Wendy’s – QSR burger market offers huge growth potential in UK and we’re here to challenge the competition: Michael Clarke, senior managing director – Europe for Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, has told Propel that the “QSR burger market offers huge growth potential in the UK”, and that the business digital sales “are approaching more than 90%” here. The brand currently operates 31 sites in the UK through a mixture of restaurants (21 sites) and delivery kitchens, and Clarke said the company, which relaunched here in 2021, plans to continue expanding further across the country and Europe. On what the potential was looking like for Wendy’s in the UK, Clarke told Propel: “Our research revealed that British consumers have been putting up with a lack of quality and choice for years, and we feel they deserve better. We know British consumers are craving great tasting, high-quality food at affordable prices, and that’s what we’re here to give them. The company has plans to continue expanding further across the country and Europe using our franchisee model, with more Wendy’s restaurants opening in the year ahead. We recently signed our fourth franchisee in the UK, and together, we plan to bring Wendy’s to fans where they live, work and play across the country. It’s no secret we must punch above our weight as a challenger brand in new markets. And we are, thanks to our unified approach to the Wendy’s System and being one Wendy’s brand – from menu innovation to marketing to people and more. Being a challenger is at the heart of Wendy’s, from founder Dave Thomas’ first restaurants over 50 years ago to going toe to toe with some of our biggest competitors today. It is a more challenging climate right now and there are several cost pressures, but we believe this is temporary and there is great growth potential in the UK.” Clarke said the business has built a “strong pipeline of potential franchisees” to build out its presence in the UK and has plans to continue in markets such as Spain and Ireland. He added: “Our digital sales are impressive, approaching more than 90%, driven by delivery and kiosks, significantly surpassing our initial expectations.” Last week, Todd Penegor, president and chief executive of Wendy’s, said its three existing UK franchisees had increased their development agreements. It recently opened its third site with Blank Table, and third drive-thru site here, in Peterborough, and has further openings lined up in Guildford and Cambridge.

 

Sponsored message – Santa Maria’s new Nachos solution for pub and bar operators to elevate your plate: Santa Maria has launched its latest solution – Nachos – to help pub and bar operators enhance their menu offering and drive revenue. With 83% of consumers ordering nachos when eating out and the Mexican dish featuring on 80% of pub and bar menus in the UK, the Nachos solution helps operators that don’t already offer nachos easily bring them on to their menus, and enables operators who do already offer them “to take their nacho recipes to the next level”. The solution includes a range of nacho recipes that tap into the mega trends of customisation, experience and indulgence. The recipes all follow a three-step formula of base, toppings, and garnish, making them easy for any operator to create in their kitchen. Santa Maria’s taste creator, Barnaby MacAdam, said: “Not only are nachos incredibly popular, they are versatile too and are easily scaled through loading up or down. They typically represent good value to the consumer, while at the same time being affordable to create in the kitchen. Our Santa Maria products, along with our recipe combinations, bring bang-on flavours and quality to the table so operators can justify a slightly higher price point on the menu, resulting in a decent profit margin.” To download the Nachos solution, click here. If you have a sponsored message you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Next Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book to feature updated figures for 78 companies: The next edition of Propel’s Turnover & Profits Blue Book will feature updated figures for 78 companies. Premium subscribers will receive the next edition of the Blue Book tomorrow (Friday, 10 November), at midday. It now features 789 companies that are turning over a total of £56.9bn. A total of 536 companies are making a profit while 253 are making a loss. The profit being made by sector companies is now outstripping losses by £1.82bn. The Blue Book shows the total profit of the 789 companies in the list is £3,754,189,462 and losses are £1,935,831,027. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Meanwhile, for the first time, Propel group editor Mark Wingett has chosen the best videos from the Propel conferences in 2023, picking out a selection of talks and interviews that resonated with delegates from across the breadth of the hospitality sector. The 12 videos will be made available to Propel’s Premium subscribers at 9am on Friday, 24 November. 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 Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage; and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. 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 Mark Wingett.

 

UKHopsitality – ‘Christmas will have come early’ for hospitality if deal ends train strikes: UKHopsitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has said “Christmas will have come early for hospitality” if a deal to end the threat of festive train strikes comes to fruition. A series of damaging rail strikes led to a raft of festive cancellations for sector businesses last year, following a succession of Christmases hit by covid-19 and the Omicron variant. Strikes have continued to cause chaos for hospitality businesses this year, but RMT members are set to vote on a pay deal that could end the union's ongoing wave of industrial action against train companies. Operators have put forward an offer that proposes backdated pay rises for staff and job security guarantees. Nicholls said: “Christmas will have come early for hospitality businesses if this breakthrough in negotiations puts an end to ongoing rail strikes and saves the incredibly valuable festive period for the sector. The uncertainty and looming threat of rail strikes at Christmas was already knocking consumer confidence, with four in ten businesses finding their bookings behind where they were last year. A clear resolution would give the public the confidence they need to firm up their plans for the festive period and would, crucially, avoid hospitality businesses losing millions.” The RMT’s dispute with rail companies has been going on for nearly 18 months, and last month, members voted for a new six-month mandate to hold fresh strikes. However, after talks between the union and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents operators, a memorandum of understanding has been developed which sets out a mutually agreed way forward.

 

NTIA – proposed measures in King’s Speech will deepen divide between policing and late-night economy: The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) fears that proposed measures in the King’s Speech will deepen the divide between policing and the late-night economy. It said planned legislation concerning anti-social behaviour “marks a critical juncture in the relationship between these stakeholders, leaving the industry in a state of apprehension and uncertainty”. The NTIA has now called for a reassessment of the positioning and utilisation of the proposed Terrorism Draft Bill (Protect Duty), given the “evident difficulties” it poses for the sector. NTIA chief executive Michael Kill said: “The King’s Speech has ushered us into a critical moment, with Protect Duty legislation and a focus on anti-social behaviour in the spotlight. We yearn for unconditional collaboration, not division. We stand ready to work hand in hand with authorities to ensure the safety and vibrancy of our city. Our question is whether these measures will unite us, present ill-thought-out consequential challenges or pull us apart. We believe in unity and our industry is all about open dialogue, cooperation, and shared responsibility. We implore the government, the home secretary and policing authorities to see this as a chance to strengthen partnerships and let our industry thrive.”

 

Independent London restaurants receive a share of circa £70,000 to bolster their businesses: The Backing International Small Restaurants programme, which is backed by American Express, has awarded six London-based, independent restaurants £11,500 each to help grow their businesses. Now in its second year, the programme runs in five major cities around the world. Over 100 restaurants across the capital applied for the grant, with six selected to each receive a grant of £11,500 for essential improvements, such as upgrading their restaurant operations, investing in digital capabilities and revitalising dining spaces. The programme grant recipients in London for 2023 were: Buster Mantis, a Jamaican and British fusion restaurant in Deptford, also offering live music and community art space for local groups; The Goods Office, an all-day independent café, bar and restaurant in Stroud Green, north London; The Sound Lounge, a vegan hub in Sutton; Canvas & Cream, a restaurant, gallery and event space situated Forest Hill ; Casuarina Tree, a restaurant and hotel in Mitcham serving authentic Sri Lankan and Indian cuisine; and Chuku’s, which celebrate the best of Nigerian cuisine and culture, in Tottenham. Dan Edelman, general manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: “Small, independent restaurants play an important role in local communities, so American Express is thrilled to offer this boost to help them continue to thrive into the future.”

 

Bolton Council to begin another consultation over late-night levy proposal after modifications: Bolton Council is set to start another six-week consultation on a late-night levy after an initial six-week consultation led to a change to the scheme. Its idea is for businesses to contribute towards the cost of anti-social behaviour and criminal behaviour via a tax on those with a late-night licence. Initially, the authority was looking to impose the levy on those with a licence to sell any alcohol between the hours of 3am and 6am across the borough of Bolton as a whole. Now the authority is looking to impose the levy on those with a licence to sell any refreshment, including hot food, between the hours of 3am and 6am, but in the town centre only. The council’s licensing committee has given the go-ahead for the new consultation to start, and this is expected to begin in December, reports the Bolton News. The committee will then make a recommendation to the full council, which would make a decision next year.

 

Cold brews opening up new coffee drinking occasions and consumers willing to pay premium prices: Cold brews are opening up new coffee drinking occasions and consumers are willing to pay premium prices, according to a study from drinks supplier Finlays. With research from data analysts Neilsen showing the UK cold brew coffee segment, currently worth around £10m, is expected to reach £26m by 2027, Finlays surveyed 250 UK consumers about their cold coffee habits. It said cold brew appears to be breaking the tradition of coffee being a morning beverage, with 41% of cold brew consumers enjoying it as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. A third of cold brew drinkers said they are willing to pay an average of £3.50 for cold brew versus £1.70 for the average retail coffee. Of those who currently drink cold brew coffee, 43% drink it at least once a month, 14% weekly and 8% daily. Some 35% said they believe it has a smoother taste, with 33% saying it offers better coffee flavour and 22% believing it is less bitter or acidic. While 26% of those aged 25-34 have tried cold brews, it is most popular among those aged 35-44, with 32% of consumers in that group having tried it. Bethany Physick, marketing manager at Finlays Europe, said: “Not only is cold brew coffee seen as having superior taste, but it is also opening up new coffee drinking occasions, and crucially, is a product consumers are happy to pay a significant price premium for. When you look at the hockey stick growth of cold brew coffee in the US over the last ten years, there’s a clear direction of travel for the UK and Europe over the next decade. The UK and Europe market might be modestly sized at the moment, but it won’t be for long.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a real estate and hospitality businesses that is looking for a chief financial officer. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a multifaceted business including investment, property and brand operations. The business not only operates its own hospitality brands but has been imagining and creating concepts and spaces for other businesses for more than 50 years. The business has entered a new stage in its journey and one key focus for the incoming individual will be to obtain significant capital to support future growth. This is a great role for a passionate and experienced finance professional who is looking for their next big challenge. The business is looking to open 5,000 hotel bedrooms in the next ten years, with a view of expanding its operations to Europe. The incoming individual will need to have experience of raising funds and managing relationships with investors. Proven growth experience and solid knowledge of the real estate sector is highly desirable.” The salary is up to £150,000 per annum and the position is based in London. For more information, email oliwia@corecruitment.com. 

 

Tim Martin – JD Wetherspoon food sales ‘strong across the board’, resurgence in customers buying wine: JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has told Propel that food sales are strong across the board while there has been a resurgence in customers buying wine. Speaking following the company’s first-quarter update where like-for-like sales were up 9.5% on the previous year, Martin also said Guinness was doing well with young people, “and I haven’t seen that before”. He added: “We’ve had a modest revival in ale and cocktails are doing well. Wine was slow post-pandemic but strong now. Villa Maria is flying. Food is strong across the board. Our Katsu curries are proving to be popular.” Martin said the business saw a good late summer in terms of its hotel rooms, which were up 6.2% in the period compared with last year, with Camborne, Whitby and “holiday locations generally” performing well. The business currently has 28 sites on the market and Martin said the disposal programme was “going well”, with most of the pubs sold, exchanged or under offer. During the period, four pubs were sold and six leasehold sites were surrendered to the landlord. The company currently has a trading estate of 816 pubs, and Martin told Propel earlier this year he believes the right size for the business now is about 1,000 sites. In terms of new sites, Martin there wasn’t any area in particular the business was targeting, but added its new Heathrow airport pub has “hit the ground running”. Martin said he was “optimistic” about the festive season. The company’s Christmas menu is available from next Wednesday (15 November) and has seen a 13% price rise on last year. Wetherspoon said the increase is in line with the price rises it made earlier in the year “but still represents excellent value for money”. Wetherspoon features in the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the latest edition of which will be sent to Premium subscribers on Friday (10 November). Its turnover of £1,740,477,000 for the year to 31 July 2022 is the sixth 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.

Admiral Taverns sees “strong underlying FY trading”, traded ahead of expectations in September: Admiral Taverns, the Proprium-backed business, has reported “strong underlying trading” across its estate of circa 1,500 pubs in the year to 28 May 2023, helped by a “notably strong performance” from its 177-strong Proper Pubs division. The Chris Jowsey-led business said trading for the year was “ahead of expectations”, as it reported group turnover of £182.0m (2022: £154.3m), and Ebitda of £55.8m (2022: £48.4m). It said that its performance in the year reflected “robust” growth across the first half, with the second half impacted by a faltering economy, inflationary pressure and the energy crisis. The business, which has a property value of £560.7m, invested £27.7m in capex over the period. On current performance, the company said that its pubs traded ahead of management’s expectations through September, helped by “buoyant drink sales and rent income from the tenanted pub estate”. It said it was “well-positioned to weather the storms of macroeconomic headwinds”, and that further investment is planned for FY24. It also completed the integration of Hawthorn Community Pub Company following its acquisition in August 2021. The company said it continues to work in partnership with Technik2 to install energy saving equipment in over 750 pubs. It said the partnership has delivered savings of up to £5,000 per pub – “a first for a leased and tenanted business”. Chris Jowsey, chief executive of Admiral, said: “Our focus has been on ensuring investment in robust trading, while successfully integrating the pubs and operations from the Hawthorn acquisition, and assisting licensees navigate the challenging financial environment. Our community based, wet-led pubs continue to demonstrate their resilience and are well situated within their communities to provide affordable hospitality. As we look to the future, we continue to focus on our strategic plans to acquire, develop and maintain a high-quality estate of successful, individual wet-led community pubs at the heart of their communities. Our Proper Pubs division delivered an excellent performance, despite the challenging economic environment, and we see further scope to develop this division in the future, although leased and tenanted will remain the dominant commercial model. We remain optimistic our supportive ethos, and high-quality estate of pubs puts us in a good position to trade through this challenging macroeconomic environment.”

  

Andreia Harwood returns to Wingstop as marketing director EMEA: Andreia Harwood, formerly of The Restaurant Group (TRG), has rejoined Wingstop as its new marketing director – EMEA, Propel understands. Harwood spent the past year as marketing director of TRG’s Leisure & Concessions division. Harwood, who has more than ten years of experience in the UK and international markets, joined TRG from Lemon Pepper Holdings, which is rolling out Wingstop across the UK, where she was marketing director. Prior to her time at Wingstop, Harwood spent more than a decade as a marketing executive at Wasabi, Wagamama and the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group. Last week, Wingstop said its debut UK restaurant is hitting record sales volumes and that the UK is a “playbook for its future restaurant development”. The US quick service restaurant chicken brand opened its first UK site in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue five years ago this month and has since grown to 37 locations here, which it hopes will reach 40 by the end of the year.

 

Jamie Barber launches hot rotisserie chicken delivery concept: Jamie Barber, founder of growing meal kit business My Supper Hero and chairman of The Hush Collection, has launched London Roast Co in an exclusive partnership with Deliveroo, Propel has learned. London Roast Co delivers hot rotisserie chicken and premium sides to north and north west London. Barber said the concept builds on the values and ethos of My Supper Hero, which is to help people “eat brilliantly at home”. He said: “London Roast Co delivers good, clean food using top notch and sustainable suppliers, avoiding anything ultra-processed, high in protein, and most importantly, tastes delicious. We wanted to show that delivery doesn’t have to be junky.” The menu includes a family bundle for four that includes whole roast chicken with a choice of marinade, three sides and four dips, as well as the Portuguese piri piri rotisserie style chicken served with marinated grilled peppers. London Roast Co is headed up by former D&D chef Charlie Bronson and the My Supper Hero team. Barber launched My Supper Hero in partnership with TV presenter Myleene Klass in 2021.

 

Breal Group to launch pop-up showcasing its brands, Vinoteca co-founder leaves business: London investment firm Breal Group – which has so far this year acquired Brew by Numbers, Black Sheep Brewery, Brick Brewery and Vinoteca – is to launch a pop-up in London’s Bankside which will showcase all of its brands, Propel has learned. The company, which last month teamed up with Byron-backer Calveton to acquire D&D London, will launch the pop-up on the former Porky’s BBQ site in New Globe Walk later this week. It will open under the name The Snow Globe and run until the end of the year, operated by the team behind the Breal-backed Andrea Bar business. Propel revealed last month that Breal has recently reopened the two ex-Jamie’s Wine Bar sites in London’s Ludgate Hill and Adam’s Court, under the Andrea Bar name. The group has also acquired the Bolthole in Suffolk Lane, which is currently closed. All three sites were part of the former We Are Bar business, which was placed in administration last September. The investment firm acquired the ex-Jamie’s Wine Bar in Adam’s Court and The Bolthole, both in the City, out of administration for a total consideration of £100,000 before subsequently adding the Ludgate Hill site. At the same time, Propel understands that Charlie Young, who founded Vinoteca, with Brett Woonton and Elena Ares in 2005, has left the business. Earlier this summer, London-based wine bar, shop and restaurant concept Vinoteca was acquired out of administration by Breal Group for a total consideration of £305,000. It currently operates sites in Borough Yards, Chiswick, Farringdon, Kings Cross and Bloomberg Arcade. It is thought that Woonton remains with the business. 

 

Neat Burger set to open in Milan for third overseas site: The Lewis Hamilton-backed plant-based concept Neat Burger is set to open in Milan for its third overseas site. The restaurant, located in the new Merlata Bloom shopping centre, will have a soft launch on Wednesday, 15 November ahead of an official grand opening on Thursday, 23 November. It joins international Neat Burger sites in New York and Dubai, plus nine in London. “The store design is styled to appeal to young families and millennials/Generation Z alike, with Neat’s typical fresh and colourful branding and interactive touchpoints,” a spokeswoman told Propel. “The service format will be casual dining with table service, giving the team opportunity to engage with customers and explain the vegan concept and new alt-protein menu items. We’ve used local and seasonal typical Italian products throughout our menus, such as vegan pesto, vegan mozzarella and classic marinara sauce to bring some familiarity to locals.” The menu will feature an Italian meatball sub with house made spice-blend patties, marinara sauce, vegan pesto, chargrilled peppers and cheese in a brioche sub; and the Melanzane Parmigiana with crispy Tindle Chick’n, marinara sauce, rocket, vegan mozzarella and parmesan in an artisanal ciabatta roll – alongside the usual Neat classics. In August, Neat Burger returned to the expansion trail with an opening in London’s Dalston, at The Co-Kitchen site at 584 Kingsland Road, and hinted at a new grab-and-go focused growth strategy. This came after the business upped its valuation to $100m in a new funding round aimed at fuelling its US expansion.

 

Devon and Somerset McDonald’s franchisee makes a loss due to increase in VAT, volatile supply chain and rising costs base: Four-strong Devon and Somerset McDonald’s franchisee David Hunt (North Devon) made a loss in the year to 31 December 2022 due to an increase in VAT, volatile supply chain and rising costs base. Turnover was up from £17,210,064 in 2021 to £18,384,822 but a pre-tax profit of £1,238,495 turned into a loss of £152,253 as costs rose by more than £1m. This compares with turnover of £16,225,700 and a pre-tax profit of £972,633 in pre-covid 2019, when the business also ran four stores. It received no government grants (2021: £264,398) and paid dividends of £400,000 (2021: £320,000). “Store and delivery sales profitability, although strong in the first half of 2022, has been impacted in the second half of the year by, among other things, the increase in VAT within the hospitality sector back to the standard rate of 20% from 1 April 2022, a volatile supply chain and rising costs base,” Hunt said. “Given the direct link between our approach to pricing, the external environment, and our success in relation to our customers, we will continue to remain close to understanding this relationship and look constantly to evaluate how our internal actions are impacting our customers. The financial position of the company is healthy, with the balance sheet showing net assets of £540,000, decreased from £1.03m in 2021. The growth in sales is predominantly due to the continued growth in delivery sales. The gross profit margin is 65.33% compared with 69.48% in 2021 and is in line with expectations.” Hunt has been a McDonald’s franchisee for more than 25 years and owns the restaurants in Bideford and Tiverton plus two in Barnstaple. He previously operated McDonald’s in Taunton and Minehead too but sold them in 2019. Before joining the business, he worked in the pub trade before joining Toby Restaurants as an area manager but gave it up as he found himself travelling “300 miles a day”. He said of his McDonald’s portfolio: “The business has changed since covid-19. Before covid, we did 54% through the drive-thru and 46% in the restaurants. We’re now doing 60% drive-thru business, 20% on home delivery and 20% in the restaurants. It has changed dramatically.”

 

Gong Cha appoints global CFO: Gong Cha, the fast-growing bubble tea brand headquartered in the UK, has appointed Marc Dench as its global chief financial officer. Dench joins Gong Cha with a wealth of experience from working with some of Europe’s leading consumer brands. He was previously chief financial officer at Ted Baker, where he supported the company’s transformation and sale to Authentic Brands Group. Prior to Ted Baker, Dench was chief financial officer of British lifestyle brand Joules. He has also held leadership roles at Walgreens Boots Alliance, most recently as chief financial officer, global brands and international retail. He joins as Gong Cha drives the next phase of its ambitious growth plans, with the group previously stating it is aiming to scale up to 10,000 sites globally by the end of the decade, led by significant expansion across America and Europe. Paul Reynish, global chief executive of Gong Cha, said: “With a strong track-record of working with fast growing, multi-national consumer brands, Marc brings enormous value to the group. His knowledge, expertise, and experience supporting international brands through key strategic periods will be important as we continue to execute the next phase of our ambitious expansion plans.” Founded in 2006, Gong Cha has more than 2,000 stores across 23 countries.

 

Market Town Taverns sees losses increase: Market Town Taverns, which operates 13 pubs in the north west and Yorkshire, saw its losses increase in the year to 28 January 2023. A pre-tax loss of £919,585 in 2022 grew to £1,460,583 in the period as costs rose by £763,885. Turnover was up from £4,321,625 to £6,564,496. Since the year end, the company has put the lease for the Narrow Boat in Skipton on the market.

 

ETM Group opens new all-day dining venue at Shoreditch hotel: ETM Group, which operates 18 premium bars, pubs and restaurants in central London, has opened its new all-day dining venue at the Montcalm East hotel in London’s Shoreditch. Propel revealed in September that ETM was taking on the food and beverage operations at the hotel. ETM has now launched Marlowe in the ex-Moor & Mead space. Inspired by playwright Christopher Marlowe, the venue has three spaces – a ground floor café, first-floor restaurant and a cocktail bar. Marlowe features a modern British menu with dishes including Lyons Hill Farm sirloin steak served with a duck egg, bone marrow butter and shallots; and Huntsham Farm Middle White pork belly with tomato, baby gem lettuce on toasted brioche. The drinks list includes wine and signature cocktails. It is the second hotel operation for ETM, which already operates the Aviary rooftop restaurant and terrace bar at the Montcalm Royal London House in Finsbury Square. 

 

Linden Stores to begin new chapter with Knutsford launch: Restaurant, wine bar and shop concept, Linden Stores, is to begin a new chapter as it opens in Knutsford, Cheshire, this month. Chris Boustead and Laura Christie launched the concept in London in 2017 before the pair relocated to Cheshire in 2021 and set up shop in Audlem. Now, the duo are introducing Linden Stores “3.0” with a 40-cover restaurant in Knutsford. The venue will open in Minshull Street on Thursday, 23 November, showcasing seasonal British food with a selection of wine, focusing largely on sustainable, up-and-coming producers and British varieties. The sharing menu will include mackerel, fennel and cinderwood market garden bitter leaves with apple. A small, à la carte menu will be available for walk-ins, as well the option to enjoy a glass of wine and bar snacks, such as pickled Lyme Bay mussels as well as a Yorkshire charcuterie board. Boustead said: “The abundance of fresh, local ingredients we now have access to right on our doorstep is really exciting. It’s going to make for some really interesting seasonal plates on our sharing menu.” 

 

German Doner Kebab launches app-based delivery service: German Doner Kebab (GDK), owned by Hero Brands, has launched an app-based delivery service. The launch, which covers GDK’s 133 UK wide restaurants, follows a successful trial period at selected sites earlier in the year. The app uses Uber’s technology to provide customers with real-time tracking and round-the-clock customer support. Customers can view the menu and promotions and order food to be delivered, picked up or served to the table. Simon Wallis, GDK chief executive, said: “We’re looking to make our app a one-stop-shop for our customers so they can enjoy all of their favourite GDK dishes – whether that’s at home or in one of our restaurants.” Caroline Varga, head of Uber Direct, added: “Our partnership with GDK means it can now offer customers a smooth ordering and delivery experience through its own app – harnessing the best of Uber’s technology to meet rising expectations.” GDK, which is aiming for 400 sites globally by 2030, opened its latest UK site, and furthest north yet, earlier this week, in Aberdeen’s Union Street.

 

Dutch aparthotel company rebrands ahead of UK expansion: Dutch aparthotel company CityID Group has rebranded as The July Group ahead of expansion to the UK. Founded in 2012, the business currently has three locations in Amsterdam – Boat&Co, Twenty Eight and ID Aparthotel – featuring gyms, work spaces, bars, restaurants and wellness centres. Its debut UK site, in London’s Victoria, which will feature 100 apartments alongside a bar, gym, restaurant and wellness centre, is currently under construction. So too are sites in Dublin – on the corner of Capel Street and Little Strand Street – and in Lisbon, Portugal. The company said it is investing more than €1bn in expanding its concept across the three new sites. The rebrand will reflect its new hotel collection, The July Hotels, and all the Amsterdam sites will be rebranded. “Bringing all the locations under one brand is the next logical our development,” chief executive Alexander Goad said. “Although we are very much attached the individual names of our current hotels, we are by now on six locations and growing further, with multiple additional locations each year. It feels great to bring everything we do under one brand without losing the individuality of our hotels and the DNA of our organisation.”

 

Inn Collection Group opens new venue in north Tyneside: The Inn Collection Group has opened its new site in north Tyneside following a 14-month refurbishment. The business has transformed the 72-bedroom Tynemouth Castle Inn, which includes a new Oswins fish and chip shop and Cones ice cream parlour. Chief executive Sean Donkin said: “This stunning building is an institution on the coast in Tynemouth and we are delighted to be giving this icon a new lease of life for people in the community and visitors alike to enjoy. Our restoration has been a significant investment and has been carefully carried out to preserve the individual character and distinctiveness of the building. We are looking forward to being a part of the community and contributing to north Tyneside's wider economic growth, prosperity and employment opportunities through increased, year-round trading.” Last month, Donkin told Propel that the business, which operates 36 sites across the north of England and North Wales, had a “very good summer on an underlying basis, with sites running at 15% ahead on a like-for-like basis through July and August”, and the company’s openings pipeline “is decent”.

 

Deliveroo appoints new independent non-executive director: Deliveroo has appointed Shobie Ramakrishnan as an independent non-executive director. Ramakrishnan will also join the nomination, audit and risk, and remuneration committees when she takes up her position from 1 January 2024. Ramakrishnan has more than 20 years of experience leading technology-driven programmes and currently leads the technology agenda at GSK in her role as chief digital and technology officer, including modernising and streamlining the group's technology platforms. Before joining GSK, she held senior technology leadership roles in organisations including AstraZeneca, Salesforce, Genentech and Roche. Claudia Arney, chair of Deliveroo, said: “Shobie’s wealth of commercial and tech experience gained within large FTSE listed companies will be of great value as we continue to execute our growth plans, and will further strengthen the diversity of expertise and experience on the Deliveroo board.”

 

Coffee#1 set to open second Bournemouth site: Coffee#1, the Caffe Nero-owned business, is set to open a second site in Bournemouth. The business, which operates circa 115 UK stores, has lodged plans to turn the former NatWest bank in Poole Road, Westbourne, into a coffee shop. It would join the brand’s other Bournemouth site, at 401 Wimborne Road in the town centre, reports the Bournemouth Echo. The building has lay empty for six years since being closed by NatWest in October 2017. A letting agent has been advertising the 3,346 square-foot space since it closed and the rent is reported to be around £55,000 per year. It comes after Coffee#1 achieved a record sales week last month and reported strong first quarter sales. The business recorded a first ever £1m sales week for the seven days from 23 October 2023, which is 8% higher than the company’s previous record and underpinned by weekly customer numbers above 275,000 for the first time.

 

Korean barbecue concept set to open second site: Korean barbecue concept AKA Korean BBQ is set to open a second site. The business, which has a site in 12a Grove Road, Eastbourne, is set to launch at 55 St Mary’s Butts in Reading. The former PizzaExpress unit has been empty since closing in 2020, after more than ten years. Having failed to reopen after the pandemic, it was taken over by the short-lived Smokin’ Buns and Saucy Chicks restaurants in October 2021, which closed just three months later. The firm has applied to Reading Borough Council to sell alcohol and play recorded music from 11.30am to 11pm every day. Once open, the restaurant is expected to serve up kimchi, curries, rice dishes with barbecued meat and seafood, reports The Reading Chronicle.

 

Berkshire hotel makes a loss: The Coppid Beech Hotel in Bracknell, Berkshire, made a loss in the year ending 30 April 2023. It saw a pre-tax profit of £56,967 in 2022 turn into a loss of £479,311. Turnover rose from £5,248,579 to £6,195,899. This compares with revenue of £6,200,667 and a pre-tax loss of £348,064 in the last full year before covid, ending 30 April 2019. Director Kathryn Vickers said: “The directors do not recommend payment of a dividend on the shares for the year and the loss has been taken to reserves.” No dividend was paid in 2022. The four-star hotel, which features 205 rooms, a swimming pool, restaurants, gym and live music venue, is operated by the Nike Group of Companies. The group is managed by its “second generation”, Kathryn Vickers and Christopher Nike. As well as the Coppid Beech Hotel, it operates four leisure sport centres with ski and snowboard facilities, and a petrol station in Bracknell. It also has building supplies, bathrooms and winter sport equipment businesses.

 

Black Sheep Coffee to open second store in same Glasgow street: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee is set to open its second store in the same Glasgow street. Having opened at 254 Sauchiehall Street last year, it is now set to move into a former Dr Martens store in the same road, reports The Glasgow Times. It will be a third Glasgow site overall for the brand, which is also looking to open in the city’s Byers Road. Black Sheep Coffee currently has nine stores in Scotland, with the new Glasgow sites among four “coming soon”. It is also planning two further Edinburgh stores – at Haymarket and Shandwick Place – adding to the five it already has in the Scottish capital. Black Sheep Coffee made its east of England debut in September with a launch in Peterborough’s Queensgate shopping centre. The company, which operates in excess of 70 outlets, has more than ten sites confirmed for its openings pipeline in the UK, and is also set to open a site at Luton airport.

 

Essex Indian restaurant opens second site: Essex Indian restaurant business The Indian Chef has opened its second site. Rayan Jose has opened the restaurant at 116 High Street in Maldon, in a unit formerly occupied by Chutney House. It comes five years after the first The Indian Chef opened in Southend. “I’m the front of house manager and run the entire restaurant,” Jose told the Southend Echo. “It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but I will never trade that for anything else. It’s a very unique type of cooking – dishes take up to half an hour to cook. I drive to Ilford to one butcher twice a week because he provides the best meat – we don’t compromise in any way. I would love to educate Maldon on this type of cuisine. This is proper Indian food, Indian food like never before.”

 

Nottingham independent live music venue set to close: Nottingham independent live music venue, The Chameleon, looks set to close. The Chameleon is up for sale, with its landlord placing the venue on the market. The team that runs The Chameleon said it doesn’t know exactly when the venue will close – but it could call last orders as soon as next summer. The venue, just off Nottingham’s Old Market Square, has lived a precarious existence over the years, often under constant threat of closure, and has been reliant on a thriving DIY music scene in Nottingham. In a social media post, The Chameleon stated: “Time is running short for The Chameleon. The landlord has decided to put the building on the market. He’s being very gracious with us, and the party certainly isn’t over just yet. Realistically, it looks like we will probably have to call it a day early next summer, although that could change. We unfortunately still have rather considerable debts accrued during covid hanging round our necks, and business hasn’t exactly been great this year, what with the latest crisis. The Chameleon means a lot to so many people and we want everyone to have the chance to say goodbye properly. The party might be coming to an end, but not just yet!”

 

Hampshire Turkish restaurant set to open site: Hampshire Turkish restaurant Antepli is set to open its second site. It has been given the green light to turn the former Ringwood Surplus Stores in Meeting House Lane into a restaurant and bar spread over two floors. Antepli has one other restaurant, in Charminster, and owner Eyyup Kisacik said the new site would bring the same traditional Turkish food to the town. “I saw the premises were available, they need something like that in Ringwood,” Eyyup told the Bournemouth Echo. “People I have as customers from Fordingbridge, Ringwood, Southampton and the New Forest are always telling me they need something like that.” He said work is already underway at the restaurant, with a planned opening date of the first weekend in December.

 

Chester Race Company plans new hotel in city: Chester Race Company is planning to build a new hotel at the city centre site of its Commonhall Social bar and restaurant. The proposed development would see an old warehouse building accessed from the venue’s outside terrace converted into eight hotel rooms, reports Cheshire Live. The company is also proposing to convert four floors at 22 Bridge Street, which includes the historic Rows, into two apartments. The rear terraced area at Commonhall Social will also be revamped – including the demolition of the dated toilet block and storage areas – while the stand-alone ground floor retail unit will be retained and refurbished. In 2021, the company had plans approved to turn 22 Bridge Street into a bar and restaurant with residential accommodation on the second, third and fourth floors.