Exclusive – Honest Burgers co-founders invest in pizza concept Breadstall, plan roll out: Philip Eeles and Dorian Waite, two of the co-founders of Honest Burgers, have invested in Breadstall, the London-based, biga-style pizza business, with plans to roll the concept out, Propel has learned. Propel understands that the pair have raised circa £1.2m to back the expansion of Breadstall, which was launched by Sebastian Vince during lockdown. Breadstall, which offers authentic biga-style 20-inch pizzas which can be ordered whole, in halves or quarters, currently operates out of a shipping container in Northcote Road in Clapham. The site also features a bar offering frozen margaritas. Propel understands Breadstall is close to securing its debut bricks-and-mortar site in a prominent Soho location, which it hopes to open before the end of the year. The business has also been joined by Nathan Takoor, who previously spent more than five years at Honest Burgers. Vince, who has a 20-year background in bakery and bread making, has focused on using biga dough, which is a type of Italian sourdough that uses baker’s yeast instead of wild yeast, allowing for a longer dough fermentation period (72 hours minimum). He said this technique results in a lighter, crunchier crust than traditional sourdough. Waite, former operations director of Bill’s and current non-executive director at Brother Marcus, told Propel: “I live locally and was taken by Seb’s concept as soon as I tried it. We believe it can disrupt the pizza space and is a hybrid quick service restaurant/fast-casual concept, with a real focus on communal hospitality that is attractive to all demographics. There is nothing out there like this. We feel it has real roll out potential.” Eeles, who founded Honest Burgers with Waite and Tom Barton, growing it to more than 40 sites, said: “It’s the best pizza I’ve ever eaten – simple as that. I fell in love with the stall, the simplicity, the old school hospitality of the place, and with Seb’s unbelievable passion for dough. I’ve always thought the best restaurant brands have street food roots.”

 

Sponsored message – Drinkaware kicks off nationwide campaign to encourage people to check their drinking: Drinkaware is kicking off a nationwide campaign during Alcohol Awareness Week to encourage people to check their drinking with their free Drinking Check. A spokesperson said: “It is a simple way to help people moderate their drinking and keep within the low risk drinking guidelines. Drinkaware wants to encourage hundreds of thousands of adults across the UK to complete the Drinking Check. Drinkaware’s research showed that two-thirds (66%) of adult drinkers in the UK, an estimated 30 million people, have never been asked to check their drinking. We are all used to regularly checking our eyesight or taking our blood pressure, so we should be doing the same for our drinking. The reality is that around nine million people – one in every five – are drinking at ‘increasing or higher’ risk levels, often without realising it. The Drinkaware Drinking Check asks you questions about your drinking and provides advice on how to have a healthier relationship with alcohol. Studies have shown that the Drinking Check can effectively identify people with risky drinking behaviour. Regularly taking the Drinking Check can help you keep within the chief medical officer’s guidelines of 14 units a week.” Take the Drinking Check and find out more here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

CGA by NIQ director Karl Chessell to speak at Propel summer conference and party, three free places per company for operators: Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s director, will be among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference and summer party on Thursday, 5 September, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry. The all-day conference will focus on “new ideas and directions in an era of strong headwinds” and will be followed in the evening by the summer party, with a barbecue and four hours of live music, including the UK’s best Ed Sheeran Tribute Act, The Ed Sheeran Experience; the UK’s top Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow tribute acts joining forces, Scott Borley and Daniel Hadfield; and the famous house band at Piano Works. Chessell will talk about what the data says about the current sector landscape, the growth drivers and what is really resonating with consumers. For the full speaker schedule, click here. There are up to three free places per company for operators but Premium subscribers can have up to four places. To book, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com. A room can also be booked for the evening. For more details, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium Club members to receive new searchable and segmented New Openings Database tomorrow: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club members tomorrow (Friday, 5 July). For the first time, it will also be delivered in an easy to search Excel sheet and segmented into seven key categories of cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars and quick service restaurants. The database will show the details of 160 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 12,356-word report on the 160 new additions to the database. The database includes new openings in the experiential leisure sector such as Eden Project launching a second visitor attraction, in Dundee; Pure Padel opening its indoor, six court padel experience in Manchester; and Roxy Leisure’s King Pins concept gearing up to open another venue in Leeds. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. Plus, all Premium Club members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including Social Media for Profit (18 July), the Talent and Training Conference (1 October) and Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (two days in January 2025). Operators that are Premium Club members are also 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 supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a business that offers “fine spirits and refined experiences” that is seeking a spirits sommelier specialising in tequila and whiskey to join its team. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “You will be responsible for managing the extensive collection of tequila and whiskey, providing expert recommendations, and delivering exceptional service to the club’s discerning members. The hours will be shift work along with evenings and weekends.” The salary is up to £80,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com.

 

Credit asset management firm builds stake in Nightcap, interim CFO steps down: Robus Capital Management, a London and Frankfurt based credit asset management firm, has built a 14% stake in Nightcap, owner of the Cocktail Club, the Adventure Bar Group, Dirty Martini and the Barrio Familia group of 46 bars, which last week set out plans to go private. Earlier this week, Robus declared it had a 13.95% stake in the Sarah Willingham-led business, which it subsequently increased to 14.33%. Robus said it invests “in all parts of the capital structure and take a holistic view of companies’ balance sheets with a strong focus on debt obligations, such as senior loans, bonds, mezzanine, and convertibles of mid-market issuers”. At the same time, Richard Haley has stepped down as Nightcap’s interim chief financial officer. Haley joined Nightcap at the turn of the year as replacement for Toby Rolph, who had been with the business since its initial public offering three years ago. Haley was previously deputy group chief financial officer of Delinian, formerly Euromoney Institutional Investor (a FTSE 250 company). He also previously held senior financial roles at Future, Tesco, William Hill and Halma, and spent the early part of his career at KPMG. Last week, Nightcap set out plans to go private after deciding its current public market valuation did not reflect the “underlying potential of our business or our achievements to date and that this is unlikely to change in the short-to-medium term”. The company anticipates that the cancellation will become effective on 29 July 2024. It came as the business warned that its adjusted Ebitda for the year to 30 June 2024 is expected to be below current market expectations.

Sixes enters into partnership with TeamSport: Sixes, the cricket-based competitive socialising concept, has entered into a partnership with TeamSport, Britain’s biggest indoor go-karting operator, which will see Sixes’ offer integrated into TeamSport’s sites, Propel has learned. The first site under the new partnership has launched in the TeamSport site in London’s Docklands, with another lined up to open in Watford and further locations “to be announced soon”. The Docklands site features two professional-grade cricket nets integrated into a newly refurbished bar, complete with Sky Sports and pool tables. TeamSport trades from 35 sites in the UK, three in Germany and two in the Netherlands. Dominic Gaynor, chief executive of TeamSport, said: “We are excited to partner with Sixes and bring this innovative concept to life. This collaboration is a testament to TeamSport’s commitment to innovation and excellence. Our partnership with Sixes marks a significant milestone in our journey to create the best premium experience venues in the UK, offering unforgettable memories for all who visit.” Last month, it was reported that the owner of Williams Advanced Engineering was the leading contender to buy TeamSport. Sky News reported that EMK Capital, a London-based private equity firm, has emerged as the frontrunner to acquire TeamSport. The price is expected to be in the region of £150m. At the same time, Sixes opened its first site in the Caribbean, in Trinidad and Tobago. The company, which last June secured investment from 4CAST Investment Group – that includes England international cricketers Ben Stokes, Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer – opened a site in One Woodbrook Place, Port of Spain, for its second overseas site. In March, the company opened its latest UK site, on the former Tanner & Co site in Bermondsey Street. Speaking to Propel last November, Calum Mackinnon, co-founder of Sixes, said the company had had several hundred franchise requests and hoped to add a further six new sites in the UK in 2024. Andy Waugh, co-founder of Sixes Social Cricket, will be among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference and summer party on Thursday, 5 September, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry. For the full speaker schedule, click here. There are up to three free places per company for operators but Premium subscribers can have up to four places. To book, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com. A room can also be booked for the evening. For more details, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com.

Snowfox Group consolidates YO! restaurant estate: Snowfox Group – which owns the YO!, Panku, Bento and Taiko brands – has consolidated its YO! restaurant estate with the closure of a handful of sites. The business has closed its sites in Swindon, High Wycombe, Windsor and at the Middlebrook scheme in Bolton. Propel understands that its site in Bath is also set to close over the coming weeks, as the business continues to build its kiosk estate across the UK in partnership with a number of leading retailers. The group currently operates circa 50 restaurants. A Snowfox Group spokesperson said: “As part of the normal course of business, we occasionally close sites, while also opening new restaurants or relocating. YO! remains in a phase of expansion, having opened more than 150 new sushi kiosks across the UK in the past year. We are actively looking at new restaurant sites where appropriate and also have a pipeline of refurbishments planned for the coming months.” In February, Propel revealed that Snowfox Group had launched the second phase of its franchising programme for its circa 500-strong kiosk estate. Snowfox opened its 500th kiosk in the UK last autumn, in the Tesco Express in Tooley Street, London. It followed the news that YO! had opened its 300th sushi kiosk in Tesco stores. The group’s Panku brand now has almost 150 kiosks in Asda stores.

7Bone Burger FY group lfl sales up more than 8%: Matt Mollicone, co-founder of 7Bone Burger, has told Propel that business for the ten-strong brand “is very strong and performing well”, aided by the relocation of two of its sites. Mollicone, who founded the business in 2013 with Rich Zammit, said that for the year to the end of June, group like-for-like sales were up more than 8% – “excluding site relocations, which have seen even more”. Last year, it opened a new Southampton location, in Bedford Place, after its previous one in the city, in Portswood Road, was gutted by a fire. It also acquired the lease of the Bangerz ‘n’ Burgerz site at 33 Duke Street in Brighton, as it moved from its previous site in Hove. Mollicone said: “Like-for-like sales at Southampton were up more than 30% on the previous location, and the move from Hove to Brighton has seen an increase of more than 15% (and continuing to grow) on a much smaller footprint site. We're just concluding a big technology stack refresh too, to help optimise multi-channel sales model and loyalty.” In 2022, the business underwent a pre-pack administration and restructure, closing its sites in Maidstone and Eastbourne, and was acquired by an entity backed by Kings Park Capital. 

You Me Sushi lines up six new franchise openings as it looks to double its estate: You Me Sushi, the restaurant and takeaway concept, has lined up six new franchise openings as it looks to double its estate size. The brand, which earlier this year opened its 27th UK site, in Hackney, east London, has a pipeline of openings in Rayleigh, Worthing, Glasgow, St Albans, Cambridge, and Uxbridge – all opening soon. Founded in 2008, You Me Sushi currently has 11 franchisees and is seeking further partners to help it expand further. “This collection of fresh venues represents a landmark achievement for You Me Sushi, which is currently in the process of doubling its current estate of 27 UK sites,” said Liam Woolrich, of Seeds Consulting, which is working with You Me Sushi on its growth plans. “Furthermore, the development speaks to the strength of the brand’s profitability, operational prowess, and franchising model, as more than half of these new openings will be in collaboration with existing franchisee partners. A You Me Sushi location can achieve high-street level sales even from secondary locations, given a huge demand for deliveries and catering. Currently, a healthy share of the brand’s business comes from delivery sales, supported by its very own delivery infrastructure. This grants franchisees the potential for higher profit margins than its competitor brands as there is less reliance on third-party aggregator sales.”

Giggling Squid to open in London’s Hampstead: Giggling Squid, the Thai restaurant brand backed by the Business Growth Fund, has added a site in London’s Hampstead to its opening pipeline. Propel understands that Giggling Squid, which last month opened its 50th site, in Muswell Hill, north London, has secured the Cote site in Hampstead High Street. Giggling Squid has further openings lined up in Cobham, Exeter, Liverpool, Leeds Park Row, Portsmouth, York and Knowle in the West Midlands. Richard Negus, of AG&G, acted on the Hampstead deal. 

Tom Ward promoted to managing director of Bao: Tom Ward has been promoted to managing director of London operator Bao, which was founded by Shing Tat Chung, Erchen Chang and Wai Ting Chung, and is backed by JKS Restaurants. Ward has spent the last 16 months as director of operations at JKS Restaurants, overseeing its Bao, Berenjak and Hoppers concepts. Previous to that, he spent more than five years as director of operations at Bao. He also had a stint as head of operations at London Union, and as an operations manager at natural fast food brand Leon. Bao currently operates six sites across the capital, including openings last year in Marylebone and Battersea.

 

Bobo & Wild secures fourth site: London all-day cafe operator Bobo & Wild is to open a fourth site in the capital, in Stratford. The business, which is led by Farxad Najmetdinov, has secured a site in the East Village for an opening later this year. Bobo & Wild currently operates sites in Shoreditch Park, Clapham Common and South Woodford. Earlier this year, Najmetdinov opened a Neapolitan pizzeria concept, Motherdough, in London’s Docklands. 

 

Newcastle craft burger concept secures first site outside of north east: Newcastle craft burger concept Burger Drop, which is looking to expand across the UK through franchising, has secured its first site outside of the north east. Burger Drop, founded in 2020 by Hasan Hamid and Amer Qayyum, has two sites in its home city and will this summer open its first franchise location, in Whitley Bay, followed by a site in Sunderland. Propel understands a fifth site has now been secured, which will be its first outside of the region. Hamid told Propel in January that he is targeting 150 stores in the next decade and is looking to open five this year.

 

North east cocktail bar concept Mother Mercy secures fourth site: North east cocktail bar concept Mother Mercy has secured its fourth site. The business is opening a venue in the Sheepfolds Stables development in Sunderland after agreeing a deal with the city council. Founded in 2019 by Neil Donachie and Luke Comer, Mother Mercy is expanding to Sunderland as part of ambitious growth plans. The latest bar will open in one of two specially built “cabin” buildings overlooking the main courtyard at the historic grade II-listed development. The venue will join Mother Mercy’s original venue in Newcastle’s Cloth Market, its Fenwick venue and its Mediterranean cocktail bar, Café Mercy, in Newcastle’s Grey Street. Donachie said: “Sunderland is a city with significant history and culture that is seeing major investment and regeneration. With our successful track record in the cocktail and hospitality scene, we’re looking forward to becoming part of this culture and we’re confident that Mother Mercy will quickly become a favourite.” Mother Mercy is one of eight independent food, drink and hospitality operators to be located at Sheepfolds Stables, which is due to open this summer. Sheepfolds Stables is part of Riverside Sunderland, a major multimillion-pound regeneration and investment programme being delivered by Sunderland City Council.

 

Dorbiere reports turnover growth but slight dip in profit, new EPOS system to ‘improve performance and profitability’: Pub operator Dorbiere, which operates circa 40 pubs across the Midlands, north west and north east, saw its turnover grow but profit take a slight dip in the year to 30 September 2023. Turnover was up from £13,952,846 in 2022 to £15,049,975. Pre-tax profit was down from £2,955,232 to £2,811,524. “The financial year ended 30 September 2023 saw the company consolidate its operations to concentrate on its existing estate,” said director Ebrahim Mukadam. “The market has been difficult this year, due to the pressures of the cost-of-living impact on our customers and the costs to the business. In particular, the costs of staffing and heating premises was higher than in previous years. The directors are delighted that, despite the challenges of 2023, retained profit amounted to £2,235,093 (2022: £2,413,643). At 30 September 2023, the company has net assets of £21,171,047 (2022: £18,935,954). During the year, the company upgraded all the electronic point of sales (EPOS) systems. The new functionality allows the business to improve its immediate visibility of its performance and profitability. The ongoing business is secure, solvent and has access to funds if necessary. The business remains debt free with a healthy cash balance.” The company received £138,449 in interest income (2022: £102,072) and £698 in government grants (2022: £159,804). No dividends were paid (2022: nil). 

 

Greek concept ThatZiki to open fourth site: Greek concept ThatZiki is to open its first site outside Greater Manchester, and fourth overall, in Leeds. The business is taking over the former Absurd Bird unit at Trinity Leeds, creating 25 jobs, with an opening planned for the end of this month. Founded and run by brothers Jack and Luke Newton, ThatZiki launched in 2022 after the pair saved up to buy a food truck, and now has sites in Chorlton, Salford Quays and Warrington, with a previous stint running a delivery kitchen in Leeds. ThatZiki will serve up gyros with a range of fillings, from 24-hour marinated chicken and pork to grilled halloumi plus a vegan option, which are also available in a box, and topped with a choice of house sauce, tzatziki, or sriracha chilli or mayo. Sides include loaded fries, feta fries, pita and hummus. Jack Newton said: “We’re so proud of what we’ve achieved in just a couple of years – from saving up for the food truck to now launching our fourth venue, we couldn’t be happier. It’s a big step opening in such a major shopping centre in the heart of Leeds, working alongside big names, but it’s all part of our plan to become the biggest and best Greek food business. We can’t wait to bring ThatZiki to Leeds and give even more people the chance to try our food.”

 

Daish’s reports ‘good turnover growth’ but struggling to reach pre-pandemic levels of profitability: Hotel and holiday operator Daish’s has reported “good turnover growth” in the year to 30 September 2023 but said it is struggling to reach pre-pandemic levels of profitability. The company, which operates 12 hotels as well as offering coach holidays and themed breaks, saw turnover rise from £29,183,521 in 2022 to £31,421,802 while its pre-tax profit was down from £765,872 to £354,390. This compares with a profit of £830,327 and turnover of £19,740,065 in the last full year before covid, ending 30 September 2019. “The financial year 2022-23 saw good turnover growth at more than £31m, but the continuing challenges of inflation, staffing shortages and rising interest rates continue to hamper a return to the profitability levels we saw pre-covid,” said director George Brown. “As such, the main challenge to the business is to get the group back to such profitability, which we will continue to do, if nothing else but to honour the legacy of our chairman and founder, Jeanne Wilson, who sadly passed away in December 2023.” The group received no government grants (2022: £43,170) or insurance pay outs (2022: £21,000). Dividends of £517,996 were paid (2022: £437,070).

Former The Apprentice star set to franchise her soft play cafe concept: Former The Apprentice star Khadija Kalifa is set to franchise her soft play cafe concept, Full of Beans. Kalifa, who appeared on the 2018 edition of the BBC show, opened her first Full of Beans site in Bourne, Lincolnshire, just before the first covid lockdown in 2020. Further sites in Peterborough and in Little Stainton, County Durham, followed, with site number four set to launch within the Grand Union development in Alperton, west London. Kalifa is now working with The Franchise Guy and Franchise Ready to prepare Full of Beans franchise packs, and will exhibit at the next International Franchise Show in London. Kalifa previously owned a cleaning business but said she closed it on the advice of Lord Sugar before launching Full of Beans.

Owner of five-star London hotel The Westbury returns to profit following refinancing, secures further £101m loan: The owner of the five-star The Westbury in London’s Mayfair has returned to profit having previously refinanced loans worth £450m. Cola Group, which also operates Kensington Close Hotel and the Hilton London Kensington, has also secured a further £101m loan facility to support its operations, with The Westbury remaining closed as it undergoes a £125m refurbishment that it expected to be completed in December 2024. The company reported turnover increased to £56,347,000 for the year ending 30 September 2023 compared with £47,293,000 the year before. Pre-covid, the group was turning over £75m. The company posted a pre-tax profit of £1,408,000 compared with a loss of £16,598,000 the previous year. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “The performance has improved from the prior year, largely as a result of the group’s financing activities including benefiting from the interest rate swap and interest rate caps in place. Subsequent to the year end, a further loan facility of £101m was secured, which should enable the group to meet its liabilities as they fall due for payment.” No dividend was paid (2022: nil). Cola Group is owned by Kurdish-born millionaire Bakir Cola and run by his son, Azad.

 

Pizza and pasta concept seeking restaurant premises in Altrincham for potential first franchise site: Pizza and pasta concept Just Pizza & Pasta is seeking a restaurant premises in Altrincham for its potential first franchise site, Propel has learned. Just Pizza & Pasta was opened on the Isle of Man in 2016 by Mitch Sorbie, who launched a franchise programme in November. At the time, Sorbie told Propel that he is looking to open more than 30 restaurants over the next five years. The first of these now looks likely to open in the Greater Manchester town of Altrincham. Sorbie used to run a string of three late-night venues around Glasgow and opened another in the Isle of Man, which only lasted six months, before launching Just Pizza & Pasta. He said the restaurant has a current turnover of £1.2m, forecast to rise to £1.5m this year, in a town (Douglas) with a population of 29,000.

 

New chapter for Michelin-starred The Cottage in the Wood: Jack and Beth Bond, who joined the team at The Cottage in the Wood, near Keswick, Cumbria, at the start of this year, have now purchased the property from its former owners, Liam and Kath Berney, who are retiring after 22 years at the helm. The Cottage in the Wood, originally a 17th-century coaching inn, was transformed by the Berneys into a restaurant with rooms in 2002. The restaurant was recognised with a Michelin star in 2019, which has been successfully retained ever since, with Jack Bond being the most recent chef to retain the accolade earlier this year. The Bonds will take the property forward with Jack as head chef and Beth as general manager and head sommelier. The duo said: “It’s been a pleasure to work alongside Liam and Kath over the last few months as they’ve helped us settle in and gain invaluable insight into the business that they established in 2002. There’s no doubt that they’ve played a significant part in helping to put this corner of the Lake District on the map, and that’s something that we will both continue to do. Like Liam and Kath, we both care deeply about how the business operates and are fully committed to continuing to build on and evolve many of the sustainability initiatives already in place, as well as introducing several new ones. All of which will further strengthen the overall ethos of the business as we take it forward.”

 

Staycity acquires south London site to develop £70m aparthotel: Aparthotel operator Staycity Group has acquired a site near Nine Elms station in south London for the development of a 177-apartment Wilde aparthotel. The company has bought the former three-storey office block from Unite Students for an undisclosed sum and will develop the site in partnership with Citygrove, which will oversee the initial planning and construction. Staycity will seek funding for the £70m development once planning permission is obtained, taking an operational leaseback. Building is expected to begin in 2026, with completion in the second half of 2027. The aparthotel will offer a mix of self-catering studios and one-bedroom apartments sleeping up to four people. Facilities will include a laundry room, 24-hour reception, lounge, café, pantry, gym and bar. Neil Short, Staycity Group’s development director for London, said: “The Nine Elms/ Battersea area has been on Staycity’s target radar following the announcement of the Northern line extension. Since the prestigious redevelopment of Battersea Power Station was completed, attracting the relocation of the US embassy and Apple’s European headquarters, it has become one of the most vibrant and active areas of London. We’re excited to be playing a part in its growth story.” Staycity Group currently operates six Wilde aparthotels – in Berlin, Edinburgh, Manchester and three in London – in Aldgate, Covent Garden and Paddington. Further Wilde properties are due to open in Cambridge, Lisbon, Munich and Porto and two more in London. The company is aiming to operate a portfolio of 12,000-plus apartments by 2028. CRBE acted for Unite while Staycity and Citygrove were unrepresented.

 

Jöro set to relocate to new, larger site with new concepts: Jöro, the Nordic/Japanese-inspired Sheffield restaurant from chef Luke French and wife and business partner Stacey Sherwood-French, is set to move to a new site. From September, its new home will be within the iconic Oughtibridge Paper Mill development in the Don Valley. The new site will allow the husband-and-wife team to take their restaurant, previously located in a shipping container development, Krynkl, on Kelham Island, “to the next level”. It will be a dining destination consisting of a flagship restaurant alongside two bars and an outdoor barbecue kitchen concept located on the terrace, based around live fire cooking. The site will also offer five studio rooms and two one-bedroom apartments, while the duo’s current boutique accommodation, House of Jöro, will continue to offer a city stay.  Finally, the site will also be home to Shop by Jöro, a deli shop selling a range of everyday ingredients including tea, coffee, Jöro’s own wine and gin and cured meat. French said: “We're excited about this new chapter for Jöro. We have been searching for quite some time for a new home, which will allow us to really push the whole experience to the next level. Having the separate terrace concept and bars allows us the space to alleviate the pressure of turning tables, as well as bringing new concepts to Oughtibridge.” Konjö, Jöro’s street food concept, will take over the shipping container site at Krynkl, offering eastern Asian inspired street food.