Exclusive – Mark McQuater-chaired Deckhouse concept secures new investment, hires James Spragg as MD: Deckhouse, the new all-day dining cafe and bar concept chaired and backed by Mark McQuater, the former chief executive of Revolution and Barracuda, has secured new investment to open a second site, Propel has learned. Deckhouse has also hired James Spragg, the former chief executive of the Casual Dining Group (CDG), as its new managing director. Deckhouse opened its debut site at the end of 2022, on the former Bill's site in Taunton, Somerset. Deckhouse is a concept that “combines coffee, restaurant and bar culture inspired by the spirit, freedom and escapism we find in our amazing coastline and beaches”. It plans to serve “affluent market towns and suburbs in the south of England”. Propel understands that Deckhouse has now raised £1.1m of equity from Maven Capital to develop another site in Sevenoaks in Kent, which will open this autumn and look for a third location. The company is set to take on its second former Bill's site, this time in Sevenoaks’ Lady Boswell House at Bligh’s Meadow Shopping Centre. McQuater is also an investor in the business, alongside Nick Morgan, formerly chief financial officer at Barracuda Group and Port Haven Care Homes, who is also a non-executive director. Tom Cullen, former director of property at Barracuda Group, who has also held senior positions in Mitchells & Butlers and Greenalls, is Deckhouse’s property director. Spragg has more than 25 years of experience working with public and private equity companies across the hospitality sector. He spent six years at CDG (now The Big Table Group), including two as chief executive, where he oversaw 250 restaurants under the Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas brands. Spragg, who was also previously managing director of PizzaExpress, is currently non-executive chairman of premium pub-restaurant group Cambscuisine.

Spider Box sets out details of debut ‘next generation social entertainment venue’: Spider Box, the next generation social entertainment concept, has set out the details of its debut site, which will open in Manchester, this September. As revealed by Propel earlier this year, Spider Entertainment, which provides design/build and operations management services for immersive entertainment venues, will open the 8,000 square-foot venue at The Printworks and will serve as a differentiator alongside the property's Vue IMAX cinema and Europe's largest digital ceiling. Spider Box will offer visitors live music, karaoke and immersive music quizzes, complemented by a “comprehensive” food and drink offer. Central to the experience will be the Spider Box performance area, which will feature a weekly line-up of live music, showcasing established and emerging artists from across the north west, live DJs and, in a first for the UK, a digital human DJ called Dex. Visitors will also be able to enjoy six state-of-the-art SIM racing simulators, allowing racers to compete on some of the best circuits in the world. The venue is completed by a diverse food and drink offer providing multiple cuisines from Middle Eastern to European to south east Asia in a street food-style experience. Rob Hetherington, chief executive of Spider Entertainment, said: “We have considered multiple locations across the UK for our first Spider Box venue, and we are delighted to be opening the first in Manchester, a city rich with music, culture and entertainment. We believe we have an immersive entertainment offering like no other, and guests can expect an unforgettable day or night with each visit.” Spider Entertainment, which has worked with the likes of Merlin Entertainment and Kidzania, was understood to be previously eyeing an opening in Holborn, London, for Spider Box. David Bell, of Starka, and Metis Real Estate Advisors acted for Printworks. Spider Box dealt direct. A new report produced by Propel on the fast-growing experiential leisure sector will be available to purchase on Thursday, 1 August. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes more than 190 companies, 3,500 sites and a 35,000-word report. Existing Premium Club members can receive the report on Thursday, 1 August for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium members on Tuesday, 10 September at 9am. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to order a copy.