Mon 14th Sep 2015 - Agent reports record number of international F&B openings in London Agent reports record number of international F&B openings in London: Savills research has found 18 new international food and beverage operators have opened sites in London since 2013. The agent reports that since the beginning of this year nine new entrants have opened and there are another four in the pipeline, making 2015 a record year. Examples of openings this year include Pot Belly and NY Fold. Savills research shows in 2014 six new international entrants opened and three opened in 2013. The firm notes US brands have been most active accounting for half of the new entrants since 2013, with operators including Shake Shack, Five Guys and Bubba Shrimp. David Bell, head of UK leisure at Savills, said: “The demand we’re seeing from international restaurant operators shows no signs of cooling. London is the main priority location for any new UK entrant, however if these new brands are successful regional expansion is not out of the question, following the likes of Five Guys. It is crucial for operators to offer a key point of difference to ensure success as competition in the leisure market is at an all time high.” Savills reports there has been no particular London location where these international brands have opened. Soho and the wider area including Central St Giles leads with four new entrants such as Japanese restaurants Ippudo and Kanada Ya. Three operators, all of US origin, including Shake Shack and Five Guys, opened their first UK outposts in Covent Garden. Marie Hickey, director of central London retail research, added: “Competition for the best London sites is high, which is being exacerbated by the expansion of UK operators, as a result we are seeing operators look at new areas beyond the traditional core restaurant locations. Availability constraints could mean international entrants looking beyond Zone 1 for their second and third sites – we’ve already seen a number of UK operators show other London locations can work when establishing a new brand, such as Honest Burger in Brixton and Foxlow in Stoke Newington.”