Sixes secures debut US site, looking at 100 sites across the country: Sixes, the cricket-based competitive socialising concept from the founders of Mac & Wild, has secured its debut site in the US, in Dallas. The concept, which has opened seven sites in the UK since its launch in 2020, will open its first site in the US at Grandscape, a shopping and entertainment destination in Dallas, Texas, later this summer. Michael Hay, international head of marketing at Sixes, told Propel that the business had “big plans” in the States and was “looking at 100 sites across the US, comprising a combination of operated/company-owned and franchised openings”. The Dallas site will be company-owned. Calum Mackinnon, co-founder of Sixes, said: “We’re thrilled to bring Sixes to the United States, and what better city to launch our first venue than Dallas? We believe that sport and hospitality hold an unrivalled ability to unite and connect people for good and good times shared and we're confident that Sixes will become a staple of the Dallas community. It’s also an exciting time with Major League Cricket launching in Dallas this June, who we’ll be working closely with to grow the game and give people more ways to play.” Jeff Lind, president of Grandscape, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Sixes Social Cricket to Grandscape and the Dallas community. Their unique and exciting cricket experience is a perfect addition to our already diverse array of entertainment options. We cannot wait for our guests to experience the thrill of cricket at Sixes’ state-of-the-art venue.” Sixes will open its eighth site in the UK this summer, in Brighton. The concept will be taking over the current on-site restaurant space at Brighton i360 in June. Sixes opened its most recent site at the end of last year, in Leicester, its first franchise site. The business teamed up with two local business partners, Neer Modha and Ravi Mashru, to launch in the city, in the premises formerly occupied by restaurant 19 Gale, in Halford Street, in the city’s Cultural Quarter. The business also operates four sites in London, plus venues in Birmingham and Manchester. Sixes is backed by several former professional cricket players, including ex-England captain Sir Andrew Strauss, and Promethean Investments. Will Biggart, of Torridon, acts for Sixes.

 

Sponsored message – how HDI can help you measure and track market share: HDI works with more than 50 businesses across the hospitality sector, helping its clients make better decisions around offer development, pricing, customer targeting and location planning. Mark Bentley, business development director, said: “Our unique data provides insight across the hospitality sector at individual site, retail brand and sector level, based on three billion-plus hospitality card transactions, 150 million-plus hospitality food and drink prices and 85 million-plus grocery prices. We combine big-data expertise with an in-depth knowledge of the hospitality sector. We’re hospitality experts with a passion for big-data, analytics and insight, with more than 100 years of experience working for leading operators and drinks manufacturers. Our HDI panel tracks the purchasing behaviour of 10.2 million unique customers, covering 11% of UK debit and credit card transactions. This enables you to measure and track the market share of your site(s) and/or chain(s), right down to postcode level, as well as tracking the performance of named competitors. We can help you accurately track KPIs including share of visits and spend, visit frequency and spend per customer providing critical insight into how you’re performing versus your competitors and what’s driving your performance.” To find out how HDI can help your business, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Just under a half of operators feel the industry is doing a good job on tackling issues around diversity and inclusivity: Just under half of operators (48%) feel the UK hospitality industry as a whole is doing a good job on tackling the issues around diversity and inclusivity, according to a new exclusive survey by Propel and KAM. The State of the Hospitality Nation survey, which is produced in association with MAPAL Group, found 22% of hospitality businesses have KPIs in their business specifically around diversity and inclusivity. At the same time, 51% of hospitality businesses have training and support specifically related to diversity and inclusivity. The report also found nearly two-thirds (65%) feel their business is doing a good job on tackling the issues around diversity and inclusivity. Will Beckett, co-founder at Hawksmoor, said: “I think there's work to do to genuinely reflect the communities and societies we live in, and to feel sure that gender, marital status, race, nationality, sexual orientation, age, religion or belief, health condition, disability or indeed anything else are no impediment to feeling you belong or to you fulfilling your potential at work. That said, it's never been further to the front of some people's minds, and it behoves us all to think carefully about the extent to which we are helping or hindering in this area. None of us are perfect, all of us could no doubt improve, and to me that feels like the key – be a little better tomorrow than we are today, and challenge ourselves to make changes a little more quickly than we are.” Natasha Waterfield, chief executive of the Big Fang Collective, added: “There needs to be an understanding that not everyone is or feels the same. We need a number of network groups. We need to shout out and normalise diversity across our industry through more representation. There is a lot of talk but we do not represent our diversity across all touch points. There is a huge piece around education, because so many people feel uncomfortable even talking about diversity for fear of saying the wrong thing. People need to have the education and confidence and be brave in opening up the barriers to allow for wider representation in our industry.” Operators who would like a free copy of the 40-page survey report should email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium subscribers to receive two updated databases and access to videos from latest Propel Multi-Club Conference this week: Premium subscribers are to receive two updated databases and access to the videos from the latest Propel Multi-Club Conference this week. They will receive the latest UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database today (Wednesday, 19 April), at noon. The database now features 200 companies and 90,000 words of content. It is an exhaustive guide to the companies offering a food and beverage franchise in the UK and is updated every two months. The next edition of the Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage will be sent to Premium subscribers on Friday (21 April). It is the first database where full profiles of 667 of the UK’s top food and beverage operators are available in one place. It features more than 174,000 words of content, including 74 updated entries, while 16 new companies have been added. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent results reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. Also on Friday, Premium subscribers are to be given exclusive access to the recording and slides from the latest Propel Multi-Club Conference. They will be sent 12 videos at 9am that will include Martin Williams, chief executive of Gaucho and M Restaurants, and Peter Marks, chairman of Rekom UK. Meanwhile, Robyn Black, head of content at Fleet Street Communications, leads a panel on how the next generation of sector leaders are approaching issues including growth, staffing, diversity, sustainability and technology. The panel includes: Patrick Marrinan, chief executive of Pho; Richard Ferrier, chief executive of Brasserie Bar Co; Amber Wood, managing director of Cosy Club; and Caroline Ottoy, managing director at WatchHouse. Premium subscribers also receive access to three other databases: the Propel Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate; the New Openings Database; and the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book. 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.

 

UKHospitality demands swift measures from government to avoid summer staffing slump: UKHospitality has demanded swift measures from the government to avoid a summer staffing slump for the sector. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) again confirmed no significant improvement in the vacancy rate for the sector, which remains at around the 140,000-mark for the fifth month in a row. Among the solutions available to help solve this crisis, according to the trade body, are changes to the immigration system to provide immediate relief and reforming the Apprenticeship Levy to enhance the development of home-grown talent. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Hospitality businesses are now entering the busy summer season but what should be a time of optimism has become one of despair. Staff shortages have plagued the sector for years and the labour market now appears to have stagnated at the worst time for hospitality, with vacancies 48% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Nearly half of businesses are being forced to reduce opening hours per day and a third are reducing the days they open per week. There is no doubt the sector will be going into the summer understaffed, with significant knock-on impacts for consumers. Whether it’s pubs and restaurants who are unable to find a chef, or wedding venues that are struggling to recruit much-needed seasonal workers, everyone is affected. If hospitality businesses were fully staffed, we could be contributing so much more to the government goals of economic growth and driving down inflation. Changes to the immigration system to help businesses better recruit and reform to the Apprenticeship Levy would put the sector in a position to succeed for years to come.”

 

Scottish government urged to ‘get it right’ after delaying deposit return scheme: The Scottish government has been urged to “get it right” after delaying the implementation of its deposit return scheme (DRS). The project, which is aimed at increasing the number of single-use drinks bottle and cans that are recycled, was due to start in August but has faced fierce opposition from operators, small breweries and distillers. Many small businesses fear it will place extra costs and other burdens on them at a time when they are already struggling. New first minister Humza Yousaf has now announced the scheme will not launch until March 2024. UKHospitality Scotland executive director Leon Thompson said: “We urged the first minister when he was appointed to reset and repair the relationship with business, and his actions show that is his intention. Not only will the delay to the DRS avoid inflicting enormous pain and cost on to hospitality businesses this August, it also offers a signal to business that their concerns are being heard and their importance to the Scottish economy recognised. Let’s not forget that the DRS will return in March next year, and the next ten months need to be used extremely wisely and productively to make it fit-for-purpose. Meaningful engagement with hospitality businesses is essential to get this right.” A spokesperson for the Scottish Beer & Pub Association added: “We welcome the recognition that more time is needed to get DRS implementation right given the concerns which still remain. This provides some much-needed clarity and gives more time to ensure that all parts of the sector can be ready for it to go live.”

 

Greggs prepares to fight ban on selling late-night food in flagship West End store: Food-to-go operator Greggs is preparing for a court battle against its ban on selling late-night food at its flagship Leicester Square store, which opened last summer. Greggs was refused permission to trade hot food 24 hours a day after police argued the extended opening times could lead to a wave of “crime and disorder”. The company is currently locked in “mediation talks” with Westminster Council, but a three-day court hearing has now been scheduled for 16-18 May, where Greggs will appeal the decision not to allow it to serve hot food after 11pm, reports the Evening Standard. The Metropolitan Police, environmental health, three local Westminster councillors and one resident complained about Greggs’ plans in July last year. The majority of the food sold at the branch, including its pasties, are made at industrial bakeries and then reheated. Shops do not need a licence to sell them because they are not kept hot in store. But other products such as breakfast baps, as well as tea and coffee, need special permission from the local authority to be sold between 11pm and 5am. Greggs offered to employ security guards wearing body cameras at the Leicester Square location to ensure safety, but the request was still refused. Westminster Council said the licensing committee refused to grant the application because Greggs had “failed to demonstrate exceptional reasons as to why the application would not have a negative impact on the West End”. It added: “Greggs would need to try to convince the court that its evidence provides exceptional reasons for allowing the premises to operate until 5am, despite being located in a cumulative impact zone.”

Success of carbon labelling scheme sees Wahaca make changes to its menu: Mexican restaurant brand Wahaca has said the success of its carbon labelling scheme has seen it make significant changes to its menu, which is now 50% veg-based. Wahaca’s carbon ratings initiative made its debut in April 2022, with the intention of going a sustainable step further than just the calorie counts required by the new government legislation introduced at the time. It is currently the subject of research conducted by the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London, and set to be submitted to academic journals for publication later this year. The company said the academic study has found that the brand’s carbon ratings are helping prompt discussion about the planetary impact of the food chosen by people when they are eating out. Wahaca co-founder Thomasina Miers said: “Being conscious that meat and dairy products are among the biggest culprits from an emissions perspective has led to us expanding our vegetarian and vegan offering in recent years. We wanted to look at a way of reducing the amount of meat dishes further, while still offering truly tasty options for those that still enjoy eating it. The result has been the decision to remove all steak dishes from the menu, with beef fans still having the option of a delicious slow-cooked beef tacos and a burrito, but with a whole host of lower carbon dishes for our customers to try and, hopefully, enjoy. Doing the right thing for the planet is never a simple journey, but by making these changes we continue our commitment towards being as sustainable as it's possible for us to be, while exploring new ways to push ourselves even further.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a community of individuals that “scales and accelerates solutions to the world's greatest challenges and provide its community with a physical home where creativity and innovation can flourish”. The group is looking for a commercial director for its London club to lead the commercial activities, including membership acquisition, events, outbound corporate partnerships, marketing and communications, and be accountable for the revenue P&L of the club. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role requires the ability to develop and execute a commercial strategy, drive a £10m revenue budget, control acquisition costs, build a team culture that plays to win, and ensure the highest level of partnership with the operating teams by aligning KPIs for joint success.” The salary is up to £100,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email gemma@corecruitment.com

 

Fireaway in investment talks with England international footballer, planning express units in petrol stations and central dough production unit: Fast pizza brand Fireaway, the Mario Aleppo-led business, is in investment talks with an unnamed England international footballer. The brand secured investment from six new backers in October last year, and while Aleppo said he does not want to let too big a slice of his operation go, he is once more in discussions. “We’re in talks at the moment with one of the England players who is interested in taking a slice, but I don’t think I’d want to give away too much as I don’t want to risk losing interest,” he told The Ground Floor podcast. “We can raise a little bit, but I think I’d always want to keep 51%.” Speaking of the previous investment, he said: “We have a lot of franchisees and suppliers and asked if they wanted to invest in the business – four said yes and took 1% each. An old friend of mine took 0.5%, and some head office staff members invested too, and it raised a bit of money for the business. We sold about 5.5% and raised about £1.1m.” Aleppo told Propel in March 2022 that he saw the potential for the business to grow to 500 sites within the next ten years, but he now believes it could reach that landmark in half the time. “We’ve got 140-150 shops now and we’ve got another 25 opening in the next 28 weeks, so we’ll have 170 by the end of the year, 200 by the end of next year, 500 within five years,” he said. “We’ve got shops open in Turkey and we’re opening in Dubai. We’ve sold the rights in Australia, Canada, India, Turkey, Holland, Germany and France. Coming back from Dubai certainly opens your eyes. The food, the restaurants, the hospitality and the service is just on another level. It’s all Instagrammable, and the staff are so happy and helpful and trained well. They should be a bit more relaxed here in terms of people creating businesses and providing jobs as opposed to just taxing the hell out of everyone.” As to other future plans, Aleppo added: “We may potentially make our own dough production unit rather than doing it in-store every night. It will cost at least a couple of million, but if we can make it in a central kitchen and deliver it fresh throughout the night, that’s a big operation. We’re also in talks with two petrol stations about putting in an express version.” Aleppo also put his brand’s success down to “restaurant-quality products in a fast-food environment” and franchise packages that take a monthly flat fee from franchisees rather than a percentage of takings. “We’ve got some shops making £30,000 a week in sales and some making £4,000,” he said. “The average is £10,000, and they’re looking at a 20% profit.”

City Pub Group MD – property market is beginning to open up: Rupert Clark, managing director of City Pub Group, has told Propel the property market is “beginning to open up”. Speaking following the company’s full-year results, where it reported “encouraging” trading in the first part of 2023, Clark said: “We’ve got a strong balance sheet and we are ready to grow, but when the time is right. Because of our reputation, we are regularly being offered sites, but they have to meet our strict criteria, and some of the properties we have been offered have been at prices a bit above our valuation. I think those opportunities are just beginning to open up again and I’m very optimistic about the next 12 to 18 months, but finding those diamonds among the rough is pretty hard. The quality of sites coming along is gradually getting better.” Chief financial officer Holly Elliot added: “I think it’s still going to be a challenging time for consumers, although our customer demographic is probably a bit less affected by the cost-of-living crisis. We are starting to see those cost pressures easing with the large increases in interest rates hopefully behind us and energy costs dropping off – it’s certainly a lot better than it was six months ago. We’ve improved the quality of the estate with the completion of the refurbishment programme and added a couple of quality acquisitions and made sure our supply chains are efficient. We have a really strong head office team to support the pubs and they are the key reasons why we think the business is in the best shape it’s been in.” Elliott said the current Mosaic Pub & Dining Group team would continue to run the nine-strong business after City Pub Group increased its stake to 48% this month, with the intention to take operational control in the next two months. The business said one of its short-term focuses was developing its people “at all levels”. Clark added: “Our retention rate is very strong, but we are putting in place individual career plans to help every one of our team reach their potential.”

 

Pieminister to start rolling out franchise operation with Derby launch: Pieminister is set to start rolling out its franchise operation with an opening in Derby. The first franchised restaurant was opened earlier this year in Westgate Street, Bath, by franchisee Harry Roberts, becoming the 16th site in Pieminister’s estate. Roberts is already making plans for his second site. Meanwhile, the next franchise location is set to open in Derby this summer with franchisee Matt Jemmerson. He is an experienced multi-unit franchise partner with the Foodco-owned Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue brands. Pieminister founder Jon Simon said: “We are delighted to see the brand continuing to flourish and are excited for the future. At Pieminister we are committed to excellent service, sustainable and ethical sourcing, and of course creating our delicious range of award-winning pies. Bath Westgate Street is already off to a great start, and we look forward to spreading our love of great pies to even more cities across the UK.” Founded by Simon and Tristan Hogg in 2003, Pieminister also sells its pies through a network of pubs. The company launched its franchise programme in August 2021, with the goal of having 100 pie shops and 300 digital pie restaurants by 2030. Pieminister is working with Seeds Consulting to roll out its franchise operation. Pieminister features in the Propel UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, which this month celebrates its first anniversary since launching. In that time, it has doubled in size from an initial 100 companies to 200 in the latest edition, which will be released today (Wednesday, 19 April). 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.

 

Pub People Company appoints agents as it looks to add 20 sites to estate: Midlands pub company Pub People Company is looking to add 20 freehold venues to its estate across the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. The plan is being financed by investment manager, Downing, which acquired the business last year. Commercial property agent FHP has been appointed to source suitable properties to add to the group’s estate. Formed in 1993, Pub People Company has an existing portfolio of 40 properties, which are based in and around Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Lincoln. The business is now trying to build its estate to 60 sites. Andy Crawford, managing director of Pub People Company, said: “Pub People Company is keen to invest in further venues in the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire areas. We’ve got a great following in our current estate of 40 pubs and we would like to expand on those. The pub sector continues to have its challenges but with a long established business, strong backing and well invested properties in the area, we’re keen to add to our estate. We are looking to acquire freehold pubs in community and town locations across the region and are keen to speak to individual pub owners and groups who may be looking to sell.” Downing acquired Pub People Company from its management team – Crawford and Kevin Sammons – and merged it with its existing investment in Autumn Pubs, which has been managed under contract by Pub People Company since 2012. Funds managed by Downing are the majority shareholder in the combined business, which includes 49 managed pubs, and Downing said at the time it has committed further funding to help the group expand through acquisitions.

 

Middle East-based steakhouse concept Swiss Butter secures UK debut site: Swiss Butter, the Middle East-based steakhouse concept, has secured its debut UK site, in London’s Holborn, Propel has learned. Swiss Butter, which was founded in 2017 by Eddy Massaad, completed on a new lease on the former PizzaExpress site at 114-118 Southampton Row. Swiss Butter currently operates seven restaurants across the UAE – three in Beirut, three in Dubai and one in Riyadh. The concept is based on a choice of three mains: beef filet, chicken or salmon, “all smothered in its secret Swiss butter sauce”. The steakhouse, which “states it is driven by community and prides itself on their relationships with customers”, aims to create a “friendly place for everyone to come in and enjoy a good meal”. Its Swiss butter sauce is made up of 33 herbs and spices. Louie Gazdar, of Davis Coffer Lyons, and Theo Benedyk, of Lewis Craig, acted on behalf of the landlord in the Southampton Row deal.

 

Black Sheep Coffee secures Basingstoke site: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee has signed for a site in Basingstoke as the brand continues its rapid UK expansion, Propel has learned. The group has signed a 15-year lease for a 3,678 square-foot site in the town’s Festival Place, opening in mid-September. Black Sheep Coffee operates more than 50 sites in the UK and also has ambitions in the US, with one store set to open in Dallas this spring and plans for at least six more there.

 

Bean appoints agents to help step up growth plans: North west-based independent coffee company Bean has appointed Stärka as agents as it looks to step up its growth plans. The real estate advisory business will help grow Bean’s portfolio, which currently comprises 20 retail and office locations in the north west. Its search will focus on 1,500 to 3,000 square-foot fitted units in prime locations, in the top 20 shopping destinations across the country. It follows Bean signing for its new “coffee retail” concept debut site in Liverpool ONE’s College Lane, as previously reported. Set to launch in May, the space will feature a brew bar, where customers learn the art of coffee making, plus a new brunch and lunch offer and a vast range of coffee equipment for brewing at home. The Liverpool ONE store will also support Bean’s mail-order offer. Jon Whyte, co-founder of Bean, said: “Our new concept store at Liverpool ONE is a pivotal moment for Bean, one that we want to capitalise on to grow our business. Doing so, however, means working with the right partner; one with the knowledge, reach and energy to help get us to the next level. Stärka has all of those qualities and is already making great progress in sharing our passion more widely.” 

 

The Wolseley Hospitality Group opens first international site for The Wolseley: The Wolseley Hospitality Group has opened its first international site, in Bangkok, Thailand. The business has launched the Cafe Wolseley as a three-month pop-up at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. Taking a space at Parichart Court at the hotel, the pop-up will feature the same menu as its London counterpart with the kitchen led by Australian chef Davis Stevens, former head chef of The Wolseley. Earlier this year, Dillip Rajakarier, chief executive of Thai hotel company Minor International, the owner of The Wolseley Hospitality Group, said he envisaged Wolseley restaurants in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai, as well as London’s financial district. He also plans Cafe Wolseley sites – more relaxed versions of the original in London’s Piccadilly – across other parts of China and the Middle East, as well as Manchester, Birmingham and Oxford in the UK. “Our plan has always been two things,” Rajakarier told Bloomberg. “One is to grow the brand within the UK, and number two is to take the brand outside, because a lot of our international guests love the brand, whether it’s the Middle East or Asia.”

Pret announces biggest menu launch in four years: Pret A Manger has announced its biggest menu launch in four years with the unveiling of its new spring range. Among the new dishes are several salads including Korean-style chilli chicken, Mexican-style chipotle chickpea, Vietnamese-style prawn and a new Greek salad inspired by Pret’s popular US menu item. Vegan and vegetarian options include a Korean-style sticky mushroom salad and a chickpea, avocado and egg bowl. A coronation chicken bloomer has been introduced in time for the King's Coronation, alongside Italian deli, veggie New Yorker and crayfish and rocket bloomers. The lunchtime wrap line-up includes curried chickpea and mango, Korean-style chicken and slaw, and vegan Korean-style mushroom and avocado. Among the new dessert options are salted caramel and black forest dessert pots and a chocolate espresso cake. Katherine Bagshawe, Pret’s UK food and coffee director, said: “For nearly a year, our team have been working hard on creating a new menu with bold, fresh, colourful and vibrant flavours for our spring menu, the biggest menu launch since 2019. We’re really proud of the quality and variety we’re offering our customers – we wanted to create something for every taste at any time of day.”

 

Italian restaurant concept L’Ulivo secures third London site: Italian restaurant concept L’Ulivo is to open its third site in central London after securing a site near Leicester Square. The business has secured a new lease on the former Halal Guys site at 14 Irving Street. L’Ulivo has operated a restaurant in Villiers Street, near Charing Cross station, for more than 25 years, and opened its second site, on the former Byron unit at 409 Strand, last year. The concept focuses on freshly prepared authentic Italian cuisine. Louie Gazdar, of Davis Coffer Lyons, and Paul Davison, of Davison Tilney, acted on behalf of the private landlord on the Irving Street deal. 

 

Premium steakhouse concept Ribeye to begin expansion with Birmingham opening: Ribeye, the premium steakhouse concept, which made its debut in Manchester in summer 2019, is to begin its expansion with an opening in Birmingham. The business, which is led by founder Sohail Kaushal, is set to take on the ex-Pulperia steakhouse restaurant in Birmingham’s Brindleyplace, with an opening planned for later this year. It is thought the company is also exploring an opening in Glasgow. Its debut site in Manchester’s First Street opened in August 2019 and features a 140-cover restaurant with an outdoor terrace area with seating for up to 40 people.

 

Disappearing Dining Club opens second London pub: Dinner dance events company Disappearing Dining Club has opened its second London pub. The company, founded by Stuart Langley and chef Fred Bolin, has launched Simon the Tanner in Bermondsey. The community pub offers a selection of large and small plates including crispy cod cheeks with pea and mint pesto and caper mayo; and beef Lindström with chuck steak, beetroot and caper patty, fried egg, pickles, and potato wedges. The drinks list includes beer and cider, alongside “food friendly” cocktails, all against a backdrop of jazz, funk, pop, electronic and soulful music. Disappearing Dining Club, which established its dinner dance events in 2010, also operates The Dartmouth Arms in Kentish Town, which it acquired in 2019. Langley said: “We are excited and proud to expand our pub portfolio and bring the Disappearing Dining Club pub experience south of the river. Our aim is to create a community spot while continuing to bring quality food and drink alongside a friendly atmosphere and great music.”

 

Chipotle to open Twickenham site this week: US brand Chipotle will increase its presence in London “villages” with an opening in Twickenham on Friday (21 April). As revealed by Propel earlier this month, Chipotle, which operates 14 sites in the UK – 13 in London and one in Watford – will open in the former Caffe Nero in London Road. “Given the rising popularity of Chipotle across London, our expansion in the area remains a top priority for our international strategy,” said Jacob Sumner, director of European operations. “This new location will increase the Twickenham community’s access to real, fresh food.” Last summer, the company opened its first regional site in the UK, in Watford. It followed that with an opening near the end of the year, in West Hampstead. The business has also been linked with an opening in East Dulwich.

 

RBH Hospitality Management to operate new luxury Liverpool hotel: Hotel management company RBH Hospitality Management has been appointed by Accor to operate the new The Municipal Liverpool hotel when it opens in May. The hotel, restaurant, bar and spa – housed in a 19th century grade II-listed building in the city’s Dale Street – will operate under MGallery, Accor’s luxury boutique hotel brand. It will offer 179 bedrooms over four floors and feature a restored clocktower, which dates to the venue’s past as a council building. The central Palm Court bar and lounge will offer an all-day menu and live music, while The Botanic Tea Room will serve drinks, patisserie and afternoon tea featuring herbs and plants from around the world. The hotel’s wellness areas will incorporate a swimming pool, sauna and steam room, fitness area, treatment rooms, salon and spa. There will also be six large, state-of-the-art boardrooms available for hire. General manager Deirdre Billing said: “I am delighted to write a new story for the Municipal building, bringing back its local heritage into a hotel and introducing the luxury brand MGallery to Liverpool. It has been a joy to see this iconic building brought back to life and we can’t wait to welcome guests into the space and experience its charm for themselves.”

 

Welsh holiday park operator takes on tenth site in multimillion-pound deal: Welsh holiday park operator Thornley Leisure Parks has taken on its tenth site. The company – which runs venues across Wales, Cheshire and North Yorkshire – has acquired Morfa Lodge Holiday Park in Dinas Dinlle, near Caernarfon, in a multimillion-pound deal from the Livingston family. The 27-acre site is licenced for 188 static and 55 touring caravans and features a sales and reception building, leisure facilities including two swimming pools, a play area and clubhouse, and potential to expand subject to planning. Mackenzie Jones Solicitors represented the Livingston family while Fox Leisure brokered the deal. Mackenzie Jones director Andrew Foley Jones told Insider Media: “Morfa Lodge is a much-loved site and has been in the Livingston family for generations, so it was a very important transaction. It’s an incredible park in a beautiful part of the country, and I’m sure it will go from strength to strength.”

 

Travelodge revisits Shrewsbury hotel plans: Travelodge has resubmitted plans for a new hotel in Shrewsbury town centre under its “budget-luxe” design. The company, which operates almost 600 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain, has lodged revised proposals for an 83-bedroom venue on part of the car park on the corner of Barker Street and Claremont Street, reports Insider Media. Tony O’Brien, UK development director at Travelodge, said: “Shrewsbury is a growing town, with very limited, good quality, affordable hotel accommodation in the town centre, so there is a strong need for a new Travelodge to help fulfil growing demand from visiting business and leisure travellers. Travelodge will be making a long-term commitment to Shrewsbury town centre and the new hotel will result in thousands of new overnight visitors each year.” Elizabeth Lowe, head of developments at development partners Morris Property, added: “Following the withdrawal of the previous planning application, we have been working closely with both the planning and conservation officers at Shropshire Council. This has seen us address concerns raised about the initial application.” Shrewsbury Central Travelodge will be the third Travelodge hotel in the town.

 

MyLahore launches chef academy in Bradford: MyLahore, the brand that offers a self-proclaimed British and healthy twist on Asian food, has launched a chef academy in Bradford. Based at Bradford College, it will specialise in British Asian cuisine and will enrol its first class of students in September. Working towards a level two professional cookery qualification, they will also benefit from monthly masterclasses from MyLahore professionals, reports Business Insider. Furkan Uddin, head of department for professional services at Bradford College, said: “We’re pleased MyLahore has agreed to be the employer sponsor of this new academy at Bradford College. Not only is this a fantastic opportunity for students to learn at the forefront of culinary innovation, but it delivers sought-after skills needed in a booming sector and that appeals to a local demographic and jobs market.” Ghafoor Farooq, food and innovation director at MyLahore, added: “This innovative education collaboration is an exciting new development for MyLahore and Bradford College. Given there is an urgent sector-wide call for more specialists with skills in international cuisine, we’re confident the MyLahore Academy will help shape talent to fill skill shortages in the UK workforce and lead to real paid employment in our restaurants.” MyLahore British Asian Kitchen opened in 2002 and has outlets in Bradford, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Blackburn.