I am Doner introduces ‘micro-bonuses’, sees increased productivity and 90% drop in customer complaints: I am Doner, the Think Hospitality-backed brand, has introduced “micro-bonuses” for its staff. The company said the move had been a “real turning point” for the business, which operates sites in Headingley, Harrogate and Leeds city centre, with an increase in productivity and customer complaints dropping by more than 90%. Writing in this week’s Propel Friday Opinion, non-executive chairman James Hacon said: “We didn’t feel it was right to simply put more pressure on the team without rewarding them for this, so we made the tough – but right – call that, in the middle of the pandemic, we would increase our global pay rates significantly. We also wanted to start rewarding the team based on the right attitudes and behaviours that supported our business during this time. We devised a plan to launch micro-bonuses. It was a real turning point for the business in terms of team happiness, as well as top-line growth and reducing negative feedback. The challenges we were trying to overcome were two-fold. Firstly, we had regular issues with order accuracy, resulting in regular refunds and ‘hangry’ customers. The second was that when the going gets tough, it was too easy for the teams to increase the wait time for delivery orders or frustratingly turn the terminal off, which results in a poor service to customers. We felt with better incentivisation, the team might find that extra gear to push a little harder and keep those orders flowing. Our approach was quite simple. We would pay a weekly bonus to all employees of 5% more per hour for every hour worked if they hit the realistic sales target for the site – and 5% if we have no controllable complaints, with both being directly linked back to overcoming our significant challenges. The result being that, in addition to their already enhanced pay package, the teams can earn 10% more directly linked to the performance of their store. The results have been fantastic, productivity is up, we’ve had far less turnover [of staff members], even with the current pressures of the market, and complaints dropped by more than 90%. We are paying the micro-bonuses out almost every week across our sites and are very pleased to do so.” Hacon shares more of his thoughts in this week’s Friday Opinion, which will be published on Friday (23 July) at 11am

Names of 71 new companies to be added to the updated Propel Multi-Site Database to be released at 9am today: This morning (Friday, 23 July), at 9am, Propel will be listing the latest 71 companies to be included in the July edition of The Propel Multi-Site Database for Premium subscribers, which is produced in association with Virgate and will be released next Friday (30 July at midday). The latest edition of this monthly updated database will have a total of 1,951 companies including the 71 new additions. Collectively, the 71 new companies operate 477 sites. Subscribers not only receive the database as a PDF and an Excel spreadsheet, they will also be sent a 12,094-word report on the businesses added during the past month. Premium subscribers will also receive a new monthly updated database – A Guide To New Openings – which will focus on each month’s newly announced openings and upcoming launches, on Friday, 30 July, at midday. The database will show the details of 176 new sites and includes which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. It will have details on what type of site it is and its location. There will also be a website link to the businesses so you can find out more about them. Subscribers also receive another database that is updated monthly – Turnover & Profits Blue Book – which features 280 companies and provides an overview of their most recent five years, ranking them by turnover and profit conversion. It also shows directors’ earnings over five years and 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 – it is the most comprehensive overview of sector profitability available. 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. 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. In today’s (Friday, 23 July) Premium Opinion column, Propel Insights editor Mark Wingett looks back at the past week, including the latest shambolic piece of messaging from the government and the news Hawksmoor is considering an initial public offering. Meanwhile, Gavin Maher at advisory firm Teneo, argues the government announcement on the extension of the rent moratorium is not the saviour that some tenants see it as but neither is it the devil, as portrayed by landlords. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to sign up.

 

Propel Friday Wrap video series Inception Group co-founder with Charlie Gilkes: Propel continues its new Friday Wrap video series today (23 July) at 3pm. The series, which is sponsored by innovative staffing solution provider Stint, sees Mark Stretton, former sector journalist and now head of sector PR firm Fleet Street Communications, and Propel’s insights editor Mark Wingett discussing this week’s key issues facing the UK’s hospitality sector, with a leading sector operator or expert. This week they are joined by Charlie Gilkes, co-founder of the Inception Group, to discuss the impact of the crisis on the business, the fallout from “Freedom Day”, how operating and planning in the sector at present is like a game of snakes and ladders, what’s next for the Mr Fogg’s and Cahoots operator and how central London can bounce back.

 

Delivery and takeaway sales triple in June versus pre-pandemic levels, account for 35% of managed operators’ total revenue: Delivery and takeaway sales in June tripled compared with pre-pandemic levels, showing they remain a core part of managed restaurant and pub groups’ sales despite the return of eating out, CGA’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker revealed. It showed sales in June were 225% higher than in June 2019 – a drop on growth figures of 345% in April and 273% in May, reflecting the return of the majority of restaurants and pubs for the first full month of indoor service of 2021 in June. While some consumers have opted to start eating out again, deliveries and takeaways accounted for 35% of managed operators’ total sales in June, with eat-in contributing the remainder (65%). The tracker showed 2021-on-2019 growth in groups’ delivery sales was more than four times as high as takeaways. The emergence of third-party ordering platforms in recent years means the volume of deliveries now exceeds that of takeaways and click-and-collect orders. Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “The restaurant and pub delivery market has flourished during the lockdowns of the past 16 months, and while growth has slowed from the period of forced closures, it is going to stay a very big part of managed groups’ sales. We can expect to see more people revert to eating and drinking out now that covid restrictions have been eased, but some consumers will not want to give up their new order-from-home habits.”

HGEM finds consumers discouraged to visit a venue with no face mask requirement for staff, consumer confidence takes big dip: Four in five consumers believe staff in hospitality venues must continue to wear face masks, and 58% would be less inclined to visit if they knew mask-wearing was not required for team members, according to a survey by guest experience management company HGEM. The findings showed 70% of customers believe it is too soon to drop the legal requirement for wearing face masks. Respondents were adamant mask-wearing should continue in transport settings such as trains (94%) and aeroplanes (91%), less so in supermarkets (80%) but were divided over whether masks should be worn in pubs, restaurants and other foodservice venues (50%). Fewer than half of the respondents think masks should be worn in hotels (40%). Demographic analysis revealed Millennials (those aged 25 to 36) have a more lenient attitude towards removing restrictions than any other age group, including Generation Z (18 to 25-year-olds) and people over 56 were most cautious. Women also showed more caution than men. Consumer confidence overall has taken a big dip in the past month, as HGEM’s Covid Safety Tracker indicated an average score of 7.19 out of ten, the lowest since December 2020, which is in stark contrast to the previous peak of 7.88 in June 2021.

Central London will never return to normal, says NatWest chairman: The number of people working in central London will never return to pre-pandemic levels because employees will not come back to the office five days a week, the chairman of one of Britain's biggest banks has warned. In stark contrast to prime minister Boris Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak’s hopes city centres will roar back to life, Sir Howard Davies has argued the era of daily commuting is over for good. The NatWest chairman told Bloomberg: “The days when 2,500 people walked in through our office door at Bishopsgate at 8.30am and then walked out again at 6pm, I think that is gone.” Unlike Wall Street banks that have forced staff back in and maintained home working would never be permanent, British banks are calling time on office life and some have already begun slashing office space. Sir Howard said: “We are looking at having a minimum expectation of a few days a month where people will definitely have to be in the office, and then it will vary by teams, but I suspect there won’t be many people doing five long days in the office.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a high-growth start-up that is looking to appoint a chief commercial officer to join the founding team, including the chief executive, chief financial officer and chief operating officer. The role oversees new opportunities in every component of the business, from finding new sites, building the network of operators, to pushing the sales team to open up new third-party partnerships. Essentially, they will be ensuring rapid growth while maintaining quality and driving the brand forward. The founding team is looking for an entrepreneurial thinking and committed individual to join it on this journey. The incoming chief commercial officer will be offered a competitive base salary in addition to extensive equity package. In addition to oversight of all commercial strategy and all sales channels, the chief commercial officer will develop the impeccable standards through helping to facilitate tech installation and training as well as working with the operations team to broker better supply chain deals, property negotiation and future franchise partnerships, as well as working with the founding team on all future planning and financing. It is essential the incoming chief commercial officer has a creative and open-minded outlook as well as a decade of sales leadership and commercial brand experience. Anyone interested can email Hollie@corecruitment.com

 

Stonegate Group launches senior secured notes offering to raise £165m: Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has launched a senior secured notes offering as it looks to raise £165m, Propel has learned. The new notes will constitute a further issuance of the issuers – Stonegate Pub Company Financing 2019 – £1,070,000,000 8.25% senior secured notes due 2025. Upon completion, the proceeds from the offering of the new notes will be used to (i) finance capital expenditure in pubs owned by the Stonegate Group, (ii) for other general corporate purposes and (iii) pay certain transaction fees, expenses and costs. In July last year, Stonegate’s backer, private equity group TDR Capital, sold £1.2bn worth of bonds to finance its purchase of Ei Group. The main tranche of debt, a £950m sterling bond that matures in 2025, has a high coupon rate of 8.25%. The group also received £50m of direct funding from TDR Capital and, in November, issued a further £120m in bonds at the same rate and maturity. As of the end of September 2020, Stonegate said it had a cash balance of £294m. Rating agency Fitch said: “The November 2020 £120m bond tap enhanced group liquidity, whereas this planned issue targets conversion capex until the group re-establishes its potential capacity for £180m pre-capex cash from operations. The July 2021 bond tap offsets the weak cash-flow generation since the onset of the pandemic and Stonegate’s sponsor choosing not to provide expansionary capital. Similar to other pub groups, Stonegate’s identified capex targets a 2.5-year payback on incremental Ebitda. This is the main way Stonegate can reduce its high leverage.” Writing about Stonegate’s trading performance, Fitch said: “Since outdoor service reopening of pubs in mid-April and indoor services from mid-May, Stonegate’s volumes have quickly bounced back. Within the ex-Enterprise Inns leased and tenanted (L&T) portfolio, 95% of its pubs were open for the second period, beer orders averaged 81% (to mid-May) and 85% (thereafter to mid-June), with sales recently reaching 86% of the equivalent 2019 period. For the Stonegate managed portfolio, the equivalent figures are 85%, 74% and 87%, respectively, with sales recently at 81% of 2019. Management expects the fourth quarter of 2021 to revert to near-normal levels of profitability as normal trading conditions return from 19 July. Potential delays in this recovery could be another lockdown in autumn 2021, and the effect of post-furlough unemployment and weakened consumer purchasing power on pub volume and premiumisation of products (customers trading up). Management is confident it can return to its target run rate Ebitda of £414m (plus £56m of near-term synergies, thus around £460m net of pub disposals). Since March 2020, the pub industry has received significant government support (direct cash grants, furlough, business rates) during lockdowns. This has helped L&T publicans, meaning business failures are reportedly low. Some support has flowed to Stonegate’s managed portfolio but its town centre-biased units or night-activity venues have seen a slower recovery in profits than coastal or suburban locations. The lower-yielding L&T wet-led portfolio with contractual rent paid by publicans has been the backbone of subdued group profits during the pandemic.” Stonegate declined to comment. Earlier this week, it was reported Stonegate was suing a trio of insurers for losses it suffered during the pandemic. The company is seeking £845m in a claim filed at London’s High Court against MS Amlin, Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe and Zurich.

Rarebreed Dining founders to begin rollout of Island House concept: Rarebreed Dining founders Jonnie and Sarahjayne Matthew, are to begin the rollout of their fledgling Island House concept, with an opening in Woking, Surrey. Propel has learned that the Matthews, who launched Rarebreed with Jordan Hallows in 2014, have secured the former Café Rouge site in the town’s Jubilee Square. The Matthews launched their all-day restaurant and cocktail bar concept last year on the former ASK Italian site in Reigate, Surrey. Island House centres on a “vibrant neighbourhood environment with a passion for food, drink and personal service”. The concept’s menu is “fresh and changing, from healthy options to blow-out dishes”. Its drinks list takes “equal precedence with great coffee, home-grown cocktails and well-sourced wine and beer”. The owners said Island House would be a “magical place to hang out with enchanting spaces, brilliant music and charismatic people”. It’s thought the Matthews, who stepped down from Rarebreed in 2019, hope to open a number of sites in the south east under the new concept. The founders self-funded their first Rarebreed Dining site before Havisham Group, a privately owned investment fund founded by David Brownlow, invested £6m of committed equity capital and institutional leverage in August 2016 to fund expansion. AG&G acted on the Woking deal.

Leon lines up Camden opening: Natural fast food brand Leon is set to get back on the expansion trail in London, with an opening in Camden. Propel understands the Nick Ayerst-led business has lined up an opening at 190 Camden High Street. Leon has more than70 restaurants throughout the UK – the majority of which are based in London – as well as in Amsterdam, Dublin, Rotterdam and Gran Canaria, with delivery kitchens in Manchester and Leeds. It recently unveiled plans for its first drive-thru restaurant in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The new 2,000 square foot drive-thru restaurant will be the first of its kind for the Leon brand, and the fourth Leon restaurant to open in West Yorkshire. The 50-plus-cover restaurant, which is set to open in autumn 2021, is also the first new opening for the brand since its sale to EG Group in April 2021. In partnership with EG Group, this is the first of many planned drive-thru openings and the start of a focused and accelerated UK expansion with additional locations already identified.

Gordon Ramsay to open fourth Hell’s Kitchen restaurant: Chef Gordon Ramsay is set to open his fourth Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, at Harrah’s Resort Southern California. The restaurant, which is set to launch in spring next year, will be the third Hell’s Kitchen in the US – and the largest to date. It will have capacity for 332 guests across the bar, full-service restaurant and lounge. The new restaurant is a partnership between Ramsay and Caesars Entertainment, in conjunction with ITV America. From its show kitchen, Ramsay’s chefs will serve a menu that features many of his most famous dishes, including beef wellington, lobster risotto and sticky toffee pudding. “Hell’s Kitchen at Harrah’s Resort represents one of our most exciting projects to date,” said resort chairman Bo Mazzetti. “It’s an exciting moment to be able to bring such a well-known, high-energy concept to the resort and it’s perfectly in line with our continued commitment to keeping our guests excited, energised and full of options.” Hell’s Kitchen also operates in Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Caesars Bluewaters Dubai and Harveys Lake Tahoe. Ramsay is continuing to grow his UK restaurant business having opened the largest site to date under his fledgling Street Burger brand at The O2 in London this month. Ramsay is also set to open a site under the name Bread Street Cafe on the former Limeyard unit in Ealing High Street.

 

Colette eyes Battersea opening for third site: Restaurant and deli concept Colette is lining up a third opening in London, in Battersea. Propel understands the business has applied to open on the former Cath Kidston site at 142 Northcote Road. It recently opened a second site in the capital, on the former Iris fashion store in Wimbledon High Street. Colette was founded by Dimitri and Mira Plaquet in 2019 and opened its debut site in Fulham Road, Chelsea, in January last year. The kitchen is led by former Ritz chef Chris Hill and has a seasonally changing menu. The deli offers more dishes to take away such as beef tartar and homemade Scotch eggs, alongside charcuterie, smoked salmon, caviar, fresh truffles, wine, cheese and chocolates. Propel understands Colette is seeking further sites, with South Kensington, Victoria and Mayfair among its targets.

Whitbread hits 1,000-room mark for Premium Plus with new Oxford city centre hotel: Whitbread will launch its flagship Premier Inn in Oxford city centre on Friday (23 July), which will also mark the 1,000th room to open under its enhanced Premier Plus format. The 90-bedroom hotel is in Paradise Square, a few metres from the Westgate Shopping Centre. Whitbread started working on plans for the hotel in 2013 following the acquisition of a 1980s office building that originally occupied the site. Planning permission for the development was granted by Oxford City Council in December 2017, with construction of the hotel beginning in July 2019. Richard Aldread, head of construction in the UK regions and Ireland for Whitbread, said: “We spotted the opportunity to bring Premier Inn’s affordable bedrooms into the heart of Oxford city centre around the time the plans to redevelop the Westgate Shopping Centre were being discussed.” The hotel is the second Premier Inn to open in Oxford this year, following the opening of a 123-bedroom hotel at Botley in May, and grows the brand’s network of hotels in Oxford to four locations. Whitbread is continuing to expand Premier Inn and sees the potential for further hotels in Oxford city centre and to the east of the city. Whitbread intends to add a further 1,000 Premier Plus rooms across its national estate in the next six months. The premium Premier Plus rooms feature amenities such as a rainfall shower with luxury toiletries, mini-fridge with complimentary water and “ultimate” Wi-Fi.

 

German Doner Kebab opens Cwmbran restaurant as franchisee looks to grow portfolio of foodservice businesses to 25: German Doner Kebab, the Hero Brands-backed business, has opened a site in Cwmbran as part of plans to hit the 100-site mark by the end of the year. It is the company’s third site in Wales and is located in Glyndwr Road, where it has created 40 jobs. The restaurant is part of franchisee Sania’s plans to grow from 16 units – including Pizza Hut, You Me Sushi, Café Barbera and now German Doner Kebab – to 25, reports the South Wales Argus. Sania was founded by Mubarak Ali, whose rose through the ranks at KFC before deciding he wanted to start his own franchise. He started with a Pizza Hut site in Banbury in 2013. The Cwmbran restaurant is German Doner Kebab’s 64th site in the UK. Its other Welsh sites are in Swansea and Cardiff. German Doner Kebab plans to open 47 new restaurants in the UK during 2021, building significantly on the 12 opened during 2020. It has just applied to open a site in Brighton, East Sussex.

 

Vapiano to launch its first augmented reality Instagram game: Vapiano, which was acquired last year by the Mario C Bauer-led consortium Love & Food Restaurant Holdings, is to launch a new way of interacting with guests via its first augmented reality (AR) Instagram game. The Spaghetti Slurp Game, developed in augmented reality, with Dutch agency Superminds, will launch on 26 July across 31 countries, including the UK. The game gives guests a chance to win free Vapiano food for a year in each country by catching falling spaghetti within a limited time. By sharing their tomato sauce-splattered selfie or story afterwards – they will be automatically included into the prize draw. The company said the new initiative gives it the potential for “high-impact engagement and gives guests a good laugh in the meantime”. Vapiano global marketing director Vikki O’Neill said: “It’s our first global social media campaign combining excellent use of AR and our brand pillar of pasta. The test plays have been hilarious and a big benefit is tracking exactly how many scans each country takes – which is great learnings for the next campaign.” The Vapiano Slurp Game can be found on the social profiles of each Vapiano worldwide from 26 July to 8 August or through QR code prints in the restaurants and in all takeaway and delivery bags.

Oowee Vegan launches in Manchester: Bristol-based Oowee Vegan has launched its first site in the north west, in Manchester. The concept has opened a site in the Deliveroo Editions in the city. Charlie Watson, founder of Oowee Vegan, said: “With a huge uptake in veganism, eating less meat and a focus on the environment over the past few years, now is the perfect time to be making meat-free food something that is accessible, interesting and delicious, and that’s where we come in. We’ve had amazing success in our hometown of Bristol, which has a really warm and welcoming vegan scene (as well as an incredible food scene), which has allowed us to expand to Dalston and Brighton in 2020. We’re excited to move on to Manchester because we’ve had a big demand from our community.” Oowee Vegan was founded in 2016 by Watson and Verity Foss and Charlie Watson. The first Oowee opened as an American-style diner serving meat dishes. The original North Street restaurant in Bristol is still running, serving steaks and meat burgers. The Manchester opening becomes the brand’s sixth site.

Budweiser Brewing Group UK & Ireland adds north London pub to portfolio: Budweiser Brewing Group UK & Ireland, part of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), has added a pub in north London to its portfolio. The company has reopened The Monarch in Camden under the new name of The Monarchy. Budweiser Brewing Group UK & Ireland has taken over ownership of the Chalk Farm Road property with north London burger concept Nanny Bill’s providing the food, reports Hot Dinners. The site has been extensively renovated, including the installation of self-serving taps, an online ordering system and smart LED lighting to enhance the atmosphere for various events. The venue also has a super-scaled screening area in The Vault downstairs. The drinks list includes a variety of beer from Budweiser Brewing Group UK & Ireland as well as cider, Guinness, cocktails and a short wine list. Nanny Bill’s residency sees it offer dishes such as The Dalston Dip – a double beef patty, mustard glaze, American cheese, caramelised onions, burger sauce on a seeded bun with a pot of gravy; and mac ’n’ cheese croquettes with hot sauce and parmesan. The Monarch launched with much fanfare in 2008 as Amy Winehouse performed as a DJ. AB InBev previously opened a pub under its US craft beer brand, Goose Island, in 2016 – the Vintage Ale House in Balham, south London – which closed two years later. In 2018, the company launched the Goose Island Brewpub in Shoreditch, which remains open.

Hill-backed Bosco Pizzeria to open in Cheltenham for fourth site: Bosco Pizzeria, the Bristol-based concept that includes Steve Hill, former chief executive of Wagamama and current chairman of Pho, as a backer, has announced it will open its fourth site. The venue is the first restaurant to be named as a tenant at the refurbished Quadrangle complex in Cheltenham. It is expected to open for dine in and takeaway in December and will occupy a spacious corner unit, housing an open kitchen with a wood-fired pizza oven. Bosco Pizzeria founder and owner Miles Johnson told So Glos: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Bosco to Cheltenham. And the Quadrangle is the perfect location for us, right in the heart of the town. There seems to have been huge excitement about the refurbished building too and it’s fantastic to now be a part of that. It’s one of the reasons we were attracted to the space, it was exactly the right fit and knowing what’s worked so well for us in Bristol, we can absolutely see how our new home in the Quadrangle will allow us to do that too.” Bosco Pizzeria currently operates two sites in Bristol and another is due to open in Bath in August.

SFG Club to open first stand-alone Sluggers site at Boxpark Croydon: SFG Club, which operates competitive socialising venue Roof East in Stratford, east London, will launch the first stand-alone site for its baseball-themed bar Sluggers at Boxpark Croydon this Friday (23 July). Sluggers, based at unit 64, collides “baseball with the minimalist, neon cool of Japan, the Mojito-sipping swagger of Cuba, and the heat and passion of Mexico to make an experience bar like no other”. Sluggers joins US concept Bad Axe Throwing at the Croydon scheme. SFG Club founder Neil Garner said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching our first stand-alone Sluggers site, particularly as Londoners are now looking to head to one spot to eat, drink and play – and Boxpark Croydon offers exactly that. With lockdown restrictions coming to an end, Londoners are looking for new ways to socialise, leading to a rise in social competitive games and activities. We wanted to create a venue that moves away from traditional baseball but offers guests an exciting, unique take on the sport. Inspired by the culture of Latin America, the Sluggers experience brings just that, offering something novel and fresh to the games market, and we can’t wait for guests to come down and experience all it has to offer.” SFG operates a Sluggers as part of Roof East. It also operates the crazy golf experience, street food eatery and cocktail bar Birdies at Battersea Power Station.

Business club Pavilion launches debut private members’ club with menu by Tom Kerridge: Pavilion, the business members’ clubs with locations across London, has opened its first private members’ club. The new venture has launched in Knightsbridge. Set over six floors, the 16,942 square foot property was acquired by Pavilion in 1996 and was run as luxury serviced offices. Since its closure in 2019, the venue has undertaken an extensive refurbishment, which has seen it reopen as Pavilion’s first multifaceted co-working space, private members’ club, serviced private offices, terrace, two bars and dining concept with an all-day seasonal dining menu by Tom Kerridge. Dishes include the Pavilion bacon and smoked cheddar burger; and dressed Cornish crab with radish and apple. The drinks list features a selection of wine, beer and cocktails. Kerridge said: “It is an incredibly exciting project in the heart of London that connects the business world and entrepreneurial spirited, like-minded people with a food style that is fast, accessible but also high level.” Pavilion Club also has a curated events calendar, including comedy nights and DJ sets. Pavilion director Harry Hunt said: “We are excited to be able to deliver a new breed of members’ club for people who are looking to enjoy both a casual, yet sophisticated, environment nestled in the heart of London. With the evolution of remote working and working from home, Pavilion Knightsbridge will provide people with the perfect space to enjoy from day to night.”

 

New food and drink spaces added to Theatre Royal Drury Lane after two-year £60m restoration: New food and drink spaces have been added to the Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber-owned Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which is set to reopen its ground floor following a two-year, £60m restoration on Friday (23 July). The oldest theatre site in continuous use in the world will house The Garden, which will offer a coffee and pastries in the morning and cocktails, wine and light bites, such as cheese boards, in the evening; a cocktail bar called Cecil Beaton after the high society photographer and theatre costume designer; the Rotunda Bar where champagne will be served; and the Grand Saloon, which is set to open later this year, will offer a Regency-inspired afternoon tea. All facilities at the Covent Garden theatre will be available for use even if customers do not have tickets for a show. Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “‘The Lane’ is now one of London’s most warm and beautiful auditoriums, and the most versatile historic theatrical space anywhere in the world. We want to welcome you all through its doors all day and every day for everything from cocktails to coffees and lots more.” Madeleine Lloyd Webber added: “I wanted to encourage the use of our bars, tea rooms and bistro all-day long, whether you have a theatre ticket or not. This was about setting the bar really high on customer experience, from butler service at your theatre seat, to luxury (and plentiful) ladies’ loos. This star of the West End is about fabulous shows, but also a place to meet and socialise for coffee, cocktails or just enjoy the art and architecture.” Theatre Royal Drury Lane is operated by LW Theatres, which runs seven prestigious theatres including the London Palladium in Argyll Street, off Oxford Street.

Digital restaurant delivery business Werty secures second kitchen site: Digital restaurant brand delivery business Werty is to open a second kitchen in London, in Vauxhall, by the end of this month, as its eyes further expansion across the capital. The concept, which was founded by Michael Dickens, opened its first concept kitchen in Wandsworth in June last year. The company said it is “on a mission to redefine online takeaway food and change the status quo”. It said: “Tasty and ethically sourced food delivered to your door with a seamless customer experience should be the industry standard, no excuses. We want to kick start this mission by building a collection of virtual delivery brands across multiple locations that put the customer at the heart of every dish and decision. These brands are designed and created by Werty specifically for delivery and in order to fulfil each and every customer taste and need.” The company said it plans on expanding to a further eight locations across London within the next two years. Its brands include B-Town – premium burgers; the Middle Eastern-influenced Shakalaka; and Dogz – Bratwursts served in brioche rolls.

Benugo opens cafe at Milton Keynes water sports centre: Benugo, the operator of deli cafes and catering in high-profile venues such as the Natural History Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum, has opened a cafe in Milton Keynes. Willen Lake’s Bar and Kitchen has opened at Willen Lake across two floors of the multimillion-pound water sports centre. Food options include grab-and-go items such as sandwiches and wraps alongside wood-fired pizza, fish and chips, burgers, salads, cakes and coffee. There is also outdoor seating by the side of the lake. The Parks Trust has given the restaurant exclusivity rights for the sale of hot food in the area, reports MK:FM.

 

JD Wetherspoon to open new Sheffield pub in November: JD Wetherspoon will open a new pub in Sheffield in November. The company will start work on the property in Sevenairs Road, Beighton, next month. The building used to be home to American diner Damon’s Restaurant, which closed in November 2019. Sheffield Council has since granted planning permission to transform the restaurant into a “drinking establishment”, including “relocation of entrance canopy, replacement doors and windows, provision of external seating areas and alterations to parking arrangements”, as well as a “garden area to the front”. The opening of The Scarsdale Hundred is part of a £145m investment by Wetherspoon into new and existing pubs across the UK, reports the Derbyshire Times.

 

Britvic sees revenue surge as restrictions ease: Britvic has seen its revenue surge since restrictions eased after the soft drinks retailer was hit hard by hospitality closures. Revenue at the company, which owns Robinsons and Tango, was up 22.8% to £384.8m in its third-quarter trading, and said sales has grown across all its units. In total, however, the company’s revenue has lifted to just over £1bn in the year to 30 June. Although Britvic had strong home-based sales, carried by supermarket retail, it said the UK easing of restrictions has led to a “significantly improved” performance. Pre-pandemic, the company benefited from on-the-go consumption, which ground to a halt once lockdown and work-from-home measures were imposed. However, “the recovery of the out-of-home channel in Ireland lags the UK, reflecting the different paths out of lockdown”, Britvic said in a statement. Chief executive Simon Litherland said although the company had shown positive results, the full course of the pandemic was still unknown. He said: “The momentum we had built up going into the pandemic has stood us in good stead throughout, and I am confident we will continue to navigate our way through it.”

 

New group launches to bring together five foodservice business suppliers: A new group has been launched to bring together five specialist foodservice business suppliers – Fresh Direct, M&J Seafood, Freshfayre, Wild Harvest and KFF. Sysco Speciality Group will allow operators to have deliveries of specialist fresh produce and ingredients in one single delivery. Chief executive Raj Tugnait said: “With the backing of Sysco, we have invested significantly in increased stock levels to ensure product availability, as well as technology, logistics and infrastructure. Whether it’s the bespoke preparation of fresh fruit and vegetables, sauces and condiments in our ‘Fresh Kitchen’ facility, or fresh meat and fish filleted to their own specification, we continue to support some of the UK’s leading foodservice brands – from independents to large groups – by helping them to navigate their way through the many new challenges they face, such as accurately predicting volumes, and the industry-wide staff and skills shortages.”