Young’s set to ‘ramp up’ its internal flexible working platform: London pub operator Young’s is looking to “ramp up” its new internal staff rota, the Ram Agency, and get up to 1,000 employees signed up. Young’s launched the online platform last month to boost recruitment by offering workers easy-to-arrange flexible hours. Speaking to Propel following the company’s full-year results, chief executive Patrick Dardis said the scheme had been a hit so far. “A lot of part-time staff just want to work when it suits them and their family life and be able to pick the hours they work,” he said. “The beauty of the Ram Agency is it allows them to do that, and it works well for us as we can fill in the gaps we need. It’s a quid pro quo, and we’re certainly going to ramp it up. We’re looking to get 500, perhaps even 1,000 signed up. There’s a desire for flexible working, and we’re increasing it every week, so it certainly it works for us.” Dardis said Young’s had, in fact, increased the size its workforce by almost 1,000 to 5,300 since the pandemic, having retained all its staff and topped up their wages too. “We built up a great goodwill, so when we started again, we didn’t have to recruit,” he said. “We’re finding it a little bit more difficult with chefs, but with general managers and pub staff, we’re in a very good place – we haven’t had to reduce training or hours.” On the acquisitions front, following “one of our busiest acquisition periods in the last four to five years”, Dardis said Young’s is “looking at a couple more” pubs at the moment and has exchanged on one since the year-end. “The opportunities are there, and we’ve got the balance sheet,” he said. “For us, it’s all about quality, premium, individual, differentiated pubs, and our strategy won’t be altered by the fact that we have this cash available. We will only have business that will either match, or preferably improve, the batting average of our current estate.” Dardis said current trading is “exceptionally high”, with the 13-week numbers up 17% on pre-pandemic numbers and like-for-likes up 7%-8% versus 2019. He also believes the 69% liquor to food sales mix at Young’s pubs means it is able to mitigate a lot of cost pressures – “at the moment, we’re actually not seeing any food inflation” – but said utility bills are up 17%. “In cash terms, that’s £5m, which is quite significant,” he added. “Other than that, margins are holding up.” Dardis, who steps down from his role in July, added for his proudest moment in six years as chief executive, “it’s difficult to look beyond navigating through covid”.

 

Sponsored message – PointOne backs Hospitality Rising, invest today: PointOne, the EPOS supplier to the hospitality industry, is backing Hospitality Rising. The initiative aims to unite the industry by asking it to invest in and back its plan to change the perception of hospitality for the better, in the biggest sector recruitment advertising campaign the UK has seen. Steven Rolfe, co-founder and chief executive of PointOne, said: “We have been a hospitality supplier for more than 20 years and in that time, we have seen a lot of change within the industry but the current staff shortages the sector is facing, alongside a whole host of other challenges, is one that we have yet to witness before. The industry has never needed the support of suppliers and operators more, and this is why we are championing the fantastic Hospitality Rising initiative. We want to help people once again consider a career in this amazing sector and deliver the exceptional service and hospitality that the UK is famous for. We feel lucky every day to work with operators and suppliers who share a passion for great food and drink and a desire to deliver true hospitality. We want to help show potential candidates how they too can work in such an inclusive and rewarding industry.” Invest in Hospitality Rising now from just £10 per employee here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

International cuisine operators among those added to second UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, released today: Several international cuisine operators are among the 20 new franchisors expanding in the UK and abroad featured in the second UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, which will be sent to Premium subscribers today (Friday, 20 May), at midday. The second edition will feature 120 companies and almost 47,000 words of content, providing insight on the offer, locations, cost and other key details. Among them is Bari-Uma, a Japanese ramen concept with circa 65 stores in the Far East targeting expansion into Europe among other territories. Also featured is Burrito Picante, a new Mexican cuisine brand growing across the north-west and looking to expand further. So too is Döner & Gryos, a Mediterranean slow roast concept with several branches in the UK and overseas that has a pipeline of 50 UK stories already assigned. In addition, German bratwurst brand Extrawurst, which recently opened its second UK site with more to follow, will be featured. Premium subscribers also receive access to The New Openings Database, the Propel Multi-Site Database and the Turnover & Profits Blue Book. 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. 

 

Propel Friday Wrap video series continues with Kevin Hydes, chief commercial officer of Tim Hortons UK & Ireland: Propel’s Friday Wrap video series continues today (Friday, 20 May) at 3pm. The series, which is sponsored by Mr Yum, the world’s most powerful ordering and payments platform, sees Mark Stretton, former sector journalist and now head of sector PR firm Fleet Street Communications, and Propel group 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 Kevin Hydes, chief commercial officer, Tim Hortons UK & Ireland, to discuss, among other things, how the Canadian quick service restaurant brand has been received in the UK, its expansion strategy – including growing its drive-thru estate in a highly competitive market; operating a brand that sells products in the high fat, salt and sugar category; and the company’s long-term vision for its growth here.

McDonald’s finds a buyer for its Russian restaurants: McDonald’s has found a buyer for its 850-strong Russian estate after announcing earlier this week it was selling all its restaurants there. The company shut hundreds of locations in March following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has cost McDonald’s about £44m per month. Alexander Govor, an existing McDonald’s licenseewho operates 25 restaurants in Siberia, has now agreed to buy them and operate them under a new name. McDonald’s did not disclose the terms of the sale, but it is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close within a few weeks. It is the first time the company has exited a major market, and McDonald’s said it will maintain its trademarks in Russia and take steps to enforce them if necessary. Govor, a licensee since 2015, has agreed to retain the 62,000 McDonald’s Russian employees for at least two years on equivalent terms, and agreed to pay the salaries of McDonald’s corporate employees until the sale closes. McDonald’s, which owned 84% of its Russian stores, left open the possibility that it could one day return to the country. “It’s impossible to predict what the future may hold, but I choose to end my message with the same spirit that brought McDonald’s to Russia in the first place: hope,” chief executive Chris Kempczinski wrote in a letter to employees. “Thus, let us not end by saying, ‘goodbye.’ Instead, let us say as they do in Russian: Until we meet again.”Last year, McDonald’s Russian operations contributed 9% of the company’s total annual sales, or around £1.6n. 

 

VAT cut would be ‘investment in the future and not a handout’, ‘make-or-break moment for our industry’: The fish and chip industry has joined the calls for a VAT reduction, arguing it would be an “investment in the future” and not a handout. Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, told Propel: “We don’t think a temporary cut goes far enough and we are asking government for a long-term strategy for hospitality. We are seeing businesses fail at an increasing rate, some of these were maybe in trouble already but the current VAT system means the pressure is on a lodge proportion of my members who provide quality jobs and training, invest in their businesses and operate in an ethically and environmentally sound manner. All of these things put more financial burden on these businesses than others who do not and without change these business that lead my industry are the ones at most risk. With the VAT reduction during the pandemic, I think the government saw it as a handout but we would urge it to look at a reduction as an investment in the future. It’s not a handout we want, we want a fairer system that supports the very businesses we need for the future. We want to help the economy grow and the government’s levelling up agenda, and the hospitality sector can play an important role in that. Our businesses are not just jobs, it’s a way of life and all of the work we have done over the years to modernise and professionalise our iconic but fragmented industry is now at risk.” Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, added: “This is a make-or-break moment for our industry as we emerge from the pandemic, but with costs of everything from energy to food and drink soaring around us, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to get back on their feet. We need the government to take action to save businesses before it’s too late.”

Tourism and recreation businesses see growth slow as sector braces for weaker consumer demand: Tourism and recreation businesses, which includes pubs and restaurants, continued to benefit from the relaxation of covid-19 restrictions in April, according to the Lloyds Bank UK Sector Tracker. The sector posted its third consecutive month of output growth, with firms recording the second fastest rate of growth (65.0) of all 14 UK sectors monitored by the tracker in April. However, there were early indications that inflation has started to erode purchasing power and dampen consumer demand, threatening the outlook for the sector. The sector’s pace of output growth slowed month-on-month as firms reported a moderation in new business activity for the second month in a row (56.6 in April versus 63.6 in March and 64.5 in February). A reading above 50 on the tracker indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction. Tourism and leisure firms reported an unprecedented rise in input costs in April, driven by higher transportation, material, energy and salary expenditure. The sector registered 91.4 on the tracker’s input price index – the sharpest rate of cost inflation in 24 years of the tracker’s underlying data. Against this backdrop, almost two-thirds (63%) of firms raised prices charged to customers, leading the sector to post a record 72.9 on the tracker’s prices charged index. The gap between the tracker’s input price and prices charged indices narrowed to 18.5 points (versus 18.8 in March), suggesting that margin pressures eased slightly. However, the difference remained more than twice the pre-pandemic average, underlining a continued squeeze on profitability.

 

UKHospitality – online sales tax must avoid ‘double-taxation’ on sector: UKHospitality has urged the government to introduce an online sales tax to help reduce business rates for hospitality, but said it must ensure it avoids “double-taxation”. Downing Street is holding a consultation on introducing an online sales tax, which would help level the field for property-based industries such as hospitality. The trade body also called for such a tax to be earmarked to provide a targeted reduction to business rates for high street businesses, which it said remains one of the biggest barriers to recovery for operators looking to rebuild following the pandemic. It said an online sales tax must also have exemptions for services that are ordered online but involve delivery from a physical presence, such as hotel bookings and restaurant deliveries, to avoid a stealth “double-taxation”. And while UKHospitality said such a tax should be based on revenue through relevant online sales, it said it must be designed with an allowance below which no tax is levied. It also called for rates reductions to be achieved via a reduced multiplier for all relevant businesses and not focused solely on smaller businesses. UKHospitality chief executive, Kate Nicholls, said: “The government must ensure it avoids double taxation for businesses that deliver product on-premise, such as pubs, restaurants and hotels. The taxation system has lagged way behind the changes to the modern economy, and while we have long known that business rates is arcane and outdated, there is also an absence of an equitable system of justifiably bringing the digital economy into taxation.” Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, added: “Our current taxation system is not working for breweries and pubs. We are overtaxed and paying higher business rates than most other sectors, while online retailers reap the benefits of low taxation and a booming trade.”

Delivery sales more than four times higher than pre-covid but growth eases in 2022, account for a quarter of spending: Delivery sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant and pub groups in April were 357% higher than the pre-covid levels of April 2019, the latest edition of the CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker showed. Takeaway and click-and-collect sales have also increased over the last three years, though by a much more modest rate of 26%. Combined sales of deliveries and takeaways were 114% higher than in April 2019. They accounted for around 24p in every pound spent with the managed groups participating in the tracker. However, sales have plateaued in 2022, as covid-19 restrictions eased and consumer confidence about eating-out improved. The tracker showed April’s delivery and takeaway sales were 34% below the levels of April 2021, when Britain was emerging from strict covid-19 restrictions and venues were starting to reopen. Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “While growth in sales have slowed from the peaks of covid-19 lockdowns, these figures show how deliveries have become entrenched in consumers’ habits, as they now account for almost a quarter of all spending with managed groups. Our tracker also indicates that deliveries are steadily eating into the takeaway and click-and-collect sector as consumers opt for the convenience of food and drink delivered straight to their door.”

 

Budweiser workers set for summer strike following ‘real terms pay cut’ offer: Budweiser Brewing Group workers have announced a series of summer strikes following a pay dispute. A total of 225 GMB union members working at Budweiser Brewing Group’s Samlesbury site, near Preston, will down tools on several dates in June over “a real terms pay cut”. It is the first time workers at the site, which brews Budweiser, Stella Artois, Becks, Boddingtons and Export Pale Ale, have gone in strike in its 50-year history. After months of discussions, a full and final offer of a 3% increase for 2022 and the same for 2023, with increases in overtime rates, was tabled. With the cost-of-living crises and inflation at 11.1%, the offer amounts to a massive pay cut in real terms, said the GMB. Stephen Boden, GMB organiser, said: “The last thing these workers want to do is jeopardise beer supplies just as the hot weather kicks in. But they’ve been pushed into this by bosses essentially slashing their wages during a cost-of-living crisis. Do they really except loyal workers to swallow a real terms pay cut? It’s not too late for bosses to listen to workers and offer a fair deal.”A Budweiser Brewing Group spokeswoman added: “Budweiser Brewing Group has a positive and long-standing relationship with the GMB. However, despite open and comprehensive negotiations, the GMB has confirmed that industrial action is going ahead at our Samlesbury brewery in June. Our people are our greatest strength, and as such we are proud to offer a competitive package – rated in the 90th percentile – with benefits that include private medical cover and bonuses. We’ve made significant investments in Samlesbury ,which have resulted in further innovation and automation, additional skills development, promotions and many new job opportunities. Over recent years we have increased our headcount by more than 65. We are hopeful through a continued open dialogue we can still reach a mutually acceptable way forward. The teams have plans in place to minimise the impact on customers and supply.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a serviced apartment group that is looking for a director of sales for the EMEA region. They will report into the chief operating officer and oversee a team including a UK-based sales manager, co-ordinators, and a regional sales director. A COREcruitment spokesman said: “The EMEA director of sales has the responsibility to build a sales and marketing plan for multiple properties across the region. Specifically, they will be responsible for securing key accounts and driving those relationships forward to ensure the return of business.” The salary is negotiable and for more information, email Lara@corecruitment.com

 

Revolution Bars Group to make Preston return: Revolution Bars Group, which operates 67 bars trading mainly under the Revolution and Revolución de Cuba brands, is to make a return to Preston, Propel has learned. The business, led by Rob Pitcher, has secured the former Fishers premises in Fishergate, which was previously occupied by brewer and retailer Greene King. Revolution Bars Group is aiming to open the 600-capacity venue, which will operate under its eponymous brand, at the end of June, creating 50 jobs. It marks a return to the city for the group after an eight-year absence. Pitcher told Propel: “We are delighted to be bringing the Revolution brand back to Preston and can't wait to bring our special mix of handcrafted cocktails, delicious food and the biggest party nights.” In February, Propel revealed Revolution Bars Group would open its first new site in four years with an opening in Exeter. The former Las Iguanas premises in Queen Street is set to reopen as a Revolution in June. Meanwhile, the group is set to give its Revolution site in Oxford Road, Manchester, a £144,000 makeover. It was the first Revolution to open, in 1966.

 

The Botanist reveals non-alcoholic cocktail sales up 269% as it launches new drinks menu: New World Trading Company has launched a new drinks menu for its The Botanist brand, adapting to the changing behaviours of consumers, with a third (31%) of cocktails being alcohol free. Cocktails overall as a category grew in volume for the business by 24% in FY22, compared with the two years previous, with non-alcoholic cocktails shooting up in popularly by 269%. In fact, non-alcoholic cocktails now make up 6.6% of all cocktail sales for the brand. Split into three phases, the menu allows the customer to sample the full lifecycle of a plant. The “Roots & Shoots” cocktails are “herbaceous and aromatic, infused with flavours found in the roots and leaves”. The “Flowers” drinks are a “delicate balance of bright blooms and fragrant florals”, while the “Fruits” concoctions are “vibrant and zesty”. Kelly Harrison, head of bars at The Botanist, said: “Our non-alcoholic offering has been designed and created to showcase all the flavours of the liquid without any alcohol. Rather than creating great cocktails and subsequently trying to remove the alcohol and maintain the flavour profile, which can be a big challenge, we start with a strong recipe for an alcohol-free drink then find the perfect alcohol to enhance the existing flavours, if the customer wishes.”

 

Experimental Group acquires Cotswolds hotel for first UK site outside London: Paris-based Experimental Group has acquired Cowley Manor hotel in the Cotswolds, as the company’s first UK site outside of London. Experimental Group has bought Cowley Manor from Jessica and Peter Frankopan, co-founders of A Curious Group of Hotels. The property comprises 31 rooms in both the main house and surrounding stable buildings, and offers guests 55 acres to explore. Cowley Manor also has a spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, steam room and gym. Experimental Group will continue to operate the hotel in its current guise, with plans to refurbish the interior over time, and introduce four new room types to the existing property. The hotel’s team of staff will be retained and all existing events and weddings will be honoured. Newly appointed local chef, Dominic Hargreaves, joins Cowley Manor to create an innovative menu for the restaurant, with the introduction of open-air cooking during the summer months. The drinks offer will be refined, with plans to work with local breweries and distilleries to spotlight British-made products. The property becomes the eighth hotel in Experimental Group’s collection, as the group continues to expand throughout Europe and the US. The group also operates four cocktail club bars in Paris, London, Venice and Verbier; three wine bars, in Paris, London and New York City; and ten restaurants and beach clubs.

 

Canvas Venues Group to open £2m live music and entertainment centre in Manchester next month for first project outside London, plans further expansion: Canvas Venues Group, the events company known for the Pickle Factory and Oval Space in east London, will open a live music, events and entertainment centre in Manchester next month. The £2m Canvas Manchester will be part of Circle Square, a joint venture between Bruntwood SciTech and Vita Group to create a neighbourhood for the city’s entrepreneurial, academic and creative communities. Canvas Manchester – which opens on Wednesday, 8 June – is being brought to the city with backing from Edition Capital. It is Canvas Venues Group’s first project outside London and will feature three distinctive areas – the music venue with a capacity of 600, a members’ bar and lounge and a late-night bar and restaurant. The food and beverage offering and lounge space will offers a 100 capacity space, with the restaurant serving global small plates and becoming a late-night bar after 10.30pm. Hospitality consultancy, Miam Miam Glou Glou, which is also behind Manchester restaurant, Peru Perdu, will be curating and developing the Canvas food and beverage offer. The private members’ lounge area will hold 200 people, with Canvas operating an under-30s membership price of £15 a month and an over-30s membership of £25 a month. Members will have access to two free gigs or club nights a month and specifically curated weekly members' events. The Canvas Venues Group’s team has launched or operated venues including Hammersmith Apollo, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, and Brixton Academy. The group intends to initially operate in Manchester and London and the concept will then be rolled out further afield to target cities such as Glasgow and Bristol in the UK while internationally, the group will look at Melbourne and Austin.

 

Bakers + Baristas opens flagship site at Brent Cross: Bakers + Baristas, the artisan coffee and baking brand with outlets across the UK and Ireland, has opened its 64th site and new flagship location, at Brent Cross shopping centre in north west London. The 1,075-square-foot kiosk cafe with 56 covers is located on the lower ground level of the shopping centre, in front of John Lewis. The seasonally changing menu includes freshly baked sweet and savoury pastries, muffins, a summer afternoon tea, sandwiches, paninis and flatbreads, alongside hot and cold drinks including the brand’s signature artisan coffee blend, smoothies, iced lemonade and iced tea. James Fleming, group chief executive, said: “Following successful expansion over the last year, we are delighted to be opening Bakers + Baristas in Brent Cross and look forward to establishing a new base in north London in such a popular location.” The brand acquired Love Koffee in 2019 and its estate transitioned to Bakers + Baristas last year. Recent renovations include Bakers + Baristas outlets in Cheshire Oaks and Meadowhall in Sheffield. 

 

Deliveroo expands Sainsbury’s partnership: Deliveroo has expanded its partnership with supermarket Sainsbury’s, with a further 65 stores now available on the platform. New locations include Winchester, Marlow, Barking, Loughborough, Watford and Lancaster. The new stores build on Sainsbury’s and Deliveroo’s partnership, first announced in 2020, and bring the total number of Sainsbury’s stores available on Deliveroo’s platform to 336. More than 1,500 Sainsbury’s products are available for delivery on-demand, with the most popular items being Fairtrade bananas, semi skimmed milk and cucumber. Matthew Roberts, director of channel strategy at Sainsbury’s, said: “With more and more shoppers looking for convenient and affordable food and grocery products from Sainsbury’s delivered to their doors, we’re pleased to be expanding our partnership with Deliveroo to even more locations.”

 

The Conduit appoints new chief executive: London-based social enterprise The Conduit has appointed Kerry O’Connor as its new chief executive to lead its team and operations at its landmark site at 6 Langley Street, Covent Garden. O'Connor has been at the five-star Hotel Café Royal in Piccadilly for the past four years, and she has also held leadership roles at The Grove and Mondrian hotels, as well as heading up food and beverage at Selfridges. The Conduit’s home is a grade-II listed, six-storey building owned by the Mercers’ Company. Across its floors, The Conduit offers spaces for members to collaborate, network, dine and host events with restaurants, bars, a bookshop, podcast studio, event spaces and private offices. O'Connor will be applying her considerable expertise to the sustainable and ethical hospitality offering of The Conduit, including its public-facing ground-floor restaurant, Warehouse. Her immediate priority will be the launch of The Conduit’s 2,000 square-foot roof terrace this summer. Liam Black, chair of the board at The Conduit, said: “We are so lucky to have lured Kerry to Langley Street as we move into the next phase of the club’s evolution. Our goal is to be London’s premier ethical hospitality business.” O’Connor added: “My goal is to make every aspect of member and guest experience a delight and to create an irresistible vibe throughout the building at all times of day and night.”

 

Carlo Scotto opens Mayfair restaurant: Carlo Scotto, previously head chef at Xier in London’s Marylebone, has opened his new restaurant in Mayfair. Scotto has launched Amethyst in Sackville Street. Spread over two floors, and with 36 covers, Amethyst offers “an intimate gastronomic experience”. The ground floor features just one table seating 21 diners in full view of the pass. Amethyst’s 12-course tasting menu is influenced by the “simplicity of Nordic and Japanese cuisine, with French and Arabic influences”. The menu changes regularly, based on seasonality. On the lower ground floor, the “Wine Cellar” showcases Amethyst’s extensive collection of fine and rare vintages while offering a six-course tasting menu option in addition to the 12-courses. A three and five-course lunch menu is also available on both floors. A chef’s table can accommodate up to 21 diners. 

 

Lucky Club Mayfair team opens second site: The team behind The Lucky Club in Mayfair, which serves cocktails and bao, has opened its second site, in Camden Market. Located within the grade II-listed former horse hospital in the market’s North Yard, the rooftop restaurant offers a variety of Mexican-inspired dishes alongside margaritas and cocktails. The 130-cover concept is a second Lucky Club for creators Hartshorn Hook Enterprises, which is also behind the upcoming immersive theatre show Peaky Blinders: The Rise. Brian Hook, The Lucky Club co-founder, said: “We’ve worked hard to bring together different but complementary concepts within the area, and with Peaky Blinders: The Rise set to open later this year, we are proud to see these two projects finally coming to fruition. Through our ongoing partnership with LabTech, I believe we’re crafting a unique corner of fun and creativity in Camden.” Maggie Milosavljevic, commercial director at landlords LabTech, added: “The Lucky Club has done brilliantly in Mayfair, and I’m confident this will be replicated here in Camden – the vibrancy of the surrounding area matches the brand’s ethos perfectly.”

 

Cake Box opens in Rugby: Cake Box, the specialist retailer of fresh cream cakes, has opened its latest store, at the Swan Centre in Rugby. The company, which specialises in producing eggless, vegetarian cream cakes, has signed a 15-year lease on the unit. Tejinder Singh, group operations director at Cake Box, said: “Since launching in 2008, the concept has grown to see more than 180 branches across the UK, with 20 being opened during the pandemic as people put more importance on affordable luxuries and sending treats to loved ones. Half the battle with establishing a new franchise is choosing the right location, and I think Rugby is an ideal site for the brand. It’s a vibrant, diverse town, and I spent a lot of time choosing the right place to site the shop. The Swan Centre has a great mix of retailers and restaurants, and we’re confident the store will fit in well.” 

 

Birmingham-based pop-up coffee shop gets permanent home: Birmingham-based pop-up coffee shop Pause is set to get a permanent home. Owners Farah Chaudry and Rory McGhie will open the shop in Kings Court in Kings Heath on Wednesday, 25 May. Founded during the pandemic, Pause started out as a home delivery service before going on to pop up in venues across Strichley and Bournville. Chaudry said: “When we opened our first pop-up, there were lockdown restrictions in place that meant you could only meet one person from another household for a walk. The name came from the fact that during this turbulent time, our customers could come in for a takeaway but were not able to sit in with us. We wanted our customers to pause for a brief moment and allow themselves to be cared for – it was important then and it’s still at the heart of what we do and will be when we open in Kings Heath.”

 

KRO Hospitality prepares to open new Manchester hotel: Manchester-based KRO Hospitality will open its new city centre hotel, Forty-Seven, this summer. The company acquired the freehold of 47 Peter Street in 2018 with plans to create a boutique hotel within the upper floors of the building. Now the group is preparing to open the 32-bedroom Forty-Seven hotel, which will also see Indian restaurant Asha’s reopen at the venue after KRO Hospitality became a franchise partner when it acquired the branch as part of the freehold deal. The hotel will also be home to The Peterman – the bar – that promises a nod to tales of the past with the area being rich with the history of the Peterloo Massacre and the Suffragettes. The new hotel will be led by general manager Ryan Thompson. KRO Hospitality’s other city centre venue, Velvet Hotel, Bar and Brasserie, is currently undergoing an extension of the hotel to create an additional 18 bedrooms. The company also operates the Samlesbury Hotel in Preston.

 

Steakhouse and bar brand set to expand its Cardiff venue with new small plates restaurant and second bar: Steakhouse and late-night bar brand Pasture plans to expand its Cardiff venue to create a new small plates restaurant and speakeasy-inspired bar. The restaurant is taking over the neighbouring 1,750 square-foot unit at 11 High Street to introduce a tapas-style restaurant at street level, and a basement lounge bar serving local beer, independent wine and spirits and an “inventive” cocktail menu. Pasture, which made its debut in Bristol in 2018 before expanding to Cardiff, said it is “investing heavily” in the expansion plans. It is currently going through licensing and planning approvals with a view to construction starting in July, and an anticipated opening date in August. Pasture’s chef owner, Sam Elliott, said: “Cardiff was our first expansion and we’ve been so thrilled at the success we’ve had; we’re booked out months in advance, and we’re excited to be able to expand this site.” Owen Cahill, partner at EJ Hales, acted on behalf of landlord Mansford LLP. 

 

Investment company acquires Northern Irish hotel: Investment company Wirefox has acquired Northern Irish hotel, The Bushmills Inn Hotel, through its Marram Hotel Partners entity. The property, which dates to 1608, was purchased from owners Alan and Zoe Dunlop. The building in Bushmills village, County Antrim, was a former coaching inn, and in more recent years has been restored and extended. The property will continue to operate in its current form with the existing team in situ. Kathryn Robinson, investment director at Wirefox, said: “We are delighted to welcome this fantastic team and impressive property to our growing portfolio of interests and look forward to acting as custodian of such an iconic asset in the months and years ahead.” Alan Dunlop, who has been managing director of The Bushmills Inn Hotel for more than three decades, added: “The Bushmills Inn Hotel has played an important role in Northern Ireland's tourism development for generations and we're delighted by the exciting, visionary plans Wirefox has for its future.” Wirefox was advised by Belfast-based Davidson McDonnell Solicitors on the acquisition.

 

Former Chotto Matte team opens Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in east London: A group of chefs who met while working for Kurt Zdesar’s Nikkei cuisine concept, Chotto Matte, have teamed up to open a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Leyton, east London. Bamboo Mat, based at 625 High Road, was founded by Denis Gobjila and business partner Victor Rosca – who has also worked at Sushi Samba, Black Cat by Gordon Ramsay and Roka. “We hope Bamboo Mat will add another food dimension to the already vibrant culture that is emerging in this part of London,” the pair told Hot Dinners. As well as sushi, Nikkei sharing plates and cocktails, the restaurant will also offer a lunchtime bento box and a children’s menu. Chotto Matte is due to open its latest restaurant, in Marylebone, today (Friday, 20 May). Propel revealed in March that the brand was eyeing a Manchester site – since confirmed as being in the city’s £200m St Michael’s scheme – as it looks to expand to 20 sites by 2027. With further openings in Doha, Riyadh and San Francisco slated for later this year, followed by Nashville and Los Angeles in 2023, it is also eyeing further expansion in Mexico, Panama, Italy and various other US cities.

 

Bespoke to open second Hotel Brooklyn, in Leicester: Bespoke Hotels is to open its second Hotel Brooklyn site, in Leicester. The £22m, 191-bedroom hotel, restaurant and bar will launch on Monday, 4 July and follows the launch of its Manchester sibling in February 2020. The new hotel will be located beside the expanded Welford Road Stadium – home to the Leicester Tigers rugby team. As with its Manchester site, Hotel Brooklyn in Leicester will pay homage to the New York borough from the early 20th century to the present day with the versatile dining offer showcasing both European and American influences. Linked with the central bar, the restaurant will seat 120 guests, with a “theatre-style” kitchen and serving area.

 

Timothy Taylor’s gives home town pub £300,000 makeover and new name: Keighley-based brewer and retailer Timothy Taylor’s has given a pub in its home town a £300,000 makeover and a new name. The Lord Rodney – which is on the site of Keighley’s oldest pub, The Olde Red Lion – will close on Monday, 6 June, ahead of a reopening in late July. On reopening, it will be called Taylor’s on the Green to reflect its close relationship to the brewery. Given the impracticalities of having a taproom at the brewery, Timothy Taylor’s, which will directly manage the pub, said it feels it’s vital to have one of its pubs in Keighley even more closely aligned with the brewery. The revamp will include a new bar and toilets, inside and a new heated outside seating area. Paul Turner, estate operations director for the brewery, said: “We are excited to be investing in this prominent outlet in the town centre and believe it will be a significant contribution to the already improving leisure offer in the town.”

 

Boom Battle Bar and Flip Out founders to start expansion of interactive crazy golf concept: The team behind adventure bar business Boom Battle Bar and adventure park franchise Flip Out is set to start expanding its new interactive crazy golf concept. The first Putt Putt Noodle opened in Norwich in December offering three themed mini golf courses – a Cherry Blossom course, a Crouching Tiger course, and Dragon Quest course. Its menu offers a host of Asian style food. Now the concept is set to head to Telford in Shropshire. A licensing application has been lodged for the Debenhams store at Telford Shopping Centre, which closed in May last year, reports the Shropshire Star. In November, Flip Out owners MFT Capital acquired the brand’s entire global intellectual property portfolio and paid down all its debts, including £1.44m from the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. This was funded by the sale of Boom Battle Bars to XP Factory, formerly known as Escape Hunt, for £17.38m.