Revolution Bars Group to put food prices up between 5% and 10% due to inflation: Revolution Bars Group chief executive Rob Pitcher has told Propel the business will be putting up food prices between 5% and 10% in the coming weeks as the company battles with rising inflation costs. Speaking following the company’s trading update, Pitcher said the group had “done everything we can” to absorb costs and was left with no choice but to pass some of them on to the customer. “There’s no getting away from it,” Pitcher said. “It’s a major issue for everyone in the industry, and that’s why we need VAT to stay at the current 12.5% rate.” Pitcher said staff shortages were still hampering the business to a degree, especially in its kitchens. The company also previously had a shortage of door staff, but that was now resolved. He said the business had not put up wages as a result but took the strategic decision in November to pay all employees above the national minimum wage. Pitcher added staff absences due to covid and isolation along with the “Plan B” restrictions had resulted in a “double whammy”, leading to like-for-like sales being down 23% over the festive period against pre-pandemic levels. He said: “What the government needs to do now is give us that reassurance that its plan for us to ‘live with covid’ is through testing and medication rather than closing the economy. It’s key the government comes out and gives that message. If we’re going to attract people to the industry, they need certainty around job security, and then there’s consumer confidence. People need to be able to be comfortable with making their bookings at Christmas and not waiting to the spring or summer, when there is less of the virus about. Our festive trade was killed for a second year in a row, and the sector can’t continue like that.” Pitcher said its site pipeline was “looking strong, despite being built from a standing start”. The company is close to signing the lease of its first new site in four years, which Pitcher said would be a Revolution venue. The other four sites in negotiation are for a mix of Revolution and Revolución de Cubas. Pitcher also said the business was having early talks with a landlord for a second site for its “community market” concept Founders & Co, which launched in Swansea last year. Pitcher said the concept had been doing record weeks up to Christmas, and after a ten-day closure at the start of January, where the site was used for a company well-being week, it was “producing good numbers”. Meanwhile, new competitive socialising concept Playhouse, which launched in Northampton in November, was “performing above expectations”. Looking ahead, Pitcher said: “We’re excited about people returning to the office and getting out and about more. It will probably take a few weeks, so hopefully by the start of March we’ll be seeing the benefit of that. We’ve seen how well the business has traded outside of restrictions and we’re looking forward to being able to do that again.”

87 multi-site companies set to join updated Premium Database of Multi-Site Companies: A total of 87 new multi-site companies, operating 918 sites, have been added to the next edition of the Propel Premium Database of Multi-Site Companies, which will be released on Friday, 28 January, at midday. The updated Propel Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate, will feature a number of multi-site pub operators, including Norfolk-based Resolution Pubs, which was founded by Adam Noble and currently has a portfolio of four sites. Also added this month is four-strong Northern Union Pub Company, which is led by Sam Moss and Michael Brothwell and is currently looking to add a further north London-based pub to its estate after applying to reopen the Winchester Tavern in Highgate. In addition, Josh Kharn, who has recently partnered with Greene King to invest £150,000 into two of his Home Counties pubs, will be featured. Meanwhile, north west-based operator Yogesh Mistry, who has a portfolio of three pubs and who also operates an Italian and Thai restaurant, will be included. Premium subscribers will also receive a 6,430-word report on the new additions to the database. The comprehensive database is updated monthly and provides company names, the people in charge, how many sites each firm operates, its trading name and its registered name at Companies House if different. It features more than 2,000 companies. Premium subscribers will also receive the sixth edition of the New Openings Database, which is produced in association with StarStock, on Friday, 4 February, at midday. It focuses on newly announced openings and upcoming launches in the sector and is updated every month. The sixth edition also includes a 21,000-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium subscribers also receive access to another database – the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which is produced in association with Mapal Group. The Blue Book, which is also updated monthly, provides an insight into UK operator turnover and profitability over five years, profit conversion and directors’ earnings. 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 single subscription rate is £445 plus VAT for operators and £545 plus VAT for suppliers. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. 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. This week, Wingett talks to leading players from across all parts of the sector about their hopes and fears for the year ahead.

December hospitality sales down 24.4% on 2019 but up 186% on 2020, staff numbers and productivity rising: Combined sales across pubs, restaurants, hotels and quick service restaurants (QSR) were down 24.4% last month on December 2019, according to figures from software provider Fourth. Hotel and pub sales were hit the hardest, with hotels suffering a 56.5% decline compared with December 2019, while pubs were down by 29.2%. Restaurants witnessed a 20.1% sales drop, but QSR, the least impacted by restrictions, saw sales decline by just 2.9%. However, sales in the sector were in a far healthier position than 12 months ago, when a national lockdown was followed by a tiered system, with hospitality sales up 186% compared with December 2020. The data also revealed staff headcounts and hours worked are heading in the right direction, with the number of people working in hospitality last month the highest it had been since the summer of 2020. However, numbers remain some distance below pre-pandemic levels. Overall, the hospitality headcount is 14.8% behind December 2019 but 18.6% up on December 2020. A depleted workforce meant collective hours worked across hospitality were also down 22.9% on December 2019 but up 112.3% on 2020. But productivity in December 2021 was much the same as in December 2019, “perhaps showing that businesses are learning to do more with less”, the study concluded. Sebastien Sepierre, managing director EMEA at Fourth, said: “With covid measures and restrictions set to be lifted and workers returning to offices, businesses can look forward to better conditions to aid their recovery in 2022. But with new recruits required and a new minimum wage on the horizon, they will need to work on ways to attract and retain talent.” 

Sector contracts for first time in nine months due to Omicron impact, warnings of price rises and inflation ahead: Consumer-facing businesses including hospitality felt the brunt of the impact from Omicron, according to the Lloyds Bank UK Recovery Tracker. While ten of the 14 sectors monitored saw an expansion in output, hospitality was one of those acutely affected by the new variant as the overall pace of the UK’s recovery slowed in December. The Tracker said activity in the tourism and recreation sector – which includes pubs, hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities – contracted for the first time in nine months in December (43.2) as concern over Omicron impacted consumer behaviour. A reading above 50 signals output is rising, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction. It also found supply chain pressures were easing across all sectors, but while staff shortages were also falling across most sectors, they remained a problem for hospitality. According to the Tracker, UK companies were more likely to report challenges stemming from staff shortages than European counterparts, with the availability of qualified candidates remaining tight. It said competition for talent translating into further wage pressures “could lead to high inflation in 2022 lasting for longer in the UK” than in Europe, even if supply chain pressures continue to ease. All sectors reported rising input costs in December, with wages remaining a key driver as businesses sought to attract and retain skilled talent. Jeavon Lolay, head of economics and market insight at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “The cost backdrop has remained acute as higher energy prices and wage bills pushed up firms’ expenses. It’s no surprise an increasing number of firms plan to raise their prices in the year ahead, indicating rising and potentially sustained domestic inflationary pressure.” 

Northern Ireland drops vaccine passports, table service and rule of six for hospitality, nightclubs to reopen but passes still required: Stormont ministers have dropped the requirement for vaccine passports in pubs, bars, restaurants and cinemas in Northern Ireland from Wednesday (26 January) following a drop in covid hospital admissions. Nightclubs have also been given the green light to reopen following closure on 26 December after a surge in Omicron cases, but covid passes will still be required for entry, as with unseated indoor events of 500 people or more. First minister Paul Givan also confirmed that, from midday on Friday, table service-only rules in hospitality settings will be scrapped, along with the rule of six for indoor venues. Givan called the decisions “proportionate”, reflecting “changing circumstances” and “a step in the right direction”. Confederation of British Industry NI director, Angela McGowan, said: “Removing indoor hospitality restrictions will come as a big relief to those companies desperate to start trading their way to recovery after a difficult festive period. The decision to limit the vaccine passport scheme to nightclubs will also be welcomed by NI’s significant food, drink and tourism sectors as we head into spring.” Londonderry Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Paul Clancy, said the easing of some restrictions would “allow our hard-hit hospitality businesses to begin trading with more freedom”, but called on the NI Executive to continue to support businesses “struggling through no fault of their own”. He added: “The speedy roll out of schemes like the Omicron Hospitality Payment is vital, and we would encourage government departments to work to ensure they are delivered as quickly as possible.” Hospitality Ulster chief Executive, Colin Neill, said the planned reopening of nightclubs was “very welcome” but argued that “there is no reason why they cannot be opened immediately without covid passes”.

Dirty Martini owner leads legal action over lockdown insurance: CG Restaurants & Bars, owner of cocktail bar brand Dirty Martini, is leading an action group to start legal proceedings against insurers RSA and QIC to recover business interruption losses suffered due to covid-19. The company and numerous other bars and restaurants across the UK, plus law firm Edwin Coe, have formed the new action group to focus on recovering an indemnity for the multiple lockdowns that have occurred as a result of the pandemic. Daniel Coffer, director of CG Restaurants and Bars, said: “This has been a horrendous time for the hospitality sector, and it will continue to be difficult in the near future. Hospitality businesses have had to fight tooth and nail to obtain an indemnity from their insurers, notwithstanding the clear terms of the policies they purchased prior to the pandemic. The continued effect of the new Omicron variant only highlights the need for members of the hospitality sector to take action to recover the sums to which they are contractually entitled. Our claim alone is substantial, and there are others who no doubt have similar sized claims who need the protection that this class action will afford." Head of Edwin Coe's insurance group, Roger Franklin, added: "The purpose of this action group is to establish the precedent that the RSA 3 wording, which is underwritten by RSA and QIC Europe, gives rise to multiple indemnity periods and thus, potentially, responds to all the lockdowns and restrictions experienced by the hospitality sector in 2020. So far insurers have indemnified their insureds for lockdown one only, but that ignores the reality of the policy wording and the government's response to increasing cases of covid-19 throughout 2020." This case is one of a number of test cases advanced by the firm in respect of business interruption losses caused by covid-19. A further test case against AXA and involving Corbin & King, the owners of The Wolseley, is due to be heard at the end of this month. 

UKHospitality benchmarking survey returns: UKHospitality is bringing back its annual industry benchmarking survey after a hiatus last year due to the pandemic. The survey, undertaken in conjunction with Christie & Co, and supported by CGA Strategy, will be used to ensure the trade body has the most comprehensive picture of the industry to present to government and to ensure its messaging is effective. This year it has broadened the research to include hotels alongside pubs, bars, restaurants and nightclubs. All respondents will receive a summary of the survey when it’s published in April. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “This survey will help us in our efforts on behalf of all hospitality businesses to demonstrate to the government that ours is a sector that can drive UK economic recovery, if given the right support. This report has historically shaped and informed our dialogue with government and never has such dialogue been so crucial to the sector.” To fill in the survey, click here.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a leisure operator that requires an IT director/chief technology officer to join the IT team to help with the successful delivery of its digital transformation project. The company would like a candidate who has a minimum of five years in a similar or the same role and proven past coding experience. A COREcruitment spokesman said, “You will need to have demonstrable experience of large/digital technology transformation delivery across CRM, CMS, AWS/Azure, data transformations/migrations, enterprise reporting and analytics.” This is a fixed-term contract role of up to 12 months based in London but there is also scope for hybrid-remote working. The salary is £100,000. For more information and to apply, email gemma@corecruitment.com

Licensing update: Licensing solicitors John Gaunt & Partners has sent its latest licensing update, providing a useful monthly summary of licensing news, which can be accessed here.

 

Watson – we have to get on with it now, the return of students has been encouraging: Clive Watson, chairman of City Pub Group, owner and operator of 46 premium pubs across southern England and Wales, has said the country needs to “get on with it now” and that its vital for hospitality that “people get back to their desks”. The business this morning reported a “significant increase” in trade in the last ten days. Watson told Propel: “It does seem that there is more of a return to normality, it is almost like it is behind us. We have to get on with it now, we can’t be drained by the TV and the commentators. It is absolutely vital for hospitality that people now get back at their desks. That’s a key driver going forward.” Watson said that the company was set to take advantage of the return of consumers through the investments it has made over the past two years, but also through the balance of its estate. He said: “A lot of companies have spent a lot of time making sure every square foot of their spaces can be used as much as possible through as much of the year. A lot of investment has gone into that – into booking systems, marketing – to make it as easy as possible for consumers to know what is going on. Hopefully that investment over the past two years will start to reap its rewards. Strategically, our view now is that we have a very balanced estate. We are in city centres, but we are also in staycations areas, and we have a lot of pubs in residential areas, especially around London. We have got the balance right. What has been encouraging at the start of this year has been the return of students. They have had two years of rubbish university experiences and now they want to come back and enjoy it. That has been very encouraging as we have a lot of pubs in university cities and towns. Those people charging off to country pubs might find in a years’ time that behaviour may not exactly have reverted back to where it was pre-pandemic, but there won’t be a staycation boom forever, which makes having a balanced estate key.”

Covid costs Wetherspoon £250m, pauses 18-pub roll-out: JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has revealed his company lost £250m over the past two years due to covid and is putting the roll out of 18 new pubs on hold. Last April, Wetherspoon announced plans for new sites in Kings Norton, Newport Pagnell, Shawlands, Edinburgh, Felixstowe, Heswall, Sheffield, Leeds, Bishopston, Hamilton, Diss, Bourne, Grays, Ely and Crystal Palace, plus Dublin, Limerick and Galway in Ireland. But Martin today told Sky News that the recent losses have given him cause to “pause” and “reconsider”. He said: “It’s not sustainable for Wetherspoons to continue to make losses. We’ve lost a quarter of a billion in the last couple of years, having had 40 years nearly of profits before then. That doesn’t do anyone any good. Wetherspoon has got £800m of debt, and the banks give us the debt so that we make common sense decisions. So, it has to give us pause. We have to reconsider. We’re going ahead with our plans, we’re putting one or two new pubs on sites, but we’re waiting for the sales to get back to what they were before we really, really go for it. Very hopeful we can do that.” A company spokesman added that four of the new pubs are set to open by this April. Earlier this week, Wetherspoon delivered a trading update in which Martin warned the business would be loss-making in the first half of its current financial year, but said he is hopeful the business will become profitable again in the spring. 

Peach sales outperform pre-pandemic levels following ‘stand-out Christmas’, eyes three to four new sites in 2022: Gastropub operator Peach’s sales are outperforming pre-pandemic levels following a ‘stand-out Christmas’ and it has set its sights on up to four new pubs in 2022. The 20-strong gastropub group has reported like-for-likes versus 2019 which were up 21% in the six months to 2 January, 26% over summer, 10% in the autumn and 3% at Christmas. The figures reflect the benefit of the VAT reduction and an investment in beer gardens, allowing for more outside dining, the company said. The festive season saw bar trade and large parties down but spend-per-head up, as Peach averaged 16% above Coffer in pub restaurants. Peach managing director, Hamish Stoddart, said: “In the circumstances, this result is wonderful. Our whole team has been remarkable in the last six months and this stand-out result at Christmas is a real testament to team and suppliers working together in a really difficult period. Of course, we do benefit from Londoners working from home in contrast to our city peers. We suffered from 23,000 cancellations, but then had walk-ins of four and six which often replaced big parties. Of course, we faced challenges in recruiting and retaining talent, but with our positive employer reputation, I’m happy to say recruitment pressure is easing just a bit in the last few weeks. Our new pub, The Drummond at Albury in Surrey, started its Peach journey in December and is going well, with further investment due in March to develop rooms. We are still growing and have cash ready to invest in new opportunities. Our 2022 plans were launched to the team on Monday, 17 January, and during the year we hope to find three or four more Peach pubs.” Earlier this week, Peach was awarded a three-star Food Made Good rating by the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Slim Chickens set for Guildford: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) is set to add to its Slim Chickens estate with an opening in Guildford. Propel understands BRG, which holds the master franchise for the US brand in the UK, is planning to take on the ex-Thaikhun site in the Surrey town’s Friary Street, for an opening this spring. The brand, which currently operates 15 sites in the UK, is also set to double its presence in Manchester this spring, when it opens on the ex-Bella Italia site in the city’s Arndale centre. It opened a site in Manchester’s Trafford Centre in 2020 when it converted a Carluccio’s there to the brand. BRG is understood to also be in talks on a site in the White Rose Shopping scheme, in Leeds. It is understood that Slim Chickens franchisee JRK Restaurants is also hoping to open its third site under the US brand along the south coast, in Brighton. JRK, which already operates Slim Chickens sites in Southampton and Bournemouth, has submitted an application to open in Brighton’s North Street Quadrant, spread across two existing units, including the former New York Coffee Club site.

Maven Leisure gears up to launch Wagtail rooftop bar and restaurant: Maven Leisure, the new venture from ETM Group’s co-founder Ed Martin, chief financial officer Landen Prescott Brann and non-executive chairman Graham Turner, is to call its new rooftop bar and restaurant in London’s Monument, Wagtail, Propel has learned. Opening in April in King William Street, on the former House of Fraser department store, Wagtail will feature an all-day, premium indoor bar and restaurant space, with heated terraces for year-round use with 360-degree views of the London skyline. Last October, Propel revealed Maven Leisure, which last summer closed a £4.3m fundraise, had secured the former Drake & Morgan site, The Allegory in Principal Place, which it has reopened as the Beechwood Sports Pub & Kitchen. Propel understands Mavern Leisure is planning to open two sites in London in the first half of this year, including Wagtail. It is looking to add another four venues by February 2024.

Crosstown appoints Beatrice Lafon as new chair: Crosstown, the artisan doughnut and speciality coffee concept, has appointed Beatrice Lafon, formerly of Claire’s Accessories, TJ Hughes and The Business Intelligence Network, as its new chair, Propel has learned. Currently a non-executive director of Celine Jersey Topco, the parent company of Debenhams, Lafon was formerly chief executive of European fashion retailer Pimkie and The Business Intelligence Network. She was also the chief executive of US jewellery retailer Claire’s Accessories, where she began as president of the European market, before taking the helm in 2014. She also had a short stint in 2020 as a non-executive director of PizzaExpress. The JP Then-led Crosstown currently operates 27 sites across London, through a mixture of permanent sites, trucks, concessions and bars. Last year, it opened its first permanent regional site in Cambridge’s Bridge Street. It also launched the first of two “dark retail” sites in St James Street in Walthamstow, after its online ordering revenue grew 600% year-on-year in 2020. Locations being considered for future openings include Oxford, Brighton, Richmond, Croydon, Chalk Farm and Chiswick.

The Alchemist secures Glasgow site: Bar and restaurant concept The Alchemist will open its second site in Scotland later this year, in Glasgow. The Simon Potts-led group has taken a 5,594 sq ft space in the city’s George Square for an opening in October. The 20-strong business will invest £1.6m in the new venue, which will feature 220 covers internally and a further 40 external covers. The new opening will also create 80 new jobs in the city and include a raft of new green initiatives as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. The business made its debut in Scotland last autumn with an opening in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter. The group said the Glasgow site will set itself apart from its Edinburgh counterpart with the introduction of four key experiential spaces, creating a “new cosmic, hyperlocal Alchemist in the city of Glasgow”. Jenny McPhee, brand director at The Alchemist, said: “When we opened our Edinburgh venue, we knew we would feel right at home in Scotland. It was inevitable that we would set our sights on a second venue north of the border. Glasgow is a cultural and creative hub and we’re excited to bring our immersive drinking and dining experience to the heart of the city.” The business, which operates venues in cities including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Oxford, Nottingham and Cardiff, is thought to be planning to open a further two sites this year. 

Knoops to open seventh site next month, in Oxford: Hot chocolate shop Knoops will open its seventh site on 11 February, at 21 Turl Street in Oxford. The brand, which launched in 2013, opened new stores in Brighton and Richmond last year. Guests can choose from 20 different percentage-based hot chocolate options, from a 28% creamy white up to a 100% rich cocoa extra dark. All the drinks over 54% are suitable for vegans, and there are six non-dairy milks available. Alongside the drinks offering, the new Knoops store will be stocking a range of baked goods from Oxford artisan bakery Gatineau. Knoops founder, Jens Knoop, said: “We are delighted to be opening a new store in Oxford, a city drenched in history and natural beauty.” Last October, Knoops chief executive, Tori Nunn, said the company intends to “push forward with its growth plans”, with opening new sites central to this, despite rapid online growth during the pandemic.

Otherworld doubles £600,000 crowdfunding target for future expansion: Otherworld, the Imbiba-backed immersive entertainment business, has doubled its target on a crowdfunding campaign to raise £600,000 towards its expansion plans, with a week left. The virtual reality experience company, which launched its first site in Haggerston in 2019 and followed up with a second, in Victoria, earlier this year, is soon set to launch its first out-of-London site, in Birmingham. It also has plans to expand to Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow over the next 12 months and is seeking franchise partners for overseas growth, in the US and Germany. The capital it raises through Crowdcube will help fund Otherworld’s franchise programme, double its immersion pod base and allow investment in new content and metaverse features. The campaign has so far raised more than £1.26m through 621 investors. With a pre-money valuation of £21.9m, Otherworld has offered investors 5.4% equity. It reported site revenue of £213,000 in October (site Ebitda £68,000, group revenue £230,000, Ebidta minus £64,000) and has already raised £3.7m through Imbiba and fellow investor Edge.

Imperial London reports demand ‘improving slowly’, makes £24.2m from property sales as pandemic causes full-year turnover to plumet to £1.1m: Hotel group Imperial London has reported demand has been “improving slowly” while it has completed a disposal programme of non-core sites. The company made £24.2m from the sales to help shore up its balance sheet as it battled against the impact of lockdowns and travel restrictions. Imperial London has also spent £8.1m on a refurbishment programme in preparation for the anticipated return of tourists to the capital. The company provided the update as it reported turnover of £1.2m for the year ending 30 April 2021 versus £60.1m the year before. The business saw a pre-tax loss of £15.6m against a profit of £23.3m the previous year. The company stated: “The priority for the company in the year has been to conserve cash, protect the hotels and keep employees safe and healthy. As a result, the company temporarily closed all of its hotels, reduced costs, raised liquidity and operated the remaining hotels at reduced capacity while protecting the staff that continued to work in the business. The company disposed of non-core assets during the year. At the time of writing the asset disposal programme is complete. Regrettably the company also had to make redundancies during the year. Against this background the company reported satisfactory results, remains solvent and sufficiently well capitalised to see it through to profitability as guests return to London.” Imperial London, which received £4.7m through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, operates seven sites in the capital.

Adnams to resume dividend payments: Suffolk-based brewer and retailer Adnams is resuming dividend payments. The company stated: “The directors have resolved to pay an interim dividend in recognition of the continued support of the members of the company during the pandemic; the fact the company did not pay a final dividend in relation to its financial year ended 31 December 2019 or any dividend in relation to the financial year ended 31 December 2020 or 2021; our strong trading during the spring, summer and autumn of 2021; and the confidence we have in our business as we emerge from the pandemic and optimism for 2022. The dividend is 39p per ‘A’ ordinary share and 156p per ‘B’ ordinary share. The dividend will be paid on 18 February 2022 to the shareholders on the register on 28 January 2022, with an ex-dividend date of 27 January 2022.”