Grand Union secures new site, unveils new experiential concept: Grand Union, the London bar group led by Adam Marshall and backed by Luke Johnson, has secured a new site where it will launch a new ‘experiential’ concept. The company’s ninth site will open in Wapping E1 at the Land Securities’ development, Thomas More Square. The 6,300 square foot site sits between new London Docks landmark development and St Katherine’s Dock. With this project, Grand Union will introduce its new concept “Concessionary Partners”. The company said the ‘best artisan coffee shop outfit, offering the finest coffee in the capital has been hand-picked along with London’s edgiest barber shop operator, delivering beard trims and razor cuts’. Along with other additions to be announced, partner businesses will ‘create an experiential, multi-faceted environment not yet seen in the industry’. Marshall said: “We’ve taken inspiration from the top players in partnership concepts, seven months in the making. We’re ecstatic to play a small part in further developing what is, in my opinion, the (world’s) greatest food and drinks capital.”

Tortilla opens 25th site, strengthens management team: Mexican brand Tortilla has opened its 25th site at Kings Cross St Pancras. In the coming weeks, Tortilla will open two more restaurants on Clumber St, and the Victoria Centre in Nottingham, taking the business to 27 restaurants by the year-end. In support of recent openings, and in preparation for further growth, Tortilla has strengthened its senior management team. Paul Hunter joins the team as operations director following a regional operations director role with Bill’s. Martin Clover, from Betty’s, joins the team as the new food quality manager. Chris Wells who was an area manager with Mitchells & Butlers’ Premium Dining segment, joins Tortilla as an operations manager. Furthermore, following the announcement earlier this year that Tortilla had secured a franchise agreement in Dubai, Hylton Patterson, who has been with Tortilla since its launch in 2007, will move over to head up the commercial and franchise side of the business. Richard Morris, managing director of Tortilla, said: “It’s been another great year at Tortilla and we are all extremely excited for what’s to come. We have brought on board some high quality individuals, from all aspects of the hospitality sector, who will help us continue to grow our brand across the UK and beyond.”