Deliveroo calls for end of Apprenticeship Levy restrictions as it launches scheme to tackle chef shortage: The government has been urged to lift restrictions on Apprenticeship Levy transfers. The call came as Deliveroo launched a scheme to help its restaurant partners tackle a national shortage of trained chefs. Deliveroo will partly fund the chef apprenticeship scheme with its Apprenticeship Levy and invest £100,000 and train up to 20 chefs a year. The scheme will be run in partnership with HIT Training, with both companies calling on the government to lift the restriction on Apprenticeship Levy transfers and allow large employers to contribute as much as they like down their supply chain. Large employers are restricted by a 25% cap on the amount of unspent levy, which can be transferred to businesses in their supply chains that would otherwise have to pay for an apprenticeship via the government co-investment model. For Deliveroo, this amounts to almost £500,000 in five years for small restaurants. Deliveroo said being able to transfer up to 50% of the levy, for example, could amount to £1m of investment that could directly support a new generation of chefs. Deliveroo launched the scheme after research revealed about four-fifths (80%) of its restaurant partners were struggling to hire new chefs. More than half (54%) cited not enough suitably qualified applicants as the main difficulty, while more than two-thirds (70%) said it was “moderately” or “very” difficult to recruit front-of-house and kitchen staff. Deliveroo has also become the first food delivery company to offer online training courses. The 4,000 courses are being provided through a partnership with employer engagement platform Wrkit, with 92% of the courses free. Deliveroo chief operating officer Rohan Pradhan said the scheme would “help our restaurant partners hire, train and upskill workforces and develop a new generation of culinary talent”. HIT Training managing director Jill Whittaker added: “Hospitality is one of the most vibrant and exciting sectors to work in but there isn’t a business that hasn’t been affected by staff shortages.”

Social Strategy In A Day opens for bookings: Social Strategy In A Day, an event aimed at allowing companies to develop and hone their social media strategy, has launched and is open for bookings. The event features fresh content and insights for 2020, allowing companies to increase brand exposure, broaden their reach and ensure their digital marketing really delivers. Propel has partnered with digital marketing company Digital Blonde for the one-day advanced workshop, which will cover everything a marketing department should be thinking about when it comes to social strategy. The event takes place on Friday, 3 April at One Moorgate Place in London. Sessions will include how to keep your knowledge up to date when marketing and technology change so rapidly, driving business via social media, and being super productive while looking after your mental health. Emma Dickinson, of London pub retailer Young’s, will also talk about what has and hasn’t worked for the company when it comes to social media marketing. Click here to see the full schedule. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for Propel Premium members, £345 plus VAT for operators who are non-members and £395 plus VAT for suppliers who are non-members. Places can be booked by emailing anne.steele@propelinfo.com

Hospitality wages rise 2.5% in January following National Living Wage announcement: The average wage in the hospitality industry rose 2.5% in January to £8.84 in response to the government’s new year announcement the National Living Wage (NLW) would increase 6.2% to £8.72 in April 2020, according to statistics from hospitality software provider Fourth. The figures follow a period from April to December 2019 in which wages remained relatively flat with an average hourly rate for workers aged over 25 of about £8.60 compared with the NLW threshold of £8.21 introduced in April 2019. Since 2016, the hourly wage has been an average 43p higher than the NLW but the figures suggest there could be a sustained period of wage inflation to meet the new legislative threshold in April. The data also reveals the average wage for over-25s has risen 6% on average each year for the past three years. As of January, the average wage for 21 to 24-year-olds in the hospitality industry is £8.76 an hour – 56p more than April’s new NLW rate of £8.20, while 18 to 20-year-olds earn £8.06 per hour – £1.61 more than the new rate of £6.45. Fourth vice-president of analytics Mike Shipley said: “Historically, businesses have paid a premium above the NLW to attract and retain the best employees and January’s rapid wage inflation shows this is set to continue in the coming months, where it may rise a further 2% to 3% between now and April as operators continue to seek the best staff. The fact unemployment levels are at their lowest since 1970 means demand for quality workers is likely to increase, further inflating wages in a highly competitive labour market. These pressures are likely to be exacerbated by a shrinking pool of workers from the EU. These forces create a perfect storm of spiralling labour costs that will need to be mitigated with end-to-end recruitment and retention programmes alongside smart productivity programmes.”

Corbin & King to launch investment fund targeting leisure sector: London restaurant operator Corbin & King is to launch an investment vehicle aimed at the leisure sector, Propel has learned. The company has set up Corbin King Capital Partners, with Corbin & King co-founder Jeremy King as the major shareholder. The amount of funds the new venture will have at its disposal has not been revealed but it’s thought the vehicle will target startup businesses across the food and drinks market. Propel understands the venture will be overseen in part by Ben Whitfield, general manager of Corbin & King’s Brasserie Zedel in Soho. Before entering the restaurant sector, Whitfield worked for Deutsche Bank and was head of hedge fund sales for the UK and northern Europe at Olympia Capital Management and Santander Asset Management. He joined Corbin & King as a senior management trainee in October 2014. At the end of 2017, Thai-based Minor Hotels acquired a majority shareholding in Corbin & King, which operates sites that include The Wolseley in Piccadilly and The Delaunay in Holborn, in a £58m deal. Minor took a 74% stake in the business, which last year saw a 2% increase in like-for-like sales in 2019. Corbin & King is set to open seafood restaurant Manzi’s in Soho this year and is also lining up a venue in Notting Hill Gate. King first went into business with Chris Corbin in 1981, when they bought Le Caprice in St James’s. The pair met in the 1970s when Corbin was manager of Langan’s Brasserie in Mayfair and King was maitre d’ at American restaurant Joe Allen in Covent Garden.

Greggs to open first supermarket concession following Asda deal: Food to go retailer Greggs is set to open its first supermarket concession under a new partnership with Asda. Five stores – in Boldon, Corby, Huyton, Wigan and Eastlands – will initially house the new concessions, with the first opening in March. Raymond Reynolds, business development and property director at Greggs, said: “We are delighted to team up with Asda to trial in-store concessions. We know high-quality food on the go and convenience go hand in hand, and this trial gives us the opportunity to bring our range of products to more customers in new locations.” Preyash Thakrar, chief strategy officer at Asda, added: “Continuing our ‘test and learn’ approach to our partnership strategy, we’re pleased to kick off this year’s activity with Greggs in the first of a series of trials. We’re constantly looking for new ways to increase customer choice and, by partnering with brands such as Greggs that fit with our core values of great quality and great value, we’re excited to give our customers something new in-store we know they’ll love.” Earlier this year Asda announced it plans a number of partnership-led trials in 2020 with brands that complement its grocery range. This would enable the company to introduce new offerings in about 150 stores aimed at increasing customer choice. The retailer already works with KellyDeli brand Sushi Daily and Just Eat to provide food to go options for shoppers.

Farmer J eyes four more openings, appoints chief financial officer: All-day market concept Farmer J, which is backed by Imbiba, has appointed Mike Thorne as chief financial officer as its gears up to open four sites in London in the next 12 months. Thorne joins the four-strong group after being finance director of another Imbiba-backed business, Casper & Cole, which operates the Temper concept. Before that he worked in PwC’s corporate finance (M&A) team. Speaking this week at Propel’s Leadership Conference, Farmer J founder Jonathan Recanati said the business had four sites in the pipeline for openings in the capital. However, he ruled out an opening outside London for “at least another 18 months” as the company needed to “get the concept working the best it can in the capital”. In December Propel revealed Farmer J would open a site at London Bridge station. The company won a tender to take the last unit in the arches under the station to become a neighbour to Pizza Pilgrims and Honest Burgers. At the end of last summer Imbiba, the specialist investor in the UK leisure and hospitality sector, invested a further £2.5m into Farmer J. The new funds followed £1.9m Imbiba invested in the business in early 2019. Imbiba’s latest investment was joined by a further £250,000 cash injection from other existing shareholders to support Farmer J’s expansion plans.

Simon Anderson leaves Market Halls to set up restaurant and brand consultancy: Simon Anderson is to leave his role as chief creative officer of Market Halls, although he will continue to work with the business as a consultant. Anderson, who founded Market Halls with Andy Lewis-Pratt in spring 2018, is setting up a restaurant and brand consultancy offering expertise to food startups. Anderson said: “It has been one of the biggest honours of my career to take Market Halls from an idea on a piece of paper to the market leader it is today.” Lewis-Pratt said: “Simon has been integral to the development of Market Halls, helping it grow from a concept to the UK’s leading food hall business with sites in Fulham, Victoria and the West End. Since launching the business in 2018, it has served more than two million customers. His determination to make Market Halls stand out from the crowd saw him bring together some of the capital’s most exciting talent under one roof and help restaurateurs such as Roti King’s Sugen Gopal and Flank’s Tom Griffiths create unique offshoots. We would like to thank Simon for his vision, knowledge and experience of the sector, which have been central to the growth of Market Halls.” Before launching Market Halls, Anderson was one of the original backers of barbecue concept Pitt Cue Co.

Coco di Mama opens 30th site: Coco di Mama, the Azzurri Group-owned, Italian food-to-good concept, has opened its 30th site following its latest Pod conversion. The Jim Attwood-led brand reopened the former Pod site at 15 Kingsway only a fortnight after converting the site at 124 High Holborn. Azzurri acquired 13 Pod sites out of administration last year, with seven having now been converted to Coco di Mama. Steve Holmes-led Azzurri, which launched a dedicated coffee academy for the brand last year, said the Pod acquisition had made it a transformational year for its Italian food-to-good concept. In November it said of the then three Pod sites converted to Coco di Mama since the end of its financial year, all were “trading ahead of expectations”.

Erpingham House to expand into Brighton next month following £250,000 private fund-raise featuring professional footballers: Erpingham House, the UK’s largest plant-based restaurant, will open its second site, in Brighton next month, after completing a £250,000 private fund-raise. Its new backers include Milton Keynes Dons manager Russell Martin and Brighton & Hove Albion player and coach Andrew Crofts. Louie Blake launched the concept in grade II-listed Erpingham House in Norwich in 2018. Now he will open a venue in Brighton’s Duke Street on Saturday, 14 March. Spread over three floors, the venue will house a cafe, restaurant, bar and roof terrace and will also offer delivery. Erpingham House Brighton will be 100% plant-based, free from single-use plastic and offer certificated carbon-free dining. The site will see the brand and food modernised, with consultants from Los Angeles curating the menu. Erpingham House raised the funds privately after it was unsuccessful in a crowdfunding campaign last year. Blake said: “We are excited to open in Brighton and contribute something new to an already flourishing hospitality scene. Plant-based dining is a rapidly emerging trend and we want to support more people in their quest to eat more sustainably without sacrificing flavour or experience. Brighton is at the forefront of the plant-based food scene in the UK so it made total sense to open there.”

Heavitree Brewery renews banking facility, reports operating profit boost: Heavitree Brewery, the Exeter-based tenanted pub operator, has renewed its banking facility with Barclays for a further five years. The company provided the update as it reported operating profit increased to £1.8m for the year ending 31 October 2019, compared with £1.6m the previous year. Turnover was down slightly to £7.5m from £7.6m the year before. Pre-tax profit was down to £1.8m, compared with £2.2m the previous year. Since the year end The Maltsters Arms in Harbertonford, which has been shut since September 2018, and an adjoining cottage, along with Rose Cottage in Strete, all in Devon, have been marketed for sale. Chairman Nicholas Tucker said: “After the prolonged period of political uncertainty endured by the business and the country as a whole, the hope has to be the result of the December general election will deliver some much-needed stability.”

Villandry administrators begin dissolving company, confirm no dividend for creditors: Administrators of Villandry, the restaurant chain run by former Le Pain Quotidien director Philippe Le Roux that went into administration in 2018, have begun dissolving the company. In her final report, joint administrator Martha Thompson, of BDO, confirmed there were insufficient funds to enable a distribution to any creditors. Thompson added the lease of the remaining site, in Great Portland Street, had been handed back to the landlord. As previously reported there had been interest in the site but squatters moved in and the administrators decided removing them would add “significant” costs to the administration. As previously reported, secured creditor Santander was owed £1.1m. The final report showed £7.2m of unsecured creditors’ claims have been received, which exclude employee claims. Preferential creditor claims totalled £61,000. Villandry went into administration after Le Roux was unable to secure investment and accumulated losses of £7.3m. Le Roux acquired Villandry in 2011 with backing from big City of London names including Finsbury PR chief Roland Rudd, BAE Systems chairman Sir Roger Carr and former Standard Chartered chairman Lord Davies.

Lakeland Inns acquires Spark Bridge village pub for fourth site: Cumbria-based Lakeland Inns has acquired the Royal Oak in the village of Spark Bridge in Lake District National Park for its fourth site. The riverside pub dates to the late 1700s but had recently been closed. It has reopened following a refurbishment to offer gastro-pub dishes with all ingredients sourced from within 20 miles, plus wine, spirits and locally brewed ale. Lakeland Inns managing director Kirsty Mackenzie said: “We have been searching for a pub to add to our portfolio for a while and the Royal Oak is a fantastic addition to the Lakeland Inns family. It’s in a wonderful village beautifully situated on the River Crake. The pub is in great condition and has plenty of charm and character. Residents are delighted they will have a local again and the team at Lakeland Inns is excited by the next step in the business’ development.” Kirsty MacKenzie runs Lakeland Inns with husband Scott. Its other pubs are The Sun Inn in Ulverston, The Black Cock Inn in Broughton-in-Furness and the Commodore Inn in Grange-over-Sands. It also owns Stringers, a 100% renewably powered micro-brewery in Ulverston, with its beer sold under the Stringers Brewery brand.

Bundobust to make first foray into brewing with new Manchester site: Indian street food and craft beer restaurant Bundobust will open its second Manchester site this spring, which will feature the company’s first in-house brewery. The restaurant will be housed in The Cartway in Bruntwood’s grade II-listed St James’ building in Oxford Street. Bundobust is transforming the former indoor car park into a 150-cover restaurant, bar and brewery. A 10HL brewhouse with nine fermenting vessels will produce up to 28,000 pints of Bundo beer a month, with the brews exclusively available at Bundobust sites. Co-founder Marko Husak said: “The Oxford Street site will offer the same food menu as every other Bundobust and have a familiar vibe – but with the major addition of an on-site brewery. The Cartway is an amazing space and this build is our most exciting and ambitious so far.” Husak and Mayur Patel opened the first bricks-and-mortar Bundobust in Leeds in 2014. They have since added venues in Piccadilly, Manchester, and Bold Street, Liverpool.

The Lucky Onion to open third Gin & Juice, in Bristol: Cotswolds hotel and restaurant group The Lucky Onion is to open its third Gin & Juice site, in Bristol. The company, owned by Julian Dunkerton, the entrepreneur behind high-street brand Superdry and Dunkertons Organic Cider, will launch the venue at 47 Park Street. Gin & Juice has taken the 1,610 square foot space on a ten-year lease with landlord NWB Properties in a deal brokered by Savills. Gin & Juice also has sites in Cardiff and Cheltenham and offers more than 350 varieties of gin. The concept specialises in healthy food during the day before becoming a bar in the evening. Robert Palmer, associate director in the retail agency team at Savills Bristol, told Insider Media: “Bristol is the perfect location for Gin & Juice to open its third outlet. The city boasts a perfect demographic combining young families and a strong student population, which both lend themselves to a letting of this kind.”

Three operators sign for Camden Market’s eco-led development: Three operators have signed for sites at Camden Market’s eco-led development, Buck Street Market. Chef and author Miguel Barclay will open his first bricks and mortar site as he launches New York-style pizza concept Miguel’s Pizza in a 150 square foot unit. Meanwhile, sustainably focused restaurant Wildflower, the first solo venture by Irish chef Adrian Martin, and technology-driven coffee house Glass Coffee have also joined the line-up. Housed in a 603 square foot unit, Wildflower will offer 30 covers with Martin’s seasonal set menus. Glass Coffee, founded by Carlo Carrieri, will open its first coffee shop after taking 74 square feet of space on the top level of the market. Buck Street Market will launch in March housing more than 80 food and retail brands, all committed to sustainable practices. The market will be housed in 88 shipping containers with recycling points throughout and no plastic on-site. Food waste will be used to generate energy that will be fed back into the power grid. Maggie Milosavljevic, food and beverage commercial director at Camden Market owner LabTech, said: “Our goal is to position Buck Street Market as a market for the future – a platform for education, conversation and change.” Buck Street Market will be followed by Hawley Wharf Camden – a 580,000 square foot mixed-use scheme that will open this year. The canal-side scheme will provide 150 shops, more than 60 places to eat, 195 apartments and 50,000 square feet of co-working space. LabTech acted on behalf of Buck Street Market and Miguel Barclay, while Wildflower and Glass Coffee represented themselves.

O’Neill’s reports 56% increase in low and no-alcohol sales: Mitchells & Butlers’ Irish pub brand O’Neill’s has reported a 56% year-on-year increase in low and no-alcohol sales. O’Neill’s rolled-out Heineken 0.0 using the Blade dispensing system to its estate ahead of the Rugby World Cup in September. The move came in expectation of a spike in greater demand for alcohol-free options due to the early kick-off times, allowing customers to enjoy the “full match experience without the alcohol”. O’Neill’s marketing manager James Ireson said: “No and low options give people flexibility to enjoy a beer whatever time of day, whether they’re on a work lunch or the designated driver watching live sport or music.”

Douglas Jack – Domino’s shares will outperform if new management team releases real potential of core UK business: Peel Hunt leisure analyst Douglas Jack has said Domino’s Pizza shares will outperform if the new management team exploits its opportunity to release the real potential of the core UK business as the disposal of its international segment begins. Issuing a ‘Buy’ note on the shares with a target price of 340p, Jack said: “Domino’s Pizza is, subject to shareholder approval, selling its 71% interest in its Norwegian business to minority shareholders. The Norwegian business reported an underlying operating loss of £7m in 2018. The transaction involves a £7m outflow from Domino’s plus the cost of funding the operating losses in the Norwegian business up to completion, including a marketing campaign and the closures costs of non-performing stores. Domino’s will also consolidate 100% control of its business in Sweden, which will facilitate its plans for disposal. Completion of the Norwegian disposal is expected by the end of May and there’s a £1m break fee payable by Domino’s if shareholders don’t approve the transaction. The disposal will remove the need for Domino’s to fund the business beyond the point of disposal. Management has stated it plans to progress with the disposal of the rest of the owned international businesses. Last week, management announced it expected a £20m to £40m non-cash impairment charge in relation to the disposal of these businesses. Further in the future there may be positive news relating to the business in Germany and there may be a windfall from a disposal of Domino’s interest to the majority owner, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, in 2023. The implementation of the disposal strategy will simplify the group and increase investor focus on the core UK business, which has delivered a resilient performance through a period of turbulence. We believe the shares will outperform if the new management team exploits its opportunity to release the real potential of the core business.”

East Sussex-based brewer Good Things eyes further growth after £750,000 investment: East Sussex-based brewer Good Things is set for further growth on the back of a £750,000 investment. The brewhouse, based in the village of Eridge, is nearing the completion of its latest expansion phase by revamping a 17th century barn into a brewing complex, which will allow the company to produce up to half a million litres of beer a year. The year-long transformation has also seen an on-site taproom open. Having been founded in 2017, this latest move will see Good Things realise its vision of becoming a closed loop brewery – meaning it will operate in a fully sustainable manner. It will be powered by solar panels, while the brewing process will start with water bored from a 96 metre on-site well and end with delivery via a fleet of electric-only vehicles. A reed bed is being sown that will mean waste can be treated on-site before being released back into the surrounding land and streams ready for the process to begin again. Co-founder Chris Drummond said: “Good Things is primed and ready for the next chapter as we crank things up a notch and take our beer – and our vision – to more people.”

Wiltshire-based Greek mezze bar and restaurant closes Bristol site: Wiltshire-based Greek mezze bar and restaurant Athena has closed its site in Bristol. The family-owned company opened the venue in Westbury-on-Trym in February 2018 on the site formerly occupied by pizzeria Flour & Ash. However, it has taken the decision to close the site leaving Athena with its original outlet, in Cheltenham, reports Bristol Live. Athena serves authentic Greek meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, including classics such as moussaka, kleftiko and tzatziki. A message on its website reads: “With a heavy heart we have made the decision to close Athena in Bristol. We thank everyone who has enjoyed their time with us and appreciate your business.”

Pernod Ricard cuts profit forecast over coronavirus fears: Pernod Ricard has cut its annual profit target over fears of a big hit from the coronavirus outbreak in China, which is the spirits-maker’s third-largest market. The family-backed company, which has been under pressure from activist investor Elliott Management, said its operating profit from recurring operations would grow between 2% and 4% this year, down from a prior forecast of 5% to 7%. For Pernod Ricard, China represents about 10% of global sales and 15% of core operating profit. The scaled-back profit target was based on the assumption bars would remain closed until the end of June in Hubei province, where the virus was first detected, and travel retail outlets would see lower traffic through June. The lowered forecast came as Pernod Ricard posted first-half results that were ahead of analysts’ expectations, helped by cost cuts and the earlier timing of the lunar new year. “While we can’t predict the duration and extent of the health crisis impact, we remain confident in our strategy,” said chief executive Alexandre Ricard.

Ainsworths relaunch Rojano’s: Paul and Emma Ainsworth have relaunched Padstow restaurant Rojano’s In The Square as a New York-style Italian cafe concept. The Ainsworths have been leaseholders of the Mediterranean-inspired venue for the past nine years but, after acquiring the freehold, have relaunched the site as Caffè Rojano by Paul Ainsworth. The concept has been inspired by family-style Italian restaurants in New York. Cakes, scones, pizza and gourmet sandwiches are available to take away from the in-house deli, while the main menu features US diner-style dishes such as buttermilk chicken waffles and Cornish hotdogs. The a la carte menu includes sourdough pizza, homemade pasta dishes and seasonal small plates, while the drinks list focuses on wine and cocktails. The Ainsworths are also behind restaurant Paul Ainsworth at No.6, guest house Padstow Townhouse, The Mariners pub and Mahé Cookery School and Chef’s Table, all in Padstow and Rock in Cornwall.

Gizzi Erskine launches three-month residency at central London hotel: Chef, food writer and broadcaster Gizzi Erskine has launched a three-month residency at St Martins Lane Hotel in central London. The Nitery has taken over the St Martins Kitchen space until Thursday, 30 April offering a “playful take on classic French, American and British dishes”. The concept has been inspired by early 1900s Parisian “niteries” – bohemian restaurants frequented by “big thinkers, artists and poets”. Small plates include devilled eggs with roast chicken crackling, while starters feature steak tartar with bone marrow dripping on Marmite toast. Main courses include goat cutlets and wood-fired shellfish, while The Nitery also serves Sunday roast and offers dessert and cheese trollies. A brunch menu will be added at a future date. Erskine is also working on opening a permanent site for vegetarian and vegan concept F!LTH with nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson, backed by Handley Amos and Neil Rankin’s The Pepper Collective. Sbe, which owns St Martins Lane Hotel, also operates circa 14 restaurants and lounges under subsidiary Disruptive Restaurant Group.

Yorkshire-based restaurant and hotel operator acquires second site: Yorkshire-based restaurant and hotel operator John Morley has acquired his second site. Morley has bought Sneaton Castle, on the outskirts of Whitby, with backing from HSBC UK. He plans to transform the 297,000 square foot site into a luxury hotel and wedding venue. Morley told BDaily: “We are thrilled to start this next chapter by opening the castle and hope to welcome the public soon.” Morley also operates Cross Butts restaurant and hotel, which the former dairy farmer established after his business was hit by foot and mouth disease.

Greene King signs new partnership with Royal Albert Hall: Brewer and retailer Greene King has signed a new four-year agreement to supply and sponsor the Royal Albert Hall in London. Under the partnership, Greene King will exclusively supply all beer and lager to the venue. They have worked together since 2016, with its own fully branded bar and Old Speckled Hen as the hall’s official beer. Matt Starbuck, managing director, Greene King Brewing & Brands, said: “The venue welcomes 1.7 million visitors a year so keeping its numerous bars running smoothly is a huge undertaking. We’re proud to have been appointed partner to support the team.”

Lakeshore Leisure Group adds Devon site: Holiday park operator Lakeshore Leisure Group, which is backed by Kings Park Capital, has added a Devon site to its portfolio. The company has acquired Lakeview Manor, near Honiton, which had been on the market for £1.8m, in a deal brokered by Colliers International. Lakeview Manor is set in 31 acres of gardens, woodlands and paddocks. It has 17 bedrooms and 18 holiday lodges with planning permission for a further 18 holiday lodges. There are also three fishing lakes in the grounds, reports Insider Media. Lakeshore Leisure Group was formed in October following the acquisition of Otter Falls and Clawford Lakes holiday parks. The business is led by chief executive Stephen Twiss, who spent the majority of his career at Bourne Leisure and more recently at park operator Luxury Lodge Estates, where he took the role of managing director in 2015.