More than 100,000 businesses write to government demanding urgent sector support: More than 100,000 hospitality, leisure and retail businesses have written to the prime minister and chancellor of the exchequer calling for urgent assurances of financial support for the sectors hit hardest by “Plan B” measures. The letter – sent by Croydon Business Improvement District (BID) chief executive Matthew Sims on behalf of dozens of fellow BIDS and town centre management partners – outlines why existing government aid is insufficient in the face of current restrictions. It also identifies what action they believe Number 10 should be taking to stave off mass closures and redundancies within the sector. Sim said: “It is baffling and alarming that our chancellor is doggedly sticking to measures which are out of date and out of touch with the stark and desperate reality retail, hospitality and leisure businesses are facing. Without swift intervention, many businesses will be faced with closures, lay-offs and cut backs, making the significant financial support government has ploughed into these sectors during the pandemic a woeful waste of money.” The letter is co-signed by industry figures including Night Time Industries Association chief executive Michael Kill, British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin and Great London Authority night czar Amy Lane. It states: “The critical Christmas trading period is in tatters, leaving businesses, particularly those within the hospitality, retail and leisure sector, teetering on the brink of financial ruin and set to lose £4bn in sales. While we appreciate risks to health due to the Omicron variant, we cannot and should not forget the businesses who have had all but been shut down and want to continue trading safely. Hospitality is the UK’s third largest sector, employing 3.2 million people, and produces £130bn of economic activity. These sectors are vital to our economic recovery, and the current measures in place aren’t working.” The letter calls for 100% business relief for the first three months of 2022, followed by 50% through to the end of June. It also demands an extension of the reduced rate of VAT to the end of March, and for “survival” grants of up to £15,000 for sector business to be made available. Furthermore, it asks for grants of up to £7,500 per claim for those self-employed and freelance staff working in the hospitality industry who have “so far during the pandemic been largely overlooked”.

Sponsored message – Harri launches Compensation Expectations Report: Workforce management tech firm Harri has launched its Compensation Expectations Report for restaurants and quick-service restaurants. The survey, which features responses from 2,500-plus employees and 60-plus operators, showed 61% of respondents didn’t receive a pay rise in 2021 and 45% will find another job next year to get a pay rise, with 26% looking to change industry altogether. According to the results, 19% of employers said they didn’t increase hourly wages in 2021; 32% said they increased rates at least once, 33% twice and 16% three times plus. Meanwhile, 13% hope to increase pay by more than 7% next year as the sector recovers from the financial impact of covid-19. A Harri spokesman said: “We all know employee expectations have changed. People want higher salaries and a better work-life balance. Employers have had to find new ways to stand out from the competition.” As a result, the survey showed 49% are implementing reward programmes, 30% have introduced well-being and gym memberships and 26% are offering healthcare plans. Meanwhile, 19% of respondents offer transport allowance to help staff lower their outgoings, 4% of operators with students are offering tuition advice and 4% are providing childcare assistance. To read the full report, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com

Propel Premium Advent Video Calendar, to feature Tim Martin: Propel has launched its Premium Advent Video Calendar, giving subscribers access to a great video each day in December from our autumn conference series. Each day in December in the run-up to Christmas, Premium subscribers will be sent a video featuring some of the sector’s leading operators, who will share insights, advice and expertise. The next video – which will be sent at 9am today (Monday, 20 December), – features Tim Martin chairman and founder of JD Wetherspoon, who talks about the lessons he and his business learnt during the pandemic and how they are putting them to good use.  Premium subscribers received the fifth edition of The New Openings Database, which is produced in association with StarStock, on (3 December). The database showed the details of 366 newly announced site openings and upcoming launches. Premium subscribers also receive access to two other databases. The latest Propel Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate, and the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which is produced in association with Mapal Group. 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 group editor Mark Wingett. 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. To subscribe, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com

Yummy Pub Company temporarily shuts Euston site and Bierschenke reports more than 1,500 cancellations as ‘Plan B’ restrictions fallout continues: Yummy Pub Company has temporarily shut The Somers Town Coffee House in London’s Euston as operators continue to feel the effects of “Plan B” restrictions without financial support from the government. “We simply can’t continue as it is,” tweeted Yummy Pub Company co-founder Tim Foster, who will reopen the site on 4 January. “Super proud of our team who looked after others throughout the pandemic in the darkest of days, producing more than 33,000 meals for the homeless.” This comes the day after Fuller’s announced the temporary closure of 20 of its central London pubs. Meanwhile, London-based authentic German beer hall Bierschenke has reported more than 1,500 cancellations, resulting in loss of revenue in excess of £100,000. The company, which operates the site in Liverpool Street, said it has “placed great hardship on our business and puts a number of jobs at risk”. A spokeswoman told Propel: “The government needs to intervene immediately and offer financial support for our industry, including business rates support and an extension of the reduced VAT period. Why is it that our sector is made to suffer disproportionately every time restrictions are introduced?” Jamie Barber, founder and chief executive of Hache and Cabana, said: “The government’s advice to only socialise ‘if it’s a priority’, coupled with the threat of catching Omicron and having to self-isolate on Christmas Day, has caused a hard stop on bookings. We have watched £300,000 of bookings fall through our hands in the space of a week. As with last year, we have already recruited staff, bought the stock, and put up the Christmas decorations. As with last year, corporate bookings have cancelled and are asking for their deposits back. Money is flooding out, not in. Maybe we were premature, but we thought we were over it. Many of us have been cautiously toasting our survival and gently looking at reinvesting in sites that have been in and out of life support for two years. The brave have even committed to new openings.” The Association of Indoor Play also said cancellations were reaching up to 50% for some operators as it too urged the government to give financial support. And data from Wi-Fi solutions provider Wireless Social indicates the “Plan B” announcement has had a significant impact on consumer confidence, resulting in a drop off in hospitality sector footfall. The data shows footfall was down across the UK by up to 35% last week when compared with 2019 levels, and 45% in London. 

Peter Marks – nightclubs are not the super spreader hotbeds’ they are reported to be: Rekom UK chief executive Peter Marks has lambasted the Welsh government over its decision to shut nightclubs after Boxing Day, saying they are not the “super spreader hotbeds” they are reported to be. He said: “This damaging decision targets the very people whose well-being is affected the least by covid-19, but have been affected the most by the consequences of political decisions. These are decisions that have destroyed their education and social lives, and a lot more besides. Nightclubs are not the ‘super spreader hotbeds’ they are reported to be. The fact is, infection rates in our core customer demographic of young people aged 18 to 25 have actually fallen dramatically since nightclubs reopened. The spread of covid-19 is not about the number of people in a venue but about capacity and quality of ventilation. A crowded, poorly ventilated pub or bar at capacity will bring a much higher risk when compared to a large, well-ventilated nightclub. Should there be an evidence-based reason for late-night leisure venues to close, we demand financial support that reflects the significant economic and social contribution of our sector. Certainly an increase on the paltry support given previously. Once again, nightclubs are the most hit, but the least supported.” Meanwhile, some extra restrictions on hospitality in Wales – like the return of mask-wearing and track-and-trace in pubs and restaurants – are “inevitable” after Christmas, Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford has warned. “We will be working this week on the rules about how hospitality will reopen after Christmas,” he told Politics Wales. “I think it’s inevitable that when hospitality reopens, we will need to build some extra defences into the way they operate, otherwise people won’t turn up there. That’s the thing to remember – the reason we’re doing this is for business reasons as well as health reasons.”

Five more sector companies join Zero Carbon Forum: Five more sector companies have added their weight to the Zero Carbon Forum, becoming the latest members of the ambitious non-profit which aims to radically reduce emissions and achieve net zero in the hospitality industry. Côte, Honest Burgers, IHG Hotels & Resorts, McMullen’s and Wadworth are the latest businesses to join. A non-profit organisation with 33 of the UK’s leading restaurants, pubs and breweries as members, the Zero Carbon Forum recently launched its roadmap – designed to provide the hospitality industry with guidance on the steps they can take to decarbonise their businesses and set net zero strategies. The initiative was funded by the forum’s members and is backed by UKHospitality and the British Beer & Pub Association.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a London-based restaurant and food concept to recruit a global recruitment manager to support its expansion plans post-pandemic. A COREcruitment spokesman said: “We are looking for a very proactive and driven character who can really represent this company and presents in a professionally and in an engaging way. A lot of this role will be based in London, but there will be substantial international travel. Ideally, we would like to find a recruiter who has experience of international markets – but this is not essential. Some of this role will be about senior management recruitment – but we would also like to find someone who is not scared to go out and approach talent from competitors in the local market.” The base salary is £65,000. For more information and to apply, email Abbie@corecruitment.com

 

Wade – industry must embrace vaccine passports: Boxpark founder Roger Wade believes vaccine passports are the way ahead for hospitality in the UK and has urged fellow operators to get on board with them. Covid passes are currently only required in England, Scotland and Wales for nightclubs and venues where large crowds gather. By contrast, they are a requirement for entry to bars and restaurants in many European countries. The passes have, nevertheless, been met with resistance by many in the industry, with their effect on night-time trade particularly criticised. However, in the wake of the new “Plan B” restrictions issued by the government, Wade insists it’s time to embrace them. “We need to come together as an industry and accept we have to roll out covid passports,” he said. “They’re working well in Ireland and Europe, and we want to encourage our industry to come up with a pragmatic solution that recognises we have a duty of care to our customer, but also delivers a sensible solution. We believe the covid passport is the way to go – you’ve got to encourage people to get vaccinated, and if you don’t, you’re not going into bars and restaurants. Yes, you could argue about civil liberties – but when the Luftwaffe was bombing London during the Blitz you didn’t have anyone going on about civil liberties when you had to turn off your lights. We need to act socially and responsibly as an industry and accept we need to do our part. I respect other people’s opinions, but frankly, I think the horse has bolted. I’m a big supporter of covid passports if that’s what makes the customer feel at ease and creates a safer environment, I don’t think we have the luxury of having the argument about choice. I think most people in the industry understand the night-time industry’s opposition to covid passports, but we’ve got to do something, and rather than have no business, we need to embrace them.” Boxpark this month celebrated its tenth anniversary since initially being founded as a fashion retail concept in Shoreditch – and Wade believes evolving from that original idea to a food and leisure offering has been the key to his success. “What we’ve been good at as a business is evolving as times change,” he added. “When I set up Boxpark Shoreditch it was really about street and sports fashion, and the food was an afterthought. After five years of going round in a big circle we realised it was street food rather than street wear that was taking off, and so we opened Boxpark Croydon focusing on the food and beverage offering. As we’ve gone on in time and opened up Boxpark Wembley, we opened up leisure as well, which is increasingly as big a part of the business as the food. We’ve evolved massively.”

Wendy’s adds Kingston to 2022 openings pipeline: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, has added a site in Kingston to its 2022 openings pipeline in the UK. Propel understands that the brand, which opened its fifth restaurant since its return to the UK earlier this summer, in Romford earlier this month, is to take a site in Eden Street. The opening in Romford took the brand to ten sites in the UK, including five dark kitchen units under its partnership with Reef Kitchens. Last month, Wendy’s said it would up its expansion plans in the UK after a strong start to its return here. Abigail Pringle, Wendy’s chief development officer, said revenues at the restaurants it had opened were “far more” than the chain had expected, at £40,000 a week. As a result, Wendy’s now has a target of opening 50 locations next year, which will be a mixture of dark kitchens, dine-in restaurants and drive-thrus. The company, which last month secured its first UK drive-thru site in Colchester, has also secured a site in Brighton’s Western Road. It is thought the business is in talks to open further restaurants in Wood Green, Camden, Ilford, Watford and Maidstone, with Savills aiding the brand’s UK expansion.

Slim Chickens set for Leeds, doubles up in Manchester: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) is set to add to its Slim Chickens estate with an opening in Leeds. Propel understands the company, which holds the master franchise for the US brand in the UK, is planning to take on a site in the city’s White Rose Shopping scheme. The brand, which currently operates 15 sites in the UK, has also confirmed it is to double its presence in Manchester, with hoardings going up on the ex-Bella Italia site in the city’s Arndale centre. It opened a site in Manchester’s Trafford Centre last year when it converted a Carluccio’s there to the brand. It is understood that Slim Chickens franchisee JRK Restaurants has lined up its third opening for the US brand along the south coast, in Brighton. JRK, which already operates Slim Chickens sites in Southampton and Bournemouth, is planning to open in Brighton’s North Street Quadrant, spread across two existing units, including the former New York Coffee Club site. 

Jollibee lines up Manchester opening: Jollibee, the Philippines fast food group, is lining up its first opening in Manchester. Propel understands that the brand, which last week opened its latest UK site in Nottingham, is planning to open on the former Carphone Warehouse site in the city’s Market Street. The company has already secured sites in Glasgow and Edinburgh for openings next year. It’s recent opening in Nottingham, its ninth over here, is the first of the brand’s UK openings to feature a take-out window. It was the sixth site launched by the brand in 2021 across England and Wales as part of the company’s £50m European expansion plan. Jollibee, which operates about 1,200 sites worldwide, plans to be in “every major city in the UK” and is planning a further 15 to 20 openings here next year. The company said it would invest £30m to open 50 sites in the UK by 2025 and expects to invest almost £1m per site.

Chipotle to open digital kitchen concept site: US brand Chipotle has said it plans to open its first Chipotlane Digital Kitchen restaurant, which will have no dining room or front line, in Ohio. The new concept offers a “Chipotlane and walk-up window for efficient digital order pick-up in a smaller format than a traditional drive-thru format”. The kitchen is also equipped to take digital orders through the brand’s app or website, as well as third-party delivery partners. The company has been aggressively growing its drive-thru-focused Chipotlane locations, which have seen about 15% higher sales than traditional units. “Chipotlanes are a key growth strategy for the brand,” said Tabassum Zalotrawala, Chipotle’s chief development officer. “Our portfolio of approximately 300 Chipotlanes perform with the highest margins across the board, so we continue to evolve our restaurant design with formats such as the Chipotlane Digital Kitchen to best suit our growing digital business.”

George’s Tradition bought out of administration by management team: East Midlands-based fish and chip restaurant brand George’s Tradition has been bought out of administration by its management team. The company went into administration at the beginning of November, when FRP Advisory was brought into the look after the day-to-day running and found historic debts had hampered the business. Now, senior management has bought George’s Tradition, bringing what it calls “a wealth of experience in the business and respect for the George’s brand”. Chief executive Nick Hogan said: “It’s fantastic the business is out of its period of uncertainty and has financial stability, and we can now concentrate purely on providing the best service possible.” George’s Tradition operates a chain of seven takeaway, pub and restaurant sites in Allestree, Chellaston, Chilwell, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Woodlinkin (The Thorn Tree Pub) and West Bridgford. The business also operates a head office in Chellaston and central food processing plant in Ilkeston. The joint administrators were also appointed to George’s Tradition (Belper), which operated the Belper takeaway and restaurant site. The sites in Leek and Loughborough, which use the George’s Tradition branding, are owned by separate independent entities and were not impacted by the administration.

Hall & Woodhouse adds new pubs to portfolio, eyes further ‘pubs with rooms’ acquisitions next year: Dorset-based brewer and retailer Hall & Woodhouse has added to its pub portfolio and is eyeing further “pubs with rooms” acquisitions in the new year. Recent pubs to come under the company’s ownership include Masons Arms in Odcombe, Hit or Miss in Amersham and The Dolphin Hotel in Bovey Tracey. This means the independent family brewer is on track to complete on ten high-quality trading pubs this year, spread across both its managed and business partnership (tenanted) divisions. It also has further sites in Devon, Dorset and Surrey in the pipeline, including The Frog in Mindenhurst, near Deepcut. Earlier this year, Hall & Woodhouse sold nine pubs to Red Oak Taverns with the aim of reinvesting in assets which are better aligned to its long-term strategy. Mark James, property director at Hall & Woodhouse, said: “We continually look to evolve as a business by proactively managing our estate and investing in pubs of the future. We are seeing some good opportunities at the moment and our recent acquisitions add real quality, with many located in popular tourist locations across the south of England. These acquisitions will also significantly increase our bedroom stock. We will continue to seek out further opportunities to grow through high-quality acquisitions that complement and enhance our existing estate.” Hall & Woodhouse operates about 170 pubs across the south of England.

SSP launches pre-order hot food service with new mainline train operator Luno: Rail Gourmet, the railway catering arm of UK-based transport hub foodservice specialist SSP Group, has launched a new pre-ordering food service for passengers. It has partnered with hospitality self-service platform Serve for LumoEats, which will be available to travellers on board services operated by Lumo, a new open-access operator which runs trains on the East Coast Main Line. Passengers can browse and pre-order meals using the Lumo website, with a wide selection of food and beverage options from The Pasty Shop and Upper Crust among other brands. Hot meals ordered will be freshly prepared on the concourse at London King’s Cross or Edinburgh Waverley, and shortly before departure, delivered in hot bags directly to customers in their seats. Salads, snacks and drinks will also be available for pre-order and served from an on-board trolley during the journey. Andy Webb, managing director at Rail Gourmet, said: “This new venture will combine the formidable strengths of SSP’s food and beverage brands with Rail Gourmet’s expertise in rail catering, supported by cutting-edge technology provided by Servy, and is set to make a real difference to the food and beverage offer for rail passengers.” Matthew Lee, commercial and customer experience director at Lumo, added: “LumoEats will allow for a less stressful, smoother journey for customers, with no need to rush to find food before boarding the train as it will be brought to them in the comfort of their own seat.”

Bermondsey-based brewer more than doubles £300,000 crowdfunding target: Bermondsey-based brewer Anspach & Hobday’s latest crowdfunding venture has closed after raising more than twice its target. Launched in October with the aim of raising £300,000 to grow the company’s London Black line, improve its canning facilities and upgrade production to support continued growth, the Crowdcube campaign in fact raised £665,550 from 904 investors. Initially offering 6.18% equity to investors, this had been upped to 11.96% by the time of closure. Despite the pandemic, the company’s revenue had grown 31% year-on-year by March 2021, giving a pre-money valuation of £4.9m. Anspach & Hobday also overfunded on its last crowdfunding campaign, raising £525,000 in 2019 after setting an initial target of £400,000 to help set up a Croydon brewing site, triple production and expand taproom space.

The Inn Collection Group opens its first street food-inspired pub following multimillion-pound revamp: The Alchemy-backed The Inn Collection Group has opened its first street food concept pub with rooms, in the Lake District. The north-east based operator has reopened its 27-bedroom site The Temperance Inn in Ambleside following a multimillion-pound refurbishment. The venue is the first in the group’s 26-site estate to have a dedicated street food service, offering take away food and drink alongside 85 traditional seated food covers for all-day dining. Operations director David Campbell said: “The concept meets recognised trade demand for quality food and drink on the go in high footfall destinations like Ambleside. Ambleside is known as the walking capital of the Lakes, and a strong percentage of our daytime trade wants to maximise their time out on the fells or water. Due to the sheer volume of visitors the Lakes receives, seated table space can be at a premium in peak season. The Temperance Inn’s street food concept will not only deliver high quality food and drink fare, but will reduce wait times for customers. We very much remain a food-driven pubs-with-rooms operation.” The Temperance Inn is The Inn Collection Group’s eighth pub-with-rooms in Cumbria, sitting alongside a growing portfolio in Northumberland, Yorkshire, Tyne & Wear, County Durham and Lancashire. Its most recent acquisition was the historic The Dower House and Spa in Knaresborough, its seventh Yorkshire site, earlier this month. It also recently begun a multimillion-pound revamp of its debut Tyneside venue, The Park, in Tynemouth.

Three Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco to open three new London restaurants: Mauro Colagreco, holder of three Michelin stars at his restaurant Mirazur on the French Riviera, is to take the helm at three new dining destinations in London. Colagreco will team up with Raffles London at The OWO, a new high-end hotel set to open in Whitehall in late 2022. The Argentine-Italian chef will create two new restaurants – one described as “a brasserie with a twist”, with the other dealing in “fine dining” – as well as a “private chef’s table” at the central London location. Colagreco’s menus will focus on seasonal, local, sustainable and organic ingredients. He told the Standard: “The incredible location, combined with the professionalism of the Raffles London team, convinced me this was the ideal time and place to launch for the first time in London with concepts that will be tailor-made for Raffles.” Raffles London at The OWO will open in a grade II-listed building and comprise 120 rooms with 85 private residences. Colagreco’s new ventures – his first in London – will come as part of 11 restaurants and bars housed within the venue.

Manchester-based operators partner for new wine bar and kitchen concept: The operators behind two Manchester food and beverage venues have collaborated on a new wine bar and kitchen, set to open in March. Anna Tutton, the founder of Oxford Road wine bar Vin-yard, and Joe Maddock, of West Didsbury tapas bar Pinchos, have worked together before on pop-up supper clubs. They have now teamed up for Beeswing, the latest addition to Manchester’s Kampus garden neighbourhood. Named after the crust that forms on old wines which resembles the wing of a bee, Beeswing will feature a rotating list of wines from small producers across the world – available by the glass, carafe or bottle – as well as a wine shop. There will also be light bites and sharing plates available throughout the day, using fresh, local ingredients. “We want Beeswing to be a real neighbourhood bar, a warm and inviting place where you can come and enjoy a glass or two of wine,” Tutton told The Business Desk. “We’ll be serving simple but delicious food all day long, with an ever-changing menu using the best fresh local produce.” Beeswing will be located above Nell’s, the pizza and bar venue which opened its doors earlier this month.

Vegan doughnut company opens debut store: Vegan doughnut company The Doughnut Whisperer has opened its debut store, in Chester city centre. The concept was set up by acting couple Claire Cooper and Emmett Scanlan with baker Stephanie Reid in the spring. Previously, customers were able to buy doughnuts through its website or from its Minerva Avenue premises, but only via pre-arrangement. Now the business has opened a shop in Rufus Court, which serves freshly baked doughnuts for customers to drop in and buy. Cooper said: “We always dreamed of opening up a small drop in shop, somewhere cosy and inviting. It’s a great spot as there is a real buzz at the top of town, and with a communal eating area outside in the courtyard, it’s perfect.” The shop is serving a full range of vegan doughnuts and swirls, while the Doughnut Whisperer website continues to offer nationwide delivery. 

Yorkshire-based craft brewer Amity Brew Co targets growth after securing investment: Yorkshire-based craft brewer Amity Brew Co is targeting growth after securing a £40,000 RLS-backed investment by BEF. The company was established in April 2020 by Russ Clarke, Rich Degnan, Tom Matthews and Verity Clarke with help from BEF, which provided £75,000 in start-up loans. The initial investment enabled the business to open its 25,000 square-foot brewery and taproom at Sunny Bank Mills, Farsley, in December 2020. The company will use the latest investment to purchase canning and labelling equipment plus working capital. Clarke said: “This will allow us to get fresh beer into the hands of our customers faster and more efficiently, plus expand into trade. It will cut costs and environmental impact and will also allow us to create jobs within the brewery. As a hospitality business, these past two years have been challenging, but what we have created in a short time is a business at the very heart of its community. We’re really looking forward to the next stage of growth.”