Exclusive – Whitbread hires Nigel Sherwood as new MD for restaurants division: Nigel Sherwood is to step down as chief operating officer at The Restaurant Group-owned Wagamama to become managing director of Whitbread’s restaurants division later this autumn, Propel has learned. Sherwood joined Wagamama in 2017, initially as its UK managing director, before going on to become chief operating officer in 2019. He was previously managing director at Shake Shack UK and held senior roles at Nando’s, Byron and Pizza Hut UK. Thomas Heier, Wagamama chief executive, said: “Nige is much-loved by so many people across our business and I can’t thank him enough for the support he has given me personally, as well as the big part he has played in creating a high performing operations team and helping grow the brand in the time he has been with us. We wish Nige every success in his new role, and he will always remain a close friend of Wagamama.” Mark Jones, currently UK operations director and who has been with Wagamama for ten years, will now step up to the role of executive director – operations, with other aspects of the previous chief operating officer remit being absorbed across the brand’s executive team. Heier said: “I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Mark’s career grow over the years from general manager to area manager, regional director and UK operations director. It makes me proud to now have Mark join our exec team.” At the end of April, Whitbread, which operates the Beefeater, Bar + Block and Brewers Fayre brands, set out plans to exit 126 of its lower-returning branded restaurants as it seeks to optimise its food and beverage offer. The revamp, costing £500m over four years, will also include the conversion of 112 restaurants to 3,500 new hotel bedrooms. Whitbread had already agreed to sell 21 restaurants for £28m, to the likes of Young’s and the Heartwood Collection. When asked about the progress of the plan in June, Whitbread chief executive Dominic Paul said: “I would describe our progress on accelerating growth as bang on to where we would expect and wanted to be at this stage. There are 126 sites that we are now actively marketing. We’ve actually had expressions of interest in the majority of the sites. Obviously, these things take time, and we’ve factored that into our planning.”

 

Panel looking at how the sector maximises the benefits of inclusivity and diversity to be held at Propel’s Talent & Training Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club members: A panel looking at how the sector ensures it maximises the benefits of inclusivity and diversity will be held at Propel’s Talent & Training Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 1 October at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. The conference will showcase examples of outstanding people culture among companies within the sector and how the industry is attracting talent. Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, will be joined on the panel by Hannah Plumb, talent and culture director at The Alchemist; Raj Jones, head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Sodexo; and Georgina Warren, global diversity, equity and inclusion director, at IHG Hotels & Resorts. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £345 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. Premium Club members get a 20% discount. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club members to receive two new databases this week: Premium Club members are to receive two new databases this week. The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent on Wednesday (7 August), at noon. The database will show the details of 268 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 11,881-word report on the 268 new additions to the database. Premium Club members will also receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (9 August), at midday. The database will feature 59 updated accounts and 13 new companies for a total of 958. Of these, 602 are in profit and 356 have reported a loss. Premium Club members will also receive a 11,881-word report on the 268 new additions to the database. Premium Club members will also receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (9 August), at midday. The database will feature 59 updated accounts and 13 new companies for a total of 958. Of these, 602 are in profit and 356 have reported a loss. Premium Club members also receive access to four other databases: 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. All Premium Clubs members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including the Talent and Training Conference (1 October), Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (two days in January 2025) and Excellence in Pub Retail (May 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.

 

Beef prices continue to rise: GB deadweight prime cattle prices rose again in the latest week as supplies dipped slightly, according to the latest analysis catering butcher Birtwistle’s. The GB R4L steer price averaged 490p/kg in the week ending 20 July, up 1.2p from the week prior. Heifers achieving the same carcase specification rose by a similar amount (+1.1p) to average 491p/kg, while young bulls of R3 specification averaged 478p/kg, up 2p on the week. The latest pig prices show that the EU-spec standard pig price (SPP) currently sits at 209.50p/kg, a weekly loss of 0.91p. In June, the EU-spec SPP averaged 210.26p/kg, a decline of just under a penny compared to the monthly average for May. The EU-spec average pig price, however, has seen modest growth month on month, averaging 212.63p/kg in June. Although weekly price changes were more pronounced than in previous months, the monthly average EU-spec has moved by just 1.65p in the first six months of the year. Compared to previous years, this is a relatively small movement and indicates that market stability continues in the domestic market. Since the standard pig price series was introduced in 2014, this is the only year to record a price change of less than 2p in monthly averages between January and June, with the last three years having all seen significant movement in price during this period (20p in 2023, 47p in 2022, 13p in 2021). However, despite the size of change, 2024 is the first year since 2015 to record a downward movement. The lamb market showed stability as the GB deadweight new season lamb price pulled out of its seasonal fall to average 647p/kg. This was 1.6p above the previous week and up 55p on the same week last year. Market reports from this week suggest this stability has persisted. Turkey prices could increase aggressively in the coming months until the market finds an equilibrium. This is the result of a main EU producer stepping fully out of the market this month, which equates to 30,000 birds a week.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a growing boutique luxury hotel group in Scotland that is seeking a managing director. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The company is looking for individuals with experience in the independent hotels sector. You will be joining a forward-thinking and financially stable company, taking on the lead of driving profitability and growth across its portfolio of venues. As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will play an active role in developing and delivering the group strategy.” The salary is up to £120,000 and the position is based in or around either Edinburgh or Glasgow. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com.

 

Big Table Group looking to return to the expansion trail with Bella Italia: Big Table Group, the Las Iguanas and Frankie & Benny’s operator, is to return to the expansion trail with its Bella Italia brand, which “dominated its marketplace on like-for-likes” for just under a year. Alan Morgan, chief executive of Big Table Group, told Propel: “It’s ahead on pretty much every guest metric and it’s certainly high in the pack, if not ahead on team metrics. So, I think the time is right for us to have a go with opening a few more sites. I’m not going to roll it out superfast. The question mark is how much of it is doing well is because of what the team has done, and how much of it is because the market has been trading down? I’m not going to be foolish enough to think all of a sudden this is going to be the biggest future growth star, but I’m pretty confident that we’ve been able to take consumers from different parts of the market and retain them. The difference for Bella versus some of the others is it’s known as a great value place. People know it’s pizza and pasta, but first and foremost, people choose Bella because it’s good value. And that’s what we’re going to continue to reinforce. We’re about to invest in a big sales/marketing campaign that is all about reminding people about Bella and all the occasions we cater for, but most of all, underpinned on it being great value.” Despite trading coming off slightly over the past few weeks, in line with the start of Euro 2024, the 21-strong Banana Tree, the fast-casual pan-Asian brand which the business acquired in summer 2022, is still “by far the shining light”. Morgan said: “The really pleasing thing about Banana Tree is we did have a gap at one point between the original sites and the conversions on guest measures, and that’s completely closed now. We have seen some challenges in a couple of the early conversions where we took underperforming Café Rouge sites and put them top of the list to convert – with hindsight, some of these sites were just too small for the brand. But we have a better understanding of what works for the brand now, and we won’t make that same mistake again when considering any further conversions. With Banana Tree, we’re now focused on new sites. We have two in legals, and then a nice decent amount of pipeline coming through.” Earlier this year, the company appointed Jonathan Havenhand, ex-Bistrot Pierre and Casual Dining Group, as acquisition director, to secure new Banana Tree sites. Morgan said: “Jonathan has hit the ground running. We have also recently diverted some of his time into finding some new Bellas.”

Liberation Group first half managed lfl sales up 6.4% driven by food offer and accommodation: Brewer and retailer Liberation Group, has reported a 6.4% increase in like-for-like sales across its managed estate in the half year to 27 July 2024, driven by 10% growth in food sales, strong occupancy in its accommodation business and a growing breakfast and brunch trade. The Jonathan Lawson-led business, which operates 130 pubs and inns with over 400 rooms, said that the roll out of the group’s premium room offering, Butcombe Boutique Inns, has progressed to plan, with The George Inn and Swan Inn both launching successfully. The company said that customer feedback and results have been “really encouraging” and that Butcombe Boutique Inns remains on track to have at least eight inns live by the end of the year. The company said: “We announced at the start of the year that we saw an opportunity for our managed pubs to take advantage of the growing demand for breakfast and brunch. We have been delighted with the early results, with the pre midday sales in 33.9% like-for-like growth.” The group completed three significant renovation developments in the last quarter, including The Langford Inn, where three additional rooms and a new private dining room were added. The Langford Inn will become a Butcombe Boutique Inn, with The King John Inn following shortly after it has undergone refurbishment this summer. There will also be a number of further key investments by the end of the year, all due to be launched into Butcombe Boutique Inns. In London, The Brown Cow in Fulham has now had a complete refurbishment and re-opened with a brand-new all-day food offering, with initial sales more than doubling compared to the previous year. On 27 August, the Punchbowl in Mayfair will reopen following a six-week closure and development. The company said its Butcombe Brewing and Drinks business performance has continued to grow, with own brewed volume up 3.3% on last year and an “excellent performance” in the UK Free Trade market, with sales up 8.5% year-on-year. Butcombe has launched a second non-alcoholic beer, Tall Tales Pale Ale Zero, with initial feedback being “particularly positive”. Lawson, chief executive of Liberation Group, said: “I’m pleased that we have maintained our strong start to the year, despite the challenges posed by an unseasonably wet summer so far. We have a simple strategy and clear plan for growth across our group and it is particularly satisfying to see strong performances in key areas of focus including our newest pubs, food (particularly in breakfast and brunch), accommodation and our Free Trade business. We are confident about the second half of the year, particularly if the sun shines, and are already turning our thoughts towards providing a truly memorable Christmas for our customers.” 

More than 65 parties express interest in Antic pub portfolio: More than 65 parties have expressed an interest in the 13-strong portfolio of London pubs operated by Antic, which was placed into administration last month. Propel revealed that Steve Absolom and Will Wright, of Interpath Advisory, were appointed joint administrators to Elflock, Babel Silk, Brocade and De Gremio on 12 July 2024. Collectively, the companies operate 13 pubs and bars across south and east London, including: The Antelope SW17, Balham Bowls Club SW12, Clapton Hart E5, Gremio de Brixton SW2, Graveney & Meadow SW17, Dogstar SW9, Tooting Tram & Social SW17, Red Lion E11, and Coopers SE19. Several of the sites had struggled with legacy liabilities resulting from the pandemic. Propel understands that there have been expressions of interest from more than 65 parties since it was revealed that administrators had been appointed, and that these include some of the “biggest operators in the market”. It is understood that trading in the pubs, which are being operated with support from specialist trading agents at Licensed Solutions, has been strong, and that further competition for the sites is expected when they are officially launched to the market in the coming days.

Paris Baguette to open first UK franchise store this autumn, two more to follow this year: Paris Baguette, the South Korean bakery cafe chain that made its debut in the UK in 2022, will open its first UK franchise store this autumn, with two more to follow this year. Paris Baguette made its UK debut in October 2022 with the first location in Battersea Power Station, followed by a second on Kensington High Street. Having launched its franchise programme here last summer, the company plans to operate 20 locations across the country by 2026, ahead of more ambitious plans to reach 200 sites here by 2036. “Paris Baguette is looking for experienced partners across the UK; first franchise store opening in October,” a company spokesman said. “Our first franchise store will open in Canary Wharf, followed by Notting Hill and Clapham Junction in 2024. Paris Baguette will continue to operate its first two stores in London. This will allow the brand to test and learn in two company-owned stores before recommending innovations to the franchisees. In terms of premium quality and variety, there is a gap in the UK bakery market that Paris Baguette aims to fill with its distinctive high-quality products and unique bakery offerings. Paris Baguette UK has expanded their menu with two new exciting products – freshly made scrambled eggs and the Paris Baguette afternoon tea. These additions will allow them to further target the breakfast and lunch market.” Founded in 1988, Paris Baguette now has more than 4,000 stores across 11 countries.

Batemans reports ‘satisfactory’ performance as turnover grows but profit drops: Lincolnshire brewer and retailer George Bateman reported a “satisfactory” performance in the year to 31 January 2024 as its turnover grew but profit dropped. The company, which operates 49 pubs, saw revenue increase from £18,172,968 in 2022 to £20,295,973 and its pre-tax profit was down from £1,698,241 to £1,514,304. Interim dividends of £32,812 and £65,889 were approved and were paid in February 2023 and January 2024 respectively (2023: £32,812). Preference dividends of £31,411 (2023: £31,411) were paid during the year, and the directors do not recommend a final dividend (2023: nil). “During the year, the company achieved a satisfactory performance, delivering increases in turnover, gross profit and operating profit,” said director Haydn Biddle. “This reflected a continuing improvement in trading across all major business units, following the issues created by covid. The strategy of upgrading and expanding our existing estate, increasing profits earned from each property and developing our people will continue. In the past six months, the advent of significantly increased costs and more challenging market conditions have had a significant impact on our market sector. However, the company is in a strong financial position to take advantage of any opportunities that might arise.”

Kerb aiming to open one more weekly lunch market in London this year as it prepares to launch in Holborn: Street food collective Kerb is aiming to open one more weekly lunch market in London this year as it prepares to open a new site in the capital. Kerb Holborn will launch on Wednesday (7 August) at Hand Court. Kerb has selected a mix of traders ranging from mainstays in London’s street food scene, like Only Jerkin’, to newcomers like Fatè, which graduated from Kerb’s Inkerbator programme at the beginning of the year. Operating every Wednesday, with an additional day expected to be added later this year, the initial line-up at Kerb Holborn will also include Inkerbator graduates such as Filipino concept Filligrillz; Mexican-inspired MexClub and Singaporean focused Rice bandits; It’s All Gravy, which won the best sandwich in the UK at the British Street Food Awards for its Beef Dip Sandwich; and Sri Lankan-inspired Ceylon Kothu. A Kerb spokesperson told Propel: “We are aiming to open one more [lunch market] this year, location to be confirmed.” Kerb said the launch of markets like Holborn gives more trading opportunities and another location for Kerb to nurture and accelerate traders through the hospitality sector. In 2024, Kerb said it will provide close to 2,000 lunch market trading spots in London alone. Kerb Holborn will also generate funding for Kerb’s social enterprise, Kerb+, allowing programmes, including a free quarterly nine-week Inkerbator, to continue to help small independent businesses “level up and overcome barriers to entry”. So far, this programme has produced 100-plus new street food businesses. Founded by Petra Barran in 2012, Kerb has evolved to operate food halls, offer event catering services and run a social enterprise focused on nurturing street food talent. Having launched its first food hall in London’s Seven Dials Market in 2019, Kerb is launching sites this year in San Francisco and Copenhagen, with another site expected to arrive in Berlin next year.

Frank’s Café founder and e-JKS director to launch new venture: James Dye, founder of the London-based Bambi, Gladwell's, Camberwell Arms and Frank’s Café, is teaming up with Benjy Leibowitz – former director of strategic projects at JKS Restaurants and ex-director of guest relations at NoMad Hotel in New York – to launch a new hospitality group called High Note Hospitality. The new company’s first project is set to open in Shoreditch this autumn, with three concepts in one building. The new venture is currently closing a fundraising round to fund the new project. It is understood to have its first two sites confirmed and is looking to “collaborate with great talent, brands and creatives”.

Gym brand reports strong current trading following rise in turnover and Ebitda but company makes a loss: Gym brand Lifestyle Fitness, which operates 24 clubs across the UK, has reported strong current trading following a rise in turnover and Ebitda in the period to 30 September 2023, in which the company made a loss. “Results in the new financial year have started strongly and the directors look forward to a positive trading year,” the company said. “The directors continue to seek new opportunities to grow the business, working with existing partners and new.” During the year, the group changed its year end from 31 October to 30 September and operated an 11-month trading period. Turnover for the 11 months to 30 September 2023 was £5,831,252, up from £5,703,197 in the 13 months to 31 October 2022 (£7,427,288 including discontinued operations). Ebitda for the 11-month trading period was £210,693 compared to a loss of £156,472 for the same 11 months in financial period 2022. A pre-tax profit of £2,473,663 in 2022 (£3,568,633 including discontinued operations) turned into a loss of £934,024 in 2023. Member numbers grew by 3.2% in 2023, while one new club was opened and ten were refurbished. No government grants were received (2022: £107,630) and no dividend was paid (2022: nil). “The directors were pleased by the performance across the clubs in the 11-month period, with continued increases in member numbers and like for like revenue,” director Tim Curtis said. “The economic environment continued to be challenging, especially the energy market, where higher-than-normal costs had a material effect on the trading result. Due to historical disruption in the energy market, fixed rate energy contracts have been entered into until 2025, to provide stability within that cost line.” A new report produced by Propel on the fast-growing experiential leisure sector was released on Thursday, 1 August and is available for £595 plus VAT. 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 180 companies, 3,500 sites and a 35,000-word report. Existing Premium Club members can receive the report 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.

 

FB Holdings to open Japanese fine dining restaurant in Birmingham, in former Michelin-starred spot: FB Holdings, which is behind the Dirty Wild Wings virtual restaurant brand and the four-strong Jaqks chicken concept, is set to open a Japanese fine dining venue in Birmingham. The company is launching Satori in the suburb of Moseley, in the premises previously occupied by Brad Carter’s then Michelin-starred Carters of Moseley. Satori, which is a Japanese Buddhist term for “awakening” or “enlightenment”, is described on its Instagram page as “Birmingham’s first Japanese fine-dining restaurant. FB Holdings director Sharath Sundar told Birmingham Live: “There is a gap in the market for this. Carters has left some big boots to fill, but we think we're up for the challenge. Brad Carter was able to achieve a Michelin star in this space, which is incredible, and of course, that’s always the aim. Hopefully one day, we'’l get there.” FB Holdings also runs other restaurants in Birmingham, including Karaage at Resorts World, Indico in Shirley and The Mailbox, The Mayan in The Mailbox, Baloci in Edgbaston and Qavali in Brindleyplace along with Jamaya in Solihull. Carter closed Carters of Moseley and moved temporarily to Evesham last summer, before launching a chef’s table experience in the private members’ club Eighteen at 103 Colmore Row in Birmingham in February. Carter is now opening a new food venture, Undercroft, in the crypt of St George’s Church in London’s Mayfair next month.

 

West Country cafe business Boswells reports record turnover of £13.7m: West Country cafe business Boswells has reported turnover increased 15% to a record £13,718,286 for the year ending 29 October 2023 compared with £11,880,188 the previous year. Pre-tax profit was up to £280,146 from £195,794 the year before. The company, which operates 18 sites and employs circa 200 staff, did not receive any government grants (2022: £101,500). No dividend was paid (2022: nil).

Gary Usher begins search for second pub: Chef and restaurateur Gary Usher has begun the search for a second pub. Usher opened his first pub, The White Horse in Churton, Cheshire, last spring. He said on X: “In 2025, we would love to be in a position to open another pub... Cheshire is nice, North Wales is nice. Please get in touch with me if you know of somewhere a White Horse would suit. Perhaps you know someone who wants to move on from their pub. Perhaps there’s an empty pub in your village.” Just 24 hours later, Usher returned to X to say: “I’ve been inundated with potential new pub suggestions and it's lovely, thank you!” Usher’s Elite Bistros business also operates Sticky Walnut in Hoole, Chester; Burnt Truffle in Heswall on the Wirral; Hispi in Didsbury, south Manchester; Wreckfish in Liverpool; Pinion in Prescot; and Kala in Manchester.

South east London McDonald’s franchisee sees turnover boosted by opening of new restaurant and expansion of delivery sales, returns to profit: McDonald’s franchisee Beap Restaurants, which operates nine sites across south east London, saw its turnover boosted by in the year to 31 December 2023 by the opening of a new restaurant and the expansion of its delivery sales. Its turnover grew from £33,396,145 in 2022 to £36,486,327. It also returned to profit, with a pre-tax loss of £130,761 in 2022 turning into a profit of £765,754. Director Kapila Perera, who has been a McDonald’s franchisee since 2006, said: “The increase is the result of a full year of trading for a ninth restaurant operated by the company and the continued expansion of delivery sales channels. Gross margin has increased from 65.39% to 66.14%. The improvement in gross margin arises primarily from increases to selling prices. Operating profit margins have increased from -0.1 % in 2022 to 2.6%-in 2023. The improved gross margin, together with lower franchise rents, have contributed to the improvement. The business maintained a healthy cash position throughout 2023, finishing the year with cash reserves of £2,117,969 compared to £1,926,015 at the end of 2022. The company finished the year with net current liabilities of £1,452,484 compared to £2,000,728 at the end of 2022. After deducting tax due for the year and dividends paid, the company has increased reserves by £307,065. Shareholders’ funds at the year-end are £617,792 compared to £310,727 at the end of 2022. The company will continue to look for opportunities to expand into further franchised restaurants.”

TGI Fridays launches new summer menu ‘going back to its American roots’: TGI Friday has launched a new summer menu “going back to its American roots”, including its own range of smash burgers. Available now at all 85 locations across the UK, these will include the Fridays Glazed Smashed and the Big Cheese Dipper Smashed Burger, with an extra beef patty, mozzarella dippers and crispy bacon. Other new dishes include cheese donuts served with chilli jam, pork riblets, maple glaze corn ribs, potato tots, cajun spiced mac and cheese, cheese and maple bacon loaded fries, and a vegan pecan pie. Guests can also opt for a cobb salad –with maple glazed bacon, pink pickled onions, eggs, crispy onions and a choice of dressing; and the Ultimate American Grill – with sirloin steak, BBQ beef short ribs, garlic and lemon chicken breast, BBQ wings, glazed pork ribs, fries, blue cheese lettuce wedges, Cajun spiced onion rings, corn ribs and ‘slaw. Chief marketing officer Rhiannon Scarlett said: “At TGI Fridays, we have always taken pride in bringing our UK visitors a taste of America. The new menu launching just in time for summer, marks a celebration of our heritage, heart and home, with mouth-watering, authentic and fresh flavours.”

London operators set to open fourth site: London operators Stuart Glen and Eugene Wild are set to open their fourth site in the capital. The duo, who are behind pubs All My Friends in Hackney Wick and The Greyhound in Peckham and The Cause nightclub in London’s Docklands, will later this month open the 80-cover The Marquee Moon in Dalston. Formerly The Marquis of Lansdowne, it will reopen at 48 Stoke Newington Road on Thursday, 15 August. Executive chef will offer a menu of “British pub classics with East Asian accents” including masala potato flatbread, sai ua sausage and mash with s outheast Asian flavours, and Cantonese style chicken char siu sando with fermented ginger cream. The drinks menu will focus on local and independent beers and spirits, with cocktails based largely around ingredients from across Eastern Asia, and a wine list of natural organic and biodynamic wines. By night, there will be a roster of DJs and selectors. “We’re excited to be opening The Marquee Moon in Dalston, literally a few doors down from where we met back in 2014,” Glen and Wild said. “Ten years later, both our friendship and portfolio have grown hugely, and this feels like a real homecoming for both of us. Dalston is coming back in a big way – there’s been so many incredible new bars and restaurants opening on Kingsland Road, and we’re thrilled to be a part of this resurgence.”

 

Gourmet wings concept set to open site in Coventry: Gourmet wings concept Wing Kingz is set to open a site in Coventry. The company, which was founded by Parm Bhangal, Harminder Singh Dhisna and Aaron Murrell in 2021, is opening in Belgrade Plaza in the former premises of Big Table Group-owned brand Café Rouge. The new site will also have 16 screens showing live sport, reports Coventry Live. It is owned by franchisee Josh Sandher, son of Sunder Sandher, who opened a franchise branch of Karak Chaii in the Parade in 2023. “We are a sports bar restaurant specialising in chicken wings – either grilled, fried, boneless, or vegan with a range of flavours,” Josh said. “We also do burgers and wraps. The wings are honestly the best wings I’ve ever tasted, they will take Coventry by storm. We also will be showing a selection of sports such as F1, Boxing, Cricket, Football and NFL with over 16 screens.” Wing Kingz opened its debut site in Milton Keynes before launching its first franchise outlet, in Canterbury in Kent. Another Wing Kingz is also set to open in Solihull in the West Midlands.

 

Pub operator Union Inns set to open third site: Pub operator Union Inns is set to open its third site. The company is aiming to reopen The Woodman in Birmingham and has submitted a licensing application to the city council. The 125-year-old pub in new Canal Street called last orders in August 2022, reports Birmingham Live. According to its website, Union Inns “specialises in restoring and operating iconic British pubs, preserving the charm and heritage of beloved establishments”. The company operates The Swan & Railway in Wigan and the Railway in Birtley near Sunderland and The Woodman is listed on its website as “coming soon”.

North west padel business set to open in Leeds: North west padel club business Pure Padel is set to open in Leeds for its second site. The business, which was co-founded by Sammy Arora, opened its first club in Alderley Park in 2023 and has plans to build another 30 in the next five years. It has now lodged plans to create new padel courts on a disused bowling green within the grounds of Moor Allerton Golf Club in Leeds. Planning permission is sought for the creation of four padel courts, together with an outdoor seating and social area, and a retail area offering padel-related equipment. A statement submitted as part of the application said: “The provision of padel will add to the facilities available to the local community and provide access to a new sport that is increasingly popular in the UK. This will offer all year access to a fun and healthy activity and provide a positive impact to be enjoyed by the local community. It will enhance the existing sports facilities at the club which will help to support their continued growth and sustainability.” The business said in June that it has eight new sites in planning and a further 15 in the pipeline, including a new indoor Manchester club, at 24 Dutton Street, due to open this month.

 

Stack confirms opening date for Newcastle site: Leisure venue concept Stack has confirmed the opening date for its upcoming opening in Strawberry Place, Newcastle, under its partnership with Newcastle United. The fanzone, called St James’ Stack presented by Sela, will open from midday on Thursday (8 August). The 3,000-capacity venue has been crafted from 56 repurposed shipping containers, with a central plaza and main stage accompanying large screens. Alongside Newcastle United themed resident bar units, the space is also home to 11 Stack vendors and north east restauranteurs. In addition to serving as a dedicated fanzone on Newcastle United matchdays, it will be a midweek leisure destination for the general public and will be open daily, from 10am to midnight. “St. James’ Stack will add another dynamic element to the matchday experience,” said Darren Eales, Newcastle United’s chief executive. “The vision of creating a bespoke multi-purpose entertainment destination has relied upon a real collaborative effort between Newcastle United and Stack, and we’re proud of the club’s role in bringing a much-loved north east institution back to its original home in the city centre.” Stack chief executive Neill Winch added: “We are thrilled to bring Stack back to Newcastle, especially following the outpouring of support we received after our closure in 2021. There was a real community outcry for Stack to remain a part of Newcastle, and we listened. As we expand across the UK, having Stack return to its hometown is a momentous occasion for us.”

 

Veteran Edinburgh restaurateur set to open new site: Veteran Edinburgh restaurateur Iggy Campos is set to open a new site in the Scottish capital. Cata, a tapas and wine bar, will be launching soon at 30 NW Circus Place in Stocksbridge, serving an array of small plates and a choice of 60 wines. It joins Piggs, the tapas bar Campos opened on the Royal Mile in 2019. Campos previously operated Iggs, one of the first Spanish restaurants in Scotland, which he opened in 1989, and Barioja, which both closed in 2015 when he retired. Campos came out of retirement four years later to open Piggs with his son, Daniel, with another son, Victor, later coming on board. “Iggy is back in business,” the team behind the restaurant posted to social media. “In Spanish, cata means to taste, to try or a tasting of something. This is what we are all about. We want Cata to be your place to taste and experience the essence of Spain, regardless of what the weather says outside. With over 60 tried and tested Spanish wines, hand cut Ibérico jamón and delicious tapas to complement and soak up all the wine, you will experience la esencia de España alongside us.”