Apostrophe losses deepen after unsuccessful trial of new products: Losses have deepened at cafe operator Apostrophe after, in part, an unsuccessful trial of new products. The company, which has 16 company-owned sites and four franchises, has reported turnover of £7.2m in the year to 31 March 2015, in line with previous years, but an operating loss of £1.5m, £855,000 more than the previous year due mainly to the cost of exiting its site in Brewer Street, which has underperformed ‘significantly’ during the year, increasing rents across its sites portfolio and costs associated with the departure of previous chief executive Amir Chen and the costs associated with the recruitment in July of new managing director Richard Franks. The company added: “The cost of sales has seen some year-on-year increases where the business has absorbed the net impact of higher labour costs relative to sales together with the costs of unsuccessful trials of selected changes of parts of the product range. This has resulted in a 2.9% reduction in percentage gross profit to 39.4% when compared to the 42.3% achieved in the year ended 31 March 2014. The extremely disappointing results for the year to 31 March 2015 has given rise to the need for a reassessment of the customer proposition and, in particular, the food element of the sales has been the subject of a comprehensive review together with a complete overhaul of operating procedures. The directors are confident that the declines in operating profit will be reversed and the company will shortly return to profitability.” A site at Heathrow Terminal Five also closed in the year. In April 2014, CH & Co Catering took control of the business, acquiring the 50% stake held by Amir Chen, Daniel Peltz and other shareholders. On 1 June 2015, CH & Co Catering sold the business to Wyfold Farm Investments, a company owned by Robyn and Tim Jones.

Propel Multi Club Conference opens for bookings: The first Propel Multi Club Conference of 2016, which takes place at Congress Hall in London on Wednesday 16 March, is now open for bookings. Steve Kenee, partner at investment firm Downing, talks about the firm’s long-term investment partnership with Antic London, developing an estate of more than 30 London pubs, the business’s USPs, the risks and rewards of operating near the leading edge of urban regeneration and the development of non-licensed premises. Multi-site pub, restaurant and foodservice operators can claim up to two free places by emailing Adam Dickinson on adam.dickinson@propelinfo.com

Former ALMR chief executive secures second pub and acquires food truck: Former Association of License Multiple Retailer (ALMR) chief executive David McHattie and his wife Samantha have secured a second pub in Derbyshire. McHattie, who stepped down from the ALMR in 2014, told Propel: “The new venue is The Bridge Inn @ Calver a small pub business which we will run in its current guise until a major refurbishment around April, a development shared with Greene King. We are both excited to be working with Greene King to develop a new proposition built around the food and drink Samantha and I love.” The new site follows a successful year at the couple’s first venture, The Devonshire Arms, which is a Punch Taverns pub. McHattie added: “(It) keeps going from strength to strength – November and December have been amazing with sales records tumbling and net sales up 26.1% over the last nine weeks. Year-to-date we stand up 35% on the prior year.” The couple also took receipt of a food truck – Meat Co HQ – just before Christmas and plan to develop this during 2016.

Host of casual dining operators join ALMR: A host of casual dining operators have joined the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR). New members include Azzurri Restaurants, which operates Zizzi, Ask Italian and Coco di Mama, Cote Brasserie, Ed’s Easy Diner and Tortilla. At the end of last month, YO! Sushi executive chairman Robin Rowland joined the board of the ALMR and a Casual Dining CEO forum was set up to allow the ALMR to “address the concerns of its casual dining members in a more focused and nuanced way”.

McDonald’s unveils store of the future in Honk Kong serving asparagus and quinoa: A new McDonald’s concept restaurant has opened in Hong Kong, which has been described as the ‘McDonald’s of the future’. ‘McDonald’s Next’ has mood lighting, phone chargers at the tables and asparagus and quinoa on the menu. The concept restaurant, located near Admirality station in Hong Kong, has been designed by an Australian based company, Landini Associates, in a bid to compete with other higher-end burger restaurants. The redesign has included the interior, the kitchen layout, wall graphics – including outlines of burgers – product packaging and staff uniforms, as well as food being served on wooden boards with chips in mini wire baskets. The central kitchen is exposed and set behind a glass counter, where customers can see the whole food preparation process. Other new additions to the offer are a salad bar, waffles with berry compote and artisan coffees with themed coffee art.

New guidance on safe alcohol limits to be issued for first times in 20 years: New guidance on how people in the UK should limit their drinking is to be issued following the first review of official alcohol guidance in 20 years. Reports suggest the chief medical officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, will recommend abstaining from alcohol for at least two days a week. The daily maximum intake for men could also be cut to the same as for women. Currently, women are advised to drink no more than two to three units a day and men no more than three to four. According to newspaper reports, the review will stress there is no “safe” alcohol intake and even drinking small amounts could cause diseases such as cancer. Scottish guidelines already advise people to abstain for at least two days a week. The advice to be issued by Dame Sally will also be adopted by the chief medical officers for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Dame Sally’s review was launched in 2013 after the Department of Health said it had heard “sufficient concerns” from experts to suggest a thorough examination of the evidence on alcohol and health risks was needed. The current guidance states that by sticking within recommended limits, there is “only a low risk of causing harm in most circumstances”. The recommended daily maximum for women of two to three units equates to no more than a standard 175ml glass of wine. Men are told not to consume more than three to four, not much more than a pint of strong lager, beer or cider.

CBI reports strong final quarter in 2015: Economic growth across the private sector picked up in the three months to December, according to the latest CBI Growth Indicator. The survey of 766 respondents, which comprises economic activity across manufacturing, retail and business and consumer services sectors, found growth improving following weaker figures reported last month. The balance of firms reporting rising output was +20%, compared with +13% in November, well above the long run average of +5%. Recovering growth across the retail and wholesale sectors was buttressed by a strong year-end among business and professional services, though manufacturers, especially exporters, continue to face difficult times. Overall, the economy is expected to grow at a similar pace over the next three months (+20%), well above the long-run average (+10%). Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI director-general, said: “The UK economy has finished the year strongly, with business services acting as a lightning rod for growth.”

Sector executives recognised in Queen’s New Year’s Honours list: Scottish hotel operator Maurice Taylor, restaurant executives Robin Rowland and Andrew Guy and hotelier David Levin have received awards in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Taylor, founder of Chardon Trading, which owns and operates five Holiday Inn Express hotels and one Holiday Inn in Scotland, was made a CBE and Rowland, who returned to his previous role as chief executive of YO! Sushi last year, was made an OBE for services to the restaurant and hospitality industry. Andrew Guy, who has overseen the rapid growth of Ed’s Easy Diner, received an MBE. He has worked for Gourmet Holdings and the Restaurant Group, where he oversaw the birth of The Restaurant Group’s Frankie & Benny’s brand .

Yummy Pub Company reports pre-booked sales boosted December: Pub operator Yummy Pub Company has reported a focus on pre-booked sales boosted December results. Co-founder Tim Foster told Propel: “We ventured into December 2015 with 43.5% up on pre-booked covers versus 2014 as of the 1st of December. 11th November 2015 was our single biggest booking day with over 1,000 covers confirming or enquiring on the day. We decided to focus on booked Christmas parties and events this year to deliver on our results, which in turn delivered a +12.7% sales growth in the business and finished our 2015 trading year with a +14% sales growth versus 2014. Opening a new site in the throws of Christmas is not something we ever wish to do again. The pressure it put on the infrastructure of the business and the focus required to launch such a unique model was exhausting, but The Stoke Newington Tea House is beautiful, a real step change for Yummy. Its traded incredibly well in the past 24 days, given we saw such an uplift in pre-booked parties this year in the other pubs, which meant many customers had already booked plans when we opened on the 9th of December. However, our shining stars in December trading were The Somers Town Coffee House, Euston (+11% like-for-like versus 2014) and The Grove Ferry, Kent (+14% like-for-like versus 2014). The latter was affected by flooding in this trading period in 2014, but doesn’t take anything away from the performance of the team who delivered a record Christmas Day’s trading and an amazing New Year’s Eve. The Somers Town Coffee House recorded its largest single day’s trading since we’ve traded it in the past three years, the largest week ever and just goes from strength-to-strength. A centralised menu across the group meant we have achieved one of the highest GP returns in the year. I still have some final numbers to crunch, but indications show the best food GPs we’ve had in the business since we started in 2007.”

Waxy O Connor’s operator reports turnover and profit rise: Glendola Leisure, which operates Irish brand Waxy O Connor’s and The Rainforest Cafe and is led by Alex Salussolia, has reported turnover rose 6.5% to £31,929,000 in the year to 28 March 2015. Profit before tax rose 27% to £2,777,000. The company stated: “During the period, the group completed the development of a new operation, Alston Bar & Beef and Gordon Street Coffee in Glasgow Central Station and the refurbishment of its Silk & Grain operation in the City of London, which both incurred significant start-up costs. The businesses are now trading well. During the period, the group also disposed of the lease of The Smugglers in Brighton and disposed of The Cricketers in Cobham after the period end. The change will have a positive impact on the financial results of the company.” Glendola bought Saltire Taverns in July 2015. The company has bank loans of £7.4m and an unused revolving credit facility worth £2m. To finance the Saltire acquisition and to cover future plans, it completed a refinancing in July 2015.

Masala Zone operator reports turnover up, profit down: MW Eat Group, the operator of Masala World, has reported turnover rose to £20,527,495 in the year to 29 March 2015, up from £20,470,652 the year before. Profit before tax dipped to £1,937,271 compared to £2,404,856 in the year prior. A dividend of £2.4m was paid compared to a dividend of £2.8m the year before. Its subsidiary Fine Indian restaurants, which operates Amaya, Chutney Mary, Veeraswamy and Masala Grill, saw turnover of £10,051,284 (2014: £10,165,187) and pre-tax profit of £2,384,512 (2014: £2,708,281). The company stated: “The year saw a modest fall in both sales and operating profit as a result of the relocation of one of its restaurants.”

Busaba Eathai reports turnover and restaurant Ebitda up: Thai brand Busaba Eathai has reported turnover rose 5% to £26,207,000 in the year to 30 May 2015. Restaurant Ebitda climbed 3% to £4,018,000 and Ebitda dropped 10% to £1,660,000. It made a loss of £542,000 compared to a loss of £1,832,000 the year before. During the year, the company accelerated its expansion programme with four new restaurant openings, three in London at the 02 Centre, in Kingston and Shoreditch, with one under franchise in Dubai. It stated: “Trading to date has been encouraging at all three. The company now operates 13 restaurants (including one under franchise) after the end of a lease in Bicester in the year. Further finance of £10m has been agreed with the company’s shareholders and bankers. New sites in Manchester and Liverpool have been secured, which will open in early 2016 and additional sites in other major cities are at an advanced stage of negotiation.” The company has turnover of £500,000 outside of the UK – the rest derived from UK operations. The company has a lease sub-let to a third party where it remains liable for rent of £200,000 per annum for the remainder of the 17 years until lease expiry should the tenant default.

Soho House launches first Soho Works, four planned around the world in 2016: Soho House has launched Soho Works, located in East London’s iconic Tea Building, Shoreditch, the first of an international network of 24/7 workspaces designed for the creative industries. Open to both Soho House members and non-members, the concept has been tailored for individuals and businesses that want dedicated workspace, but with Soho House’s ‘design, functionality, service and attention to detail’. The 16,000 square foot layout, which hosts 23 private studies, each accommodating one to ten people, feature vintage and contemporary furnishings, including 19th century Victorian dining rooms tables and brass mid-century chandeliers that sit beside bespoke ergonomic furniture. Soho House chief executive Nick Jones said: “As Soho House’s membership has grown, we have seen first hand the way that people work has shifted massively in the past few years. There is a group of entrepreneurs and businesses where the standard nine to five day in an office no longer exists and people make their work fit around their lives. Soho Works has come about as a response to this. By working in the same space as other like-minded companies, the members will be part of a new self-nurturing creative community, which is massively exciting.” Shoreditch is the first of four workspaces planned for the coming year, with other located in Los Angeles, Istanbul and New York sites.

Sam Anstey leaves Giraffe to join Joffe family business: Sam Anstey has stepped down as director of franchise and marketing at Tesco-owned Giraffe Restaurants to become a director of Laurel Canyon Ventures, the operating name for the Joffe family business, led by Gideon Joffe, that runs Chooks. Anstey spent three years within the Giraffe business, in a number of roles, including head of franchise and operations manager. 

Ignite Group reduces losses: Ignite Group, the operator of Boujis, Bumpkins and Eclipse nightclubs in London and led by Matt Hermer, has reported turnover of £11,838,398 in the year to 29 March, 2015, down from £12,054,902 the year before. There was an operating loss of £978,380 compared to £1,149,731 the year before. Pre-tax losses were £1,041,322, down from £1,198,173 the year before. Of turnover, £10.5m (2014: £10.3m) comes from the UK whilst £1.27m (2014: £1.5m) comes from the rest of the world.

Pieminister returns to profit, plans five new sites: Bristol-based Pieminister has reported profit before tax of £99,000 in the financial year to 31 March 2015, compared to a loss of £109,000 for the same period in 2014. Revenues have grown by 21% to £9,197,000 (2014: £7,598,000), a direct result of a ‘strategic decision to remain resolute in its focus to grow their presence within the fast casual dining sector’. To control its brand equity Pieminister has invested heavily in its own retail outlets. The opening of Pieminister Cardiff in Spring 2014 took the number of Pieminister outlets to eight with a flagship site also opening in Leeds in 2015. Further openings are planned in Nottingham and Bristol in the New Year (and more poised to open later in 2016). Pieminister founder and managing director Jon Simon said: “We are very excited about the return to growth and profitability following our strategic decision to return to our roots as a unique restaurant proposition. The offer has developed significantly over the past 12 months and as a result we have seen impressive growth in like-for-like and top-line sales. Our new sites have delivered well above our expectations and the feedback from our customers has been very encouraging. 2016 will be a very exciting year for us with the opening of at least five new restaurants. In a very competitive sector, we feel that we have developed a concept that is truly unique and have built a strong foundation with our operational team and systems to deliver strong and sustainable growth over the coming years.” Pieminister has also developed a comprehensive package for pubs and bars. Partnering with experienced, high calibre operators has allowed the company to implement a turn-key food solution into previously wet-led sites. The simplicity of the offer coupled with branded support from Pieminister has delivered impressive incremental and profitable business for both itself and operating partners. These developments include a number of sites in high footfall locations in London and other city centres across the country. Autumn 2015 also saw the introduction of new retail packaging and a significant increase in the distribution of Pieminister pies in supermarkets. Pieminister now features in 316 Waitrose branches and has lines in Wholefoods, Booths, Sainsbury’s, The Co-operative and Tesco and online through Ocado.

JD Wetherspoon takes Liverpool site off the market: JD Wetherspoon has reversed a decision to sell Concert Square bar The Lime Kiln in Liverpool, one of 34 sites put up for sale last year by the pub operator. Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said: “The Lime Kiln was one of a number of pubs across the UK that we recently put on the market. However, after consideration, we have decided that it will remain as a Wetherspoon pub. When the pubs were announced as being up for sale, Paul Breen, senior director of property company CBRE’s specialist markets team, said: “The portfolio represents a rare opportunity to acquire substantial high volume businesses, which have seen sales growth in each of the last five years. Food sales represent more than a third of total sales, having increased by 40% over this period, which makes the pubs ideally positioned to benefit from the continued growth in eating outside of the home. We anticipate strong interest from existing operators and new entrants keen to create a platform which can be used to build a successful managed estate.”

Montpeliers Edinburgh reports turnover up, not affected by new Scottish drink drive laws: Edinburgh pub and restaurant business Montpelier has reported turnover rose to £15,807,454 in the year to 26 April 2015 compared to £15,445,700 the year before. Pre-tax profit was £1,371,927 compared to £1,443,320 in the prior period. The company stated: “There was a particularly pleasing performance from Montpelier, Bruntsfield, the company’s first venture dating back to 1992 and Indigo Yard, our second unit which commenced trading four years later. While the late-night venues, The Opal Lounge and Lulu, performed satisfactorily, their results fell short of the excellent, beyond-expectation contribution of the previous year. Our flagship unit, Tigerlilly, continued to hold its go-to position in the city centre market and had another excellent year. There was considerable nervousness in the licensed leisure sector concerning the impact on sales of the revised drink-driving limits introduced in Scotland at the start of December 2014. After a brief transitional period, our units have shown minimal effect from the new legislation, perhaps being less vulnerable than others due to their urban locations, which enjoy first class public transport and taxi links.” A valuation of the estate in the year by CDLH Leisure and Hospitality valued it at £26,475,288, exceeding book value by £6,260,122. 

Burning Night Group plans two openings in 2016: Burning Night Group, which operates the large capacity Bierkeller concept in four UK cities, is planning two openings in 2016. A spokesman told Propel: “We are very hopeful that the new site in Nottingham will be opening in June and a new one in Birmingham in August. In addition, all our sports bars have been upgraded and now have LED 3mm pixel high definition video walls.” Burning Night Group opened its fourth Bierkeller in Cardiff, next to the Millennium Stadium, in August. The Bierkeller complex, situated on the ground floor of Stadium Plaza on Wood Street, offered three bars, with a licensed capacity of 1,000. Last month, Burning Night Group co-founder Alex Hazard stepped down from day-to-day involvement with the business to focus on his new pub company Way Out West, which has opened upmarket bar and restaurant The Boardroom in Bristol.

Ossett Brewery Pub Company reports growth in turnover and Ebitda: Ossett Brewery Pub Company has reported turnover rose 11% to £6,223,095 in the year to 31 March 2015. Gross profit margin climbed to 58.1% from 54.8% the year before. Ebitda was £687,165 compared to £500,059 in the year previous. The company stated that turnover rose after securing two new leased pubs in 2015, The Fox Inn in York and The White Horse. Net debt was reduced by £81,338 in the year with interest costs reducing by £93,098. The company received “redress payments” of £590,861 in its 2014 financial year from the company’s bankers in respect of two loans that had been advanced to the company in prior accounting periods.

Daniel Batham reports profits up: Midlands-based brewer and pub operator Daniel Batham has reported turnover of £5,041,263 for the year to 30 June 2015, compared to £5,173,566 for the year before. Pre-tax profit rose to £1,433,876 compared to £1,290,050 the year before. The company has net funds of £9,054,715. A dividend of £380,000 was paid.

Nottingham nightclub to make way for six restaurants: The former ISIS nightclub in Nottingham will be demolished and replaced with six new restaurants after planning permission was granted for the development. The former ISIS club on Redfield Way, near to the Showcase Cinema and Dusk til Dawn casino, closed its doors in 2009 after a spate of violent incidents. Now Nottingham City Council’s planning committee has given DLA Architecture Limited the go-ahead, a new lease of life could be breathed into the site – as well as create 140 full and part-time jobs. Two of the A3 units will measure 2,200sqm, whilst the other four will measure 4,000 square metres. Councillor Brian Parbutt, said: “At the moment, it is a big, horrible shed and it is empty. We need to do something with it. It seems like a reasonable proposal with the existing leisure offering near the cinema, and cinema and eating seem to go hand in hand.”

Redchurch Brewery passes £200,000 crowdfunding target: Redchurch Brewery, based in a double railway arch in Bethnal Green, has hit its £200,000 fund-raising target on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube. The company, founded by lawyer turned brewer Gary Ward and television producer Tracey Cleland, is offering 9.09% equity and has so far seen 277 investors pledge £213,430 with two weeks days remaining. The pitch states: “The Redchurch Brewery was established in August 2011 in a single railway arch in Bethnal Green, London. The idea for the brewery business was conceived by Gary Ward who was, at the time, practicing as a commercial property solicitor whilst brewing beer at home as a hobby. Quickly becoming fascinated and captivated by the flavour profiles and variety of styles available to buy from the new wave of craft breweries both from the United States and a number of craft/micro-breweries in the UK, Ward identified the nascent trend of the consumer expectation towards craft beer and the business possibilities that this sea-change presented and formulated a plan to open a craft brewery. The brewery was founded in August 2011 in conjunction with seed capital provided by initial investors.”

Jamie Oliver lines up second franchised opening in Canada: Chef Jamie Oliver is set to open his second Canadian franchised restaurant – Jamie’s Italian is set to open at Toronto’s Square One development in 2016. The brand is opening Canadian locations in partnership with King Street Food Company – which operates Toronto brands such as Buca Osteria and Enoteca, Bar Buca, Buca (Yorkville), The Saint Tavern and Jacobs & Co Steakhouse. “Canada is a place very close to my heart. I’m always excited about spending time there, and whenever I visit, I always get an amazing welcome,” Oliver said. Jamie’s Italian will be located in the southwest wing of Square One in the luxury expansion segment that’s due to open in 2016. Stores in the section will include Kate Spade, Rolex, Wolford and Holt Renfrew.

Mitchells & Butlers plans new-build Toby Carvery on Aylesbury estate: Mitchells & Butlers has submitted plans to open a new-build Toby Carvery opposite the Berryfields housing estate in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Currently, the closest branch is in Milton Keynes. The restaurant would have capacity for 178 covers and car parking space for 66 vehicles.

Ailantus Group to open Carter & Fitch smokehouse and pizzeria concept: Ailantus Group, which operates hotels in Cheshire, Oldham, Manchester and Yorkshire, is to open a new concept, Carter and Fitch Pizzeria, Smokehouse and Bar in Washington, Tyne & Wear on 11 January after a £500,000 investment. Named after the friends who ran a smokehouse in America with Mafia links during the Prohibition era, Carter and Fitch will be a stand-alone restaurant situated on the site of the George Washington Hotel, on Stone Cellar Road. The restaurant, which has been two years in the planning, is set to create 20 jobs and will serve a variety of dishes including pizzas, steaks and burgers. The authenticity is down to the culinary experiences of Chris Hume, long-term head chef from the George Washington Hotel, who travelled around America to sample the food in Arizona, California and New York and gain insight into how their dishes are prepared. He said: “As well as taking in first-hand the methods used in America, we have bought a specially made smokehouse oven all the way from Oklahoma. It means that we can offer steaks as they are in Texas, burgers as they are in New York and pizzas just as they are in Manhattan. We really think we can offer something that’s completely different from the usual restaurants that we see out there.”

Whole Food Market reflects on ‘annus horribilis’: Whole Foods Market co-founder and co-CEO John Mackey has set out a nine-point turnaround plan aimed at making 2016 a better year after unprecedented bad publicity and tough trading last year. The year ended with the company paying a $500,000 fine after it was found to be overcharging for packaged items at some of its New York stores. Mackey said: “It was a challenging year for us for sure. We saw our same-store sales continually slow down, quarter by quarter. I cannot remember any year we received this much negative media coverage. We felt like a lot of things were just blown way out of proportion. The New York (City’s Department of Consumer Affairs) event (saying we overpriced items there), was making a mountain out of a molehill in the sense that every year in every city you are going to have weights and measures mistakes, and that’s true of every supermarket in America. Perfection is not quite possible there. And that one got national news coverage. And I mean – not to say we don’t take it seriously – but the fact that got national coverage was a surprise to us. Then, you have the infamous ($5.99) asparagus water. We only sold one bottle of asparagus water in one store that was mispriced? And the guy who did the pricing, it was his first day on the job. And it was national news. And I think trying to get that corrected, no one was interested. It was very frustrating for us.”

Michelin-starred restaurant in Horsham closed by fire: Restaurant Tristan in Horsham, which has a Michelin star, has been closed for a month after a fire broke out on Christmas Eve. Fire crews were called to the site in East Street at about 2.30am on Christmas Eve. The blaze originated from the bar on the first floor, a spokesperson for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said. The bar area was gutted by the blaze. 25% of the first floor was damaged by flames and the remainder by smoke, a spokesperson said. Firefighters used four breathing apparatus and two hose reels during a successful battle with the flames. The fire has been confirmed as an accidental ignition. The restaurant’s website states: “Unfortunately, as a result, we will be closed for approximately four weeks or until further notice. We are incredibly saddened by this event and hope to be up and running as soon as possible. We would like to thank Horsham fire brigade and all of Horsham for your help in the last 12 hours. Your continued support means more than you know to us and the team. We will update you along the way. We look forward to a big reopening and seeing you all soon.”

Comedian Dom Joly issues Cheltenham challenge to Wagamama: TV comedian Dom Joly wants Cheltenham to back his challenge to Wagamama to open a restaurant within one year in town. Joly has called on the town to give the chain until 27 December, 2016 to come to Cheltenham. He said on Twitter: “Hey Cheltenham – why don’t we give @wagamama_uk one year from today to open in town – otherwise we eat our noodles elsewhere?” The Trigger Happy frontman was prompted to contact Wagamama after the local newspaper tweeted a link to a story about HMV moving from the Beechwood Shopping Centre to the Regent Arcade to make room for a new John Lewis store. Joly, who lives near Cheltenham, tweeted: “Hurrah – John Lewis in Cheltenham. Now all we need is a @wagamama_uk.” Wagamama replied: “We’d love to open in many cities / towns across the country. Maybe one day we’ll open here. Keep checking in with us!” Joly replied: “Promises promises – better hurry up or we will all move on.”

Itinerary unveiled for second Propel and Thinking Drinkers Craft Beer Retail Study Tour: The itinerary has been unveiled for the second Propel and Thinking Drinkers Craft Beer Retail Study Tour. The event, which this year focuses on south London, takes place on Thursday, 28 January and will visit seven of the capital’s leading craft beer retailers in an eight-hour period. It starts at the Four Thieves brewpub in Battersea, owned by Laine Pub Company. The tour will then visit hybrid craft beer and bottle shop We Brought Beer in Clapham Junction, which was founded by former BrewDog employee James Hickson, followed by the Craft Beer Co site in Clapham Manor Street. The next stop will be the Crown & Anchor in Brixton run by London Village Inns before heading to independently operated Stormbird in Camberwell Church Street, which was runner-up in the Timeout Love London Awards this year. The tour then continues to Late Knights Brewery’s micro-pub Beer Rebellion in Gypsy Hill and ends at Utobeer’s The Rake in Borough Market. The tour will again be led by Thinking Drinkers, award-winning beer writers Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, who will provide the latest craft beer facts and figures, market segmentation, analysis and spot up-and-coming trends. The day includes lunch and breakfast and travel between venues by coach. Tickets are £345 for Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) members and £395 for non-ALMR members. To book, email adam.dickinson@propelinfo.com

Final panel line-up confirmed for Propel and Elliotts Advanced Marketing Masterclass: The final panel line-up for the inaugural Advanced Marketing Masterclass has been confirmed. Elliotts strategy and development director James Hacon will leads a discussion with newly appointed Thai Leisure Group marketing director Iain White-Duncan, ETM Group group marketing manager Zoe Knowles and Greene King partnership director Russell Danks about where they see success, their plans for the future and other topics discussed throughout the day. Propel is partnering leading sector public relations and marketing firm Elliotts for the event, which takes place on Thursday, 14 January at One Moorgate Place in London. The day will provide an insight into all aspects of marketing including contributions from Novus Leisure and Brazilian barbecue restaurant Cabana about some of the marketing initiatives they have used to improve results for their business. It will also include the best ways to recognise and tell a brand’s story to maximise its PR or social media potential and how to develop and deliver effective digital initiatives. There will also be the latest insight into consumers’ behaviour to help companies develop marketing strategies around their customers as well as how to brief and work with an agency effectively. Tickets are priced at £295 for Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) members and £345 for non-ALMR members and are available by emailing Adam Dickinson on adam.dickinson@propelinfo.com 

ALMR National Restaurant Association Study Tour to Chicago open for bookings: The Propel and Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) 2016 Chicago Study Tour is open for bookings. The trip, sponsored by CPL Training and Sky, takes place between Thursday, 19 May and Monday, 23 May 2016. The National Restaurant Association (NRA) draws 58,000-plus industry professionals from all 50 states and 100 countries, seeking the newest innovations and up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues. The ALMR trip provides: insights from industry experts on the rise in fast-casual dining, social media, new and emerging brands, menu development, staff management and a host of other issues – with 70 free education sessions at the NRA show. It also involves two tours of Chicago’s hottest concepts and a market overview briefing sessions from US experts. Paul Charity, managing director of Propel Info, said: “The NRA show combined with our tour of Chicago is a fantastic opportunity to find fresh inspiration and understand the emerging trends shaping the fast-changing US market.” To get more information or to book, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com