Some operators reaching ‘crisis proportions’ but possible pricing benefits: Some operators are reaching “crisis proportions”, although many may benefit in the short term from changes in the pricing environment, according to the latest Quarterly Briefing Report from Peter Backman. In his summary of the fourth quarter of 2017 with forecasts for the first and second quarters of this year, Backman said: “Christmas has been a disappointment. While there was some growth it wasn’t spread across sectors – pubs did ok with wet sales, restaurants performed less well. With already weakened finances – which had been going downhill for most of the year – we’re reaching crisis proportions for some operators. There were CVAs, pre-packs and store closures in the restaurant and food-to-go sectors before Christmas and more followed after. None of this is helped by oversupply in the market, which may ease very slightly as some operators (attempt to) hand back their keys. Other sectors have also seen poorer conditions. Hotels, for example, have had positive 2016 sales figures to exceed, which has been difficult to achieve in 2017. Meanwhile, contract caterers continue to battle against structural shifts in their business environment. Against this background the changes in distribution are worth noting. P&H ceased to operate in the period, while Tesco’s acquisition of Booker continued apace. In the face of a slowing market, these developments portend changes in the pricing environment. Operators may benefit – at least in the short term. Larger distributors will gain share and manufacturers will pay the cost.”

Propel Multi Club Conference open for bookings, Alex Salussolia 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. Alex Salussolia, managing director of Glendola Leisure, will talk about the longevity of the company’s three-strong Waxy O’Connor’s brand, which was conceived 25 years ago and is still winning major awards, and the company’s expansion into restaurant and coffee offerings such as Bar & Beef and Gordon Street Coffee. 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

Operators can have their say on food delivery in Propel and Piper survey: Operators have the chance to give their thoughts and experiences on food delivery and the effect it has on their business in a new survey. Propel has partnered with Piper, investors in fast-growing consumer brands, to conduct the survey. It should take no more than ten minutes to complete and participants will be sent a copy of the research. All individual responses are confidential and data will only be viewed in an anonymous, non-attributable and aggregated way. Neither Piper nor Propel are compensated by any company to conduct the survey and will not sell individual responses or pass them to third parties. To take part in the survey, click here. The findings will be presented by Yasha Estraikh, of Piper, at the next Propel Multi Club Conference on Wednesday, 7 March at the Grange Hotel in St Paul’s, London.

London pop-up restaurant platform Grub Club acquired by VizEat, rebrands as EatWith: Grub Club, the London pop-up restaurant platform, has been acquired by VizEat for an undisclosed sum. Grub Club was founded by food friends Olivia Sibony and Siddarth Vijayakumar in 2013. VizEat operates in 130 countries and is backed by several millions of pounds of venture capital cash. It last year snapped up EatWith, a similar platform in the US backed by Silicon Valley's Greylock Partners. VizEat and Grub Club together will combine and rebrand under the EatWith name with Vijayakumar becoming managing director of EatWith UK. He told CityAM: "At Grub Club we are proud to have revolutionised and ultimately dominated the experiential market in the UK, bringing together hundreds of chefs in in venues all over London. We believe that joining forces with EatWith is a natural union of values, and will turbo-charge our mission to bring world-class experiences to diners in one of the world’s most cutting-edge culinary capitals.” Grub Club connects hundreds of chefs who want to put on dining events with quirky locations across the capital where they can be hosted. VizEat co-founder and chief executive Jean-Michel Petit said: “London is not only one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, it's also a trendsetting capital. London was one of the first cities to experiment with supper clubs, and it has remained a staple in social dining experiences among Londoners. With Grub Club leading the supper club charge, it was a natural fit for us to acquire a company that resonates with our values. We’re looking forward to expanding this offering even more, and also welcoming Siddarth to the wider EatWith team.”

ALMR – government on right road to protecting late-night venues: The government is on the right road to protecting late-night venues by agreeing to back the Agent of Change principle, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has said. The principle makes developers responsible for identifying and solving potential sound problems when building near late night and music venues. Secretary of state for housing, communities and local government Sajid Javid has vowed to help strengthen planning policy following a campaign calling for a law change. While it is currently part of planning guidance, it is not compulsory. ALMR chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “It is clearly unfair that venues are required to solve noise issues when property developers have knowingly chosen to build nearby. The ALMR has been urging MPs for some time to recognise that without such a change, many long-standing established venues could be driven out of business, severely damaging the UK’s night-time economy. Music has always played a big part in British culture so we’re happy the government has started on a road to protect such cultural and economic assets.”

BBPA calls for modest rise in fruit machine stakes and prizes: The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has called for the government to allow a modest rise in stakes and prizes for pub fruit machines. In its response to the consultation on gaming machines and social responsibility proposals, the BBPA has also asked for an urgent consultation on Category C technical standards to ensure the pub amusement machine can “survive”. Chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: “The amusement machine offer in pubs needs to be able to develop to meet the expectations of the consumer and form part of a low stake, low prize entertainment offer. Our proposals to increase both stake and prize should help keep pub amusement machines competitive. The BBPA already has a long-established code of practice to ensure machines are operated responsibly. Operating costs for pubs are under pressure from high beer duty, business rates, the Apprenticeship Levy, and mandatory auto-enrolment pensions for employees. Income from amusement machines can be vitally important in keeping many pubs viable, and an increase in prize for Category C machines would enable pubs to invest in the business and keep an important social resource viable.” 

Deliveroo trials snow fleet: Deliveroo has started trialling a snow fleet in a bid to cater for snowed-in customers in the UK. Skiers, snowboarders and snowmobile-riders have been training at more than 3,000 feet at the summit of the Meall A’Bhuiridh mountain during the past week. In what has been the UK’s coldest winter in five years and with further snow forecast, restaurants signing up to the snow trial include Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Wagamama. Riders will be able to avoid dangerous and blocked roads and make deliveries up to twice as fast as regular ones. The trial will see snow-riders operate until the end of February in areas of the country that are worst hit by snow. Joe Groves, of Deliveroo, said: “The UK is traditionally terrible at coping with snow – as soon as it starts, schools shut, trains stop and the nation panics. We want to give our customers one less thing to worry about this winter. We’re conscious lots of our customers don’t live in cities and can be easily affected by extreme weather conditions. We want to make deliveries possible for those who wouldn’t have dreamed it was possible.” London-headquartered Deliveroo was founded in 2013 by William Shu and Greg Orlowski. It currently operates in more than 200 cities across 12 countries.

Pub 18 to introduce ‘new brew’ area: Pub18, the only trade show dedicated to the UK pub industry, is to introduce the New Brew Area for this year’s show, which takes place at London’s Olympia on 6 and 7 February. Sponsored by Bar Pong, the area will allow attendees to sample new drinks by the latest brewers and cider-makers including Honest Brew, Cotswold Cider Company, Pillars Brewery, Crafty Nectar and Black Storm Brewery. Pub 18 commercial manager Alex Booth said: “More than three-quarters of those who have registered to visit Pub 18 are looking to discover new beers, ales and ciders.” Speakers at the event will include New World Trading Company managing director Chris Hill and chef Tom Kerridge, while Propel managing director Paul Charity will chair a panel about creating memorable customer experiences. He will also talk to Be At One operations director Andrew Stones, Fuller’s managing director Jonathan Swaine, Brewhouse & Kitchen executive chairman Kris Gumbrell, and Greene King business development manager Yvonne Fraser about the role of staff development in building lasting customer loyalty. For more information on the talks and workshops, visit www.thepubshow.co.uk/talks

Revolution Bars Group executive chairman – we’re back on track after being distracted by potential takeover: Revolution Bars Group executive chairman Keith Edelman has told Propel the company is now “back on track” after admitting it had been distracted by a potential takeover. The company, which operates 72 premium bars across the UK under its Revolution and Revolucion de Cuba brands, was the subject of a failed £101.5m bid from Stonegate Pub Company in October, while Deltic Group tabled a merger proposal that was rejected by Revolution Bars Group management. Edelman also said the search for a new chief executive following the departure of Mark McQuater in October was going “very well” and the company hoped to make an announcement in the “next few weeks”. Edelman said: “The period running up to Christmas has been a distraction – for staff and management – with the possible takeover. I think that’s inevitable in those circumstances but we got everyone back on track very quickly, which was something we had to do with December being such a crucial trading period. We are now just focusing on running our business.” Revolution Bars Group reported like-for-like sales up 5.9% for the four weeks to 31 December 2017 – the fifth successive year the company has enjoyed a record festive performance. Meanwhile, like-for like sales during the 27 weeks to 6 January 2018 were up 1.9%, with a 14-week second-quarter performance up 3.1%. Edelman said: “The fact this comes on top of record Christmas results last year is especially pleasing. If you have a bad year, the figures the following year can be flattering but we are continuing to see a strong performance. I think that comes down to a few things – hard work, our brands being in the pysche of the consumer and our top-class staff, who deliver a great customer experience.” Edelman added the company would like to increase the rate of openings from six a year, dependant on finding the right sites. He said the company was also still open to small acquisitions but it came down to making sure the return on investment was “attractive”. He added: “We are focused on growing both brands. I think we are delivering a great premium offer and giving value for money but, in my view, our main difference is our fantastic staff. I think we are a fun business and exciting to work for. We have a culture of promoting from within – many of our managers started working as bar staff.”

McDonald’s and US labour board begin talks to settle joint employment case: McDonald’s and a US labour board are in talks to settle a case that claims the fast food company is liable for purported labour law violations by its franchisees, leading a judge to pause a trial that began in 2015. Administrative law judge Lauren Esposito in Manhattan said even though the trial is expected to wrap up as soon as this week, McDonald’s, its franchisees, and the National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel should have a chance to pursue a settlement. The general counsel said a board decision released last month in a separate case that narrowed the definition of “joint employment” might have wiped out some of the claims against McDonald’s. The McDonald’s case had been seen as a test of when franchisors might be considered joint employers, requiring them to bargain with unions or be held accountable for franchisees’ labour practices. Business groups have said treating franchisors as employers could upend the franchise model. McDonald’s spokeswoman Terri Hickey told Reuters: “McDonald’s USA is simply not a joint employer with its franchisees, and we are hopeful this development will lead to a long overdue and successful resolution of the pending cases."

Papa John’s franchisee takes store openings into double figures: Papa John’s franchisee Siddhartha Chirumamilla has opened two stores – in Falkirk, near Glasgow, and Billericay in Essex – to bring his portfolio to 11, with plans to open more before the end of the year. Chirumamilla, a former mechanical engineer, said: “I first experienced Papa John’s when I was a student delivery driver. I went on to work in mechanical engineering but always wanted to run my own business. I bought my first franchised Papa John’s with the help of an HSBC loan five years ago and the business grew rapidly. I have an experienced business partner, Vamsi Atluri, who runs my multiple Scottish-based outlets, while the rest are in south east England.” Papa John’s franchise sales and business development manager Phil Gaffer added: “We are seeing a growing trend for our franchisees to run multiple operations. There are advantages of economies of scale by running more than one outlet as it offers the chance for expansion using a formula franchisees know works well.” Papa John’s has more than 350 sites across the UK and over 5,000 stores in more than 40 international markets and territories.

Former Salt Yard Group chef director joins City of London hotel with view to launching restaurant projects: Former Salt Yard Group chef director Ben Tish has joined The Stafford London hotel as culinary director with a view to launching new restaurant projects. Tish will oversee the entire food offering at the five-star hotel in St James’s, including The Game Bird restaurant, American Bar, Wine Cellar, private dining, suites and in-room dining. Tish and the hotel will also look to launch restaurant projects in the “near future” that will focus on Tish’s signature style and love of European cuisine. Tish said: “I am delighted to join the team at The Stafford. They had such a great year in 2017 with the launch of The Game Bird.” The Stafford London general manager Stuart Procter added: “We are thrilled to welcome Ben to the hotel. He is an incredible chef and together we look forward to evolving the offering at The Game Bird and across the hotel along with launching exciting projects.” Tish spent his formative years working with Michelin-starred chefs such as Jason Atherton and Stephen Terry. He left Salt Yard Group, where he launched Soho sites Dehesa, Ember Yard and Opera Tavern, at the end of March.

Know Collection spreads cafe concept Love Thy Neighbour into Manchester: Liverpool-based operator Know Collection has started expansion of its cafe concept Love Thy Neighbour by opening a second site, in Chorlton, Manchester. The company said it had invested five figures in the launch, helped by a £70,000 boost from funding provider MSIF. Know Collection launched Love Thy Neighbour in Bold Street, Liverpool, in 2016 with a focus on healthy eating in a holiday-style setting. Chief executive Steven Hesketh told BDaily: “Chorlton is the perfect fit for Love Thy Neighbour – a bohemian subculture with a healthy mix of style and substance. With plans for lots of collaborations and events, 2018 looks like it will be a fun year for our second venue. We are delighted to have been supported in our growth by MSIF and we are so pleased it saw the vision and direction for this young and vibrant brand.” Last week, Know Collection rolled out its free hospitality academy courses for the unemployed, with the company taking on three new recruits from the first cohort.

Star Pubs & Bars creates buying department, launches coffee supplier agreement: Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars has created a buying department. The team of nine will include category experts in soft drinks, wine and spirits as well as machines, beer and ale and is expected to be fully operational by March. The department will work to procure “keen prices, high levels of service and access to new products” for licensees. In addition, buyers will use their expertise and knowledge to keep licensees abreast of the latest developments and trends in their sectors and provide best practice on retailing products to maximise sales. Agreements will be managed to ensure suppliers deliver “consistent standards and be transparent, with savings passed on to licensees”. The department’s first supplier agreement goes live this month with a new deal on coffee for Star Pubs & Bars’ increased estate of 2,900 pubs. It is partnering with UCC – suppliers to Waitrose, McDonald’s and Greggs – for bean to cup and traditional coffee, and with hospitality specialists K-Fee for capsule coffee to ensure all pubs have a suitable solution. As well as coffee, the deal includes sales-building advice and a three-year, fixed-price agreement that covers machines, installation, training, servicing and repairs. Star Pubs & Bars buying director Steve Dancer said: “The department has a wide remit and will work closely with other areas of the business, from training to marketing, to help licensees create great pubs with retail offers that continue to meet customers’ ever-changing needs. The pub and casual dining markets are increasingly competitive. Consolidation means growing numbers of managed operators are using their scale to improve their offers. For Star, putting greater emphasis on category buying isn’t just about negotiating good prices, it’s about highlighting trends and enabling licensees to take advantage of them quickly to stay ahead of their competitors.”

BrewDog to open second Edinburgh site on Friday: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog will open its second site in Edinburgh, on Friday (26 January). The company has converted a former Clydesdale Bank building in Lothian Road to offer 25 taps of craft beer, BrewDog’s full burger and wings menu and weekend brunch, plus an integrated BottleDog for takeaway beer. The company opened its first venue in the city at a former karaoke bar in Cowgate in 2011. In its blog, the company stated: “BrewDog Lothian Road is a perfect location for us. Directly opposite the Usher Hall in a modern sandstone building, we are right at the heart of everything on the capital’s busiest street. We can’t wait to get the bar open.” Last week was a busy one for BrewDog, it signed a UK distribution deal with Global Brands for its Lone Wolf gin, vodka, and canned gin and tonic drinks, and extended its Equity for Punks V crowdfunding programme until October due to “unprecedented demand”. The campaign has secured £11,852,437 so far from 25,069 investors.

Bristol-based Pigsty to open second site in city: Bristol-based Pigsty is to open its second restaurant in the city. Brothers Olly, Josh and Max Kohn will launch the site in Gloucester Road. It will have 107 covers, making it more than four times the size of the brand’s debut home in Cargo 1 at Wapping Wharf. Expected to open in early May, the new Pigsty will occupy premises that most recently housed Bubalu cafe. Olly Kohn told Bristol 24/7: “Cargo is perfect for us but, when it gets busy, it’s pretty crammed. We are chuffed to get this site in such a great location and won’t be straying too far from our roots, maybe a few different varieties of pig boards and extra brunch options. We have learnt lots we can take to this next place but we’ll keep to what we’re about – we don’t want to dilute our quality.”

The Alchemist to open £1.65m Nottingham venue next month: The Alchemist, which is backed by Palatine Private Equity, will open its site in Nottingham next month following a £1.65m investment. The venue will launch in a former Hard Rock Café site in King Street on Saturday, 10 February and will be the brand’s 13th site and first in the East Midlands. The venue will extend over 6,600 square feet across two floors, with the opening creating 80 jobs. The Alchemist managing director Simon Potts said: “We’ve had our sights set on Nottingham for a while and we’re pleased it’s finally come to fruition. Nottingham is a fantastic city and we have secured an amazing location. Overall, the venue feels a perfect fit.” Earlier this month, The Alchemist told Propel it aims to open five or six sites in the next year after securing a £16m finance package from existing debt-funders Santander. The Nottingham opening will be followed by others in Cardiff and Bristol as the company eyes further acquisitions. Potts added: “It’s a real joy to be able to announce positive plans for our continued growth at a time when there seems to be a lot of uncertainty in the sector.” Palatine Private Equity supported a buyout of The Alchemist from Living Ventures in 2015.

Ei Group unveils ‘Beerista’ coffee offer: Ei Group, formerly Enterprise Inns, has unveiled a tailored “Beerista” coffee offer to help its publicans tap into the UK’s £3.7bn-a-year coffee market. Publicans receive a full audit on their coffee requirements and a recommended tailored solution. The package includes a coffee machine suitable to each pub’s needs, training support, pricing guidance, 100% Arabica coffee and crockery, quality control measures, range suggestions, and marketing collateral. In partnership with manufacturer Fracino, Beerista Coffee Company offers several coffee machines ranging from small-volume capsule types to automated high-volume machines. Ei Group head of food Paul Farr said: “As well as offering Beerista Coffee Company to our leased and tenanted estate, we will roll it out across our Bermondsey Pub Company portfolio. As ever, Beerista is an evolving offer so being able to take key learnings from our managed estate and share best practice with publicans across our wider portfolio adds value to the entire business.” Ei Group’s regional managers have undertaken an extensive training course ahead of the roll-out.

Plans to demolish former Everards home for shopping and restaurant scheme gets go-ahead: Plans to demolish the former home of Leicestershire-based brewer and retailer Everards and build a shopping and dining destination have been given the go-ahead. Everards’ old base at Castle Acres is to be knocked down to make way for a £135m redevelopment after Blaby District Council approved the scheme. The site was sold to The Crown Estate through the Fosse Partnership in October last year. The Crown Estate is to commit £135m to develop the 12.5-acre plot, which is adjacent to its Fosse shopping park, to create a new retail and dining attraction. The development will create about 288,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Everards based its brewery, office and logistics at Castle Acres for more than 30 years but is relocating to two new sites, Everards Meadows and Optimus Point. The Castle Acres scheme is already almost 60% pre-let, with Next opening a 90,000 square foot, three-storey site, while other confirmed tenants include Debenhams, TK Maxx and Clarks. Work is set to start on-site in the coming months, reports Insider Media.

New all-day Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant to open in Aldgate East this month: A new all-day Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant will open in Aldgate East, central London, this month. Murat Kilic and Pierre Aprin will launch Amber in Piazza Walk on Monday, 29 January. Taking the ancient amber trade route as inspiration, the new restaurant will offer diners an “authentic, yet modern and refined take on Middle-Eastern cuisine”. The breakfast menu will include whipped feta with dukkah and burnt aubergine with crushed olives. while there will be a set lunch offering and an a la carte menu. The decor will take inspiration from a “midsummer garden”, featuring a palette of dusky pinks and pale greens as a backdrop with ash wood tables and chairs and an array of potted plants. An open kitchen and bar will dominate one side of the restaurant, complete with grill stations and a specialist oven for making crispy pide.

Goodbody – JD Wetherspoon continues to be our top pick in sector: Goodbody leisure analysts have said JD Wetherspoon continues to be their “top pick” in the sector ahead of its second-quarter results on Wednesday (24 January). Issuing a ‘Buy’ note on the shares, they said: “We expect like-for-like sales to be +3.5% year-on-year in the second quarter, compared with the +6.1% delivered in the first quarter. In terms of the margin, we forecast 7.3% in the first half, -40 basis points year-on-year, as the group faces well-flagged cost headwinds in line with the rest of the sector. We also expect an update on the estate and progress towards the guided ten to 15 openings this year. Wetherspoon continues to be our top pick in the sector. It is well placed to outperform in a tougher environment this year due to its lower price point versus peers, strong recent trading momentum, and its mobile order and pay application. Despite this challenging environment, we believe medium-term forecast risk is biased to the upside.”

Patisserie Valerie launches 50p re-usable coffee cup discount: Patisserie Valerie, the company that has sector investor Luke Johnson as executive chairman, has launched a 50p discount for customers who use re-usable coffee cups. The company stated on its Facebook page: “Help us make a difference! We want to reduce the amount of paper cups going into landfill and we can only do this with your help. When you bring in a reusable cup you will get 50p off any takeaway hot beverage. Every cup counts.” In November, Patisserie Valerie launched its own re-usable coffee cup. The company opened its first site in Hampstead, north London, in 2005 and now trades from almost 40 Gail’s-branded outlets after growing significantly since Johnson invested in 2011. Its retail operations are concentrated in affluent London locations with high footfall and it has further plans to expand both retail and wholesale operations.

Marston’s relaunches Bedford brewery acquired from Charles Wells: Marston’s has relaunched the Bedford brewery it acquired from Charles Wells in 2017 as Eagle Brewery. In May, Marston’s acquired Charles Wells’ brewery and brand sales interests for a cash consideration of £55m plus working capital adjustments. The Bedford brewery is the home of ale brands Bombardier, Courage and McEwan’s and plans are under way to bring out a range of beers under the Eagle banner. Marston’s said the site in Havelock Street had been “much changed” since the acquisition and has reopened with new beers in the making and the addition of a taproom, shop and visitor centre, while it will also host brewery tours. The company said it chose the name Eagle Brewery because “eagles are Bedford’s historic champions” – the borough bears an eagle on its coat of arms. A company spokesman said: “At the Eagle Brewery we are proud to embrace different perspectives. It means while others may move cautiously, we soar fearlessly. Like the eagle that looks over our brewery, we take a different view.” Marston’s now operates six breweries across the UK, as well as an estate of 1,500 pubs. 

Free-of-tie lease of Hampstead pub brought to market: The free-of-tie lease of The Magdala Tavern in Hampstead, north west London, has been brought to market by agent Davis Coffer Lyons on behalf of Mulberry One Capital. The landlord is seeking to let the property on a free-of-tie commercial lease, with other terms to be negotiated. The pub in South Hill Park, which consists of ground-floor and basement areas comprising 2,277 square feet, is available in shell condition on a new lease. The pub is opposite Hampstead Heath overground station and half a mile from Belsize Park. It fronts South Hill Park and is close to a parade of shops, restaurants and cafes.

Punch calls time on plastic straws: Punch has said it intends to cut and ultimately eliminate the use of plastic straws across its 70-strong retail pub estate while encouraging its leased and tenanted pubs to follow suit. Initially, Punch will no longer serve drinks with plastic straws unless requested and will also remove them from view. The company said it hopes to introduce suitable recyclable and re-usable alternatives. Punch managing director of operations Paul Pavli said: “Alongside a number of our peers in the industry, we are committed to reducing the use of damaging plastic straws in our retail pubs and will also be encouraging our circa 1,200 leased and tenanted publicans to join the campaign and benefit from training material and POS to make consumers aware of this very important cause.” Punch will campaign on social media using #thefinalstraw.

Green energy-powered gin and whisky distillery to launch in Yorkshire: Chartered architect Chris Jaume and former scientist Abbie Neilson are set to launch a gin and whisky distillery in Yorkshire powered entirely by green energy. Cooper King Distillery will open in Sutton-on-the-Forest and begin production of its juniper-led gin in the spring. Whisky distillation will follow in the summer ahead of a predicted release date of 2023. Cooper King has partnered with green energy company Ecotricity to power the facility. Jaume told Insider Media: “We are so passionate about ensuring our actions have a positive impact on the environment and we’re taking every step we can to operate sustainably. It’s great we are among a select few distilleries in the UK choosing to run solely on green energy. We hope we can inspire more businesses to make a conscious effort to look at the impact they have on the environment.”