Sandwich Sandwich chairman – we hope to open ten sites in London over next two to three years: Chaker Hanna, chairman of Sandwich Sandwich, has told Propel that the business plans to open ten sites in London over the next two to three years and has already been approached about franchising the concept. Hanna, the former Comptoir Group chief executive, said Sandwich Sandwich, which operates three sites in Bristol and will open its debut site in London, at 1 Gresham Street this May, has already been inundated with potential new sites. He said: “We’ve had an amazing response to the buzz around the business from landlords who would like us in their schemes and developments. When I left Comptoir I had a number of opportunities to join far bigger businesses and teams, but this business really captured my heart. I think it is an amazing concept, it is something new, something different. This business has something that is very special. A sandwich is about a bite to eat, but Sandwich Sandwich is a meal to eat, not a bite. The team works overnight to get the best quality products ready for consumers the next day. We are looking to open two to three sites this year, and have around ten sites open in the capital over the next two to three years. But for 2024 it will be a minimum of two, possibly three openings. We are looking very carefully to make sure we don't cannibalise sites. In front of me now, I have six possible sites in the City and people really want us to go there but that's not really what we want right now. The market is big enough to have multiple sites for Sandwich Sandwich, but we will do that gradually, we are not in a hurry. The most important thing is that we keep delivering that mouth-watering product.” Hanna said the business, which founded in 2012 by Nick Kleiner, has already had interest from a large company that wants to franchise the concept. He said: “We have had a discussion, but we have put that on hold until we have opened a few sites in London first and we are able to support and manage a franchise operation. But that could be a big market for us and it is pleasing for us that there is a lot of interest around this at this early stage. London is the first stop for us to roll out. Then organically we can grow across big cities and big towns in the UK, before we will look at international.” He said that the business, which is backed by family and friends, is not looking to bring in any new funding at this stage. He said: “We will look to finance the new sites over the next two years ourselves but after that we will possibly look at a fundraise to support further growth.” In October, Sandwich Sandwich won the £100,000 top prize in the Uber Eats restaurant of the year awards.

Christie & Co’s Stephen Owens to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club members: Stephen Owens, managing director – pubs and restaurants at Christie & Co, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 14 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Owens will set the scene for the market, with an update on sector valuations, price expectations, market sentiment, who the buyers and sellers are, and what’s in store for the year ahead. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club members. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places. 

Propel’s updated Multi-Site Database to be released on Thursday, 28 March, with seven category segmentation including 415 quick service restaurant operators: The next Propel Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate, providing details of more than 3,000 multi-site operators, will be released on Thursday, 28 March, at midday, to Premium Club members – and companies are now searchable in seven main segments. The database features 906 (30%) restaurant operators from the casual dining sector, 761 (25%) pub and bar operators, 504 (16%) cafe bakery operators, 415 (13%) quick service restaurant operators, 249 (8%) hotel operators, 188 (6%) experiential leisure operators and 52 (2%) fine dining restaurant operators. The database is updated each month – this edition includes 16 new companies and brings the total to 3,075. Premium Club 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 Hospitality. Plus, all members 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.

Greggs and McDonald’s ‘missed a moment’ when their tills went down: Greggs and McDonald’s both “missed a moment” when their tills went down, George Davidson, founder of marketing and market research consultancy The Lantern Link, has argued. Both chains apologised for technical issues that saw McDonald’s customers unable to order food last Friday morning (15 March), and Gregg’s staff unable to use their tills on Wednesday morning (20 March). Writing in this week’s Propel Friday Opinion, Davidson encouraged brands to “get a plan for when it happens in your pub or restaurant”. He wrote: “Did McDonald’s and Greggs really turn away their regulars? I’d take a good look at your brand values and then ask how that is best expressed when the tills are down. Of course, whatever solution is put in place must be operationally simple and easy for staff to manage during what will be a difficult time anyway. But the best time to build relationships with our customers is when we ask them to help us out. As good as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, McDonald’s and Greggs are at marketing – I think they missed a moment this week.” Davidson will share more of his thoughts in this week’s Friday Opinion, which will be published today (Friday, 22 March) at 11am.

UKHospitality – Scotland’s Circular Economy Bill will increase costs for businesses and deter customers: UKHospitality has warned that Scotland’s Circular Economy Bill will increase costs for businesses and deter customers. Proposals that include plans to boost recycling and reduce waste were put before Holyrood’s lawmakers on Wednesday (20 March). It comes after Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) had to be abandoned last year pending the planned introduction of the UK-wide scheme in 2025, with recent speculation it will be further delayed to 2028. Leon Thompson, executive director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “Hospitality businesses had hoped the Scottish government had learnt from its previous mistakes of introducing legislation devoid of essential details. The Circular Economy Bill proves that isn’t the case, to the extent that we’re going through the exact same motions we did with the DRS. Like DRS, all we do know is that this Bill will ramp up costs for businesses. The entire sector was clear months ago that more detail was needed in the Bill to provide clarity on what it is the Scottish government is trying to achieve. Instead, businesses are none the wiser on what charge may be levied against single-use cups and other items and what the funds might be used for. This is no way to treat hospitality businesses that deliver billions to the Scottish economy and employ hundreds of thousands of people. We urgently need the Scottish government to provide further information on the proposals included in the Bill and engage rapidly with the sector.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a drinks company that is seeking an off-trade shopper marketing manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “You will support and assist the team in all areas of off-trade customer support. The off-trade team will support in the branding and relationship building across the off-trade sector, along with supporting the sales team to deliver on company growth. This is a fantastic role for someone who has customer marketing experience within the drinks fast moving consumer goods sector.” The salary is up to £60,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com.

 

Wendy’s signs up fourth UK franchisee: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, has signed up its fourth UK franchise partner, GH Burgers, a new vehicle set up by Pizza Hut franchisee Alhassan Goussous, Propel has learned. Goussous, through his MSAJ Pizza business, currently operates 23 Pizza Hut delivery sites and a restaurant and delivery outlet in Ilford. Turnover of the business has grown from £5m in 2020 to a projected £15m this year, while employee numbers have more than tripled to more than 400. Currently, the firm delivers more than 25,000 pizzas every week. A Wendy’s spokesperson told Propel: “I can confirm that GH Burgers has joined Wendy's as the newest franchisee in the UK to help grow and expand our brand presence in the country.” GH Burgers joins Wendy’s other UK franchise partners, Square Burgers, Blank Table and JRK Restaurants. The latter has lined up new openings for the US brand in Chelmsford High Street and Southend High Street. Last month, Gunther Plosch, Wendy’s chief financial officer, said its existing franchisees in the UK are “very excited” about the opportunity for the brand. The business currently operates 36 sites in the UK, comprising 12 company-owned sites, ten franchise sites and 14 delivery kitchens. Plosch also said the brand expects to continue to “build out the UK footprint” when it comes to company-owned sites. He said: “We are sitting at 12 restaurants currently. In the next couple of years, you can expect growth to about 20 restaurants.”

Jinweide Hand Pulled Noodles to make UK debut: Jinweide Hand Pulled Noodles, the China-based brand, is to make its UK debut, with an opening in the City, Propel has learned. Jinweide Hand Pulled Noodles, which was founded in 1990, has secured the former Neat Burger site at 155 Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street, for an opening later this year. The in-line unit sits within British Land’s Broadgate scheme and is located opposite Bishopsgate’s junction with Brushfield Street. At the same time, Propel understands that Burger King has acquired the former Neat Burger site in Cabot Place, Canary Wharf. Last November, the Lewis Hamilton-backed plant-based concept Neat Burger announced it was to close half of its eight-strong UK estate after seeing a “shift towards hybrid-work, leading to a natural decrease in footfall at some of our larger restaurants”. It subsequently closed its sites in Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf, Oxford Street and Westfield Stratford, leaving it with sites in Camden, Soho, Victoria and Wembley. Last month, the business said it was taking the first step in its brand evolution by rebranding as “Neat”, as it looks to evolve from “the occasional to the everyday”. Jamie Harvie-Austin, of Austin Commercial, and Alex Lowry, of CF Commercial, acted on the Liverpool Street deal, while Richard Simmonds, of RSA Property, acted on the Canary Wharf deal. 

The Chesterford Group acquires iconic Toffs site, eyes further openings under the name, appoints new FD: The Chesterford Group, which operates circa 40 sites under brands including Churchill’s and Bankers Fish & Chips, has acquired Toffs, the iconic, award-winning fish and chips shop in London’s Muswell Hill, Propel has learned. Toffs opened in 1968, and has been repeatedly voted among the UK’s best fish and chip shops. Propel understands that The Chesterford Group plans to keep the Toffs name and use the acquisition as a staging post to open more sites under the name in and around the capital. At the same time, Propel understands that the James Lipscombe-led business has hired Andy Infch, formerly of the Casual Dining Group, as its new finance director. The appointment comes as the group secured its seventh Pret A Manger site, in Colchester. The group was the inaugural Pret A Manger franchisee in the UK under its Joy Brands vehicle and currently operates six locations under the brand – two in Cambridge plus one each in Chelmsford, St Albans, Braintree and Bishop’s Stortford. The site in Colchester will open in early summer.

Bread & Truffle secures fifth London site, makes transport hub debut: Italian bakery and sandwich concept Bread & Truffle has opened its fifth site in London, and its first in a transport hub. The business, which was founded in 2020 by Giorgio De Stefano and Simone Frongia, has opened the outlet in St Pancras International. The concept also operates sites in Monument, London Fields, Canary Wharf and Battersea, plus a concession in Selfridges. The company said: “We're all about pushing the limits of what a sandwich can be and bringing Italian cuisine to the forefront of the sandwich revolution. This is why we started with the decision of making the bread ourselves; operationally, it might seem counter-intuitive, but it is our competitive advantage and also what makes Bread & Truffle different.”

Kerb helps its members turn over £23.5m with sales up 40%: Street food collective Kerb helped its members generate gross sales of £23.5m in 2023, showing 40% growth on the £17m reported in 2022. This growth was seen across a membership of 150 independently owned trader partners and was driven by an increase in private, public and retail events trade – feeding more than 900,000 event guests and generating almost £8m in gross revenue. The company’s flagship Seven Dials Market also saw its best year yet, ahead of the opening of three food halls globally in 2024. Kerb delivered almost 1,800 market trading days, almost 500 event opportunities and 365 days of trading at Seven Dials across the year. This, in turn, fuelled the growth of Kerb+, the company’s social enterprise established in April 2022. In its first year, the team, led by managing director Gavin Dunn, delivered more than 850 hours of free coaching. It also saw 31 businesses graduate from its no-cost “inkerbator” programme and worked with more than 320 people from less advantaged backgrounds. The figures were unveiled at Kerb’s annual member summit at which the company also announced the introduction of its “impact badges”, an effort to hold members more accountable for their sustainability by rating them based on environmental and social factors. “Over the past 12 years, there have been ups and downs within the hospitality industry, and these continue to challenge us all,” said chief executive Simon Mitchell. “However, with a strong team in place and renewed focus on creating opportunities for our members, 2023 was an incredible year of growth for Kerb. We have ambitious plans to continue this growth into 2024 and beyond, allowing us to collectively make the biggest possible positive impact we can. We’re striving to become the most impactful hospitality company in the world, and we’re taking this very seriously.” Earlier this month, Kerb appointed Andrew Stones, formerly of Imbiba and Be At One, as managing director of its Ventures division, where he will lead on the development and global growth of the group’s stand-alone food halls. The first to open is a collaboration with INGKA Centres, the sister company of IKEA, on a plant-forward food hall Saluhall, in San Francisco, set to launch in April. This will be shortly followed by the launch of a Kerb Berlin Market. In January, Kerb let four traders worth £5m in annual sales go to make space for four new independent businesses at Seven Dials. Truffle, Club Mexicana, El Pollote and Curry on Naanstop, which now own nine bricks and mortar sites, made way for new traders Lucky’s Hot Chicken, Los Gordos, Motherflipper and Kolkati.

RedCat Pub Company hires director of F&B: RedCat Pub Company, the investment vehicle founded and chaired by Rooney Anand, has hired David Peevers as director of food and beverage, a new role within the business. Peevers has extensive experience in the hospitality industry, particularly in premium pubs having previously worked for Urban Pubs & Bars, Greene King’s Metropolitan Pub Company arm and The Restaurant Group (TRG), as well as previously run his own gastropubs. In this role, he will join the senior leadership team and report directly to chief executive Richard Lewis. RedCat has also hired James Killick as area manager within the operations team. He joins RedCat from TRG’s award-winning pub brand Brunning & Price, where he spent nearly nine years as part of the senior operations team and helped it to grow to the 79-pub estate it is today. Both Peevers and Killick will take up their new roles on Monday (25 March). Lewis said: “I would like to extend a warm RedCat welcome to both David and James. They bring a great level of experience and proven delivery in the premium pub market. They will be a brilliant fit for RedCat, and we look forward to working with them both.”

Deep Blue launches loyalty scheme and app, gains 15,000 sign-ups in first two months: Deep Blue Restaurants, owner of the Deep Blue and Harry Ramsden’s brands, has launched a loyalty scheme and app, which has gained 15,000 sign-ups in its first two months. “Our loyal customers are our bread and butter... or should we say, our fish and chips?” said a company spokesperson. “That’s why we wanted to reward our customers for every pound they spend, give them access to gifts and benefits and make sure the offers they receive are personalised to suit their habits. We are thrilled to have worked on this alongside Como and Vita Mojo, resulting in a fully EPOS integrated loyalty scheme and accompanying smartphone app. Less than two months in, we have already gained more than 15,000 members and are seeing extremely valuable insights. We can’t wait to see where it goes from here!” A spokesman for Como added: “With 29 locations across the UK, we’re proud to collaborate with Deep Blue in enhancing the dining and ordering experiences of its loyal customers, ensuring they have a memorable journey with every visit.” Deep Blue acquired Harry Ramsden’s in 2019 from Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), and in November 2022, Propel revealed that Harry Ramsden’s had signed an exclusive retail development licence agreement with BRG. The agreement allows BRG to include the Harry Ramsden’s brand in its supermarket restaurant concept that also includes BRG own brands such as Carluccio’s Cafes, Ed’s Easy Diner and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, and which is being rolled out in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide.

Popeyes opens four new sites in ten days and first dark kitchen outside of London: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick-service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, has opened four new sites in the space of ten days as well as its first dark kitchen outside of London. Among its new openings are at the Bridge Retail Park in Fieldon, Bishop Auckland, and at 50-52 High Street in Exeter. It has also opened a dark kitchen at St George’s Street in Birmingham – its first site in the city and first delivery-only location outside the capital. “Four openings in ten days!” the company posted on social media. “We’ve opened even more Popeyes across the UK, and our day ones keep bringing the heat. We had 13-hour queues in Bishop Auckland and 16-hour queues in Exeter, waiting for our doors to open and taste our famous chicken sandwich. With more than 250 jobs created, we’re painting the UK orange.” It added: “Last week we landed in Birmingham for the first time, one of our most requested locations from our customers. To celebrate our first delivery kitchen outside of London, we brought the spirit of New Orleans to the city centre in true Popeyes style, and the people of Birmingham were treated to free chicken sandwiches. This is just the beginning of Popeyes poppin’ up in the region, with many more restaurants to open in the West Midlands in 2024.” In January, Popeyes said it would almost double its UK estate this year, with 30 confirmed new sites, as well as making its transport hub debut. The brand now has 42 locations and has further sites in Bury, Swansea, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Nottingham in the pipeline.

Papa John’s CEO Rob Lynch to join Shake Shack: Papa John’s chief executive Rob Lynch is leaving to take up the same position at Shake Shack. Lynch, who will take up his new role on 20 May, succeeds Randy Garutti, who announced his intention to retire in December after leading Shake Shack for more than two decades. Garutti will transition as an advisor in May to ensure a smooth transition. Lynch was hired at Papa John’s in August 2019 and helped drive record global systemwide sales of more than $5bn at the company. He has also led the company’s growth to about 5,900 sites. Papa John’s said chief financial officer Ravi Thanawala would be interim chief executive as the company looks for Lynch’s replacement. “I am very excited to work with this outstanding team to continue to write the inspirational Shake Shack story, and to help it grow into its greatest potential,” Lynch said. “Shake Shack is special in the restaurant space – I love the food, the thoughtful Shack designs, and the soul of the brand. As I have learned more about the company, I have also gained tremendous respect for the strong culture that has been an integral part of the company’s success since its founding. I’m honoured to have the opportunity to lead Shake Shack into the next phase of growth and I look forward to working with the board, our leadership team, and our licensed partners to realise the brand’s full potential.” Prior to Papa John’s, Lynch served as president of Arby’s, where he led operations, marketing, culinary, development and digital for the more than 3,400 restaurants across eight countries. He also previously served as Arby’s brand president and chief marketing officer and, before then, vice-president of marketing at Taco Bell. “Rob’s appointment as chief executive marks the beginning of our next chapter of growth as we seek to further elevate Shake Shack as a leading global brand,” Meyer said. “Rob’s deep leadership experience with several well-established global brands will serve us well in executing on our long-term strategic priorities as we enter the next phase of our company’s growth.”

Padel operator to open site at London’s Battersea Power Station scheme: Scandinavian padel operator Rocket Padel is to open a site at the Battersea Power Station scheme in London. After hosting a padel court pop-up at sports and games themed event, The Battersea Games in 2023, Rocket Padel will be returning to Battersea Power Station later this year to open Central London’s first riverside indoor padel courts. The four indoor courts will be in place for five years and built to the east of the grade II*-listed landmark alongside an immersive exhibition space. There will be community focused programmes with local youth organisations, charities and schools benefiting from free taster sessions. An LTA accredited coaching and training programme will also be available. Sebastian Gordon, founder of Rocket Padel, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Battersea Power Station to open the first riverside indoor padel courts in Central London. To be able to offer padel at such an iconic location will help fuel the sport on a global scene. Rocket Padel operates padel as a fusion between sports and lifestyle, and this venue will serve as a flagship delivering a unique player and visiting experience.” Rocket Padel opened its debut UK site last year, in Bristol, as part of plans to open up to 20 new sites across the country. The company also has a site in Ilford, east London.

Company behind four-star Rembrandt Hotel returns to profit as turnover exceeds pre-covid levels: The company behind the four-star Rembrandt Hotel in London’s Knightsbridge has reported a return to profit as revenue exceeded pre-covid levels. Turnover increased to £12,936,593 for the year ending 30 June 2023 compared with £7,851,235 the previous year. Revenue also exceeded the £12,469,104 for the year ending 30 June 2019 – the last full year before the pandemic. The company posted a pre-tax profit of £651,698 compared with a loss of £424,275 the year before (2019: profit of £804,043). Average room rate rose to £197.01 from £154.57 while average occupancy was up to 73.1% from 52.8%. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Following three years of difficult trading conditions in the hospitality sector as a result of the covid-19 pandemic, trade has returned to and is now exceeding pre-pandemic levels. At the balance sheet date, net current liabilities of £18,738,369 include bank loans repayable of £33,705,962, which were classified as due within one year as the debt was due to be repaid in the following financial period. After the year end in July 2023, the company successfully refinanced its loan agreements and was granted a new five-year facility of £37.5m, of which £35m was drawn down immediately. As the majority of this debt is now due in greater than one year, the company has returned to a net current asset position. Current liabilities also include deferred VAT and PAYE amounts of £192,403. These amounts are payable to HM Revenue & Customs on instalment plans, which were granted in response to the covid-19 pandemic. Following the year end the company continues to pay these instalments in accordance with the agreed terms.” The business did not receive any government grants (2022; £46,159). No dividend was paid (2022: nil).

Parkdean Resorts incorporates Makaton to help non-verbal children enjoy entertainment offering: Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s largest holiday park operator, has incorporated Makaton into elements of its entertainment programme delivery, allowing teams to communicate with non-verbal children. Makaton can either be used to support speech or as a main form of communication and is used by both children and adults with disabilities or learning difficulties. In 2023, Parkdean Resorts introduced basic Makaton training at its Trouper Academy for team members to cater for the increasing number of non-verbal children holidaying at its 66 parks across the UK. To mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week this week, the company has announced it has now incorporated Makaton into elements of its daytime programme across its parks on a weekly basis, with 284 entertainment staff now trained in total. Liam Beck, national entertainment lead at Parkdean Resorts, said: “Ensuring all our guests have their needs met is essential to us, and we want to make sure all children feel included when they’re enjoying our entertainment programme. This Neurodiversity Celebration Week we’re delighted to share the strides we’ve made in implementing Makaton across our parks.”

PPHE Hotel Group confirms April opening for art’otel Hoxton and details of F&B offer: PPHE Hotel Group has confirmed its art’otel in London’s Hoxton will open next month and revealed details of its food and beverage offer. Following the launch of art’otel London Battersea Power Station last year, it will be a second UK opening for the brand, which also has sites in Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Zagreb and is also set to launch in Rome. The Hoxton hotel will open on Wednesday, 24 April and will offer 357 art-inspired bedrooms and suites alongside destination bars and restaurants with outdoor terraces. On the ground and first floor will be The Brush, an all-day cafe, lounge and cocktail bar. Opening on Wednesday, 8 May, the ground floor will feature a 70-cover restaurant offering classic European cuisine. Dishes will include confit duck, bean cassoulet and rouille; and whole roast chicken with garlic and red onion jus. Upstairs, on the first floor, will be the lounge and cocktail bar serving cocktails, snacks and hosting live music by night. A destination restaurant will launch later in the year on the 25th floor with panoramic views across the capital. There will also be an indoor swimming pool, a spa with four treatment rooms, a sauna and a steam room, plus a skyline gym on the 26th floor. The hotel will host a programme of cultural and artistic events, with opportunities for both up-and-coming and established artists to create on site. PPHE Hotel Group, an international hospitality real estate company with a £2bn portfolio, owns the art’otel brand, a collection of premium lifestyle hotels, each inspired by a signature artist.

East Sussex hotel owners add country pub to portfolio: The owners of Wingrove House, a hotel in the East Sussex village of Alfriston, have added a country pub to their portfolio. They have bought the Foresters Arms in Fairwarp, off a guide price of £575,000 through agent Fleurets. Phil Lewin, director of Wingrove House, said: “We are delighted to now have the responsibility of owning the Foresters Arms, a truly great traditional country pub in the Ashdown Forest and the beautiful village of Fairwarp. We plan to work with the Foresters team in raising the customer experience by delivering an exciting new food and beverage offering, longer operating hours as well as interior and exterior improvements.” Nick Earee, divisional director of Fleurets south, added: “This delightful village pub attracted early interest with 12 formal viewings and a number of offers from existing operators received at the closing date.”

Chipotle confirms opening in London’s Tottenham Court Road: US brand Chipotle has confirmed it is to further increase its presence in central London, with an opening in Fitzrovia. Propel revealed last month that Chipotle had secured the former Le Pain Quotidien site in Tottenham Court Road. Now Chipotle has confirmed its latest outlet will open on Thursday, 28 March. “London remains an attractive growth area for us because UK consumers are prioritising healthy and sustainable food options,” said Jacob Sumner, director of European operations. “Our new Tottenham Court Road location will not only expand access to our real food for fans in London but also increase awareness of our brand in a dynamic part of the city.” Last month, Propel revealed Chipotle is also planning an opening in Kensington. The brand is set to take on the former HSBC bank site in Gloucester Road for an opening later this year. Chipotle currently operates 19 sites in the UK – 17 in London plus one each in Watford and Guildford.

Moma Group opens first international outpost for Mediterranean concept with London launch: Moma Group, the French hospitality company, has opened the first international outpost for its Mediterranean concept, Mimosa, in London. Mimosa London has launched at The Langham, taking the space once occupied by Roux at The Landau. Mimosa first launched in Paris’s Hotel de La Marine in 2021, celebrating the “produce and heritage of France” and offering Mediterranean-inspired menus by chef Jean-François Piège. Stefan Soennichsen, managing director of The Langham, said: “With Mimosa London, we have the opportunity to work with one of France’s greatest restaurants, to bring the spirit of the Riviera to our central London hotel.” Benjamin Patou, founder and chief executive of Moma Group, added: “I am very happy to open a restaurant in The Langham. I have always loved the hotel and am delighted to bring our finest Riviera cuisine to London.” Roux continues to oversee other food and beverage outlets at The Langham, including The Wigmore, Palm Court, Artesian and Sauce by The Langham. Moma Group’s portfolio of 30-plus restaurants and event venues are largely located in Paris, with several more in other French destinations and one other in London, Café LApérouse at the OWO. Restaurant Property acted for The Langham on the Mimosa deal.

Stack gets go-ahead to open site in Northampton: Leisure venue concept Stack has been given the go-ahead to open a site in Northampton. Stack has been granted permission by West Northamptonshire Council to transform the former Market Walk shopping centre into an entertainment hub with independent street food outlets, bars and a dedicated space for interactive games. The venue will also include a main stage, which will be used for live music and entertainment. The scheme is being supported by West Northamptonshire Council, which is providing up to £4.2m investment through the Towns Fund, with a further £8m investment from Stack. Neill Winch, chief executive of Stack, said: “We are thrilled that we can now start to move forward with our plans to bring Stack to Northampton and to create an exciting leisure destination for local residents and visitors.” The plans for a Stack in Northampton are the latest in a number of announcements made by the company as it rolls out its master plan to become a nationally recognised brand. Stack Lincoln will be opening in the next few months and the creation of a new home for Stack Newcastle at Worswick Chambers in the city centre is currently underway. Stack is currently operating at Seaburn in Sunderland and in the pipeline are schemes in Durham, Bishop Auckland, Whitley Bay, Carlisle, Manchester, Wigan and Sheffield, which are a mix of container villages and repurposed underused sites.

Kent-based Costa franchisee set to launch ladies-only concept for second gym: Kent-based Costa franchisee Goldex Group is set to launch a ladies-only concept for its second gym. Goldex, which operates circa 46 Costa stores in the UK as well as growing Costa business in Morocco, opened its first gym, Goldex Fitness, in Gillingham High Street in April 2022. It is now hiring team members for its second gym, which will open at 99 Station Road in Sidcup, south east London, and will be for women only. Like the Gillingham gym, it will be located next to one of Goldex’s Costa sites, plus a Kaspas, for which the group is the UK master franchisee. Goldex, which was founded in 2005, become the first UK-based Costa franchise to develop the brand overseas in 2022 with an opening in Marrakesh. Since then, it has opened six further sites in Morocco, including at three of the busiest train stations in the country. 

Family-run Hampshire coffee shop opens sixth site: Josie’s, the family-run Hampshire cafe and deli concept, has opened a sixth site in the county. The company, which was founded by mother-and-son team Josephine and Kevin Latouf in 2011, has acquired the former The Roasting Party unit at Station Mill in Alresford. The Roasting Party, which also has two cafes in London and an online shop, closed in December. Josie’s already has cafes in Winchester, Bishop’s Waltham, Romsey, Petersfield and Chandler’s Ford. Luke Searle, Josie’s operations manager, told the Hampshire Chronicle: “We are delighted to be given the opportunity to open in Alresford. It’s all happened quite quickly. We weren’t planning to open more than one Josie’s – it’s all just happened as and when an opportunity has come up. We are not actively looking, although Josie’s had an eye on Alresford for about ten years. It’s a beautiful market town that suits our demographic and bridges the gap between all our cafes. The Roasting Party supplies our coffee so it’s a mutual relationship we have had for many years. We’ll put the Josie’s touch on the space but we’ll be keeping much of it the same.” The Roasting Party previously posted on Instagram: “Our friends at Josie’s will be taking over in Alresford, ensuring your favourite Roasting Party coffee remains a staple. We’ve had an absolute blast over the last three years and here’s to the next chapter – Josie’s, over to you.”

 

Teesside operator set to open fifth site: Teesside operator Paul Charlton is set to open a fifth site with the launch of a new concept. The former teacher already operates four Cook’s Cafes in the region and is now opening Gin and Scone in the former The Scene Deli site at 4 Myton Road, Ingleby Barwick. The new venue will operate as a café during the day and then flip to a bar in the evening, serving a range of smash burgers and tapas style food, reports Teesside Live. “I have had my eye on a couple of units in Ingleby Barwick before, but they have not been right at the time,” Charlton said. “Then this one came up, and I thought the opportunity was too good to miss. I think it is something that Ingleby has been crying out for and I hope it will pay off.” Charlton, who gave up teaching after 16 years in 2017, is also planning to host music events at the venue. His Cook’s Cafés are inside the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum at Stewart Park, at Billingham Forum, at Stockton Splash and at Tees Barrage. The Scene owner Molly Shaher announced last month that she was selling up to focus on her PHD in hospitality after running the outlet for three years.

Radisson Hotel Group adds Surrey country manor to its portfolio: Radisson Hotel Group has continued its UK expansion by adding a Surrey country manor to its portfolio. It has signed up Stanhill Court Hotel, in Charlwood, to its Radisson Individuals brand. The 56-bedrooms hotel is licensed for civil ceremonies, with a range of meeting and event spaces including The Orangery. Owners Mark Rees and Dave Mellish said: “As a member of the Radisson Individuals brand, Stanhill Court Hotel will continue to deliver exceptional experiences, guest stays and elevate its country house events and function offerings. The partnership will give the hotel links to Radisson Hotel Group’s wide and extensive network, cutting-edge technologies and marketing support.” Adela Cristea, vice-president, head of business development UK, Ireland & Nordics at Raddison, added: “The hotel perfectly aligns with the Radisson Individuals brand and we are delighted to have it on board.”

Liverpool micro-brewery falls into administration: A Liverpool micro-brewery has ceased trading after falling into administration. Neil Henry, of Lines Henry, has been appointed administrator of Big Bog Brewing Company after the company struggled with rising material, distribution and utility costs. The business offered craft ale in cask, keg, bottles and cans, as well as operating a taproom at Venture Point West in Speke. Henry said an increasing number of pub closures had an impact on sales, adding: “All of this has meant that, despite producing a product that has won many awards and accolades, the business could not continue and has had to close.” The assets of the company will be sold, with interested parties advised to contact the administrator, reports Insider Media.

Former MasterChef contestant set to open cafe, bar and bistro in Caerphilly: Former MasterChef contestant Francesca Keirle is set to open a cafe, bar and bistro in Caerphilly. The former teacher, who was a semi-finalist in the BBC show in 2015, is aiming to launch Geshmak at 6 Clive Street, in the premises formerly occupied by The Deli. Keirle, who described herself as having a “passion” for cooking inspired by her grandmother and family’s heritage, told Caerphilly Council’s licensing sub-committee that Geshmak will “enhance” the town. The committee heard Gwent Police and various council departments had offered no objections to the plans for the new Clive Street restaurant, reports the South Wales Argus. The licence application, however, did draw 11 letters of objections from people nearby, who raised concerns that the sale of alcohol there could cause issues with noise and anti-social behaviour. Her previous restaurant in Newport was “an oasis of calm” in the city, which closed so she could expand the business in Caerphilly, she said. While it was open, she added she had “worked with the authorities” in line with her licence terms, and had never had to record any incidents of bad behaviour linked to alcohol. The licensing sub-committee will announce its decision shortly.