‘Staycation’ boom following Brexit expected to be worth extra £1.4bn: The boom in “staycations” following Brexit is expected to be worth an extra £1.4bn to the UK economy, new figures have revealed. While the surge in UK holidays after the 23 June vote had been predicted, the findings by the industry’s leading bodies show a huge rise both in visitors from abroad and in Britons opting for a “staycation”. The extra takings in 2016 for “staycations” alone are set to be £2.4bn, according to the Tourism Alliance, whose members include the British Hospitality Association, ABTA and regional tourist boards. While £1bn of that was spent before 23 June, the total additional “staycation” income for 2016 is expected to be £1.4bn. An extra £725m has been spent so far across Britain’s popular tourist destinations with more set to follow – thanks to the growth in foreign visitors. The falling pound since the Brexit vote has made holidays more expensive for Britons going abroad and cheaper for foreign tourists coming to the UK – giving Britain’s tourism a double boost. And the extraordinary growth in holidays in Britain means the industry is set for a record-breaking year, topping the high set in 2015 of nearly £1.3bn. Other factors adding to the boom are recent fine weather, low interest rates and fears of terrorism overseas. The Tourism Alliance estimated spending by Britons on UK holidays has been up by 17% on 2015 so far this year. Alliance director Kurt Janson told the Mail on Sunday the additional £2.4bn had the potential to create about 40,000 new jobs in tourism and hospitality. Resorts in the key “staycation” markets such as Brighton were really benefiting from the upward lift while businesses in Blackpool said the town was on course for one of its best seasons ever. Visit Cornwall said tourism across the county was up more than 4%.

Government to water down alcohol warning: Adults will be told it is fine to drink in moderation in new guidelines on alcohol intake unveiled by the government – in a slapdown of Britain’s top doctor. The rules, to be announced soon, will set the recommended weekly limit for both men and women at 14 units, a reduction of seven for men, and explain every drink comes with a small health risk. However, in a move away from “nanny state” pronouncements, health secretary Jeremy Hunt will make clear the risks are no higher than other every day activities such as driving a car and people should feel free to enjoy a drink. Ministers are angry that when draft guidelines were published at the start of the year, chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies said every time she reaches for a glass of wine she thinks about the raised risks of breast cancer. Under the plans, women will also be told not to drink at all when they are pregnant or trying to conceive – clarifying previous advice. Papers seen by the drinks industry show ministers have accepted there is no totally safe limit but they “will give context about not preventing people enjoying a drink”. A government source told The Sunday Times: “We think the new guidelines are based on good science. But we had always wanted to present the idea of drinking alcohol at relatively sensible levels as about people’s tolerance of risk. Up to the limits we’re advising, the level of risk is probably something people would accept.” The tough guidelines will anger drinks companies who wanted the “no safe level” edict axed. They complain the government promotes their products abroad while calling them a health risk at home.

Uber to launch UK food delivery service outside of London for first time: Uber is planning to launch its food delivery service in the UK outside of London for the first time, expanding its share of the rapidly growing market as it tackles Deliveroo, Just Eat and Amazon. The company is planning to build on the UberEats service it launched in the capital two months ago, by starting to deliver restaurant meals outside Zone 1, as well as into Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds in the coming months. The company’s job listings show vacancies for UberEats manager roles in the three cities, as well as London-based “expansion” positions. Uber is already aiming to spread the food delivery service across Europe. UberEats runs a network of bicycle and moped couriers, who deliver meals from restaurants and charge them a per-order fee. The service is a direct challenger to Deliveroo, the British startup that has raised almost $500m (£382m) and expanded into dozens of UK towns and cities. Amazon is also believed to be planning a similar competitor. UberEats was launched in London and Paris in June ands operates in 18 cities worldwide. “We’re very encouraged by the growth we’ve seen in both London and Paris, and are investing heavily to bring UberEats to new cities across Europe,” Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, head of operations in Europe, told the Sunday Telegraph. The company is currently embroiled in a row with Transport for London over plans to introduce written English language tests for drivers. Last week, Uber said it would seek a judicial review into the proposals.

US restaurants turning to chicken to boost traffic and profits: The top 250 restaurant chains in the US added some 325 new chicken items during the 12 months ended 30 June, according to research from insights firm Technomic. For comparison, only 73 new beef items were added in the same period. Analysts said the trend reflected consumer cravings for healthier, high-protein meat, not to mention a decade of high beef prices, which made chicken more appetising for a company’s bottom line. The new products are also aimed at bolstering sluggish sales, with chains looking to innovative, new products to create buzz and drive traffic into restaurants. New products can also help chains grab new customers, said Ken Harris, managing partner at Cadent Consulting Group. “[Brands] want to delight consumers in a way they haven’t expected,” he told CNBC. Even chains known for their chicken can mix it up a bit. KFC has been testing Georgia Gold Chicken in Pittsburgh and Mobile, Alabama. The honey mustard barbecue flavored chicken is available until 4 September at five different locations. At Wendy’s, the focus is on updating its grilled chicken sandwich with a new version that is antibiotic-free and placed between a bun made from nine grains and seeds. The sandwich is available in four cities – Austin; Gainesville, Florida; Kansas City, and Orlando, Florida. Quick-service restaurants associated with chicken, in general, have outpaced their competitors in the pizza, burger and Mexican food categories, according to research from YouGov BrandIndex. The company, which measures consumer perceptions of brands, asked fast food eaters aged over 18 what products they’ve heard about and if they would buy them. Overwhelmingly, restaurants focused on chicken received higher ratings.

ALMR – Pubs Code adjudicator consultation a chance to boost clarity: The Association of Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has said the Pubs Code adjudicator’s consultation on investigation and enforcement guidelines is a chance to boost clarity. ALMR chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The adjudicator’s new consultation will help give us a greater sense of clarity and should ensure all parties are aware of, and can feed into, the criteria regarding investigations and enforcements. The consultation is specifically looking at the process of investigating and taking action where there has been a breach of the code, so this will not affect any ongoing or impending negotiations. We are pleased to see the consultation is fairly brief, which should minimise disruptions as pubcos and licensees adapt to the new regime. The important thing is to minimise disruption to ensure investment and growth is not undermined.”

 

Entrepreneur launches fast food delivery service for ‘hung-over’ Glaswegians: Glasgow-based entrepreneur John Riach has launched takeaway service One Delivery West End, delivering meals from fast food restaurants in the city. The service is open for select postcodes daily, from 11am to 10.30pm, with standard delivery priced at £4.50 and an online menu service available. Customers can track their order and driver using a text message system. Riach told the Evening Times: “I don’t know how many times I’ve woken up with a hangover and craving my favourite fast food. The concept behind our service is delivering piping hot food to those in need. We drive to the restaurant and wait in queues for our customers. Current order times are averaging about 40 minutes. All our drivers use heated bags to keep deliveries fresh and hot. So many people crave these foods when feeling worse for wear in the morning. I hope Glaswegians will use our service and think twice before driving with a hangover.” Riach said the service had received a great response since its launch and he is looking to expand it across other postcodes in the city.

 

Colliers – hospitality sector in south west remains buoyant post-Brexit: The hospitality industry remains buoyant in the south west and shows few signs of anxiety following Brexit, according to agent Colliers International. Colliers hotels directors Simon Wells and Peter Brunt said they had agreed seven sales totalling £8m since the referendum result in June, with “offers and viewings continuing to come in fast and furious”, while they also predicted the market would remain robust. Wells, who recently sold the Aquae Sulis Hotel in Bath, said: “These post-Brexit deals point to a vibrant and resilient hospitality market in the south west and show it is regarded by domestic and international buyers as an attractive destination for investment following the referendum vote.” Brunt, who specialises in the Cotswolds and Wales, added: “Never in my 20 years in the market can I recall such a busy start to August, which is often a quiet month as our clients get down to the serious business of servicing their busiest time of year, while buyers go off on their summer holidays. The flow of new instructions has continued, neither speeding nor slowing, with offers and viewings continuing to come in fast and furious. I see no sign of any choppy waters for the region’s hotel market. In fact, if anything we may even see more activity as overseas visitors and investors are attracted to the region by favourable exchange rates. In addition, UK tourists may choose to stay at home, worried about the escalating costs of overseas travel, which could further boost domestic trade.”

 

Deadline approaches for CAMRA National Pub Design Awards 2016: The deadline is approaching for entries to this year’s Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) National Pub Design Awards, in association with Historic England. The awards recognise high standards of pub refurbishment and conservation as well as new-build designs, with entries closing on Wednesday, 31 August. The competition is open to all UK pubs and buildings can be nominated by owners, landlords, CAMRA members or customers. It features five categories – new-build, refurbishment, conversion to pub use, CAMRA/Historic England award, and the Joe Goodwin Award for refurbished street-corner locals. Work on entries must have been completed between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015. Last year’s winners included a former derelict gin palace – The Dun Cow in Sunderland – and the Bevy estate pub in Brighton, which was rebuilt thanks to local residents. To enter, visit www.camra.org.uk/pub-design-awards-online-entry

 

Cambscuisine acquires Casual Dining Group site in Cambridge for seventh venue: Pub and restaurant operator Cambscuisine, led by Oliver Thain and Max Freeman, is to open a new brasserie concept in Cambridge after acquiring a site from Casual Dining Group. Cambscuisine secured the grade II-listed building, which was formerly operated as a Bella Italia restaurant, through agent Everard Cole. Cambscuisine said: “We’re delighted to announce the next Cambscuisine restaurant, MillWorks, opening in October at the old watermill on the Mill Pond in Cambridge (formerly Bella Italia and before that Sweeney Todd’s). We will be re-energising this historic Cambridge mill into an eclectic modern brasserie. Think vibrant, punchy flavours with elements of smoke from our charcoal oven ‘Mortimer’. The building (has) so much history and so much potential.” Cambscuisine has six other sites, including Smokeworks, The Cambridge Chop House and The Crown & Punchbowl. Agents AG&G acted for Casual Dining Group. 

Small Batch Coffee to open first site outside Brighton and Hove, in Worthing: Brighton and Hove coffee chain Small Batch, which is majority owned by sector investor Luke Johnson, is to open its first site outside the city, in Worthing. The company, which was launched ten years ago and has eight shops in Brighton and Hove, is opening the outlet in Portland Road in October. The 1,775 square foot venue will have seating inside for 100 people and an external dining area for about 20 customers. Open from 7am to 7pm, it will offer an array of artisan coffees, from its signature freshly roasted Goldstone Espresso, through to new single origins coffees sourced from Guatemala, El Salvador and Ethiopia. There will also be a range of bespoke freshly made food such as filled sourdough breads, home-made cakes, sweet and savoury pastries, locally sourced ices, yoghurts and freshly squeezed juices. Other dishes being introduced by head of food Ben Goldsmith include gluten-free basil and walnut pesto, seasonal salad pots, and lemon meringue pie. The store will have a different look and feel with a syphon filter brew bar, a world map mural showing the core coffee continents and a vibrant colour scheme contrasted with stark white walls and an industrial interior. Small Batch chief executive Nigel Lambe said: “We’re really delighted to be opening in Worthing. It’s a great new Sussex destination for us and we have wanted to branch outside of Brighton for a while. Worthing represents a significant investment for us, which will create more than ten jobs for local people and also allow us to bring our freshly roasted coffees and freshly made foods to a brand new seaside location.”

Itsu rethinks plans for Nottingham site: Itsu, the healthy Asian food chain created by Pret A Manger co-founder Julian Metcalfe, is set to rethink its plans for a Nottingham launch. The company had submitted plans to the city council to open an outlet in Clumber Street on the former site of the USC fashion store. However, Itsu has withdrawn the application and confirmed it is looking elsewhere in the city. A spokesperson told The Business Desk: “While we are not pursuing that particular property, we are still excited at the prospect of opening in Nottingham and are currently looking at further properties in the city. Once a site has been secured, we’ll be able to update on opening plans.” The company, which has 68 sites, mostly in London, secured £40m of funding from HSBC last October to drive ambitious expansion plans.

 

KFC using digital screen network for staff training and internal communications: KFC is using its newly installed digital screen network in its UK and Ireland restaurants for staff training and internal communications. Primarily used as digital menus during trading hours, the screens have been doubling up as virtual meeting spaces known as KFC’s “Meeting on the Box”. The company’s head office can use the network to ensure its company-wide messages – such as changes to menus or general organisation updates – are communicated accurately and consistently across the franchise. KFC and its technology partner behind the screen installation, Pioneer Group, said the concept had reduced the need for booking external meeting spaces or investing in other equipment. It is viewed as an efficient platform for communication and is used before the restaurants open in the mornings. Brad Scheiner, head of IT at KFC UK and Ireland, told Essential Retail: “With digital we can be very consistent with our messages. The displays are used to communicate new marketing windows, new products and upcoming menu developments. Additionally, instructional videos are sent directly to restaurants by our operations team and played through the central screen of the five-display set-up before the restaurant opens in the morning, something which would have been unfeasible before the system’s introduction.” The digital menus were installed in KFC’s 850 UK and Ireland restaurants as part of a digital transformation project undertaken with Pioneer in 2015.

Clockjack founders raise £1m to launch rotisserie chicken delivery business: Private equity veteran Fraser Duncan has raised £1m to launch a rotisserie chicken delivery business to tap into the UK’s growing takeaway market. Duncan, a former managing director at Terra Firma who sits on the board of Odeon, has now set up a kitchen “delivery hub” in the City, using the funding from 30 angel investors as the base for his business. He has teamed up with former Center Parcs Europe chief operating officer Jerry Goldberg to start the business, inspired by two rotisserie chicken restaurants the pair already run. Clockjack’s kitchen has been trialling a roasted chicken menu for two months, sending out nearly 300 birds a week mostly to corporate clients, but is set to launch later this month with a new website and on Deliveroo, the London-based delivery app. With the capacity to cook nearly 50 birds an hour on a rotisserie grill, Duncan said Clockjack is set to hit sales of £50,000 a week, “well above average for any restaurant in the area”. He told The Sunday Telegraph: “We’ve now discovered that a delivery site halves the costs of running a restaurant and needs virtually no capital-spend.” The pair, who retain a 40% stake in the business between them, are being aided in the venture by restaurateur David Moore, who owns two Michelin-star eateries, who has helped devise the menu. Duncan added: “We get food out the door in five minutes after an order which isn’t possible in a restaurant. It’s not going to replace dining out but the odd occasion when you can’t be bothered to cook but still want a healthy meal.” Takeaways are now worth £9bn to the UK economy, according to analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, which said the market has grown 4.6% annually since 2009.

Burning Night Group starts expansion of Potting Shed concept with second Yorkshire site: Burning Night Group has opened its second Potting Shed bar and restaurant following an £800,000 refurbishment of a former Hodgsons pub in Beverley, East Yorkshire. London-based investment management firm Downing invested £3m in January via its Pub EIS Fund to facilitate the roll-out of the “Potting Shed Bar and Gardens” concept, which was developed by Burning Night Group at a pub in Bingley, near Leeds, last year. Work included adding an enclosed roof terrace and a new bar dining area, as well as five brightly coloured sheds on the patio that double up as family seating areas. The Potting Shed brand features homemade food with a focus on pizzas and burgers served alongside cocktails, artisan spirits and an on-trend selection of beers. Operations director Nick Merrick told the Hull Daily Mail: “We’re not about turnover and profit, we want this place to be about personality and heart.” Burning Night Group operates bars and bierkellers in cities including Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff. Merrick said the company was looking to expand the concept further across Yorkshire during the next 12 months.

 

Castle Rock Brewery opens 22nd pub: Castle Rock Brewery, the Nottingham-based brewer and pub company, has opened its 22nd site, in Kimberley. The company has relaunched the Cricketer’s Rest, which it acquired from Greene King last month for an undisclosed sum. The pub in Chapel Street has undergone refurbishment and serves a range of Castle Rock ales and other beers along with food. Castle Rock chairman Geoff Newton told the Nottingham Post: “This place fits with us – we’re not loud, high street or city centre. We’re very much community driven and The Cricketer’s Rest fits in with this perfectly. Kimberley is a big strong community too.” At the time of the acquisition, Newton said the company was looking to acquire further sites in the East Midlands.

 

M&B opens second Miller & Carter site in Surrey: Mitchells & Butlers has opened its second Miller & Carter steakhouse in Surrey after converting a Harvester site in Bagshot. General manager Martyn Jackson said the site in London Road had already proved popular with passing trade during the regeneration process, causing a “huge amount of excitement”. He told Get Surrey: “We’ve got bookings all the way through to November already. People are really excited and the phones haven’t stopped ringing. People have already been trying to get in for steaks at midday to 11pm so there’s a huge vibe about it.” Miller & Carter has more than 40 sites in the UK, including its other Surrey restaurant in Ottershaw.

 

Beds and Bars attains Investors in People platinum status: Pan-European hostel and bar company Beds and Bars has become one of only seven companies in the UK to achieve the new Platinum Standard set out by the latest Investors in People (IIP) framework. Beds and Bars (then Interpub) first attained IIP status in 1998, when chief executive Keith Knowles’ late wife Franca started the initiative within the company. Beds and Bars managing director Murray Roberts said: “I am delighted with the recognition from IIP. We know we put our people first and invest in training and development, but it’s always useful to have that validated by an external company.” HR and training manager Mark Vaughan added: “It’s great the company is being recognised for all the hard work every employee puts in to ensuring a constant improvement in team and performance. It’s important to us that the foundation Franca laid down is being maintained and improved, so this seems a fitting tribute to a greatly missed and crucial member of our senior team.”

 

Michelin-starred chef plans West Midlands restaurant chain after overhauling Birmingham venue: Birmingham chef Richard Turner has ambitious plans to launch a chain of restaurants in the region after overhauling his Michelin-starred venue. Turner will open the doors of Turners at 69 this week following a refurbishment programme and devising a new menu aimed at a wider audience. He opened his eponymous restaurant in Harborne, which has had a Michelin star for the past seven years, in 2007. He told The Business Desk: “With the old restaurant, it became very personal and everything is based around me and my cooking. But with the changes and what we’re doing now, it can be translated into other places and other people will be able to do it. We’re going to change the menu and give customers more power in what they want. It will be considerably cheaper and, although the quality of the cooking and food will stay the same, it will just be a lot simpler. If this new idea works in Harborne, I will want to open restaurants in Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Solihull and bring the restaurant to other places too. I have no plans to make it go nationwide. I quite like living and working in Birmingham and I don’t know if I would want to do anything out of the area when there are so many opportunities around here.”

 

The Stable opens Bournemouth site after six-year wait: The Stable, 76% owned by Fuller’s, has finally opened a restaurant in Bournemouth six years after it started searching for a suitable site in the Dorset town. In 2009, Richard and Nikki Cooper opened their first site for The Stable in Bridport, and hoped to start expansion with a second site in Bournemouth. Their new restaurant has now opened in the town’s former tourist information centre in Westover Road, transforming it into one of the largest Stable restaurants so far and the company’s 16th UK site. Nikki Cooper told the Daily Echo: “When we first started The Stable six years ago we had an ambition to open our second restaurant in Bournemouth – but couldn’t find a site. Finally we have realised this and are delighted to open our ‘cathedral to cider’ in such a prominent building.” The drinks menu will feature more than 80 ciders alongside a full wine list, craft beer, pressed apple juice and coffee. The other Stable venues are in Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Cardiff, Falmouth, Fistral, Kew Bridge, Northampton, Whitechapel, Winchester, Weymouth, Plymouth, Southampton and Poole. The next site due to open is in Exeter.

Domino’s Pizza signs music services agreement with Virtual Jukebox: Domino’s Pizza has signed an agreement with leading interactive music service Virtual Jukebox to supply music services across key franchises. Having never incorporated music in its outlets before, the deal will enable Domino’s franchisees to engage with more customers through one of the most comprehensive music libraries in the world. The partnership comes after extensive testing and evaluation of the cloud-based service throughout a number of Domino’s venues. Domino’s said it hopes the relationship will complement its plans of daily expansion by using the music service to improve staff morale, enhance customer waiting experience and boost brand perception. Franchisee Mike Racz said: “Following our trial period with Virtual Jukebox, we saw an immediate improvement in morale amongst our staff, not just at my franchise but across stores nationwide. Not only is the service simple to use and manage, saving staff valuable time, the extensive music selection offers customers a more enjoyable waiting experience, something we feel will help improve our brand perception and set us apart from our competitors.” Virtual Jukebox director Chris Turner added: “Conducting a trial with Domino’s and its franchises demonstrated the considerable number of commercial benefits of playing music within its takeaway venues and has shown ways in which the company can improve engagement with its customers. We are delighted to be able to support Domino’s with its plans of future expansion and to achieve continued success.” The deal with Domino’s follows on from Virtual Jukebox’s recent agreement with brewer and retailer Greene King. 

The Restaurant Group expected to slash dividend: The Restaurant Group is expected to slash its dividend this week, capping a miserable years for investors. The company has issued a series of profit warnings since the start of the year and replaced its chairman, chief executive and finance director. Its shares have plunged nearly 40% in the past 12 months to close on Friday (19 August) at 426p. Now analysts expect the company to cut its payout to shareholders when it reports first half results on Friday (26 August). Cenkos leisure analyst Simon French has forecast a 12% cut from the 17.4p a share returned to investors last year. The company has suffered from intense competition in the mid-market dining sector. In particular, The Restaurant Group’s main brands have been hit by a decline in shoppers to out-of-town retail parks, where many of its outlets are based. In April, then chief executive Danny Breithaupt announced a strategic review and warned there had been no improvement in sales. He was ousted this month and will be replaced next month by Andy McCue, the former boss of bookmaker Paddy Power. Breithaupt’s departure followed that of finance director Stephen Critoph and chairman Alan Jackson. They were replaced respectively by former Monarch finance chief Barry Nightingale and Debbie Hewitt, who chairs Moss Bros and White Stuff. At its annual meeting in May, 27% of shareholders rejected the company’s remuneration report. The biggest problem for the company has been Frankie & Benny’s. The 260-strong family focused chain was a runaway success in the 2000s but has been overtaken by brands including Nando’s and Wagamama. The share price has rallied since McCue’s appointment was announced but the company, which expects to generate a pre-tax profit of between £74m and £80mthis year, is still seen as a prime target for a takeover.

Five Guys given go-ahead to open Norwich site: Better burger brand Five Guys has been given the go-ahead to open a restaurant in Norwich city centre after it dropped plans to site tables and chairs outside. Norwich City Council has given permission for Five Guys to start conversion of the former Pizza Hut site into a 120-cover restaurant, spread over two floors in the Orford Place building, ready for an opening on Monday, 17 October. The city council’s transport officer Kieran Yates and civic watchdog The Norwich Society had objected to the plans, citing “unacceptable congestion” caused by the proposed street furniture. Founded in Arlington, Virginia, in 1986 by the Murrell family, and named after the five brothers who worked together to make the chain an international success, Five Guys has 46 restaurants in the UK, having opened its first in Covent Garden in 2013.

Buffet brand Tang’s secures third site, in Bracknell: Slough-based world buffet brand Tangs has secured its third site, this time in Bracknell, Berkshire. The company is launching the venue in The Lexicon, the new shopping centre due to open in the town next spring. Tang’s, which is also opening restaurants in Slough and Southend, has agreed a deal on an 8,350 square foot unit in the shopping centre’s Eagle Lane food quarter. It was revealed by the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership as one of four brands that will take up space at the complex. The other companies to secure sites are Australian stationary brand Smiggle, local family jeweller Beaverbrooks, and international sports shop Foot Locker. Simon Russian, development manager for Legal & General, on behalf of the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, told Get Reading: “The growing list of retailers choosing to open new stores at The Lexicon is big testament to the attractive and vibrant new town centre that is currently being built.”

Swindon entrepreneur launches £1m restaurant and nightclub: Entrepreneur Alan Mok has combined his two Swindon restaurants into one site to create the £1m Rendezvous restaurant and Tree nightclub, creating 70 jobs. The new venue in Hooper’s Place, Old Town, is a 250-cover restaurant offering oriental cuisine, which turns into an 800-capacity nightclub featuring VIP booths, event hostesses, aerial acts, and cocktail classes. Mok told the Swindon Advertiser: “We have invested a lot of money – we want Old Town to be booming. I want to create somewhere for everyone to have a good time at a reasonable price and the best food, service, lighting and sound. I also wanted somewhere really different. I think Swindon deserves it.”

New pizza restaurant concept opens in Scunthorpe, owners aim to build 30-strong UK estate: A new pizza restaurant concept has opened in Scunthorpe with its owners aiming to build a 30-strong UK chain. Italian brothers Adrian and Johnny Smarnda have launched Trenta Pizza in Home Street, which uses authentic ingredients from Naples. As well as a 30-cover restaurant, there is also a takeaway service. Adrian Smarnda told the Scunthorpe Telegraph: “Trenta is the Italian word for 30. That’s the number of sites we eventually hope to operate in the UK. Our pizzas are probably dearer than our rivals but that’s because we import the ingredients from Italy to ensure our customers eat the genuine article.” Trenta is open from Sunday to Wednesday between 2pm and 11pm and from Thursday to Saturday between 11am and 11pm.

American retro diner concept Moloko launches in Liverpool: American retro diner concept Moloko has launched in Liverpool, with a nod to cult movie A Clockwork Orange. Peter Kane, who heads the creative team behind the concept and who also designed the Blind Tiger bar in Seel Street, told the Liverpool Echo: “It’s a pop art American retro diner that transforms into a crucial new bar concept. The name comes straight from A Clockwork Orange and its Moloko Plus milk cocktails.” The menu includes American salt beef hash with hollandaise sauce and cola barbecue glaze, and deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Shakes include the “Pint of Filth” – an Oreo and caramel shake with a shot of honey bourbon or banana liqueur. All signature shakes are offered as a soft shake or a “go hard” option, where customers can have alcohol added. There will also be a retro frozen cocktail menu, including a classic Miami Vice, and a signature Moloko S’Moretini.

 

Father and son restaurant directors disqualified for trading insolvently: Father and son Robert and Brett Newmark have been disqualified from acting as company directors for five years and three-and-a-half years respectively, for causing and allowing a company to trade while insolvent. The Newmarks were directors of Rosslyn Hill (trading name Beach Blanket Babylon), operating restaurants and bars trading out of premises in Ledbury Road, west London, and Bethnal Green Road in east London. Although Companies House records showed Robert Newmark had officially resigned from being a company director on 7 February 2013, he continued to act in the capacity of a director of Rosslyn Hill. The records also revealed Robert Newmark was subject to a four-year disqualification from 21 April 2015 and, as such, was not allowed to be a director. Robert Newmark advised HMRC in November 2013 that Rosslyn Hill did not have the funds to pay its outstanding tax liabilities. However the company continued to trade and at liquidation in June 2014, its deficiency was £1,186,532, of which HMRC was owed £1,021,477 in relation to arrears of VAT, PAYE and National Insurance Contributions. These outstanding taxes date to November 2013 and continued to increase until liquidation. Company records show that from November 2013, Robert Newmark received payments of at least £267,463.

 

Family-owned firm Gretna Green adds third hotel to portfolio: Family-owned tourism and hospitality firm Gretna Green has added a third hotel to its portfolio in the Scottish border town after acquiring 97-bedroom Gretna Hall, one of the region’s largest hotels, for an undisclosed sum. Gretna Hall was owned by a London-based property firm since 2006 and employs 55 staff. The company launched its first hotel in the Scottish town – Smiths – in 2006 and, eight years later, rescued the former Garden House Hotel from administration, spending £1m to transform it into Greens at Gretna. Managing director Alasdair Houston told the News & Star: “The team working at Gretna Hall has done a great job but for many years there has been no clear leadership and vision for the future. The business has not been getting the love, care and attention it deserves. We hope to put that right and offer opportunities for existing and new members of staff to develop and join us on our journey as the business grows.” Gretna Green also owns and operates the Famous Blacksmith’s Shop in Gretna Green, Scotland’s most-visited privately-owned attraction. The company employs 300 staff.

 

Black Sheep Brewery ales receive international honours: Yorkshire-based Black Sheep Brewery has seen four of its ales scoop awards at the International Beer Challenge 2016. Riggwelter, a 5.9% ABV ruby ale, was awarded a gold medal while Black Sheep Ale, Golden Sheep Ale and Monty Python’s Holy Grail all claimed bronzes. In addition, Riggwelter was the UK winner in the English Brown Ale category at the World Beer Awards and has advanced to the global stage, where it will compete against the other national winners. It completes a hat-trick for Riggwelter after it was shortlisted in the final of the strong bitter category at the Great British Beer Festival. Black Sheep Brewery sales and marketing director Jo Theakston said: “We are extremely proud to have been recognised for our quality at a number of our industry’s top awards. It is testament to the hard work and dedication of our brewing team, who have continually produced award-winning beers over the years. Riggwelter has developed into our flagship strong ale and it is fantastic that it has been recognised in several awards, as well as some of our other popular beers, which is fully deserved.”

 

Bath-based hotel operator acquires third site in city: Bath-based hotel operator Bath Boutique has acquired its third site in the city. The company, owned by Michael and Sarah Jones, has bought the ten-bedroom One Three Nine Bath Hotel, with support from Royal Bank of Scotland. It is Bath Boutique’s third acquisition in five years as it aims to develop a small group of boutique guest houses and hotels in the city. Michael Jones told Insider Media: “Bath is a city that is highly competitive for our industry but we do feel we have tapped into the right market for UK and overseas visitors looking for something a little bit special. Across all three properties, we are seeing an uplift in customer bookings this year as we embark on the busy summer season ahead; we are pretty much fully booked until the end of October and, beyond that, bookings are looking very healthy so we couldn’t be more pleased.” The company bought Brindleys Boutique B&B in 2011, followed by Grays in 2013. The portfolio currently features a combined 28 bedrooms, with 25 staff employed across the three properties.

 

Full speaker schedule for Bar and Nightclub Conference revealed: The full speaker schedule for this year’s Bar and Nightclub Conference, organised by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) and Propel, has been revealed. It takes place on Tuesday, 11 October at Bafta, Piccadilly, and follows the successful launch of the event last year. ALMR chief executive Kate Nicholls will provide an update on political and regulatory developments. Phil Tate, chief executive of CGA Strategy, which has retailer specialist CGA Peach as a division, reveals details of new research of usage, areas of growth, food and drink trends and evolution within the UK bar and nightclub market. Toby Smith, chief executive of bar, nightclub and restaurant operator Novus Leisure, will talk about how the company is meeting the needs of customers in London’s evolving bar and nightclub scene, including offer evolution and social media developments. Luke Johnson, sector investor and executive chairman of Brighton Pier Company and investor in Grand Union Group, will speak about his career in the late-night sector starting at Oxford University, set out his reasons for investing in the sector, evolving the offer at the company, and his perspective on the future for the bar and nightclub sector. Serial sector entrepreneur Roy Ellis will talk about the launch of the ground-breaking Albert’s Schloss concept in Manchester a year ago, its USPs, versatility, first-year performance and roll-out potential – and set out the scope of the involvement of his Mission Mars business in Manchester’s late-night scene. Jimmy Bernstein will talk about his 14-strong US bar and live music concept Howl at the Moon. Bernstein was the keynote speaker at this year’s Bar and Nightclub Convention in Las Vegas. Howl at the Moon has sites in key US cities, including Chicago, New York and Orlando, Florida – the company has also licensed the concept to Norwegian Cruise Line, which operates it on four ships. John Leslie, chief executive of Intertain, will talk about evolving the Walkabout brand and opening new sites, working with new comedy partner Comedy Loft, the regulatory regime, its new Birmingham concept 6 on Broad Street and the company’s relationship with backer Better Capital. Leading licensing barrister Philip Kolvin QC will provide a personal perspective on the key legal issues and developments facing bar and nightclub operators in the current climate. There will also be a panel hosted by Nicholls with Alan Miller, chairman of the Night Time Industries Association, Mick McDonnell, national co-ordinator of Best Bar None, Paddy Whur, of Woods Whur, Peter Marks, chief executive of Deltic Group, and Richard Stringer, chief executive of Kornicis, about the challenges, opportunities and threats to the bar and nightclub sector. Tickets are priced at £95 for operators who are ALMR members and £145 for non-ALMR members. Supplier tickets are £145 for ALMR supplier members and £195 for suppliers who are not ALMR members. Tickets can be booked by emailing Jo Charity at jo.charity@propelinfo.com