Roberts – maturing UK franchise market provides greater scope for international expansion: The maturing of the UK’s food and beverage franchising market is set to provide greater opportunities for international growth, David Roberts, head of the leisure practice at international law firm CMS, has argued. Writing in today's (Friday, April 14) Propel Premium Opinion, Roberts said: “I remember pitching to act on the sale of a UK business at a time when it had ten units in the UK and franchise partners in south east Asia and Australia and the banks were discounting the franchise revenue income as it wasn't as reliable as bricks and mortar-based revenue. The fact is now there are a new breed of UK casual dining and quick service restaurant brands that have begun to realise that, just like the hotel chains Hilton and Marriot, you don't need huge amounts of capital to grow. You do not even need private equity investors. You do not even need to have many (or more than one) restaurants to do so. I am seeing people now develop a one-unit flagship site that has been built entirely for the franchise market. Folks are also starting to realise the UK has a large number of franchise aggregators who hold multiple master franchise relationships, and they are all on the lookout for the next big thing. Add to that the emergence of new funds that are cashed up and hungry for master franchise relationships to take established and up-and-coming concepts into continental Europe for instance, and it feels like franchising needs to be something that the industry here starts to take a little more seriously. Thus, rather than pivoting into delivery, in the future I predict it might be much more about pivoting into franchise.” Propel’s UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database shows how the UK franchise market has matured with the database now featuring 200 companies and 180,000 words of content. Roberts will share more of his thoughts in today's Premium Opinion, which will be sent to Premium subscribers at 5pm. Propel’s UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database is an exhaustive guide to the companies offering a food and beverage franchise in the UK and is available exclusively to Premium subscribers. The next edition is out on Wednesday, April 19. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

Sponsored message – positive candidate experience can increase job applications by 42%: inploi has produced a checklist to help operators improve the candidate experience when hiring. A spokesperson said: “All companies are working hard to find talent. We invest a lot of time, money and effort into attracting candidates, so we don’t want to lose them at the final hurdle. Providing positive candidate experiences helps you keep candidates moving forward, from view to apply. When we rebuilt Compass Group's candidate experience, applications increased by 42% from the same traffic. By delivering updated careers and job pages with fast job search functionality, map view of open roles, and a bespoke conversation chatbot that all seamlessly integrates into its existing applicant tracking system. We improved the candidate user experience, removed friction and increased applicant conversion rates. Want to improve candidate experience but don’t know where to start? We created a checklist that identifies quick wins and actions that you can take to review and improve your experience. Highlights include: job descriptions between 300-800 words get five times more clicks; gender decoders can help you keep language neutral; and making sure your website loads fast as conversions drop by 4.42% every second.” Download a free copy of the checklist here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com

Latest edition of Propel’s Turnover & Profits Blue Book to be released today, Premium subscribers to receive access to videos from latest Propel Multi-Club Conference next Friday: The latest edition of Propel’s Turnover & Profits Blue Book will be sent to Premium subscribers today (Friday, 14 April), at midday. It now features 718 companies that are turning over a total of £43.4bn. The Blue Book shows 475 companies in profit and 243 reporting losses. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium subscribers also receive access to four other databases: the Propel Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate; the New Openings Database; the Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage; and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database. Premium subscribers are also to be given exclusive access to the recording and slides from the latest Propel Multi-Club Conference next Friday (21 April). They will be sent 12 videos at 9am that will include: AlixPartners managing director Graeme Smith; Karen Turton, founder and chief executive of entrepreneurial learning consultancy Purple Story; and Sanjeev Sanghera, co-founder of Döner Shack. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel group editor Mark Wingett.

AlixPartners – we anticipate another year of two halves, operators need to evolve from state of survival to one focused on growth: The hospitality sector is set for “another year of two halves” when it comes to mergers and acquisitions activity in 2023, while operators will need to show the “ability to evolve from a state of survival to one focused on growth”, according to the corporate finance advisory arm of AlixPartners. Speaking at Propel’s latest Multi-Club Conference, Graeme Smith, managing director at AlixPartners, said: “We anticipate another year of two halves, with the first seeing an emergence from generationally high levels of inflation to more stable levels and the second likely to see transactions being completed in a more stable environment. We are already seeing processes starting to spool up to take advantage of increasing stability. As the market turns and the outlook brightens, fortune should favour the brave. In the end, investors committed to the sector will want to move fast and avoid missing out on the early recovery bounce. We expect to see sustained investment in growth concepts, as highlighted by the recommended cash offer from Japan’s Toridoll for Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator. The outlook will also likely include further strategic trade acquisitions, the continued expansion of quick service restaurant brands – both here and internationally, the participation of operational real estate investors in the sector plus the churn of larger company estates, more companies refinancing and, inevitably, restructuring-led transactions. The cadence of activity though will hinge on a recovery of the debt market, a concerted return of private equity to the sector more broadly (beyond the sector specialists), businesses being able to generate consistent profitability with growth, and some visibility on the inflationary outlook.” Smith said he believes there are four key areas of focus for operators this year. The first is the ability to evolve from a state of survival to one focused on growth. This will involve finding the inflection point in margins, the ability and readiness to capture market share following local closures, a continual focus on pricing and the flexibility to trial new ideas. Second, management teams must bring a determination to focus on growth. Third, new opportunities can emerge from the creative use of real estate. Finally, when it comes to refinancing, operators need to be beware of the risks involved, especially as debt has become less predictable and more expensive, and they should explore multiple options. Smith and his colleague Craig Rachel present a fuller picture on where they believe the sector’s M&A market is and where it goes from here in today’s (Friday, 14 April) Friday Opinion. Smith’s presentation will be among the videos from the Propel Multi-Club Conference that Premium subscribers will be given exclusive access to on Friday, 21 April at 9am. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

Foodservice price inflation slowly easing but remains above 20%: Year-on-year food inflation fell slightly to 20.6% in February 2023, the new CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index reveals. The figure is below the record high of 22.9% in December 2022, and there is evidence of price increases beginning to slow. The full basket of food measured by the index increased by only 0.7% month-on-month – one third of the average rate recorded in the latter part of 2022. This pattern, combined with prior year base effects, should continue to push down inflation during the remainder of 2023, with prices rising but at a slower rate than in 2022, the index said. However, all categories of the index remain in double-digit inflation, with oil and fats achieving the highest rate of 37% year-on-year, and the sugar, jam and syrup category lowest at 12%. Major upstream influencers on the price of food – including oil prices, exchange rates and commodity markets – are now stable when compared with 2022. The cost of oil remained level during February at $84 a barrel, and sterling was stable against the euro at €1.13, and marginally down against the dollar at $1.20. The UN FAO Food Price Index meanwhile averaged 129.8 points in February 2023, marginally down by 0.6% from January. This continues the downward trend for the 11th consecutive month, and the index has now fallen by 29.9 points (18.7%) from the peak of March 2022. The marginal decline in February reflected significant drops in the price indices of vegetable oil and dairy, together with fractionally lower cereal and meat indices, more than offsetting a steep rise in sugar prices. Lower consumer demand in the sector is now beginning to impact sales volumes, which should also help to ease prices. However, energy and labour costs remain a significant challenge, so the rate of inflation decline may be slow for some time, the index said. Prestige Purchasing chief executive Shaun Allen said: “In spite of falling inflation we expect the pressure on margins for operators to increase during 2023. Although the rate of increase will slow, supplier food prices will continue to increase during the year – at a time when consumer demand will be tightening and scope for increased menu pricing will be limited.” UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls added: “The 20% level of inflation in foodservice we’re seeing confirmed once again today, alongside the £7.3bn per annum in rising energy costs as a result of the reduction in government support, is unsustainable. We have already seen 150 pubs lost for good so far this year and that really will be the tip of the iceberg if nothing is done.”

Sector like-for-like drop 1.8% in March despite 6.4% uplift in London: Sector like-for-like sales dropped 1.8% in March compared with last year, albeit with a 6.4% uplift in London despite rail strike disruption, according to data from S4labour, the people, productivity and payroll system. Rising prices continue to deter consumer spending, meaning like-for-like growth has slowed even more from 1.6% in February. London drink sales were up 8.9%, leading the growth in the capital, but these figures sit against low 2022 statistics and higher prices, which indicates that volumes are down, S4labour said. Richard Hartley, chief growth officer at S4labour, said: “The impact of inflation is paving the way for a challenging period, especially with labour increases coming into play.”

UKHospitality – short-term lets scheme must be mandatory: The short-term lets registration scheme must be mandatory to drive real change and level the accommodation playing field, UKHospitality has said as the government’s consultation on the scheme launched. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Many businesses across the short-term letting market are not operating to the same legal standards as hotels, and a mandatory scheme is desperately needed to bring them up to scratch. UKHospitality has long argued a registration scheme for short-term lets is essential to ensure parity across accommodation in the UK and I’m delighted government is taking action in England. Consumers deserve to know that wherever they stay, they will be experiencing the high standards of health and safety, fire safety and accessibility that they rightly expect. For that reason, the government needs to ensure this scheme delivers change and both registration and inspections must be mandatory. An opt-in scheme will simply provide a loophole that will allow short-term lets to continue to fall well below the high standards that have been set by hotels for decades.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a luxury co-working company that is looking for a general manager for a new opening. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “You will be responsible for assisting with the planning and managing of the operations of this new co-working site to achieve members’ satisfaction and high-quality service while meeting and exceeding financial goals. Your background will include experience within lifestyle, luxury and high-end business with a strong food and beverage/front of house focus. You will be highly organised, efficient and detail oriented. You will be naturally hospitable, able to influence, and be a creative and analytical thinker that has strong business aptitude and is driven by results and guest satisfaction.” The salary is up to £90,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email lara@corecruitment.com 

Greene King enters into new vertical farming partnership: Brewer and retailer Greene King is set to serve more sustainable, home-grown food after entering a new partnership with a neighbouring supplier that specialises in vertical farming. Fischer Farms, which established its first farm in Burton-on-Trent, uses the vertical farming method to grow high-quality leafy greens and herbs. Thanks to the ground-breaking technology, crops can be grown all-year round in undercover racked trays that are stacked in tall layers. The biosecure farm has a small land footprint, compared with traditional farming, and is fuelled by sustainable energy. With controlled light, temperature and irrigation, it simulates the best growing conditions resulting in high-quality crops. Greene King has committed to a 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (direct and indirect) by 2030 through Science Based Target Initiative and a net zero target of 2040. This month, fresh, vertically farmed basil will be introduced to menus in 1,600 Greene King managed pubs and the company said this new supply will mean there is no need to import the herb from abroad, saving on air freight and food miles. Assad Malic, Greene King's chief communications and sustainability officer, said: “This is an exciting step on our journey to become a sustainable business. By using vertically farmed crops, we can offer our customers a UK supply of high-quality and fresh produce throughout the year. We are starting with vertically farmed basil now and hope to add chives and further herbs and leafy greens such as lamb's lettuce and watercress later this year.” Greene King said further benefits of vertical farming are that it is not affected by changes in the weather, it is disease free so there is little waste and there is no use of pesticides. Tristan Fischer, founder and chief executive of Fischer Farms, said: “As we prepare to open the doors of the world's largest vertical farm in Norfolk, we are ready to support the foodservice industry meet consumer demand for responsibly sourced produce.”

Investment fund ups stake in Hostmore: Harwood Capital, which is led by veteran fund manager Christopher Mills, has upped its stake in Hostmore – the parent company of Fridays and 63rd+1st. The investment fund, which last October demanded Hostmore scale back expansion plans and instead return cash to shareholders, has taken its stake to more than 7%. Mills had given the company until 4 November 2022 to respond to demands, or its was reported he would call an extraordinary general meeting. At the same time, as Harwood Capital’s demands, Propel revealed Edward Bramson, the activist investor behind self-styled turnaround specialist Sherborne Investors Management, had taken a stake in Hostmore. Last November, Hostmore said it would pause new openings until it began to see some “green shoots of recovery” in the UK. The then chief executive Robert Cook, who stepped down in January, told investors that while the company was on track to deliver 100 Fridays and 25 of its 63rd+1st cocktail bars, it was not planning on opening any new restaurants in the first half of 2023. Last month, Hostmore said it was currently in discussions with its lending banks to amend its existing facilities. The company indicated in an announcement on 10 January 2023 that its preliminary results for the 52 weeks ended 1 January 2023 would be published on 16 March 2023. However, due to the talks with its banks, it said a new date on the trading update will be made in due course. The company, which is still searching for a new chief executive, said talks with its banks were “progressing well”.

 

Park Chinois substantially narrows losses as it reiterates global expansion plans, converting Moncks to new concept: Park Chinois, the Chinese restaurant in Mayfair formerly headed up by Wagamama founder Alan Yau, has substantially narrowed its losses as it builds back from the pandemic and reiterated its plans to expand to prominent cities globally. The company also revealed its Moncks concept in Dover Street that had “underperformed” pre-covid and has remained closed since the pandemic was being converted from its all-day brasserie offer to a “more drink focused late-night restaurant”. Turnover increased to £10,620,754 for the year ending 26 March 2022 compared with £1,825,826 the year before in what was a “challenging year” due to the continued impact of the pandemic. For the year ending 28 March 2020 when the final few weeks of trade were hit by covid, the business turned over £13,012,372. Pre-tax losses fell to £1,397,700 from £4,664,910 the previous year (2020: profit of £1,468,854). In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Park Chinois Is now an internationally recognised brand representing a unique hospitality offering consisting of best-in-class food, bar, wine, service and entertainment culture within spectacular surroundings. The focus of the business is now on consolidating the UK business as well as looking at a number of opportunities internationally and there are plans for growth to further take the Park Chinois concept to prominent cities globally.” The business received government grants of £695,661 (2021: £2,305,564). No dividend was paid (2021: nil).

Tampopo to open second London site: Pan-Asian restaurant business Tampopo is to open its second site in London, in Wimbledon, Propel has learned. The David Fox-led business will open the site at 27-39 Hartfield Road, later this year. Fox told Propel: “Wimbledon will be our second-largest site with approximately 175 covers. It will be an evolution from the existing brand. This is an exciting opportunity, but as with any new concept/evolution it is not without its risk.” Fox said the business is looking at further opportunities and had the funding in place to secure another site this year, if the right one came along. The business currently operates four sites in Manchester and the East Street by Tampopo restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia.

Giggling Squid launches Lime Squeezy as delivery brand, lines up Epsom opening: Giggling Squid, the Thai restaurant brand backed by the Business Growth Fund (BGF), has relaunched Lime Squeezy Thai Kitchen, the fast-casual concept from co-founder Pranee Laurillard, as a virtual delivery brand. Laurillard, who founded Giggling Squid with her husband Andy in 2009, launched the concept in 2021 on the former Wahaca restaurant in Chichester, West Sussex, before opening a second site in Brighton. Both sites have since closed. However, Lime Squeezy has been relaunched as a virtual delivery brand, and is currently available out of 11 Giggling Squid sites, including those in Chichester, Harborne, Horsham, Norwich, Tunbridge Wells and Wokingham. At the same time, Propel understands that Giggling Squid has secured the ex-Bill’s site in Epsom, Surrey, for an opening in 2024. The 46-strong Giggling Squid has already lined up five new openings for 2023 – two in Cardiff, plus sites in Muswell Hill, Shrewsbury and Bracknell. Last November, Andy Laurillard told Propel that Giggling Squid plans to open another 20 sites over the next 18 months.

Farm Girl team to open trio of sites under fledgling Roll Baby concept: Roll Baby, the rice paper rolls concept from the team behind London's Farm Girl, has announced a programme of new openings ahead of summer with three new sites. Currently available to eat-in at the concept’s South Kensington site, or for delivery across London, Roll Baby brings “fresh, vibrant, tasty and healthy rolls to busy Londoners, targeting an urban demographic of multi-hyphenate, young and health-conscious consumers in the capital”. The additional three sites will be located in Notting Hill, Westfield shopping centre in White City and the Paddington Square development and will open in early June, end of June and September respectively. Further upcoming additions to the new concept will include an NFT loyalty scheme and merchandise. Founded by Rose and Anthony Hood, Roll Baby first launched for delivery in July 2021. The group closed a fundraising round with Seedrs in November 2022, achieving 36% overfunding, which will assist in financing Roll Baby's aim to increase its portfolio to 25 locations by 2027. Rose Hood said: “Launching Roll Baby was such a passion project for me; during my time studying in Melbourne, Vietnamese-inspired rolls were available all over town and we would eat them all the time. I am delighted to be able to announce the expansion of our rice paper roll offering to London, and to be maintaining our place as London's leading destination for colourful, clean and casual all-day dining options.” Farm Girl operates five eponymous sites in total across the capital, with the goal of doubling that number by 2027. Last November, the business raised £530,000 in its crowdfunding campaign.

Joule’s confirms new leadership team: Shropshire brewer and retailer Joule’s has announced the final elements of its new structure and confirmed new leadership of the business, which will see Steve Nuttall step back from all day-to-day management. As part of the changes, Anna Brakel becomes the company’s brand development director and Vicky Colclough has been made its operations director. Nuttall, who will remain chairman and managing director of the business, said: “Anna will continue to own and manage the company’s east estate as well as drive our development agenda. We will continue to evolve the Joule's Taphouse as well as securing new Taps for our future. Sarah Bee recently joined us as commercial controller to manage our central function. She is an integral part of the new leadership team providing financial insight, and crucially, business and cost control. Sarah's background at Hotel Chocolat is invaluable as we mature as a brand driven business and she is already making a profound impact. Both Sarah and Anna will report to Vicky, who joined the business as a graduate trainee ten years ago, she managed the brand marketing function before managing the west estate and has been an integral part of Joule's for most the time since we opened the new Joule's brewery in 2010. Vicky's experience coupled with her passion for our pubs, brand, values and culture ensures that Joule's is in the safest of hands. Chrissie Nuttall remains as non-executive director, and I will remain chair and managing director, albeit I will now be stepping back from all day-to-day management. Chrissie and I will retain control of the strategic agenda working closely with the senior management team. When I am unavailable Vicky will deputise for me as required. I am most excited for what is next for Joule's Brewery, Joule's is still very young, has momentum and an exceptional young dynamic team who will be well supported by Chrissie and I.”

Burger King franchise in the US files for bankruptcy after accruing debts of $14m: A Burger King franchise with more than 100 locations across the US will close locations across six states having reportedly racked up $14m in debt. The Daily Mail reported the 114-strong Meridian Restaurants filed for bankruptcy in March, struggling with rising food costs and poor sales. Court filings previously revealed the company was closing 27 stores in Minnesota, Utah, Montana, Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. The franchisee said it was “possible, if not likely” it would be pressed to close more stores as it negotiated rent and operational improvements with landlords. Burger King has had to close stores across the country as owners struggle to negotiate rent and profits fall as food and wage costs soar. The Mail said Meridian previously sought approval to shut 23 restaurants at the end of March, before putting forward another four for closure in April. The company hoped the closure of 27 locations would be enough to ensure no more stores need to shut. But Meridian has struggled to bring back customers since the pandemic.

Israeli chef Eyal Shani to open upscale restaurant concept Lilienblum: Israeli chef Eyal Shani is to add to his growing London portfolio with the opening of upscale restaurant Lilienblum in City Road, east London. Shani, who operates two restaurants in London under his Mediterranean-inspired street food concept Miznon, in Soho and Notting Hill, will launch the new restaurant – named after the street of one of his first restaurants in Tel Aviv – on Friday, 19 May. The kitchen will be headed up by Oren King, also from Israel, whose previous positions have seen him work at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Roka, and Hide. In contrast to Miznon’s fast-casual dining approach, the new restaurant will focus on family-style sharing plates “packed with theatre”. Dishes will be cooked in an interactive open kitchen, with diners able to sit at the counter. Shani is also set to launch a restaurant under his Seven North concept at the new Sircle London hotel in Devonshire Square this autumn. He currently runs a Seven North restaurant in Vienna. Shani opened his first restaurant, Oceanus, in Jerusalem in 1989. Later, he opened a fine dining restaurant, HaSalon, in Tel Aviv, before going on to operate circa 40 restaurants around the world alongside partner Shahar Segal.

Sushi Shop secures new franchisee for Clapham opening: Sushi Shop, part of the AmRest family, is to further increase its presence in London, with an opening in Clapham. As revealed by Propel at the start of the year, the business, which last year opened its first regional site in the UK, in Brighton, is to take over the former Colette site in Northcote Road. The new franchisee for the site currently has four cafes in the capital and “plans further cooperation with Sushi Shop in in the London area”. Sushi Shop operates a further five sites in London. Last summer, Sushi Shop began a search to secure a number of regional master franchisees across the UK, as part of its expansion plans here. Founded in 1998 by Grégory Marciano and Hervé Louis, Sushi Shop is a European chain of restaurants for premium sushi, sashimi and other Japanese specialties. The brand has established an international network of company-operated and franchised stores across 12 countries, having been part of AmRest, the European multi-brand franchise restaurant group, since 2018. Predominantly a delivery and takeaway concept, it said sushi has proven remarkably resilient throughout the last three years. Sushi Shop is looking to build on this success by expanding in key regional UK cities with the support of Christie & Co, which is “seeking ambitious hospitality operators who would be interested in becoming a multi-site franchisee of this fast-expanding brand”. Simon Chaplin, senior director – pubs, restaurants and franchise in Christie & Co's hospitality team, said: “We are delighted to have secured a new franchisee for AmRest, to help expand the Sushi Shop brand across the UK, and look forward to securing additional partners in 2023.”

Various Eateries to open second Noci site next month with Battersea Power Station launch: Various Eateries, the Coppa Club operator, will open the second site for its pasta concept Noci, at Battersea Power Station next month. The concept was launched in March last year when it opened in the ex-Cote site in Islington Green, following a pop-up at Mortimer House the previous November. As revealed by Propel earlier this year, the new Noci will be on level one in Turbine Hall B at Battersea Power Station and it has now been confirmed the site will open on Tuesday, 16 May. In keeping with its Islington restaurant, the Battersea venue will serve small plates and pasta dishes, as well as snacks inspired by Sicilian street food and cocktails on tap. Alongside this will be Italian wine, with an emphasis on independent producers using low-intervention methods. Snacks will include fritti, savoury Sicilian-inspired fried snacks, made for sharing. As with the company’s Tavolino concept, Noci is overseen by former Bancone head chef Louis Korovilas, who has also worked at Locanda Locatelli and Pied à Terre. 

Bao confirms Marylebone opening, first site to offer all-day dining: London operator Bao – which was founded by Shing Tat Chung, Erchen Chang and Wai Ting Chung, and is backed by JKS Restaurants – has confirmed it is to open a further site in the capital, in Marylebone. As revealed by Propel last November, the company will open on the former Sidechick site in James Street. As each of the group’s locations have a different inspiration and identity, Bao Mary will be its translation of a Taiwanese dumpling house, with a focus on dumplings, as well as serving quick cold dishes for diners in a hurry. Set over two floors, it will also be the first Bao to be open for all-day dining, opening at noon and serving throughout the afternoon and evening daily. Bao co-founder Tat Chung said: “Dumplings are a dish I could eat endlessly, so bringing our interpretation of a Taiwanese dumpling house into our world is exciting. Sometimes I think we should open restaurants just to serve the food I always want to eat, which is why you’ll regularly find me at Bao Mary.” Bao, which currently operates five sites in the capital, is also set to join the food and beverage line-up at the Battersea Power Station development this summer.

LPM Restaurant & Bar appoints new chief executive: LPM Restaurant & Bar – which opened its first site in London in 2007 before adding restaurants in Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Miami, Riyadh and Dubai – has appointed Nicolas Budzynski as its new chief executive. Budzynski, who previously served as the global operations director of LPM Restaurant & Bar, will now lead the company's strategic direction and oversee operations on a global level. Since joining LPM Restaurant & Bar in March 2019, the company said Budzynski has played a pivotal role in driving the brand's growth and success, “while considerably improving the financial performance of an already successful business”. The company stated: “His approach is evident through individual development plans, global staff transfers, improved benefits and bonuses, and the instigation of a four-day work week across some locations.” Budzynski said: “It is an exciting time for the company as we continue to grow and expand our global presence. I am committed to building on our success and driving the brand forward, while maintaining our focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences and ensuring the well-being and development of our team.”

Healthy bowl concept Atis confirms London Bridge site, lines up further opening in 2023: Healthy bowl concept Atis has confirmed it will open a fifth site in London, near Borough Market, next month. As previously revealed by Propel, Atis – which was launched by husband-and-wife team Phil Honer and Eleanor Warder, with operations director, Connor Arnette, in Shoreditch in 2019 – will open in the new Borough Yards development. Warder said: “We are proud to be opening our fifth site in London Bridge: Borough Yards is an exciting development and we're looking forward to being part of the community there. The market has of course long been a cultural destination of London, with many top-quality restaurants and retail outlets so we feel very honoured to be sitting alongside these names. It will be our first site south of the river, so we are pleased to be bringing our Atis bowls and experience to the London Bridge area and beyond! It is looking like an exciting year for us, with another opening planned for later in 2023.” The business opened its fourth site last November, in Canary Wharf’s Canada Place. It also operates sites in Old Street in Shoreditch, Eccleston Yards in Belgravia, and Pembridge Road in Notting Hill. Distrkt represents Borough Yards.

Daisy Green to open restaurant within the National Portrait Gallery: Australian restaurant group Daisy Green Collection is to open a site within the newly refurbished National Portrait Gallery in London, when it reopens in June. Audrey Green by Daisy Green Collection will be situated across the ground floor and vaults of the gallery’s Weston Wing, have its own street-level entrance, and feature photography and sculpture throughout celebrating the West End. It will operate as a cafe and brunch spot during the day before pivoting to becoming a late-night bar and small plates restaurant in the evening. Prue Freeman, co-founder of the Daisy Green Collection, said: “Art is integral to Daisy Green Collection's DNA. Each of its restaurants, cafes and boats are brought to life by colourful and thought-provoking pop culture pieces that carry the company's vibrant brand identity. Through this new partnership, art and design will feature on a next-level scale; Daisy Green was given unlimited access to the National Portrait Gallery's Collection – the largest in the world – to create Audrey Green, which will capture the magic of London's West End, a celebration of theatre, ballet, music, and film through the ages.” Daisy Green Collection operates 14 sites across London. The company opened Johnny Green on the former Gate site in Allitsen Road, St John’s Wood, floating barge restaurant Peggy Jean – which is moored on the Thames at Richmond Bridge, and Paradise Green at 100 Bishopsgate, last year.

 

Michelin-starred Nottingham restaurant Alchemilla issues ‘use us or lose us’ plea: Michelin-starred Nottingham restaurant Alchemilla has issued a plea to customers after being hit hard by the current economic crisis. The restaurant in Derby Road has been forced to make some major changes to the menu after cutting staff jobs. The venue, which received a Michelin star in 2020, previously offered a five, seven and ten course tasting menu, priced £95 to £160. But the only menu being served now is five courses due to the reduced workforce. Chef patron Alex Bond, who opened Alchemilla in 2017, blamed a combination of rising overheads and people eating out less often. He told Nottinghamshire Live: "It’s a tough time for everyone. Restaurants are absorbing costs and not passing them on to the consumer as there is only so much people are willing to pay or can afford.” Customers are being urged to book to help the restaurant to continue in an email headed “We need you”. It said: “The past couple of years have been tough for everyone, but few businesses have been hit as hard as restaurants. These establishments are the lifeblood of our communities, providing nourishment, entertainment, and a place to gather and connect with others. We’ve always been committed to providing some of the best food Nottingham has to offer, riding out whatever storm comes our way in the process. But unfortunately, the current economic crisis has taken a severe toll on our ability to stay afloat, and continue creating a unique dining experience. We’re pushing through but we need your continued support.” Last year, Bond opened a second, contrasting restaurant, next door to Alchemilla. Graffiti-walled Mollis specialises in upmarket fried chicken, hip hop and soft serve ice cream.

North Brewing Co secures £375,000 funding package: Leeds brewer and retailer North Brewing Co has secured a funding package worth £375,000. Bibby Financial Services has provided the package, which will support North brewing Co’s cash flow and enable the founders to focus on future growth. North Brewing Co operates ten bars and produces around 20,000 hectolitres of beer every year. Co-founder John Gyngell said: “We’re so proud of where our business is today, in large part thanks to our great staff and a lot of love from our customers and community. But, as a business owner, cash flow is a daily concern, especially over the past 12 months. It’s been a really tough year for the brewing industry, due to a combination of challenges, such as the rising cost of grain, energy, shipping, and the impact of Brexit on international business operations. In order to grow the business, we need to be able to focus on the future, rather than just respond to the day-to-day. This funding and support gives us the breathing space to concentrate on what we’re best at, plan ahead for business growth over the next few years and have more time to enjoy the day job.” In 2020, North Brewing Co signed a lease for a larger, 21,000 square-foot former Victorian Tannery in Springwell, Leeds, which it converted into a modern brewery, taproom and workspace. It now serves as the business’ headquarters. The brewery has also been expanding its footprint, with beers now stocked in supermarkets and restaurants across the UK, and sold abroad, including in markets such as Japan, China and Australia. Within the past year, North Brewing Co has opened its first two bars outside of Yorkshire, in Birmingham and Manchester, and has launched its own beer festival – Springwell Sessions.