Pret A Manger to make motorway service station debut: Pret A Manger is to open its first motorway service shop, as part of a trial partnership with Welcome Break. The shop is scheduled to open at the end of summer at the South Mimms Services on Junction 23 of the M25. The menu will include a large selection of Pret’s freshly-made sandwiches, salads, wraps, baguettes and hot options, alongside organic teas and coffees, cold drinks, fruit and snacks. Pret A Manger chief executive Clive Schlee said: “This is a new area for the Pret business, and one we’re looking forward to exploring. We’ll obviously have our own kitchen on the premises, allowing us to serve motorway customers with fresh, natural food, handmade throughout the day. I’m sure this natural food, and our organic coffee, will be well-received by motorway customers.” Rod McKie, chief executive of Welcome Break, said: “Welcome Break is very excited about the prospect of working with Pret on the UK motorways and indeed, putting the much loved Pret brand on the header boards for the first time. I am confident that this trial will be successful and lead to a long-term partnership with Pret A Manger, and bring this amazing brand alongside our world-class portfolio of brands to offer even greater choice to the travelling UK public.” The first shop will be a 12-month trial with Welcome Break, and if successful will lead to other Pret shops opening in Welcome Break service stations. Schlee added: “We will watch the results of the South Mimms shop with interest, and look forward to seeing how customers respond to Pret in this new environment.”

Moleface Pub Co owner starts expanding fish and chip restaurant concept with second site: Moleface Pub Co owner Jon Molnar has started expanding his fish and chip restaurant concept The Cod’s Scallops with a second site in Nottingham. Molnar, who launched the concept in the suburb of Wollaton in 2011, has opened the new venue in the Carrington area of the city, creating 15 jobs. The Cod’s Scallops has taken over the ground floor of the former Raspberry Interiors furniture shop in Mansfield Road. As well as seating for 48 diners, the site also features a takeaway and fresh fish counter. Molnar told the Nottingham Post: “We are so excited to be expanding our brand and bringing another Cod’s Scallops to Nottingham. The reason for opening was the high customer demand in that area. We have a lot of customers who travel from the other side of the city for our fish and chips so we are hoping this new site will cater to those people and make it more accessible to others who have heard about our food but have not yet tried it.” Molnar founded Moleface Pub Co in 2007, which has four sites in Nottinghamshire.