Turtle Bay UK operations director steps down: Karen Turton, UK operations director of Caribbean restaurant Turtle Bay, has stepped down, Propel has learned. Turton joined Turtle Bay, which is backed by private equity firm Piper, in March last year having previously been a regional director with Nando’s for almost three years. Prior to that she was with Spirit Pub Company and Punch. A Turtle Bay spokesman confirmed Turton had left but wouldn’t give further details. Last month, Turtle Bay reported revenue increased 7% to £68.1m for the year ending 24 February 2018, compared with £63.7m the previous year. Group Ebitda before exceptional costs was £12.1m compared with £14.4m the year before, reflecting continued investment in Germany and the effect of rises in the National Minimum Wage, business rates and the impact of exchange rate movements on input costs. There are currently 43 Turtle Bay sites across the UK and two in Germany. In 2013, Piper invested £6m into Turtle Bay to help fund expansion.

Plans unveiled for £300m Blackpool leisure development featuring UK’s first ‘flying theatre’: Plans for a £300m leisure development in Blackpool have been unveiled, featuring the UK’s first “flying theatre”. The Blackpool Central scheme – which would be the biggest single investment in the town’s tourism industry for more than a century – is set to feature “world-class” visitor attractions along with new hotels, restaurants, a food market, an events square, residential apartments and multi-storey parking. The master plan is inspired by Chariots Of The Gods, written by Swiss author Erich Von Däniken, which explores alien encounters and unsolved mysteries of ancient civilisations. It would be the main theme for Blackpool Central and that of the anchor attraction, the UK’s first “flying theatre”, an immersive ride creating the sensation of human flight. The 17-acre development site currently includes one of Blackpool’s biggest surface car parks alongside a magistrates’ court and former police station, reports Insider Media. The project is a collaboration between UK-based development company Nikal and Media Invest Entertainment, which owns the intellectual property rights to Chariots Of The Gods. The first phase, due to open in spring 2024, would include a virtual reality experience with free-roam, multi-player capability, body tracking, and motion simulators. There would also be Adventure Land – an expansive indoor family entertainment centre incorporating a series of physical and mental challenges including free-fall hang-gliding, rope courses, adventure trails and interactive climbing walls. A fully themed gaming zone with rides, arcade games, laser tag arena, bounce park and bumper cars is also planned. The foodservice offer would feature Alien Diner, a themed bar, restaurant and events concept with “roller-coaster” service. This would be complemented by the development of an artisan food hall accommodating up to 30 outlets. A new 150-bedroom promenade hotel is also planned. The second phase would include apartments, further food and drink outlets, a second hotel comprising 250 bedrooms, and additional landscaped public open space.