Crowdcube raises more in first half of 2015 than whole of 2014, high female engagement: Crowdfunding platform Crowdcube has raised £38,889,297 for funded businesses in the first half of 2015, more than the £35m raised in the whole of 2014. A total of 74 businesses were successfully funded in the first six months of 2014 with 56,838 investors joining the company’s investment community. Of the companies funded, 19 were start-up, 36 were at “early stage” and 19 were “growth” businesses. One member of the investment community made an investment of £1m, the largest single investment to date. Nine businesses raised more than £1m. The platform also reported a high level of female engagement. It stated: “Since we launched in 2011 up to the end of last year, 14% of our funded businesses have had female founders. Compare that to this year when 21% of businesses that have funded on Crowdcube have been led by females and it looks like a trend that is set to continue. When it comes to investors, out of our growing investor community of more than 185,000 people, 24% are female – a stark difference to traditional business angels.” Last Friday, Propel reported that an analysis of fund-raising on Crowdcube has shown a total of 65 food and beverage companies have successfully found investment for a total of 69 campaigns – 66 campaigns sold equity and three were mini-bonds. The total amount raised is £22.6m, of which £17.8m is equity and £4.8m is in the form of mini-bonds, according to research produced by Pizza Rossa founder Corrado Accardi. The average amount raised is £270,000. Of the businesses 20 are start-ups (selling an average equity stake of 18.5%), 31 are early stage businesses (selling an average equity stake of 17%) and 18 are growth stage (selling an average equity stake of 12%).

Velocity app secures $12m financing to expand in the US: Velocity, the app that allows diners to pay and earn status and rewards at London’s leading restaurants including Sketch, Gymkhana, the Hix Restaurants, the Galvin Restaurants, and Burger & Lobster, has secured $12m in funding to expand into the US. Investors include an international group of angels, including former Thomson-Reuters chief executive and chairman of Morgan Stanley’s technology committee, Tom Glocer, and Initial Capital partner Shukri Shammas. Velocity is set to launch its next major market, New York, having already partnered with New York’s leading venues such as Cosme, Bowery Meat Company, Ristorante Sessanta, Lure Fishbar, and The Serafina Group. Velocity restaurants have seen a 14% increase in average spend of people using the app. Kurt Zdesar, owner of Chotto Matte and Bouillabaisse in Mayfair, and the man who brought Nobu to London as director of operations for Nobu Europe, said: “Velocity gives restaurant staff more time for quality interaction with customers as less time is wasted administering bills. Restaurants can gain a better understanding of their customer, allowing us to tailor our approach to meet their specific needs. Through the app, we can also reward our regular customers who visit time and time again.”

New restaurant quarter lined up for Middlesbrough: Middlesbrough looks set for a new restaurant quarter as part of plans to revitalise the town. A series of properties have been made available to let on the Albert Road frontage of The Cleveland Shopping Centre, one of Middlesbrough’s principal retail destinations. The units overlook Centre Square and the Town Hall, which is due to undergo an £8m refurbishment next year, and adjacent is a 138-bed Holiday Inn Express opening in August. Letting agent Richard Wilson of Teesside independent commercial property consultancy Dodds Brown said the company is looking to attract quality restaurant operators, both national brands and local operators, which will “complement the new hotel and the Town Hall redevelopment”. “The units have a fantastic location overlooking Centre Square and there is the vision to create a quality restaurant quarter for Middlesbrough along this section of Albert Road which will also complement the nearby Baker Street and Bedford Street projects,” he added. Units range in size from 1,341 sq ft to 3,242 sq ft.

Chick fil-a named as US’ favourite fast food brand: An annual poll of 70,000 US consumers has voted Chick fil-a as the country’s favourite fast food restaurant brand. Second in the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) was Chipotle, followed by Panera Bread, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, and Dunkin Donuts. McDonald’s ranked a lowly 18th. Of Chick fil-a, Forrest Morgeson, director of research at ACSI, attributes the appeal to the chain’s “laser focus” on a particular product. He said: “It focuses on one thing and does it exceptionally well and that is chicken sandwiches. All those companies down at the bottom have been around for a very long time, they just aren’t as fresh any more in the mind of the consumer, just not exciting.”

£100m leisure-led scheme for Peterborough is submitted: Plans for a £100m leisure-led scheme to regenerate the North Westgate area of Peterborough have been officially submitted to the city council. The development, which is expected to generate about 1,500 jobs, features a new leisure quarter and “much-needed” housing in the centre of Peterborough. The proposals include a piazza and multiplex cinema, surrounded by restaurants, shops, bars and a food hall with a community of apartments and offices above. Hawksworth Securities, the company behind the development, said its proposals were designed to regenerate the area around North Westgate, acting as a catalyst for the renewal of a much wider area between the station, central ward and Cathedral Square.

Amber Taverns reports pre-tax profits of £5.26m, company value rises to £100m: Amber Taverns has reported a 17.5% rise in sales to £43,337,307 in the year to 1 February 2015. Company Ebitda climbed by 20% to £9,136,000 and pre-tax profits rose by 16% to £5,265,340 over the same period. Directors said returns from the company’s recent acquisitions have exceeded targets and the business continues to consider further additions to its stable. At the beginning of the 2015 financial year, Amber Taverns owned 93 sites. During the year, it strengthened its portfolio by acquiring a further ten sites and disposing of one. It stated: “Eight of the new sites were trading at 1 February 2015. The estate then consisted of 100 trading freehold pubs with a further two sites being refurbished. Following the year-end, the acquisition of six further units has been completed which are due to open between May and August. This will take the estate to 108 units.” In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors said: “The company has continued to acquire some closed public houses in good locations at competitive prices, but has seen an increasing number of acquisitions of sites in good locations which are trading. During the year, both have proven to be successful acquisition strategies with returns exceeding target and the company intends to continue to consider acquisitions on a site-by-site basis.” James Baer, managing director of Amber Taverns, told Business Insider: “Amber continues to demonstrate that a well-invested wet-led pub, with an incentivised licensee and offering consistently good value, is and will continue to be relevant and viable in the community it serves.” Amber Taverns operates pubs across the north west, the north east, Yorkshire, north Wales, the west Midlands and the east Midlands. The accounts also provide the current unit level Ebitda – it stands at £11,293,000, up from £9,443,000 the year before. On current prevailing multiples it suggests the company is worth about £100m.

Ivy owner Caprice Holdings reports £7m profit before tax in 2014: Caprice Holdings, the operator of The Ivy owned by Richard Caring, has reported turnover rose 2.9% to £47.8m in the year to 28 December 2014. Ebitda rose 6.2% to £9.6m. Pre-tax profit declined to £7,019,474 from £7,061,967 the year before. The company, filing accounts for 2014 little more than a week after it filed accounts for the previous year, reported a “strong performance” across all its restaurants, but “in particular there was a record year for Scott’s coupled with the first year of trading for the Emin Room at 34”. It added: “Daphne’s was closed due to fire damage from March to June for which insurance monies were received. Since reopening, the site has traded strongly.” Gross profit margin was 76%, the same as the year before, but adjusted Ebitda margin was up to 20% from 19.4% the year before. The company has 666 staff.

Drake & Morgan plans Edinburgh site: London bar and restaurant operator Drake & Morgan is planning to open its first UK venture outside London in the £75m office development at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh. The company has filed an application for a restaurant and pub at the flagship building. Roddy Smith, chief executive of Essential Edinburgh, the city centre business improvement organisation, said: “It’s great news this company is looking to invest in Edinburgh and it’s great that a London-based company sees the potential in Edinburgh. It really reinforces all the positivity in terms of the economic development figures and the information from the city council recently on the level of inward investment.” In a supporting statement, Drake & Morgan said the Edinburgh venture would boast “innovation, design-led originality and attention to detail”, as well as a “seasonal calendar” of events. The company announced last week it would open its ninth venue in Kings Cross in September, a bar and grill concept, which at 14,500 sq ft is the group’s biggest site yet.

Oakman Inns continues expansion by opening first site in Essex today: Oakman Inns & Restaurants is continuing its expansion by opening its first site in Essex today (Wednesday, 8 July). The company, founded and led by Peter Borg-Neal, has transformed the former coaching inn The King’s Head in Chipping Ongar into a restaurant following a £1m refurbishment. The former derelict building, which was built in 1679, had been closed for more than five years. It now boasts a new cafe restaurant, open kitchen, two small bars, a panelled lounge, a restored 30-seat double-height private dining room, courtyard and a newly extended landscaped garden terrace. Hidden Inglenook fireplaces that had been covered up for over a century have been restored while old tattered brickwork has been rendered in a traditional lime plaster. The King’s Head will continue the company’s tradition of raising awareness and funds for a worthy local cause with 25p from every belly of pork dish going to the Chelmsford-based Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. Borg-Neal, whose company acquired the site last June, said: “It is a wonderful old coaching Inn and Chipping Ongar is a fantastic town. Clearly the building needed a lot of TLC as well as some serious financial investment to restore it to its former glory. It now looks amazing.” The King’s Head is the company’s 13th site with the business almost doubling in size in the past year.

The Inn Collection Group acquires fifth property: North east hospitality company The Inn Collection Group (ICG), which is backed by Kings Part Capital, has added its first property in County Durham to its expanding portfolio of inns. The purchase of The Seaton Lane Inn at Seaton, near Sunderland, brings the number of inns operated by the group to five. ICG chief executive officer Keith Liddell said: “The acquisition of The Seaton Lane Inn is the latest step in our buy and develop expansion plan. It is the perfect addition to our group and has a great location that’s popular with tourists and locals alike. Its close proximity to Durham, Sunderland and Newcastle means the unit is a popular choice for corporate customers too. Mixing a local, tourism and corporate offer is a key part of our strategy at our existing four inns, which like The Seaton Lane Inn, share great locations and provide a homely pub atmosphere, good value bed and breakfast accommodation and serve food all-day, every day. The Seaton Lane Inn is a well-appointed, well-run inn which we aim to slot seamlessly into The Inn Collection Group portfolio and its eat, drink, sleep and explore model. With our three properties in Northumberland – The Hog’s Head Inn at Alnwick, The Bamburgh Castle Inn at Seahouses and the Lindisfarne Inn at Beal – and The King’s Head Inn at Newton under Roseberry in North Yorkshire, the acquisition of The Seaton Lane Inn means that we are now one of the largest overnight accommodation providers in the region – our portfolio currently has a bedroom total of 180.”

World’s first drive-thru Cornish pasty shop and restaurant opens in Cornwall: The world’s first drive-thru Cornish pasty shop and restaurant has opened in Cornwall. Marion Symonds, who owns Portreath Bakery, has launched the concept in Wilson Way, Pool, near Redruth, which also features a 100-seater restaurant, gluten-free bakery and a state-of-the-art baker-training facility. Symonds, who once appeared on the BBC show Great British Bake Off, spent 18 months working on the scheme and plans to use the site to export her pasties around the world. She told The Western Daily Press: “The drive-thru is important because I don’t like queuing. Sometimes I’d think ‘I need milk’ and you can’t just leave your kids in the car so, from our drive-thru, you’ll be able to get a loaf of bread – and of course a pasty. It’s the perfect place for what I’d like to achieve for Cornwall and my business. Once you get the craving to bake it’s in your blood.”

Michelin chef plans gastro-pub: Alex Venables, who was awarded a Michelin star when he was in charge of the kitchens at Lucknam Park, plans to convert The George pub in Woolley, near Bradford-on Avon, to a gastro-pub with his partner Alison Ward-Baptiste. Venables and Ward-Baptiste previously spent 13 years developing the popular Toll Gate Inn in Holt. The refurbishment of the pub has been funded by RBS. Eight jobs will be created including kitchen, front of house and cleaning staff. Ward-Baptiste said: “We want to offer something for everyone. A pub like this should be the hub of the community, there’s a real village atmosphere here. Everyone in Woolley has been so supportive while we have been stripping and painting, demolishing and rebuilding, so we want to give something back.”

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate to write to Tim Martin to save Sevenoaks Wetherspoon: Sevenoaks’ defeated Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Allan Bullion is to write to JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin in a bid to save The Sennockian, one of 20 pubs the company is currently selling. He said: “We have lost too many pubs over recent years. The Sennockian frequently provided me with much needed sustenance when out on the campaign trail during the general election. It was also an excellent place to take the pulse from local voters and meet with my fellow candidates. I actually rate the Sennockian as one of the most convivial and friendliest Spoons outlets in Kent and beyond, and so I am writing to pub chain founder Tim Martin to try and keep it serving local drinkers and diners.”

Fishbowl acquires Czar Metrics: Fishbowl, the leading provider of a marketing analytics platform to the restaurant industry, has acquired Czar Metrics, a predictive analytics firm with a large number of restaurant clients. Czar Metrics specialises in using proprietary models and historical data to guide clients in decisions for menu and price engineering, promotions performance, site selection, loyalty program economics and sales forecasting. The combination of Czar Metrics and Fishbowl will help existing and new clients use guest information to maximise profitable decision-making. “We are pleased that Czar Metrics is joining Fishbowl to help our clients strengthen their data driven decision making,” said Dev Ganesan, chief executive of Fishbowl. “Its expertise in predictive modelling, optimisation analytics, and test and control is a perfect complement to what we have been successfully doing for 15+ years – messaging guests. Czar Metrics has built trusted relationships by helping clients measure the impact of decisions such as menu and pricing changes on net sales and profitability. With Czar Metrics on board, we can move more quickly to help our clients tackle the increasingly complex issues they face in today’s highly competitive environment, most importantly helping them drive incremental sales and profits.”

Caffe Nero opens third Lincoln site: Caffe Nero has opened its third Lincoln shop, this time located in St Marks shopping centre. The store is in the unit formerly occupied by Cafe M, an independent retailer that closed its doors in May this year. The St Marks Caffe Nero features a new-style design. About ten people have been employed at the new site.

Multi-site pub and restaurant owner to reopen Northern Ireland’s oldest pub: Multi-site pub and restaurant owner Paul O’Kane is to reopen Northern Ireland’s oldest pub in Donaghadee on Friday. O’Kane, who runs the Stables and the Groomsport Inn, has taken over the lease of Grace Neill’s with a view to buying the 17th century public house in two years. Along with wife and business partner Mandy, O’Kane is opening up the snug bar and lounge. The restaurant will be back up and running at the end of the month after the kitchen has been refurbished. Paul O’Kane told the Belfast Telegraph: “I needed to get it open, it’s a fantastic place and we have dined and drank at it ourselves over the years. The people of Donaghadee deserve to have Grace Neill’s open again.” The historic pub and restaurant, which opened its doors in 1611, has been closed since early April. It was originally known as the Kings Arm’s, a name it held for over 300 years. It got its eponymous name after Grace Neill, a well-known resident who was given the bar as a wedding present by her father in keeping with traditions at the time. When she died in 1918, the pub was renamed in her honour.

Starbucks raises prices in the US again, adds snacking options: Starbucks is to raise prices at its stores across the US, about a year after the Seattle-based chain introduced another price hike. Small and large coffees will jump in price by about ten cents in most parts of the US, bringing the average price of a large coffee to about $2.45 in most parts of the country. The Starbucks price hike comes as other coffee sellers in the country are cutting prices. A Starbucks statement said the company continually evaluates pricing to “balance the need to run our business profitably while continuing to provide value to our loyal customers and to attract new customers”. Meanwhile, Starbucks has unveiled the latest snack additions to its American summer menu. These include the Omega-3 bistro box that consists of smoked wild Alaskan salmon cream cheese spread, edamame houmous, Omega 3-infused trail mix with dark chocolate chunks, wheat-free crackers and cucumbers. The company is also testing a prosciutto and mozzarella pinwheel bistro box in Orlando and San Diego featuring prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella, lemon artichoke dip, olive oil and sea salt crackers, bell peppers, grapes and a chocolate truffle bar. Starbucks is offering new sandwiches such as the barbecue beef brisket on sourdough and an updated chicken Santa Fe sandwich now featuring an ancient grain flatbread. Meanwhile, the raspberry chocolate chip scone is replacing the cranberry orange scone for the summer. The snacks are available while supplies last until September.

Boston Tea Party set to open first site in Plymouth: Cafe chain Boston Tea Party is set to launch its first site in Plymouth on Saturday, creating 35 jobs. The company will open the cafe-bar in the refurbished historic grade II-listed Jamaica House building bordering Vauxhall Street and Exchange Street in Sutton Harbour. The three-storey building has been restored and two floors transformed to seat 150 inside, while a flower-enclosed outdoor area for 30 people has views over the marina towards the Barbican. The venue has been given its own unique character with an eclectic mix of up-cycled, salvaged and restored furniture and fittings, including old gymnasium flooring on the walls and school chairs. Managing director Sam Roberts told the Plymouth Herald: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Boston Tea Party to Plymouth, a city so full of character, and can’t wait to be based right in the heart of the action in the lively waterfront with its tremendous atmosphere.” The cafe-bar will be open from 7am to 9pm Monday to Wednesday, 7am to 11pm Thursday to Saturday, and 8am to 9pm on Sundays.

Krispy Kreme set to open first store in Leeds city centre: Krispy Kreme is set to open its first store in Leeds city centre on 28 July – its fourth in Yorkshire. The company is opening a venue at Trinity Leeds shopping centre with doughnuts being supplied from Krispy Kreme’s nearby Hotlight store at Birstall Shopping Park. Krispy Kreme chief marketing officer Judith Denby said: “After the great reception we had at our Leeds Hotlight store opening, we are excited about bringing a taste of Krispy Kreme to the city centre this summer. Trinity Leeds is a fantastic location in the city and we can’t wait to welcome shoppers in for doughnuts and coffee.” In the lead up to the opening, Krispy Kreme will be hitting the streets giving away boxes of complimentary doughnuts to passers-by and offices in the city 

JD Wetherspoon set to open tenth Sheffield pub on site of former Wagamama: JD Wetherspoon is set to open its tenth pub in Sheffield (population: 551,800) at the Meadowhall shopping centre on Tuesday, 14 July. The company has spent £1.29m developing the venue on the site of the former Wagamama restaurant at The Oasis, creating 70 jobs. The pub, which will be called The Steel Foundry, will be open from 8am until midnight Monday to Saturday and 9am until midnight on Sunday.

Creams Cafe set to open in Coventry: Dessert cafe operator Creams Cafe is set to launch a restaurant in Coventry next week, creating more than 15 jobs. The company is opening a venue with seating for more than 100 in Swanswell Street, selling over 40 varieties of hand-made gelato, freshly made waffles and crepes, as well as milkshakes and gourmet coffees. The franchised cafe called Coventry Creams Cafe will be run by Kaz Cheema with two former university friends and will be fitted out in the chain’s signature American art deco style. Cheema told the Coventry Telegraph: “We know the Midlands and we realised there was a local gap for this type of offering, especially in Coventry. Creams has been a huge hit in London and the south east and its expansion shows there’s a national market. With the backing and support plus the expertise we’re getting from the franchiser, combined with our local input, we think we can really make a huge success out of this and bring something a bit different to the city centre.” Creams Cafe, which featured in the latest Horizons Ones to Watch survey earlier this year, has about 20 sites and aims to double that number by the end of 2015.

Douglas Jack holds Cineworld forecasts: Numis Securities leisure analyst Douglas Jack has issued an ‘Add’ note on Cineworld, with a price target of 550p, after yesterday’s trading update. He said: “Cineworld’s half one trading statement is strong, with box office up 10.5% in the UK and up 11.7% in mainland Europe/Israel during the first 26 weeks. Although this is ahead, with a strong release schedule to look forward to in half two, we are holding our forecasts at this stage. Provided summer trading is reasonable, we should upgrade forecasts at the time of the interim results on 13 August. We estimate UK box office increased by 17.5% over the last nine weeks of half one boosted by Jurassic World. Of half one’s 10.5% box office increase, we believe 3-4% was admissions, with the balance being average price due to the mix benefit of stronger weekends, more adult custom and more films suited to 3D/4DX. As expected, Cineworld’s admissions are rising less quickly than the market, reflecting its broader film range a year with numerous potential blockbusters. UK market admissions rose 7.3% between January-May, with weekend box office up 74% in June. UK retail rose 10.8%, boosted by Starbucks expansion and a higher ratio of adult custom. Aided by £5m of forecast acquisition synergies (of which £2m was achieved in 2014), strong self-financed expansion and attractive like-for-like admission prospects, we forecast double-digit earnings growth in 2015E and 2016E. Our ‘Add’ recommendation reflects the risk of further upgrades.”

Crowdfunded Pute Taste closes its doors: The crowdfunded Pure Taste restaurant based in London’s Westbourne Grove that served a “paleo” menu has closed eight months after it opened in December last year. The 90-cover restaurant, owned by nutritionist Holly Redman, has shut its doors and a note on its website stated that it would be closed “for the foreseeable future”. The business opened after it raised more than £30,000 from nearly 400 backers through the Kickstarter crowdfunding website. On the website last week, Redman said: “I found out last week that we were unable to secure the extra investment we needed and that our financial situation was worse that I realised.”

Tortilla expands delivery to 16 sites: Tortilla, the largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant group in the UK and Europe, has launched a delivery service in 16 of its locations using high-end food delivery firm Deliveroo. After a successful trial in three sites, the service is available in Angel, Bankside, Camden, Canary Wharf, Charing Cross, Clapham Junction, Finchley Road, Hammersmith, Leadenhall Market, Oxford Circus, Richmond, Victoria, Wimbledon, Brighton, Leeds and Liverpool. Richard Morris, managing director of Tortilla, said: “This is an integral part to growing our business and we are thrilled to be adding this service to our offering. The demand for delivery has always been there and it’s just been a case of finding the right people to do it. Deliveroo fill this gap and with its expansion plans aligning with ours it was an obvious choice for us.” Tortilla serves up classic California-style burritos and tacos inspired by the taquerias in the Mission District of San Francisco‚ the self-proclaimed burrito capital of the world and home of Tortilla founder Brandon Stephens.

Greene King wins fourth consecutive Certificate of Excellence for brewery tour: Suffolk-based pub retailer and brewer Greene King has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence 2015 by travel review site TripAdvisor for its Westgate Brewery tours for the fourth year running. The Certificate of Excellence is based on the quality of reviews left by TripAdvisor travellers and is awarded annually to travel-related businesses, from pubs and restaurants to hotels and tourist attractions, that consistently receive excellent visitor ratings.

Kamm & Sons agrees UK distribution with Catalyst Brands: Catalyst Brands has signed a distribution agreement with Alex Kammerling to distribute the Kamm & Sons brand throughout the UK. Kamm & Sons is a British aperitif created by Kammerling, a former bartender and cocktail maestro with over 20 years of experience in the drinks trade. Since launching in 2011, Kamm & Sons has become hugely popular across the nation’s best hotel bars, restaurants and premium retailers as well as featuring regularly in national press.

Peakstones Rock Brewery launches first micropub to mark tenth anniversary: Staffordshire-based Peakstones Rock Brewery has launched its first micropub to mark its tenth anniversary. The company, founded by Dave Edwards in 2005, has opened Crossways in Blythe Bridge, which will serve a regular series of guest ales and ciders alongside its own range. Edwards told the Stoke Sentinel: “It’s good that the venue is open and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes once the novelty has worn off for everyone. It took a bit longer than we planned to open but it’s a relief to get it done. I think it’s probably something I should have done years ago, but it’s a good way to mark the tenth anniversary.” The micropub, located in Uttoxeter Road, is being run by Edwards’ 20-year-old son James.

Tom Aikens to debut new sharing restaurant concept in Dubai: Chef-entrepreneur Tom Aikens is to debut a new sharing restaurant concept in Dubai. Pots, Pans & Boards will open in the autumn and offer a family-style experience that allows guests to serve themselves at their table. It is the latest venture for Aikens who became the youngest chef to win two Michelin stars at the age of 26. He said: “The idea was mainly from childhood memories of having food served out of one pot and sort of tucking into it, served at the table. There’s quite a few dishes that we’re serving that’s coming straight out of a pot or served in a pan, so it just makes it a lot more fun for people to share dishes.” Among the dishes that will be served are roast chicken with tarragon and a veal ragu with pappardelle. Aikens already runs branches of his casual restaurant and deli concept Tom’s Kitchen in London at Canary Wharf, Chelsea, Somerset House and St Katharine Docks along with a site in Istanbul in Turkey. He is also planning to open a new flagship restaurant in the capital serving “British tapas” next spring.

Propel hosts Professor Chris Muller for Multi-site Management Masterclass: Propel Info is hosting the US’ leading thinker, teacher and author on multi-site foodservice management, Professor Chris Muller, at its next Multi-site Management Masterclass on Friday 2 October. Leading UK businesses such as Mitchells & Butlers and TGI Friday’s have sent staff to be taught by Professor Muller at Boston University’s School of Hospitality – now Professor Muller is returning to the UK to lead this bespoke day. His interactive seminar will include contributions from Welcome Break chief executive Rod McKie and Sticks ‘n’ Sushi UK managing director Andreas Karlsson. The event will provide valuable insights for founders and area managers of small and medium-sized multi-site companies and area managers of large companies. Tickets are £345 plus VAT and £295 plus VAT for ALMR members. To download or view the leaflet as a PDF file please CLICK HERE. To book tickets please contact: adam.dickinson@propelinfo.com. Tony Hughes, non-executive director at The Restaurant Group, said: “Chris is THE world authority on the restaurant industry, the go-to man if you want expertise and knowledge and this is a rare opportunity to see a true master giving a Masterclass presentation.”