Propel Newsletter Archive Page

UK brands invited to enter inaugural Global Restaurant Leadership Distinction Awards: UK restaurant brands are being invited to enter the Global Restaurant Leadership Distinction Awards, which are being debuted this year by Technomic. The awards form part of the Global Restaurant Leadership Conference (GRLC), which takes place at the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 10-12 October. Propel is the UK media partner for the event following the creation of an exclusive strategic partnership with Technomic. GRLC is the first event of its kind bringing the most progressive operators, US franchisors, international franchisees and the industry’s top suppliers together for three days of networking and education. As both a speaker at and a sponsor of GRLC, Technomic, which was recently acquired by Winsight and is the “go-to” source for food and foodservice industry insights, has created the Global Restaurant Leadership Distinction Awards to recognise restaurant brands that excel in the global market place through four categories – innovation, community service, brand licensing and expansion. Technomic president Darren Tristano said: “Increasingly, restaurant brands are looking beyond their borders for growth in the global market place. Operators must stay focused on innovating their offerings, supporting the industry and continuing to grow profitably.” Each nomination will be reviewed by a panel of industry experts and restaurateurs led by Tristano. The winners will be announced on stage during GRLC’s opening general session. To nominate a brand/restaurant, visit http://globalrlc.com/Awards/

Industry News:

Host of companies sign up for Professor Chris Muller’s Multi-Site Management Masterclass: A host of companies and brands have signed up for next month’s Multi-Site Management Masterclass led by Professor Chris Muller. They include Benito’s Hat, McMullens, Bone Daddies, Young’s, Le Bistrot Pierre, Castle Rock, Grand Union, Soho Farmhouse, Jamie Oliver’s, PizzaExpress, Rarebreed Dining, Wright Brothers, Five Guys, Drake & Morgan, Bar Lorca, Anglian Country Inns, Bar Soba, Randall & Aubin, FrogPubs, Bru Brewery, Belgo and Cafe Rouge. The event takes place on Friday, 30 September at One Moorgate Place in London. Leading UK businesses such as Mitchells & Butlers and TGI Friday’s have sent staff to be taught by Professor Muller at Boston University’s School of Hospitality – now Professor Muller is returning to the UK to lead this bespoke day. His interactive seminar will include contributions from Sticks ‘n’ Sushi UK managing director Andreas Karlsson and Eric Partaker, co-founder and brand evangelist at Chilango. The event will provide valuable insights for founders and area managers of small and medium-sized multi-site companies and area managers of large companies. The sessions will include developing multi-unit leaders, leading a team through a strategic growth plan, and a discussion on the importance that transition plays in the practice of management and leadership. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) members and £345 plus VAT for non-ALMR members. To book tickets, email Anne Steele at anne.steele@propelinfo.com

Restaurant payment and loyalty app Velocity secures £17m funding to expand to more cities: Restaurant payment and loyalty app Velocity has secured £17m in series B funding to continue its expansion. Velocity, which has some of London’s top eateries on board such as Hix, Sketch and Gymkhana, as well as others in New York and Los Angeles among other cities, has received the investment just a year after a £12m series A round. The new investment, which will be used to more than double the number of cities it operates in to 29 by 2020, was led by DIG Investments along with high profile private investor Barry Sternlicht, the founder of Starwood Hotel Group, and the international concierge firm John Paul. They join former Saxo Bank chief Lars Christensen, former Thomson Reuters chief executive Tom Glocer and Initial Capital partner Shukri Shammas as backers. Spark Capital, OATV and Lerer Ventures also became shareholders after the three-year-old startup snapped up the US app Cover last year, one of several acquisitions. Velocity lets users book tables at top restaurants as well as letting them pay for it online, doing away with the hassle of having to wait for waiters after a meal, while also offering a reward scheme. Co-founder and co-chief executive Zia Yusuf told City AM: “Our series B funding is an important step forward in growing our brand, increasing our bandwidth for exciting new features and building our presence in the greatest cities around the world.”

McDonald’s research finds staff happier working in a multi-generational environment: Research by McDonald’s in the UK has revealed that people working in a multi-generational environment tend to be 10% happier. In a survey of 32,000 of the restaurant chain’s employees, those who worked with a cross-section of ages showed a 10% increase in happiness levels compared with those who worked with a peer group of similar age. In a comparable poll of customers, 84% said they liked to see a mixture of ages in the restaurant team, with 60% expecting a better service as a result. McDonald’s research also found that 58% of workers felt it was a priority to have an opportunity to work with people of different ages. This was more important for those born between 1900 and 1964 (a priority for 67%), and 16-year-olds (a priority for 57%). More than two-thirds (70%) of employees who responded to the poll expected to work with people who have different life experiences and views of the world, the research found. Claire Hall, chief people officer for McDonald’s UK, said: “It’s also important our restaurants reflect the communities in which they operate. Many people at the end of a traditional career want to remain part of the community and add value.”

Hospitality statistics underline importance of Brexit negotiations: The CBI’s quarterly Service Sector Survey has underlined the increasing importance of the hospitality sector, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has argued. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the ALMR, said: “The slight upturn in business volumes during a quarter of uncertainly after the EU referendum is very welcome news. It underlines the increasing importance of hospitality – led by pubs, clubs and restaurants – to the UK economy. Employment in our sector, which represents around 10% of total employment, also grew. But the survey also shows the sector’s confidence at its lowest since 2009. This tallies with feedback from our members and CGA Peach’s recent research that showed that while 75% of operators were optimistic about market prospects in January, that figure has plummeted to 15%. With Britain’s increasing reliance on our sector as an economic driver, it is crucial that the government’s Brexit negotiations safeguard factors upon which we heavily rely, such as the employment of immigrant labour at a time when we already face a skills and employment shortage.”

Company News:

Patisserie Valerie looking to open up to 20 sites across Ireland and Northern Ireland: Patisserie Valerie, the company that has sector investor Luke Johnson as executive chairman, has revealed it is looking to open up to 20 sites in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The company expanded across the Irish Sea when it opened its first outlet in Donegall Square in Belfast earlier this year. Chief executive Paul May said because the site has a bakery in the basement, it would help support the opening of up to 20 shops across Ireland. He revealed plans for the brand to open in Londonderry as it prepares to launch its second Belfast venue in Castle Lane. The company is also eyeing another three sites in the city. May told the Belfast Telegraph: “The first Belfast store has been trading fantastically well and we are excited to expand further into Belfast. We first looked at the site (in Castle Lane) about six weeks ago and are at the drawings and designs stage. Because we open a lot of stores we tend to do it fairly quickly – on average we open about three-and-a-half weeks after we sign the lease. Because we fitted out our first store with a bakery in the basement we have the capacity to set up to 20 stores in southern and Northern Ireland.”

BrewDog co-founder defends $350m US valuation: BrewDog co-founder James Watt has defended the company’s valuation of its US business at $350m before it has even started brewing. He told Crowdfund Insider: “Any opinion on valuation is subjective, but the footprint of the site we are building in Columbus, which is a 100,000 square foot brewery on a 42-acre site, with some of the world’s leading brewing kit coming in from Germany and beyond shows an insane starting point for the beer we will be releasing. The existing brand awareness we have in America from our US television show Brew Dogs and our marketing campaigns, which have had global appeal, all mean we are ready to start releasing beer to a thirsty audience who are familiar with who we are and what sets us apart. Further, the established team we have running the joint including myself, my co-founder Martin (Dickie) and our financial director Neil Simpson – plus our extended senior team – bring all the experience that has come from evolving our UK company to where it is today.”

PizzaExpress gets go-ahead for Delivered site in West Bridgford: PizzaExpress has been given the go-ahead to open a Delivered site in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. The company has been granted permission by Rushcliffe Borough Council for the outlet at Bridgford Point on the corner of Radcliffe Road and Lady Bay Avenue, creating 15 jobs. It has eyed the mixed-use development for a while and was refused permission to open there in 2007. Adrian Kerrison of AMK, which submitted the planning application on behalf of PizzaExpress, told The Business Desk: “The proposed pizza takeaway use, which will be almost exclusively a delivery-based operation will have a minimal impact on the amenities of nearby residents in the context of existing traffic and other late-night activity established in this area and in fact it is difficult to envisage a more appropriate location for this type of operation in West Bridgford.” PizzaExpress already has a restaurant in Central Avenue in West Bridgford and two in nearby Nottingham city centre. Last year, the company said it planned 150 dedicated delivery sites over the next five years.

Chocolate and patisserie brand R Chocolate London to open second site next month, in Belgravia: Chocolate and patisserie brand R Chocolate London will open its second site next month, this time in Belgravia. The company, founded by Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, Jessica de Rothschild and entrepreneur Ben Elliot, will launch the venue in Ebury Street at the end of September. R Chocolate’s Belgravia kitchen and tea room will feature a dessert bar with four to six covers as well as being a space for chocolate masterclasses. Guests can enjoy an array of chocolate including its signature Caramel Chocolates in a variety of different flavours and its “Memory Lane” collection of retro bars. Director Dilou Haddou said: “This is a project born out of passion, adoration and an overall love for chocolate and we have worked hard to create a range of products which showcase this. Each item in-store has been specially created for our customers and we are excited to be bringing such a special brand to the UK.” R Chocolate’s original site is in Richmond, south west London.

Freehold of Newark pub home to FunFair Brewing Company goes on market: The freehold of a 19th century pub and brewery near Newark, Nottinghamshire, that dates more than 170 years has gone on the market for £325,000. The Chequers Inn in Toad Lane, Elston, was built in 1840 and is owned by Abi Cutts and her partner David Tizzard. It is home to the FunFair Brewing Company, which includes a ten-barrel brewery at the rear of the property. The couple has been brewing for 12 years and has operated the pub for six. Cutts said: “We’ve loved operating the Chequers and living in Elston, but now we feel the time is right to move onto the next thing.” Tom Rawlinson, business agent at Christie & Co, which is marketing the property, added: “The Chequers Inn is a pub which has retained its integrity as a traditional watering hole, and this is shown in the way that all of the owners have kept the original beams in place, which add to the character of the pub. The Chequers really is of its age and Elston is a fantastic place to run a business such as this one.”

Pepe’s Pirri Pirri to open restaurant in Bolton: Chicken restaurant brand Pepe’s Piri Piri is to open a site in Bolton. The company has agreed a deal for a unit next to Prezzo in the restored historic vaults beneath the Market Place Shopping Centre. The site is currently being refurbished and is due to open before the end of September. The vaults opened earlier this year after undergoing a major refurbishment as part of the overall £30m redevelopment of the shopping centre. The area has played a key role in this year’s Bolton Food and Drink Festival, with the launch event taking place in the specially created Chefs Quarter. Tim Vaughn, chief executive of the Moorgarth Group, which owns Market Place, told the Bolton News: “Our intention is for this to be the destination for food and drink in Bolton and so it has been fantastic to have played a key role in the fantastic food and drink festival.” Pepe’s Pirri Pirri has 51 sites across the UK.

Merseyside-based multi-siter gets go-ahead to open Asian fusion restaurant at Southport hotel: Merseyside-based multi-site operator Paul Adams has been given the go-ahead to open an Asian fusion restaurant at his hotel The Vincent in Southport. The Vincent Pacific restaurant will open on Friday, 19 September at the hotel in Lord Street, which also houses the V Cafe, following approval by Sefton Council. The new restaurant will offer an affordable menu, with dishes such as chicken and pork dim sum, miso black cod, and seared wagyu beef. Adams told the Southport Visiter: “We are delighted to be opening the new restaurant at our hotel to provide even greater choice to our guests. I have a particular passion for Pacific rim food and after many months of menu testing with our chefs I am excited that we have created a menu that we hope will be very well received by our diners.” Earlier this month, Adams was chosen as the operator for a new £20m 116-bedroom aparthotel in Liverpool’s historic Ropewalks district, which includes the city’s first rooftop pool.

The Real Greek and Project Pie sign for WestQuay Watermark scheme in Southampton: Mediterranean restaurant The Real Greek, which is owned by Fulham Shore, and US build-your-own pizza brand Project Pie have signed to open sites at WestQuay Watermark, the £85m dining and leisure scheme in Southampton being developed by Hammerson. The Real Greek’s 325 square metre venue on the scheme’s lower promenade will be the brand’s second restaurant outside of London. Meanwhile, Project Pie has secured its third UK site and will open the 130 square metre venue on the Long Room floor. Fulham Shore chairman David Page said: “We’re very excited to be bringing The Real Greek to Southampton for the first time, and are looking forward to welcoming the city’s diners. WestQuay Watermark is an ideal location for us to open our second restaurant outside London – a new and vibrant scheme, it is well positioned on the south coast and will be a big draw for customers from Southampton as well as the surrounding area.” Project Pie UK director Susan Canavan added: “The premium destination will allow for a wide variety of people to enjoy our authentic build-your-own pizzas. We are proud to be expanding and be able to provide more people with the chance to experience our artisan pizzas and the fresh ingredients that we boast as part of our food offering.” Sarah Fox, head of restaurants and leisure at Hammerson, said: “We are delighted to welcome both Project Pie and The Real Greek to the scheme. Each restaurant allows visitors to enjoy a different taste from around the world, building on the vibrant mix of global cuisine that the development already promises to deliver.”

Berkshire-based cafe operators open fine dining restaurant: Berkshire-based cafe operators Karin Edlind and Tim Lawrence have started expanding their portfolio by opening a fine dining restaurant. Edlind and Lawrence, who opened the Old Post Office cafe in High Street, Wargrave, in 2013, have launched Weir Grove in the same road. The venue is housed on the former site of Indian restaurant Haweli, which moved to a new building across the road earlier this year. Edlind, who has a background in catering and is also a chef, told the Henley Standard: “This place is very different, it’s not a cafe and doesn’t serve the big portions we are known for. It’s more delicate fine dining. We had been looking for a restaurant for a while and were approached by the people who own this building when Haweli moved across the road. There’s a slight danger of competing with ourselves but we hope it will mean more people come to the village.”

Starbucks' first global franchisee opens drive-thru in St Leonards: The company that became Starbucks’ first global franchisee, UK-based 23.5 Degrees, has opened a drive-thru in St Leonards, Hampshire, creating 20 jobs. The new store in Ringwood Road is the first drive-thru in the area. Replacing a converted fireplace shop off the A31, the new store has a gas fireplace in the centre of the cafe. Its location serves those travelling through the New Forest. 23.5 Degrees managing director Mark Hepburn said: “Our aim is to create a warm and inviting place for locals and commuters to grab a coffee, as well as tourists driving through or to the area. We’re looking forward to building relationships with the local community and getting to know our neighbours.” Karen Fenwick, director of franchising and licensing, Starbucks UK, added: “We’re delighted to have opened our new store in St Leonards and we have been overwhelmed with the warm welcome we’ve received from the locals.” 23.5 Degrees has been allocated a developmental territory including Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Essex and Dorset. Hepburn has a track record of success in foodservice franchise businesses, including Burger King and KFC. Having opened its first store in February 2013, 23.5 Degrees now operates 38 sites. Starbucks plans to open 1,000 franchise stores in the UK over the next five to seven years, partnering with a maximum of 25 franchisees.

Award-winning multi-operators David and Becky Salisbury reopen pub after fire repairs: Enterprise Inns’ Alford Arms, in the Hertfordshire hamlet of Frithsden, has reopened after publicans David and Becky Salisbury completed a £400,000 refurbishment to repair extensive fire damage. The blaze, in February, was started by spontaneously combusting kitchen towels just out of a tumble dryer, and ravaged the top two floors of the pub. The multi-award winning duo also run Enterprise’s Royal Oak, in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. All members of the team were retained on full wages while the work took place, and the pair have taken the opportunity to update the premises. David Salisbury said: “Considerable investment has been made to improve our energy efficiency and technology, such as an online reservations platform on our website.” Becky Salisbury added: “We’ve been totally overwhelmed by the comments and warm wishes we’ve received, whether via social media, on the phone, or in person when we’re at our other pub in Marlow or in the local high street. When we took over The Alford Arms, almost 18 years ago, we set out to create a pub that we’d want to drink and eat in. Fortunately, the local community seemed to share the same idea, quickly took us under their wing, and we can’t wait to welcome them back to the Alford.” Since 2003, The Alford Arms has been awarded Herts Dining Pub of the Year ten times by the Good Pub Guide; recently appeared in the list of Sunday Times Top 20 Gastro Pubs; and was national winner in the inaugural FreeFrom Food awards, which recognised the pub’s “amazing hospitality regardless of individual customer allergies”. David Salisbury added: “Enterprise Inns appointed the project manager, quantity surveyor and main contractor for the rebuild, and they have all been absolutely superb. The quality and clarity of communication has been first class, and we couldn’t be happier with the way the work has been done.”

M&B to open Miller & Carter site in Chester next month: Mitchells & Butlers will open a Miller & Carter steakhouse in Chester next month. The company is opening the site on Friday, 9 September on the ground floor of the Cheshire West and Chester Council building in Nicholas Street. The restaurant, which will feature booth seating and modern artwork, will have capacity for more than 150 diners. Tim Ellis, regional business manager at Miller & Carter, told the Chester Chronicle: “Bringing a new Miller & Carter to Chester is extremely exciting for the brand and the new restaurant will offer the best steaks and service that Miller & Carter is renowned for across the UK.” Miller & Carter has more than 40 sites in the UK and opened its latest restaurant in Bagshot, Surrey, earlier this month having converted a Harvester restaurant.

Tankard Services acquires Triniteq Services: Tankard Services, which is led by Burning Night Group founder Alan Harper and is a cloud-based operating systems for the licensed trade, has acquired Triniteq Services from its Australian parent, for a sum in the region of £5m. Triniteq, one of the UK’s longest established EPOS companies and owner of IP rights for Waiter PAD and Waiter POS, has pioneered the development of handheld leisure and hospitality devices for many years. John Tankard, chairman of Tankard Services, and Gary Smith, chairman of Triniteq, described the transaction as the bringing together of two major UK-based EPOS businesses to create a leisure, hospitality and retail services group with global reach. “There is a technology explosion around the use of handheld devices in the retail and leisure sector, backed up with the wealth of management information provided by an integrated system,” said Harper. “Our enlarged group aims to be at the forefront of further development.”

First phase of London Bridge station opens, local and large foodservice chains to feature: The first phase of the new ground-level concourse at London Bridge railway station has opened after a year of building work. Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne predicted that London Bridge will become an “iconic destination station” like King’s Cross and St Pancras. He said London Bridge showed that the company was successful in “harmonising 21st century architecture with the Victorian heritage” of the railway network. New shops already open on the concourse include Krispy Kreme while Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee and natural fast food brand Leon will open branches on the “paid” side of the ticket barriers. While St Thomas Street will feature Caffe Nero and YO! Sushi, some of the arches have been set aside for small businesses. Thameslink programme director Simon Blanchflower told the SE1 website: “A number of the retail outlets are reserved for more local businesses, so they are not let out to the major chains. We’ve set up a graded rent through the first five years to enable new businesses to get a foothold in the station area.”

JD Wetherspoon takes a step closer to opening in North Walsham: JD Wetherspoon has taken a step closer to opening in North Walsham (population 12,000), paving the way for a £1.6m investment and dozens of jobs in the Norfolk town. The outlet is set to occupy a building currently used by the town council in New Road. The council will move into North Walsham registration office in King’s Arms Street, borrowing its marriage room as a council chamber. The agreement to sell the property had been dependent on the owner North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) finding another base for the town council. Alternative homes have been found for the building’s other tenants, with the Citizens Advice Bureau moving to a unit in St Nicholas’s Precinct while, North Norfolk Community Transport has already moved to the North Walsham Industrial Estate. Hopes of relocating them all into a former doctors’ surgery in Northfield Road were dashed just before Christmas when the NHS rejected an improved and final offer for the building from the district council. NNDC leader Tom FitzPatrick said: “We are very pleased to be close to being able to offer freehold vacant possession allowing Wetherspoon to move forward with its proposals for a pub-restaurant in the town, subject to planning and licensing consents.”

Leasehold of Filthy Cow comes on the market with quick sale price of £25,000: Agent Christie & Co has been appointed to sell the leasehold interest in Manchester’s top bar and burger joint Filthy Cow. Located in Tib Street, the 72-cover Filthy Cow opened its doors in Manchester in February 2015, taking over the former Lounge Ten restaurant. Filthy Cow is the brainchild of young entrepreneur Jordan Gallimore, who was backed by two existing business owners in Manchester. She had spent 12 months researching the burger world in a quest to recognise where there was a gap in the market, with time also spent in kitchens of various restaurants and diners. The “farmyard industrial crossed Soho-neon” interior, which includes stripped back floorboards, exposed brickwork and graffiti art, has been a huge hit with the restaurant’s customers and the business has built up an enviable reputation with its clients for providing great quality, locally-produced food offering great value for money. Ashley Cobban, business agent at Christie & Co’s Manchester office, said: “Manchester has seen something of a boom in the burger market in recent years, but this didn’t stop Filthy Cow from boldly claiming it would ‘change the face of dining in Manchester’ and it has certainly lived up to this. It has set the benchmark for a memorable dining experience in a city which has a numerous amount of times been voted the best city to live in the UK. The current owner now feels it’s time to sell the business and focus her attentions elsewhere. This presents a fantastic opportunity for a new owner/operator to take over an already established and successful business and continue along its success, further increasing trade and profit.” Christie & Co is seeking offers in the region of £25,000 for a quick sale of the leasehold of the business.

CPL Training claims record market share for personal licence training in sector: CPL Training has claimed a record market share in personal licence training in the first quarter of 2016. The Merseyside-based company now claims 34% of the market for the Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH) training in England and Wales. CPL Training recorded its best performance to date, which saw more than 4,900 APLH delegates train with the company from January to March, across its 75 centres. To reward customers for their continued loyalty, CPL is set to offer a £34 discount on APLH courses scheduled in England and Wales. This limited time offer will run until Friday, 9 September and can be redeemed by calling and quoting “CPL 34”. In the past 18 months, CPL acquired one of its largest competitors – Abv Training. Currently, about 20,000 individuals per year undertake personal licence training with CPL. This figure has been on a steady increase for the past five years. Chief executive Dan Davies said: “We are delighted to have further cemented our position as the largest provider of the APLH qualification. Since the turn of the year, we’ve experienced an increasing flow of new customers and great loyalty from existing clients – demonstrating the great experience of training and booking with CPL Training. As we look to expand our APLH delivery through the acquisition of other training companies, it’s a great time to be a part of the CPL family.”

Company directors disqualified over illegal workers: Two directors of a restaurant in Bristol who put their business into liquidation to avoid paying fines for employing illegal workers have received lengthy bans. Kahir Uddin Chowdhury and Bedar Chowdhury, the directors of Jamuna Restaurant, which traded as Cinnamon Restaurant in Bristol, have each been disqualified for six years. On 17 July 2015, Home Office immigration enforcement officers visited the restaurant and discovered four illegal workers. The Home Office issued a civil penalty for £40,000 on 8 September 2015. The starting fine is £15,000 for each illegal worker, but this was reduced to £10,000 as the company had co-operated. However, the fined went unpaid paid and the directors placed the company into creditors voluntary liquidation in January this year. Vicky Bagnall, director of investigation and enforcement at the Insolvency Service, said: “Employing illegal workers is not a victimless crime. These directors sought an unfair advantage over their competitors by employing people under the radar who were not entitled to work legally in the UK.”

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, will reveal 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

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