Butcombe reports December like-for-like sales up 6.5%: Butcombe, part of Liberation Group, has reported managed like-for-like sales increased 6.5% and total sales were up 114% for the four weeks to 31 December 2017. The West Country regional brewer said it benefited from investment in the brewery during the past year and rebranding undertaken in early 2017. Butcombe added about 20 pubs in 2017, taking the number it operates to almost 50. This has been achieved through single-site acquisitions such as the Methuen Arms in Corsham and, most recently, by acquiring eight pubs from brewer and retailer SA Brain. Liberation Group chief executive Mark Crowther told Propel it would be “more of the same” in 2018. He said: “We have the funding in place to add to the estate but we are driven by quality, not numbers. If we can do double what we did last year because we get what we’re looking for then great. If it’s half that number, then so be it. There’s nothing immediate on the horizon.” Butcombe said 2018 would see the company invest in its newly acquired pubs and reap the benefits of the distribution depot and bottling line it opened in November, which will support double-digit growth in Butcombe’s keg range including Butcombe Original, Goram (Avon IPA), and Bohemia (Pilsner). Crowther added: “This is an excellent result driven by our teams of great people and the enhancements we have made to the business over the past 12 months. Complementing our Channel Island business, we now have a very high-quality portfolio of predominantly freehold West Country pubs to trade from in 2018, which together with the benefits from the improvements to the brewing side of the business augurs well for the coming year.”

Propel Multi Club Conference opens for bookings, Iqbal Wahhab to present: The first Propel Multi Club Conference of 2018 is open for bookings. The full-day event takes place on Wednesday, 7 March at the Grange Hotel in St Paul’s, London. Iqbal Wahhab, founder of Cinnamon Club and Roast, will talk about the genesis and development of his new US southern barbecue concept Atticus and give his views on how foodservice entrepreneurs can make a difference in their communities. Multi-site operators of pubs, restaurants and foodservice outlets can book up to two free places by emailing Anne Steele at anne.steele@propelinfo.com

Supply Chain Masterclass open for bookings: Supply Chain Masterclass, which will look at how to achieve best-in-class supply chain efficiency, is open for bookings. The one-day event, launched by Propel in partnership with Food Partners founder and managing director Campbell Askwith, will take place in the Fifth Floor State Rooms at 30 Euston Square, London, on Wednesday, 21 February. The event will pose the question: “Who should be responsible for a restaurant, pub or hotel group’s purchasing strategy?” Askwith will ask a panel including James Nye, managing director of Anglian Country Inns, Christian Hall, finance director of Thai Leisure Group, and John Wood, a former Michelin-starred and world-renowned executive chef and now managing director of Kitchen Cut, who does purchasing best – chef, purchasing manager or outsource? Other speakers will include brand, growth and development strategist James Hacon, who will ask if there is a commercial strategy around “provenance” or whether it’s simply marketing and provide thoughts, facts and recommendations. International business coach Gerard Hargreaves will share his thoughts on how best to leverage the most from your supplier meetings. Tickets are £295 for Propel premium members and £345 for others. To book, email Anne Steele on anne.steele@propelinfo.com or call 01444 817691.

Rates report highlights need for immediate reform, warns ALMR: Government action on wholesale business rates reform is required at the earliest opportunity to support high-street businesses struggling against rising costs, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has warned. The warning follows a report that UK councils have enlisted the services of bailiffs to take action against 41,000 businesses over unpaid business rates bills. ALMR chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The revelation councils across the UK have resorted to deploying bailiffs on businesses for failing to pay business rates bills highlights how acute the problem of exorbitant rates is. High-street businesses were hit hard by business rates increases last year, with hospitality businesses particularly punished by crippling rises. Recent figures on consumer spending have pointed to a tough Christmas for many high-street businesses. Reduced spend combined with increased business rates creates a toxic storm of costs for high-street businesses and underlines how seriously flawed the current system is. The government has acknowledged the problem but so far has only made modest efforts to address the issue in the shape of short-term reliefs. We have been promised full-scale reform of business rates twice in the space of two years but we are still waiting for action. The government would do well to heed this bad news and act accordingly to support valuable high-street businesses, not least hospitality businesses. Otherwise, the only possible outcome is more and more businesses struggle to pay extortionate bills.”

Judge dismisses lawsuit against Starbucks for ‘underfilling’ lattes: A class-action lawsuit accusing Starbucks of underfilling lattes has been thrown out by a judge in Oakland, California. US district judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found insufficient evidence that Starbucks “cheated” customers by underfilling lattes. She said foam counted as part of the drink’s volume. Starbucks had been accused of “knowingly underfilling” lattes by about 25% as the cups used to serve the drinks were not large enough to contain the volume claimed on menu boards. “By underfilling its lattes, thereby short-changing its customers, Starbucks has saved countless millions of dollars in the cost of goods sold,” argued the plaintiffs Siera Strumlauf and Benjamin Robles. Rogers rejected their claim, Nation’s Restaurant News reports.

More than 90% of responses back Scottish tied pub reform: More than 90% of responses to a consultation on MSP Neil Bibby’s proposed Tied Pubs Bill have backed a change in the law. The proposal is to create a statutory code to regulate the relationship between tied pub tenants and landlords, with an independent adjudicator to enforce it. Tenants in Scotland would gain similar rights to those in England and Wales. In total, 93% of respondents supported the bill, including 87% who were “fully supportive”. Of the 275 responses, 85% supported the establishment of an MRO option (75% fully supportive). A further 87% were supportive of an adjudicator imposing financial penalties to enforce the code (78.6% fully supportive), while 68% agreed the bill would lead to a reduction in tenants’ costs. Bibby said: “With a broad coalition behind the bill and backing from an overwhelming 93% who responded, this consultation has demonstrated very clearly the sector has to change.”

Pizza Hut teams up with Toyota to develop self-driving delivery car: Pizza Hut has partnered with Toyota to start work on a self-driving car. The concept, e-Palette, was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. After losing market share to rivals, Pizza Hut changed its delivery algorithm last year and introduced new delivery options, including the ability to order through Alexa devices and a mobile delivery tracker that sends text updates. Pizza Hut US president Artie Starrs told Business Insider UK: “We are focused on technology-based solutions that enable our team members and drivers to deliver even better customer experiences. With Toyota, we are excited to be partnering with an undisputed leader in human mobility with a reputation for innovation, reliability and efficiency as we define the pizza delivery experience of the future.” Pizza Hut said e-Palette could one day be used to deliver and possibly cook pizzas, with Toyota planning to start testing the vehicle as early as 2020. The companies will also collect data from Pizza Hut delivery vehicles to increase efficiency and safety.

Licensing update: Licensing solicitor John Gaunt & Partners produces a useful monthly summary of topical issues. To access the latest, click here

Redcomb Pubs reports 12.6% December like-for-like sales growth: Multi-site operator Redcomb Pubs, founded by Dan Shotton and Mark Draper, has reported one of its strongest festive trading seasons to date, with like-for-like sales across the group increasing by 12.6% during December 2017 compared with the previous year. The group, which comprises 14 pubs and pubs with rooms alongside bar and casual dining venue Lockhouse in Paddington, began December trading with some of its highest sales figures to date despite snowy conditions experienced by a number of sites. Collectively, sales across all sites for the first two weeks in December rose 17% year-on-year, rising to 19% in respect of food sales across all venues. Star performers across the group included Worplesdon Place in Surrey and The Bickley in Chislehurst, both benefiting from substantial investment and refurbishment during the past two years while refocusing their core food offering. Worplesdon Place posted a like-for-like sales increase in December of more than 23%, while The Bickley demonstrated resilient and robust trading at the start of December with like-for-like food and drink sales increasing by more than 35% during the first two weeks. Shotton said: “All our staff pulled together tremendously to create one of our best festive trading seasons to date, with sterling performances from everyone. We pulled in excess of 100,000 pints and served well over 29,000 festive plates over the Christmas period, which demonstrates customers still value the quality, ambience and food a proper British pub has to offer when it comes to celebrations. Redcomb also benefited from consumers’ increased desire to ‘trade up’ over the festive season, with strong premium spirit sales across all sites and premium cocktails up by nearly 90% year-on-year in December.” After investment and refurbishment across the Redcomb Pubs estate throughout 2017, the group said it had major projects and expansion plans in the pipeline for 2018.

Sky News – Byron places 20 restaurants at risk of closure in rescue plan: Better burger brand Byron has placed 20 sites at risk of closure under a restructuring plan aimed at securing its future. Byron is seeking a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) aimed at slashing costs, including rent bills, following a strategic review of the business. The company emphasised no restaurants would close on day one of the CVA, while its 1,800 employees, suppliers and business rates would continue to be paid on time and in full. It stated: “As part of this strategic review, the directors have been successful in negotiating a financial restructuring with the company’s lenders and shareholders, which will enable new investment to come into the business. Completion of this financial restructuring is conditional on the approval of the CVA proposal, which is designed to tackle the cost of the company’s leasehold obligations across its UK restaurant portfolio. As with similar CVAs, this arrangement seeks to strike a balance that provides a fair compromise to landlords while allowing the viable part of the business to move forward across a smaller, more profitable core estate.” All Byron’s 67 restaurants are leaseholds, while it also operates nine other leasehold sites including its London head office. Information distributed to potential bidders for the business had indicated 13 of its sites are loss-making or marginal and fall into a category headed “exit immediately”, reports Sky News. 

Amber Taverns planning up to 12 openings in 2018: Community pub operator Amber Taverns is planning to open between ten and 12 sites this year. Operations director Gary Roberts told Propel: “Six of these have already been identified and are in various stages of legal and planning. Hopefully another couple of Hogarths Gin Palaces will also be added to the estate.” Amber Taverns has acquired its first two sites of 2018 – the Thre3 bar in Ripley, Derbyshire, and has taken on the Commercial Hotel in the village of Rainhill in Merseyside from Greene King. Roberts said the company planned to invest about £450,000 to transform the Thre3 bar into a community pub with a “premium sports offer”. He added: “We will start work in the next few months once licensing and planning has been received. We will be recruiting a local operator and envisage we will create about 12 full and part-time positions.”

Mudman to bring Greyhound Cafe brand to UK this week with Fitzrovia opening: Mudman, the master franchise operator of Au Bon Pain, Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts in Thailand, is to bring its Bangkok-style Greyhound Cafe concept to the UK. The company will open the site in Berners Street in Fitzrovia, London, on Thursday (11 January). Thai designer Bhanu Inkawat launched Greyhound as a fashion house in 1980, opening a cafe in Bangkok in 1998 that now has 17 sites across Asia. Greyhound Cafe London will be set over two floors with a bar and dining room on the ground floor and another dining room in the basement. Divided between small and large dishes, Thai-style “single plates” and a sizeable vegetarian section, the menu will pay homage to Thai cooking with signature twists. Cocktails have been developed in partnership with Thai spirit distillery Mekhong, using the eponymous rum as the base. There will also be Thai craft beer and organic coffee. Bhanu said: “Although we are Thai at heart, the restaurant will be anything but a traditional Thai restaurant. Our inspirations come from far and wide, some recipes were handed down from our grandmothers, some were dishes from our travel memories and others were inspired by our midnight fridge raids. Just like in Bangkok, we will mix traditional and international, street and couture, fused together in a beautiful, chaotic way.”

Boopshi’s brothers prevent restrictive conditions being placed on licence of St John’s Wood pub: Ed and Ben Robson, the brothers behind schnitzel and spritz operation Boopshi’s, have prevented restrictive conditions being placed on the licence at The Clifton in St John’s Wood, north London. Licensing firm Joelson acted on behalf of the brothers, who were called before City of Westminster Council for a review of their licence following concerns by local residents about noise emanating from outside areas, in particular the beer garden. The Clifton Hill pub reopened in 2017 having lain empty for several years but The Clifton Hill Residents Group asked the council to review its licence conditions after growing concern over noise in the evenings. The group requested conditions that included closing the beer garden at 8pm and sound-proofing a conservatory at the rear. While the Robsons acknowledged residents’ concerns, they said they were extremely concerned a change in conditions would affect the pub’s ability to trade. Joelson successfully argued it would be inappropriate to add new conditions to the licence, with its evidence including representations from 61 local residents who supported the pub and were happy with how it operated. Niall McCann, joint-head of Joelson’s licensing and gaming department, said: “Cutting the hours or forcing the premises to incur additional costs would have had a devastating financial impact on our client and affected their ability to trade effectively.”

D&D London appoints Jean-Baptiste Requien as operations director: Restaurant operator D&D London has appointed Jean-Baptiste Requien as operations director responsible for the group’s restaurants in Butler’s Wharf, the north and City of London. Requien returns to D&D London having started his career at the company in 2001 before moving to join Gordon Ramsay, where he managed restaurants at Claridge’s and in New York before overseeing the company’s portfolio as front-of-house manager in 2008. After returning to D&D in 2010 as senior general manager for Quaglino’s and Bluebird, Requien became operational director for Big Easy Group and, most recently, Park Chinois in Mayfair. He said: “I am excited to be returning to D&D, where it all began for me. It’s an exciting time for the company.” D&D London was founded by Des Gunewardena and David Loewi in 2006 following a buyout of Conran Restaurants. The company owns and operates 35 restaurants and a hotel.

BrewDog closes in on £10m target as crowdfunding campaign enters final week: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has raised more than 90% of the minimum target of £10m in its Equity for Punks V crowdfunding scheme, with less than a week until Monday’s deadline (15 January). So far, the campaign has raised £9,089,885 from 19,213 investors with six days remaining. BrewDog, which is valued at £1bn, said the new investors had swelled its community of “equity punks” to more than 65,000. Having raised £41m from previous crowdfunding rounds, BrewDog is now looking to raise £10m with a stretch goal of £50m to further global expansion. The plans include building breweries in Australia and Asia, opening 15 bars in the UK, increasing capacity at its Aberdeenshire brewery, and creating a dedicated craft beer TV network. For the Equity for Punks V fund-raise, BrewDog released 421,052 new B shares, which cost £23.75 each and are issued in blocks of two, with a minimum investment of two shares for £47.50.

French/Japanese fusion concept Bistro Mirey opens permanent site in Fulham: French and Japanese fusion concept Bistro Mirey has opened a permanent site in Fulham, west London. Chefs Gerald Mirey and Ko Ito have launched their debut bricks-and-mortar site in Lillie Road. The chefs have operated a number of pop-ups and supper clubs in the capital, with their menu evolving along the way. Bistro Mirey offers the same “intimate and unique supper club experience”, serving lunch and dinner daily as well as weekend brunch and Sunday lunch, with many ingredients sourced from local markets. Starters include steak tartar and spiced potted shrimp, while mains on the winter menu include Hokkaido-style pheasant with root vegetables and blueberry sauce, and braised beef cheek in red wine with miso and wasabi mash. Desserts feature French galette and matcha ice cream, while the French wine list sits alongside a Japanese sake menu. Normandy-born, classically trained Mirey was most recently head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s The Narrow, while Ko hails from Japan and fuses traditional dishes with Western influences.

Nanna Mexico opens third Cambridge site, fourth in total: Fresh street-style food specialist Nanna Mexico has opened its third outlet in Cambridge – and fourth in total. The company has taken over the lease of the former Dunkin’ Donuts site in Fitzroy Street in a deal brokered by Barker Storey Matthews. The agent was instructed in the autumn to market the 2,007 square foot premises by way of assignment of the existing lease, which runs until February 2024. The new restaurant serves up to 60 covers. Nanna Mexico founder and owner Luis Navarro told Business Weekly: “The support we have received from the business and financial professions in the city has been matched by that of our community of customers. Both audiences appreciate what Nanna Mexico is bringing to the appetites and palates of Cambridge. That is real food prepared from scratch, quality street-style and served with a smile. Cambridge really gets what we are all about.” Nanna Mexico’s other Cambridge outlets are in Regent Street and Petty Cury, while it also has a site in Norwich.

Colchester Zoo owner acquires The Great House in Lavenham: Colchester Zoo owner Dominic Tropeano has acquired The Great House Restaurant & Hotel in Lavenham, Suffolk, for an undisclosed sum. Tropeano has bought the 14th century, fully refurbished, grade ll-listed property from Regis and Martine Crepy in a deal brokered by agent Christie & Co. The restaurant offers 55 covers internally and 20 outside. It also features five letting rooms that overlook Lavenham’s Market Square. Owned by the Crepys since the 1980s, the venue has won numerous awards and accolades, included being listed in The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants since 2011. 

Godiva launches cafe boutique concept at Meadowhall: Chocolate shop Godiva has launched a cafe boutique concept at the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield. The company has opened a 1,700 square foot store that includes a 14-cover cafe outside. Godiva UK country manager Jon Green said: “Meadowhall is a great location for us to have unveiled our first concept cafe boutique. We were attracted by its great reputation and significance as a major UK retail destination.” Richard Crowther, asset manager for British Land, joint owner of Meadowhall, added: “The new Godiva store looks extremely enticing and its premium offer complements the newly refurbished shopping environment at Meadowhall. The addition of the cafe is perfect for shoppers looking to enjoy a sweet treat as part of their day out.”

Tim Martin hits back at Brown’s Brexit beer mat barbs: JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has hit back at renowned beer writer Pete Brown’s criticism of the company’s “Brexit beer mats”. Wetherspoon launched 500,000 beer mats last month, claiming big business has tried to fool the public and press by saying food prices would rise unless a deal was struck with the European Union. Martin said: “In this allegedly post-truth world it is usually, of course, the press that acts as the bastion of democracy, querying political propaganda. But what do you do when large sections of the press have been hoodwinked by organisations that appear hell-bent on patronising and fooling the public? Wetherspoon gave the answer on our beer mats and Pete, like the CBI, is not contesting the truth of the accusations but, perhaps understandably, prefers the falsehoods to be corrected elsewhere so as to preserve the equilibrium and the convivial sanctum of the pub. In contrast, most customers surely want the truth, especially in respect of a vital matter such as food prices, and so will accept our unconventional means of communication once in a while. We may be testing Pete’s patience but the truth matters and, in a democracy, the public will decide.”

Fuller’s extends technology partnership with Vianet: London brewer and retailer Fuller’s has extended its partnership with beer quality and waste management systems company Vianet. The three-year extension includes a commitment to exploit Vianet’s next-generation technology platform, which will provide real-time insight into the performance of Fuller’s draught beers across a number of key quality measures. Enhanced tailored reporting will support licensees across Fuller’s pub estate and its operational management team to further drive improvements in customer experience and business profitability. Fuller’s tenanted head of operations Fred Turner said: “Our partnership will build on our previous investment and will create opportunities by site to meet any future evolving requirements.” Vianet managing director Steven Alton added: “We’re delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with Fuller’s.”

Former Smoking Goat head chef to go permanent with Thai restaurant residency in Highbury: Seb Holmes, former head chef at Soho’s Thai barbecue restaurant Smoking Goat, is to go permanent with his pop-up concept Farang in north London. Holmes launched the residency in February last year on the site of Italian restaurant San Daniele in Highbury Park. He is now finalising a deal to make the pop-up permanent. The venue will feature a cocktail bar with seating for five and offer snacks such as beef jerky. There will also be a separate kitchen to support Deliveroo orders. A new wok burner will see fresh Thai stir-fries added to the menu, reports Hot Dinners. Farang – “foreigner” in Thai – has previously appeared at London Union sites Dinerama and Hawker House.

County Durham tourist attraction begins £18m expansion project: County Durham tourist attraction Beamish – The Living Museum Of The North has started work on an £18m expansion designed to attract an extra 100,000 tourists to the region. The new project, Remaking Beamish, will create 95 permanent jobs and 50 apprenticeships. The centrepiece will be a reconstructed 1950s town that will sit alongside existing attractions that depict life in the early 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors will also be able to stay overnight in a newly recreated Great North Road coaching inn. The three to four-year project is the largest in the museum’s 48-year history and follows a £10.9m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Remaking Beamish project officer for skills Michelle Lagar told Insider Media: “We’re looking for qualified and experienced local tradespeople who would like the opportunity to work on this unique project. Our in-house buildings team has extensive experience in creating historical and modern buildings but, to deliver a project of this size, we need to grow our construction capacity.”

Chapel Down completes £20m fund-raising following oversubscribed open offer: English wine producer Chapel Down has completed its £20m fund-raising following an oversubscribed open offer. The company stated: “Chapel Down received valid applications to subscribe for £2.35m under the open offer. The open offer was to raise up to £1.47m and was heavily oversubscribed. Qualifying shareholders who have validly applied for open offer shares will receive their full open offer entitlement. The company announced on 13 December 2017 it had raised £18.53m (before expenses) through the issue of new shares at a price of 50p per share. Including the open offer, the total raised is £20.0m before expenses.” Chief executive Frazer Thompson added: “We are delighted by the response we have received from existing shareholders and to have met our full target. The £20m raised through the placing and the open offer will enable us to significantly invest in the business to meet growing demand for our products. We look forward to this exciting next stage of growth at Chapel Down.”

Pipers Crisps wins ‘best savoury snack’ for sixth year running: Pipers Crisps, stocked by a range of sector operators, has been voted Britain’s best brand of savoury snack for the sixth year running. The Lincolnshire-based premium crisp-maker topped the poll in an annual survey of speciality food products on sale in UK delicatessens, farm shops and food halls. Marketing manager Katy Hamblin said: “It’s an especially important accolade because it’s voted for by the retailers themselves – our own customers. It shows we’re not only doing the right things but we’re also doing them well. We’ve just launched our jalapeno and dill flavour, meeting the current consumer trend towards heat and more globally influenced flavours.”

Handful of tickets left for Restaurant Marketer & Innovator series this month, largest sector marketing event in the UK by attendance: A handful of tickets are left for Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, the most comprehensive marketing series the sector has seen. The event has now become the best-attended marketing event in the UK with more than 600 people from nine different European countries booked to attend. Propel will stage the two-day event in partnership with Think Hospitality on Wednesday, 17 January and Thursday, 18 January at One Moorgate Place in London. An array of marketers from agencies and early-stage, growing and rejuvenating brands will take to the stage to share their strategies and winning tactics. Companies and brands attending include Novus, Signature Pubs, Cafe Rouge, Wagamama, Brasserie Bar Co, Las Iguanas, YO! Sushi, Fuller’s, ASK Italian, Mitchells & Butlers, G1 Group, Costa Coffee, Ei Group, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, Brewhouse & Kitchen, Stonegate Pub Company, Be At One, Revolution Bars Group, Cabana, Thai Leisure Group, New World Trading Company, Pho, Maxwell’s Group, Gather & Gather, Oakman Inns and Restaurants, The Breakfast Club, The Coaching Inn Group, Gail’s Bakery, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, K10, Giggling Squid, San Carlo Group, Ennismore, TLC Inns, Polpo, FrogPubs, The Real Eating Company, Claus Meyer Holding, VIP Pizza, 200 Degrees, Coppa Club, Snug Bars, Albion & East, Pint Shop, True North Brew Co, Darwin & Wallace, Chit Chaat Chai, BabaBoom, Electric Star and Eat Poke. For full details of the two days, co-ordinated by James Hacon and Ann Elliott respectively, click here. Conference prices for two days are £525 plus VAT for operators and £795 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies buying two tickets will receive a third free. A one-day rate of £345 plus VAT is available to operators only. For more information and to book, call Jo Charity on 01444 810304 or email jo.charity@propelinfo.com or Anne Steele on 01444 817691 or anne.steele@propelinfo.com. Please note the Boot Camp on Tuesday, 16 January will now take place on the tenth floor of the Blue Fin Building in Southwark Street, London.