Exclusive – Caffe Nero to open first drive-thru site: Caffè Nero, the Gerry Ford-led, premium coffee house brand, will open its first drive-thru site, at Stansted airport, this spring, with the opening set to be the “template for further drive-thru stores in the future” for the business, Propel has learned. The drive-thru will be 500 yards from the main terminal building on the main road in and out of the airport. With an investment of more than £1.2m, the store has been built from scratch with a bespoke design and further strengthens and expands Caffè Nero’s partnership with the Essex airport, taking the total number of the brand’s sites there to five. The store will span 1,200 square feet, generate 16 jobs, and operate 24 hours a day. It will also offer EV charging points. The company said: “As well as offering a drive-thru service, the prototype new store will also be a ‘drive to’ destination store for travellers looking for a welcoming Caffè Nero store outside the terminal, but still in the heart of the airport. Available to any customer, the store has been specifically designed to offer customers a warm, friendly store, fitted with cosy wood pockets, elegant seating and lighting and deli food to match the premium coffee – all of which is synonymous with Caffè Nero.” Ford said: “I’m delighted we are opening our first drive-thru store in the world. I didn’t want to open such a store until we found a location that had a format where we could offer a premium experience, combined with the convenience you would look for in a drive-thru. Our partnership with Stansted airport allowed us to achieve just that. This store is an experiment for us. It allows Caffè Nero to expand its store format, and it will be the template for further drive-thru stores in the future.” Caffe Nero features in the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book. Its turnover of £349,083,000 for the year to 31 May 2022 is the 30th 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.

 

Sponsored message – 2Forks to take menu engineering workshop to cities across UK: By popular demand, Menu Engineering: The Tour is coming to cities across the country in February. 2Forks co-founder Annica Wainwright will take her sell-out one-day course in menu science to venues in Bristol (19 February), Birmingham (20 February), London (23 February), Liverpool (26 February) and Manchester (27 February). A spokesperson said: “During each hands-on workshop, operators will discover the killer blend of data, research and behavioural science that goes into the process 2Forks has used to create strategic, high-performance menus for brands including Pizza Pilgrims, Dishoom, Wahaca and, most recently, Rosa’s Thai, a project that was nominated for ‘Best Use of Data, Insight or Research’ in the Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards 2024.” Rebecca Hodges, of Arcade London, said: “It’s a brilliant insight into menu science.” Tickets are £275 per person and operators can bring up to five teammates from the same brand for £75 per head, as long as they work on the same menu. The workshop is suited to anyone who works with menus (print or digital, independents or multi-site, restaurants, cafes, pubs or bars), from owners/operators to marketing, design and food teams; from executive chefs to operations directors and finance directors. Click here to find out more and book seats. If you have a sponsored message you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

The Salad Project co-founder Florian de Chezelles to speak at first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024, open for bookings: Florian de Chezelles, co-founder at The Salad Project, will be among the speakers at the first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024. The conference takes place on Thursday, 21 March, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London’s Kensington, and is open for bookings. De Chezelles – whose business was voted the top restaurant in the UK & Ireland as part of Uber Eats' Restaurant of the Year Awards. receiving £100,000 to build and expand – talks about launching a next generation salad bar concept into the highly competitive central London market. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium subscribers who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

 

Variety of launches by experiential brands to feature in next New Openings Database: Premium members will receive the next New Openings Database on Friday (2 February), at midday. The next database includes a series of openings in the experiential leisure sector including Flight Club, the darts brand owned by Red Engine, which is set to open a site in Oxford. Boutique bowling company Lane7 opened its debut London venue last month, featuring a food offer from Patty&Bun, while indoor family activity brand Oxygen will unveil a new concept and branding at its next opening, in York. The database will show the details of 95 site openings, 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 Premium Club members will also receive a 4,800-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium members also receive access to five other databases: 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 Who’s Who of UK Food & Beverage. Propel is evolving its Premium subscription offer by launching Premium Club tomorrow (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.

 

UKHospitality makes three critical asks of government as sector sees more than 6,000 venues close in 2023: UKHospitality is making three critical asks of the government in the Budget to support the sector as new data shows that more than 6,000 venues closed in 2023, bringing total closures since the pandemic to almost 23,000. The figures, from the Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners, showed there were 6,180 closures in 2023, bringing the number since December 2020 to 22,859. It revealed new openings in the industry have reduced for the third year in a row, with 3,222 openings in 2023, down from 3,989 in 2022 and 4,532 in 2021. UKHospitality’s asks include a 3% cap on business rates increases, saying the proposed 6.7% increase for up to 20,000 hospitality businesses will push yet more businesses to failure. It has also called for temporary changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs), saying a cut in the lower rate of employer NICs to 10% and increasing the threshold at which contributions are made by the employer will help businesses manage the increase in the national living wage. The trade body also called for a lower rate of VAT for hospitality, leisure and tourism, saying a 12.5% VAT rate will boost demand, generate revenue and keep prices low, with 70% of businesses passing through reduced prices to customers. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “These stark closure figures underline the seismic challenges facing hospitality businesses. It is now a case of supporting the sector or losing many businesses for good. Venues have had no choice but to use their cash reserves to pay bills, keep the lights on and help people remain in jobs, instead of investing in and growing their businesses. This is unsustainable.”

 

Retail parks reach highest occupancy levels since before pandemic, trend set to grow as offers diversify: Retail parks reached their highest occupancy levels since before the pandemic in the fourth quarter of 2023 – a trend that is set to grow as their offers diversify. Retail park vacancies fell to 7.6% in the period, compared with 7.8% in the third quarter, according to stats from the Local Data Company (LDC). They continue to be favoured by many occupiers and are set to remain the most popular retail sub-sector, the LDC said. It comes as the overall vacancy rate held at 14.0% during the period, which was unchanged from the third quarter and 0.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year. Geographically, the highest vacancy rates were in the north east, while Greater London had the lowest. High street vacancies remained unchanged from the previous quarter, staying at 14%, while shopping centre vacancies fell to 17.7%, down from 17.9% in the third quarter. LDC commercial director Lucy Stainton said: “As always, while the latest top-line vacancy data indicates seemingly nominal change, holding steady at 14% quarter on quarter, the reality becomes more nuanced upon closer examination. This quarter reveals continued notable improvements in both retail parks and shopping centres, with retail parks in particular, achieving their highest occupancy levels since 2019. We anticipate this positive trend will persist, given the continued focus of a diverse range of operators across various sub-sectors. Grocery-led anchors lead the way, but we also observe an uptick in other categories such as health clubs, health and beauty and food to go. This diversification enhances the appeal of these parks to consumers, aligning with their broader shopping missions. While vacancy rates demonstrate continued stability post-pandemic and exhibit promising signs, it is crucial to remain attentive to persistent vacancy levels. Persistent or long-term vacant stock has risen across all location types and asset classes, highlighting the need for targeted redevelopment to address the lack of demand for traditional uses of these spaces.”

 

Peroni Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% partners with Ferrari: Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, the premium Italian beer brand from Asahi Europe & International, has agreed a new global partnership with Ferrari. The deal will see Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% branding on the Scuderia Ferrari cars and driver uniforms during F1 races. To mark the partnership, the brand has unveiled a limited-edition Tifosi Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, with only 2,024 bottles bring produced. Paolo Lanzarotti, chief executive officer at Asahi Europe & International, said: “Through this partnership, we intend to elevate every moment for the fans who make this sport so special and who embody the very passion and flair so pivotal to both Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% and Ferrari.” Frédéric Vasseur, team principal at Scuderia Ferrari, added: “Our two great companies have many values in common, such as an eye for detail and style, as well as an ability to combine tradition and innovation in our respective fields.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a venue operator that is looking for someone to lead its operations. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “Your responsibilities will include: operations management including daily audits, cash reconciliation, staff management and cost control; managing the recruitment, disciplinary procedures and performance reviews; managing health and safety including daily, weekly and monthly audits, maintaining fire procedures and training and reporting faults and actions; and financial reporting including forecasting, cost control, payroll to sales, monthly reports, budgeting and project work, managing all cost lines within budget and ensuring all margin protection processes are implemented effectively to maximise profitability.” The salary is up to £65,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email david@corecruitment.com.

 

North Brewing Co acquired out of administration for £225,000: Leeds brewer and retailer North Brewing Co was acquired out of administration for a total consideration of £225,000, Propel has learned. Earlier this month, the future of North Brewing Co was secured following a sale of the business out of administration to Steve Holt, founder of fellow Leeds brewer Kirkstall Brewery. Interpath Advisory was appointed joint administrators of North Brewing Company, North Brewing Leisure and North Brewing Management on 25 January 2024. Immediately following their appointment, the businesses and their assets were sold to Vertical Drinks and Kirkstall Brewery (as part of one transaction), safeguarding the future of the North Brewing Co brewery in Leeds, as well as the North taproom bars in Leeds and Manchester. Propel understands as part of the £225,000 paid for the businesses, a payment of £150,000 was received upon completion by Vertical Drinks, while the balance (£75,000) is payable in four equal instalments over fourth months, with the liability guaranteed by Kirkstall Brewery. A total of seven parties signed non-disclosure agreements and were provided with further information regarding the company, over the course of it being marketed. Interpath received two offers, both of which were on a business and assets basis. Following a period of negotiation with both interested parties, one withdrew from the process. This party is believed to have been Breal Capital, which has already acquired Purity Brewing, Black Sheep Brewery, Brew by Numbers and Brick Brewery over the past 12 months. During the pandemic, North Brewing Co sought to utilise government support schemes as well extending the terms on its asset finance agreements. As such, it received £800,000 from NatWest through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which, together with finance from Bibby Financial Services of approximately £300,000, and asset finance totalling £300,000, resulted in a high debt burden within the group. In recent months, North Brewing Co also faced rising costs, which reduced its profit margins. As a result, it was unable to generate sufficient cash to adequately service its debt, which led to the potential for a funding requirement in excess of available facilities. Interpath was asked in December to provide options advice to the directors. At this time, the directors identified a potential cash requirement of circa £600,000 in spring 2024, but this was dependent upon the group’s trading performance during the key Christmas trading period, as well as ongoing discussions with its shareholders. Following a post-Christmas assessment of actual trading and the conclusion of discussions with the shareholders, the directors requested that Interpath assist with an accelerated marketing exercise of the group.

Caring’s Le Caprice eyes return at Qatari Diar’s £1bn makeover of former US Embassy: Richard Caring’s Le Caprice is reported to be in talks to open a flagship restaurant in real estate investment company Qatari Diar’s £1bn makeover of the former US Embassy in London’s Mayfair. Qatari Diar is in talks to sign Le Caprice as well as US brand Carbone for its luxury hotel and leisure redevelopment at 30 Grosvenor Square, reports CoStar News. Qatari Diar started construction of the hotel, retail, restaurant and leisure destination, to be known as Chancery Rosewood, in 2021. Plans for the building, which is grade II-listed, comprise 139 hotel rooms and suites, dining and entertainment venues, a ballroom for 1,000 guests, a spa and wellbeing facility and fives retail spaces. The original site of Le Caprice at 20 Arlington Street closed in 2020 after its lease ended but plans were announced to open the restaurant at another location. Separately, Carbone, an Italian-American celebrity haunt in New York, is also understood to be in talks to take space for its first London venue. The group also has restaurants in Dallas, Miami, Las Vegas and Hong Kong. CBRE and Gillingham Bell advise Qatari Diar. All parties declined to comment or did not respond to a request. Earlier this week, Caring kicked off an auction for his stake in The Ivy and its sister restaurants, with his advisers slapping a £1bn price tag on the business. HSBC began sharing marketing documents with interested parties for the Covent Garden restaurant as well as the Ivy Collection and Ivy Asia sites, according to City sources. Caring owns the Ivy group in a 50/50 joint venture with former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad Bin-Jassim Bin-Jaber Al Thani.

 

Greene King confirms pipeline of multiple sites across UK for new boutique hotel concept, first to open this summer: Brewer and retailer Greene King has confirmed a pipeline of multiple sites across the UK for new its boutique hotel concept, Everly Hotels Collection, and that the first will open this summer. Propel revealed last month that the Nick Mackenzie-led business had begun trialling Seared – a pub concept with a “freshly grilled, globally-inspired menu”, and Everly – a boutique hotel offer, positioned as “affordable luxury”, as it worked towards a more balanced portfolio. The first Everly site, The White Horses in Rottingdean, East Sussex, will now open this summer, followed by what the business said is “a future pipeline of multiple sites across the UK”. The White Horses, which will have 32 bedrooms and 290 covers, is currently undergoing a multimillion-pound investment and build. Vincent Madden, managing director of the Everly Hotels Collection, who joined Greene King in in 2022 from Arora Hotels, said: “There’s a real opportunity in the leisure market to provide affordable luxury, in a premium part of the sector we haven’t explored before. Each Everly hotel will offer a unique experience to our guests. Our ambition is to grow a portfolio of bespoke, upscale, boutique hotels across the UK. The announcement of our first hotel, The White Horses, opening summer 2024 is a big milestone. We’re carefully balancing the timeless comfort guests expect from an upscale boutique hotel with experiences that are very much rooted in the local area – a meeting point for locals and guests alike.”

 

Montpeliers – diners eating earlier and worried about late-night transport, business returns to profit: Edinburgh pub and restaurant business Montpeliers has said diners are eating out earlier and are worried about late-night transport as it reported a return to profit in the year ending 25 April 2023. The company, which runs seven businesses from six premises in Edinburgh – five in the city centre – turned a pre-tax loss of £2,414,788 in the 18-month period to 25 April 2022 into a profit of £1,320,747. Turnover stood at £16,528,599 versus £17,375,339 for the previous 18 months. No government grants were received compared with £1,690,453 in the prior period. Dividends of £513,569 were paid (2022: £2,320,000). Director David Wither said the company’s biggest challenge was in labour costs and that a revaluation of its licensed assets in October 2023 led to an increase in their carrying value of £680,000. He added: “Changes in eating and drinking patterns are noticeable. Diners are coming and going earlier in the evenings. Office workers spend more time at home. Late-night transport is a worry for many consumers. These are challenges for our business. Our management team, led by Innes Bolt, has responded superbly and produced highly satisfactory results.” The company invested £900,000 into its estate, including a significant upgrade of its flagship Tigerlily business. It has no bank borrowings and held £1.89m on deposit with the bank at the end of the financial year. “Following the restructure of the business in October 2021 and the repayment of all bank borrowings at that time, allied to the strong recovery in earnings post-covid, our company is in a highly satisfactory financial state,” Wither added.

 

Sixes lines up London Bridge opening: Sixes, the cricket-based competitive socialising concept, has lined up a further opening in the capital, near London Bridge. Propel understands that Sixes, which last June secured investment from 4CAST Investment Group – that includes England international cricketers Ben Stokes, Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer – is to open on the former Tanner & Co site in Bermondsey Street, on Thursday, 14 March. The company, which operates 11 sites in the UK and one in the US, most recently opened on the John Lewis rooftop in Oxford’s Westgate scheme and in Guildford’s Tunsgate scheme. Speaking to Propel last November, Calum Mackinnon, co-founder of Sixes, said the company had had several hundred franchise requests, with the majority from the US. He also said the business hoped to add a further six new sites in the UK in 2024. On further expansion and the role franchising will play, he told Propel: “In the UK, we’re going to continue to open company operated ones, but also some franchise ones. Obviously, Guildford is slightly smaller than the cities we’ve done before, so it’s going to be a really interesting test, because if Guildford does very well, then we can open up in another couple of dozen similar-sized locations across the UK.” The business made its international debut in the US last summer, in Dallas, and Mackinnon said: “The site is trading well and we’re looking at another location in Houston, which we will operate ourselves. We’re also looking to sign some US franchises in the next three to six months.”

 

Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group reports record turnover of £45.8m as it plans further expansion in England: Scottish restaurant operator Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group’s (DRG) has reported turnover increased to a record £45,837,615 for the year ending 30 April 2023 compared with £44,380,125 the year before as it plans further expansion in England. Pre-tax profit was down to £4,906,554 from £7,953,974 the previous year. Post year end, the business refinanced its loans, which continued as a revolving credit facility. The company received £36,585 in government grants (2022: £665,650). Dividends of £1,480,000 were paid (2022: £1,280,000). Earlier this week, DRG said it is planning a London debut as part of its expansion further into England. The operator of 16 venues in Scotland, plus a single English site in Newcastle, has said it is actively exploring sites for new restaurants both in Newcastle and in London. Its second Newcastle opening would be under the group’s Cafe Andaluz brand. It came as the group, owned by Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta, reported like-for-like sales were up 10% in December, and that it has returned to pre-covid levels of trading.

 

Simmons Bars appoints Greta Kachkouche as new ops director: Simmons Bars, the London cocktail bar operator, has appointed Greta Kachkouche, formerly of Stonegate Group, Revolution Bars Group and Novus, as its new operations director, Propel has learned. Kachkouche joins Simmons Bars after three years at Stonegate, most recently as an operations manager. She spent two years at Revolution Bars Group as an area manager and three years at Novus as an operations manager. She has also had stints at brewer and retailer Greene King and Mitchells & Butlers. Earlier this month, Simmons Bars told Propel that its Christmas trading was “extremely strong” and that it hopes to announce its first acquisition outside of London “very soon”. The 26-strong company said its total sales were up 25% on the prior year for the four-week period ending 31 December 2023 with like-for-like sales up 16%. The Nick Campbell-led company, which is backed by Lonsdale Capital Partners, also said it “hit two back-to-back record weeks” and more than 15 site level records were broken across the group during the festive season. 

 

London hotel group fighting legal battle over decade-old £10m acquisition, returns to profit as turnover increases by almost 300%: London hotel group Prestmade is fighting a legal battle over a decade-old £10m acquisition. The business, which lists Shelina Jetha and Nimet Esmail as its directors, owns and operates the Hilton London Paddington, Hilton London Euston and Double Tree by Hilton Tower of London hotels. In a statement in its accounts for the year ending 31 December 2022 (dated 20 December 2023), Jetha said: “On 25 September 2013, Prestmade acquired the shares of Tradesup for £10m from Asif Bhatia, the former director and majority shareholder of Tradesup. In August 2023, ten years later, the claimant (Bhatia) filed a legal claim challenging the acquisition on the grounds that acquisition of the shares was unlawful. For the avoidance of doubt, no previous claims have been issued regarding this matter by any party. At 31 December 2022, the net asset values of Tradesup and its subsidiaries included in the consolidated financial statements of Prestmade Group was £13.1m, and the reported profit for the year then ended was £1.7m. At the date of purchase of the Tradesup shares, the net asset value of the Tradesup and its subsidiaries was £14.3m. The directors of Prestmade consider this claim is without merit and is defending it vigorously. It is not practicable to estimate the outcome as it cannot be reliably estimated.” It comes after Prestmade returned to profit during the period and reported a near 300% increase in turnover. The company’s revenue was up from £26,261,000 in 2021 to £80,740,000. Of the 2022 figure, £68,807,000 came from room revenue (2021: £21,510,000) and £7,750,000 from food and beverage (2021: £3,164,000). A pre-tax loss of £17,546,000 turned into a profit £12,238,000. Occupancy was 76.6% compared with 27.8% in 2021, while average daily room rate increased by 48.3% (2021: decreased by 1.3%) and revpar was up 308.4% (2021: increased 18.5%). The company received no furlough grants (2021: £1,55,000) and no dividends were paid (2021: nil). 

 

Ole & Steen appoints Lesley Mcilroy as its new marketing director: Danish bakery brand Ole & Steen has appointed Lesley Mcilroy, formerly of Bill’s, State of Play Hospitality and Comptoir Group, as its new marketing director. Last year, Mcilroy spent some time at cinema and leisure operator The Light as its interim sales and marketing director. She stepped down as marketing director of the Toby Harris-led State of Play Hospitality in October 2022 after two years with the Bounce and Hijingo operator. She was previously marketing director at Bill’s and has also had stints at Comptoir Group, gastropub operator Peach Pub Company and brewer and retailer Greene King. Most recently, she has been supporting the planning, advertising and creative launch of the Hospitality Rising campaign, and consulting for Black Rock Restaurants. It followed the appointment of Graham Hollinshead, formerly of Rockwater Group, Caravan and Wagamama, as Ole & Steen’s new manager director. Ole & Steen operates 140 bakery stores, including 26 in the UK. 

 

Cocktail Trading Company team launches third London venue: The team behind Cocktail Trading Company in London’s Brick Lane has launched a third London venue. Olly Brading, Andy Mil and Elliot Ball, who are also behind Murder Inc in Soho’s Hanway Street, have opened The Royal Cocktail Exchange at 31 Windmill Street in Fitzrovia. It offers three drinking spaces: the cocktail exchange on the ground floor, a development bar and table downstairs, and a soon-to-launch workshop on the top floor offering cocktail masterclasses. The main part of the venue is split across two 40-capacity floors. Cocktails include the Bell Pepper Daisy, with ancho lychee and bell pepper agave, and the Dry Aged Manhattan, with rye, vermouth, and miso. There are also nibbles such as the Wu Tang Naan, a flatbread topped with baked egg, rocket, olives, artichoke and chilli, and the Method Naan, topped with garlic butter, whole burrata and sweet corn piccalilli. Brading said: “Every new bar is an opportunity to refine our take on hospitality, to reinvigorate and grow what we love about food, drinks and hosting. Royal Cocktail Exchange started as a joke about how everything gets better with a splash of champagne and led us to realise that ‘bubbles on top’ is a big part of our approach to hosting, and that really making people feel like royalty is 100% the most rewarding thing you can do in this job.”

 

Sam Harrison to open second Sam’s Kitchen site: Sam Harrison is to open a second site under his Sam’s Kitchen concept, in London’s Chiswick. Harrison opened the first Sam’s Kitchen, which focuses on breakfast, brunch and lunch, last year on the former Café Plum site at 17 Crisp Road, Hammersmith. He is now set to open a second site under the concept in Turnham Green Terrace. Last November, Harrison launched all-day brasserie Sam’s Waterside at The Brentford Project mixed-use development in west London, which opened alongside a third site for his Sam’s Larder concept. Harrison, who opened the venture with business partner Fanny Stocker, opened the Waterside site under the same contemporary brasserie style of sister site Sam’s Riverside, in Hammersmith. On the Sam’s Kitchen site, Harrison said: “Our little local ‘cafe around the corner’ in Hammersmith has been very well received and we will now open on Turnham Green Terrace in W4.”

 

Tap & Tandoor opens fourth site: Indian gastropub operator Tap & Tandoor has opened its fourth site, in Portsmouth. Propel revealed in November that the business, led by husband-and-wife team Ajay and Shivani Kenth, had lined up the ex-Coast to Coast site in Gunwharf Quays, joining its sites in Peterborough, Solihull and Southampton. It has now opened, offering craft beer, cocktails and home-style curries. Ajay Kenth said: “As we open the doors to our fourth location in Portsmouth, I can’t help but reflect on our incredible journey. When we first started in Solihull, expanding Tap & Tandoor wasn't the immediate goal. We were focused on delivering an exceptional Indian gastropub experience, blending tradition with innovation. What we didn’t anticipate was the overwhelming response from our guests. Their appreciation for our unique blend of flavours and ambiance didn’t just fill our tables; it filled us with confidence and inspiration. Their support showed us that Tap & Tandoor wasn’t just a local favourite, but a brand with the potential to thrive in new communities. Each step of our expansion has been a testament to this shared journey. Where will this brand take us next?” Kenth is also a director of Indian street food and cocktail bar Zindiya, in Birmingham.

 

Tapas concept Tapajax opens second site: Tapas bar and restaurant concept Tapajax has opened its second site in south London, in Balham. Founded by brothers Jack and Danny Cullen, who have more than ten years’ experience in the hospitality sector, the business has opened on the former Heidi’s site in Balham Station Road, which closed last autumn. Tapajax opened its first site in the summer of 2021 in St John’s Hill, Clapham. Heidi’s was part of Rhapsody Hospitality Group, the London-based estate of bars and restaurants led by Steve Novak, founder of steakhouse concept Cattle Grid. Novak is set to add to his estate with the opening of a pub in London’s Streatham. He is planning to reopen the former Horse & Groom in Streatham High Road as Stanleys of Streatham. 

 

Nettleton Collection sees inflationary pressures impact profitability but benefits from covid-related insurance claim, takes out additional loan: Hotel group The Nettleton Collection, which operates three hotels in Devon and Cornwall, said it saw inflationary pressures impact its profitability in the year to 31 March 2023 but it benefited from a covid-related insurance claim. Its turnover fell slightly from £16,571,071 in 2022 to £16,022,492 while its pre-tax profit dropped from £3,651,494 to £695,559 and Ebitda was down from £4,454,000 to £1,523,000. It received no government grants (2022: £341,833) but received £320,000 in covid-related insurance claims. Dividends of £250,000 were paid (2022: £446,667). Director James Nettleton said: “Inflationary pressures in areas such as wages and light and heat have impacted profitability. Gross profit fell to £5.5m (2022: £7.2m) due to a combination of increased VAT rates and higher wage costs.” The company also took out additional borrowings to help fund a new wellness suite. In the prior year, as previously reported, the company renegotiated its loan facilities and consolidated certain loans into a £4.1m facility. At the year end, its bank borrowings stood at £6,870,192. “The combination of these factors has led to an increase in interest costs to £239,000 (2022: £226,000),” Nettleton said. “We were successful in fixing the interest on an element of the debt, which has mitigated some of the impact of base rate increases in the year.” He added that the new wellness rooms were completed in August and “will cater for high level of demand for the hotel product and add incrementally to revenue and profit”.

 

Berry Bros & Rudd to open new spirits shop in London’s Mayfair: Berry Bros & Rudd, the UK’s oldest wine and spirits merchant, is set to open a new spirits shop, in London’s Mayfair. It will open in April at 1 St James’ Street and will connect through to the current Berry Bros & Rudd wine shop at 63 Pall Mall, doubling its retail space. It will sell a curated collection of more than 900 of rare and unique varieties from around the world and will allow Berry Bros & Rudd to work with select distilleries to produce exclusive bottlings. Geordie Willis, brand experiences and creative director at Berry Bros & Rudd, said: “Following the opening of the spirits shop this spring, customers will also be invited to join events, having the chance to sample the world’s finest spirits through tastings and unique experiences. With fine spirits now having a dedicated home in our new shop, we’re excited to be expanding the range of fine wines available in our existing wine shop.”

JD Gyms makes Northern Ireland debut: JD Gyms has made its debut in Northern Ireland. The company has opened the venue at Hillview Retail Park in Crumlin Road, Belfast, following a £2.05m investment across a 23,000 square-foot footprint. Matt Sykes, head of operations at JD Gyms, said: “Hillview Retail Park is the perfect location for our first gym in Northern Ireland. With Hillview located just one mile from the city centre, within an area of circa 60,000 people, it felt like the perfect fit.” JD gyms operates circa 75 sites in the UK with another eight “coming soon”, according to its website.