Chapati Man sells London franchise rights: Chapati Man, the spicy Indian wrap festival and event catering business, created in London by husband and wife team Chris and Andrea Rai in 2007, has sold the Chapati Man franchise rights for London. Chapati Man London Limited, headed by Asum Shah and Fas Hussain, has purchased the Chapati Man licence rights to open Chapati Man fixed food-to-go sites and food trucks across the capital. Chris Rai described the sale as a ‘huge achievement for the Chapati Man brand and concept’. He added: “We feel that we have found the right team in Asum and Fas to really push Chapati Man across London in both the static and mobile formats.’’ Andrea Rai added: ‘’This is a very exciting time for Chapati Man. Myself and Chris have set up the business in London and the time is right to hand over the reigns to this new team who share the long term vision for Chapati Man. Our focus now will be on supporting our franchisees and extending the franchise to other parts of the UK and worldwide.’’ Asum Shah, who has already runs a successful franchise business, said: ‘’We have watched Chris and Andrea in action on their Chapati Man trailer unit. We just need to match their commitment to product quality and customer service.” Fas Hussain, embarking on his first franchise venture, added: “Chapati Man has delivered a consistently, fantastic service to the people of London. We are extremely excited to take on the challenge of driving the brand to new heights. The opportunity is huge to further embed Chapati Man into the culture of London and move the brand into other parts of the UK.”

Shaftesbury – festive trading ‘robust’ for our cafes, bars and restaurants: Shaftesbury, the Real Estate Investment Trust that owns a 15 acre portfolio in the heart of London’s West End, has reported robust footfall and trading over the festive period. It said there had been ‘resilient demand for our regular space; occupancy remains high’. It reported good leasing activity – lettings, renewals and rent reviews with a rental value of £9.3m have been concluded since 1 October 2018, at or above 30 September 2018 ERV. Brian Bickell, chief executive, said: “During the important trading season leading up to and including the Christmas and the New Year holidays, footfall in our locations has been robust and our occupiers generally reported growth in turnover compared with the same period in 2017. In contrast to reports of subdued leisure spending nationally, our restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars were particularly busy throughout the festive period.” 

Made In Belfast to open fourth site: Restaurant company Made In Belfast is to open its fourth site in Northern Ireland’s capital. The firm is investing £200,000 in Made In South Belfast, which will launch in Lisburn Road this summer at a site formerly occupied by restaurant La Bastille. Made In Belfast managing director Emma Bricknell told the Irish News: “For me, Lisburn Road is the King’s Road of Belfast and we can’t wait to add to the dining experience of locals and those visiting the area.” The company opened its debut site, Made In Belfast City Hall, in 2008, while it operates two restaurants in the city’s Cathedral Quarter.

Last chance to book for Leadership Summit, more than 200 attending: Today is the last chance to book for Leadership Summit, which will see a select group of the sector’s most experienced bosses share their expertise on leadership. More than 200 delegates from 160 companies have so far booked to attend. The full-day event, in partnership with Elliotts, will take place next Tuesday, 12 February at One Moorgate Place and is open for bookings. Speakers will include Will Stratton-Morris, UK chief executive of Caffe Nero, who will talk about building high-performance teams. Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive of Burger King, speaks about the role of leadership in business turnarounds. Elliotts chief executive Ann Elliott will talk to Des Gunewardena, chief executive of D&D London, about the lessons of leadership he has picked up in his career in the sector. Duncan Garrood, chief executive of Ten Entertainment, will give his views on leadership and the customer experience, while Jo Fleet, managing director of Flat Iron, will talk about empowering people and trust and getting the team to “buy in” through clear communication and vision. Mark Jones, chief executive of Carluccio’s, will explain how the company is building the quality and skillsets of its general managers to lead the business out of decline. Simon Townsend, chief executive of Ei Group, will give his views on the challenges of leadership during a period of immense change and Zoe Bowley, managing director of PizzaExpress, will give her top ten tips on leadership. Meanwhile, Loungers founder Alex Reilley will talk about the adaptations involved in growing a business from one site to more than 100, celebrating success and the art of succession, while Ann Elliott will give her views on the power of mentoring to grow talent in organisations. Propel managing director Paul Charity said: “With the industry facing such challenging times, effective leadership has never been more important. This is an unmissable opportunity to learn from high-profile leaders in our sector.” Prices are £295 plus VAT for Premium members, £345 plus VAT for operators and £445 plus VAT for suppliers. To book, email anne.steele@propelinfo.com