ROK Drinks launches finance division for UK’s licensed trade: ROK Drinks has launched a finance division with the aim of becoming a premium financial lender and product supplier to the UK’s licensed trade. ROK Solid Finance will combine specialist knowledge, competitive interest rates and no up-front fees, offering secured and unsecured loans to the licensed trade designed, the company said, to fill the funding vacuum left by traditional lenders. Recently appointed ROK Drinks chief operating officer Graham Higgins said: “Financial support for the on-trade is an area in which I have great experience, having worked in this field for several major breweries in the past. ROK Solid Finance is a truly collaborative partnership between us and the licensed trade, wherein we will focus on the skills of the operator and their recent credit history rather than historic accounts, something that often prevents those with the talent and desire from having the opportunity to succeed.” ROK Drinks is a division of ROK Stars, the consumer products and environmental technology company founded by entrepreneur Jonathan Kendrick and US billionaire John Paul DeJoria. Kendrick said: “Our ROK Solid Finance initiative is designed to facilitate the on-trade to invest in their businesses while having access to our fast-growing and award-winning portfolio of drinks – and it presents tremendous opportunities for all involved.” The ROK drinks portfolio includes ABK Beer from its 700-year-old Bavarian brewery, globally sourced Graffiti Wine, Bogart’s Spirits from California, and Bandero Tequila from Mexico.

Advanced Social Media Masterclass schedule revealed: The schedule for the Advanced Social Media Masterclass has been revealed featuring all-new content and insights to allow companies to increase brand exposure and broaden their reach. Propel has partnered with digital marketing company Digital Blonde for the event, which encompasses a full-day programme of tips, insight, case studies and information to help create sector-leading, compelling content. It takes place on Friday, 7 April at One Moorgate Place in London. The day will open with Digital Blonde founder Karen Fewell introducing the latest social media technology and trends and how these will impact food, drink and hospitality marketing. It will detail all the emerging trends to watch out for and how business can benefit from them. Delegates will find out everything they need to know about Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. The sessions will revisit effective social media campaigns, with a special focus on flops and triumphs. It will delve into what success looks like across each platform and how to avoid the potential pitfalls. The day will explore the psychology of marketing giving delegates the chance to understand human behaviour and decision-making processes. There will be a session on boosting social success with PR and how they should work together for best results that really get audiences engaged and involved. The discussion will be brought to life, with recent and relevant examples to learn from. The day will also look at the sites, blogs and social media accounts with highly engaged audiences that possess the power to make a place or product a hit. Delegates will find out how to create their dream team when it comes to recognising, recruiting and retaining social talent. Getting the job spec right, as well as understanding your audience, play a part in this mission and this session will help businesses to become a magnet for the talent they want. The event will also look at exploring how to use analytics to inform business strategies and how measuring and monitoring key metrics can lead to continuous performance improvement and a sector-leading social media presence. Delegates will also find out how their social media messages and campaigns can benefit from social advertising, all without using big budgets. The session will cover advertising examples, appropriate spend and how to evaluate paid-for activity. The day will also cover making sure your social marketing is engaging for all – and there will be a session providing clarity on marketing to Baby Boomers, Generation X, millennials and Generation Z. Delegates will also find out the best ways of using social media to attract families to their pub or restaurant. The day will be rounded off with an expert panel to answer the burning questions arising throughout the event. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for Propel Premium members and £345 plus VAT for non-members and can be booked by emailing anne.steele@propelinfo.com

CAMRA calls for business rates reduction: The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is calling for a reduction of up to £5,000 from pubs’ business rates and an improved transitional relief model for pubs facing high increases in rates ahead of next week’s Spring Budget. CAMRA is concerned that four in ten pubs in England face an increased business rate bill this year, which could lead to closures, job losses and a rise in the price of a pint. The campaign is calling for urgent action in this year’s Budget to assist affected pubs, which includes a £5,000 rate relief reduction and greater funding for transitional caps to help reduce bill increases in the first year. Beyond these immediate measures, CAMRA would also like to see a fundamental review of business rates to determine where the burden lies and ensure successful pub landlords are not unfairly penalised for investing in their business. Keith Bott, joint owner of Titanic Brewery, a small business that owns and operates eight pubs in Staffordshire, said the increase in rates would cost his business “tens of thousands of pounds” once a transitional rate relief period ended in five years. He said: “We’ve seen a 25% increase in rateable values across the board, which for pubs is based on property value and turnover. The government needs to recognise and understand that in many instances this means we are taxed on success. Pubs are responsible for 0.5% of turnover of the UK economy but pay 2.8% of business rates.”

Kitchen porter becomes partner at Noma, world’s best restaurant: A kitchen porter has been made co-owner of a four-time winner of the world’s best restaurant title. Ali Sonko, 62, is now a partner at Noma, the Copenhagen restaurant where he has been working since it opened. Sonko, from the Gambia, was unveiled as one of three new partners, alongside two of its managers. The restaurant closed its doors after 14 years at the current location and will reopen in December as an “urban farm”. “Ali is the heart and soul of Noma,” chef Rene Redzepi explained to friends gathered to celebrate the restaurant at the weekend, according to Danish newspaper Berlingske. “I don’t think people appreciate what it means to have a person like Ali in the house. He is all smiles, no matter how his 12 children fare. And, by the way, my own father was also named Ali, and he too worked as a dishwasher when he came to Denmark.”

Watchdog says crowdfunding platforms could be breaking the law by ‘acting like banks’: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said Britain’s crowdfunding platforms and some of their customers could be breaking the law by acting like banks and “accepting deposits”, Reuters reports. The watchdog said crowdfunding involved people lending small amounts of money to a platform, which then lent the money to businesses or individuals. It added that if the platform was used by a financing business to obtain cash to lend on, this would be “accepting deposits”, the legal term for defining banking activity. It said that compared with crowdfunders, banks faced much tougher regulations to protect customers, such as strict capital requirements. The FCA added that crowdfunding platforms, and financing businesses that used the platforms, could be in breach of FCA rules and potentially face sanctions. A “Dear CEO” letter, sent to heads of crowdfunding companies and signed by FCA director of supervision for retail firms Jonathan Davidson, stated: “We expect you should establish whether you have been facilitating loans via your platform to lending businesses, who have lent that money to others who do not have the required accepting deposits permission.” Crowdfunding chiefs must respond to the FCA and state whether they have been breaking the rules and, if so, what they plan to do about it. In the past, “Dear CEO” letters have been a last chance for a sector to make changes to avoid enforcement.

Manchester to get tough on takeaways near schools: Takeaways bidding to launch near Manchester schools face planning refusals and restricted opening hours as part of a town hall crackdown. Planning rules are set to be altered so hot food outlets that launch within 400m of a primary school will not be allowed to open between 3pm and 5.30pm on weekdays. Council bosses also want to keep the number of takeaways in “local centres”, where eateries are concentrated, below a certain level, with the proportion of takeaways in any area having to remain below 10% of all businesses. At least 24 local centres have been identified outside the city centre. Extra measures to limit noise, traffic, antisocial behaviour and litter around new takeaways will also be introduced. It is hoped the new rules, which won’t apply to existing businesses, will stop children from flocking to takeaways after school, the Manchester Evening News reports. Clustering of takeaways has become a growing concern for council bosses in recent years. Manchester council’s environment chief Rosa Battle said: “While hot food takeaways are a well-known and popular part of the city’s economy, these proposed changes in planning policy will provide us with another way to try to tackle the problem of obesity among children, while helping to ensure our district centres remain vibrant, diverse places for people to live, work and socialise.”

Chinese food named UK’s favourite takeaway: Chinese has been named the UK’s favourite takeaway food in a poll of 2,000 consumers, securing 35% of the vote. Indian food came second (24%), with pizza in third (13%). The survey by Paymentsense, a low-cost card payment service, also found most people still call a takeaway to place an order rather than ordering online or using an app. The poll found 57% of Brits call a takeaway to order their food to be delivered, while a quarter of consumers walk to the restaurant to pick-up and 18% book online or use an app to order deliveries. The survey found the average Brit orders a takeaway at least once a week.

Licensing Update: The latest monthly update on topical licensing issues from John Gaunt & Partners can be found here. This includes a timely reminder on the soon to be introduced Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme, which will affect most, if not all, operators and raises awareness of CSE issues the industry faces.

Freshii opens first UK site: Canadian-based health brand Freshii has opened its first UK site – in Donegall Square, Belfast. Freshii offers tossed salads, hot bowls, burritos, healthy wraps, soup, fresh-pressed juices, smoothies and frozen yogurt. Meals are based on fibre-rich, slow-burning carbs, essential fats and lean proteins, and cater for dietary requirements including paleo, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and wheat-free. Last month, Freshii raised $96m in an IPO to fund its plan to triple the company’s store count by the end of 2019. Freshii Ireland master franchise holders Dave O’Donoghue and Cormac Manning plan to open 40 to 50 sites across Ireland in the next five years. O’Donoghue said: “We are really excited about bringing Freshii to Northern Ireland – we want to energise people in the north and satisfy the consumer demand for healthy and fresh food at affordable prices.” Since founder and chief executive Matthew Corrin opened the first Freshii site in Toronto in 2005, the brand has grown to more than 300 stores in 20 countries, including six in the Republic of Ireland. Each Freshii restaurant features its own look and feel to fit within its local community.

Thwaites adds 56-bedroom hotel in York to portfolio: North west brewer and retailer Daniel Thwaites, which owns the Judge’s Lodging in York under its Inns of Character brand, has bought the 56-bedroom Middletons Hotel in the city. Middletons is spread over six grade II-listed buildings, which have been built up by a local family during the past 40 years. After York Minster, it is the largest single property within York’s city walls. The acquisition takes Daniel Thwaites’ portfolio of hotels and inns to 16. Thwaites chief executive Rick Bailey said: “Middletons is an outstanding property in a stunning location and has a fascinating history. The Clark family has built a unique asset over many years – with a wonderful reputation and huge character – from a series of unused and almost derelict buildings. It is a well-run business and York is a strong market. We are delighted to have been able to acquire it and look forward to continuing to develop it.” Daniel Thwaites first moved into hotels in the early 1980s and has grown steadily across the UK. Bailey added: “Middletons is joining our company at an exciting time, we were recently awarded AA hotel group of the year and have a strong pipeline of openings. Over the next few months it will be joined by the Crown Inn in Pooley Bridge, Cumbria; The Royal in Heysham, near Morecambe; and Lodge At Solent, near Southampton, all of which are under development.” 

Whitbread secures Hub by Premier Inn go-ahead in Shoreditch: Whitbread has secured a premises licence for a Hub by Premier inn site in Shoreditch, despite opposition from local residents. It will be a new-build, 246-bedroom site in Quaker Street in the middle of the Tower Hamlets Cumulative Impact Policy area and involves an investment of circa £30m. Whitbread hopes work on the site will start this year and be complete by May 2019. The site is about 300 metres from the Brick Lane hub, which opened a year ago. Meanwhile, Whitbread has secured a premises licence for a 123-bedroom Premier Inn in Botley, on the outskirts of Oxford. The proposed premises, part of the locally controversial West Way Shopping Centre redevelopment, was granted a premises licence at a hearing before the Vale of White Horse Licensing Committee in the terms applied for. Provisionally, being part of a wider development, it is hoped the development will start on-site this year and open in 2019.

Caffe Nero invests £6.5m in US expansion: Caffe Nero had invested £6,530,000 in its US expansion up to the end of 31 May 2016, according to documents at Companies House. The accounts report the company invested £4,114,000 of the total in this most recent financial year. Last month, Propel reported Caffe Nero had opened its eighth site in the Boston, Massachusetts, area with an opening in Brookline’s Washington Square. The launch comes two months after the company opened in nearby Brookline Village in the midst of strong competition – a couple doors down from Starbucks and across the street from Dunkin’ Donuts and Clover. Privately owned Caffe Nero first opened in Boston about two and a half years ago. Jay Gentile, director USA at Caffe Nero, said: “Washington Square is similar to where we would build in Europe. It’s a little centre and public transportation trains are right. It became a bit of a no-brainer when you looked at social media and the requests from people to come to Brookline. I think we’ll do quite well there.”

Turnover nears £5m at Hoste Arms in Norfolk’s Burnham Market: Companies House documents show turnover at the Hoste Arms in Burnham Market, Norfolk, which was developed into an iconic hostelry by the late Paul Whittome, grew turnover to £4,984,302 in the year to 30 April 2016, up from £4,832,300 the year before. However, operating profit dropped to £263,436, compared with £326,782 the year before. Pre-tax profit was £138,696, compared with £206,025 in the previous year. The company stated: “We commenced a number of further improvements to the hotel, including a luxury cinema, an extension to the historic bar, a new gymnasium and a new private dining room. As a result of these additions, there has been an impact in the year under review. However, turnover increased year-on-year and we expect to report that the 2015 to 2016 financial year results will be improved on in 2016 to 2017.” The Hoste Arms is currently owned by Brendan and Bee Hopkins.

Burger King promotes flame-grilled burgers using photos of real restaurant fires: Burger King’s latest print advertising campaign shows its restaurants on fire – a consequence, according to the adverts, of the company always flame-grilling its burgers. The photos in its three adverts show firemen putting out blazes at restaurants in Oregon, Pennsylvania and Italy, Business Insider reports. Miami-based agency David based the campaign on research that revealed that, since 1954, more Burger King restaurants have burned down than any other fast-food chain. The campaign’s tagline is “flame-grilled since 1954.”

Yummy Pub Company becomes Yummy Collection: Yummy Pub Company, led by Anthony Pender and Tim Foster, has rebranded to become The Yummy Collection. The company stated: “We have always been far more than ‘just a pub company’ and for some time our name has not allowed us to shine – so we’ve decided to have a bit of a makeover. We are now rebranding our image to become The Yummy Collection. It’s not a huge multimillion-pound campaign, just a simple refresh to show what we do to people who are lucky enough to have just found us. As a collection, we intend to continue to break the pre-conceived notions of what a ‘pub’ is.” 

Brewhouse & Kitchen to celebrate International Women’s Day with free brewery experience: Brewhouse & Kitchen, the UK’s largest brewpub group, will celebrate International Women’s Day (Wednesday, 8 March) by hosting free brewing experiences for women at its pubs. Brewhouse & Kitchen will join thousands of women across the world who are brewing a Unite Local beer. The initiative has been co-ordinated by Project Venus, a UK-based group of female brewers passionate about supporting women in the industry. Each Unite Local beer brewed will be unique to the pub and, once available on draught two weeks later, a donation from each pint sold will go towards breast cancer research charities. Brewhouse & Kitchen’s Brewery Experience Day package offers guests a hands-on introduction to brewing and usually retails at £85 per head. The day will start with breakfast before an introduction to the recipe and brewing process. Lunch and beer tastings will also be included during the day, with eight spaces available at each Brewhouse & Kitchen pub. To book, email lucy.deare@brewhouseandkitchen.com

Merseyside-based Stange & Co to reopen North Wales inn to feature restaurant and rooms, seventh site: Stange & Co, which operates venues in Merseyside and North Wales, is set to transform the Erskine Arms in Conwy into its seventh site. The pubco will reopen the redeveloped historic inn to feature a restaurant and 12 rooms, with the project granted £140,000 by the Welsh government’s Tourism Investment Support Scheme. The opening will create 23 jobs. Economy secretary Ken Skates told Insider Media: “Being right in the centre of Conwy, the Erskine Arms is going to be a welcome addition to the town and it is fantastic to see a historic inn being given a new lease of life and transformed to become a very high-quality product providing employment for the area. Tourism is a significant industry in Wales employing nearly 10% of the workforce.” Stange & Co’s other pubs, some with rooms, are The Glengower in Aberystwyth, The Cottage Loaf and The Snowdon, both in Llandudno, and The Fox & Hounds, The Jug & Bottle, and The Ship, all in the Wirral.

Japanese steakhouse opens seatless restaurant in New York: Japanese steakhouse concept Ikinari Steak has opened a seatless restaurant in New York City that also offers no desserts or coffee. Customers at the venue in Manhattan’s East Village start at the butcher’s station and choose the cut and weight of their steak before standing at tables to dine. The restaurant said it can sell more steaks, make more money and serve more customers if they are in and out within 30 minutes. There are no appetisers on the one-page menu and no desserts or coffee. However, there have often been 30-minute queues developing outside. Ikinari Steak founder Kunio Ichinose said that to make money, the restaurant must pull in 200 customers a day. He told Reuters: “When I wanted to open in New York people said, ‘American people don’t want to eat steak when they’re standing.’ It was the same in Japan and there wasn’t a culture – now there’s a culture.” One customer, Eli Kies, who opted for a chuck-eye steak with salad, soup and rice costing $20, added: “I think it’s a really good experience because I can burn calories as I eat. I’m standing up, keeping good posture, and eating some protein.” Ichinose said he intends to open ten sites in New York this year and aims to list his company on the Nasdaq exchange in three years.

BrewDog increases bar finder’s fee to £10,000: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has increased its bar finder’s fee to a minimum of £5,000, and £10,000 if the site is large enough to house a brewpub. In June last year, the company was offering £1,000 to anyone who identified a suitable location. The company has identified a “hit list” of regional cities it is specifically targeting – Bath, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester, Oxford and Reading – as well as Brixton, Peckham, South Bank and Waterloo in London. Its non-UK targets are Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Madrid, Paris, Vienna and Zurich. BrewDog is seeking sites between 2,000 and 4,000 square feet (or more than 5,000 square feet for a brewpub), a ground-floor location (all on one level preferred), and with prominent frontages. The company stated in its blog: “We can’t patrol every street and city centre – so you guys helping us is the best way to ensure we can open a BrewDog bar where you live. If you aid us by unearthing a site we end up converting into a BrewDog bar, we will reward you with a cool £5,000. If you manage to discover a larger site we can transform into a BrewDog brewpub, your finder’s fee will be £10,000.” Entries have to be submitted by Thursday, 1 June.

Vaulkhard Group reports turnover and profit increase: Newcastle leisure firm Vaulkhard Group has reported a 36% jump in turnover. Vaulkhard Group was formed in April 2015, when four businesses run by different members of the Vaulkhard family merged. A three-year plan to rejuvenate its portfolio began, which involved spending more than £600,000 on transforming Fluid bar in Gallowgate into a gin bar and restaurant entitled Bealim House, complete with its own gin distillery, and laying down plans to remodel The Quilted Camel, Perdu and Blake’s Coffee House. Accounts for Vaulkhard Group show those investments have paid off, with turnover growing from £7.37m to £10.08m in the year ended 31 March 2016. Operating profit also rose from £1.6m to £1.74m in the period, while the overall profit for the financial year rose from £1.38m to £1.57m. The group, which changed its name from 42nd Street Reality to Vaulkhard Group, said the major corporate restructure had been carried out to strengthen the balance sheet and profit generation. In a note accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Our aims have been broadly achieved, with significant profit generation in this first year, continued revenue growth and significant capital expenditure. Our capital expenditure programme for the year began with a major refurbishment of an existing freehold property to launch a new concept called Bealim House. At the same time, the group helped fund a new subsidiary company called Newcastle Gin Co, which saw the release of a new product called Newcastle Gin. Sales of the product are growing apace and it is on track to produce 5,000 bottles a year of gin that is consumed within our leisure business, with a view to taking to third-party customers in early 2017. Additional investment was made in one of our leasehold venues, with the addition of a private dining room in Barluga Morpeth.”

Young’s to sell Epsom pub freehold: London pub retailer Young’s, represented by agent Savills, has brought The Kings Arms in Epsom, Surrey, to market. The pub, which is currently closed, is available freehold with vacant possession or to let on a new lease. Located in East Street, the pub totals 4,361 square feet (405 square metres) over basement, ground and first-floor levels and features a large, attractive trade garden with seating for up to 140 customers as well as a private car park for 22 vehicles. The surrounding area is a mix of residential and office properties. Paul Breen, director in the licensed leisure team at Savills, said: “We are pleased to be marketing this well-known Epsom pub and anticipate strong interest given its prominent main road location and the scarcity of high-quality opportunities in this part of Surrey.”

JD Wetherspoon opens Chester hotel featuring Ricky Tomlinson’s pre-fame story: JD Wetherspoon has opened its £2.3m 11-bedroom hotel and bar in Chester – The Bull & Stirrup – which features a display about actor Ricky Tomlinson and his life before he became famous. Tomlinson met his late friend Des Warren in 1972 at the venue when it hosted a strike committee in an upstairs room. Tomlinson, who at the time was a plasterer, and Warren were imprisoned the following year for their role in the first national building workers’ strike. The pair were among 24 flying pickets involved in action at Shrewsbury who were jailed under the obscure 1875 Conspiracy Act and became known as the “Shrewsbury Two” as they received the longest sentences. Warren died in 2004 but Tomlinson is campaigning to clear their names, arguing they were political prisoners. JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon told The Chester Chronicle: “We always reflect the history of the building with information displays in our pubs. We are pleased to feature information about the famous event in the new-look pub.” JD Wetherspoon began work on the city centre hotel and bar in October following a two-year delay.

Nando’s launches its hottest sauce yet: Nando’s has launched its hottest sauce yet – the Peri-Peri Vusa – containing more chillies than any of its other dressings. Vusa, which means “excitement and fire” in Zulu, also contains citrus, garlic and onion that gives the sauce an “intense, full-bodied taste”. Nando’s claims Peri-Peri Vusa is “versatile enough to drizzle on everything from flame-grilled chicken wings with peri-peri chips to supergrain salad, yet fiery enough to impress mates and dates alike”. The chain’s previous hottest offering was its Extra Extra Hot Peri-Peri. The new sauce is available across the UK and Ireland.

Papa John’s tests $2.99 fee for ‘priority’ deliveries: Papa John’s is taking a page from the airline industry and testing a fee that lets people fast track their pizza orders to the front of the queue. The chain said the $2.99 “Papa Priority” fee is being trialled at select US locations, with the company looking for ways to expand the test. Papa John’s said the fee did not guarantee delivery within a set time but sent an order to the “front of the line so it is made faster”. The option is limited to five orders per night, per location. The company said the option had received “great customer reception”. Papa John’s has more than 350 sites across the UK and over 5,000 stores in more than 40 international markets and territories.

Signature Living plans Liverpool’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, in Cunard Building: Aparthotel developer and operator Signature Living plans to open a wedding venue and restaurant inside the Cunard Building, in which it hopes to win a first Michelin star for Liverpool. There was confusion about the council-owned building after adverts appeared last week for a “Signature Living-backed scheme” for office spaces inside the Cunard. However, the advert was withdrawn and Signature Living has now announced its ambitious plans for the Pier Head building. A company spokesman told the Liverpool Echo: “We have always been clear that investing in the Cunard building is of interest since the space was marketed by Liverpool City Council. We may have been premature in talking about it but we are looking forward to putting our plans forward, which would involve creating Liverpool’s most special wedding and events facilities and potentially a Michelin-starred restaurant. Last month, Signature Living unveiled plans to open a George Best-themed hotel in Manchester, paying tribute to the legendary Northern Ireland and Manchester United footballer. The company opened the Shankly Hotel in a joint collaboration with the Shankly family in Liverpool city centre in 2015. Signature Living founder Lawrence Kenwright said in January the company also plans to take the Alma de Cuba brand nationwide after buying the bar in Liverpool and rights to the name.

Urban Splash snaps up former Sankeys venue in Manchester: Manchester-based developer Urban Splash has snapped up Beehive Mill in the city, the birthplace of nightclub Sankeys. The grade II-listed former cotton mill in Ancoats, which closed earlier this year, will be converted into work spaces. Urban Splash director Nathan Cornish told the Manchester Evening News: “We’re delighted to have finally bought Beehive Mill. We make no secret we’ve tried and failed to buy this building in the past, so it’s been a long-term target for us. A lot of people know the building as the home of Sankeys, which took up around a fifth of the building. Our focus and responsibility now is to give it an exciting future to further boost this booming part of Manchester.” In January, Sankeys asked the public to vote on where it should open its next UK nightclub, listing 25 cities for its campaign. The website states: “#DoYouWannaSankeys is about bringing the vibe that started in Manchester to the rest of the country.” Sankeys, which is owned by David Vincent, has estimated it will take three to six months for a new club to open, which would be permanent or temporary depending on demand. The number of venues to open has yet to be finalised. Sankeys operates successful franchises in London, Essex, Ibiza, and Tokyo, with plans to open a club in Birmingham this month.