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, 19 January) at midday. This month’s edition includes 838 companies and more than 227,000 words of content. There are a record 142 updated entries and 57 new companies. 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 members also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the New Openings Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. Propel is evolving its Premium subscription offer by launching Premium Club on Thursday, 1 February. All circa 4,000 existing subscribers automatically become members. The launch of Premium Club comes with even more benefits. All subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to four Propel paid-for events – The Excellence in Pub Retailing Conference (14 May), Social Media for Profit (18 July), the Talent and Training Conference (1 October) and Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (two days in January 2025). Operators will also be able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club members receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club members will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club members also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Propel Premium subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. 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. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Northern Ireland’s largest hotel operator reports record Ebitda and turnover as it plans new Portrush property: Northern Ireland’s largest hotel operator, Andras House, has reported turnover increased to a record £39,337,971 for the year ending 30 April 2023 compared with £29,359,989 the previous year. The company – which operates nine sites in Belfast with a total of 1,060 bedrooms, including six under franchise agreements – also saw Ebitda before exceptional items hit a record £15,518,239 compared with £12,791,549 the year before. Pre-tax profit was up to a record £11,562,121 from £8,824,939 the previous year. The group, which was founded in 1981, also owns commercial properties in Belfast. In his report accompanying the accounts, director Rajesh Rana stated: “Andras House has a number of developments in the pipeline. Planning permission has been secured for a mixed use development featuring an aparthotel with offices and cafes in Belfast, and applications are pending for further developments in Belfast. Andras House has also recently commenced the development of an 83-room hotel in Portrush, due to complete in early 2025.” The group did not receive any government grants (2022: £768,837). No dividend was paid (2022: nil).

 

Scottish Michelin-starred chef Tomás Gormley to open debut solo venture: Scottish Michelin-starred chef Tomás Gormley is set to open his debut solo restaurant. Gormley will launch fine-dining venue Cardinal, which will “elevate” the modern Scottish dining experience. Gormley, who previously worked at some of Scotland’s most prestigious restaurant, said he believes the 24-cover restaurant will showcase “something we don’t think anyone in Scotland offers”. Cardinal, described as an “intimate” yet “exciting and fun” fine-dining experience, will open in March in Eyre Place, Edinburgh. Gormley will offer a 13-course tasting menu served in the evening, and a shorter, more concise offering for lunch. All dishes on the regularly changing menu will highlight Scotland’s natural ingredients, with the team working with local suppliers and producers to celebrate the best of the seasons. Particular attention will be given to fermenting and pickling, as well as ingredients cooked over flame on Cardinal’s bespoke wood fired barbecue. A natural-led wine list will complement the menu, alongside a short cocktail offering and in-house soft drinks programme. Gormley, who was awarded a Michelin star at Heron in 2023, is also chef-patron of Skua, which opened in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge in spring last year. Cardinal will be his first solo launch. He will be joined by Ben Mansour, who will take the reins as general manager from his former role as bar manager at Skua. James Aikman, also of Skua, will take the role of sous chef. Gormley said: “Cardinal gives me and the team an opportunity to showcase something we don’t think anyone in Scotland offers people yet. It’ll be fine dining for sure, but we want things to feel exciting and fun at the same time.”

 

Norfolk hotel operator returning to profitability following ‘challenging’ year: Norfolk operator Abacus Hotels has said the business is returning to profitability following a “challenging” year. It comes as the company, which operates the Knights Hill Hotel & Spa in King’s Lynn and Le Strange Arms Hotel in Hunstanton, reported turnover increased 5% to £7,536,961 for the year ending 30 March 2023 compared with £7,197,470 the previous year. The group posted a pre-tax loss of £176,927 compared with a profit of £723,151 the year before as costs rose by more than £1m. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Group-wide room occupancy increased by 1%. However, as a result of a significant increase in price sensitivity there was a decrease of 11% in achieved room rate and a decrease of 10% in revpar. It has been a challenging year in which the company’s profitability was affected by unprecedented levels of cost inflation, as felt throughout the UK economy. This applied pressure to margins in a highly competitive market. The directors have assessed post year end trading results that show the company is returning to profitability.” The company did not receive any government grants (2022: £184,912). No dividend was paid (2022: nil).