MatchPint secures £1m investment: MatchPint, the mobile technology company connecting sports fans, pubs and drinks brands, has secured a £1m Series A investment in order to drive growth and innovation over the next 18 months. Since launching in 2011, MatchPint has developed a 2,000-strong pub customer base, with partners including Stonegate Pub Company, Marston’s, Fuller’s, and Greene King, while more than 250,000 sports fans currently use the website and free mobile app to discover pubs and bars around them showing selected sports events. The funding, which has been raised through a combination of existing shareholders and London-based investment syndicate 24 Haymarket, will be used to build on the existing pub product, grow the consumer base, and further develop the innovative mobile vouchering system which has already been used by Guinness, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Pimm’s to deliver rate-of-sale drivers for pubs and bars during specific events. MatchPint co-founder Dominic Collingwood said: “This investment is obviously great news for us, but its also interesting to consider in terms of the wider UK pub industry. On the whole, it’s fair to say that pubs have been slower than retail outlets and restaurants to embrace technology, but investors clearly see an opportunity to develop technology in the on trade, particularly when online tools can be used to drive offline behavior such as visiting the pub, or ordering a particular product. Alongside other great tech companies emerging in the market, we want to help drive that innovation, and look forward to discussing development ideas with both new and existing pub partners. We can probably buy the first round these days, too.”

Apple Pay launches in UK: Coffee shops, fast food restaurants and supermarkets are among the retailers that adopted Apple’s new contactless payment system Apple Pay, which launched yesterday (Tuesday, 14 July). Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Wagamama, KFC, McDonald’s, Marks & Spencer, Lidl and Waitrose are just some of the companies allowing customers to use their iPhone 6 or Apple Watch to make their purchase securely and easily by touching their device on contactless pads. When a credit or debit card is added to Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device or on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored on the device and each transaction is authorised with a one-time unique dynamic security code. Most major banks have signed up for the scheme although customers of the likes of Lloyds and Bank of Scotland will not be able to use the system until the autumn. Apple Pay is easy to set up and users will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by credit and debit cards. Dennis Collet, chief executive of Orderella, said: “The UK hospitality industry needs to look at embracing Apple Pay, as it offers consumers even more convenient ways to make their orders. Our recent Always On-Trade report found licensed venues are losing a quarter of their business by not offering the preferred payment systems their customers want. With it being such a crowded market out there, those venues who don’t keep embracing new technology, could find themselves struggling to keep up with those that do.”

Ruling allows US restaurateurs freedom from American Express dictats: Restaurants in the US can now encourage customers to use credit cards other than American Express after a legal hearing, Nation’s Restaurant News has reported. A three-judge panel refused to overturn a February court decision that found American Express violated federal antitrust laws by not permitting retailers to promote the use of other cards. American Express has appealed the February decision. As the company’s appeal proceeds, restaurateurs are now free to influence customer card choices through tactics such as: offering discounts and other incentives to encourage customers to use a different, less-expensive payment method; telling customers verbally which payment cards they prefer to accept; writing and putting up signage suggesting preferred cards of choice; posting information promoting other payment choices; telling customers about the relative costs of accepting particular cards. Denying American Express’ request to put the earlier ruling on hold gives the more than three million restaurants and retail shops that currently accept the American Express card the ability to encourage customers to use competitive brands, like Visa, MasterCard and Discover, which generally have lower interchange rates. American Express said it was “disappointed the request was denied”.

Pop-up food event to occupy roof of former BBC Television Centre car park: A pop-up food event called Storeys, organised by event production company Afternoon Delight LDN, is to launch on 31 July. It will occupy 24,000 sq ft over two storeys of the former BBC car park at Television Centre in White City. It will feature “some of the UK’s best street food traders” and offer sweeping panoramic views of west London from Friday to Sunday. Visitors can choose from a rotating line-up of dynamic street food traders, including French-American fusion wizards Le Bun, White Men Can’t Jerk (Carribean street food with a twist), Crabbieshack (soft-shell Folkestone crab burgers), Randy’s Wing Bar (finger-licking buffalo wings and homemade hot sauce), En Brochette (a skewered alternative to carb-heavy street food), Aji Ceviche (fresh Peruvian ceviche and anticuchos) and more yet to be announced.

Legal update: Solicitors Freeths provide a useful legal update. It can be FOUND HERE

Ceru Restaurants sets 31 July deadline for £2m EIS investment: Eastern Mediterranean casual dining concept Ceru Restaurants has set a 31 July deadline for investors as it looks to raise £2m in Enterprise Investment Scheme funding to take its pop-ups into permanent London sites. The company, started by restaurateurs Stephen Gee and Barry Hilton along with food expert Tom Hilton, is offering the opportunity to co-invest as it looks to open 13 sites focusing on Central London. Ceru plans to open restaurants ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft, offering diners an affordable casual dining or takeaway experience. The company has already successfully traded through profitable pop-ups and specialises in a cuisine not covered by an existing chain. The minimum individual subscription is £10,000 with a mid case target return of £2.66 per £1 invested. The target exit timeframe is five years. Gee is currently chairman of a number of restaurant groups including Gaucho, Busaba Eathai and Ibérica. Having co-founded Carluccio’s in 1998, he has overseen expansion to 100 restaurants in the UK and 15 overseas. Hilton has been involved in developing a number of successful bar and restaurant businesses, including Spice Inns, Black & Blue and Yalla Yalla. Kline was a sous chef at The River Café as well as being an author and television presenter.

Freehold of former Bramwell Pub Company site sold off £1m guide price: The freehold of a former Bramwell Pub Company site in central Chepstow has been sold to Will Payton by agent Fleurets off a guide price of £1m. The George is currently let to UK Propco, formerly known as Parity Bars – which has 18 sites across the country – at a rent of £119,236 per annum. Graeme Bunn, director and head of professional services at Fleurets, said: “We are pleased to have concluded a very smooth sale to Will Payton, who performed to timetable without difficulty, off a guide price of £1m.”

Ralph Findlay – Marston’s has the advantage in small towns: Marston’s chief executive Ralph Findlay has argued his company has an advantage over “faddish chain restaurants” in opening new-build pubs in small towns. He told the FT: “I like that we are opening in places that are not fashionable. We opened in Aberystwyth and we are doing £30,000 a week in a place with only just over 10,000 people. Everyone in town must be coming. And the demographic there is not going to work for a Five Guys, a Smashburger or a YO! Sushi. We are leveraging the fact that it is a pub, and people’s expectation of that; that they will have a good time.” New-builds are financed with sale-and-leaseback arrangements from the likes of Standard Life and Legal & General that run for 30 to 40 years. “It is 4.5% money and we recoup the freehold at the end for nil cost,” said Findlay. “Property costs are the biggest issue for the sector. Competition for good sites in vibrant city centres is incredible. London is almost priced out.”

Drake & Morgan to open Edinburgh site in autumn 2016: Bar and restaurant group Drake & Morgan has reported that its first site outside of London, in the new £75m office development at St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, will open in autumn 2016. Its ninth site, Drake & Morgan at King’s Cross, is scheduled to open in September 2015 – Edinburgh will bring the estate size to ten. Dylan Murray, director of operations, said: “We are extremely excited to be opening our tenth site in Edinburgh – where our founder Jillian MacLean has lived and worked. She is delighted to be returning to her roots with the brand she started back in 2008! The new bar and restaurant will be an extension of that same brand but will have its own distinct personality and character befitting of its location. Edinburgh is one of the most exciting cities in the UK, having been completely revitalised in recent years and now laying claim to a booming hospitality industry, and our offering will showcase the innovation that Drake & Morgan has become known for. Inspiring design, creative menus and a dialed-up service culture will be the cornerstones of the new site – attention to detail will be everything.”

Daniel Thwaites acquires Mitchells & Butlers franchised pub in Lake District tourism hotspot: Lancashire brewer and retailer Daniel Thwaites has bought the freehold for The Crown Inn, in the tourism honeypot of Pooley Bridge, a Mitchells & Butlers franchised pub. The transaction, which is for an undisclosed amount, will see the popular local and its current tenant transfer from Mitchell & Butlers to Daniel Thwaites, effective immediately. The Crown has been earmarked for significant investment by Thwaites management team, with plans for a full interior and exterior renovation, as well as the addition of letting rooms. Paul Dale, acquisition manager at Thwaites, said: “We are always striving to find and develop great properties in outstanding locations, and The Crown really fits the bill. We will be developing plans through the summer for how to redevelop the facilities. To meet the vision we have for the property, we plan to close the pub for a brief period after summer to complete extensive refurbishment works, which will include a total refit and possible extension to add letting accommodation.”

Colombo Group to open Phonox in Brixton: Award-winning bar and nightclub operator Colombo Group is to open a new nightclub called Phonox in Brixton this September, located in the premises formerly occupied by Plan B. Billed as a “fresh opportunity to champion what we cherish about our city’s nightlife”, the new venture at 418 Brixton Road promises to “strip back the current model to clubbing’s raw ideals”. Phonox will open as a bar at 6pm every day and turn into a nightclub later in the evening. Friday nights will see individual DJs taking on all-night sets, while Saturdays will be handed over to the club’s yet-to-be-announced resident DJ. Launch weekend and full line-up information will be released on Monday 3 August.

Costa Coffee offers leftover coffee grounds for free to amateur gardeners: Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee is offering its leftover coffee grounds for free to amateur gardeners in an effort to cut the amount of waste it sends to landfill. The company generates huger amounts of coffee grounds, the pulp left from beans after they are roasted, crushed and turned into lattes and cappuccinos. Laboratory tests have shown they are rich in minerals and are particularly good for acid-loving plants such as tomatoes, roses, azaleas, camellias and some fruit trees. Grounds can be turned into a liquid fertiliser by mixing 250g of damp grounds in five-gallons of water. They can be also overdried to produce a fertiliser that can be sprinkled around the base of plants and gardeners have found grounds keep slugs and snails at bay because the caffeine puts them off. The coffee grounds are available from all UK stores and staff will supply them in old coffee bean bags or customers can bring their own containers.

New cinema and food destination launches in Piccadilly Circus: Picturehouse Central, billed as “a film and food destination in Piccadilly Circus”, has opened with seven state-of-the-art cinema screens. There is also a ground floor cafe, a first floor restaurant and bar and rooftop members terrace opening in September 2015. The venue also houses a kiosk serving “some of the best artisan products in the UK”, including Crosstown Doughnuts, Jude’s Ice Cream, Naked’s flavoured raisins and fruit crisps, Joe & Seph’s gourmet popcorn, Serious Pig British salamis and Mighty Fine honeycomb dips.

Starbucks and Taste partner to open sites in South Africa market: Starbucks and Taste Holdings have signed a licensed partnership that will see Starbucks stores open across South Africa. The first site is expected to open in Johannesburg in the first half of 2016 with more locations to follow. “We are proud to be bringing Starbucks to South Africa next year,” said Kris Engskov, president, Starbucks Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “Working with Taste, our partner, we’re going to deliver a great Starbucks experience. The coffee market here is vibrant and growing fast – we want to be part of that growth, bringing the passion and energy of this remarkable country into the design of our first store and our first barista team.” The license agreement sees Taste owning the exclusive rights to develop Starbucks retail outlets in South Africa. As Taste is the licensee, it will own and operate the stores directly. “We are very excited to be Starbucks partner in southern Africa,” said Carlo Gonzaga, chief executive of Taste. “As we’ve visited numerous Starbucks markets and partners around the world we’ve come to realise that we share similar core values, including a commitment to localisation and uplifting both direct and indirect partners.” Taste Holdings is a leading licensor of global brands in the southern African region. Its food division has a 30-year master license agreement for Domino’s Pizza in southern Africa. It also owns, operates and franchises Zebro’s Chicken, The Fish & Chip Co, Maxi’s Restaurants, Scooters Pizza and St Elmo’s Woodfired Pizza.

Center Parcs reports turnover and PBT rise: Turnover and pre-tax profits rose at Center Parcs ahead of its takeover by Canadian giant Brookfield Property Partners, newly filed accounts have revealed. The company generated sales of £319.6m across its five UK parks in the year to 23 April 2015, compared to £314.6m a year earlier. Of the total revenue, £186.8m stemmed from accommodation, while £132.8m was sourced from customers’ on-site spend, more than £4m higher than 2014. Pre-tax profit after exceptional and non-underlying items also increased to £23.5m from £20.6m a year earlier, but operating profit dipped to £106.8m from £114.3m after exceptional items of £6.3m. Center Parcs was taken over by Brookfield in June following months of speculation that its former private equity owner Blackstone was trying to sell the business for £2.5bn.

Cocktail Trading Co to open Bristol site this month: The London-based Cocktail Trading Co bar and consultancy will open a new bar in Bristol later this month. Her Majesty’s Secret Service (HMSS) will be a cocktail bar and “punch house” specialising in “highly creative, fun and experiential” cocktails – “at an exceptionally reasonable price”. The 80-capacity venue is due to open in Whiteladies Road in Clifton on 24 July, taking over the old site of Charlie’s Bar next to Clifton Down station. It has been developed by Ben Alcock, Elliot Ball, Olly Brading and Andy Mil, who are behind The Cocktail Trading Company Development Bar & Table that opened in Soho in January. HMSS is also intended to be a “creative hub” for both consumers and the trade to sample new creations and it will host tastings, masterclasses and cocktail events.

Whitbread opens 81-bedroom Premier Inn in Basingstoke: Whitbread has opened an 81-bedroom Premier Inn in Basingstoke’s Victoria Street. The hotel includes a restaurant, offering a breakfast, snack and dinner menu for guests. Helen McDonald, new openings manager for Premier Inn, said: “We are thrilled to be opening a new hotel in Basingstoke situated right in the centre of town, offering a comfortable base for visitors to explore all Basingstoke has to offer.”

Dublin-based Asian restaurant Mao set to open fifth site despite opposition from Irish justice minister: Dublin-based Asian restaurant Mao is set to open its fifth site despite opposition from Irish justice minister Frances Fitzgerald. The company will open the venue in the Lucan area of the city in a former bookstore in Newcastle Road. Fitzgerald launched an appeal to the An Bord Pleanála against the change of use of the site on the grounds it could later house a fast food restaurant. However, the board unanimously decided that Mao could go ahead with its plans, reports Independent.ie. The restaurant would be allowed to open between 9am and midnight. Fitzgerald said: “It is important to note that the planning permission sought was not explicitly for a Mao restaurant. There remains serious local concerns that if Mao did not take the premises, or if they did and subsequently closed, then another outlet could open.” Mao, which launched in Dublin some 20 years ago, has four other restaurants in the city.

JD Wetherspoon receives Pub Aid award for £10m CLIC Sargent donation: JD Wetherspoon has won recognition from the All Parliamentary Beer Group for the £10m it has raised for CLIC Sargent and its ongoing commitment to raise a further £1m a year. The company’s personnel and legal director Su Cacioppo received the Pub Aid award from Andrew Griffiths MP, chair of the All Parliamentary Beer Group. Cacioppo said: “Wetherspoon has supported CLIC Sargent since 2003 and we are proud of the money which has been raised by our staff and customers for this wonderful organisation. The Pub Aid award is testament to their commitment to fundraising in their individual pubs as well as company-wide events, and we look forward to raising even more money in the coming years.” The All Parliamentary Beer Group’s objectives are to broaden recognition of the enormous contribution of brewing and pubs to the UK economy from grain to glass – and to celebrate the unique role that beer and pubs play in our society.

Charles Wells and Chris Gerard open second Apostrophe Pubs outlet in Buckinghamshire: The Bedford brewer and retailer Charles Wells and Chris Gerard of Innventure have opened a second outlet under the Apostrophe Pubs vehicle. Apostrophe has launched the Merlin’s Cave in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire, after a £1.2m investment with Gerard employed once again on a consultancy basis. Two extensions have been built to make way for a large dining area and open kitchen, and more than 40 jobs have been created as a result of the development. The pub’s new head chef Peter Wallace has cooked for the royal household, as well as a number of gastro pubs and restaurants across the country. Craig Mayes, director for Apostrophe Pubs, said: “We want to offer our guests pubs with all the charm of a great community local but with an extraordinary and spectacular twist.” The Merlin’s Cave follows on from the success of Apostrophe’s first venture, the d’Parys in Bedford, a £1.3m 14-bedroom boutique hotel and restaurant.

Tiverton-based vintage cafe concept Elsie May’s looking to start expansion with second site: Tiverton-based vintage cafe concept Elsie May’s is looking to start expanding with a second site in the Devon town. The company, launched in August 2014 by Mandy Jenks, is set to take over the cafe site at the Exe Valley Leisure Centre cafe in Bolham Road. Jenks is in talks with the centre’s owners Mid Devon District Council to open the venue later this year, reports the Tiverton Mid Devon Gazette. The leisure centre cafe would be redecorated to reflect a 1950s poolside eatery offering a range of snacks, hot food and drinks. Jenks said she is excited about the new opportunity after a successful first year at its Phoenix Lane site for the venture that is named after her grandmother Elise May. The Exe Valley Leisure Centre cafe, which was formerly home to MJ’s Cafe run by Mark Whittle, has been empty since April.

Young’s pub and hotel The Brewers Inn in Wandsworth reopens after £400,000 refurbishment: The Brewers Inn in Wandsworth, owned by London pub and hotel retailer Young’s, has reopened following a £400,000 refurbishment. The pub dining hotel in East Hill has undergone a major revamp and features a new cellar bar, dining area and private dining room as well as a new menu. The Jones’ wine cellar bar has 40 covers serving a range of craft beers, fine wines and spirits as well as food in the form of British cheese and charcuterie platters. The new-look dining room has 60 covers and the main bar area has been updated to reflect the history and heritage of the pub. The Jones’ Wine Store has been turned into a private function space for up to 20 seated and 40 standing and includes banquette-style wooden tables. Young’s has more than 160 pubs (including 22 hotels) and 80 tenancies in London and the south east of England.

Helical Bar plans restaurant space at redeveloped Covent Garden sites: Helical Bar has entered into a development agreement with corporate pension fund clients of Savills Investment Management to bring forward the redevelopment of its long leasehold interest in 26-35 Drury Lane and 8-12 Dryden Street, London, to create a mixed use scheme that includes restaurant space. Helical will work up plans with a view to submitting a planning application by September for an 80,000 sq ft mixed use scheme. On grant of planning, Helical will purchase the site for an agreed price of £42m and undertake the development of the scheme. Upon the completion of the development, the Pension Fund will receive a profit share and retain ownership of the basement and ground floor retail space comprising a total of 16,000 sq ft. Located between Drury Lane and Dryden Street, the 0.5 acre site currently comprises circa 65,000 sq ft of office and retail space. The proposed plans will involve a full redevelopment of the existing buildings, to create a residential led scheme comprising 70 residential apartments, as well as retail and restaurant space, and improved public realm. Lucy Winterburn, director of investment, Savills Investment Management, said: “We purchased the long leasehold interest in this island site in 1997 when Covent Garden was considered very much a fringe location. During the period of ownership we have seen the market evolve and the location significantly improve. Helical Bar’s plans to redevelop the site are exciting and innovative. Our client’s ability to retain the retail element on completion whilst sharing in residential profit perfectly matches our long-term goals for a site that has been a key holding for almost 20 years proving property can be a long game.”

San Marco Group invests £1m in Preston restaurant: San Marco Group is investing £1m in a refurbishment of its Angelos restaurant in Preston’s Avenham Street. The site has been closed since March while it is given a “floor to ceiling” makeover, including what the owners believe is the largest display fridge in the north. The Bragagnini family has owned the Italian restaurant since 1987, and opened bar and tapas restaurant Stratos next door in 2012. Carlo Bragagnini said: “Angelo’s was given a minor facelift three or four years ago, but we wanted to bring it up to the standard of Stratos. We’ve invested heavily, and after this, the place shouldn’t need anything more than a lick of paint for the next ten to 15 years. It’s still the same restaurant that people love, but not a screw has gone untouched. The layout is similar but we have more room for tables and it will have a more contemporary feel.” A new high-end nightclub could also soon be opening above Angelos and Stratos. Carlo Bragagnini added: “There’s a lot of empty space up there and Preston is lacking a high-end venue for the over 25s. It’s also going back to the family’s roots – my grandma used to run nightclubs in Preston 50 years ago.” Angelos is expected to re-open in August.

Belgian beer brand Heverlee to bring pop-up cafe bar to Glasgow: Belgian beer brand Heverlee is bringing a pop-up cafe bar to Glasgow on Friday. The company is transforming a loading bay in the Merchant City area at Tontine Lane into an authentic Belgian cafe bar called Heverlee at Tontine until 2 August. The pop-up will offer visitors a taste of Heverlee’s hometown, bringing a selection of authentically Belgian beers and bar food to the city. As well as Heverlee’s original Pils lager, guests can sample the limited edition Heverlee Witte (a wheat beer for summer) and lesser known brews that are being imported specially for the bar. In true Belgian style, the bar will serve “beer flights”, serving a taster glass of each type of Heverlee. Leuven-born brewer Joris Brams used descriptions of a historic lager brewed by pioneer monks at the 1129 Abbey of the Order of Premontre to recreate the original Heverlee and brought the brand to Scotland in October 2013.

Exeter-based pop-up board games cafe concept Board launches crowd-funding drive for permanent home: Exeter-based pop-up board games cafe concept Board has launched a fundraising drive on crowd-funding platform Kickstarter for a permanent home. The company, owned by siblings Luke and Beth Mildenhall-Ward, is looking to raise £8,000 for a larger permanent location having been based in small temporary premises in South Street reserved for start-up businesses. The concept operates like a normal cafe but where customers could play board games such as Monopoly and Scrabble. As well as finding new premises, the money would be used to improve the décor of the cafe while they also want to launch a YouTube channel that will produce game-play videos with guest slots for avid gamers. They said: “Our Board Game Cafe ended it’s pop-up one month ago and was incredibly successful in the city, so we’ve unveiled a Kickstarter to help relaunch Board as a permanent attraction in Exeter at a new, larger location. We started to get very busy toward the end of the trial period (we had to turn some people away), but now we need to get the word out around Exeter to let people know about our Kickstarter campaign.” Luke Mildenhall-Ward stumbled on the concept of combining his hobby with a coffee shop when he was living in Toronto, Canada, and felt the idea would work in Exeter where there was “a mix of students, families and young professionals”.

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.”