Le Pain Quotidien CEO – brand in talks with potential UK franchisees, Brexit has made London a ‘difficult market’: Annick Van Overstraeten, chief executive of Le Pain Quotidien, has told Propel that the Belgian boulangerie brand is embarking on “a new chapter” in the UK and is holding talks with potential partners for new franchises in cities, travel hubs and hotels here. BrunchCo UK, the business behind the UK arm of Le Pain Quotidien, was placed into administration last week, with the closure of nine of its sites and the loss of 250 jobs. Propel revealed in May that BrunchCo UK had appointed Kroll Advisory to examine its options, including a sale of the business. It is thought interested parties had been given until the close of business on 25 May to submit interest in the business, but no viable offers were received and it ceased trading on 29 June. Overstraeten said the company “explored every possible option to save the business but it has not been possible to rescue it”. Its site in London’s St Pancras International station continues to trade as it is run by a separate company – SPQ Holdings. She said: “After Brexit, London has become a very difficult market: fewer people on the streets, higher wage costs and a very rigid rental market, whereby rent takes up to 30% of our budget. That is not sustainable, especially with the growth opportunities we see elsewhere. By retaining our prime location in St Pancras, we are sticking to London and the UK.” As reported by Propel earlier this year, the company is now looking at how it “can take new steps in this challenging market in the near future” with a local franchisee. Overstraeten said: “Now that the UK has left the EU, Le Pain Quotidien will rely on its franchise model more than ever, as well as the know-how of local partners. Therefore, we are embarking on a new chapter in the UK, with our successful flagship store at St Pancras station in London to be our anchor there. Meanwhile, we are holding talks with potential partners in the UK for new franchises in cities, travel hubs and hotels. This is the foundation of Le Pain Quotidien’s strategy to grow. This way of working with local partners works for us: local players know the local market best. We have therefore decided to fully commit further to this model in the UK as it allows us to grow sustainably. For 2023, Le Pain Quotidien will be committed more than ever to franchising as the foundation of its strategy to grow in markets outside Belgium, especially outside the EU. Currently, we are present in 15 countries, and by the end of this year, five new ones will be added.”

 

Sponsored message – Santa Maria launches ‘Loaded’ recipe range: Santa Maria, the out-of-home food provider, has launched its latest solution – Loaded – a range of “dirty and decadent downloadable recipes” that are designed specifically to drive footfall and increase spend per head across operators in pubs and bars. Santa Maria’s taste creator, Barney MacAdam, said: “With ‘treating’ the number one mission for eating and drinking out, as consumers continue to seek out affordable treats that are kind on the purse strings, there is an opportunity for out-of-home operators to drive revenue by offering an elevated food experience through simple twists and upgrades. The Loaded concept has a range of irresistible loaded recipes that are oozing with flavour, based around three core categories – burgers, fries and nachos – chosen for their popularity among consumers, operational simplicity and versatility for ‘loading up’. With one of the main appeals of loaded dishes being the additional revenue opportunity they present as operators can charge more for them than regular, plain dishes, Loaded helps deliver a great dining experience for consumers and also strong profits that directly benefit operators’ bottom line.” To download the Loaded solution or to book a free demo of Santa Maria’s cheddar cheese sauce that features in many of the recipes, click here. If you have a sponsored message you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Sessions COO and director of F&B to speak at Propel summer conference and party, three free places per company for operators: Jack Anderson, chief operating officer of Sessions, the growth platform for food brands and food hall concept operator, and Olivia Reid, its director of food and beverage, will be among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference and summer party on Wednesday, 6 September, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry. The all-day conference will focus on “new directions” and will be followed in the evening by the summer party, with a barbecue and five hours of live music, including a three-hour set from the famous house band at Piano Works. Anderson and Reid will discuss operating and licensing Sessions’ own brands, investing in new concepts, deciding what operators to work with, and the future of food halls. Three free places per company for operators can be claimed. A room can also be booked for the evening. For more details, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

One day to go before the next edition of The New Openings Database release, to show details of 48 new sites, 3,000-word report included: The next edition of The New Openings Database will show the details of 48 newly announced site openings and upcoming launches for Premium subscribers when it is published tomorrow (Friday, 7 July), at midday, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. It will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis, and the next edition features growing restaurant and bakery brands, niche cuisine, and expanding experiential concepts. Premium subscribers will also receive a 3,000-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium subscribers are also to receive access to all the videos from this month’s Propel Multi-Club Conference featuring the sector’s finest female leaders and entrepreneurs. Premium subscribers will be sent 11 videos next Friday (14 July) at 9am, where female sector leaders share the lessons they have learned and moving forward. Premium subscribers also receive access to four other databases: the Propel Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate; 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.

June sales see highest year-on-year increase so far in 2023, led by London: Hospitality sales in June saw the highest year-on-year increase so far in 2023, with a 7.8% uplift, the latest data from people, productivity and payroll system S4labour reveals. This spike is largely due to London sales, which were 15.7% ahead of 2022 levels, while non-London regions saw an uplift of 6.0%. Food and drink were split fairly evenly outside of London, with 6.2% and 5.9% year-on-year growth respectively. The capital was driven by a 16.2% increase in drink sales, with food sales growth sitting just below that at 14.9%. Chief growth officer at S4labour, Richard Hartley, said: “In line with rising temperatures, this is what we would expect to see as this June was the hottest to date. This quarter has seen growth on 2022 sales, with April at 3.3% and May at 2.7%. As we move into the second half of the year, good weather and holidays should continue to work towards offsetting inflation and rising interest rates.”

 

Sainsbury’s CEO – food inflation starting to fall but higher prices here to stay: Food inflation is starting to fall but will not return to levels seen before the start of the cost-of-living crisis, Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts has warned. He said the worst of the food price squeeze was over. “Food inflation is starting to fall, and we are fully committed to passing on savings to our customers,” he said. “Inflation is still going to be a challenge and customers need to be assured we are really on their side.” Roberts agreed with recent comments by Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy that food prices would not return to levels seen before the war in Ukraine because energy costs “are still high” and labour costs have been “elevated permanently”. He said: “Of course, everyone wants to see inflation come down faster than it is, but the reality is it’s taken longer to come down because of these components.” Roberts added relatively high food price inflation would remain until at least the end of the year, with packaged goods prices taking longer to reduce than on fresh foods such as dairy. Food and drink inflation was 18.3% in May, according to official data, and the latest index of food prices compiled by the British Retail Consortium showed the annual food inflation rate eased for a second month to 14.6% in June.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a food retail business that is looking for brand and local store marketing manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “As such, you will play a vital role in supporting the expansion of the business and brands. Reporting to the chief marketing officer, you will take ownership of executing the annual marketing calendar and driving brand awareness at both national and local store levels. To thrive in this position, you should have previous experience in brand marketing and local store marketing, ideally within the food or multi-site retail environment, with a focus on hospitality. Ideally, you would be a seasoned marketer with a minimum of three to four years of experience as a local store marketing manager, brand or senior brand manager, preferably in a disruptive, fast-growing start-up or brand in the retail or food and beverage industry.” The salary is up to £55,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email gemma@corecruitment.com.

 

WatchHouse appoints Julie Centracchio as new FD, makes regional debut: Edition Capital-backed coffee concept WatchHouse has appointed Julie Centracchio, previously of JD Wetherspoon, Peach Pub Company and Boston Tea Party, as its new finance director, Propel has learned. Centracchio has over two decades of experience in senior roles within the hospitality industry and WatchHouse said she brings “a wealth of experience at a crucial time for the business” as it launches its first regional ‘House’ opening in Bath. Centracchio stepped down as chief financial officer at Boston Tea Party at the end of last year. She joined the all-day dining business in autumn 2019 after more than two years as finance director at Peach Pub Company. Located on the historic Old Bond Street in Bath’s central conservation area, the 80-cover WatchHouse Bath represents the business’ first foray outside of London, and the group’s 12th site in total. WatchHouse said it continues to build its opening pipeline as it scales its property estate. Its next London House will open in Covent Garden in late July, with additional Houses in Belsize Park, Hampstead and Fenchurch Street set to open later this year. Outside of the UK, WatchHouse will launch its first international House in New York with Brookfield Properties later this year to kick start its expansion in the city. Chief executive and founder Roland Horne said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Julie to WatchHouse ahead of our first regional House opening in Bath today. The business has been presented with a number of opportunities of late, and Julie will be integral to us developing these as part of a controlled and profitable expansion of our core business. Our main focus remains the home market, and Bath represents the first step of a regional roll out across the UK. At the same time, we continue to build our opening pipeline across London and prepare for the launch of our international flagship House in New York.”

 

Three Michelin-starred London restaurant Sketch returns to profit as business builds back from covid: Three Michelin-starred London restaurant Sketch has reported turnover increased to £14,382,949 for the year ending 30 November 2022 compared with £7,928,817 the previous year as the business builds back from covid. For the year ending 30 November 2019 the Mayfair venue turned over £16,594,303 – the last full year before the pandemic. The business made a pre-tax profit of £661,364 compared with a loss of £819,105 the year before (2019: profit of £1,219,793). Holding company Sacred River owes £696,970 borrowed through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (2021: £1,450,000), which is payable by June 2025. The hub comprises four separate areas – the Gallery, The Lecture Room, The Parlour and The Glade – as well as a shop. Sketch was awarded three Michelin stars in 2020.

 

Various Eateries appoints Connie Salmon as its new FD: Various Eateries, the Coppa Club and Noci operator, has appointed Connie Salmon, formerly of Liaise and Novus Leisure, as its new finance director, Propel has learned. Salmon joins the Yishay Malkov-led business after three years as finance director at health care services company Liaise. Previous to that, she spent nearly three years at bar operator Novus, including 15 months as its finance director. At Various Eateries, she will work under Sharon Badelek, who joined the business in April as its new chief financial officer. Badelek was previously chief financial officer and then chief executive of Novus. Speaking to Propel at the end of last month, Malkov said the business was having to work harder than ever to make sure sales translate into a “decent return”. It comes after the company’s chairman, Andy Bassadone, said that the scale of the squeeze on margins was unprecedented in his 35 years’ experience in the industry. Malkov told Propel: “Sales are holding up okay. Actually, they are decent, but the visibility on the plans we had back in March has gone. People are still going out, and it seems they like what we’re giving them, but the costs along the way have really thrown us out of kilter. There’s a bit of work to be done to get us back there, but we will do it.”

 

D&D London closes Canary Wharf-based Plateau: D&D London, which owns and operates circa 40 restaurants across the UK and internationally, has closed its Plateau restaurant in London’s Canary Wharf, citing covid’s “major impact on the corporate market”. The company, which is currently exploring its options, has operated the site since 2006. Chief executive David Loewi said: “Plateau has been a much-loved Canary Wharf restaurant since D&D acquired the site in 2006. But, as we all know, covid-19 had a major impact on the corporate market and footfall in the city has fallen. Alongside other economic challenges, and the unstable labour market, we have sadly, after much consideration, decided to cease trading in this restaurant. D&D London intends to look after the restaurant’s greatly valued staff and management and wherever possible will seek to offer exciting positions in our other venues. D&D restaurants, however, continue to trade well and are having a strong summer.” Last month, Propel revealed that private equity firm LDC had exited its investment in D&D London after a decade of supporting the company. LDC transferred shareholder control in D&D to Beechbrook Capital. Beechbrook has been “committed investors” in D&D since 2017, when it provided a mezzanine loan to part-refinance LDC’s and the management’s shareholder loans. Interpath, which had previously been advising the business, has now been reappointed to sound out the market as D&D seeks further investment to support its transformation plan. Earlier this year, D&D London ceased trading four of its UK-based sites – East 59th (Leeds), Klosterhaus (Bristol) and Avenue and Radici (London). Klosterhaus, East 59th and Avenue were included in the seven sites Propel revealed that D&D London had placed on the market last November.

 

McDonald’s franchisee sees turnover increase to £60m: McDonald’s franchisee MLS Operations, which operates 15 restaurants in Surrey and Hampshire, has reported turnover increased to £59,930,069 for the year ending 30 December 2022 compared with £43,054,866 the previous year. Pre-tax profit fell to £240,837 from £3,122,032 the year before. The company added one store to its portfolio during the period. The restaurant opened in December 2022 at Liphook services on the A3 in Hampshire, creating more than 100 jobs. With the rise in delivery and the way customers order, the outlet offers a separate “McDelivery only” area, which allows delivery drivers to go in and out of a dedicated courier entrance and service area and “reduces congestion in the dining area of the restaurant”. Net assets of the company stood at £3.2m (2021: £3.2m). A dividend of £108,000 was paid (2021: £348,000). The franchise is run by Mark Schweizer, who started as a part-time crew member with the company in 1981. He rose through the ranks, including becoming an operations director and head of restaurant services, before becoming a franchisee in 2017.

Ivy Collection appoints Jasper Cheung as marketing director: The Ivy Collection, the Richard Caring-backed restaurant chain, has appointed Jasper Cheung, formerly of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, as its new marketing director. Chueng joins the Ivy restaurant and Ivy Asia operator after more than eight years at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, including nearly seven years as its director of public relations. He also had a brief stint as director of marketing and communications at the Emirate Palace Mandarin Oriental. Last December, it was reported that Caring had sold a further 25% of his restaurant business, which includes Bill’s and the Ivy Collection, to Sheikh Hamad Bin-Jassim Bin-Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar, making them 50/50 partners. 

The Times – number of bidders drop out of £4bn Center Parcs race: A number of prospective bidders have dropped out of the race to buy Center Parcs in a £4bn deal. First-round bids were due towards the end of June, with Brookfield Property Partners, which has owned Center Parcs since 2015, taking a handful of parties through to the second stage. However, two of the favourites – CVC Capital Partners, the buyout group, and Blackstone, which sold Center Parcs to Brookfield – are no longer in the running, reports The Times. Aermont, the owner of Pinewood film studios, is also understood to have withdrawn from the sales process, which is being run by Bank of America, Barclays and Eastdil Secured. French-based infrastructure fund Antin is still involved, as is Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, Government Investment Corporation, although it is thought that neither wants to own Center Parcs outright, preferring to find a partner. KSL Capital Partners, the private equity firm that bought the Pig Hotels chain last year, is the other party still left in the process, according to another source. Brookfield and Center Parcs declined to comment. However, people briefed on the talks insisted the process is ongoing and that several bids are still on the table. Center Parcs operates five sites in England and sought to open a sixth, near Crawley in West Sussex, but had to scrap those plans earlier this year after completing an environmental survey. The uncertainty of any new owner’s ability to expand through opening new sites is thought to be one of the factors behind would-be buyers’ hesitancy. Center Parcs’ UK and Ireland operations are owned separately to the European business that also trades under the brand. Brookfield paid Blackstone £2.4bn to acquire Center Parcs eight years ago. Its occupancy is up at 98%.

 

Mission Mars lines up Nottingham site for Rudy’s: Mission Mars has further strengthened the openings pipeline for its Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana brand after lining up a site in Nottingham. The company, which will open its third Birmingham site under its Rudy’s brand later this week, plans to open a site in the old Midlands Bank site on the city’s Victoria Street. The business will open in the former Hawkshead Taphouse at 77 High Street, Harborne, this weekend. As part of its three-year plan, Mission Mars is looking to open six to eight Rudy’s sites per year. It currently operates 17 and has several others in legals. It is also set to open a new hospitality academy and relaunch its bake-at-home business at its new Portland Street site in Manchester, which opened in May.

 

Greene King develops food offer for Hive branded pubs: Brewer and retailer Greene King has developed and launched a new food offer for its Hive pubs brand, which it says has already led to an increase in like-for-like sales and spend per head. The company said the new menus mark a “significant step in the development” of the Hive Pubs concept as the offer is tailored based on “the nuances of the customers and communities they serve”. The majority of the current 35-strong Hive Pubs estate will now offer a “core menu” of pub classics and favourites alongside “exciting new dishes from various categories including small plates, tacos, flatbreads and a katsu curry”. The business said that those Hive Pubs with a smaller food focus will provide a more simplified menu centred on pub classics, enabling franchisees to focus on delivering a smaller selection of dishes with “precision and excellence”. For franchisees seeking to provide a more significant food offer, an extended menu is now also available which includes premium dishes such as risotto, lamb shank and an Eton Mess Sundae. In addition, seasonal specials will also be incorporated into the food offer, whereby franchisees will be able to select their own specials. New deals and promotions have been incorporated into the offer including 2-4-1 burgers on Tuesdays, Pizza and Moretti Wednesdays and a steak dinner for two offer on Thursdays. Dan Robinson, managing director of Greene King Pub Partners, said: “These new menus are an exciting and important step in the development of Hive Pubs and our franchise offer as a whole. The menus and enticing promotions will appeal to customers, enabling our franchisees to grow their revenues. Seasonal specials also mean franchisees can showcase their creativity and get innovative with their menus. Already our franchisees are seeing the impact of the new menus, with like-for-like sales and spend per head all increasing since their introduction.”

 

Fraser Hospitality’s UK operations reports turnover returning to pre-pandemic levels but losses increase: Fraser Hospitality’s UK operations has reported turnover almost returned to pre-pandemic levels in the year ending 30 September 2022 but losses increased. The group, which operates five London hotels and two in Scotland as part of a worldwide portfolio of circa 70 sites, turned over £8,653,000 in the period, up from £4,674,000 in 2021. This was almost back to the £8,842,000 reported in the last full year before the pandemic, ending 30 September 2019. Its pre-tax loss grew from £122,000 in 2021 to £1,116,000 (2019: profit of £338,000). The company received £3,000 in government grants compared with £224,000 in 2021. The directors said parent company Fraser Property will continue to support the company, including if needed, not seeking repayment of the £5,788,000 made available for the year. Director Gustaaf Bakker, in his statement accompanying the accounts, said: “The results of the group for the year are in line with directors’ expectations. As the general pandemic-related restrictions lifted in the UK, demand for our properties increased significantly from March 2022, with a returning appetite for both business and leisure travel. Despite numerous challenges, as we brought our properties back to our high operating standards, we registered significantly improved occupancy levels compared with the previous financial year. Top-line revenues showed significant improvement against the last financial year, reflecting how our properties, with their strong brand and strategic locations, were especially popular among domestic and international travellers. The senior management team remains optimistic about the group’s future prospects and ability to thrive and deliver growth.”

 

Cumbrian operator acquires country hotel off £1.6m guide price for third site: Cumbrian operator Osprey Management Group has acquired its third site. The business has bought Hunday Manor Hotel near Workington off a guide price of £1.6m. The country house hotel has 27 bedrooms, a 70-seat restaurant, cocktail bar and conference and banqueting rooms for up to 250 guests. Osprey also operates The Galloping Horse in High Harrington and The Peddler in Whitehaven, employing more than 50 staff. The company said it plans to refurbish its latest acquisition. Managing director Craig Lowery said: “Hunday Manor Hotel is a great business ideally located on the edge of the Lake District National Park and is located near our other establishments. We are thrilled with the addition of the hotel to our portfolio.”

 

Lester Hotels puts Usk hotel and spa into liquidation as group returns to profit: Lester Hotels, which operates two hotel and spas in Wales, has put one of its properties into liquidation as the group returned to profit in the year ending 30 September 2022. The group, which also operates the Nant Ddu Lodge & Spa in the Brecon Beacons National Park, placed Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel & Spa, in Usk, into liquidation post year-end. The 17th century former manor house has since been put on the market and remains open while a new buyer is found. “Moving forward, the group will only operate the trade of one hotel and continue to lease its other hotel property in north London,” director Simon Lester said. “In addition to this, the directors are in the process of selling the asset held in Gibraltar.” The group said it was selling its Gibraltar investment in order to fully pay down all its bank borrowings. It comes as the group turned a £335,624 pre-tax loss in 2021 to a profit of £216,016 in the period. This compares with a loss of £874,664 in the last full year before the pandemic, ending 29 September 2019. Turnover increased from £3,688,710 in 2021 to £5,851,681 (2019: £5,774,619). The company received £6,220 in government grants compared with £1,331,369 in 2021. No dividends were paid (2021: nil). Lester said: “The directors acknowledge the improvement in performance is mainly due the decision to lease out its London hotel (with its gross operating profit up 21.9%) and the lifting of covid restrictions (which saw revenue rise in its two trading hotels by 68.6%). Occupancy levels at the two trading hotels rose significantly from 49% to 64%, with only a marginal effect on the average daily room rate, which dropped from £70.50 to £69.23. Staffing has been an issue within the industry during the year with costs increasing by circa 11% and retention of staff initially proving difficult. However, the group is now in a more settled position, with annual pay rate rises returning to near normal levels and retention issues easing.” 

 

Travelodge seeking further 127 sites in London as it opens 80th hotel in capital with Peckham launch: Travelodge has said it is on the hunt for a further 127 sites in London after opening its 80th hotel in the capital. The launch in Peckham marks the group’s 597th hotel and one of three it intends to open in London this year. The other two are situated at the Oval cricket ground and in Beckenham. The 52-bedroom site in Peckham High Street has created about 20 jobs. A spokeswoman said: “As we look ahead, London remains a key growth area and we are currently searching for a further 127 sites across the capital to open a Travelodge hotel. This expansion programme would more than double Travelodge’s presence in London and could represent an investment of nearly £3bn for third party investors and create more than 6,000 jobs.”

Eggless cake concept opens second Kent branch, set to make Buckinghamshire debut: Eggless cake concept Cake House Bakery has opened its second Kent branch and is set to make its Buckinghamshire debut. It has opened at 163 High Street in Chatham, adding to its other Kent site, in Gravesend. It is also opening soon at 212 Desborough Road in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The concept also has two Slough stores and one each in Harrow, Southall, Hayes and Leicester. Owner Rick Bhambra, who started the business in 2020, said: “We cater for everybody with a quality product that is great value for money. We have state-of-the-art prep kitchens, so all our cakes are fresh and made on site. There is a huge market for cakes, and we were very keen to open in Chatham – the area was missing a good cake shop.” The store will be run by franchisees Rajwant Singh and Reetpal Kaur Brar, reports Kent Online.

 

North London operators set to open second site for French marketplace concept: North London operators Amaury Levisalles, Matthieu Sevagen and Alexandre Bal are set to open a second site for their French marketplace concept. The trio, along with Vincent Ilunga, opened Authentique Epicerie & Bar at 114a-116 Fortress Road in Tufnell Park, north London, in 2018. This was followed by artisanal French bakery, wine and food shop The French Market at 1,324-1,326 High Street in Totteridge & Whetstone in 2021. That same year, they returned to Tufnell Park to open Tufnell Park Bakery, at 146a Fortress Road, after bringing on board baker Mathieu Lagrange. The team has now taken of the former Lara’s Italian cafe site at 16 Blackstock Road in Finsbury Park for a second The French Market, opening this summer. Unlike its Whetstone branch, the Finsbury Park shop won’t be selling wine to start with, but will offer a range of pastries, breads and sandwiches, French cheese and charcuterie, reports Hot Dinners.

 

Singaporean restaurateur Michael Lim opens second London site: Singaporean restaurateur Michael Lim has opened a second branch of his restaurant Uli – 26 years after launching the Notting Hill original. The new branch is in Marylebone’s Seymour Village. The original Uli opened in All Saints Road in 1997, and moved to new premises in Ladbroke Road a few years ago, reports Hardens.

 

Edinburgh Indian restaurant to open in Glasgow: Edinburgh Indian restaurant Tantra is to open a venue in Glasgow. On Instagram, it said: “We have been keeping a secret. Continuing our mission to shake up Indian cuisine, Tantra is coming to Glasgow. Keep your eyes peeled. More information will follow in due course.” Tantra serves Indian dishes, with an “aim to take traditional Indian cuisine into another dimension”.