East Coast Concepts boss – we see scope for up to 40 sites, sustaining like-for-like growth: East Coast Concepts chief executive James Hitchen has told Propel he believes there is scope for up to 40 sites in total for its Neighbourhood and Victor’s concepts. The company, which is backed by private equity firm NorthEdge Capital, will open its second Victor’s site, at the Westgate development in Oxford next month, following its launch in Hale in 2014. Hitchen said the company would look to open one more Victor’s site this year before looking to expand the concept at a rate of “three or four annually”. Further venues for Victor’s as well as the three-strong Neighbourhood concept are earmarked for 2019. He added: “We see Oxford as the flagship site for Victor’s. It’s an all-day concept and, with the city’s demographic of white and blue-collar workers, students and tourists, it ticked all the boxes. We’re not just a north west-based operation and we want to prove that to ourselves and our customers. Therefore, we wanted to open our next site in a location with national and international appeal – Oxford fits that bill. We have worked hard to put in place the platform and the people to grow our business and we’re now in a position to really start doing so. I think there’s scope for us to have 30 to 40 sites across the UK eventually but we won’t expand just for the sake of it. We’ve already turned down sites for Victor’s in Harrogate, Leeds and York because we are being so considered with our site selection. We are looking for a different profile location for the Neighbourhood brand because it is very different to Victor’s – our Manchester site is 7,000 square feet – so we’re looking for large locations with huge footfall, cities such as Birmingham, Cardiff and Newcastle, for example.” Hitchen also revealed the company is continuing to sustain the 10% like-for-like growth it reported at Christmas, while the opening of Oxford Victor’s as well as its most recent Neighbourhood site in Leeds would help the company increase turnover from £10m last year to about £18m (gross) in 2018. He added: “It’s tough for a lot of operators as margins continue to be squeezed. It’s going to be survival of the fittest but, if you’ve got the right offer, I think it’s a good market to be in. There are going to be sites coming up. We are comfortable with where we are at the moment but we’re always looking to improve and we’re going in the right direction.”

Social Media Strategy In A Day opens for bookings: Social Media Strategy In A Day, an event aimed at allowing companies to develop and hone their social media strategy, has been launched – and is open for bookings. The event features 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 one-day advanced workshop that will cover everything a marketing department should be thinking about when it comes to social strategy. The event, which takes place on Thursday, 26 April at One Moorgate Place in London, will open with Digital Blonde founder Karen Fewell revealing updates from recent industry reports and analysing insightful statistics. Attendees will be among the first to hear what she took away from the SXSW conference in the US. You will also learn the “top ten principles of persuasion for hospitality businesses”, which will show you how to apply psychological principles to help people buy your products and services. Craig Hill will help you unearth your brand character and show you how to tell others about it in an interesting and engaging way. During the “inspiration session”, you will look at ten killer social media campaigns – what worked and why are people talking about them. The “interactive guide to content brainstorming” will force you to look at a campaign in a more emotional and engaging way, while the Digital Blonde team will also look at the changes Facebook made to its algorithm earlier this year and reveal what it means for your social account. The “understanding user behaviour” section of the event will answer key questions such as how do you engage with millennials and do Gen Z even use Facebook any more? Fewell will round up the morning session by sharing the latest updates on the incoming General Data Protection Regulation. The afternoon will start with a quick-fire round of 20 questions in 20 minutes, while Jamie Riddell, of pay-as-you-go analytics platform BirdSong Data, will reveal useful things about user behaviour in the hospitality sector. The “ultimate content toolkit” talk will reveal the tools you need to create engaging content cost-effectively from your mobile phone. Social copywriter Nicola Proud will share her top copywriting hints and tips and reveal how to write Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts that stop people scrolling. The event will also reveal how to use Instagram stories to drive revenue for your business and show the key differences between the social advertising platforms on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Finally, the team will tell you where to find influential people, what to pay them and how to successfully build them into your strategy. 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

Costa and Leon sign for London water bottle refill trial: Operators including Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee and natural fast food brand Leon have signed up to a pilot scheme that will offer tap water refills to consumers in a bid to slash single-use plastic bottles in London. The Refill London project, run by Thames Water and campaign group City To Sea, involves 65 businesses across the capital. The project will be trialled in five areas – Greenwich town centre, Lewisham High Street, the South Bank and Bankside, Regent Street and London Bridge – with a summer roll-out if the trial proves a success. A free Refill London app will allow consumers to find participating venues, with businesses urged to join the voluntary scheme. Londoners buy more than three plastic bottles a week on average, equating to 175 bottles per person a year. About 7.7 billion plastic bottles are purchased in the UK each year. London mayor Sadiq Khan, who is set to install public water fountains across London during the next three years, told edie.net: “A free tap water scheme is long overdue in London and I welcome all the businesses that have shown strong commitment to reducing unnecessary plastic waste.”

BBPA backs low-alcohol labelling consultation: The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has welcomed the Department of Health’s pledge to launch a consultation on low-alcohol descriptors in the marketing and labelling of alcoholic drinks. The BBPA said the move would provide an “opportunity to change the rules to help grow the lower-strength market and clarify labelling for consumers”. The BBPA said it been calling for more flexibility to promote beers at or below 3.5% ABV for some time but current advertising regulations “prevented brand owners from promoting lower-strength beers”. BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: “BBPA members have responded to consumer demand for a greater range and choice of lower-strength beers, many with new flavours and ingredients. Investment in no and low-alcohol beers has drastically increased in recent years. Pubs are increasingly providing a growing selection of lower-strength alcoholic drinks. Greater clarity in advertising and marketing would allow the lower-strength market to continue to grow while supporting pubs.”

Former Chameleon owner becomes ALTA’s first chief executive: Phil Strong, former owner and managing director of multi-site pub restaurant operator Chameleon Bar and Dining, has been appointed chief executive of the Association of Licensed Trade Accountants (ALTA). The association said the appointment of its first chief executive was part of its aims to raise its profile and recruit the “best accounting professionals”. Strong, who has been in the licensed industry for more than 40 years, said: “I passionately believe all pub companies and licensed businesses should be using ALTA members. They have to be vetted annually and professionally qualified and indemnified with a minimum of five years’ experience in the licensed sector. I have seen over the years businesses underperform or fail, not helped by accountants who are not qualified or experienced in the sector.” Strong ran Chameleon Bar and Dining from 2000 until June 2016.

Brexit an opportunity to change consumers’ fish tastes to ‘more sustainable choices’: Brexit provides an opportunity for operators to move UK consumers’ tastes away from the traditional “top five fish” towards more sustainable choices, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has said. The charity has published a post-Brexit top ten of sustainable fish in UK waters. MCS programme manager Bernadette Clarke told Footprint: “We’re suggesting dab, hake, herring, mussels and mackerel become the new cod, haddock, salmon, prawns and tuna. By choosing from a wider range, we’ll be putting far less stress on individual fisheries. UK consumers tend to stick to their tried and tested top five in taste and familiarity – but not always sustainability. There’s so much more to explore.”

Bath pub reopens after ‘biggest community buy-back’ of more than £1m: The Packhorse pub near Bath has reopened after a community campaign raised more than £1m to buy it back from developers. The 400-year-old pub in South Stoke closed in 2012. The refurbishment has seen a car park built and a 17th century fireplace restored that was found hidden behind wood and plaster. The pub now offers seasonal, Sunday and small plates menus. Dom Moorhouse, managing director of The Packhorse Community Pub, told the Bath Chronicle: “As far as we can tell, it’s the largest sum in the UK for a community buy-back. Myself and the team aim to deliver value for money and it has taken time to pull the plans together. We have a duty of care to the community, the shareholders and, most of all, to The Packhorse to get it right first time.”

Redcomb reports profit boost as turnover passes £15m mark: Multi-site operator Redcomb Pubs, founded by Dan Shotton and Mark Draper, has reported turnover increased to £15,155,421 for the year ending 30 June 2017, compared with £11,588,891 the year before. Pre-tax profit was up to £632,367 compared with £502,631 the previous year, according to accounts filed at Companies House. A report by the directors that accompanied the accounts stated: “During the year, four acquisitions were made – the freehold of a site in Appledore, which was converted into a seven-bedroom annexe for the Seagate; a new pub in Paddington called the Lockhouse; a pub in Whitehall called The Old Shades and a company called Old Manor Trading, which owns The Old Manor in Potters Bar. The company continues to make good progress with its expansion and profitability. The existing three pubs made solid progress throughout the year in terms of profitability, with the exception of the Crown & Horns. Returns were conducted at The Station and The Bickley. The board is reviewing growth strategies on an ongoing basis and always looking to acquire good-quality sites of a sufficient size to maximise profits.” During the period the number of staff increased to 127 from 100 the previous year. Redcomb comprises 16 sites mainly in London and the Home Counties.

Jamie Oliver brands chief executive accusations ‘nonsense’: Jamie Oliver has said accusations Jamie Oliver Group chief executive Paul Hunt is destroying his business are “nonsense”. Insiders told The Times they were “desperate to leave” the company after Hunt, who is also Oliver’s brother-in-law, introduced a series of tough cost-cutting measures. However, Oliver wrote on Facebook: “There has been some negative press coverage with so-called friends of mine saying nasty, untrue things about Paul Hunt, who is the CEO of my business. First, let me say the story is nonsense and I absolutely refute the picture they paint of Paul and my business. I’ve known Paul for years both as a loyal brother-in-law and loving father as well as a strong and capable CEO who I charged with reshaping the business. He has radically transformed our business for the better – it’s now more successful, vibrant and creative than ever and now we are able to focus on doing the same in our UK restaurant business. I’m incredibly grateful for what’s been achieved in a fairly short time.” The comments come as some of Oliver’s brands struggle. Last week, his “home town” branch of Jamie’s Italian, in Chelmsford, closed. It is the brand’s second to close in a total of 12 that will be shuttered following the approval of a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) last month. Oliver also placed Barby, the parent company that owns his Barbecoa sites in St Paul’s and Piccadilly in London, into administration. An administrators’ report revealed Barby owes £3m to about 150 unsecured creditors and £3.7m to HSBC, of which it is estimated the bank will receive about £250,000. Unsecured creditors are likely to receive 80p in the pound. 

Swingers launches West End site: Street food and crazy golf concept Swingers has launched its second London site – at a former BHS store in Oxford Street. The venue features two crazy golf courses themed around the 1920s English Riviera. Inside the 20,000 square foot venue in John Princes Street, caddies serve cocktails to guests as they navigate the courses. A “promenade” lined with lamp-posts and street food stalls housed in beach huts runs between the two courses, alongside four cocktail bars and two seaside-themed bars. The street food traders are better burger brand Patty & Bun, wood-fired pizza concept Made Of Dough, ice cream company Hackney Gelato and Mexican concept Breddos Tacos, a joint venture with Gleneagles owner Ennismore. The venue also features a 3D photo podium and a number of spaces available for private hire. The Swingers website states: “Step out of the hustle and bustle of London’s busiest streets and into a quintessential British seaside setting of food, drinks and fun where the sun is always shining.” Swingers started as a pop-up in Shoreditch and opened its first permanent venue underneath the Gherkin in the City last year. Jeremy Simmonds and Matt Grech-Smith, who founded the Institute of Competitive Socialising, which owns the street food and crazy golf concept, have previously told Propel Swingers is a “hospitality concept first and foremost and not a fad”.

World buffet restaurant company Panda Mami to start expansion as Cosmo closes York site: World buffet restaurant company Panda Mami is to start expansion by opening a second site, in York. The concept, which offers specialities from China, Thailand, Japan, India, the US, Italy and the UK, launched in Chester in December 2016. It will replace Cosmo in York after the all-you-can-eat brand suddenly shuttered its venue in Bridge Street ten days after closing its Coventry site. In a post on Facebook, Cosmo’s owners stated: “We have taken the decision to relinquish the Cosmo site in York and will cease trading as Cosmo. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal customers and employees.” Cosmo opened the 250-cover site in June 2014 following the £1m conversion of a former Argos store, York Mix reports. Panda Mami, led by Kaixiang Liu, has proclaimed “ambitious plans for continuous growth and expansion”, with “more than 30 further restaurants planned”. The closures leave Cosmo’s estate at 19 restaurants across the UK.

Michelin-starred chef opens second Devon restaurant following crowdfunding campaign: Michelin-starred chef Thomas Carr has opened his second restaurant in Ilfracombe, Devon, after raising the funds on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. The new venue, Thomas Carr Seafood & Grill, has joined the chef’s fine dining venue in the town – Thomas Carr At The Olive Room – after launching at the former Lamb Hotel in High Street. The venue features a 30-cover dining room upstairs with a bar below offering cocktails developed on-site and an outside space. Carr set a target of £15,000 for the Kickstarter campaign, raising almost £18,000. Early in his career, Carr was appointed head chef of Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, which earned two Michelin stars under his leadership within a year of opening. Carr gained Ilfracombe’s first Michelin star for Thomas Carr At The Olive Room in 2016 and has retained it since.

Liverpool-based multi-siters to open second site for pizza concept: Liverpool-based brothers Paolo and Donato Cillo are set to open a second site for their pizza restaurant Crust. The Cillos launched the concept, known for its authentic pizza toppings served on black dough pizza crust, in Bold Street in 2015. Now they are set to open a second site, this time in Woolton Village. Crust posted on Twitter: “It’s official. We’re opening in Woolton Village very soon.” The restaurant will have the same menu as the Bold Street venue, with about 30 pizza and calzone varieties, 15 hand-made pasta dishes, plus a selection of burgers off the grill, reports the Liverpool Echo. The Cillos also operate Il Forno restaurant in Duke Street and Paolo & Donato’s Italian Deli in Williamson Square.

JD Wetherspoon gets go-ahead for £2m hotel above Blackburn pub: JD Wetherspoon has been given the go-ahead for a £2m hotel development above a pub in Blackburn. The company has been granted permission by Blackburn with Darwen Council for the 22-bedroom hotel. The company will now push ahead with plans to convert disused floors above The Postal Order pub in Darwen Street into rooms. Spokesman Eddie Gershon told This is Lancashire: “We are very keen to open a hotel at our pub, The Postal Order, and are pleased planning permission has been granted. We believe the hotel will benefit the pub and, importantly, Blackburn itself.”

Grosvenor Pubs co-founder to launch pasta concept Bancone in central London next month: David Ramsey, who recently co-founded pub company Grosvenor Pubs with former Busaba Eathai chief executive Jason Myers, is to launch pasta concept Bancone in central London next month. Ramsey has partnered with restaurateur William Ellner to open Bancone in William IV Street, near Trafalgar Square, at the end of April. The kitchen will be led by Louis Korovilas, who trained under Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli. His menu will focus on fresh pasta dishes and hyper-seasonal small plates. Dishes will include pappardelle, kid goat and rosemary ragu and plates such as lamb-neck ravioli with spring vegetables. The bar will cater for aperiviti and cicchetti alongside a wide choice of Italian wine by the glass that will champion lesser-known growers. The decor will include living walls and glass cabinets for drying pasta. Ellner, who operates Joanna’s restaurant in Crystal Palace, said: “I’m thrilled to have Louis on board at Bancone. He’s incredibly passionate about Italian food and produce and comes from a prestigious restaurant background. Italian food – particularly pasta – is enjoying the limelight in London once again.” Grosvenor Pubs is backed by Downing LLP and is aiming to build an estate of high-quality pubs with rooms.

Former Kitty Fisher’s head chef launches Shoreditch solo venture: Tomos Parry, former head chef of Kitty Fisher’s in Mayfair, has opened his first solo restaurant. The concept – Brat – has launched in Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, influenced by Parry’s Welsh heritage and the Basque region. Brat, a colloquial term for “turbot”, offers a menu favouring seasonal British produce and cooked on an open grill. The first-floor restaurant features art deco wood-panelling and large steel-frame windows. The open kitchen and ovens sit at the heart of the room, surrounded by a counter bar with high stools. Parry has collaborated on the wine list with Keeling Andrew & Co, a wine import company set up by the founders of Noble Rot. Parry said: “Since leaving Kitty’s I’ve been working closely with farmers and fishermen to create a menu structured around native ingredients at the peak of their season. For me, the simple pleasure of eating well is what Brat is all about. It’s a place I would want to eat – whether one dish with a glass of wine at lunch or settling in at the counter for a few hours.”

Comptoir Libanais to make West Midlands debut this month: Comptoir Libanais, the Lebanese canteen specialising in fresh Middle Eastern dishes owned by Comptoir Group, will open its first site in the West Midlands, in Birmingham this month. The 3,047 square foot restaurant will open in the Grand Central shopping centre on Monday, 26 March next to Indian street food specialist Mowgli. The 100-cover site will also feature a small souk market offering authentic ingredients, home-ware, gifts and branded cookbooks. Comptoir Libanais founder Tony Kitous said: “Grand Central’s position above the busy New Street station and adjacent to the Bullring makes it the perfect location for our first restaurant in the West Midlands.” Comptoir Libanais operates 26 sites in the UK, including branches in Manchester, Oxford and Bath, with the next opening scheduled for London Bridge later this year.

Know Collection adds Roman-themed party pad to Chester boutique hotel: Liverpool-based operator Know Collection has added a “Roman-themed party pad” to The Townhouse boutique hotel in Chester. The Roman Vault sleeps nine and has a large lounge with vaulted ceilings and a built-in bar. The pad also comes equipped with a beauty bar, karaoke and a colour-changing lighting system. Know Collection chief executive Steven Hesketh said: “We purchased the Townhouse Hotel in July and immediately saw a large amount of group enquiries. We decided a gym and unused office space were the perfect location for this unique accommodation offering. Visitor numbers to Chester are up 7.3% to 62.2 million, which is clearly helping with accommodation demand in the city. The hotel has performed beyond our expectations and the hotel has risen from 27th to 17th on TripAdvisor, an amazing feat in nine months.” The Know Collection also operates The Richmond Apart Hotel, two sites for its cafe concept Love Thy Neighbour, three Piri Piri Express restaurants, and the UK Hospitality Training Academy.

Manchester-based music venue operator acquires first pub: Ben Hourahine, who operates Manchester house-music venue and graffiti space Antwerp Mansion and dubstep and grime event Mantra Festival, has acquired his first pub. He has bought the freehold of The Ruperra Arms in Basseleg, near Newport, South Wales, off a guide price of £475,000. John Coggins, of agency GVA, which brokered the deal, told Insider Media: “The market for licensed premises is enjoying something of a resurgence, with excellent prices achieved on good-quality assets. Buyers are becoming increasingly aware that a public house can represent a superb business opportunity with the potential for multiple income streams. Lenders are showing improved appetite to support businesses within the hospitality and leisure sectors.” Rusholme venue Antwerp Mansion is currently threatened with closure by Manchester City Council. However, a petition demanding the council reverses its decision has garnered more than 17,500 signatures.

Leicester-based Indian restaurant opens vegetarian street food cafe for second site: Leicester-based Indian restaurant Mem-Saab has opened a vegetarian Indian street food cafe in the city for its second site. The company has launched Cafe Delhi in Melton Road. The menu reflects the cultural diversity of Delhi, with rich influences from the English, Arabs, Rajputs and Mughals. Drinks include a range of mocktails inspired by India’s heritage of traditional flavours and roadside refreshments. The cafe features an open kitchen alongside copper accents, calacatta marble and rattan cross-back chairs, reports the Leicester Mercury.

Signature Living reveals more details of Waring Hotel in Belfast: Aparthotel developer and operator Signature Living has revealed more details of The Waring Hotel, which it is opening at the former War Memorial Building in Belfast. The 90,000 square foot venue will comprise 63 bedrooms across four floors, together with a ground-floor restaurant and rooftop bar. Signature Living founder and chairman Lawrence Kenwright told Insider Media: “The Waring’s stylish bar restaurant and rooftop bar will be a vibrant addition to the Cathedral District’s bustling social and culinary offering.” Last week, Signature Living announced plans to transform Floral Hall in Belfast. The company aims to spend £5m to restore the building in the grounds of Belfast Zoo for use as an entertainment, conference and wedding venue. Signature Living is behind plans for four further hotels in Belfast, including the George Best Hotel at the Scottish Mutual Building and the £25m redevelopment of Crumlin Road Court House, all scheduled to open this year.

Blackpool-based leisure group acquires fourth hotel: Blackpool Promotions has acquired the Grosvenor Hotel for its fourth venue in the city. The leisure group, founded in 1983 by entrepreneur Tony Banks, also operates The Ruskin Hotel, The Royal Carlton and Royal Seabank. The Grosvenor will undergo a six-figure refurbishment with 47 bedrooms transformed into 30 suites. It will be incorporated into the neighbouring Ruskin and feature a cabaret venue and basement spa. Banks told Insider Media: “This is a great spot for a hotel, close to the seafront and a range of attractions. When the Grosvenor came on the market, we knew it could really bolster our offering.”

Chelmsford-based tea room operator opens second site: Chelmsford-based tea room operator Monica Pearce has opened her second site. Pearce launched Maison Bleu Tea Room & Gift Shop – now known as Maison Bleu Chelmsford – in Meon Close ten months ago. Now she has acquired the Bluebell Tea Room in the nearby village of Danbury, which has been renamed Maison Bleu Danbury. It is slightly smaller than the Chelmsford site having 20 seats compared with 30. Pearce said expansion wasn’t on her mind until she stumbled across the new location. She told Essex Live: “I was looking for a jacket potato oven and saw one on Facebook. I went to meet the lady and it turned out she was closing her tea room in Danbury and selling her equipment. Two hours later we were shaking hands and I had agreed to take on the business.”

Fatto a Mano to open third Brighton and Hove pizzeria next month: Neapolitan pizzeria Fatto a Mano is to open its third site in Brighton and Hove, next month. The concept, which opened sites in Brighton’s London Road in 2015 and Church Road, Hove, a year later, will launch its latest venue in the North Laine area of the city. The restaurant will open in a pedestrianised area on the corner of Kensington Gardens and Gloucester Road at a site formerly occupied by second-hand clothing store Loot. The concept, which offers “wood-fired pizzas, top-quality ingredients and friendly service”, was founded by Rupert Davidson and Dav Sahota in 2015. It was named one of the UK’s top independent pizzerias by the Guardian in 2017 and appeared on a list of Brighton’s top 20 restaurants last month for a third year in a row. Davidson said: “The Loot site means we can open a small pizzeria in the centre of Brighton, in what is a fantastic building. In the past 12 months we’ve developed our own beer brewed in Sussex and launched homemade non-gluten pizzas. We’re keeping to our simple menu, with a few changes we hope Brighton and Hove locals will love.”

Pret A Manger to give away free drink tokens to ‘make someone smile’: Pret A Manger is giving away more than 300,000 drink tokens to encourage customers to “make someone smile” by giving a free drink to a loved one, colleague or stranger. Pret’s biggest giveaway will see tokens handed out in participating stores until Sunday, 25 March with the tokens redeemable until Monday, 30 April.

Rosa’s to launch Tooting and Ealing restaurants to reach 13 London sites: Thai restaurant group Rosa’s Thai Cafe is to open venues in Tooting and Ealing to take the brand to 13 London sites. The 60-cover Tooting High Street site will open on Thursday (22 March) split over two levels. It will also feature a theatre kitchen on the ground floor and a basement restaurant space that will double as a 25-cover private dining room. The Ealing Broadway restaurant is planned for an early summer launch, with both sites designed by Gundry & Ducker. Rosa’s Thai Cafe managing director Gavin Adair said: “The launch of our Tooting and Ealing restaurants marks an exciting year ahead for Rosa’s. Both areas have a loyal and growing foodie community so they are the ideal locations.” Husband-and-wife team Saiphin and Alex Moore founded Rosa’s in Shoreditch in 2006. The brand’s other sites include Carnaby, Chelsea, Seven Dials and Spitalfields. Saiphin Moore recently published her second cookbook, which focuses on vegetarian dishes.