TLC Inns hires Noel D’Arcy as managing director: TLC Inns, the pub and restaurant operator founded and owned by Steve and Jo Haslam, has hired Noel D’Arcy as its first managing director, with a view to doubling the size of the business. D’Arcy was formerly managing director of Big Easy and had a long career at Mitchells & Butlers, running a number of its major brands including Toby Carvery and Premium Country Dining as retail operations director. The move will see the Haslams move into more specialist roles within the business. Steve Haslam will focus on acquisitions and property while Jo Haslam will oversee all aspects of personal and supply chain management. The company hired Danny Lawrence as director of food six months ago – Lawrence has worked with D’Arcy for a decade or so at previous companies. Ed Bennett, who has worked for TLC Inns since it was founded 11 years ago, has also been promoted and will now oversee marketing, IT and social media. Brian McKay will continue as the company’s operations director. Steve Haslam told Propel: “Noel D’Arcy joins the company at the perfect moment to oversee growth as we aim to double in size. We are delighted to be able to attract individuals of such quality, bringing such wealth of experience.” Propel reported earlier this month that TLC Inns had secured its tenth site, a 20-year lease on the largest unit at Thetford Riverside, the £8m leisure development in the Norfolk market town of Thetford. The company has also hired Grant Thornton to advise on future funding options, although Barclays Corporate will fund the next three openings. The 3,750 square foot unit in Thetford will trade under TLC’s Grand Central American Bar & Grill brand. The 156-cover restaurant will be TLC’s tenth outlet and sixth Grand Central – all in East Anglia. TLC Inns will invest £450,000 in the opening, with fit-out expected to take three months, creating at least 30 jobs. Anchored by a three-screen The Light cinema and a 62-bedroom Travelodge hotel, the 41,000 square foot Thetford Riverside leisure scheme also includes four other restaurant units, all of which feature outside terraces overlooking a newly landscaped park

Coaching Inn Group doubles group Ebitda as turnover grows 33%: The Coaching Inn Group has doubled group Ebitda for the first six months of the year across its 12-property estate, as turnover grows by 33%. The results show group Ebitda pre-exceptional items achieving a significant 57% increase to £1,041,495, compared with £665,376 last year. Turnover was up 33% to £8,406,946, against £6,343,420 for the same period last year and site Ebitda was also up 33% to £1,891,235, against £1,429,385 last year. The group also reported like-for-like sales increases of 5.8% over the period. Coaching Inn Group finance director Edward Walsh said: “We’ve had an excellent start to the year with these results already demonstrating a strong return from the investments made in terms of site acquisition and development as well as the investment we continue to make in our central team. The introduction of our central reservations office and expansion of our operations team over the last 12 months is having a really positive impact, both in terms of sales and profitability and we will look to develop this further as we gear up for the next stage of our growth.” The Coaching Inn Group has 12 historic venues across the UK and has built a strong reputation in the industry for transforming high-quality coaching inns through the introduction of its premium casual dining brand, the Eatery and Coffee House.