to play an active part in that with the exciting range of limited edition craft beers we brew through Brain's Craft Brewery. The Cambrian Tap will showcase these brews, as well as other craft beers from across the UK and the world, to cater to the growing demand from Cardiff’s ale fanatics. We have chosen this location at the heart of the city centre as the former site of the ‘brewery tap’, alongside the original Brain's brewery.”
McManus Pub Company parent company reports losses: McManus Pub Company’s parent company McManus Holdings, which operates pubs in the Northampton area, has reported losses in the 15 months to 26 July 2014. Turnover was £7,885,000 for the 15 months, producing pre-tax loss of £1,998,000. The previous 12-month period saw a profit of £170,000. The company said that pro-rata sales were down 4.3%. There was a loss on revaluation an impairment of £1,582,000, and losses on fixed assets of £460,000. The net operating margin was 4.8% when these are excluded.
Indian Summer re-locates to larger Brighton premises to meet demand: Brighton’s award-winning Indian Summer restaurant is moving to larger premises at 70 East Street, reopening on Thursday 28 May to cope with demand. The new larger venue will seat circa 90 diners, half as many again as its current site The existing restaurant is so popular, that in the summer months it has to turn away 100 people every weekend. On Valentine’s night alone this year, 180 “walk ins” had to be denied a table. “Whilst it’s nice to be full, turning away so many potential customers, isn’t brilliant business,” said restaurant co-owner Minesh Agnihotri. “By moving next door to our existing premises, means the restaurant will be closer to the sea.” Indian Summer is a prime mover in backing Brighton and Hove’s bid to become the Curry Capital of the Year 2015 and was instrumental in helping achieve the runners’ up spot in 2014 – up 13 places from 2013. Indian Summer was founded in 2001 by Minesh Agnihotri, who gave up a career making medical prosthetics) and Byron Swales, whose family was forced to flee Burma in a wooden plane, with a mission to offer authentic pan-Indian food.
Former YO! Sushi marketing boss expands marketing firm with merger and changes name: Mark McCulloch, the former head of marketing at YO! Sushi, has merged his Central London-based Spectacular Marketing business with the design agency Aquanota, to create a new business called We Are Spectacular. James Ravenhall and Leo Paisley of Aquanota have become partners in the new business. McCulloch said: “We have grown in size to enable us to handle much more work in both amount and breadth, namely two new designers, one digital director, one new BBC comedy writer for content, a tech coder and a new marketing manager. We now have offices just behind Top Shop on Oxford Street, where we will all be based.” The change in name to We Are Spectacular from Aquanota and Spectacular Marketing will happen on 1 June.
McDonald’s brings back the ‘hamburglar’ in latest advert: McDonald's latest adverts re-introduce the figure known as the hamburglar, last seen 13 years ago. In the ads, the hamburglar is flipping burgers in a suburban backyard with his wife and son. When he hears a radio ad for McDonald's new burgers, he drops his spatula in shock. In April, McDonald's announced that it was introducing a trio of "sirloin third-pound" burgers for a limited time, a range that, the company says, "lured the hamburglar out of his quiet retirement".
Starbucks to take Exeter store tally to three: Starbucks is to take its Exeter store tally to three with a site in the main foyer of Exeter St David's railway station. It will join outlets in Exeter High Street and the forthcoming Alphington drive-through on the edge of the Marsh Barton trading estate. The new addition to Exeter St David's replaces the original Station Cafe, joining the Pumpkin cafe, at the centre of the station's platforms.
Shop Espresso team to open ice cream cocktail bar in June: The team behind Shot Espresso in Jerdan Place, Fulham Broadway, West London is to open an ice-cream cocktail bar across the road called Ice & Slice in June. Ice & Slice will also house a mini-patisserie that will make macaroons, profiteroles, cakes and other bakery goods for Shot Espresso. The bar will make fresh ice-cream daily, with classic and "quirky" flavours such as violet rose and salted caramel, and the menu will include alcoholic gelato flavours. A spokeswoman for Ice & Slice said: "Shot’s cocktail hour is already legendary, now Ice & Slice will offer customers a chance to try their favourite aperitivo as a unique and creative gelato. Flavours will include Prosecco, Negroni and Aperol Spritz. These new flavours will be the perfect way to cool down, relax and enjoy a summer tipple."
Newcastle’s first city centre micropub to open later this month: The first micropub in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne will open later this month. The Split Chimp starts serving in three weeks’ time in Arch 11 on Forth Street. The owner is Mark Hall, and the venue is named after the wedge of wood placed at the back of an ale cask to tip it. Hall will initially open the 50-capacity pub from 4pm to 11pm Monday to Saturday, with an option to open on a Sunday as well later. The pub will operate a "challenge 23" policy. Hall said: “I was listening to a guy on the radio talking about micropubs and thought it was a great idea, and since then I’ve been into quite a few – one in Harrogate was like sitting in someone’s front room."
Ladbrokes begins search for new chairman: Ladbrokes has begun a search for a new chairman after Peter Erskine announced his intention to step down from the post during 2015. The search is being led by John Kelly, the company's senior non-executive director. Erskine was appointed chairman in 2009 and will work with the board on a suitable transition to the new chairman. He said: "Since becoming chairman six years ago, Ladbrokes has undertaken the necessary and difficult journey to modernise much of our business operations to enable us to compete more effectively in a rapidly changing digital market and a challenging retail and political environment. In that time real progress has been made. In recent months I, and the board, have overseen the transition from Richard Glynn to a new CEO, Jim Mullen. I feel that now, with stronger foundations in place and with our new CEO looking to build on the changes made, it is the right time for there to be a change in chairman to one who will be able to see out the entirety of the next stage of the journey. It has been a real honour to be the chairman of Ladbrokes for these past six years. The search for my successor will begin now and I will step down when my successor is in place. Until that time, my focus will be on helping Jim formulate and then implement his plans for the business."
York bar and beer shop to move to larger premises after lease block: The bar and beer shop House of the Trembling Madness in Stonegate, York, open since spring 2010, is to move to larger premises after its landlord, the Bettys teashop business, which is next door, declined to renew the outlet's lease. Owner Ian Loftus said he was now looking for a larger site in the city centre but was also seeking an out-of-town site for a beer supermarket, so the business can build on the success of the bar and shop in its first five years. A Bettys spokeswoman said the teashop operator did not have plans in place to expand its own site, but added: "We are keeping our property options open and the premises may still be leased." The House of The Trembling Madness has a vast beer selection in a medieval setting. Downstairs is a large bottled beer and spirit shop, with the bar area above. Loftus said: "It would be nice to have a better space, and to have something with two entrances and exits, maybe some outside space and somewhere bit bigger for the kitchen so we can serve more food than we have now."
Christie + Co parent expands international team: Christie Group's Scandinavian team has expanded with the opening of a new operation in Sweden. Marcus Josefsson will work from Stockholm to expand the consultancy services offered by Christie + Co in the region, alongside the team which already operates from Helsinki, Finland. In addition, and in reaction to the increasing capital flows coming into Europe from Asia, Christie + Co has recruited Joanne Jia as head of investment, Asia. Andreas Scriven, managing director of Christie + Co International, said: "These strategic appointments allow Christie + Co to expand the reach of its consultancy and advisory services and so continue to access new and significant opportunities in an ever-evolving market place."
Bulmers to 'premiumise' 50 pub gardens: The Heineken-owned cider brand Bulmers is brightening up 50 pub gardens across the UK in its latest activity under its "LiveColourful" campaign. Pubs around the country will be getting "vibrant" furniture, up-cycled bottle lighting and parasols that light up as the sun goes down. Many will have hand-painted murals by local artists. Pub gardens in commuter belts in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, Cardiff, Manchester and Leeds have been given a makeover using colours reflecting the Bulmers range, which includes the new "zesty blood orange" variant. Emma Sherwood-Smith, cider director at Heineken, said: “We’re investing in great pubs with quality, permanent items that will premiumise their outdoor space and improve their customers’ summer experience.” The Bulmers LiveColourful campaign, which launched in 2014 is intended to bring colour into consumers’ lives and inspire them to try new experiences rather than stick with the routine or familiar, the company says.
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