Brasserie Bar Co undergoes restructuring and refinancing, currently trading well above expectations: Brasserie Bar Co, the operator of Brasserie Blanc and the White Brasserie Company, completed a restructuring and refinancing process, which saw shareholder loans in excess of £50m waived in order to secure the financial position of the group going forwards, Propel has learned. Propel understands that, in November 2020, the group also received an additional £6.7m from the government-backed Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), which comprised a £5.7m extension of term loan facilities with OakNorth Bank and £1m of additional shareholder debt. All loans now expire in November 2023 and replace outstanding term loans due to expire in May 2022. Alongside this, repayment obligations were waived for shareholder loans and preference shares totalling in excess of £50m. Banking covenants were also reset at this time to reflect the circumstances of the pandemic going forward. It is understood the refinancing puts the 32-strong business in a strong position to take advantage of any opportunities over the next 12 months and beyond. In the financial year ended June 2020, the company saw sales decline from £58m in the previous year to £43m. The company said this year’s results reflected the fact the final four months of an otherwise strong trading year were hit by the covid-19 crisis and the closure of the hospitality sector. Prior to this, results in the first eight months of the year saw company Ebitda increase by 11%, with the business on course to deliver £5m. For the first eight months of the financial period, restaurant Ebitda was 11% up on the previous period (£6.3m for the eight months to February 2020, compared with £5.7m for the eight months to February 2019). However, with the impact of the pandemic, there was limited further trading from March 2020 onwards. Consequently, restaurant Ebitda for the full financial period ended 28 June 2020, was £6.6m (2019: £8.5m). The loss for the period was £10.4m (2019: £6.2m). Post the year-end, the business exited five sites leading to a non-cash impairment of £2m for a small number of sites. All employees from the affected sites were redeployed across the group. The company said the repositioning of the business away from the high street towards affluent commuter belt pub locations has now been completed. Prior to 12 April 2021 “outside only” reopenings, significant investment was put into enhancing external spaces at key sites. All of the company’s sites are now open and the business said they were all “trading well above expectations versus the comparable time period in 2019”. Managing director Richard Ferrier said: “It has been a supreme team effort to navigate the challenges of covid-19. We said from the beginning we would do everything we could to support our people through this period. The strength and depth of our team has shone through and enabled us to deliver exceptional sales when we have been able to trade. We are in a great place and can justifiably feel very positive about the future growth of the business. We would like to thank our suppliers, landlords and teams for their understanding during this period and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.”

 

Next edition of Blue Book to contain 62 new companies, total turnover of 280 companies is £28.5bn: Next Friday at midday, 9 July, Propel publishes the updated Turnover & Profits Blue Book, July 2021, for Premium subscribers. The second edition will feature 280 companies, 62 new ones for this month, and will provide an overview of the most recent five years, ranking them by turnover and profit conversion. It will also show directors’ earnings over five years and the top-earning director. Total turnover for the 280 companies is £25.8bn. The minimum company turnover to be included will be £4m. The Blue Book is updated each month, with more companies added. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The regular single subscription rate of £395 plus VAT for operators and £495 plus VAT for suppliers remains the same. Premium subscribers also receive access to a second exclusive monthly database, the Propel Multi-Site Database. The updated database of multi-site companies for June, which was sent out on Wednesday (30 June), includes 63 new companies since its previous update in May – making a total of 1,880 listed businesses. Collectively, the 63 new companies operate 565 venues. Subscribers not only receive the database as a PDF and an Excel spreadsheet, they will also be sent a 10,389-word report on the businesses added during June. Subscribers also receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and now also have access to a curated video library of the sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel insights editor Mark Wingett. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to sign up.

 

NTIA – night-time economy businesses will be a casualty of ‘over-inflated’ furlough contributions: Night-time economy employees will be a casualty of “over-inflated” furlough contributions, the Night Time Industries Association has warned. Business will have to start contributing to furlough payments from Thursday (1 July), starting with a 10% contribution in July and rising to 20% from August until the scheme closes at the end of September. Despite the NTIA writing to HM Revenue & Customs asking for a delay to businesses making contributions given night-time economy operators remain closed, one has not been forthcoming. NTIA chief executive Michael Kill said: “Thousands of businesses within the night-time economy will be required to contribute to furlough, business rates and loan repayments on top of standing costs for another four-week period while facing mounting rent debt after being starved of revenue for more than 16 months. It has not been considered the mere fact that many of the industries that have had to remain closed will also hold the highest level of furloughed staff, therefore, it will be subject to the highest contributions to furlough, leaving many with difficult choices around retaining staff, contradictory to the very reason furlough was introduced. Our sector is being decimated by this government and faces a considerable battle to survive over the coming weeks. The government must provide urgent support for the sectors that have been hardest hit.”

Pub bosses plead for break from social distancing for England games: Pub bosses have urged for covid-19 rules to be relaxed for England's quarter-final match at the Euros on Saturday (3 July) after the team's win over Germany sparked a huge upswing in bookings. Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, told the Telegraph its pubs saw a surge in customers scrambling to secure tables for the match against Ukraine on Saturday “within minutes” of England's victory on Tuesday (29 June). Pubs remain restricted by social distancing rules, which mean groups are limited to six people from two households indoors and venues are bound by table service only. It is also forcing businesses to operate at significantly reduced capacity compared with normal. Dardis said: "We will not be able to meet the demand due to the ‘Freedom Day’ delay, unless the prime minister gives dispensation for the next one, two or, even better, three England games, given 1966 was England's last success.” His comments were echoed by UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls who said certain rules could be relaxed for the matches. She said: “England progressing to the final stages of the competition gave us all something to smile about and all those fortunate enough to watch at Wembley and at specially organised events were able to celebrate fully. Extending that limited relaxation of current restrictions on cheering, standing and celebrating to outdoor fan zones in pubs would give us all a chance to enjoy the atmosphere and support the team over – hopefully – the next three matches.” Clive Watson, chairman of City Pub Group, said: “The phone hasn't stopped ringing. I'm extremely confident it will be chock-a-block on Saturday.”

Nightclubs and music venues will reopen without people having to take tests or show vaccine passports: Nightclubs and music venues will reopen without people having to take covid tests or show vaccine passports from 19 July, reports the Evening Standard. Michael Gove, the cabinet minister leading a review, is understood to believe it would impose “too much hassle” on the public and businesses to require tests for a night’s dancing. A government source said: “We are increasingly confident that people are protected and the plan is to reopen everything with no exceptions.” The verdict was hailed as a “godsend” by leaders of the night-time sector, which is worth an estimated £40bn of added value to London’s economy. Simon Thomas, chief executive of the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, told the newspaper: “This would be a godsend to the night-time economy so we can relaunch central London to a global audience. It’s time to get on with life and live with this virus as we’ve lived with others before.”

Itsu and Burger King UK backer Bridgepoint set for IPO: Bridgepoint, the private equity group behind Itsu and Burger King UK, is planning to raise £300m with a stock market flotation in London. The listing is expected to value Bridgepoint at up to £2bn in total. Bridgepoint, which recently acquired a stake in Itsu and previously backed Pret A Manger, focuses on mid-sized deals of up to €1bn. It was formed in 2000 after a management buyout of NatWest’s private equity arm. The company manages €27.4bn of assets across a range of private equity and debt funds in Europe, North America and Asia, with total operating income of £192m in 2020. William Jackson, executive chairman at Bridgepoint, said: “Over the past 30 years, we’ve built the global leader in middle market growth investing, with strength and depth across two very complementary strategies in private equity and private credit. Bridgepoint operates across the middle market at scale, providing access for some of the world’s most experienced investors to attractive growth businesses through its unique local insight and expertise and its well-resourced platform. We have delivered strong and consistent returns for investors and shareholders through different economic cycles.” The float marks a rare entrance to public markets for a private equity firm and will put Bridgepoint alongside London-listed 3i Group.

 

Association of Indoor Play demands answers from DCMS after Wembley fan footage: The Association of Indoor Play has reacted with outrage over live videos from England’s win over Germany at Wembley showing fans in close contact while indoor play centres in England are still not allowed to hold children’s parties. In a letter to senior officials at Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the association stated: “Our members are currently very upset with videos circulating from inside Wembley. We have seen no communications or offers of support to help our sector and we seem to have been pushed aside in favour of those who sit at the right table. We have seen additional funding going to other sectors and individual businesses that far outweigh anything we have had. We have continually offered to help in any way we can to ensure our centres are safe and have never had a response, or the fact that we have also suggested covid-secure gatherings that seem to be classed as illegal by certain environmental health officers, yet they don’t breach the rule of six. This was also discussed with your team last year and we had a negative response saying it would not be possible, yet the gatherings didn’t differ in any way to our normal opening. In an industry that is down 30% in revenue due to children’s parties being prohibited, furlough ending and business rates relief coming to an end, tensions are rising in a sector dominated by small, family-owned businesses that are facing potential bankruptcy.”

 

Le Cordon Bleu to open an institute in Saudi Arabia: Le Cordon Bleu, the global network of culinary arts and hospitality management institutes, has signed an agreement with the Culinary Arts Commission of Saudi Arabia, to open in the country. The agreement will see an institute open in Riyadh by the end of 2023. The business, which has a network of more than 30 schools in 20 countries, said that Le Cordon Bleu in Riyadh is to become an “iconic flagship institution for gastronomy, located in state-of-the-art facilities, with prime equipment and technology, and teaching programmes of the highest standards from technical courses in the culinary arts, such as cuisine and patisserie diplomas, to higher education degrees in hospitality management”. Among the curriculum, Le Cordon Bleu will also propose a programme dedicated to Saudi Arabian Cuisine, to highlight the local ingredients, flavours and gastronomy. Le Cordon Bleu students from Riyadh will be part of the network of alumni, counting more than 20,000 graduates every year worldwide.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is looking for a chief commercial officer/vice-president of sales for a food technology start-up business. The position is based in London, paying up to £120,000 plus equity. As part of the next phase of its development, the company is looking to recruit a dynamic and pragmatic business developer who can really push the concept and develop new revenue streams. A big part of this role is about sales, business partnerships, licensing, franchising, and concept development. The individual will ideally have a great understanding of hospitality and a strong track record of business building, commercial strategy and concept set-ups. Longer term, the business is looking at international expansion. Anyone interested can email Hollie@corecruitment.com

Steve Worrall joins Big Table Group as Cafe Rouge brand director: Steve Worrall, who stood down as managing director of pubs, inns and hotels at Cornwall-based St Austell Brewery earlier this year, has joined the Epiris-backed Big Table Group, as brand director for Cafe Rouge, Propel has learned. At the same time, the Bella Italia and Las Iguanas operator has appointed Greg Gibbons to operations support director. Worrall, who was previously at Greene King and Spirit Pub Company, joined St Austell Brewery as retail director in 2017 and went on to become managing director of pubs, inns and hotels following the introduction of a new leadership structure at the start of last year. Propel understands his first task will be to understand and evaluate the opportunity for Cafe Rouge that, despite some challenging years, still has some fantastic locations and a strong heritage. He will look at key parts of the business and where the opportunity is for the brand as a “great place for informal, all-day French-inspired food and drink”. It is thought that, in due course, the Alan Morgan-led business intends to invest in a Cafe Rouge site, taking on board Worrall’s findings, which will result in an evolution/new iteration of the brand. Gibbons, who was formerly at Mitchells & Butlers and Greene King, has been with Big Table Group for the past five years, including the past two years as brand director of Cafe Rouge. In his new role, it is thought he will help the business better connect its operations to the centre or support teams in the business, and lead on all projects that cross between operations and central support teams. His key responsibilities will also include growing the company’s delivery and out-of-home channels. He will also look after its technology and labour tools while overseeing how the business drives sales across each of its brands.

 

Everards reports full-year turnover down 38%, renews overdraft facility: Leicestershire-based brewer and retailer Everards has reported revenue fell 38% to £19.1m for the year ending 30 September 2020 and has renewed its overdraft facility. The business recorded an operating loss of £1.2m for the same period with the reduction in turnover and profit arising from a reduction in the volume of drinks supplied to the pub estate but also significant reductions in rental income. No dividend will be paid in respect of the financial year. Its 152-strong pub estate is fully let and trading, and expectant of all restrictions being lifted from 19 July. Business owners have received financial support from the government throughout the pandemic, including Bounce Back loans of up to £50,000, with no interest or repayments for 12 months, for about half of Everards’ pub estate. Everards’ team of 73 employees have all been retained, with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme being used throughout the pandemic. Just under £700,000 had been claimed to the end of April 2021. As previously reported, the company secured £5m via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) through its banking partner, Lloyds Bank while Everards tenants have received rent cancellations, advice and services from the business. In the 12 months to March 2021, 73% of the pub estate rent roll has been cancelled. Everards also sold 14 pubs to community pub operator Hawthorn in May, following a review of its estate. The additional funding obtained under the CBILS is in addition to the existing funding provided by Lloyds, being a £35m facility in the form of a £20m revolving credit facility and a £15m term loan, secured by a debenture and a first fixed charge over a portfolio of properties. This facility has a maturity date in December 2023. In addition, the group has a £1m overdraft facility, which was renewed on the same terms on 30 April 2021. Amortisation of the term loan and CBILS loan commenced in June 2021, with facilities of £38.9m now available. Everards has a new home based at Everards Meadows. It houses its offices, breweries (main and pilot), shop and a beer hall. It has created a public park on land owned by the business with planning permission sought for a further six-acre area to be developed into a mixed-use scheme incorporating a hotel, offices and bespoke buildings developed for education, health and well-being uses.

 

Vaulkhard Group reports ‘hugely encouraging’ sales since reopening: Newcastle-based leisure firm Vaulkhard Group has reported “hugely encouraging” sales since reopening its sites following lockdown. The company said it expected trading restrictions to be lifted in the short term, which it believes will lead to a period of “substantial” sales growth, due to the pent-up demand in the customer base. It comes as the company reported turnover of £12.2m for the 18 months to 30 September 2020. The company decided to extend the accounting period to fully capture the impact of the pandemic. During the 18 months, it had a pre-tax loss of £1.8m and Ebitda of £719. As previously reported, the group secured £1.5m from HSBC to safeguard the long-term future of the business. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “The pandemic led to various strategic decisions being made by the group. There was a decision made to exit a couple of late-night venues. In the current period, this has resulted in a loss on disposal of circa £1.4m. The group has been able to access various government support measures, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and local grants, as well as benefiting from a reduction in business rates and VAT. Sufficient funding was put in place with the help of HSBC, enabling the group to navigate the financial impact of the hospitality restrictions. After the balance sheet date, £1m of this funding has been refinanced into long-term borrowings, with the group now well placed to trade profitably out of the pandemic. The group has invested significantly in leisure outdoor areas, leading to positive sales growth post-lockdown. Based on current restrictions, the estate is well placed to trade profitably for the next 12 months.”

PizzaLuxe to make roadside debut, gears up to launch Manchester flagship site: PizzaLuxe, the Paul Goodale-led premium fast casual concept, is to make its roadside debut after agreeing a new partnership with Extra Motorway Service Area Group, Propel has learned. PizzaLuxe, which last secured £1.5m of new investment from Edition Capital, will open new sites in Peterborough and Cambridge later this year as part of the new agreement. Meanwhile, the company will launch its new £500,000 flagship site on Monday,19 July in Manchester Arndale’s Halle Place, the new £11m food quarter. It will become Manchester Arndale’s first pizza and cocktail bar, and is part of the group’s plan to build a core estate in the north of England. PizzaLuxe, which has been an anchor tenant of Leeds Trinity Kitchen since it opened, will occupy a 2,000 square foot corner plot on the lower level of Halle Place. It said it will be the first quick-service restaurant concept in the UK with a full-service cocktail bar. As well as the pizza and bar offering, the new restaurant will also launch its coffee kiosk “Coffee + Cake” at the end of July. The new site, which will feature 15 counter seats, has created 25 jobs. PizzaLuxe also has a franchise agreement with global partner, SSP. The inaugural franchise site at Manchester airport opened in October 2018 and the business said it had “proved a great success; both from a commercial and customer perspective”. It said new partnership locations have been identified throughout the travel concession operator’s UK and Ireland estate. Goodale, the former director of food at Harrods, said: “I am very proud PizzaLuxe has traded continuously through the pandemic, thanks entirely to the tremendous dedication of a loyal team, some of whom have worked for the business pretty much since day one. We try to get a little better at what we do every day and have taken time to reflect and refine every part of the PizzaLuxe concept. As such, we are well placed to grow the business and take new opportunities as they present. Edition Capital have been fantastic partners since making its initial investment last year and provide the ideal platform for our next-stage development.”

State of Play Hospitality unveils new branding for Bounce concept: State of Play Hospitality, the Toby Harris-led, US and UK experiential leisure operator, has unveiled new branding for its Bounce concept. First launched in London’s Farringdon in 2012, Bounce opened a second site in Old Street in 2015 and launched sister brand AceBounce in Chicago in 2016. The new Bounce branding includes a new logo, website and “electric new energy, designed to capture the vibrancy of the brand”. As part of this, the company said it would be launching the Big Bounce Back campaign, which will be paying homage to a new decade, starting with the 1990s. For one month everything from “music to food or limited-edition cocktails, the brand will have everything covered to delight customers”. The group is also investing in Bounce’s proprietary digital gaming platform, Wonderball, which uses projection mapping technology to create various interactive games, both competitive and collaborative. Wonderball 2.0, which will include digitally augmented ping pong, automated scoring and personalisation, is currently in development and will launch later this year. The brand also announced it has agreed to support the Charlie Waller Trust, which raises awareness of depression and particularly supports young people who suffer from mental health issues, over the year ahead. Harris said: “Refreshing and re-energising the Bounce brand has been a long-term objective for us and fortunately we were able to make it happen over the winter with fewer operational distractions. The new look and feel – bright, bold and playful – reflects far better who we are and what Bounce is all about and hopefully our guests agree! All of us at State of Play feel so strongly about promoting positive mental health in young people and so Bounce’s partnership with the Charlie Waller Trust is very meaningful for us.”

Kibou Restaurants secures site in Bristol for third opening: Kibou Restaurants, led by Regent Inns founder and chief executive David Franks, will open its third site later this year, in Bristol. The company has secured the former Nettle & Rye site in King’s Road, Clifton Village, for an opening this October. The 80-cover, two-storey neighbourhood bar and restaurant will include a range of intimate dining areas, spacious lounge, marble decked bar and open sushi kitchen with high-top seating. Outside, the venue also benefits from an additional terrace with the potential for up to 20 covers. The menu will centre on signature sushi rolls, alongside a range of classic and contemporary Japanese dishes. The bar will be “serving an ambitious selection of Japanese whisky and sake along with Japanese brewed beers, authentic high balls and signature Japanese-inspired cocktails”. Sam Horswill, operations director at Kibou Restaurants, said: “We’re excited to build upon the legacy of Kibou and launch our third site in Clifton following the success we’ve received in Battersea and Cheltenham. The site will be headed up by accomplished general manager Ruth Player, who brings with her a wealth of experience and local knowledge. I’m sure our vibrant and contemporary slice of Japan will go down a storm in Clifton, and, with a genuinely special team in place and a concept that has thrived under the toughest of circumstances, we’re confident of future opportunities to grow our small family of restaurants.”

 

Canada-based concept Delicious Pho to launch debut UK site: Canada-based Vietnamese concept Deliciously Pho is to make its UK debut in August in London’s Spitalfields. The concept, which was founded by Chau Tran, will open on the former Byron site in Steward Street and will debut for a week-long soft launch period before opening to the public. It will offer more than ten variations of the traditional Vietnamese dish, using local ingredients sourced daily from Spitalfields Market. Chau moved to Canada in 1992 and worked as a chef in numerous Vietnamese restaurants before embarking on her own solo venture. She opened her first restaurant in 2003 and now oversees 12 restaurants throughout Canada. Tran is “striving for the same track record when she opens her first UK branch this August”.

 

Black Sheep Coffee, Neat Burger, Honi Poke and Urban Pubs & Bars sign up for Broadgate development: Black Sheep Coffee, Neat Burger, Honi Poke and Urban Pubs & Bars have all signed up to take space at British Land’s 155 Bishopsgate development in the City. Neat Burger, the plant-based burger concept backed by Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, will open a 2,700 square foot restaurant. Nest, a bar and restaurant run by Urban Pubs & Bars, will open a 3,300 square foot bespoke space, including a large outdoor terrace with steps that link to neighbouring Italian marketplace Eataly. Black Sheep Coffee is taking 1,200 square foot area for its coffee, cafe and cocktail concept and will also run the reception cafe within 155 Bishopsgate. Hawaiian poke restaurant Honi Poke will take a 500 square foot unit at the development. They will join Bar Douro, the traditional Portuguese tapas restaurant; José Pizzaro, the contemporary Spanish small plates restaurant; and independent wine merchant Uncorked, at the scheme. In May 2021, Eataly opened its first UK site at 135 Bishopsgate, a 42,000 square foot Italian food hall, which includes restaurants, food stalls, drinking and dining space and a cookery school. Alice Keown, leasing director – restaurants and leisure, British Land, said: “We’re excited that four fantastic brands are joining us at Broadgate. With combined lettings totalling more than 7,000 square foot of space, we’re pleased to see continued confidence in Broadgate as a world-class leisure destination. We’re committed to providing an exceptional experience to everyone who visits or works at our Broadgate campus. These new lettings, together with the recently launched restaurants at 100 Liverpool Street, will serve to further enhance Broadgate’s offering to customers.” British Land was advised by Davis Coffer Lyons and Nash Bond.

 

Kitchen Ventures to open first physical restaurant in London’s Oxford Street: Kitchen Ventures, the cloud kitchen and virtual dining start-up from Jonny Boud, co-founder of what was Goodlife Projects, the brand, marketing and consultancy business that helped launch Rum Kitchen, Passo, Foley’s and Island Poke, is to open its first physical restaurant next month in London’s Oxford Street, Propel has learned. Propel understands the business, which at the start of this year secured $2m (£1.47m) of new funding, will open a site under pizza brand, Giz ’n’ Green, the collaboration between chef Gizzi Erskine and rapper Professor Green, on the roof of the John Lewis on Oxford Street. The company currently has three existing delivery kitchens in Kensington Olympia, Clapham and Bethnal Green, with further openings understood to be lined up in Camden and Queensway. Kitchen Ventures said it is on a “mission to make fresh, delicious, chef-cooked food accessible to every neighbourhood via our network of cloud kitchens”. The new funds will be used to expand its network of kitchens across London and select international markets, in addition to adding to its growing portfolio of owned and operated virtual brands. Virtual brands the business is currently working with include the aforementioned Giz ’n’ Green; a chicken concept from Lucy Pearce (ex-Petersham Nurseries and Rawduck) called Farmbird; salad concept Local Greens; and Tacos El Ray from Breddos Tacos founders Nud Dudhia and Chris Whitney. 

 

Bill’s appoints new chief technology officer and operations director: Jon Davis, formerly of Village Hotels, has joined the Richard Caring-backed Ivy Collections and Bill’s Restaurants, as their new chief technology officer, Propel understands. Davis previously held the same role for three years at Village Hotels, the 31-strong hotels business owned by Denver-based private equity firm KSL Capital Partners. At the same time, Bill’s has appointed Dan Wonfor as a new operations director. Formerly of Food and Fuel and Geronimo Inns, Wonfor spent over 11 years at Cote, which was previously backed by Caring, and was for the last two years a regional operations director at the Partners Group-backed brasserie concept. Wonfor joins Joel Claustre as an operations director at Bill’s. Claustre, formerly of Searcys, joined the business last July. In terms of the reopening of the Bill’s estate, a spokesperson for the brand told Propel that “they are opening gradually – some sooner than others”. Reports earlier this year, said that the business had breached the terms of its overdraft facility with HSBC during 2020 but had since secured a waiver on covenants with the bank. Bill’s said trading at its restaurants was strong throughout August, September and October after they were allowed to reopen after the first lockdown. 

 

Top Cuvée team to take bottle shop concept to Bethnal Green and add underground wine bar: Brodie Meah and Max Venning, who are behind north London wine bar and bistro Top Cuvée, are to open a second site in the capital for the bottle shop concept, Shop Cuvée. The new site will open in Bethnal Green later this summer. As well as stocking an extensive wine list, the Bethnal Green Road venue will also feature Cave Cuvée, an intimate limited-cover underground wine bar inspired by the lively drinking spots of Paris and beyond. Cave Cuvée will also offer a selection of cocktails and small ingredient-led plates. Meah said: “Bethnal Green is where I’ve lived since arriving in London so I know it’s just what the area needs. Cave Cuvée is something new for us as a group, a project every wine person dreams of opening.” Meah and Venning operate Top Cuvée and Shop Cuvée in Blackstock Road, Highbury.

  

Meanwhile Events brings Skylight rooftop bar concept to Peckham: Skylight, the London-based rooftop bar concept from Meanwhile Events, has launched a site in Peckham. Occupying the top floor of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and with an overall capacity of 250, Skylight Peckham offers food and drink, seasonal events and outdoor games alongside panoramic views of the capital. Drinks include cocktails, a constantly changing wine list and a range of beer. The food at Skylight is focused on small plates and platters to share with dishes such as roast beef on sourdough toast, marmite mayo, pickled and crispy shallots, watercress and horseradish; and roasted poussin, chicken fat mash, truffle and honey vinaigrette and charred leeks. Meanwhile Events managing director Patrick Donovan said: “We are delighted to have found the perfect venue in a hugely exciting area of London for what is the next chapter in Skylight’s story. Our mission has always been to create exciting and imaginative spaces that deliver amazing experiences, and this is the natural next step.” The venue was acquired through Christie & Co, with Simon Chaplin, senior director of pubs and restaurants, leading the sale. He added: “We have been working with Mountview since construction commenced and are delighted to have completed on the final part of the assignment.”