Exclusive – Caffè Nero currently ‘doesn’t have a cap to its UK store growth’, expects to open debut drive-thru site next spring: Caffè Nero founder and group chief executive Gerry Ford has told Propel that the company doesn’t currently have a cap on its store growth in the UK, and that it expects to open its first drive thru site next spring. Earlier today the group, which operates more than 1,000 stores across ten countries, including in excess of 620 sites here, reported UK sales were up 13.5% for the three months to 31 August 2023 compared with last year. On what he sees as the optimum size of the business in the UK and what new formats the business was exploring, Ford told Propel: “We have a strong new store opening pipeline for this year. We will continue to open stores where the right locations are available which suit our brand. Currently, we don’t have a cap to our store growth. We have always looked at the right environments and formats for our business, and we will continue to do so. We have one drive thru we expect to open in the spring 2024. We hope to open a second such outlet not too long after that.” In terms of the current challenges the business is facing, Ford said: “As is the case with all hospitality, we are facing significant costs hitting our business due to inflationary pressure. Our focus is on innovating our product range to appeal to customers and on the service we deliver, engaging with customers and driving loyalty.” Ford said all the group’s international territories are “performing well”. He said: “We have seen strong sales across the group during Q1 which has left us well placed as we enter the festive season. We have almost 300 Caffe Nero stores in international territories, with a strong pipeline for the current year. The US has 40 stores so far and is continuing to grow.” On what consumers are currently looking for from the coffee sector, Ford said: “Customers have shown they are looking for high-quality coffee. We have seen strong sales of our single origin coffees, and our new Winter Blend has seen a very strong launch. Coffee over ice is also proving to be popular year-round rather than just during the summer months.” During the group’s first quarter, it opened 18 new stores across its ten different territories, with nine of those in the UK. The group also continued its major Capex programme, with more than 20 stores refurbished in the quarter in the UK. A further 100 stores are scheduled for refurbishment during the remainder of the financial year. Caffè Nero features in the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book. Its revenue for the year to 31 May 2022 was £349,083,000, the 27th 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 kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

Premium subscribers to receive next Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage today: Premium subscribers will receive the next edition of the Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage today (Friday, 20 October) at midday. This month’s edition will feature 751 companies and more than 203,000 words of content. 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. Premium subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate; the New Openings Database; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database; the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book; and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. Premium subscribers are also to get access to the videos from this month’s Talent and Training Conference. They will be sent 13 videos on Friday, 27 October at 9am. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. Premium subscribers are also being given exclusive access to the recording and slides to Propel Multi-Club Conferences. They 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.

 

Pret UK MD Clare Clough to speak at final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2023, three free places per company for operators: Clare Clough, UK managing director at Pret A Manger, will be among the speakers at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2023. The conference takes place on Thursday, 16 November, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London’s Kensington, and is open for bookings. The all-day conference, which almost 400 people have booked to attend, will focus on “progress in an era of strong headwinds”. Clough will talk about the transformation of the iconic brand from London-focused grab-and-go operator to an omnichannel, nationwide business. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company by emailing kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

Luke Johnson – society could be witnessing the death of dance: Sector investor Luke Johnson has argued that society could be witnessing the death of dance – with the number of nightclubs halving in the last ten years and so many more distractions for millennials and Generation Z guests. The entrepreneur and co-founder of Risk Capital Partners has been involved in the ownership and operation of venues offering music and dancing since 1980 and said the trade “has gone from one of growth and optimism to one facing a constant struggle to survive”. Writing exclusively in today’s (Friday, 20 October) Propel Premium Opinion, Johnson said his chief apprehension is the reverse of those experienced by parents in years gone by: “that teenagers and twenty-somethings in 2023 aren’t dancing enough”. He said: “Does it matter that dancing is going out of fashion? Many other social habits have disappeared, and few really mourn their passing. Yet dancing is not just an incredibly widespread and enduring part of human culture, but also an art form of sorts, and one in which many millions of younger people participated in almost religiously every weekend until pretty recently. I hope future generations do not give up on it.” Johnson will share more of his thoughts in today’s Premium Opinion, which will be sent to Premium subscribers at 5pm. 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 kai.kirkman@propelinfo to upgrade your subscription. 

 

CAMRA calls for extended duty cut on alcohol served in pubs and more help with business rates and energy costs: Action from chancellor Jeremy Hunt to cut duty on beer and cider served in pubs, extend help with business rates and deliver a fair deal on energy costs is needed to save the future of the UK’s pubs, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has said. Ahead of next month’s autumn statement, CAMRA also called for the end of the ban on take-home draught beer and cider from most pubs and festivals. CAMRA chairman Nik Antona said: “This really is a make-or-break moment for the future of the nation’s beloved pubs and social clubs, which are at the heart of community life. In August, the government’s new alcohol duty system introduced a lower rate of tax charged on draught beer and cider served in pubs, clubs and taprooms. To really protect and promote pub-going, the chancellor should reduce draught beer and cider duty further – and give our locals a fighting chance with the likes of supermarket alcohol. The government should also axe the red tape that bans pubs selling take-home beer and cider from draught-duty containers which is a lifeline, particularly in rural communities. As customers continue to tighten their belts, licensees, brewers, and cider makers face an uncertain economic future as they don’t know what their business rates or energy bills will look like in the next year.” 

 

Pizza Pilgrims – around 100 managers have graduated through our academy, running skills labs to help train starters: Leanne Gunson, head of learning and development at Pizza Pilgrims, has said the business has graduated around 100 managers through its academy since its launch in 2020, as it extends training into further sites. The company opened its academy as part of its restaurant in Camden, which opened in March 2020, a week before the first lockdown. Talking at this month’s Propel Talent & Training Conference, Gunson said the business was new working on the “academy 2.0”, which meant taking its learnings on the road. She said: “Camden is fully functioning restaurant, but a trainee can’t get everything they need out of working in that one site. We’ve now got the academy on tour and we now have lots of our pizzerias, as an extension of our academy, as accredited training sites. The academy is still a fantastic training space which sets the standard for the rest of the business. But now we are making sure that new managers are getting the experience they need by working in other sites.” Gunson said the business had launched new skills labs after feedback from staff around training new starters. She said: “We run meetings called Pilgrims Progress where a nominated representative from each pizzeria brings questions to the head office team. We take all of these comments in, provide answers and deliver it back to the team. Something we got from the last meeting was again this feeling that there’s not always enough time to give the dedicated training we need on someone’s first week. So, we’re now running what we call skills labs. We have a front of house and a back of house lab where we focus on things like drinks training and wine training, the guest experience and building a connection with your guest, plus the health and safety bits. You can do your online training, but it’s seeing it in real life which was being asked for.” Gunson’s presentation will be among those from the Propel Talent & Training Conference sent to Premium subscribers at 9am on Friday, 27 October. 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 kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. 

 

Team behind Afrikana set to bring French taco concept to UK: The team behind African restaurant chain Afrikana is set to bring a French taco concept to the UK, Propel has learned. Afrikana managing director Omair Ali is also the managing director of City Restaurants Group (CRG), which is looking to bring Tacosmash, which has a site in Paris’ Rue Jussieu, to London. Tacosmash offers smash burgers, French tacos and a range of sides and milkshakes. Its London location has not yet been confirmed but it will also include an arcade space. “Allo London! It’s almost time for the #tacosmashtakeover,” CRG posted on social media. “From the bustling streets of Paris to the heart of London, Tacosmash is here to take over the UK. Original French tacos, insane smash burgers and mad milkshakes. But wait, there’s more! A whole arcade!” Afrikana operates 13 sites under its Afrikana and Lil’ Afrikana concepts, its most recent opening coming earlier this month in London’s O2. Afrikana’s brand and marketing director Syeda Kayanath, who is also behind bubble tea concept Mowchi, told Propel in January that Afrikana is targeting 20 UK sites by the end of 2023. 

 

District to open fourth London site: London coffee shop concept District is to open its fourth site in the capital, in Battersea, Propel understands. The business, which was founded by Chelsea Finch in 2017, will open in Parkgate Road later this autumn. Finch currently operates District sites in Parsons Green, Mayfair and Nine Elms. Last year, she launched coffee and wine bar Where’s Fred’s in Frederick’s Place in the City.

 

Ramen and dumpling concept Afuri plans UK launch: Afuri, the international ramen and dumpling brand, is set to make its debut in the UK, in London’s Fitzrovia, Propel has learned. Afuri, which operates 12 sites internationally and is led by Taichi Ishizuki, is set to open at 22-24 Torrington Place, near Tottenham Court Road. Ishizuki opened the first international Afuri site in the US, in Portland, Oregon, in 2016. It has since expanded further in the US and into Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and Portugal.

 

McDonald’s franchisee sees FY turnover top £134m but posts pre-tax loss, acquires five new sites: Capital Arches Group, the circa 35-strong, London-based McDonald’s franchise operated by Claude Abi-Gerges, saw its turnover top £134m last year but slipped from a pre-tax profit of £8,283,125 to a loss of £601,967 on the back of “significant cost pressures”. Turnover for the year to 31 December 2022 stood at £134,638,185 (2021: £91,719,672), with a gross profit margin of 66.05% (2021: 69.75%). The company said: “Despite an improvement in turnover, significant cost pressures in relation to food and staff costs have led to a fall in the gross margin. Alongside this, gross margin fall increases across a number of administrative expenses, particularly rent, service fees and electricity costs, resulted in an operating loss. The trading losses are offset in part by the reversal of £832,517 of impairment losses taken during the year ended 31 December 2020. The delivery service continues to see demand, with the addition of Deliveroo and the McDonald’s app expanding the online offering to four platforms. High street restaurants have also seen a continued recovery in trade as overall footfall has returned to something closer to pre-pandemic levels. Gross profit margins fell due to the increase in food costs. The increase in the National Living Wage from April 2022 also increased labour costs, adding further pressure on overall operating margins. From 31 March 2022, the company lost the benefit of the reduced VAT rate. Business rate relief was received at 66% up to 31 March 2022 and then at 50% (up to a maximum of £110,000) for the remainder of the year. During the year, the company received a capital contribution of £3,846,085 in support from the franchisor and 51% equity owner.” Last year, the company closed two restaurants – in St Martin’s Lane and King’s Cross. However, two new restaurants were added in the year, with an acquisition at Kentish Town and new restaurant opening in Wandsworth. Propel understands that last month, Capital Arches added five new McDonald’s sites based in and around Harlow and Hertford to its portfolio.

 

Snowfox Group opens first Bento kiosk outside North America: Snowfox Group, which owns the YO!, Panku and Taiko brands, has opened the first site outside North America under its Bento concept, in Dublin. The business has opened a Bento kiosk in the M&S Liffey Valley in the Irish capital. It said: “To mark the opening of the first Irish Bento Sushi, we’ve created a new sushi recipe exclusive to M&S. The Sláinte Roll features tender chicken katsu and avocado rolled in spicy shichimi, drizzled with curry mayo, Irish stout teriyaki and finished with crunchy umami potato crisps.” Last month, Japanese foodservice company Zensho Holdings completed its acquisition of the Snowfox Group in a deal valued at $621m (£494.5m). The business operates 52 restaurants and 328 kiosks in the UK, including 300 kiosks with Tesco and more than 130 within Asda supermarkets. The business told Propel it has a number of “exciting franchising opportunities” within these locations. Last year, it began a franchise trial in the UK with a Panku kiosk in an Asda in Peterborough. 

 

Kiss the Hippo and Dez Amore both set to open sixth sites, in London’s Chelsea: Speciality coffee shop Kiss the Hippo and Italian street food restaurant Dez Amore are both set to open their sixth sites, in London’s Chelsea. Both have signed for sites within the Sloane Stanley Estate, along with a debut location for Kings342, a new coffee bar and street food concept from the team behind Street Food Markets. Dez Amore will open a 1,178 square-foot unit at 273 Fulham Road – joining its sites in Mayfair, Elephant & Castle, Wood Wharf, Camden and Canary Wharf. Co-founder Leonardo Masi said: “We are so pleased to be launching our flagship restaurant in this sought after location. Our concept has moved from strength to strength over the last few years, with this site marking a key signing for our expansion plans in the capital.” Kiss The Hippo will open a 600 square-foot café at 285 Fulham Road – joining its two Fitzrovia locations and one each in Shoreditch, King’s Cross and Richmond. Creative director Maya Zara said: “We’re beyond excited to bring Chelsea the most delicious and sustainable coffee, handcrafted with passion and precision.” Kings342 will take a 1,277 square-foot unit at 342 King’s Road, combining Filipino culinary traditions with handcrafted cocktails and live entertainment. Chiara Ciroldi acted on behalf of Dez Amore while Smith Price represented Kiss the Hippo and Kings342/Street Food Markets dealt direct. Miles Commercial and Savills represented the Sloane Stanley Estate.

 

Chipotle lines up Putney opening: US brand Chipotle is set to further increase its presence in London with an opening in Putney. The brand, which currently operates 17 sites in the UK – 15 in London plus one each  in Watford and Guildford – is set to open in the former Santander bank building in Putney High Street. It follows a recent opening on the former Hisar restaurant site in Lordship Lane, East Dulwich. Earlier this week, Propel reported that the brand saw turnover for its UK business climb to £17.9m for the year to 31 December 2022 (£11.1m), as it said it continued to focus on “enhancing the digital capabilities” in its restaurants here to “accelerate revenue growth and profitability in the future”. The company, which operated 13 sites during the period, saw its pre-tax losses widen from £5.9m in 2021 to £7.6m last year. The company said: “We will continue to focus on enhancing the digital capabilities in the UK restaurants to accelerate revenue growth and profitability in the future. There are seven more new stores scheduled to be opened in 2023.” 

 

The Beautiful Pubs Collective in expansion talks as sales growth in 2023 follows 28% lfl rise in 2022, staff retention at all-time high: The Beautiful Pubs Collective has told Propel it is in expansion talks as its sales growth in 2023 follows a 28% like-for-like rise in 2022, and that staff retention is at an all-time high. The business, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary, came out of the pandemic with three sites – the Rutland & Derby Arms and the Knight & Garter in Leicester and The Forge Inn in Glenfield – after exiting another Leicester site, the King Richard III. It has marked the anniversary by investing £200,000 in its “original Beautiful Pub”, The Forge Inn, in collaboration with Leicestershire brewer and retailer Everards. It follows sales growth to £3,383,113 in the year ending 31 December 2022, with The Beautiful Pubs Collective founder Sam Hagger saying that despite economic challenges, sales have continued to grow on a similar trajectory during its current financial year, driven by its teams’ “locally renowned standard of hospitality”. Hagger said: “Despite inflationary pressures heavily effecting our conversation, we decided 15 years of Beautiful Pubs was definitely worth celebrating and have continued to invest in our pubs, our teams and the communities we operate in. Our investment at The Forge Inn has evolved the pub like never before and we are delighted with the results. We are in conversations with various parties on expansion, but really consider if a new venue would be 30 minutes away from current Beautiful Pubs to allow strong operational support and would fit with an existing offering and potential earnings. Recruitment for skilled chefs and passionate hospitality leaders has been challenging, but our retention is the highest it’s been in 15 years.”

 

Google-backed hospitality jobs platform founded by ex-Kerb head of markets raises £500,000 to ‘shake up archaic hiring process’: Google-backed hospitality jobs platform Slinger, founded by Theo-Lee Houston, former head of markets at street food collective Kerb, has raised £500,000 to support its growth. The pre-seed funding round was led by Fuel Ventures with participation from other investors including ex-Google managing director Dan Cobley, Cornerstone Partners, Resolution Foundation and the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund. The new round of funding will be used to support Slinger’s goal to “shake up the archaic hiring process in the hospitality industry”. It will support the Slinger team to focus on product development, drive the effort to acquire new customers and grow the team to support its expansion plans. Houston said: “The hiring process for the hospitality industry is currently not fit for purpose and needs to be shaken up completely—we have a vision to make the CV redundant.” Houston worked in hospitality for nearly ten years, both on the worker and business side, having quit his career as an investment banker to run his own sector business. He worked at Kerb for five years, including as head of markets between 2018 and 2021. Fuel Ventures stated: “So many hospitality businesses have problems with staffing, businesses have had to reduce shifts or even shut on certain days because they don’t have the staff ,and this has very much exacerbated today as a result of Brexit. Slinger will provide the flexibility for gig workers and alleviate staff shortages by removing the key inefficiencies and roadblocks for people to grab well paid flexible shifts.”

 

SSP America lands Colorado Spring airport contract: SSP America, a division of SSP Group, the operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, has been awarded a contract with Colorado Springs airport (COS) to develop a portfolio of nine concepts. These include local craft brewer Atrevida Beer Co, quick service market concept Camden Food Co, hyper-local chef-driven concept Colorado Craft, better burger brand Drifter’s Hamburgers and Mexican cantina Mi Casa Cantina. Also included is the largest bagel brand in the US, Einstein Bros Bagels, along with sustainable coffee brand Peet’s, award-winning Neapolitan style pizza business Pizzeria Rustica and Street Eats, a full-service restaurant and bar by critically acclaimed chef Brother Luck. Vice president of business development Kyle Phillips said: “At SSP America we’re all about bringing cool, authentic restaurants to airports that reflect a taste of place, and we’re looking forward to redeveloping the portfolio at COS.” 

 

Morgan Pub Collective further adds to Oxford estate: Morgan Pub Collective, the multi-site operator led by Richard Morgan, has further added to its estate of sites in Oxford after acquiring The Grapes site in the city. The site in the city’s George Street was previously operated by West Berkshire Brewery and owned by City Pub Group. Earlier this month, Propel reported that Morgan Pub Collective had taken on its sixth pub with brewer and retailer Greene King, The Gardener’s Arms in Oxford. The pub, located in North Parade, Jericho, reopened after a £270,000 investment by Greene King. The Morgan Pub Collective operates more than ten pubs across London and the south, including the six pubs in partnership with Greene King.

 

Burrito franchise’s next location plans to be brand’s first to have late-night licence: Burrito franchise Plan Burrito’s next location plans to be the brand’s first to have a late-night licence. Franchisee Nitin Atulkar, who is set to open the brand’s second Kent site and tenth overall, in Canterbury’s St Margaret’s Street, has applied to open until 2am Monday to Thursday and 3am Friday and Saturday. All of the brand’s other sites close much earlier, apart from the one in London’s Southampton Row, which stays open until 12.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. Atulkar, who also works as a pharmacy dispenser in Gillingham, plans to open the site next month, in a former hairdressers, with wife Ankita, who is an assistant manager at Greggs and Subway. “The reason is to offer late-night quality food, but there have been some objections,” he told Kent Live. “Greggs is late-night and McDonald’s is 24-hours. At the moment, it will be open until 11pm until the licence is approved. There are food places already open until 2am so we know where we stand. Other Mexican places close early at 10pm or 11pm – we want to stay open late so there is a choice for people late at night.” Plan Burrito, founded by Stephen Hopper in 2015, has so far this year gone from three sites to nine with openings in Hitchin, Guildford, Leamington Spa, Ramsgate, Norwich and Shrewsbury. As well as Southampton Row, it also has sites in Loughborough and Whitburn.

 

London restaurant group Maginhawa to launch new Soho site: London restaurant group Maginhawa is to open a new Filipino restaurant in London’s Soho. The team behind the Mamasons and Panadera concepts in the capital is to open new venue Donia in Kingly Court. Founded by Omar Shah and Florence Mae Maglanoc in 1987 with the launch of Bintang Restaurant in Kentish Town Road, the company operates six sites in total across the capital. It also operates Ramo Ramen and Moi Moi Island in Camden. Distrkt acted on the Kingly Court deal. 

 

Black Sheep Coffee and Krispy Kreme to open at Gatwick airport: Gatwick airport is set to welcome its first Black Sheep Coffee and Krispy Kreme stores before Christmas, with new outlets opening across its north and south terminals. Giraffe World Kitchen is also extending its South Terminal restaurant. Menu items at Black Sheep Coffee – located landside in the South Terminal and airside in the North Terminal – will include a range of hot drinks, smoothies, shakes, toasted sandwiches, pastries, Norwegian waffles and the brand’s signature turmeric latte.  Krispy Kreme, opening airside in the North Terminal, will offer doughnuts, shakes, coffee and a range of soft drinks. Giraffe World Kitchen, which can be found before security in the South Terminal, will be expanding to provide nearly 60 extra covers across 119 additional square metres, including a new bar area. Operated by The Restaurant Group, the expanded site will provide a new-look menu, including breakfast, brunch, main meals and kids’ options. Eirik Holth and Gabriel Shohet, co-founders of Black Sheep Coffee, said: “With London Gatwick being the second busiest airport in the UK, we are looking forward to attracting a wide range of customers from all over the world and having them experience Black Sheep Coffee.” Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog is also set to open a site at the airport later this year. 

 

Chai Guys to open first bricks and mortar site: Indian-inspired concept Chai Guys is to open its first bricks and mortar site. The company, founded by Abhilash Jobanputra and Gabriel Unger, is launching Chai Guys Bakehouse in London’s Notting Hill next month. The bakery café in Portobello Road will offer a blend of chai and bakery items – both savoury and sweet – when it launches on Thursday, 23 November. The menu will feature recipes that draw inspiration from culinary traditions from France, Scandinavia, Japan, and India, including cardamom-infused chai spice milk bread, accompanied by a touch of salted butter. Jobanputra and Unger said: “Our journey began with a simple cup of chai in India, which ignited our passion for authentic flavours. Chai Guys Bakehouse is our way of sharing the love we have for these genuine tastes with the Notting Hill community and beyond. We’re excited to bring this unique blend of global flavours to our new bakery cafe.” The opening follows on from its market locations in Seven Dials Market, Covent Garden and in Old Spitalfields Market, Shoreditch.

 

KFC’s youth employability programme supports 500 people since launch: KFC has said that its youth employability programme, which it launched last year, has so far supported 500 people across 89 of its UK restaurants. The “Hatch” initiative was launched by KFC to eventually help some 6,000 young people across the UK who have faced barriers to employment and their first job. Meghan Farren, KFC UK & Ireland general manager, said: “As one of the largest youth employers in the country, we know the huge potential in every single young person. I have seen this first-hand through our national youth employability programme Hatch, which we launched last year in partnership with UK Youth to support young people into employment and build their work skills and confidence. Following a successful launch in Greater Manchester, we rolled out the eight-week programme to other areas including the West Midlands, the south east and Glasgow. I’m proud to say we have so far helped more than 500 young people across the country with one-to-one training, support and practical work experience. There is clearly a long way to go to open more doors for young people, but by 2030, a third of all new hires into KFC will be young people coming through our Hatch programme.”

 

North Wales hotel company acquires fourth site: North Wales hotel company Four Saints Hotels has acquired its fourth site. It has bought the 35-bedroom hotel Lawton & Lauriston Court Hotel, overlooking Llanduno Bay, from a guide asking price of £2m. The Victorian seafront hotel, which was originally three separate hotels, is the company’s fourth in Llandudno, alongside Four Saints Brig Y Don Hotel, Headland Hotel and White Heather Hotel, reports Insider Media. Owner Shoukry Rozek said: “Four Saints Hotels is proud to add the impressive Lawton & Lauriston Court Hotel to its portfolio. This elegant, top-end establishment will offer unforgettable experiences to our guests. Together with the team at the hotel, we are setting new heights for Four Saints Hotels and looking forward to the future.” 

 

Team behind Map Maison set to open new restaurant with rooms in east London: The team behind cocktail bar Map Maison in London is set to open new restaurant with rooms in the capital. Joseph Arowolo and Cecilia Biveson opened Map Maison in Dalston in 2015 and are also behind Map Petite Maison in Stockholm, Sweden. They are now preparing to launch La Bibliothèque in Haggerston, featuring a Mediterranean and Japanese-influenced restaurant and three boutique bedrooms. Opening on Thursday, 26 October, it will also have a bar serving up “innovative cocktails” and an extensive members’ whisky library, leading onto an outdoor terrace. Head chef James Mayle will prepare dishes such as kombu braised lamb shoulder with whipped onion soubise and fermented negi onion; and steamed turbot with a king prawn farci, sauce bouillabaisse and soft herbs. In the summer months, the terrace will have its own dedicated menu, featuring seasonal dishes, while a Japanese afternoon tea menu is set to launch in 2024. As with Map Maison, the venue will be launching its very own World Whisky Masterclass events, from December. The luxury rooms, two of which come equipped with their own kitchenette and one of which has its own private terrace, will open in December, starting from £200 per night. Co-founder Arowolo said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be opening our second venue in London and adding to our Map Family. Our new restaurant with rooms combines all the things we value most, including outstanding food, impressive drinks, a great atmosphere and exemplary service, both for those drinking and dining with us and those enjoying an overnight stay.”

 

Aqua Restaurant Group opens Italian seafood restaurant in Chelsea: Hong Kong-based Aqua Restaurant Group, the David Yeo-founded business that operates a portfolio of restaurants across the globe, has opened its new Italian seafood restaurant in London’s Chelsea. Azzurra in Sloane Street is the company’s seventh venue in the capital and includes a raw bar offering fish and seafood, a cocktail bar and a pizza counter. The restaurant will be open for weekend brunch and lunch through the afternoons, with Italian pastries and gelato, and then aperitivo and dinner in the evenings.  Yeo said: “From a personal standpoint, Italy, and in particular the Amalfi Coast, has long held a fascination with me. We want to bring the essence of the Amalfi Coast’s culinary passion to Sloane Street, with the very best British seafood elevated with Italian cooking techniques and flavours.”

 

Sir Peter Michael’s hotel and winery business repays all UK bank debts in full: Sir Peter Michael’s hotel and winery business has repaid all its UK bank debts in full, according to its accounts for the year to 30 December 2022. The businessman and engineer operates luxury five-star hotel and spa The Vineyard in Berkshire, as well as the Peter Michael Winery in California. The business reported turnover of £36,593,000 for the period, up from £32,108,000 in 2021. Of this, £16,057,000 came from his UK hotel operations (2021: £9,477,000) and £20,536,000 from his US winery (2021: £22,631,000). Its pre-tax profit dropped from £7,635,000 in 2021 to £5,252,000. Government grants of £16,000 were received compared with £1,134,000 in 2021, while £992,000 was received in insurance payments compared with £1,000,000 in 2021. The 2021 figure also included £125,000 profit on disposal of fixed asset investments. No dividends were paid (2021: nil). Sir Peter, who was awarded a CBE in 2020, said: “The directors consider the state of the group’s trading and financial affairs for the year to be satisfactory and believe that it is ideally positioned to take advantage of future trading and investment opportunities as they arise. The trading results reflect the continued investments into the group’s activities, the benefit of which will accrue in the longer term.”

Former Punch pub in York set to become Cooplands bakery: A former York inn owned by Punch Pub & Co is set to become Cooplands bakery. The South Yorkshire-based bakery and cafe chain, which is owned by EG Group, is looking to build a cafe and drive-thru at the old Four Alls Inn site on the A64 Malton Road. Punch had initially sought permission to demolish the building and replace it with housing after deciding it was no longer viable as a pub, reports YorkMix. Further plans emerged late last year to develop it as a Starbucks drive-thru, but it now looks set to become a Cooplands, which has circa 25 sites in the region. 

 

Company behind Liverpool’s Hope Street Hotel expects record turnover of more than £10m in 2023 on back of expansion project: The company behind Liverpool’s Hope Street Hotel is expecting to achieve a record turnover in 2023 on the back of its now completed expansion project. The scheme, which has seen more than 60 new rooms created, will help its turnover pass £10m for the first time by the end of the year, the business said. The forecast comes as the hotel reported turnover increased to £9,595,213 for the year ending 31 December 2022 compared with £5,549,752 the year before. Pre-tax profit was up to £2,577,274 from £1,462,284 the previous year. Since the year end, the company has opened another hotel within a historic building at Liverpool ONE. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Hope Street Hotel has undergone a significant expansion project over the past few years, with the introduction of 62 new rooms, a luxury spa, additional conferencing facilities and a new restaurant called 1931. This improvement is expected to take annual revenues to more than £10m. Gross profits have remained at a similar level with comparative periods, coming in at 87.23% in 2022 (88.10% in 2021). Due to maintaining our gross margins and improving our economies of scale position, the business has maintained a net profit margin before depreciation of 29.95% (2021: 30.99%), even despite the significant increases in energy costs, interest charges, wages costs and other inflationary impacted costs. Maintaining our margins and the completion of the expansion project has resulted in a much improved cash position.” No dividend was paid (2021: nil).

 

Former Petrus by Gordon Ramsey head chef to make solo restaurant debut this month: Larry Jayasekara, formerly head chef at Petrus by Gordon Ramsey in Belgravia, is set to make his solo restaurant debut this month. Jayasekara, who has also worked at the Waterside Inn, Michel Bras and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, has partnered with businessman and gallery owner Tim Jefferies for The Cocochine at 38 Brunton Place in Mayfair. The restaurant will take bookings by phone only, have no turning of tables and a fully à la carte menu, reports Hardens. The main ground floor has just eight tables, seating a maximum of 28 guests, while the first floor features a seven-seater chef’s counter overlooking an open kitchen. There will also be a private dining room on the top floor.

Belfast coffee chain shuts three more sites: Belfast coffee chain Clements Coffee has shut three more of its sites, leaving it with just two in the city. Established by entrepreneur John Elliot in 1999, Clements had ten stores based in prime locations in the city at its peak. It has now confirmed the closure of three of its outlets – at Royal Avenue, Botanic Avenue and Rosemary Street. The closures mark the end of Clements on the high street, with the only two branches remaining open located at the campuses of Queen’s University and Ulster University, Jordanstown, reports The Belfast Telegraph.

Staffordshire golf course sees losses shoot up: JCB Golf & Country Club in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, saw its losses shoot up in the year to 31 December 2022. A pre-tax loss of £338,000 in 2021 increased to £3,220,000 in the period. Turnover was up slightly from £4,290,000 in 2021 to £4,802,000. This compares to turnover of £1,308,000 and a pre-tax loss of £2,291,000 in the last full year before covid, ending 31 December 2019. No dividends were paid (2021: nil).