Los Angeles study tour to take in ‘restaurant of the future’ where everything is measured: Propel and UKHospitality’s Los Angeles study tour, which takes place in May, will include a visit to the “restaurant of the future”, which is driven by the measurement of all guest experience variables such as music levels, the dynamic effects of restaurant scent, local demographics, geo-fencing and much else besides – in a way that has proved it can drive sales. Its finding on music and scent, for example, have driven sales by up to 12%. The concept was explained to delegates at the Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit by Ben Calleja, chief executive of restaurant design company Livit, which is the world’s biggest design company with a new restaurant featuring its designs opening every eight hours – Propel will send out the video of Calleja’s presentation on Friday (25 January). Livit operates Stockholm “lab” restaurant 1889 Fast Fine Pizza, which is packed with sensors allowing Livit to see how it can run a restaurant more efficiently from a guest and operator perspective. The restaurant offers a quick service throughput and was launched in Sweden due to its high labour costs – the minimum wage is $23 an hour. Livit will launch a second venue in Los Angeles, which LA Study Tour delegates will visit as part of the experience. The Stockholm venue can complete a transaction every 30 seconds with an average of 3.5 minutes from the moment a guest orders until they have a glass of wine and food in front of them and have paid. Sensors change the restaurant’s lighting to match the street outside and track phones and Mac addresses whether a guest connects to the Wi-Fi or not to find out where they live and work to get demographic profiling to map development strategies and location-based marketing. When food is ordered on the app, a guest’s meal is only put in the oven when they are 70 metres from the restaurant. On two days a week the restaurant puts a plate on the tables that features a Bluetooth-enabled button that connects to an Apple watch worn by the sole person who manages the floor. Guests can press the button to order drinks with the staff member immediately able to see which table the order has come from. The initiative has seen liquor sales increase 9%. The LA study tour takes place between Thursday, 16 May and Saturday, 19 May and is open for bookings. The trip will feature a jam-packed itinerary, including visits to the new Club Los Angeles, McDonald’s original restaurant and museum, and Corporation Food Hall. There will also be two bar tours led by Think Hospitality managing director James Hacon and Mystery chief executive Dan Einzig, while the trip includes three nights’ stay at the five-star Kimpton La Peer Hotel and three hosted dinners. Click here to see the full LA Study Tour itinerary. The cost is £2,895 for operators and £3,795 for suppliers. For more information or to book, email Jo Charity at jo.charity@propelinfo.com or call 07780 826228.

Propel Multi Club Conference open for bookings, two free places for operators, Nick Telson to present: The first Propel Multi Club Conference of 2019 is open for bookings. The full-day event takes place on Thursday, 7 March at the Millennium Gloucester hotel in London. Nick Telson, co-founder of DesignMyNight, which operates in 13 UK cities, will provide an overview of where customer demand is strongest, key leisure trends and growth areas as consumers seek richer, more immersive experiences. 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

Almost two-thirds of Brits find allergen food labels confusing: Almost two-thirds of Brits find allergen food labels confusing, according to new research by Mintel. The study showed less than two-fifths (37%) of consumers think it’s easy to identify which allergens a product is free from by its label. Meanwhile, 39% of allergy or intolerance sufferers who have bought or used free-from products would like to see a UK-wide allergen labelling system on free-from products. The UK free-from market was valued at £837m in 2018, growing 133% since 2013. While pre-packaged goods are legally required to highlight the presence of any allergens on-pack, almost half (48%) are unsure whether or not allergen labels are clear, and a further 15% actively disagree this is the case. Emma Clifford, associate director of food and drink at Mintel, said: “Potential changes to allergen labelling has received a lot of high-profile media coverage recently, with speculation the government plans to introduce new changes following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died after suffering an allergic reaction to a Pret baguette. Given the perceived lack of clarity and the dangerous health implications ambiguous allergen labelling can have on consumers, there is a real need for companies to make the presence of allergens obvious on labelling. While current regulations require allergens to be listed in bold on the ingredients list, many companies choose to highlight certain free-from credentials on the front of packaging as well. At the moment this is not regulated and, as such, there is no uniformity between the labelling used, which can fuel confusion among consumers, particularly given the huge amount of other product information on packaging. There is strong demand for a UK-wide labelling system for allergens, which would unify the way in which companies communicate this information on packaging.” The research found only 20% of consumers or other members of their household avoid certain ingredients due to an allergy or intolerance, which is a similar figure to those who do so as part of a healthy lifestyle (22%). Meanwhile, gluten-free products remain the nation’s most popular type of free-from food, with more than one-quarter (27%) of consumers having purchased or eaten these in the past six months.

Gin sales boom leads to number of distilleries almost tripling, England overtakes Scotland for first time: The boom in gin sales in the UK has led the number of distilleries to almost triple in five years, according to information published by HMRC. In total, there are now 361 registered distilleries in the UK, up from the 128 registered in 2012. The gin boom has also led to England overtaking Scotland in total registered distilleries for the first time, while distilling in Wales and Northern Ireland also continues to grow. In 2018, there were 166 distilleries in England and 160 in Scotland, while in 2017 there were 135 in England and 149 in Scotland. There are currently 19 registered distilleries in Wales, up from just one in 2012, and 16 in Northern Ireland, up from two in 2012. Chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association Miles Beale said: “It lifts the spirits to hear distillery numbers continue to grow in the UK. With all the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, it is extremely reassuring our talented spirit-makers are continuing to innovate, invest and grow. With England now boasting more distilleries than its Scottish cousins, 2018 really has marked a moment in history. There is a significant amount of money being poured back into the British spirits industry, which has been helped by the chancellor freezing spirit duty.” According to HMRC, the UK exported £532m of British gin in 2018, which is expected to grow further in 2019.

European hotel industry reports strong growth in 2018: The European hotel industry saw a strong 2018 with growth in all three key performance metrics, according to data from STR. Revpar increased 5.2% year-on-year to €81.43, while average daily rate rose 3.9% to €112.49. Occupancy was up 1.2% to 72.4%. STR also focused on the performance of two cities during the year – Brussels and Dublin. The Irish capital saw occupancy grow 0.7% year-on-year to 83.8% – its highest on record. Revpar was up 7.2% to €121.70, marking its eighth consecutive year of growth in the category. Average daily rate rose 6.5% to €145.15. STR analysts attributed the strong performance to a large number of high-profile events held during the year, including concerts and the St Patrick’s Festival. Meanwhile, Brussels continued its recovery from the negative impact of the terror attacks in 2016. Revpar increased 12.4% to €84.17 while occupancy was up 6.9% to 72.9% – its highest on record and marking 26 consecutive months of year-on-year growth. Average daily rate rose 5.2% to €115.50. 

Goodbody – TRG has ‘critical’ year ahead: Goodbody leisure analyst Paul Ruddy has said The Restaurant Group (TRG) has a “critical” year ahead. Following its year-end trading update, Ruddy said: “Like-for-like sales growth for the period was down 2.0% indicating a slight recovery from the minus 2.2% reported for the first 42 weeks. Total sales growth, including the impact of new openings, was up 1%, which is a good pick-up on the minus 0.5% reported after the first 52 weeks and is broadly in line with our expectations. The group noted it had delivered like-for-like growth since the World Cup, with pubs outperforming restaurants unsurprisingly and concessions trading strongly. On the estate it noted it had opened a record 21 pubs, including acquisitions and 21 concession units, which is slightly better than previously guided. It also notes Wagamama continued to trade well over the festive period. On the outlook the group notes it expects to deliver an adjusted profit before tax in line with current market expectations, we currently forecast profit before tax of £51.9m. Although we may nudge down our forecast by circa 1% to 2% we believe this is a good outcome given the challenges the restaurant sector faced during the year. Overall, the year ahead is critical for TRG as it works to integrate the recently acquired Wagamama business. In the existing business, like-for-like growth has been positive since the World Cup, which marks a key inflection point for the group and it is delivering well on site expansion in pubs and concessions. With circa 68% of group profit now coming from the faster-growth pubs, concessions and Wagamama businesses and management delivering improvements in the legacy leisure business, we retain our positive stance.”

Chop and Wok plans four further openings this year including first outside Birmingham as it launches seventh site: Birmingham-based wrap and noodle brand Chop and Wok has said it plans to open four more sites in 2019, including its first venues outside the city. The announcement came as the company opened its seventh venue in the city, in York Road, Erdington. A spokesman told The Business Desk: “The Erdington store has been carefully planned for six months and, now the doors are open, we’re really looking forward to the future and what it holds.” Chop and Wok opened its first site in 2009.

Chickano’s opens debut franchise site, in Leicester: North west-based chicken restaurant Chickano’s has opened its first franchise site, in Leicester. Chickano’s, which operates five company-owned sites, has launched the debut franchise in Granby Street. It is run by Ashraf Lakhi, who started his working life as a Chickano’s crew member in its first outlet, in Batley, West Yorkshire. More than £300,000 has been invested to convert the former Mi’raj steak restaurant in Leicester, with the new 80-seat venue creating about 30 jobs, reports Leicestershire Live. Chickano’s specialises in marinated, grilled and fried chicken served with the company’s signature sauces. The menu also features burgers, wraps and salads, plus sides such as mozzarella sticks and twister fries. Chickano’s was founded in 2011 by Mo Laher and Suhel Lunat. The company also operates restaurants in Bradford, Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Leeds with branches in Bolton and Halifax listed on its website as “coming soon”.

Camerons adds company’s first gaming bar to Headingley’s Head of Steam: Camerons Brewery is adding a gaming bar to its Head of steam site in Headingley, Yorkshire. The company is fitting out the upstairs restaurant of the property in North Lane with “retro” arcade games, beer pong, shuffleboard, a pool table and electronic darts. The downstairs bar is open as normal while the work takes place. There will also be a new food menu featuring pizza, burger and vegan options. David Scott, head of managed estates at Cameron’s Brewery, told City Buzz: “It is completely off-standard. We have never done it before but we asked our staff to come back with ideas and spoke to customers and this kept coming back. Headingley seems to be the biggest growth area – Leeds city centre has a lot of competitors such as Roxy. We think we have a fantastic space at Headingley and our demographic fits perfectly with a gaming bar – people in their 30s to 40s, students and workers.”

Lucky Onion founders take on 17th century Yorkshire coaching inn: Sam and Georgie Pearman, founders of Cotswold hotel and restaurant group The Lucky Onion, have taken on The Talbot in Malton, North Yorkshire. The riverside coaching inn is undergoing a major refurbishment to reopen on Monday, 4 February. The venue will feature an entrance hall, sitting room, lantern-lit snug, and wood-panelled bar with reclaimed log fire and vintage leather armchairs. The 60-cover, south-facing dining room will offer views across the river Derwent. Head chef Robert Brittain and Sam Pearman have created menus featuring dishes such as double bone-in rib of Yorkshire shorthorn beef, and twice-baked Dale End Cheddar souffle. Seafood will come from nearby Whitby, while drinks will include local beer and cocktails. The 24-cover Feasting Room will be available for private dining and events, while a 200-capacity riverside marquee in the walled garden will be available for larger parties and weddings. The redesign of the 26 bedrooms and suites will be complete by late spring. The Pearmans are working closely with Tom Naylor-Leyland, whose family have owned The Talbot for many years. The Lucky Onion is now owned by Julian Dunkerton, the entrepreneur behind high-street brand Superdry and Dunkertons Organic Cider. The company operates Cotswolds pub The Crown Inn, boutique hotels No. 131 and No. 38 The Park, coaching inn The Wheatsheaf, bar restaurant The Tavern, and pub restaurant The Wild Duck.

Pho reopens Oxford Circus restaurant as it ramps up estate’s revamp: Vietnamese street food restaurant group Pho has reopened its Oxford Circus restaurant in London following a six-month closure and is undertaking a series of refurbishments across the estate. The restaurant in Great Titchfield Street was the group’s second restaurant when it opened in 2008. The site was closed last summer to undergo landlord works and a refurbishment. The new design retains the casual canteen-feel that has “always characterised the site”, while introducing new elements such as timber floors, darker red colours and wood features. The focal point of the site is an original artwork – a Vietnam meets Oxford Street scene – by graffiti artist Lemai Lemaow. Set across two floors, the 60-cover venue features a mix of high-top and low tables while for larger groups there is an eight-person booth carved into the basement walls. Also in the pipeline this year, the group will reopen its Westfield White City site after the temporary closure of The Balcony restaurants for refurbishment, followed by Church Street in Cardiff in July and Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth later in the summer. Stephen and Juliette Wall opened their first Pho restaurant in Clerkenwell, London, in 2005 after they quit their jobs, travelled the world and found themselves inspired by Vietnamese cuisine. The company currently operates 27 sites.

Michelin-starred chef teams up with former Fat Duck colleague to open Latin American restaurant: Michelin-starred chef Paulo Airaudo has joined forces with a former colleague at The Fat Duck to open a modern Latin American restaurant. Airaudo and Rafael Cagali have launched Da Terra at the Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green, east London. The restaurant has taken over a space at the Patriot Square hotel that once housed Viajante and The Typing Room. The open kitchen has been retained while the nine-course tasting menu, which also has an Italian influence, showcases Cagali’s skills and knowledge “collected through his culinary journey in some of the finest restaurants in Brazil, Italy, Spain and England”. Airaudo and Cagali both worked at The Fat Duck before the latter went on to Fera and Aulia at Fera. Meanwhile, Airaudo caused a stir with his San Sebastian restaurant Amelia, which won its first Michelin star only five months after opening.

Yorkshire-based ‘tea room with a twist’ secures third site, in Bradford: Yorkshire-based “tea room with a twist” Cake ’Ole has secured its third site, in Bradford. The company has taken the lease on The Pavilion cafe in City Park. The site will be decorated in the same style as its outlets in Skipton and Keighley, resembling a Mad Hatter’s tea party. Cake ’Ole specialises in colourful, creative and imaginative food and drink combinations. These include celebrity-styled milkshakes and lemonade in milk bottles alongside Mars cakes and Victoria sponges. Savoury snacks include fruit toast, paninis and soup. Co-owner Richard Wilson told the Telegraph & Argus: “It is in the ideal spot and has lots of potential. If the demand is anything like Skipton, I’ll be over the moon.”

Mowgli doubles up in Manchester: Indian street food restaurant Mowgli has opened its second Manchester site. Founder Nisha Katona has opened the 100-cover, 3,294 square foot venue at the new University Green development in Oxford Road. Katona said: “Mowgli is all about the smash and grab of fresh, light Indian food. This makes it perfect brain food for the exacting appetites of the university students and staff. I have loved designing this Mowgli, it’s light, airy, twinkling and organic. In my mind, I want Apple shop meets Indian night market.” Mowgli also has two restaurants in Liverpool and venues in Birmingham, Nottingham and Oxford.

Previously jailed Lincolnshire restaurant owner gets nine-year directorship ban after submitting false tax returns: A previously jailed restaurant owner from Lincolnshire has been banned from running companies for nine years after she deliberately submitted false tax returns. Jilan Moore, 68, from Silsby, was the director of Beijing Dragon Catering, which operated three The Beijing Dragon restaurants in Lincolnshire. Beijing Dragon Catering was incorporated in September 2007 and, at the company’s height, Moore ran restaurants in Spilsby, Grimsby and Skegness with her husband. From 2013, Moore ran the restaurants as sole director before closing the Skegness site and, by September 2016, the company went into liquidation. The insolvency triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service and investigators discovered the tax authorities had previously dealt with the company after they found Beijing Dragon Catering’s records failed to match the returns they had officially submitted. The authorities discovered Beijing Dragon Catering deliberately suppressed sales and under-declared tax owed for between February 2014 and April 2015. The authorities sought to reclaim more than £100,000 in unpaid taxes but Beijing Dragon Catering couldn’t afford to pay its debts, which forced the trading company to go into liquidation. Moore has been banned for nine years from being a director, effective from 5 February, after she admitted causing Beijing Dragon to submit five false tax returns that deliberately under-declared tax owed on sales. Moore was sentenced in March 2017 to two years’ imprisonment having been found guilty of tax fraud. She has since been released from jail. Dave Elliott, chief examiner for the Insolvency Service, said: “This disqualification will send a clear message to other company directors – tax abuse of any kind, particularly when it comes to suppression of takings, will not be tolerated.”

Vegan curry concept SpiceBox opens first permanent site, in Walthamstow: Vegan curry concept SpiceBox has opened its debut permanent site, in Walthamstow, east London. Following a successful run on the street food circuit with Kerb, SpiceBox has launched a curry house in Hoe Street. The menu is modern Indian with plenty of nods to the iconic British curry house, featuring plant-based versions of classic dishes. The menu’s Street Bites section includes a loaded onion bhaji with pickled onions, green chilli and chutney; and puffed puris filled with chickpeas. Main dishes include SpiceBox’s signature jackfruit jalfrezi, while the savoury menu features a range of bread and rice alongside naan, paratha, roti and papadum served with mango chutney and seasonal homemade pickles. Desserts include a dosa waffle topped with chai-spiced grilled banana, chocolate sauce and toasted coconut flakes, while the drinks list features Cobra lager and an IPA from Walthamstow’s Wild Card Brewery. SpiceBox founder Grace Regan opened a kiosk at Kerb Camden in October 2017 and a test kitchen at The Hornbeam pub in Walthamstow in September last year.

Premier Inn and Staycity to operate 620-bedroom scheme in Paddington: Whitbread-owned Premier Inn and aparthotel operator Staycity are to occupy a 620-bedroom scheme in Paddington, London, due to open in 2021. Premier Inn and Staycity will each take 30-year leases on five-yearly, inflation-linked rent reviews, operating independently with 60% and 40% of the rooms respectively. Staycity will operate rooms under its premium Wilde Aparthotels by Staycity brand, while Whitbread will provide a latest-generation, 373-bedroom Premier Inn, its first in Paddington. M&G Real Estate has acquired the long leasehold interest of the development site and will finance the construction of the £203m complex, which also has provision for a 27,000 square foot education facility, landscaping and open space. M&G Real Estate investment director Kevin Vickers said: “London is one of Europe’s best-performing hotel markets and is expected to account for more than a third of the pipeline of new aparthotels in the UK and Ireland by 2021. The increase of high-profile operators entering the market and availability of operating data is enabling investors to become more comfortable with investing in the sector.” Jonathan Langdon, Whitbread acquisition manager for central London, added: “It’s a fantastic development in one of London’s most vibrant and well-connected areas and the hotel adds another quality zone-one location to our growing London portfolio.” Staycity chief executive Tom Walsh said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting development opportunity.” It is M&G’s fifth transaction with Whitbread as a tenant following a £100m funding deal to develop a 339-bedroom hub by Premier Inn in Westminster, adding to sites at Gatwick, Holborn and Wandsworth.

Ascot Brewing Company increases equity offer in £250,000 crowdfunding campaign: Ascot Brewing Company has increased the equity offer in its £250,000 fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube to move to larger premises and buy equipment to meet demand. The brewer, which was acquired by local businessmen Chris Davies and Mike Neame last year and is based in Camberley, Surrey, raised more than £270,000 on Crowdcube at the start of last year to ramp up brewing capacity. It has returned for a second funding round, now offering 20% equity in return for the £250,000 investment, giving the company a pre-money valuation of £1m. Previously it was offering 14.29% equity with a pre-money valuation of £1.5m. So far, 201 investors have pledged £138,450 with seven days of the campaign remaining. Davies said: “Our initial progress was exceptional. We hit £100,000 within a few days of going public and the 50% marker halfway through the raise timetable. However, there is no doubt progress to our £250,000 goal has slowed. I have received a number of emails and personal calls pertaining to our valuation from investors. While we carefully researched and measured ourselves against other great and successful breweries, my board and I are of a mind to act.” The pitch states: “To accelerate the next phase of growth we are raising further capital to move premises and equip the brewery appropriately. We aim to increase brewing capacity and our sales team, meeting demand for kegs and cans in the UK and for export; increase revenue by maximising value from our brewery, web and brewery shop, and micro-pub; roll out contactless ‘smart pump clips’ to pubs that will instantly answer consumer questions about a beer’s style, hops and process; and test-market Ascot House Amarillo handcrafted gin using our knowledge of hops, flavours and aromas.”

BrewDog opens first bar of 2019, in Carlisle: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has opened its first bar of 2019, in Carlisle. The company has launched the 240-capacity venue in Botchergate. It offers 22 taps of craft beer alongside wine, spirits and coffee roasted at the company’s Ellon headquarters, alongside BrewDog’s menu of pizza, burgers and wings. The new site brings the company network of UK bars to 43 and 67 worldwide, with at least 19 set to open this year. Announced openings include Hull, Inverurie, Peterhead and Dalston in the UK as well as Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Hamburg, Toronto and Paris internationally. BrewDog co-founder James Watt said: “Carlisle has a long history of brewing and its craft beer scene has been growing steadily in recent years. The city has been in our sights for some time and, since scouting the perfect location, we’re excited to finally be able to bring a BrewDog bar to the Great Border City.”

West Yorkshire-based Italian restaurant to open second site: West Yorkshire-based Italian restaurant Capri is to open its second site, in Mirfield, near Dewsbury. Paymen Karimi has lodged plans with Kirklees Council to transform The Thirsty Man pub in Old Bank Road, which closed just before Christmas. The plans also include a balcony roof terrace and beer garden. The menu at the Mirfield Capri will reflect the same traditional Italian dishes that are available at the original restaurant in Horbury. Paymen told Examiner Live he had been looking at Karimi as a location for his next restaurant for about a year before The Thirsty Man came on the market. Karimi launched Capri 27 years ago. Previously he owned Cagneys nightclub in nearby Dewsbury and before that a catering business in Ravensthorpe.

The Little Dessert Shop lines up Altrincham site: West Midlands-based dessert franchise The Little Dessert Shop is to open a site in Altrincham. The company will open the 1,500 square foot venue in Stamford New Road next month in a vacant unit that was briefly occupied last year by board games cafe Silver Line. The franchise will be run by mother and daughter team Saiqa and Raabiah Qureshi, reports Altrincham Today. The Little Dessert Shop offers a choice of cakes, crepes, waffles, fondue, sundaes and more than 40 flavours of ice cream, gelatos and sorbets. It currently has 15 sites with six more branches set to open including Blackpool, Bradford and Manchester, according to its website.

Red & Blue Restaurants chef wins UK young risotto chef title: Andrew Williams, a chef at Liverpool-based Red & Blue Restaurants, has been named 2019 UK Young Risotto Chef. Williams, who works at Bacaro in Castle Street, impressed the judges with his primitivo risotto made with a caramelised onion broth, taleggio cheese, aged parmesan, Valrhona chocolate and toasted pine nuts and finished with white alba truffle and chive oil. The dish will feature for one week in Gordon Ramsey’s Union Street Cafe, while he will also receive an all expenses paid, three-day work experience placement at Angela Hartnett’s Michelin-starred Italian restaurant, Murano, in Mayfair. The dish will also appear on Bacaro’s menu. Red & Blue Restaurants group executive chef Matt Walsh said: “We are immensely proud of Andrew and the hard work he has put into this dish. This award is testament to the training and dishes we are producing in Bacaro and will put us on the culinary map.” The contest features chefs aged between 18 and 25 and at different stages in their culinary career. 

Swansea-based cinema operator takes over city centre pub: A Swansea-based independent cinema operator has taken over a pub in the city centre. Cinema & Co will reopen The Last Resort within the next few weeks. Cinema & Co owner Anna Redfern told Wales Online: “We plan to change the name as The Last Resort has slightly negative connotations. It is also quite dark, so it barely looks open sometimes. We’ll follow the same ethos as Cinema & Co – local produce and local artists – and we’ll have two venues people can book.” Cinema & Co offers large, comfortable seats, with customers able to order takeaway pizza to eat while they watch a movie. The company plans to create its own pizza once the pub kitchen is fully operational. The Last Resort opened in 2016 as a joint venture between Something Creatives, which operates Cardiff’s Street Food Circus, and vegetarian restaurant Milgi. The Last Resort team wrote on social media: “We would like to thank everyone who supported, played, got drunk and danced on the tables. You made The Last Resort what it was and we hope you continue to support the new venue.”