Cornish Bakery lines up at least ten new stores this year, Ebitda close to £5m, lfl sales up 7%: Fast-growing independent chain Cornish Bakery has told Propel it is lining up at least ten new sites in 2024. Cornish Bakery recently hit the 60-site landmark and is set to launch in Lewes, East Sussex, in the coming weeks. It finished the last financial year, to 1 June 2023, with 56 stores and Ebitda of £3.2m (2022: £4.2m), but founder Steve Grocutt said the openings since then has pushed Ebitda towards £5m as earnings from new site openings kick in. He said: “We have a pipeline of ten, possibly 11, all set to open by the summer of 2024. As a business that started out serving tourist locations, our decision several years ago to target the high streets has been successful, and so all of the new site openings planned for this year will be regular high street locations within small to medium-sized towns and cities across the UK. There are significant opportunities across the country and we’re going for it.” Raj Manek, who was last year appointed the business’ first head of acquisitions, recently said there are plans to double or triple its size. And while Grocutt was keen to “avoid getting hung up on numbers”, he said it could “get to 100 easily, perhaps 150-200” and is “constantly looking”. He added: “Raj has created a target list, but there is no pressure. He took Loungers from 30 sites when he joined to about 160.” Having appointed its first head of acquisitions, Cornish Bakery is also looking for its first managing director, as reported last month, and Grocutt said there is “no hurry” as it seeks “the right person to build a legacy”. He said: “We’re in the process of looking, but it will take as long as it takes. The culture here is special and we don’t want to risk destroying that – we want to enhance it. We like decisions to be made on the bakery floor rather than the boardroom, and their brief will be finding out how we can continue to win beautifully.” After a “really good Christmas”, Grocutt said trade has slowed down “a little bit” in the early months of 2024, which has not been helped by a damp February. “We don’t like to blame anything, but it hasn’t helped that a lot of our locations are in coastal and tourist spots and exposed to the elements, so we’ve had some flooding and some store closures, although year to date like-for-likes are up circa 7%,” he added. It comes after Cornish Bakery reported turnover of £23,671,769 for the year to 1 June 2023, up from £20,892,358, while pre-tax profit fell from £3,117,769 to £1,379,056. No government grants were received compared with £84,534 in 2022. Dividends of £400,000 were paid (2022: £201,667). Cornish Bakery’s current estate includes six locations under franchise with Roadchef. Cornish Bakery features in the Premium Club Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which has grown to 875 companies and is available exclusively to Premium Club members. Its turnover of £23,671,769 for the year to 1 June 2023 is the 357th 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 Premium Club 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.

 

San Carlo MD Marcello Distefano to speak at first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024, open for bookings: Marcello Distefano, managing director of restaurant group San Carlo, will be among the speakers at the first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024. More than 350 people have booked for the conference, which takes place on Thursday, 21 March, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London’s Kensington, and is open for bookings. Distefano talks to Propel group editor Mark Wingett about building and evolving a premium casual dining business both in the UK and internationally, combating volatile trading patterns and placing greater trust in his teams. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium Club members who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

 

Variety of cafe/bakery brands to feature in next New Openings Database released on Friday: Premium Club members will receive the next The New Openings Database on Friday (1 March), at midday. The database features cafe and bakery concepts such as Dishoom’s Permit Room, which is looking at expansion with sites in Cambridge and Oxford under consideration. Meanwhile, EL&N is increasing its presence in the capital, with an opening in Westfield London, while Love Churros has opened its first site outside the capital, in Watford, for its seventh location overall. The database will show the details of 64 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 2,800-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate; the Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to five 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 Premium Club 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 Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Deadline unveiled for bookings for Propel Chicago study tour 2024, new operator visit announced: A deadline of Friday 15 March has been announced for bookings for the 2024 Propel Chicago study tour, which takes place between Saturday 18 May and Monday 21 May. Trip organiser Myles Doran said: “Those who want to come along now have less than three weeks to confirm their places.” The trip’s itinerary includes a wide range of restaurant, bar, speakeasy and nightclub tours, where delegates can explore and learn about the hottest concepts in the city. The trip now includes a first-night visit to TAO Hospitality Group’s restaurant and nightclub on the first night, while also on the itinerary is a full day at the National Restaurant Association Show, featuring more than 2,000 exhibitors. The itinerary also features a pizza making masterclass at Uno Pizzeria & Grill – the restaurant that created the deep-dish pizza – a study tour of the Fulton Market and two hosted dinners. Propel managing director Paul Charity said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable insight into the trends and concepts that are shaping the US hospitality market, which will no doubt provide fresh ideas and inspiration for delegates.” The single occupancy price is £3,500 and twin occupancy is £3,250 with the price also including flights, three nights’ accommodation, transfers and a welcome drinks reception. For more information or to book, email myles@hospitality-inc.co.uk or call 07710 783485.

Purple Story to host exclusive webinar for Propel subscribers to help them empower their teams to mitigate the national minimum wage increase in five easy steps: Entrepreneurial performance consultancy Purple Story is to host a webinar exclusively for Propel subscribers to help them empower their teams to mitigate the national minimum wage increase in five easy steps. Led by Purple Story chief executive and founder Karen Turton, the webinar will allow viewers to discover battle-tested strategies from an ex-operator and industry leader that can be actioned today, ensuring your team stays ahead of the curve. Turton will help you understand the tangible return on investment of implementing Purple Story’s “simple and smart” five-step approach to mitigate the impact of the minimum wage increase. She will reveal how to empower your team to mastermind their own action plan, and be accountable for it and show you how by challenging your team to manage the solution, your time will be free to lead and inspire. To view a preview of the webinar, click here. The webinar will be sent to subscribers at 9am today (Tuesday, 27 February). Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to register.

Wendy’s plots new ‘Uber surge-style’ menu: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, is preparing to test an “Uber-style” surge-pricing model where prices will fluctuate throughout the day based on demand. The Daily Mail reports that the brand’s new system will begin testing across its US restaurants in 2025 and rely on digital menu boards, in which it will invest $20m, according to its chief executive Kirk Tanner. That will mean it will be able to update prices in real-time and at little to no expense. Tanner said: “Beginning as early as 2025, we will begin testing more enhanced features like dynamic pricing and day part offerings along with AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling.” The price of Wendy’s quarter-pound cheeseburger already differs depending on location.

Strong occupier demand and limited supply fuel rental increases in UK’s drive-thru market: Demand from food & beverage (F&B) operators within the drive-thru market is currently at a ten-year high, having seen their popularity accelerate during the pandemic, according to research from Savills UK. This has fuelled a significant increase in rents, with the latest data from Savills showing that average annual headline rents on new F&B drive-thru’s on out-of-town retail and leisure schemes increased 25.9% in 2023 on the previous year, to just under £55 per square-foot. F&B operators consistently feature in the top 20 most acquisitive operators in the UK out of town retail and leisure sector and 2023 was no exception, with the research noting 44 new F&B drive-thru openings across existing retail and shopping parks throughout the UK. This made up 31% of all new F&B openings and is slightly above the average annual number of drive-thru openings over the last decade (42). However, it is less than half the number of drive-thru openings seen in 2022, which the research said is a consequence of a lack of supply and difficulties and delays in delivering new drive thru developments rather than a reduction in operator appetite. The research said: “Vacancy is particularly low in the UK retail warehouse out of town market at 4.6% and a number of other factors such as delays in the planning system, financial viability challenges due to rising development costs and more stringent restrictions imposed by existing retail tenants preventing development in car parks are reducing the pipeline of opportunities. Operators are therefore finding it increasingly difficult to find and secure appropriate space to expand on existing retail and leisure schemes. As a result, the competition for drive-thru space has become increasingly fierce with fast food operators innovating to develop smaller format drive-thrus to compete with other grab and go and coffee operators in the smaller format size range of 1,800-2,000 square-feet. This has resulted in headline rents for new drive thrus for all brands in this smaller format climbing to just under £55 per sq ft on average for 2023, a 25.9% increase on 2022. Headline rents in the larger format drive thru size tend to be under £40 per square foot.” Starbucks and Costa continue to be the most acquisitive brands, opening 26 and 14 new drive-thru units respectively across existing out of town retail and leisure schemes in 2023, in addition to their other drive thru openings in traditional locations on mixed use and solus roadside developments. There have also been a number of new entrants to the drive thru sector in the last five years including Tim Hortons, Greggs, Popeyes and Taco Bell amongst others, all competing for space and appearing in the top ten most acquisitive drive-thru brands over the last 12 months.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a contract catering/soft facilities management company that is seeking a business director. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role covers the whole of the UK with a portfolio of circa £150m. For this role, it is a must that you have extensive senior leadership experience in contract catering and/or facilities management within PFI and public sector contracts. Your senior leadership experience in the relevant sector will allow you to meet any day-to-day challenges with an effective response and will enable you to lead and develop the large current and future portfolio. Experience in complex contract mobilisations will be an advantage as this group looks to grow in the sector through a very healthy pipeline. Strong people management skills are required as you will engage in all areas of the business, from key stakeholders to front-line staff, and a high degree of self-motivation will be needed.” The salary is up to £150,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email dan@corecruitment.com.

 

 

Group behind Chotto Matte and Angus Steakhouse targets 15 sites for new pizza brand, new London all-day brasserie concept to launch in fourth quarter: Noble Hospitality Group – the group behind Japanese concept Chotto Matte, Angus Steakhouse and Steak and Company – has targeted 15 sites by 2029 for its new pizza concept. Noble Hospitality Group, previously known as ATFC, last month launched Alley Cats Pizza, which focuses on New York City-style pizzas, at 22 Paddington Street, just off Baker Street. The concept is being overseen by chef Francesco Macri, who was formerly at Pizza Pilgrims, Caravan and Princi. “The next opening is scheduled for May-June, although the specific location remains confidential at this time,” a Noble Hospitality Group spokesperson told Propel. “We are considering expansion in all areas of the city with a target of establishing 15 stores within the next five years. Additionally, we have aspirations for international growth through franchising and are actively seeking franchise partners who share our vision.” The spokesperson also told Propel the new concept it is developing and planning to launch in the capital, as reported last month, will be a “full-day brasserie offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with an antipodean influence” and that it is targeting a launch in west London the fourth quarter of this year. They also said that its next Steak and Company restaurant is in the “early stages of development” and that its Chotto Matte in Manchester’s St Michael’s scheme is “scheduled for the first half of next year”. It follows a successful 2023, which saw revenue at Angus Steakhouse grow by more than 16% while Steak and Company group revenue was 6.3% higher. 

 

Boojum reports record turnover of £27m in year before Azzurri Group deal: Mexican fast-casual operator Boojum saw turnover rise to a record £27m in the full year before it was bought by Azzurri Group. The business, which will make its UK debut this spring with an opening in Leeds, reported turnover rose to £26,984,781 for the year ending 23 April 2023 compared with £24,067,721 the year before. Boojum said revenue has now grown 27% in the past three years. Underlying Ebitda was down to £3,259,836 from £3,701,855 the previous year, which the business said was still a “strong result in the context of a challenging trading environment”. Pre-tax profit fell to £2,200,465 from £2,398,952 the year before. In his report accompanying the accounts, founder David Maxwell said: “Sales in all regions were ahead of the previous 12 months. However, revenue in Northern Ireland was offset by increases in the average UK VAT rate that occurred during the comparative period. Like-for-like gains in the Republic of Ireland were boosted by a first full year of trade in Blanchardstown, which opened in December 2021. Weekly revenues per store averaged £37,067 (2022: £34,285). Gross margins of 68.9% (2022: 72.1%) reflect sustained pressure on food costs from multiple entrenched inflation factors. While striving to contain the impact of higher pricing, the business is not immune to such turbulence and consequently has been required to absorb a substantial share of the premiums imposed on certain key commodities. Despite further inflationary effects, particularly relating to utilities, the ratio of operating expenses to sales held flat as labour efficiencies tracked in line with higher transaction volumes. Exceptional costs [of £52,892] in the year include legal and professional fees pertaining to strategic projects that were ongoing at the balance sheet date.” The company received government grants of £34,367 (2022: £308,219). No dividend was paid (2022: nil). Boojum was acquired by Azzurri Group in June last year and plans to open 25 sites over the next five years in major UK student cities, starting at the Merrion Centre in Leeds. Founded in 2007, Boojum currently operates 15 sites, predominantly located across Belfast and Dublin. The company’s current mainland pipeline extends into Nottingham, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.

Upham Inns year-to-date lfl sales up 3.9%, remains in discussions on new investment: Upham Inns, the Hampshire-based operator, has told Propel that like-for-like sales in its current financial year to date are up 3.9%, as it said it “remains in discussions with a number of potential investor partners.” The 15-strong business said that for the year ended 31 March 2023, it recorded a pub Ebitda of £2.258m and a group Ebitda of £1.118m. Kevin Todd, executive chairman, said: “We have maintained our profitable trading despite the significant economic headwinds the industry has faced. In 2022, we completed two major pub investments to continue to premiumise the quality of our estate, with the resultant impact of closure periods. In 2023/4, we continued our positive evolution. Sales year to date are in overall growth of 3.9%. Indicative of the trend of many of our peer set, we experienced a strong festive trading season (+12.5%) but were negatively impacted in July-August by the unseasonably wet weather conditions, which impacted demand at our destination businesses, especially those reliant on al fresco trading to maximise their peak sales. We continue to progress our ambition for further estate growth when the right market conditions prevail and remain in discussions with a number of potential investor partners.” Upham operates pubs with rooms across southern England. It operates village inns in affluent rural locations and its Harpers Steakhouse concept in suburban locations.

BrewDog opens first site of 2024, at least six more to launch this year: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has opened its first site of 2024 – in Perth, Western Australia – with at least another six venues to launch this year. The flagship location has launched in Gordon Street, in a former coffee roastery in the heart of the city. The space includes large indoor and outdoor seating including two bars, a beer garden and dedicated arcade games room. The bars have 20 taps pouring beer, including direct from BrewDog’s Brisbane brewery, as well as guest offerings from breweries from across Western Australia. The site also offers BrewDog’s food menu, including wings and burgers. BrewDog co-founder James Watt said: “We also have a BrewDog location in Perth, Scotland, meaning we now have two BrewDog Perths! This is just the start of a very exciting 2024 opening schedule that will also see new BrewDog locations in Rotterdam, Dubai, Denver, Milan, Bangkok, Columbus airport and many more.”

 

Dubai hospitality group set to bring two more brands to London in 2024: Dubai hospitality group Fundamental Hospitality has said it is looking to bring two more of its brands to London in 2024. The business, founded in 2011, brought its flagship Greek and Mediterranean concept Gaia to the UK in December. Located at the junction of Dover Street and Piccadilly in London’s Mayfair, the 154-cover restaurant is from chief executive Evgeny Kuzin and chef Izu Ani, building on their sites in Dubai, Monte Carlo and Doha. By the end of 2024, the group will launch four new brands and open seven new venues domestically and the same amount internationally. It currently operates 11 brands over 14 venues and is set to next bring 1930s-style pan-Asian dining brand Shanghai Me and French cuisine brand La Maison Ani to London, reports Arabian Business. “In London alone, within a year, you will have Gaia, Maison Ami, and Shanghai Me in the most prestigious venues,” said Kuzin. “We are from Dubai, we are made in Dubai, and we are scaling to the world. If you succeed in the UAE market, because it is home to one of the most diverse and eclectic crowds from all around the world, it is quite easy to scale anywhere.” The group’s other concepts include Alaya (Levant cuisine), Piatti (regional Italian produce), La Petite Ani (sister brand of La Maison Ani), Izu Burger (“dirty” burgers) and NYX (European-style speakeasy).

 

Heartwood Collection opens first pub with rooms: Heartwood Collection, the Alchemy Partners-backed business, has opened its first pub with rooms. The White Horse in Dorking has launched following a multimillion-pound refurbishment. The opening marks Heartwood Collection’s first venture into pubs with rooms, with a further four locations already confirmed by the group for 2024, in line with its plan to grow to more than 60 sites and in excess of 500 bedrooms by 2027. The ground floor of the grade II-listed The White Horse has been reconfigured to create a dining room for more than 100 covers with further seating in a sheltered courtyard. Upstairs, there are 56 bedrooms, ranging from a “snug” to “really fancy”. Richard Ferrier, managing director of Heartwood Collection, said: “This is a hugely significant moment for Heartwood Collection with the opening of its first pub with rooms and marks the start of an intensive period of growth in 2024 and beyond. We are incredibly proud of The White Horse and the holistic approach we have taken to ensuring every aspect of the guest’s experience is absolutely seamless. We are looking forward to The White Horse being joined by four further pubs with rooms over the course of 2024.” They include the Rope & Anchor in Emsworth (43 bedrooms), the Coat & Bear in Newbury (26 bedrooms) and the White Hart in Lewes (26 bedrooms).

 

The Craft Beer Co co-founder to open UK’s first vintage beer cellar: Martin Hayes, who co-founded The Craft Beer Co with Peter Slezak in 2011, is set to open the UK’s first vintage beer cellar. Hayes will open the cellar in June at Cask Pub and Kitchen, the award-winning independent London pub he opened in 2009. He said the “million-dollar pub cellar” has come about following “years of planning, expert knowledge and careful and informed curation”. Hayes said: “We have always taken our responsibility as London's original craft beer pub seriously and are proud to have been the pioneers that helped transform the London pub landscape. But we have always been restless and eager to raise the bar even further. We have decided that as we prepare for our 15th birthday celebrations on the weekend of 8-9 June, we should finally crack open our million-dollar cellar, full of vintage bottled beers going all the way back to the 1950s. It is a truly remarkable collection and now is the right time to share it with our guests. Nothing like it exists in the UK currently. We will always be first and foremost a pub serving the best pints of beer in London at accessible prices, and that will never change, but we are now additionally able to blow people’s minds with this unique and breathtaking collection of extremely rare and vintage bottled beers”. In addition to Cask Pub and Kitchen, The Craft Beer Co operates sites across London in Brixton, Clerkenwell, Covent Garden, Limehouse, Hammersmith, St Mary Axe and Paddington.

 

SSP opens new premium restaurant and bar at Newcastle airport: SSP Group, the UK operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, has opened a new premium restaurant and bar at Newcastle airport. Aster & Thyme has replaced the Cabin Bar and increased the outlet’s size by 130%. Forming part of a £20m project to refurbish the airport’s departure lounge and security search area, the development has created more than 20 jobs. The breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks menu all celebrate the best of local produce. Dean Ward, director of commercial at Newcastle International airport, said: “Aster & Thyme embodies our commitment to provide passengers with a world-class travel experience, and this stylish brasserie will be a haven for travellers to relax and enjoy the best north east produce ahead of their departure – all with fantastic views of the airfield.” Cathy Granby, business development director UK & Ireland at SSP, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Newcastle travellers to our elegant new venue.”

Siren Craft Brew to open flagship site in Reading: Berkshire-based brewer and retailer Siren Craft Brew is to open a flagship Tap Room in Reading later this spring. The business, which is led by Darron Anley, is planning to open a 3,800 square-foot space in the town’s new Station Hill development. The new site, which the business is targeting to open in May, will bringing “more than 30 lines of brewery fresh beer to the town centre”. A company spokesperson said: “Just a stone’s throw from the train station, it’s going to be very exciting to have a space that doesn’t require a fully committed pilgrimage to get to! The idea behind this expansion is to create a flagship home for our brand. Along with the beer line-up, which will include guest beers from all around, we’re also investing in a high-spec kitchen and top team to deliver tasty, street food inspired accompaniments in a space unlike any in the area. We want to create a home to showcase independent producers of all kinds. We don’t want this project just to be for beer drinkers, first and foremost it should be a place that you and your family and friends, and their friends, want to spend time. So, wines, cocktails and all kinds of non-alcoholic options will be given just as much attention as the beers. There is significant outside space, so alfresco pints are definitely on the cards this summer. We’ll be inviting the local community to get involved in a crowdfunder, which will be offering generous pre-paid bar tabs and other exclusive rewards.” In 2021, the business took on its first pub, the George and Dragon in Swallowfield, near Reading. 

Hollywood Bowl set to open £3m site in Dundee: Hollywood Bowl Group, the UK’s largest ten-pin bowling operator, is set to open a new £3m site in Dundee. Work is underway on the Douglas Road location, with the doors set to open for the first time on Monday, 20 May. The venue will feature 20 ten pin bowling lanes, state-of-the-art amusements, a bar and diner and a dedicated party zone, creating up to 35 jobs. Centre manager Laura MacDougall said: “Hollywood Bowl has built a strong reputation for delivering affordable family experiences across the UK and we can’t wait to welcome all ages and abilities from across the city to have fun and make memories together in our new state-of-the-art bowling centre.” Last week, Hollywood Bowl signed for a new 38,000 square-foot site in Uxbridge’s The Chimes centre, in west London. It comes after the business reported record revenue of £215.1m for the year to 30 September 2023 in December, and said it sees the potential to grow its circa 70-strong UK estate to at least 130 sites by 2035.

 

Domino’s opens its 100th store in Ireland: Domino’s has opened its landmark 100th store in Ireland. It has opened at Unit 7 in Waterford shopping centre in Lisduggan, County Waterford, creating 25 jobs. The first Domino’s in the country opened in Dublin in 1991, six years after its UK launch, in Luton. Managing director for Domino’s Ireland, Annelie McCaffrey, said: “We’re thrilled to reach this incredible milestone of opening our 100th store in Ireland. This year marks 33 years of Domino’s in Ireland, a long-standing and major employer supplying fresh food from dough to door. The business is also accelerating new store openings, with ambitious plans for 2024. From established markets like Cork, Dublin and Belfast, to openings in new towns like Waterford, which we are celebrating. We remain focused on delivering world-class menu innovations, with on-trend new products that keep our customers excited and returning again and again.” Domino’s Waterford chief executive, George Bertram, added: “We’re thrilled to be opening a new store in Waterford, allowing us to deliver our delicious menu of freshly made, handcrafted pizzas to even more of our loyal customers across the city and welcoming them to our new store. Our new premises looks fantastic with ample space for customers to dine in-store.” It comes after Propel earlier this week revealed that Domino’s UK & Ireland has appointed Stoffel Thijs to the newly created role of director of joint ventures and corporate estates. This, in turn, followed chief executive Andrew Rennie admitting that the business was prepared to buy a second brand to keep its franchisees investing in the company, with the plan to be led by an “experienced Domino’s operator”. Thijs has been with the brand for 26 years, including leading the growth of its corporate store estate in the Netherlands, Germany and France.

 

Roxy Leisure opens Roxy Ball Room site in York: Roxy Leisure, the operator of the Roxy Ball Room and Roxy Lanes brands, has opened its latest Roxy Ball Room, in York. Located in The Stonebow, the venue offers duck pin bowling, karaoke, crazy pool, American pool, tech darts, ice-free curling, beer pong, shuffleboard, ping pong and a batting cage, alongside the brand’s premium food and beverage offering. This includes “Roxy Dogs” made with Bratwurst sausages and brioche buns, pepperoni pizza, chorizo and brie pizza, mushroom and truffle pizza, garlic and parmesan wings and fries, kickin’ popcorn chicken, chilli cheese bites and more. It also offers cocktails, spirits, wine, draft beer and low and no-alcohol options. Joel Mitchell, Roxy Leisure’s sales and marketing director, said: “We’re beyond ecstatic to join the thriving hospitality scene in York and to be opening our 19th site in the UK. We’ve been looking to bring the Roxy experience to our neighbours in York for a while now and it’s great to finally be able to open the doors to our friends in the city.” The company, which last week said it is planning to open a new Roxy Lanes site in Nottingham’s Bottle Lane, aims to grow to a 40-strong estate in the next five years. Roxy Leisure plans to add six sites in the next year in major cities including London and Glasgow, alongside three new sites for its family-orientated King Pins concept.

 

Israeli chef opens oyster bar and grill in Islington: Israeli chef Maoz Alonim has opened an oyster bar and grill in Islington, north London. Alonim has launched Chapel Market Kitchen in Chapel Market. For many years, he ran his restaurant Basta in Carmel Market in Tel Aviv. In recent years, he’s been living in the UK, having followed his wife here for her academic career. On the heels of a well-received pop-up in Cambridge, he’s now opened the permanent restaurant in Islington. Alonim told Hot Dinners: “I get most of my produce from Chapel Market directly. It’s a real ‘market restaurant’ that gives prominence to the quality of the raw materials in our dishes. The menu changes often (sometimes daily), depending on what is fresh on the market that day.” The menu includes oysters along with a range of small and large plates, such as kingfish sashimi with tomatoes as well as dishes from the grill. Alomin added: “I love London and all it has to offer. We were looking for a location that is central enough but removed from the hustle and bustle of more touristic neighbourhoods, and I love being embedded in the everyday life of a real, local, trading market.” The drinks menu includes an “unruly” wine list. 

 

Edinburgh steak restaurant concept closes one of its city sites to focus on other venues: Edinburgh steak restaurant concept Chop House has closed one of its city sites to concentrate on its other venues in the capital. The business has shut its Leith outlet in Constitution Street after nine years of making “fantastic memories”, reports Edinburgh Live. Chop House said the decision was made in order to focus on its other sites in Bruntsfield and Market Street, but said it has “loved being in Leith”. The announcement was made via the restaurant's Instagram account with customers advised that gift vouchers can still be used at Market Street or Bruntsfield. It said: “Chop House has been part of the Leith landscape since 2015 but all good things must come to an end. In order to concentrate on our other restaurants, we have decided to leave our Constitution Street branch. We’ve loved being in Leith, making many friends and some fantastic memories. You can still enjoy all your Chop House favourites at our other two sites, in Market Street and in Bruntsfield.”

 

Loungers to open new site in Macclesfield next week: Cafe bar operator Loungers will open its new site in Macclesfield next week. The company will launch Panadero Lounge on Wednesday, 6 March in Mill Street, creating about 30 jobs. A spokesperson for Loungers told Cheshire Live “particular attention will be paid to families with a selection of games, books, colouring pencils and pads on offer”. The opening will be the company’s 253rd site and 214th Lounge. In January, executive chairman Alex Reilley said it feels like the business, which also operates Cosy Club and roadside diner concept Brightside, is only just getting started and “there is so much more for us to go after”, as the company opened its 250th site in total. He said: “We’re on track to open 34 sites in the current financial year, which will be a record for us and will involve the creation of more than 1,000 jobs. In the longer term, we believe there is scope for more than 600 Lounges alone across the UK.”

 

York chef set to open second site: York chef Stephen Andrews is set to open a second site in the city. The head chef and founder of Fish&Forest at 110 Micklegate will open Notes Wine Bar this spring, reports the York Press. Notes will take over the existing Fish&Forest site, while Fish&Forest will relocate from Micklegate to Grape Lane in the city centre, which is currently occupied by 1331 Bar & Grill. Andrews said: “Notes Wine Bar will be a relaxed and comfortable space to enjoy carefully selected wine from across the world. It’s the sister concept of Fish&Forest, so staying true to our ethos, we’ll of course we’ll be exploring local produce, and we’ll have a smaller menu of snacks and nibbles to enjoy too.” Andrews will operate the new venture alongside his dad, Sam Robinson. “My dad currently owns and runs 1331,” said Andrews. “He’s brilliant at what he does and has been a huge influence on my career. As the 1331 chapter closes, it’s really exciting to step into this new chapter together.” The new Fish&Forest which will have twice the number of covers in its current location. Andrews founded his Michelin-listed restaurant as a pop-up concept in 2018 before opening in Spark in 2020 and then Micklegate the following year. Notes will open in May and Fish&Forest will move to its new home in July. While 1331 Bar & Grill will shut, owners Sam and Jan Robinson plan to keep the members-only pool club on the top floor and open a first-floor restaurant called Potato and Sausage, specialising in top quality homemade sausage and mash.

 

Former Rosslyn Coffee alumni opens new coffee shop: Former Rosslyn Coffee alumni Liam Clifford has opened a new independent coffee shop in south London. He has launched Moonstruck at 153 South Lambeth Road, offering coffee from Woolwich roasters Plot and food from Toklas Bakery in Russell Square. Clifford has also released a special collaboration Moonstruck coffee and is gearing up to launch a frozen coffee menu, with more than 60 to choose from. Award-winning barista Alexa Lee heads up the team, reports Hot Dinners. Rosslyn Coffee, the concept founded by former Caravan head of wholesale James Hennebry and Mat Russell, operates three central London sites.