Pret to expand loyalty offer into food: Pret A Manger, the JAB Holdings-backed business, is stepping up its loyalty offer with the launch of Club Pret – expanding its existing coffee subscription to cover all freshly made food, snacks and drinks sold in its stores. Under the new expanded offer, the business is rebranding Coffee Subscription to Club Pret, with subscribers able to access 10% off everything sold in-shop, as well as up to five barista-prepared drinks per day, for just £30 per month and half price in the first month. The company said existing subscribers will get the full deal for £25 for the first 40 days ahead of the price increasing to £30. The company said the move marked an evolution of its loyalty offer, “reinvesting in its most loyal customer base and team members”, and follows the “huge success” of the Pret coffee subscription, which is now redeemed 1.25 million times per week – up 11% year-on-year. The company said the subscription has also helped it “attract and retain its most loyal customers”, with subscribers transacting with Pret 28 times per month, compared to just two times per month for non-subscribers. It has subsequently been rolled out to the US and France. Club Pret is now live in the majority of Pret’s 439 UK shops. To mark the launch, Pret is offering the chance to win one of 100 annual subscriptions, and one lifetime subscription, for anyone who signs up by 3 May. A new range of Pret Coolers, replacing Pret’s frappes and smoothies, will also form part of Club Pret, with the brand’s full range of iced drinks now available in 90% of shops, following a “significant investment” in iced machines. Pano Christou, chief executive of Pret A Manger, said: “Over the past year, we’ve thought long and hard about the best way to support the people who matter most to Pret – our team members who do such an outstanding job, day in and day out, as well as our customers. That’s why we’ve increased pay three times in the last 12 months and reinvested in benefits to support our people through the cost-of-living crisis. It’s now time we give back to our most loyal customers, expanding the subscription and making our freshly made food, snacks and organic coffee more accessible to the people who have been crucial to Pret’s success. That’s what Club Pret is all about.” Pret also said its ongoing investments in loyalty have helped it make good progress on its ambition to double the size of the business by 2026, while also “ensuring it can continue to reward and reinvest in team member pay and benefits”.

 

Sponsored message – Quorn launches Veggie Beef Burger for hospitality: Quorn has launched a competitively priced Veggie Beef Burger (113g) for hospitality. “The Quorn Veggie Beef Burger is the perfect quarter pounder, ideal in the ultimate burger build and incredibly versatile when used as an ingredient in different dishes,” said Phil Thornborrow, foodservice director at Quorn. “Taste is still the key consideration for most when choosing where and what to eat. Diners and chefs shouldn’t have to compromise on taste, quality or texture when it comes to meat free menus. The Quorn Veggie Beef Burger delivers a succulent, savoury thick cut burger that looks, feels and tastes just like a beef burger. This type of offering is increasingly important in the current climate, when eating out is becoming much more of a luxury than in recent years. We’re seeing research that suggests up to a quarter of UK adults are cutting down on meat to help them get through the cost-of-living crisis, and we hear some operators are doing the same as a cost saving measure when menu planning.” To find out more, click here. If you have a sponsored message you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

More than 300 booked in two days for Propel Multi-Club Conference featuring all-female line-up of leaders, three free places per company for operators: More than 300 people, in the space of two days, have booked in for the second Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2023, which takes place on Thursday, 29 June, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London’s Kensington. The all-day conference, which is organised in conjunction with Ann Elliott, will feature an all-female line-up of sector leaders on learning lessons from the pandemic and moving forward. Multi-site operators can book up to three free places each by emailing paul.charity@propelinfo.com. Speakers will include Debbie Hewitt, who talks about her career in business. She was appointed chairwoman of the Football Association in June 2021 and is the first woman to hold the post, having previously being chairwoman of The Restaurant Group. Charlene Lyons, chief executive of Black Sheep Brewery, will discuss her role as chief executive, the challenges she’s faced and her guiding principles for being an inspirational leader. Helen Charlesworth, managing director of Stonegate Pub Company, will talk about how she motivates and inspires people to do their best. Rebecca Mascarenhas, co-owner of Michelin-starred Elystan Street in Chelsea and Kitchen W8 in Kensington, with chef Phil Howard, will discuss her career to date, which spans more than three decades. Anna Watkins, managing director at Barrafina Group, will talk about her career having made the switch from advertising to hospitality less than a year ago. There will also be five panel sessions. A chief executive panel will feature Alison Wright, chief executive of Fitzbillies; Sarah Weir, managing director of Albion & East, and Emma Banks, vice-president food and beverage strategy and development EMEA at Hilton, will discuss what it takes to lead successfully in a rapidly changing world. A membership leaders’ panel with Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, chair of the London Tourism Board and chair of ACC Liverpool; Emma McClarkin, chief executive of British Beer & Pub Association and chair of the Worldwide Brewing Alliance; and Katariina Reissaar, chair of the Institute of Hospitality’s Youth Council, will discuss how their organisations help women progress and grow within their different sectors. Gaynor Mary Warren-Wright will talk about her journey in the sector and then join a panel of speakers, hosted by Clare Willetts, founder and chief executive of Not Only Pink and Blue, which will also feature Amanda Smyth, head of people of Scoffs Group; Gabi Clipp, head of people of Urban Pubs and Bars; and Karen Bosher, independent board and business advisor, to discuss the importance of people. A finance and investment panel discussing how women can progress in finance and investment in the sector will include Lizzie Ryan-Podbury, partner at Imbiba, Vic Stewart, chief financial officer at The Alchemist and co-founder of the Six Percent Club; Linda Nguyenova, investor at BGF; and Claire Catlin, chief financial officer at Moto Hospitality. A founders panel will include Alice Williams, founder of Luminary Bakery; Sarah Brading, founder of Flat Earth Pizzas; and Zoe Paskin, co-founder/managing director of Paskin; to talk about how they established their businesses, their learnings, and their advice to others.

Two days to go before release of updated Premium Database of Multi-Site Companies, 23 businesses being added: A total of 23 new multi-site companies, operating 181 sites, have been added to the next edition of the Propel Premium Database of Multi-Site Companies, which will be released on Friday (28 April), at midday The updated Propel Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate, includes regional restaurant operators, growing café  brands, and expanding hotel operators. Premium subscribers will also receive a 2,000-word report on the new additions to the database. The comprehensive database is updated monthly and provides company names, the people in charge, how many sites each firm operates, its trading name and its registered name at Companies House if different. The database now features 2,832 companies. Premium subscribers will also receive the next edition of the New Openings Database on Friday, 5 May, at midday. It focuses on newly announced openings and upcoming launches in the sector and is updated every month. The next edition also includes a 5,000-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium subscribers also receive access to three other databases: the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database; and the Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage. 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 are also to be given exclusive access to the recording and slides to Propel Multi-Club Conferences. 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.

Survey finds competitive socialising outscoring rest of industry in customer feedback, big opportunities for sector: A new survey has found competitive socialising is outscoring the rest of the industry in customer feedback, and that there are big opportunities for the sector to keep growing. Customer Experience in the Competitive Socialising Sector – conducted by customer experience dashboard Feed it Back – analysed six months’ worth of guest feedback data from more than 25 brands. It said the sector is significantly outperforming the industry as a whole, reporting net promoter scores (NPS) of 70+ compared with the rest of UK hospitality at 60+. It found a large share of first-time guests are visiting such venues (46%) compared to 21% in the rest of the industry. “This presents huge opportunities for competitive socialising operators to attract repeat visits and ensure they keep their offers refreshed,” the report said. “First timers to the participating brands scored 68 on NPS, which when compared to the rest of the industry at an NPS of 55, demonstrates this sector is wowing first-time guests.” The sector is also attracting a slightly younger demographic, with almost 60% of guests aged 34 and under, compared with 53% in the rest of the industry. “Older guests visit the sector less but still score high on NPS, presenting an opportunity for sector operators to attract other age brackets,” the report said. Food and drink scores show the sector is performing just as well as bars on cocktails (94%) and as well as restaurants on pizzas (93%), but there is an opportunity to raise the bar on snacks, nibbles and desserts. Teams score well in terms of greetings, farewells and game explanation/help. But in terms of areas for improvement, just 15% of guests reported the team at their venue displayed good menu knowledge. And while staff engagement was mentioned positively in 11% of reviews, poor staff attitude and inattentive service harmed scores the most. Issues with the game/activity and value for money drove the biggest number of complaints. The survey found brands in this space are doing well in attracting work/team event crowds but can attract more people celebrating special occasions. Defining brand values and training/measuring teams in delivering them were also identified as a way to up the customer experience. Dan Hawkie, managing director of Feed It Back, said: “One of the success stories of the hospitality world post-covid has definitely been the performance of the competitive socialising scene. Whether it be the financial performances, rapid growth or the customer experience insights, it’s been really refreshing to see. Many studies have highlighted a direct correlation between NPS and increased revenue, so for competitive socialising to consistently be over ten points ahead of the rest of the industry is no mean feat, and something operators should look at.”

Managed groups’ delivery and takeaway sales fall for 16th month in a row as volumes drop: Delivery and takeaway sales at Britain’s top managed restaurant groups in March were 3.0% below the same month in 2022, the new Hospitality at Home Tracker from CGA by NIQ revealed. It means year-on-year sales have now fallen for 16 months in a row. After booming during covid-19 lockdowns, the market has steadily softened as some consumers revert to eating out and others reduce their spending in light of steep rises in household bills. After adjustments for inflation, the value of sales has fallen significantly further in real terms, the tracker showed. The tracker also indicated an even sharper drop in the volume of orders – a sign that groups are depending on menu price rises to stem year-on-year losses. Groups saw a 9.6% dip in their number of delivery orders compared with March 2022, and a 12.7% contraction in takeaway and click-and-collect orders. Sales nevertheless remain well above pre-covid levels, and accounted for 14.9 pence in every pound spent with the managed restaurant groups contributing to the tracker in March. Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “Sixteen months of year-on-year decline in delivery and takeaway sales have shown how the cost of living crisis has impacted consumers’ discretionary spending. More positively, it’s an indication that some consumers have switched back from ordering in to going out, and our Coffer CGA Business Tracker has shown modest increases in in-venue sales this year. However, sales in both channels remain well down year-on-year in real terms, and with little respite on inflation in sight trading conditions will remain very challenging for some time to come.”

UKHospitality – failing councils should see planning fee freeze: Annual increases to planning fees should be contingent on the performance of the planning authority, UKHospitality has said. Responding to proposals that planning fees should increase annually in line with inflation, UKHospitality said it is essential this goes hand-in-hand with real improvements to the system. Planning departments should undergo an annual, independent review, and any fee increases should be ringfenced for spending within the planning system, the trade body said. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “An effective, well-resourced planning system can be a real asset for businesses. Unfortunately, that is not what we have in place at the moment. The current planning system is cumbersome and ineffective. A guaranteed annual increase in fees would only cement the current underperformance and incentivise mediocrity. An independent review process would introduce a true meritocracy and drive effective planning decisions. Venues would be more open to increased fees if it came with quicker decisions.” UKHospitality also urged wider reform of the planning system and is calling for a fast-track process for smaller applications, as well as a statutory time limit on the time taken for planning decisions.

Sector fundraisers smash £300,000 target: Pedalling for Pubs, the industry-coordinated bike trek raising money for Only A Pavement Away and the Licensed Trade Charity, has passed its £300,000 fundraising target. Organisers set the target earlier this year, ahead of 29 sector professionals riding 450km across Sri Lanka between 22-20 April. Led by ride founder Katy Moses, of research consultancy KAM, the cyclists set off on Monday. In support of the riders, several hospitality heavyweights – including chef Tom Aikens, All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group head Alun Cairns MP, UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls, British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) chief executive Steve Alton and British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin – took part in a static cycle at the newly refurbished Admiralty in Trafalgar Square. Alongside KAM, supporting partners and sponsors include Airship/Toggle, Barclaycard, BII, Fleet Street, Greene King, Lucky Saint, Punch Taverns and Wireless Social.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a London restaurant that is looking for a head sommelier. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “You will be expected to offer the guest and team your extensive wine knowledge. With a list of 700-plus covering both old and new world wine, the business is looking for someone who is at the top of their game. You will help to deliver an exceptional service to the guest and thrive in a customer facing role where you can pair and make recommendations. There will be an expectation to deliver training to the team. You will work as part of the team to manage the stock, ensure pre-orders are delivered, upkeep the cellar and maximise sales opportunities. You will need to have either Michelin or five-star luxury service experience and a minimum of WSET level 2.” The salary is up to £60,000 inclusive of tronc. For more information, email kate@corecruitment.com

 

Collins – constant focus on evolution and customer underpinning consistency of performance, Brightside trading well: Nick Collins, chief executive of café bar operator Loungers, has said the group’s consistent outperformance is based on a “constant focus on evolution and the customer”. On the back of the group’s trading update, where it delivered record total revenue for its financial year (52 weeks to 16 April 2023) of £283.5m, up 19.5% on the previous year, Collins told Propel: “We are pleased with sales performance across all our brands. If you look at the sales performance of the business and the consistency of its outperformance, it is because there’s that constant focus on evolution and on the customer.” Collins said a recent new menu launch was “the best we have done in his 11 years with the business and “really demonstrates the strength of the business.” In terms of challenges facing the business, he said: “We are protected to a degree on the energy side, roughly 75% of the estate is hedged until October 2024, and we are in a strong position as a result of that. The business continues to grow relatively quickly, which allows us to have lots of conversations with our supply chain and mitigate on the food and drink side in particular, hence why we manage to protect our margin so well.” Collins said over the past 18 months, recruitment and retention had become easier but was “still not easy”. He said: “The people side of our business remains the number one thing that we talk about. We’re trying to make sure we’re investing in our team and working hard to become a better employer. We are thinking about succession planning as the business is growing rapidly. It’s really important that, both from a customer and team perspective, we’re thinking what it’s going to look like in a year or two years’ time, and what decisions we need to make to ensure we’re in the best possible shape for then.” The company opened the first site under its Brightside roadside concept in February, and Collins said: “The debut site is trading well, and we’re learning lots about the business. This summer is going to be a really important time, with the Exeter site that’s already opened getting into its peak trading period, plus sites in Saltash and Honiton opening. Now we have one open, people have something they can see and visit, and are beginning to understand what we’re trying to achieve with the concept. That’s resulting in more inquiries coming in, and it’s been easier for our property team to talk about what it is we’re trying to do.” Loungers features in the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book. Its turnover of £283.5m for the year to 16 April 2023 is the 31st highest in the database. The Blue Book ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. 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.

Planet Organic bought out of administration by founders: Planet Organic has been rescued from administration by Bioren, whose shareholders include the founders of the organic supermarket chain Renée and Brian Elliott. The deal will see ten Planet Organic stores continue to trade in locations throughout London, safeguarding 194 jobs in-store and 71 jobs in the head office. However, four stores were not included in the sale – in Henley-on-Thames, Bermondsey, Teddington and Tottenham Court Road – and these will shut immediately. The closures will result in 64 staff members being made redundant. Last week, Sainsbury’s became the latest bidder to explore a last-minute rescue bid on the business, alongside Waitrose and Holland & Barrett. Will Wright and Chris Pole from Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators to Planet Organic Limited this week. Founded in 1995, the company has grown over the past 28 years to become the UK’s largest chain of Soil Association-certified organic shops, operating from 14 sites across London and the south east of England. Shortly after the end of the pandemic, the company’s directors embarked on a new growth phase that required significant restructuring and changes within the business. The administrators said while the underlying business was strong and the company’s stores were largely profitable, the business as a whole was loss-making, which ultimately led to their appointment. Immediately following their appointment, the joint administrators concluded the sale of the business and majority of assets to Bioren. Looking ahead, the directors of Bioren said they plan to return to Planet Organic’s vision and values, “reinvigorating the business by celebrating its mission to promote health in the community, and to renew training and culture, with the aim of inspiring people to eat well and create personal health and vitality while supporting the earth’s health and biodiversity”.

Activist shareholder Oasis doubles stake in TRG: Activist investor Oasis Management has almost doubled its stake in The Restaurant Group (TRG) ahead of the Wagamama-owner’s AGM next month. The Hong Kong hedge fund previously owned a 6.5% stake in TRG, but this has now increased that to 12.3%, making it the Brunning & Price owner’s second biggest shareholder. It plans to use its increased shareholding to rally a vote against TRG’s remuneration policy at the AGM. It said: “TRG CEO’s disproportionate pay has failed to promote value creation as shares have fallen by 73% since Andy Hornby became CEO, a markedly greater decline than suffered by industry peers.” As well as the pay policy, Oasis said it will vote against the re-election of Zoe Morgan as chair of the remuneration committee, “delivering a clear message that the board’s approach to remuneration ignores shareholder feedback, fails to deliver value and should not continue”. A TRG spokesperson told Propel: “TRG has performed strongly compared to the casual dining sector in recent years. Wagamama and pubs have consistently outperformed the market, Leisure has been carefully restructured to maximise cashflow, and we have successfully re-sized concessions so it is well placed to benefit as air travel continues to recover. As is normal, we are consulting with major shareholders ahead of our upcoming AGM on our remuneration policy.”

Emerald Hospitality Group forecasts £20m-plus turnover by end of 2024 as it plans international expansion: Emerald Hospitality Group has forecast a 122% increase in turnover by 2025, in line with its upcoming new restaurant launches, which is set to project the group’s revenue from £9m in 2022 to £20m-plus by the end of 2024. Founded by twin entrepreneurs Arian and Alberto Zandi, the group owns restaurants including El Norte, a high-end Spanish restaurant in Mayfair; Zuaya, a Latin American fusion in Kensington; and Como Garden, an Italian restaurant inspired by Lake Como. Set to take the group’s total revenue from £9m to £15m by the end of 2023, this month, the group will open its fourth restaurant, Riviera – inspired by the South of France, in Mayfair, followed closely by a newly announced Greek concept that will join the group later in the year. The group currently employs 150-plus staff, and each of the new openings is estimated to create between 80 and 100 jobs. Once the remaining two restaurants have launched in London, Emerald plans to take each brand internationally by 2030, to cities with similar synergies to London, including Dubai, Miami and New York. The brothers said: “We are very happy and humbled by the success of all Emerald Hospitality Group brands. Our main driver is to be able to bring a little happiness to all our customers for a few hours of their day. We look forward to our next London opening, while we are also preparing our infrastructure for the international expansion.”

Farmer J secures first south west London site: All-day market concept Farmer J, which is backed by Imbiba, has secured its first south west London site, and its biggest venue to date, in Victoria. The Jonathan Recanati-led, eight-strong business will open a 3,000 square-foot site later this year in the Orchard Place development and look to take advantage of a large catchment of office workers, tourists and residents. Last August, the business said it was on track to report turnover of £12.5m this year, as it eyed a regional debut. Speaking to the Evening Standard, Recanati said the business planned to open six sites per year – in London to start, including suburban areas, then in affluent areas across the UK – with Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester on its target list. In 2019, Recanati raised £2.5m from Imbiba. Richard Willcox at Etch acted on behalf of Farmer J on the Victoria site, with Thea Rowe at Bruce Gillingham Pollard representing the landlord.

PureGym reports trading at 99% of pre-covid levels as it plans 40 corporate-owned site openings in 2023: PureGym, Britain’s biggest health and fitness club operator, has reported trading in January and February 2023 was ahead of expectations, with like-for-like revenue in the UK reaching 99% of pre-pandemic 2019. The company, which operates in excess of 500 venues across the UK and Europe, saw turnover increase to £476m for the year ending 31 December 2022, up 58% from £302m in 2021, boosted by a series of new openings. Adjusted Ebitda also increased to £95m from £34m the previous year. In a statement accompanying the figures, the company said “momentum has been maintained despite headwinds” during 2022. The group’s estate stood at 555 gyms at the end of the year, comprising 546 corporate-owned sites and nine franchise gyms in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It opened 45 new corporate-owned sites in 2022, together with six new franchise sites. The new sites were supported by a £73m of expansionary capital expenditure during the year. Membership across its gyms stood at about 1.67 million at the end of the year, up from 1.54 million at the end of 2021. PureGym expects to open about 40 corporate-owned sites during 2023 and is aiming to grow its franchise coverage in the Middle East, as well as pursue further opportunities elsewhere. It is set to open a site in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, next month. PureGym added the business is “well-positioned to benefit from its market leading positions and from customers seeking great value for money under tough economic conditions”. Leeds-headquartered PureGym Group is behind PureGym, Denmark-based Fitness World, and Basefit in Switzerland. In December, the group announced a £300m investment from private equity firm KKR to support expansion.

 

Popeyes sets date for debut UK drive thru opening, builds roadside pipeline: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, the US fried chicken quick-service brand, will open its first drive-thru in the UK next month (15 May), in Rotherham, as it looks to further build its roadside openings pipeline. The new site, located at Parkgate Shopping Centre in Rotherham, adds to Popeyes UK’s portfolio of 17 restaurants across the country. The plans for the drive-thru include a 104-seat restaurant and a dual-ordering lane to reduce expected vehicle queues. Tom Crowley, chief executive at Popeyes UK, said: “We’re hugely excited to be opening our first drive-thru in the UK. This is a critical format for us as we fully recognise the UK is underserved with exciting new brands opening in this space. The sustained demand we are seeing for Popeyes throughout the UK is incredible, and we are confident that this will only increase with the launch of our drive-thru restaurants, of which we now have many in the pipeline for 2023 and into 2024.” Propel understands the brand has also applied to open further drive-thru sites at the Boldon Leisure Park in Tyneside; Woodbury Park, near Bere Regis; Bankhead Park, Glenrothes; Barrhead Retail Park, Glasgow; and Sixfields, Northampton. It is also set to open a drive-thru outlet in Nottingham as it expands its presence in the city. The company has secured a site at the £30m Teal Park development which has been jointly developed by AC Lloyd Commercial and Henry Davidson Developments, off Colwick Loop Road in Netherfield. Popeyes plans to launch in a 2,500 square foot unit, which will contain a 65-seating area, drive-thru, car-parking and click and collect bays. A planning application is currently being prepared and, if planning successful, work would begin later this year. Popeyes already has a branch in Upper Parliament Street in Nottingham city centre.

 

Tom Sellers opens Parisian-style rotisserie restaurant in London’s Seven Dials: Two-Michelin starred chef Tom Sellers has opened his new Parisian-style rotisserie restaurant in London’s Seven Dials. Story Cellar has launched at 17 Neal’s Yard after Sellers previously agreed a deal with landlord, Shaftesbury Capital. The 1,700 square-foot, 50-cover, venue is a continuation of Seller’s first restaurant, Restaurant Story, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2023 with a major refurbishment and the addition of an upstairs dining area with outdoor seating, with the space reopening in the autumn. Restaurant Story sous chef Stephen Naylor has come over as head chef at Story Cellar, preparing a host of classic dishes interpreted by Sellars. Alongside rotisserie chicken, served with house salad and French fries, half or whole, the menu features a classic terrine of the season and a reinterpreted Restaurant Story favourite: snail bolognese on toast with parsley butter. A Coravin system offers guests the opportunity to try rare and exceptional wine by the glass, which would usually only be available in full bottle format, while an expansive walk-in cellar also allows guests to store their own personal collections at the restaurant.

Frankie & Benny’s launches ‘nostalgic’ spring menu with 2003 dishes and prices: Frankie & Benny’s, The Restaurant Group-owned brand, has launched a ‘nostalgic’ spring menu, featuring dishes – and prices – from 2003. The Bring It Back Spring Menu features a sharer platter which includes chicken wings, loaded potato skins, chicken strips, garlic ciabatta bread, onion rings and dips; Mamma’s Cheesebake; calzone pizzas; an ice cream sundae; Purple Rain cocktail; and a Coca Cola float with vanilla ice cream. Available until 4 July, the dishes will be discounted by 20.03% for two weeks, until 9 May. Guests can redeem the offer through a QR code on the company’s website. Frankie & Benny’s marketing director, Andreia Harwood, said: “No childhood would have been complete without a birthday party at Frankie’s or a quick bite to eat before heading to bowling with friends. We wanted to tap into those core memories this year, in a time when we’re all craving a generous, delicious dose of nostalgia.” The offer is valid for up to four people per table and does not include the Purple Rain cocktail. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion and is not valid at the Praed Street restaurant. It may also not be valid in event restaurants on event days, with calling ahead recommended at those venues. The offer is also valid only for guests dining in.

The Good Mixer team acquires Tottenham pub: North London operator Bar 6 Group, which owns the iconic The Good Mixer pub in Camden, has secured a new site in Tottenham. Propel understands that the business, which also operates the Near and Far venue in Camden, has taken on The Victoria, which lies just off Tottenham High Road and within a short walking distance from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The pub benefits from two trading areas with self-contained upper parts, which comprises five letting rooms with a communal kitchen. The company said the pub will operate as a wet-let pub catering for locals as well as those visiting the nearby stadium for football matches and events. Panayiotis Themistocli of AG&G acted for the landlord on the deal.

Simon Shaw ready to grow five-strong business: Simon Shaw, chef-patron and creative director of the El Gato Negro, Canto and Habas concepts, has said he is ready to grow his five-strong business “subject to finding the right site”. Shaw, in partnership with operator Mills Hill Developments, owns El Gato Negros in Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, plus single-site concepts Canto and Habas in Manchester. Shaw’s expansion plans come as Carlos Gomes is promoted to executive head chef at Mills Hill, having joined the business in 2017 following a spell as head chef of Michelin-starred Barrafina. The new role will see Gomes work closely with Shaw and the head chefs at all five restaurants with a focus on menu development and nurturing young talent, as well as sourcing and managing the supply chain across the expanding group. Gomes said: “Growing up in Portugal, family is important to me, and over the last six years, Simon and the team have become an extension of this, investing not only in my development but that of the wider team. I look forward to continuing my journey with the business as it looks to future growth.”

Scottish self-catering holiday home operators acquire historic pub: Scottish self-catering holiday home operators Rory and Vicki Steel have acquired a historic rural pub in the Scottish borders. The husband-and-wife team have spent £400,000 to purchase and upgrade the Cross Keys Inn, a 17th century coaching inn in the village of Ettrickbridge, with the help of a grant from South of Scotland Enterprise. They have already operated Aikwood Tower, a grade A-listed former Peel Tower converted into self-catering holiday homes and based less than two miles from the pub, for more than a decade. Rory, the son of former Liberal Democrats leader Lord Steel, said: “The Cross Keys Inn was always the centre of village life when I grew up opposite the pub. I remember the place being full of great characters from the area and further afield. It’s that great atmosphere we are working hard with the local community to bring back.” The pub has seven bedrooms, with prices, which start at £100 per night, including a full Scottish breakfast. It offers local beers and ales alongside extensive whisky and gin collections, while a classic pub menu from chef Ash Barker – formerly of Soho House, Kensington Wine Rooms, Riddles & Finn and Fishy Fishy – uses fresh local ingredients where possible. The pub had lay empty for six months, and since reopening, it has created five full time jobs.

Big Mamma Group opens third site in Germany: Big Mamma Group, the operator behind London restaurants Gloria, Ave Mario, Circolo Popolare and Jacuzzi, has opened its third site in Germany, in Hamburg. The group, which also operates circa 20 restaurants across France, England and Spain, has opened Italian trattoria Edmondo in the city’s Die Bank building, a former bank with five-metre-high ceilings that will feature more than 2,400 bottles of spirits hanging on the walls. The trattoria can accommodate 230 customers, including 50 on its terrace. The company, which is known as Big Squadra in Germany, also operates Giorgia Trattoria in Munich and the Coccodrillo in Berlin. Big Mamma will open its fifth London site, Carlotta, in Marylebone in May. It will offer Big Mamma’s “famiglia-style Neapolitan and Sicilian classics with a retro Italian-American twist”. The business saw turnover increase 85% last year across its then three-strong UK estate, pushing it past £25m.

West Midlands holiday park owner acquires 15th site: West Midlands holiday park owner Severn Gorge Park Homes has acquired its 15th site. The company, led by Paul and Adam Jones, has bought the 150-pitch Rhea Hall Caravan Park in Highley, Shropshire, for an undisclosed sum. Severn Gorge Park Homes said it has further acquisitions planned. 

Long leasehold of Hammersmith arts and entertainment complex goes on market: The long leasehold interest of The Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, west London, is being marketed by Savills, on behalf of the administrators Richard Lewis, Alistair Wardell and Oliver Haunch of Grant Thornton UK. The property, in Queen Caroline Street, comprises the commercial element of an extensive mixed-use development which was redeveloped before reopening in August 2019. Riverside Studios has a 45-year history, including being the former home of the BBC. The premises currently operates as an arts centre with restaurant and two anchor tenants – Sam’s Riverside, which offers a fine dining experience; and Riverside Television Studios, which plays host to television productions. The studios are arranged over ground, basement, first and second floors and are laid out to provide a range of uses including its restaurant and bakery, two studios (with a further studio leased to Riverside Television Studios), two cinema screens, events space and associated rehearsal, dressing rooms and production rooms as well as office space. The commercial element spans more than 95,000 square feet and is held on a long lease expiring in 2214 (unexpired term of 191 years) at a peppercorn rent. Paul Breen, director in the licensed leisure team at Savills, said: “It is a state-of-the-art purpose-built facility with a uniquely central proposition in the arts and culture sector.”

Oxygen extends new ‘lounge’ concept to Croydon site following £1.23m upgrade: Indoor family activity brand Oxygen has further rolled out its new ‘lounge’ concept following a £1.23 upgrade of its Croydon site. Propel reported last month that the ten-strong leisure park operator was preparing to introduce the concept, featuring best-in-class food and beverage and enhanced technology, to the south London site having been launched in its Acton and Wilmslow locations. The newly upgraded site has now opened, with new facilities including several activity zones, a café and revamped event offerings. The 31,560 square-foot space, which spans across two floors, now has a neon experience tunnel, a parkour bounce zone, an inflatable obstacle course, six new climbing challenges, a refreshed baby and toddler area and nine new party rooms. Steve Wilson, managing director of Oxygen, said: “We have a long-term plan to invest in all our locations and teams to ensure Oxygen is differentiated within the indoor leisure market.” It follows Oxygen’s acquisitions of regional trampoline operators Jump Evolution in March and Red Kangaroo in November last year. Stärka acted for Oxygen.

Clarification: In Tuesday’s (25 April) Propel Morning Briefing, we published a story – Ozone Coffee takes London estate to four with double opening, in which we said the company had reopened the former Association Coffee sites at Creechurch Lane and Ludgate Hill after acquiring the business last November. We would like to state the two former Association Coffee sites were not reopened by Ozone but acquired as a going concern and rebranded. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.