Crowdcube pauses plans to get into IPO market due to ‘god-awful’ economics: Crowdfunding platform Crowdcube is pulling back on plans to take its model into the public markets due to “god-awful” economics, after saying last year it wanted to carry out the world’s first crowdfunded initial public offering (IPO). Crowdcube co-founder Luke Lang told Business Insider: “If you look at IPOs as they stand at the moment, market forces dictate that retail investors are locked out at the moment. Institutions are mopping it all up.” Crowdcube planned to pursue an IPO after a £6m investment from City stockbroker Numis last year. However, Lang said: “We’ve looked at it and the technology that underpins it is legacy, it’s outdated, it’s stuck in the 20th century. It kind of doesn’t make a lot of sense for us to build solutions that plug into legacy systems because that’s an investment in the past. That doesn’t really sit well with us – and the economics are terrible.” Rival crowdfunding platform Seedrs staged what it claimed to be the first crowdfunded IPO last year for blockchain investment company Coinsilium, raising more than £1m for the company alongside its listing on the ISDX. Crowdfunding startup SyndicateRoom was also rubber-stamped by the London Stock Exchange to offer access to IPOs on AIM. Lang said: “I kind of fear for our competitors, like SyndicateRoom, that are making a big play on IPOs. I know the IPO market has slowed and the economics, from what we’ve looked at, are god awful to be honest.” However, Lang said future entry into the IPO market was not entirely off the table. He added: “We would look at it from an ambitious point of view that we think we can redefine the market and get those incumbent players to maybe use our technology rather than their own. There needs to be a significant shift. It’s certainly something on our road map and that we’re looking at doing.” Crowdcube is the UK’s biggest crowdfunding platform, having helped to raise more than £160m for start-ups such as Camden Town Brewery and BrewDog.

 

Less than four weeks to go to Professor Chris Edger’s Brands Masterclass: There is less than four weeks to go to Professor Chris Edger’s new Brands Masterclass, which examines how to create and evolve powerful brands. The event takes place on Friday, 10 June in the Chartered Accounts Hall at One Moorgate Place in London. Companies signed up to attend include Mitchells & Butlers, Greene King, The Restaurant Group, Loungers, Intertain, Rank, Coaching Inn Group, Cambscuisine, Drake & Morgan, My Lahore, Elliotts, Excelerate Resources, TLC Inns, Twisted Bars, SA Brain, Castle Rock Brewery, Rank, Oakman Inns, Gaucho, Dishoom, Buzzworks, Jackson & Rye, Wright Brothers and Pure. The all-day masterclass will showcase the advice of contemporary brand experts, who will address each aspect of a foodservice brand’s marketing mix. Each expert will deal with a specific dimension of brand longevity and success, making this programme an absolute must for UK foodservice brand leaders in 2016. The day will be split into three sessions to help delegates ensure their brands are evolved effectively to ensure long-term sustainability and success. Session one will cover leadership, proposition and product and will see Edger drawing on material from his newly-published book, co-written with Tony Hughes, senior independent director of The Restaurant Group, examining the leadership lifecycles of sustainable food brands. The session also features leading brands consultant Ian Dunstall on how to effectively differentiate a brand and its proposition while Chris Gerard, founder of gastro-pub business Innventure, will explain how to create and evolve a compelling food and beverage offer. Session two will cover environment, estate and employer branding with Janfranco Caro, creative director, and Sarah Mannerings, head of interior design, of leading restaurant and brand design agency Mystery, looking at site design and creating a brand identity, while insights firm CACI will explore how operators create a high quality estate. Former Orchid Group chief executive Rufus Hall will talk about creating a people-centric culture and the benefits of having an outstanding team ethos. The final session will look at execution and marketing with Dr Clinton Bantock, associate professor of the Academy of Multi-Unit Leadership, sharing how to achieve operational excellence while James Hacon, managing director of Elliotts, will look at examples of memorable marketing campaigns and the importance of rewarding loyal customers. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) members and £345 plus VAT for non-members. To book, email anne.steele@propelinfo.com

 

London hotel market sees relatively flat performance in April: The London hotel market in April has shown relatively flat performance compared with the previous year, a new report has revealed. STR Global’s preliminary April data has shown a 2.3% increase in supply and a 1.7% rise in demand. Average daily rate was up 0.9% to £136.22 while revpar increased 0.2% to £109.04. There was a 0.7% decrease in occupancy to 80.0%. Although London experienced an increase in demand due to the Easter calendar shift from April in 2015 to March this year, STR analysts noted it was not enough to compensate for the market’s continuing supply growth, resulting in the slight year-on-year decline in occupancy.

Experts predict climate change will put coffee production under threat: Predicted climate change could have a major effect on coffee production, resulting in lower yield and even a scarcity in coffee beans, according to a study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The study stated if the warming of the earth continued at its current rate, 80% of the Arabica-coffee producing areas in Brazil and Central America would be “unsuitable to the crop by 2050”, Nature World News reports. According to MIT Technology Review, the company most worried about the decline in coffee production due to climate change would be Starbucks – the largest coffee-seller in the world. Starbucks is well aware of the threat brought about by climate change, with the company investing in studies to help its farmers grow coffee in warmer conditions. The company also initiated efforts to lower its environmental impact.

 

British Land unveils details of £300m leisure hall at Meadowhall shopping centre: British Land, co-owner of the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, has revealed details of a proposed leisure hall at the complex. The plans represent the single biggest investment in Meadowhall since it opened more than 25 years ago. At more than £300m, the project, which British Land has begun public consultation ahead of lodging a planning application, is also one of the largest investments in the Sheffield city region for a decade and will create more than 1,000 jobs. Comprising 330,000 square foot of space, the proposed leisure hall will add a range of dining and entertainment experiences not currently available at the centre. These include a number of new restaurants, a state-of-the-art cinema to replace the existing cinema in the Oasis Dining Quarter, a new cafe court, gym, and other leisure space that could be used to offer everything from ten-pin bowling to indoor golf. Housed under a glazed roof, the leisure hall will integrate with the existing centre to create a new multi-levelled, landscaped mall with high quality internal and external spaces for promotional and community uses. It has also been designed to accommodate large outdoor events, including live music.

 

Brands Reunited to relaunch Watneys: Brands Reunited, founded by Shaun Goode and Nick Whitehurst 12 months ago to relaunch heritage beer brands to the craft sector, will bring Watneys back to the market. Watneys was once the UK’s biggest-selling beer brand, creating the first keg beer in 1931, along with Party 7 for the off-trade in the 1960s. Brands Reunited has already revived Home Ales in the East Midlands and the brewery’s Robin Hood Pale Ale and Little John Proper Ale are on sale once more in more than 250 pubs, with a third ale, Maid Marion, to follow. The company has also just bought its first craft bar – Anchorage – in Sheffield city centre, which will have a regularly rotating selection of craft beers on offer. Goode said Brands Reunited would look to open more bars in the future if “the right opportunity arose”. He said: “We think with some care and attention we can bring back once-loved brands to the market, but with a modern twist. We are not trying to recreate the recipes, as tastes and consumers have moved on. We want to be as relevant for today’s drinkers as these iconic brands were for generations before.” Watneys will be brewed under licence at Sambrooks in Battersea, initially available as a cask pale ale with keg and can to follow.

Tim Martin – Vote Remain ‘scare stories’ starting to backfire: JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has accused the government and Vote Remain campaign of spreading “scare stories” before the EU referendum and of “putting something in Obama’s coffee”. Speaking to the Exeter Express & Echo at a Brexit rally in the city, Martin said: “(The government) has come out with a lot of scare stories – genocide, war, a plague of locusts – but I think it’s starting to rub people up the wrong way. They have put something in Obama’s coffee and he’s come out in favour of ‘Remain’, even though Americans would never accept dilution of their own democracy. Obama shouldn’t be getting involved because the American Constitution enshrines democracy so they would never give away the democratic powers we’ve given away to Europe – and are continuing to lose. So I don’t know what old Barack was on!” Asked to describe David Cameron in three words, Martin said: “Used car salesman,” adding, “don’t buy!” Given five words to describe the “Remain” campaign, he said: “Exaggeration – and plague of locusts!”

 

I-Chef returns to Seedrs for new crowdfunding campaign: I-Chef, which claims to connect the best catering and hospitality suppliers with professional establishments across the UK using an “uncomplicated and engaging online platform”, has returned to crowdfunding platform Seedrs to raise £55,004. The company, which describes itself as a “professionally endorsed, web-based membership community that connects recommended hospitality supplier members to professional buyers”, is offering a 5.26% equity stake in return for the investment. The pitch stated: “Investment will enable I-Chef to open up our community to ‘foodies’, bringing a whole additional dimension to the business; our aim is to create multiple new revenue streams to accelerate our growth and strongly build our membership. The introduction of an I-Chef app would provide yet more opportunities for members to interact with I-Chef – it would also provide an excellent opportunity for real-time offers and incentives from our supplier base to be delivered directly to members’ mobile devices.” I-Chef launched in March 2014 and has more than 5,000 members, including Marcus Wareing and Alain Roux. Founder David Dorricott was previously executive chef at the House of Commons and the Savoy hotel in London. Earlier this year, I-Chef undertook a £110,000 fund-raise on Seedrs having last year embarked on a £180,000 crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube. 

 

Master sommeliers acquire site in City of London’s Gresham Street: Master sommeliers Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney have acquired a site for a restaurant serving French cuisine, with a focus on fine wines from around the world. Restaurant Property, the London restaurant agent, acted on the pair’s behalf. The site comprises a total of 3,198 square foot and is located in Gresham Street in the City of London, with a rent of £82,000 per annum and a six-figure premium, which is undisclosed. It is expected to open in the summer and replaces cocktail bar Be At One. The lease is an assignment and runs until 2035. The site comprises a ground floor of 1,090 square foot, a first floor of 1,129 square foot, and a basement of 979 square foot. Restaurant Property also advised Rousset on Blandford Comptoir, a relaxed restaurant showcasing Mediterranean cuisine with Italian influences and a 250-strong wine list that will open in Blandford Street, Marylebone, at the end of this month. The rent for the 795 square foot site is £48,000 per annum with a lease on assignment until 2025. Matthew Englender, surveyor at Restaurant Property, said: “Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney are extremely talented master sommeliers so I am delighted to have helped secure a site for them within the heart of the city.” Rousset started his career working at prestigious restaurants in France, such as the two-Michelin star Le Laurent in Paris and Villa Belrose in St Tropez before becoming chief sommelier at the Hotel du Vin. In 2002, he won the Ruinart UK Sommelier of the Year and became the youngest master sommelier in the world. He was next appointed head sommelier at the Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons working with Raymond Blanc. Upon leaving, Rousset along with business partner Agnar Sverrisson set up Texture restaurant in 2007, which within only three years won a Michelin star plus a host of other accolades including three Rosettes in the AA Guide. Most recently, Rousset opened 28.50 Wine Workshop and Kitchen. Devaney is one of the most respected and qualified sommeliers in the country and won the UK Sommelier of the Year award back in 2008 whilst working in some of Europe’s top restaurants.

Yummy Pub Company appoints head of random acts of kindness: Pub operator Yummy Pub Company has appointed its first head of random acts of kindness. The company stated: “First thing’s first – a big whopping thank you to all the lovely, beautiful, amazing, charming people who applied for the position of head of random acts of kindness. You put time and thought into your messages and that’s special in a world where it’s ‘hello, CV, send’ in a nanosecond. You also shared some great stories and we really wish we had more than one spot to give away. We also hope you enjoyed your free drink – our thank you for sending in an application! And for the big reveal – everybody, welcome Allie – part social butterfly, part kook, part journalist student – but most importantly, she’s now your go-to for all things kindness (and as it turns out, she’s also pretty good with the techie stuff – hurrah!). There’s plenty more to come, so watch this space. Allie, over to you!” Hailing it as “the world’s best job”, Yummy said it was seeking “London’s kindest, kookiest and cleverest person” to reward people for random acts of kindness. Co-owner Anthony Pender previously said: “We’re going to shower the country with random acts of kindness, big and small, as soon as we find the right person to lead the campaign and join our family.” Yummy Pub Company, headed up by Tim Foster, Pender and Jason Rowlands, operates six pubs – The Grove Ferry in Canterbury, The Somers Town Coffee House in Euston, the Gorringe Park in Tooting, the Wiremill near Lingfield, the Victoria in Mile End, and The Stoke Newington Tea House. 

Moro operators expand Morito concept with second venue, third east London site: Sam and Samantha Clark, who operate Moro in Exmouth Market, have started expansion of their Morito concept by opening a second east London venue for the brand. The Clarks launched Moro in 1997 and opened their first Morito next door in 2010. The new venue in Hackney Road, Hoxton, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and, as with their other sites, draws influences from southern Spain, North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, including Crete where head chef Marianna Leivaditaki grew up and worked in her family’s fish restaurant. Leivaditaki will work alongside Samantha Clark in the kitchen. New dishes include tapas, mezze and larger plates such as asparagus with clams, aubergine manti with yogurt and pistachios, and charcoal-grilled fish with garlic, chillies and sherry vinegar to share. The venue offers a selection of wines from the Mediterranean – primarily mainland Spain and Portugal – as well as sherry and vermouth. The restaurant features a horseshoe-shaped, marble-topped bar, bright shots of colour and an open kitchen. The Clarks said: “The new Morito will have some of the food and design elements Moro and Morito are known for but with some exciting differences – inventive dishes and new ingredients served in a fresh, colourful space.”

 

Bitters ‘n’ Twisted to launch Leicester city centre bodega in July – first East Midlands site, tenth in total: Birmingham-based bar operator Bitters ‘n’ Twisted will open Bodega Cantina in Leicester city centre in July – the company’s first site in the East Midlands. Bitters ‘n’ Twisted, founded by Matt Scriven in 2006, has nine other bars and restaurants in the West Midlands, including two other Bodega Cantina venues in Birmingham and Worcester. The company has invested £200,000 in the new South American-themed bar and restaurant in St Martin’s Square. Bodega Cantina will serve street food favourites such as burritos, nachos and tacos and a range of Peruvian and Ecuadorian-inspired mains. There will also be a dedicated vegan menu, while drinks will include hand-made cocktails. Scriven told the Leicester Mercury: “We are proudly independent – this is our tenth year in business and Bodega Leicester is our tenth venue. We are looking forward to opening our first restaurant in Leicester. The city has such a great vibe and is full of pride and passion, something we relate to as a business. People come to us because they don’t want the uniformity and charmless atmosphere of a chain. They want something authentic and niche where they can step into the vibrancy, colour and carnival atmosphere associated with South America.”

 

Cambscuisine launches Smokeworks Food Truck: Pub and restaurant operator Cambscuisine, led by Oliver Thain and Max Freeman, has launched Smokeworks Food Truck to take dishes inspired by its Cambridge city centre barbecue restaurant on the road. The truck will visit events such as beer and music festivals, as well as popping-up outside the company’s pubs. The truck has its own menu, served by chefs Adrian Scarlett and Tracy Reid, including the vegetarian mushroom, mac ‘n’ cheese bun with smoked beetroot mayo, and sticky smoked pork ribs. Smokeworks Food Truck will debut at the Eat Cambridge night food market on Saturday, May 21, with an official launch at The Tickell Arms Beer Festival in Whittlesford the following weekend. The truck, which will be available for hire this summer for events such as garden parties, weddings and corporate functions, will also appear at the Big Weekend festival in July. Cambscuisine operates six sites – St John’s Chop House, Smokeworks, The Cock Hemingford Grey, The Tickell Arms, The Cambridge Chop House, and The Crown & Punchbowl. In September last year, the company announced it was seeking a second Smokeworks site in Cambridge.

San Carlo to open fourth UK Cicchetti restaurant, third in London: Manchester restaurant company San Carlo is to open a new London site – the fourth in the UK under its Cicchetti brand. The company revealed its plans at the launch of the Manchester branch’s new summer menu. The as yet undisclosed site will join the Cicchetti restaurants in King Street West, Manchester, and Covent Garden and Piccadilly in London. It has also brought the concept to Doha, Qatar, with two more to follow in Dubai and Bahrain next year. A reinterpretation of the Venetian culinary custom, the Cicchetti concept centres on small plates designed for sharing. Managing director Marcello Distefano told the Manchester Evening News: “Cicchetti is a concept close to our hearts. When we opened it was a dining concept new to the city. It’s thrilling to see how people have embraced it and it is the blueprint for much of our current and future expansion, Cicchetti Doha, for example, which opened this month and is already off to a flying start.” New dishes on the summer menu include carpaccio of beef marinated in red wine with artichoke and beetroot dressing; scallop with pea and mint risotto; and cod sapporo, a Venetian fish dish marinated for 48 hours with red onion, brown sugar and white wine vinegar. San Carlo opened its first restaurant in Birmingham in 1992 and its brands include Fumo and Bottega. 

Oxford-based pizza and beer pub concept opens second site in Bristol: Oxford-based pizza and beer pub concept The White Rabbit has opened its second site, this time in Bristol. The concept, which offers “fresh and authentic Italian pizza and local beer”, has launched on the site of the Richmond Pub & Kitchen in Clifton. Co-owner Robbie Woods told the Bristol Post: “We have been looking for a second venue for about a year-and-a-half. We considered Bath and London, all university towns, and then the Richmond became available and it is just perfect. When we opened in Oxford we had no idea how to run a pub so it was a bit chaotic. But now it is booming, you can’t get a table. It has done so well. Pizza and a pint is what we believe in.” The White Rabbit’s inaugural site is in Friars Gate, Oxford.

SSP opens six new food and beverage outlets at Luxembourg Airport: UK-based transport hub foodservice specialist SSP has opened six new food and beverage outlets at Luxembourg Airport, marking the completion of a major renovation programme. The company is operating shop and premium service restaurant Oberweis, Lux Brewery, Moselier, Petit Moselier, Panopolis and a self-service restaurant called Comptoir du Bon Pays, reports Moodie Report. It also opened the first Starbucks outlet in Luxembourg at the airport in January. The Oberweis restaurant is in the public area of the first floor and offers runway views while the namesake shop is in the departures hall at the east entrance and is also open to the public. It offers breads, Viennese and other pastries and fast food as well as a wide range of chocolates and sweets. The Lux Brewery bar serves snacks and is on level one of the arrivals area while Comptoir du Bon Pays is on the first floor and also offers a viewing point over the runway. The Moselier bar showcases the wine and vineyards of the Moselle Valley, while Panopolis – in the centre of the Schengen departures lounge – offers a variety of breads. The Petit Moselier bar is in the non-Schengen departure lounges where there was previously no offer. SSP France, Benelux general manager Gérard d’Onofrio said: “We have positioned our catering offer under the sign of innovation and quality and are particularly proud to contribute to this renovation project alongside Luxembourg Airport, with the shared objective of excellence and experience commensurate with the expectations of passengers.”

New tapas concept Tapeo opens in Manchester city centre: New tapas concept Tapeo has opened in Manchester city centre. The 120-cover restaurant in Deansgate is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Nacho Perez and Natalia Esquerdo, who also run Spanish food supplier Lola España. Some original features of the grade II-listed building have been retained, while copper piping and dials adorn the main wall upstairs, with more gauges in a copper-panelled private dining room on the ground floor. Head chef Perez’s menu features charcuterie platters, small tapas and larger dishes, with a focus on Valencia. The charcuterie selection includes cured meat, air-dried and marinated fish, and Spanish cheeses, while tapas ranges from padrón peppers to lobster and prawn croquettes and paella Valenciana with chicken and rabbit. Larger plates include arroz meloso de bogavante (risotto with lobster) and paletilla de cordero lechal (slow-roasted Segovian-style milk-fed lamb shoulder). The bar stocks a selection of Spanish wine and cava as well as Estrella Galicia beer. Esquerdo told the Manchester Evening News: “We have some wines that we import ourselves and we’ve gone to small producers who are not necessarily well known outside Spain. We’re trying to bring different things to the market.”

 

Bread Meats Bread to open third site and second in Glasgow: Glasgow-based burger restaurant concept Bread Meats Bread is to open its third site – and second in the city. The brand, which was launched in 2013, is launching its latest venue close to Byres Road in the West End in August, reports the Glasgowist. Bread Meats Bread currently has restaurants in St Vincent Street in Glasgow and Lothian Road in Edinburgh. Earlier this week, it won the best burger in Scotland accolade at the Scottish Entertainment & Hospitality Awards.

 

Belfast restaurateurs set to open second site, plan further expansion: Belfast restaurateurs Marty Murphy and Niall Davis are set to open their second site and are planning further expansion in the city. Murphy and Davis, who opened Howard Street in 2013, are investing £100,000 launching licensed cafe concept The Permit Room. They have taken over the former Remedy restaurant in Fountain Street and aim to create ten to 15 jobs when the new venture opens next month. It is the first new venue planned as part of expansion in the city centre, with the aim to open a third site within the next six to nine months. Davis told the Belfast Telegraph: “We are a bit behind our ambitions as we had intended to establish another venue within our second year of opening Howard Street. But we always aim to do things right and it was important for us to ensure that Howard Street was right before opening anything else. At The Permit Room, we will have a big focus on delicious breakfasts, which is a gap in the Belfast market, with influences from around the world. Our lunch offering again will have global influences, including the south eastern Asian fusion cuisine that has been received so well in Howard Street over the last few years.”

Shelley Sandzer secures new sites for Berber & Q Shawarma Bar and Patty & Bun: Agent Shelley Sandzer, has secured new sites in London for Berber & Q Shawarma Bar and Patty & Bun. Located at 46 Exmouth Market, Berber & Q Shawarma Bar will take an approximately 1,500 sq ft site, whilst Patty & Bun will take an 805 sq ft split level site at 36 Redchurch Street, opening in late June. Founded by head chef Josh Katz and Mattia Bianchi, Berber & Q Shawarma Bar will specialise in shawarma, slow-cooked on a rotating spit over hot coals alongside Middle Eastern cocktails, wine and beer. The new site will be the second opening for Josh and Mattia after the success of their first restaurant, Berber & Q Grill House which sits under a railway arch in Haggerston, East London. Josh and Mattia’s new opening, Berber & Q Shawarma Bar, will be located alongside Cielo Blanco, Macellaio and Pizza Pilgrims with space for 40 covers. The new location for Patty & Bun marks their fifth in total and follows their recent opening at Old Compton Street in March, also secured by Shelley Sandzer. The offer will be all-day until 2am with a license to serve alcohol. Leo Feldman, of Shelley Sandzer, said: “We have built close working relationships with both Berber & Q and Patty & Bun and we are thrilled to assist them as they grow and expand to new locations.”

London chef and cafe owner-operator to launch Legs restaurant in Hackney: Magnus Reid, formerly of The Rooftop Cafe in Southwark and owner-operator of Cream cafe in Shoreditch, will open a new restaurant – Legs – in Hackney on Thursday, 19 May. Legs are the droplets that form on the inside of a glass that an expert can use to calculate a wine’s alcohol or sugar content. The restaurant will open in Morning Lane in Hackney’s fashion district, serving a daily-changing menu focusing on “fresh, nourishing produce in a light, casual space”. Lunch dishes will include smoked aubergine with couscous and dried fruits, suckling pig and chilli jam roll, and roast cod with marinda tomatoes. Supper offerings will include steak tartar with smoked pecans and buttermilk, and smoked haddock with clams. The wine list will focus on small, independent wine producers. In the basement, the team and selected partners will handcraft some offerings such as vermouth for the bar, cured meats and pickles for the kitchen, and even the ceramics that will appear on every table. Reid, originally from Australia, said he was also thinking about expanding the Cream concept. He said: “We’d do something different each time but maybe go for five to eight sites.”

New wood-fired pizza concept Otto to open in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter: A new wood-fired pizza concept – Otto – will open in Caroline Street in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Owner Chris James, who also launched adjacent specialist shop The Eight Foot Grocer 15 months ago, said Otto – Italian for “eight” – would offer a choice of eight pizzas, salads and ice cream. The 30 to 40-cover restaurant is set to open in mid-June. James spent eight years working in London restaurants before deciding to set up on his own in Birmingham. He told the Birmingham Mail: “The dough will be made by our bread supplier, Peel & Stone, for six months and then hopefully we’ll go on to make our own. The aim is to eventually make our own mozzarella and ice cream too. I’ll be using some of my other existing suppliers, such as Wenlock Edge Farm in Shropshire for charcuterie, and beers come from North Union Brewery in Sheffield. The oven is being custom built. We will burn compressed beech sourced from Spain to have more control over the temperature. It’s from a sustainable source and makes use of all of the twigs and branches. I want to sell the best pizzas in Birmingham.” James added he already had his eye on opening a Mexican restaurant. 

 

Stew & Oyster plans floating beer garden: Stew & Oyster, which has three sites in Yorkshire, is seeking permission to open a floating beer garden outside its original riverside site off The Calls in Leeds. Stew & Oyster operates from venues in central Leeds, Oakwood and Boston Spa, serving real ale alongside a selection of the food it is named after. Its first venue, off The Calls, opened in 2009 with the brand subsequently opening in the two well-heeled suburban locations in 2012 and 2014. The business, which is owned by partners from prominent eco-friendly development group Citu, has now submitted plans seeking permission to create an additional external seating at Stew & Oyster Calls Landing. According to plans drawn up by Cal Architects, the floating beer garden would be constructed from three refurbished pontoons and a connected walkway. The 1,075 square foot feature, which would be accessed from the rear balcony of the bar, has been designed with regards to expected water levels and would be closed during any flood event.

Pop-up French concept Bar Buvette opens permanent site in Bristol: Seasonal France-inspired pop-up concept Bar Buvette has opened a permanent wine bar and restaurant in Bristol. Owners Peter Taylor and Max Ososki also run an auberge and restaurant in Auvergne and have recreated their own piece of the region in the former Victorian insurance building in Baldwin Street. Original wooden wall panelling has been painted dark green and plastered with framed vintage French posters and wine memorabilia, the Bristol Post reports. The regularly changing wine list features chemical-free, organic and biodynamic wine imported directly from small producers in France. The venue also offers charcuterie, cheese, bread and olives, including a cheese toastie made from toasted sourdough with French comté, chopped leeks, garlic and Dijon mustard. Bistro-style dishes on the menu include poule au pot with peas, quiche with Saint-Nectaire cheese, and English asparagus with hollandaise sauce.

 

Upham Pub Company hires new head brewer: Upham Pub Company, the growing pub and brewery group set to float, has hired Rob Dupre as head brewer. He has more than 29 years of experience in the brewing trade, having previously worked at Hogs Back Brewery and Itchen Valley Brewery, where he developed beers such as Pure Gold and Hampshire Rose and brewed more than one million pints of beer. Chris Phillips, chief executive of Upham Pub Company, said: “Rob’s appointment will help us to continue to improve the quality and variety of our portfolio of craft beers and ales, using his expertise and the natural resource of the chalk filtered bore hole water supply we are lucky to have here in Hampshire.” Dupre added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to brew the finest quality beer using Upham’s first class equipment to give the brewery the recognition it so richly deserves. I am confident in saying I hope to brew some of the best beers in the country here, through an injection of new ideas and some innovations to the recipes.” 

 

PizzaExpress launches Loughborough site at multimillion-pound cinema development: PizzaExpress has finally opened its site in Loughborough at the new multimillion-pound Baxter Gate cinema development, after initially signing up for the project in 2013. The redevelopment will also include Nando’s, which is due to open its 3,500 square foot venue this month, Asian buffet and bar Mimosa, Casual Dining Group-owned Bella Italia, Brazilian grill-house Preto, cafe bar brand Loungers, Mexican bar and restaurant Loco Mexicana, Starbucks, and an eight-screen, 1,118-seat Cineworld cinema. The development, on the site of a former hospital, is creating about 250 jobs and will inject thousands of pounds into the town’s night-time economy. The PizzaExpress restaurant, on the site of a former auction house, will be open seven days a week. PizzaExpress manager Gareth Jones said: “We love our new restaurant and have a friendly and enthusiastic team who are looking forward to welcoming everyone.”

CPL Online confirmed as registered provider with CPD Standards Office: CPL Online, the provider of e-learning courses and online business system solutions for the licensed retail hospitality sector, has been confirmed as an official registered provider with the global accreditation centre CPD Standards Office. The accreditation relates to three courses within CPL’s newly launched “Next Generation” e-learning series – fire awareness, food safety and health and safety. CPD professionals are now able to use the specific courses to request a “CPD Certificate of Attendance”, which can be recorded within their formal CPD requirements for their professional body, institute or employer. The accreditation marks an important landmark in CPL Online’s history and represents a clear commitment to sustainable development for individuals and organisations – a vital CPD principle. The vast community of CPD Standards Office is expected to present fresh networking opportunities and open new markets for CPL Online, which was formed in 2010. CPL Online managing director David Dasher said: “The CPD accreditation of our ‘Next Generation’ e-learning courses is a marvellous achievement. The accreditation affirms our new products with the utmost credibility, but most importantly, it allows each professional to achieve the skills and knowledge to maintain a sustainable and competitive advantage.” The “Next Generation” e-learning courses have unique features that aim to increase course success rates and deliver significant cost savings for businesses. Primarily engineered and built for mobile usage, they are compatible with any platform and benefit from a range of diverse features, such as language translation support, gamification, and 2D and 3D animation.

 

Revolution launches new Revolución de Cuba cocktail menu: Revolution Bars Group has launched a new cocktail menu at all eight of its Revolución de Cuba sites. The new menu also includes an overhauled wine list, featuring a 500ml carafe option, seasonal specials and an extension of the brand’s American craft bottled, draught beer and cider range. Revolution said “theatrical serves” were at the heart of the menu, including pre-bottled cocktails crafted in-house. Call Me Old Fashioned is a rum twist on a classic – bottled and oak-smoked to order – while One For The Road comes wrapped in a hobo-style brown paper bag. “Flamboyant garnishes” have been added such as pineapple leaves, mint and thyme sprigs, pink grapefruit and even playing cards to add an “element of fun to the cocktail experience”, the company said. A range of gin and tonics has been added as part of a High Society section. Enhancements to the American craft bottled, draught beer and cider range include an exclusive national listing for Goose Island’s 312 Urban Wheat Ale. Revolution Bars Group trading director Myles Doran said: “We’re committed to bringing our customers exciting tastes and innovative serves across our food and drink offering, which we have extensively researched on educational trips around the world.”

Enterprise Inns donates £25,000 to Pub is The Hub: Enterprise Inns has donated £25,000 to Pub is The Hub, the scheme that helps rural pubs branch out into new services for their communities. The donation will support Pub is The Hub’s community services fund, which was set up by in 2013 as a nationally available resource for rural pubs that want to diversify their business. Grants of up to £4,000 as well as advice and hands-on support are available to help pubs provide new local services for communities. There is already a waiting list of 44 projects in the pipeline. Pub is The Hub has worked with some Enterprise Inns licensees, such as Mark Gilliver at the Coach and Horses in Draycott near Derby. There, villagers are working with Gilliver to produce a community garden in four raised beds in the pub’s car park that will be maintained by local groups such as the scouts and brownies. Enterprise Inns chief executive Simon Townsend said: “We are proud to be a founding supporter of Pub is The Hub, which recognises the vitally important role that pubs play in communities across the UK. To date we have donated £140,000 to Pub is The Hub, and we are very pleased to be continuing our support.” Pub is The Hub chief executive John Longden added: “We are enormously grateful to Enterprise Inns for its ongoing support over the past six years.” Pub is The Hub, which was founded in 2001 by HRH the Prince of Wales, encourages local authorities, communities, licensees, pub owners and breweries to work together to support, retain and locate services within rural pubs.

Nottingham Brewery to launch ale for library’s 200th anniversary: Nottingham Brewery will launch a beer to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Bromley House Library – a private subscription lending library in Nottingham city centre. Established in 1816, the library is in a grade II-listed Georgian townhouse off Old Market Square and holds 40,000 books. It is the only independent library in the East Midlands and one of only a few independent subscription libraries left in the UK. Nottingham Brewery’s new ale – Librarian Libation – is a 3.9% ABV traditional session bitter and will be launched in the library’s walled garden on Wednesday, 18 May. Money from each pint sold will go towards the library’s restoration appeal. Nottingham Brewery managing director Philip Darby said: “As a brewery we are very proud of our history, so to be able to link up to another of the city’s historical icons is a tremendous honour. We hope the beer will raise awareness of this fantastic centre of learning so few people seem to know of.” 

 

Muffin Break launches Muffin Shake range: Bakery chain Muffin Break has launched a Muffin Shake range. The drink is made by blending a traditional milkshake, with one of Muffin Break’s freshly baked muffins and topped with lashings of cream. The range includes chocolate chip, apple and cinnamon, and blueberry, and are available as an eat in or takeaway option. Muffin Break marketing manager Gemma Sandells said: “We always deliver fresh and exciting flavour combinations that are on trend and keep our customers enticed with new menu options. The Muffin Shake really reflects this and will further complement our freshly made food range, especially through the summer months.” 

 

BDZ Holdings sells Wiltshire hotel for just above £800,000 guide price: Agent Fleurets has sold the Highworth Hotel in Highworth, Wiltshire, on behalf of BDZ Holdings for just above the £800,000 guide price. BDZ Holdings is a Newbury-based conglomerate with interests in a diverse range of businesses from property to hairdressing. It is selling the hotel due to its intent on expanding its business portfolio into new markets. The Highworth Hotel is a ten-bedroom Georgian town house hotel. Marketed off a guide price of offers in excess of £800,000, the premises were acquired by private purchasers at slightly more than the guide price. Chris Irving, from Fleurets, said: “Both the location and property attracted good levels of interest and we were pleased to secure a sale within a short marketing period.”