Friis to step down as CEO of The New World Trading Company: Jesper Friis is to step down as chief executive of pub restaurant group The New World Trading Company (NWTC), Propel has learned. Friis, who became chief executive of the Graphite Capital-backed NWTC in April 2020, is returning to his homeland of Denmark to spend more time with his family. Friis, who replaced Chris Hill in running NWTC, joined the company from Ole & Steen (Lagkagehuset) where, as chief executive, he led the Danish bakery group’s expansion from 35 to more than 100 outlets, including stores in the UK and New York. Before that he spent three years running the €2.6bn western European arm of Carlsberg Group. For the time being the circa 35-strong NWTC, which operates The Botanist, The Florist and The Club House concepts, will be managed by chief operating officer Natasha Waterfield, chief financial officer Jim Pickworth, and property director Timothy McCormac. A NWTC spokesperson told Propel: “Jesper has said that it is with a heavy heart he has to say goodbye to one of the most interesting companies he has ever worked for, but he wants and needs to return to Denmark after six years here in the UK. Jim, Natasha and Tim will be managing the business for the time being, with support from the board. We thank Jesper for his contribution to NWTC over the past two years.” NWTC has new openings lined up for The Botanist in Barnsley, Edinburgh and Worcester, plus a The Club House opening in Cardiff and a The Florist in Chester. It is also understood to be in talks on an opening under its The Botanist concept in Brighton’s Churchill Square and at The Waterside scheme in Durham. It is also believed to be in talks on sites in Bracknell and Portsmouth.

Sponsored message – join the British Beer & Pub Association and back Hospitality Rising: The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) 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. BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “We can all remember a time when we received fantastic customer service – a moment when a member of staff went above and beyond, what that felt like and how it influenced our experience and memory of a visit to our local pub or restaurant. Without these brilliant people, pubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels simply wouldn’t be the beating heart of the communities they serve. But something needs to change. Recruitment is one of the biggest challenges currently facing hospitality, and as a challenge we all face, it requires a collective effort to solve. This is why we’re really pleased to be supporting Hospitality Rising, the fundraising initiative for a marketing campaign that will help to put hospitality in the spotlight as an industry that offers rewarding and diverse career paths. An industry where you can develop, an industry where you can be yourself, an industry where you can be remembered as the person that made someone’s day.” 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.

One day to go before next edition of The New Openings Database release, to show details on 371 new sites, 19,100-word report included: The next edition of The New Openings Database, which is produced in association with StarStock, will show the details of 371 newly announced site openings and upcoming launches for Premium subscribers when it is published tomorrow (Friday, 8 July), at midday. The database shows the details of which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. It will have details on what type of site it is and its location. There will also be a website link to the businesses so you can find out more about them. It is published on a monthly basis. The next edition of the database features expanding restaurant and cafe brands, niche cuisine, and growing experiential concepts. Premium subscribers will also receive a 19,100-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium subscribers also receive access to three other databases – the Propel Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate; the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which is produced in association with Mapal Group; and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database. 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. Premium subscribers will also be given exclusive access to five videos, which will also be sent out tomorrow, at 9am. They will feature Mario Aleppo, founder of the fast-growing pizza franchise Fireaway; James Hacon, global chief marketing officer of Mapal Group; Graeme Smith, managing director at AlixPartners; Alan Laughlin, chief executive of Vapiano; and Sarah Willingham, founder of Nightcap.

London sees resurgence as sector sales increase 0.5% in June on pre-pandemic levels: Hospitality sales figures in June increased by 0.5% compared with pre-pandemic levels, with London seeing a resurgence, according to data from S4labour, the people, productivity and payroll system. Yearly like-for-likes sales across the sector rose by 1.5%. London experienced the most growth across the industry, with sales rising by 17% when compared with 2021. S4labour said it was important to note, however, that June 2021 was a particularly low period for food and drink sales in London. Additionally, London sites’ wet-led sales were up 23% when compared with 2021. Richard Hartley, chief innovation officer at S4labour, said: “London’s rise in sales – after an extremely difficult month for sites in London – shows us the capital is starting to return to pre-pandemic levels. However, the figures should take into account the rise in inflation and a significant increase in operational costs for hospitality businesses, meaning profitability has become extremely challenging.” 

Costa and McDonald’s UK launch partnership with Roadchef to accelerate cup recycling: Costa Coffee and McDonald’s UK have partnered with motorway services area operator, Roadchef, to co-fund an innovative cup recycling programme at all 30 Roadchef sites across the UK. It is the latest project run by members of the National Cup Recycling Scheme, which aims to accelerate takeaway cup recycling across the UK. The three businesses said they are coming together to demonstrate the power partnerships have in achieving circular solutions for packaging waste. By introducing 65 new recycling units, they said they want to show how easy it is to recycle takeaway cups and helping consumers play their part too. They hope other businesses will follow their lead to unlock the huge potential for cup recycling on-the-go. Consumers can use the new units to easily separate their cups, lids, and any leftover drinks before sending them off for recycling. Cups will then be backhauled via Costa Coffee’s stores and sent to specialist recycling facilities to be recycled into new products. For Costa, the partnership reflects the company’s work to improve the sustainability of its cups and packaging. It also supports its wider commitment to reaching net zero, which it announced earlier this year alongside setting a science-based target to halve its emissions per serving of coffee by 2030. The project also forms part of McDonald’s Plan for Change which launched last year. As part of this McDonald’s UK has committed to become net zero across its restaurants and offices by 2030 and across its entire value chain by 2040. In December 2021, McDonald’s opened the UK’s first net-zero build restaurant in Market Drayton, Shropshire. Across its estate McDonald’s has more than 1,100 recycling units where customers can recycle cups from any brand.

Kerb partners with McCain to provide individuals from less-advantaged backgrounds the opportunity to bring their food business idea to life: Street food collective Kerb has partnered with McCain Foodservice Solutions to provide individuals from less-advantaged backgrounds with the opportunity to bring their food business idea to life. Streets Ahead will see 115 people sponsored to join the Kerb classroom, an online food start-up course. McCain will also invest £100,000 in ten new street food business start-ups as part of the initiative, which will see it work with UK charities such as Food Behind Bars, a charity dedicated to improving food served in British prisons; The Entrepreneurial Network, which supports refugees to become entrepreneurs, launch businesses and take control of their own futures; and The Connection at St Martin’s, a homeless charity in Westminster. To make sure everyone can access the Kerb classroom, McCain will be providing laptops to the charities. Following the online course, 45 people will be given the opportunity to progress to the next stage and join an immersion day, visiting Kerb street food markets around London and gaining first-hand experience from those who have been through the classroom and successfully started their own food business. Then, with the help of Kerb mentors, they will be invited to pitch to a panel where ten new businesses will receive an investment of up to £10,000 each as well as being offered a long-term opportunity to trade at a Kerb market.

Pho reports like-for-likes up 18.5%, boosts openings pipeline: Vietnamese street food restaurant group Pho has seen like-for-like sales up 18.5% over the last three months versus 2019-20, Propel has learned. Delivery is believed to be holding up well, boosted by a record sales week for the company over the half-term break/Jubilee celebrations. The TriSpan-backed, 35-strong business, which opened in Royal William Yard in Plymouth at the end of last week, has also boosted its openings pipeline after securing new sites in London and York. The group is understood to have lined up two new openings in the capital. The Patrick Marrinan-led business has secured the former Santander site in Southwark High Street, Borough, for an opening later this year. At the same time, the company is believed to have lined up an opening in Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf. The latter is believed to be a smaller site for the business and will focus more on grab and go and delivery. The company has also secured the ex-Solita site in Low Petersgate, York, which will be its next opening, followed by Borough and then Canary Wharf. Pho is also believed to have lined up a further site in the north that is close to completion and is in advanced talks on a site on the south coast. Marrinan told Propel: “This pipeline comes off the back of a run of very successful openings in Lincoln, Edinburgh, Nottingham, and Cheltenham since we emerged from lockdown. All of these sites are exceeding expectations and showcase our brand strength across the country. At the same time, it’s been a while since we opened in central London as we’ve been focusing on regional expansion, so it’s good to get a couple of high-profile sites lined up in the capital.” 

Boparan Restaurant Group appoints ex-Applegreen UK MD as director of foodservice: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) – the owner and operator of brands including Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Carluccio’s, Giraffe, Ed’s Easy Diner, and Slim Chickens – has appointed Michael O'Loughlin, former managing director of Applegreen UK, as its new director of foodservice, Propel has learned. O’Loughlin, who was also previously managing director for acquisitions and business development at the Motor Fuel Group, left Applegreen at the end of 2016 after expanding the brand to 75 forecourt sites. He joins BRG as it looks to build on its fledgling partnership with Sainsbury’s. It is developing food courts at 150 of the supermarket chain’s stores that will feature a clutch of BRG’s brands, including Slim Chickens. The first has opened at its store in Selly Oak, Birmingham, with a target of all 150 within three years. Propel has also learned that BRG has appointed Helen Nelson, formerly of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), as a new operations director. Nelson joins BRG after eight and a half years at M&B, including the last three as operations director at its Harvester brand. Previous to joining M&B, she had stints at Bramwell Pub Company and The Restaurant Group, where she was head of operations for its Chiquito brand. She will focus on the company’s Ed’s Easy Diner, Giraffe, Carluccio’s and Fishworks brands. Earlier this week, BRG opened four new restaurants under the Slim Chickens brand and said it planned to be operating 350 restaurants in Britain under the US brand in the next few years. The openings earlier this week in Leicester, Liverpool, Milton Keynes and London’s Bishopsgate lift the brand’s total to 26 in the UK. The group recently teamed up with Bourne Leisure to roll out the Slim Chickens brand in its Haven holiday parks. 

Azzurri Group launches first community concept restaurant for ASK Italian brand: Azzurri Group, the operator of Zizzi and Coco Di Mama, has launched what it is calling its first community concept restaurant, under its ASK Italian brand, Propel has learned. The company is understood to have invested circa £300,000 in refurbishing its ASK site in Horsham, West Sussex, which now includes a dedicated delivery area. The Steve Holmes-led company said it was on “a mission to put local community at the heart of its dining experience” with the new concept, and has collaborated with local residents, initiatives and producers to create a sustainably-focused space and menu. Elements of the pilot space, which will be rolled out to other ASK Italian restaurants over the coming year, take inspiration from “changing consumer needs as the hybrid working model takes hold and a quarter of employers now intend to embrace some form of remote working with local communities playing an even bigger role in our lives”. The revamped menu will also support local food bank, Horsham Matters, through donations and volunteering. The site also highlights the company’s investment in digital technology including its own order and pay app and new equipment that improves the speed and quality of the food coming out of the kitchen. Propel understands the site has also been awarded a SKA Gold rating, which marks that the restaurant has been built and conforms to the highest standard of sustainable fit out. Working with Foodsteps, an environmental food consultancy service, ASK Italian is also giving Horsham customers the ability to view the impact of switching to plant-based options on reducing their carbon footprint, to make “more environmentally informed decisions”. ASK Italian marketing director Corinne Prior said: “We’ve witnessed the community spirit in Horsham making it the perfect place to open our first concept restaurant space that takes the ASK Italian dining experience to the next level in ways that build community and are kinder on the planet.”

Black Sheep Coffee secures second Leeds site, opens 60th UK outlet with St Andrews launch: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee has secured a new site in Leeds. The company will open the outlet at 97 Briggate after agreeing terms with landlord O&C Management, in a deal brokered by Savills. Black Sheep has taken the 4,248 square-foot unit on a 15-year lease to add to its existing Leeds location in Bond Street. The brand now operates 60 UK sites having just opened in St Andrews, in the Scottish city’s Market Street. Earlier this year, the company told Propel it currently had 51 shops in its UK pipeline that were agreed during the pandemic on “attractive pandemic-adjusted rent terms”. It plans to open all of them in the next 12 months and expects franchisees to take up at least 25 of those openings. 

Yum! Brands steps up Russian exit as it completes transfer of ownership of all Pizza Hut sites, in advanced stages of doing same with KFC: Yum! Brands has completed the transfer of ownership of all its Pizza Hut restaurants in Russia to a new owner as part of plans to exit operations in the country. In March, Yum! Brands confirmed it would suspend operations of KFC company-owned restaurants in Russia and would work on an agreement to suspend all Pizza Hut restaurant operations in the country. The Pizza Hut sites will be converted into non-Yum! Brands branded restaurants. Yum! Brands also confirmed it is “in advanced stages” of transferring ownership rights of all its KFC locations in Russia, operating systems and master franchise rights to a local operator. “This builds on the company’s prior actions to suspend operations of all company-owned restaurants, halt all investment and restaurant development efforts, and redirect any profits from Russia operations to humanitarian efforts,” Yum! Brands said. Other foodservice brands including Starbucks and McDonald’s have already exited Russia. However, other companies such as Burger King and Subway have been unable to end franchise agreements in Russia because they do not fall under corporate ownership.

Satay House siblings to launch new Queen’s Park restaurant: The family behind Satay House, which is said to be one of London’s longest-running Malaysian restaurants, is to open a new venue in Queen’s Park. Based in Salusbury Road, Sudu, which will be led by sister/brother duo Fatizah and Irqam Shawal, whose parents opened Satay House almost 50 years ago in 1973, will offer a “shorter, more dynamic menu” and offer a “modern twist to the Malaysian style ‘kopitiam’ – traditional coffee shops found mostly in south east Asia”. The siblings said: “There’s no way we could carry on our parents’ legacy and not serve up my dad’s beef rendang, nasi goreng, nasi lemak or nasi cam cam (nasi campur). These recipes have been in our family for almost 50 years and we would have done a disservice to Sudu by not including them on the menu because they’re so delicious and so popular. We like to think of Sudu as a ‘cool younger sister’ to Satay House. We’ve had so much fun creating the menu and we hope it shows. We’ve been dreaming of Sudu and a new incarnation of Satay House for a number of years. We knuckled down and the seed of an idea for Sudu was born. Three years ago, we created the dishes and menu, then the lockdown hit and we had to focus all of our love and attention on Satay House and the takeaway menu, which saved our business. We’ve never been more ready for a new project.”

The Gentlemen Baristas opens in Marble Arch for 11th site: Coffee shop company The Gentlemen Baristas has opened a site in London’s Marble Arch. The launch at the 5 Marble Arch development marks the 11th outlet for the brand. Founded by Henry Ayers and Ed Parkes, The Gentlemen Baristas opened its debut site in Southwark in 2014.

Michelin Bib Gourmand chef opens restaurant in Rutland: Michelin Bib Gourmand chef Krishnapal Negi has opened a new restaurant in Rutland. Negi has launched Krishna's at The Marquess of Exeter in the Rutland village of Lyddington following a 20-year stint in London shaping modern Indian food at restaurants including 1947 London and Tangawizi, which he launched in Richmond in 2004. Negi and his business partners took ownership of The Marquess of Exeter, a grade II-listed building dating to the 17th century, in the spring. The offering at the property in Main Street includes The Bar at The Marquess serving pub classics, Krishna's at The Marquess serving authentic Indian dishes crafted by Negi, alfresco spot The Meadow and 17 en-suite bedrooms. Negi’s menu is drawn from recipes that he loved as a child growing up in the Indian Himalayas. Dishes include butter chicken, lamb masala and a range of sides. From Tangawizi, where Negi achieved a Michelin award, he went on to work under Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia. Until early this year, Negi was executive chef at Fitzrovia restaurant 1947 London.

Ascot Brewing Co closes crowdfunding campaign after raising almost £200,000 to open series of new taphouses: Ascot Brewing Co has closed its campaign on crowdfunding platform Seedrs to help fund the opening of a series of new taphouses in Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey after raising almost £200,000. The brewer, which was founded in 2007 and acquired by local businessmen Chris Davies and Mike Neame in 2018, is based in Camberley, Surrey, where it has an 8,500 square-foot brewery and taphouse. It initially aimed to raise £150,000 and was offering 6.95% equity in return for the investment, giving the company a pre-money valuation of £2m. The campaign has now closed having raised £196,482 from 310 investors. The pitch stated: “With your support, we will explore opening several similar units to the TapHouse – same appearance, décor and vibe – within a 20-mile radius of our Camberley headquarters.” The company said its quarterly revenue increased 230% post-lockdown versus pre-covid. It has launched three campaigns on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube in the past – the most recent a £150,000 bid to expand its brewing capacity, address export enquiries and add a small canning line in 2020.

Papa John’s franchisee set to open several more sites in south west after adding second store: Papa John’s franchisee Renato Raho is set to open several more sites in the south west after adding a second store to his portfolio. Raho has opened his latest outlet in Boutport Street in Barnstaple, Devon, adding to a site in Newton Abbot. Raho said “We are excited to expand in the south west and develop more stores in Devon and Cornwall on behalf of the Papa John’s brand, and we have several more Papa John’s set to open in the region in the coming months.” Papa John’s has more than 500 UK sites.

Heineken Silver distribution speed ‘beyond any hope’ company had, brand getting good Generation Z penetration: Heineken has said the speed of distribution of its new lighter lager brand is “beyond any hope” it had. Heineken Silver, which is 4% ABV compared with 5% in a regular Heineken and brewed at -1°C, is already available in 2,800 UK outlets since launching in April, backed by a £100m marketing campaign. It has especially targeted Generation Z drinkers after Heineken found many 18 to 24-year-olds prefer lighter-tasting options. “It’s been going extremely well,” Heineken marketing manager, Stephanie Dexter told Propel. “In terms of on-trade performance, we’re already pouring in 2,800 outlets, and only 500 of those are Heineken outlets, so we’re getting good customer pick-up beyond the Star Pubs & Bars network. We’ve spent millions from a media perspective, and we think that is now translating to customers choosing it at the bar. The speed of distribution is beyond any hope we could have had – the target for the year was 3,000, so to be at 2,800 already is a great start. Customers are buying into this premium light story, and there’s been an immediate understanding of the idea of recruiting this new Generation Z consumer. It’s too early to get a good read, but we’re seeing penetration with Generation Z, as one of the goals of this product is bringing younger drinkers into lager. The comparison with other lagers is we’re bringing in more Generation Z versus competition. It’s a new category and potentially £100m worth of additional value if we can unlock this premium light lager segment, so the proof is in the pudding. The feedback has been that it tastes great and looks good on the bar, so the liquid is speaking for itself.”

Asset Match to undertake latest BrewDog auction next month: Asset Match, the platform that provides liquidity in private company shares, will undertake its latest auction in shares in Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog on Wednesday, 31 August. All orders for the auction must be submitted via a stockbroker. People wishing to buy must send an expression of interest, the number of shares they wish to buy and the maximum price they want to pay to Asset Match during the pre-auction period between 9am and 4pm on Tuesday, 30 August. The auction algorithm will aggregate the buy and sell instructions received and calculate an “indicative price” based on supply and demand. This indicative price, if available, will be displayed when the auction is open. BrewDog was admitted to trading on Asset Match on 5 November 2014.

Savills brings three pubs to auction with combined guide price of more than £4m: Savills has brought three pubs to auction, including the Old County Hall, near Coventry, which has a guide price of £2.8m. The auction, which will take place on Tuesday, 19 July, will also feature The Bear Inn, Weston-Super-Mare, which has a guide price of £650,000, and the Gomshall Mill, Guildford, Surrey, with a guide price of £700,000. The Old County Hall is described as an “attractive grade II-listed property comprising a public house and beer garden on the ground floor and mezzanine with 17 self-contained student units located over the first and second floors”. The Bear Inn is a “prominent and attractive corner building trading as a ground floor public house with 23 guest rooms, close to the seafront”, while the Gomshall Mill is an “attractive 17th-century public house, situated on the River Tillingbourne, believed to date to the 17th century”. 

 

German Doner Kebab continues UK expansion with Chelmsford opening: German Doner Kebab (GDK), owned by Hero Brands, has opened a site in Chelmsford, Essex. The company has opened in the former Pizza Hut premises in Moulsham Street, creating about 40 jobs. The new restaurant is the brand’s 105th site in the UK as it continues to bring the GDK experience to more locations throughout the country. Daniel Bunce, GDK global chief operating officer, said: “Our game-changing kebabs are revolutionising the kebab in the UK and we are excited to be bringing a new fast-casual dining experience to the area, offering great tasting fresh food in a relaxed and modern setting.” The opening comes as GDK forges ahead with plans to open 78 new restaurants in the UK during 2022.

Gusto Italian to introduce immersive experience to Edinburgh site as part of £250,000 refurbishment: Gusto Italian, the premium casual dining group, is investing £250,000 in its Edinburgh restaurant as it brings a more immersive experience to the site. The George Street location, which originally opened in 2007, will be closed from Monday (11 July) and reopen on Tuesday, 2 August as Gusto continues its £2m capex programme. The new-look venue will have a total 187 covers, including a 60-seat upstairs mezzanine and a 12-person semi-private dining room. The refurbished restaurant and bar will introduce the “Pizza Experience” and “Theatre Kitchen”, which Gusto said has proven highly popular at new sites and other refurbished locations. The Theatre Kitchen unites the kitchen and dining area “to create a truly open kitchen”, giving guests the opportunity to witness Gusto Italian’s skilled chefs first-hand, while the Pizza Experience, unique to Gusto Italian, provides two and a half hours of feasting and entertainment at the chef’s table. Gusto Italian Edinburgh will also reopen with an extended offering, serving both brunch and bottomless brunch across the weekend. Matt Snell, Gusto Italian chief executive, said: “The Edinburgh restaurant has always been one of our best-performing sites, and we’re very pleased we can revitalise this venue and introduce new design elements and dining experiences that we’ve been phasing in across our estate, resulting in industry-leading net promoter scores. We’re proud of the fact our £2m capex programme is self-funded, and we’re hoping to be able to add to our estate and continue refreshing existing sites in the near future.”

Zonal appoints new MD of hotel tech arm: Hospitality technology company Zonal has appointed Stewart Moss as the new managing director of its hotel tech arm, High Level Software (HLS). Moss joins from Cedar Court Hotels Yorkshire, where he was group director of sales and marketing and has previously held management roles at IHG Hotels and Resorts and Accor. Zonal chief executive Stuart McLean said: “With his strong background in the hotel sector, Stewart has a deep understanding of the challenges operators face and a wealth of experience in boosting revenues and identifying potential new income streams. His vast insight and expertise will be an asset in helping our hotel partners grow, as well as nurturing and developing our own position in the hotel sector.” Moss’ appointment comes as the company unveils its new HLS Marketplace solution. The new product is a collection of hospitality apps and integrations forming a central software solution to help hotel operators “find a smarter way to work”. 

Coventry visitor attraction strengthens F&B offer: Coventry visitor attraction, War Memorial Park, has strengthened its food and beverage offer with three new outlets. Coombe Abbey Park, working with No Ordinary Hospitality Management (NOHM) – which manages a number of venues and attractions across the region, including Coombe Abbey Hotel and St Mary's Guildhall – undertook a £400,000 refurbishment programme to bring additional facilities to War Memorial Park. Two existing cafes have been repurposed and an ice cream kiosk has been added at the heart of the park, creating 20 additional jobs. The Park Bistro is joined by the old cafe in the visitor centre, which has been given a 1950s-themed makeover and is now operating as a dessert diner. Richard Harrison, managing director of NOHM, said: “To reflect the War Memorial Park’s ongoing appeal and charm, the food and drink outlets have been designed to offer something to visitors from all walks of life each and every day, while staying true to the traditions of the park.”

Glasgow burger restaurant begins expansion with second site: Glasgow burger restaurant Smokey Trotters Kitchen has begun expansion with a second site in the city. The concept has added to its outlet in London Road in the city’s east end, with an opening in Argyle Street, Finnieston. Smokey Trotters Kitchen specialises in American street food including beef burgers, chicken tenders, wings, grilled cheese sandwiches and loaded fries. Smokey Trotters Kitchen began as a pop-up venture by owner Robert Lorimer. He told the Glasgow Times his food is all about “simplicity, tasting good and having the freedom to experiment with ingredients”.