Parkdean Resorts reports ‘encouraging’ trading in 2024 as staycation market bounces back after ‘very challenging’ 2023: Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s largest holiday park operator, has said trading has been “encouraging” in 2024 with the staycation market bouncing back after a “very challenging” 2023. Parkdean said it operated at full occupancy throughout the peak summer holiday period. The company added it has seen record revenue from food and beverage and activities, record sales of caravan and lodges “as demand recovers strongly”, and record customer satisfaction, with scores of 4.1 for Google and TripAdvisor and 4.3 for Facebook. The company said the metrics reflect Parkdean’s resilience and a “promising outlook” for the UK staycation market. It comes as the company reported revenue of £507.0m for the year ending 31 December 2023, down 5% from £534.4m in 2022. Gross profit of £375.6m was down 4% from £391.1m in 2022. Gross profit margin increased from 74% to 75%. Adjusted Ebitda stood at £70.6m. Chief executive Steve Richards said: “2023 was a very challenging year for the sector and our business due to the combined impact of macro headwinds including high inflation, increased energy and labour costs, plus the impact of high interest rates on customers who wish to purchase big ticket items such as caravans and lodges as a holiday home. 2024 trading has been encouraging and progress has been made. We’ve just completed the eight-week summer holiday peak period and we operated at full occupancy through the period, resulting in record revenues on park. A key part of our business is the sale of caravans and lodges as holiday homes on our parks, and we are pleased to see customer demand for these products return with a vengeance. Yet again this year, our teams across the business have shown outstanding focus on our purpose – creating memorable experiences for our holiday guests and holiday homeowners and it is great to see the business making progress on its customer and financial metrics. Our proposition is in great shape and looking ahead, we will continue to enhance our customer experience, both on park and online. We are seeing strong online demand for 2025, and we look forward to 2025 with increasing optimism. We enjoy the full support of our shareholders, and Parkdean is well-placed to continue being a leader in the UK staycation market.”

 

Sponsored message – HDI extends Site Universe to cover UK convenience and grocery sector: Hospitality Data Insights (HDI) is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its ground-breaking Hospitality Site Universe product by expanding its data offering into the UK convenience and grocery sector. The Convenience & Grocery Site Universe product provides site-by-site insights for more than 40,000 UK stores, including all major grocers, symbol groups, independents and petrol filling stations. This data complements the hospitality database, offering suppliers a consistent view across the total trade. The convenience and grocery extension marks a significant milestone for HDI, enabling clients to benefit from its unique data capabilities beyond hospitality. With more than 100 data points per venue, all derived from the actual spending behaviour of 10.2 million unique customers, the data supports suppliers in identifying the best distribution opportunities for their brands. This laser-sharp approach to prospecting helps sales teams focus on the highest turnover, most suitable stores based on customer profiles and shopping missions. Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, said: “Our Site Universe data gives suppliers the ability to identify look-a-like accounts based on their existing best-performing sites, enabling them to focus their efforts where it matters most. Whether suppliers are targeting hospitality venues or convenience stores, having one consistent data source across the total trade is key to maximising return on investment.” To find out more, email hello@hdinsights.com. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Six days to go until Propel’s Talent & Training Conference with focus on how companies can build a culture to attract, develop and retain talent: There are six days to go until 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. Attendees will hear how businesses are developing their teams, dealing with talent shortages and keeping their staff energised. Also new for this year are “parallel sessions”, which offer the chance to deep dive into specialist subjects. 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.

 

Pubs are ‘a great part of British life’ and Labour won’t change opening hours: A cabinet minister has said pubs are “a great part of British life” as he ruled out changes to their opening hours. Pat McFadden vowed to table an emergency resolution at his party’s conference to halt any alleged change to venue licensing times “if that’s on the agenda”. It comes after a report in The Telegraph that public health and prevention minister Andrew Gwynne suggested “tightening up on some of the hours of operation”. The Department of Health and Social Care said it was “categorically untrue” to suggest it was considering changes to licensing policy. McFadden told LBC: “I don't think there’s any plan to shut the pubs early. The pub is a great part of British life. I don’t have a drink during the conference, but that is partly so I can look forward to having a nice one when the conference is over, and I hope the pub will be open when I go in.” Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Gwynne is reported to have said there “are discussions that we have got to have – even if it’s just about tightening up on some of the hours of operation, particularly where there are concerns that people are drinking too much”. But a spokesman for his department said: “It is categorically untrue that the government is considering changing alcohol licensing hours.”

 

Fred Sirieix wants a restaurant in every prison: First Dates maître d’ Fred Sirieix has said he wants to open a restaurant in every UK prison. Sirieix also wants every prisoner who trains at the restaurant and cafe set up by his charity – The Right Course – inside a North Wales prison to have a job when they are released. The Right Course helps rehabilitate prisoners by enabling them to earn qualifications for jobs in the hospitality industry when they come out of prison. “The goal of sending people to prison is obviously to protect society, but also to rehabilitate people and make sure that they are ready to be released in society and to play their part,” he said. HMP Berwyn in Wrexham is the fifth prison where Sirieix has opened restaurants, in partnership with education provider Novus Cambria, and Sirieix said he plans to open more. “We are opening another five this year, and our goal is to open a restaurant in every prison in the UK, because every prison needs to feed their staff,” he told BBC Radio Wales. “Essentially, it’s a workshop, just like you would do bike repair or brick laying, but you’re doing a restaurant. We have a huge shortfall in manpower in hospitality, because 40% to 50% of the manpower is coming from abroad. We need to be training and developing our own talent here in the UK, and this is part of that.” Sirieix wants the charity to expand into women’s prisons in the future too, and he has high ambitions for the inmates who train with the charity. He added: “We want to be the best in class. We want to be the best at training and developing and creating opportunities for these young men. Instead of staying in their cells doing nothing, they go to the restaurant, and they learn.”

 

UK surge in low-alcohol beer sales tops other countries: UK sales of low-alcohol beer increased more than in any other market in 2023 thanks to a post-Brexit overhaul of alcohol duties. Sales of low-strength beer with less than 3.5% ABV doubled from 650,000 hectolitres in 2022 to close to 1.3 million hectolitres in 2023 after years of flat or declining performance, according to data provider IWSR. The UK market for low-alcohol beer expanded more than any other in volume terms, growing twice as much as the next-highest country, Venezuela, where sales increased by 325,000 hectolitres last year. The UK is now the eighth-largest global market for sales in this category of drink, up from 13th in 2022, IWSR told the FT. The world’s largest brewers have all launched zero-alcohol alternatives of their major brands in response to the growing trend for moderation among health-conscious consumers. Analysts said the low-alcohol beer market had taken off largely because of the post-Brexit changes to the alcohol duty system introduced last August, which mean products with less than 3.5% ABV are taxed at a lower rate than stronger drinks. IWSR senior market analyst Patrick Fisher said the UK had the largest-growing low-alcohol beer market largely due to brand owners reformulating existing brands to take them below the 3.5% ABV threshold. “Growth rates for the category are expected to normalise in the years ahead,” he added, with sales volumes of low-alcohol beer forecast to remain broadly flat between 2024 and 2028. Meanwhile, the share of pubs serving on-draught “no and low” options has risen fourfold since 2019, research by the British Beer & Pub Association showed. 

 

AA reveals new rosettes and award winners: Three British restaurants have been awarded five AA Rosettes, while five have received four AA Rosettes. The new five AA Rosettes are Woven by Adam Smith (Coworth Park), Berkshire; The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, Perth & Kinross; and Angel at Hetton, North Yorkshire. The new four AA Rosettes are Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay (Savoy Hotel), London; Olive Tree at the Queensberry Hotel, Somerset; Bybrook at The Manor House Hotel, Wiltshire; Lumiere, Gloucestershire; and Atrium (Lords of the Manor), Gloucestershire. There were a total of 13 new three AA Rosettes including: HUMO London, London; Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa, Cheshire; The Three Horseshoes, Essex; The Cottage in the Wood, Cumbria; and Mallory Court Country House Hotel & Spa, Warwickshire. Red Carnation Hotels was named group of the year, Tom Aikens took home the chefs’ award, and 1 Hotel Mayfair scooped the sustainable accolade. Restaurant of the year awards went to The Greyhound, Buckinghamshire (England); The Silver Birch (London); Thomas by Tom Simmons, Cardiff (Wales); and Loch Bay Restaurant, Isle of Skye (Scotland). The hotel of the year winners were Down Hall Hotel & Spa, Hertfordshire (England); The Dorchester (London); The Parkgate Hotel, Cardiff (Wales); Cromlix, Stirling (Scotland); and The Ebrington Hotel, Londonderry (Northern Ireland). The restaurant with rooms winner was Mingary Castle in the Highlands in Scotland.

 

Thornbridge Brewery joins Zero Carbon Forum: Thornbridge Brewery, the award-winning craft brewer based in Derbyshire, founded by Jim Harrison and led by Simon Webster, has joined the Zero Carbon Forum. A non-profit organisation, the Zero Carbon Forum empowers members to reach sustainability targets with more speed, efficiency and profit. Thornbridge said it is striving to making its operations more sustainable by measuring its carbon footprint and addressing its emissions and environmental and social governance. Harrison said: “Our journey to improve the environmental impacts of our beer is a key part of our business for the future, and we are proud to be a new member of the Zero Carbon Forum, to work with businesses embracing the same ideals.” A Zero Carbon Forum spokesperson added: “We are working with more than a third of the UK’s hospitality and brewing sector to drive the changes we need to ensure our restaurants, bars and pubs can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a five-star luxury brand that is seeking a marketing manager role for a 12-14-month maternity cover fixed term contract. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The company would ideally like to speak to people that come from general marketing roles for high-end hotel, travel, casino or fashion settings and are available to start immediately. The role is a pivotal part of the business looking after a range of marketing duties. The marketing manager will manage campaigns, collaborate with a range of stakeholders, analyse campaign responses and look after digital and social media marketing and brand management.” The salary is up to £60,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email hayley@corecruitment.com.

 

Coco di Mama co-founder Daniel Land to launch bakery/restaurant concept: Daniel Land, co-founder of Italian food-to-go brand Coco di Mama, is to open a bakery/restaurant in north west London. Land is launching Don’t Tell Dad in Queen’s Park in January. Opening in Lonsdale Road, the outlet will operate as a bakery in the day and shift to a restaurant in the evening. The bakery, led by Keren Sternberg, previously head baker at Layla, will offer bread and pastries such as a hazelnut brown butter croissant and honey-poached quince, crème fraîche and pistachio Danish. The restaurant, led by head chef Luke Frankie, formerly of Noble Rot, Forza Wine and Spring, will open from lunch and offer dishes such as roast pumpkin with brown butter, hazelnut and crispy sage; and spiced mallard with celeriac and Swiss chard. The name of the venue is a tribute to Land’s late sister, Lesley, with the name being a reference to “a phrase whispered between mischievous siblings”. Land said: “This is a true passion project. To showcase sensational food by a madly talented chef and during the day, indulge in freshly baked goods by one of the best bakers in London. It’s a homage to all the great places I’ve been spoiled by over the years and my attempt to add to that canon, for all of us in Queen’s Park.” Land founded Coco Di Mama in 2011 with Jeremy Sanders. The business grew to six sites in London before it was acquired by Azzurri Group, the Zizzi and ASK Italian owner, in 2015 for an undisclosed sum. Land left Coco di Mama two years later. Last year, Land worked with Big Table Group in an advisory role to help it develop and launch its pasta delivery brand, Super Nonna.

 

Stonegate Group lines up first site for new Rita’s Beer Hall and Ballroom concept: Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has lined up a first site for new trial concept, Rita’s Beer Hall and Ballroom, in Leeds. The company is planning to convert its existing Walkabout site in the city’s Woodhouse Lane to the concept. Propel revealed in May that Stonegate was to trial two concepts that will be positioned in some of its late-night venues. One will be a karaoke-based format called Careless Whisper and the other a high-energy space, which will include live music, called Rita’s Beer Hall and Ballroom. Stonegate chief executive David McDowall told Propel at the time: “Careless Whisper is an immersive-themed karaoke concept, while Rita’s offers a high-energy, cool space known for live music, great beer, and cocktails, with some fun surprises thrown in. We are committed to innovatively reimagining our spaces to offer interactive, social experiences for our guests and both concepts are designed to bring people together in unique and engaging ways.”

 

Trampoline and children’s leisure park operator Jump leaps into new ownership: Independently owned trampoline and indoor children’s leisure park operator, Jump, has been acquired by Norwegian private equity-backed competitor AirHop. Founded in 2015 by shareholders and directors Michael Brockelbank and Lee Shipley, with its first park in Rotherham, Jump now has a total of eight sites, including the recently opened West Wood Cross site in Kent, with plans for further expansion. AirHop, which has 18 trampoline and activity centres in the UK, is owned by Activeon, Europe’s largest trampoline park operator with a total of 57 parks in the Nordics, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, and is backed by Norwegian private equity firm Equip Capital. All three director shareholders currently involved in Jump – Brockelbank, Shipley, and Mark Poole – will remain involved for the coming months in a consultancy capacity. Brockelbank said: “The sale of Jump is a great success story. The plan was always to create and build a portfolio of sites and sell, which is what we have done as a collective. The future is bright for the business, with planned investment in new features that will see the parks get even better for customers.” Tim McClure, managing director at AirHop, added: “We’re very pleased Jump has joined AirHop as we continue to expand and really strengthen our business, particularly in and around Yorkshire. Lee, Michael and Mark have established a great business that puts the guest experience at the centre of every decision.” A new report has been produced by Propel on the fast-growing experiential leisure sector. 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. The report was made available this month to Premium Club members. 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.

 

Oodles to make overseas debut next month: Indo-Chinese brand Oodles will open its first overseas location next month, in Dubai. The family-owned business, founded by Mohammed Umar in 2010 and starting out in a modest takeaway in Leicester, has since grown to 45 UK sites, with an eventual target of 100 locations here. “The cat is out of the bag – Oodles Chinese is expanding to Dubai,” Umar said. “We know how much hard work has gone into making this happen, and as our team reflects on this incredible achievement, we’re also dreaming big about expanding the Oodles brand globally. As we open on 11 October, we invite everyone to visit us at our store, location details coming soon! For now, a heartfelt thank you to everyone for being part of the Oodles journey so far, and here’s to taking the art of Asian fusion cuisine globally!” In July, Propel reported that Oodles was lining up eight further launches this year to take its UK estate past the 50-site mark, including its Welsh debut, in Swansea. The business has also grown its team to 350 this year and launched its first loyalty app.

Canada’s A&W to serve Pret coffee across 1,000-plus restaurants: Canadian restaurant group A&W has strengthened its partnership with Pret A Manger with an agreement to exclusively serve the JAB Holdings-backed chain’s Classic Blend coffee across its 1,000-plus sites. It follows a successful two-year trial that began in 2022 with Pret pop-up shops in select Toronto and Vancouver A&W restaurants. The trial’s success led to the opening of Canada’s first standalone Pret site at 90 Adelaide Street West in Toronto, at the start of this year. The latest move is part of a ten-year development agreement signed by the two operators in May 2024, which also includes plans to open more standalone cafés. Scott Darlow, Pret A Manger lead at A&W Canada, said: “Pret’s exceptional quality and taste have won over coffee lovers worldwide, and we’re thrilled to bring it to over 1,000 locations across Canada. We’ve tested Pret coffee in select A&W locations where it quickly became a favourite among guests, which led us to make it our official coffee at all A&W restaurants. We’re excited to bring this beloved coffee to more Canadians.”

North west plant-based concept targets 25 cafes by 2030 after acquiring fermented food and drink business: North west plant-based concept Wild Root has targeted 25 cafes by 2030 after acquiring a fermented food and drink business. Wild Root, founded in Southport by Charlie Tomlinson in 2021, has acquired 85% of Liverpool-based The Fermentation Station, which specialises in making probiotic products. As part of the deal, the Wild Root Cafe, in New Cut Lane, Halsall, will now house The Fermentation Station and stock its fermented products. “The acquisition of The Fermentation Station is massively exciting for us,” Tomlinson said. “Its range of products are packed with good bacteria and never pasteurised; so exceptionally beneficial for gut health, which is something we are passionate about at Wild Root. We want people to eat more plants and feel good while doing it – all the food we make not only tastes good but makes you feel great too. This is exactly what The Fermentation Station’s products do – so we are a perfect match.” As well as establishing a network of Wild Root cafes across the UK, the company is also planning to open a whole foods store to operate alongside.

 

South west bakery business opens 13th site: South west bakery business Reeve the Baker – owned and managed by the founding family’s third generation – has opened its 13th site. The company, which was founded in 1952, has opened in the former Café Aroma site at 1-3 Wimborne High Street in Dorset. Café Aroma, which operates five sites in and around the New Forest, has moved into a new site next door to Reeve. The other Reeve locations are spread across Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorset and Somerset. A spokesperson for the bakery said: “We are delighted to have opened our new shop in High Street in Wimborne. For those who don’t know, us we are a family owned and run artisan bakery based in Wilton, Wiltshire, where we make award-winning sourdough bread, cakes and buns fresh every day. We really look forward to being part of Wimborne for many years to come and welcoming you to our bakery.”

Yolk opens eighth site, gears up to launch crowdfunding campaign: Fast-growing “fine fast food” business Yolk has opened an eighth site in London and announced it plans to crowdfund to aid its next stage of growth. The company has opened its latest site in Cardinal Place, in London’s Victoria. It follows openings earlier this year of its first “double decker store” in The Strand, and a site at 150-151 London Wall. It comes as the company is gearing up to launch a crowdfunding campaign through Crowdcube.  Speaking to Propel last autumn, founder Nick Philpot said the business, which began as a pop-up in 2014, had worked hard to build strong foundations for scaling the business. He said the group’s then five sites were profitable, and the business was approaching £5m in run-rate revenue. The company’s target is to reach 25-plus sites by the end of 2026.

Parched London opens seventh site: South London pub operator Parched London has opened its seventh site. The independent group – run by Isaac Tooby, Michael Robinson, Neil Watson and Shane Ranasinghe – has relaunched the two-storey Clock House Tavern in Peckham Rye. The pub features an events room, a snug area with a fireplace, a back area for food and parties and an upstairs bar offering views of Peckham Rye Park. The drinks offer focuses on English cask ale, whiskey, quality wine and hand-crafted cocktails, while Gengelly’s – chef duo George Genn and Laurence Pengelly – will cook grilled fish and steak, seasonal flatbreads and fresh pasta, as well as their classic Sunday roast. Parched’s other sites include The Montpelier and White Horse in Peckham, The Roebuck in Borough, The Railway in Streatham and Grove House Tavern in Camberwell.

 

Grange Hotels accepts £31m offer for two of its properties, makes a loss but turnover doubles: Grange Hotels, which operates a collection of six independent four-star hotels in London, has accepted a £31m offer for two of its hotels. Listed under post year-end activity in the company’s accounts for the year to 31 March 2023, it said the directors have accepted the offer for the shares of a subsidiary company that owned two properties, and that contracts had been exchanged. It also said a dispute between the directors had been resolved post year-end, and as a result, £1,012,000 included in other debtors has been written off. It comes after the company made a loss in the year, with a pre-tax profit of £4,958,000 in 2022 turning into a loss of £2,950,000. However, it said the prior year profit was largely due to impairment reversals of £10,182,000, and if these were removed, it would have made a £5,473,000 loss in 2022. The company’s turnover more than doubled from £3,511,000 in 2022 to £7,342,000. No government grants were received (2022: £510,000) and no dividends were paid (2022: nil). Director Rajeshpal Matharu said: “The anticipated closure and sale of two of the group’s properties was repeatedly delayed in early 2023, affecting both the performance of those two hotels and the planned transfer of the staff and operating capacity over to re-activate trading at two hotels yet to fully reopen. Hotel occupancies and average daily rates (ADR) continued their growth from 2022, and in the summer, ADR began to exceed the 2019 levels and continued to improve. Occupancies, while not yet quite returning to that benchmark, nevertheless have often outperformed those achieved in the wider London market, and by the summer and autumn, had returned much closer to historic levels. The group has continued to incur higher than normal administrative costs and professional fees as a result of the ongoing reorganisation. The group’s energy prices were fixed in autumn 2021 for three years, which has saved some of the worst of the increases seen since then.”

 

Schofield brothers set to open second site for their Atomeca concept: Award-winning bartending duo Joe and Daniel Schofield and wine expert James Brandwood are set to open a second site for their European bar concept, Atomeca. Following the success of the concept’s debut site in Manchester’s Deansgate Square, it will this autumn open in The Avenue in Spinningfields, serving small plates, wine, coffee and cocktails inspired by continental Europe. The trio are also behind Schofield’s Bar in Spinningfields and Sterling at Manchester’s Stock Exchange Hotel. “Our Deansgate Square location evolved organically in line with what our guests needed us to be as an extension of their homes at the development,” Joe Schofield said. “With our second site, we will focus on wine and food much more, giving our guests a place where they can drop in for a glass of wine or a cocktail on the way home, or join us for a meal as they take a journey through Europe, sampling some of the best dishes and drinks the region has to offer.” The Schofield brothers also previously operated the Stock Market Grill brasserie at the Stock Exchange Hotel, but it closed last summer after just four months of operation.

 

Filli to return to London for third UK site: Filli, the fastest growing chai and Indian street food business in the UAE, will return to London for its third UK site. It will today (Wednesday, 25 September) open in Lever Street in Islington, with the launch set to be attended by former world champion boxer Amir Khan. The concept, founded by Rafih Filli in Dubai in 2004, has since grown to more than 100 fast casual stores across ten countries. It made its UK debut in the summer of 2022, opening in a 2,000 square-foot store in Harewood Avenue, in London’s Marylebone. That was followed in April this year with an opening in at 496b Wilbraham Road in the Manchester suburb of Chorlton-cum-Hardy. Filli offers its signature Zafran Chai and an all-day menu including bun kebabs, burgers, toasties, wraps and masala fries. The brand also sells herbal and iced tea, artisan coffee, smoothies and milkshakes. Saad Awan, business development director for Filli, said: “Our successful flagship stores in London and Manchester have proved that the UK market is ready for the best chai going. Our customers travel from all over the country to experience our signature saffron tea and our food with its authentic spices, herbs, and exciting flavour twists.”

 

Yotel set to open in Belfast: Yotel, the London-based budget accommodation brand launched by YO! founder Simon Woodroffe, is set to open a new 165-room hotel in Belfast. Due to open in late 2026, the new-build hotel will be situated in Shaftesbury Square – featuring a food and beverage concept, a 24/7 fitness centre and a meeting room. It will be run by Belfast-based Andras Hotels, which currently operates six hotels in the city. Chief development officer Rohan Thakkar said: “Yotel Belfast marks an exciting step forward in our global franchise strategy and strengthens our portfolio as the 35th signed hotel, bringing our total key count to nearly 8,000. We are thrilled to partner with Andras Hotels, one of the leading and largest operators in the region.” Rajesh Rana, director of Andras Hotels, added: The investment of £17m will establish the hotel as a major asset to the growing tourism market in Belfast. We are now embarking on the planning process and consulting with community groups before beginning development in 2025.”

 

London wine focused experience to open third site: London wine focused experience Fables & Company, previously known as Grays & Feather, is to open its third site. Quill will launch in Borough Yards in November. Situated at the historic riverside gateway, the company’s largest site to date will be able to accommodate 75 covers in the 2,000 square-foot space across the internal arch and outside garden. Founder Andrew Gray is building on the two wine lists at its existing sites – Plume in Covent Garden and Finch in Brixton – “steering them in a more exotic direction”. There will be a greater focus on fine wine at reduced margins as well as the continued emphasis on English wine, with an expanded focus on still wine as well as the celebratory bubbles found at Plume. To complement the wine, a food menu serving the “best of British cuisine” will feature sea bass on a bed of leeks and white miso beans, and a duck confit burger. Gray said: “Quill embodies the same spirit as our sister bars, advancing our experience from Plume and Finch. The tradition of storytelling is central to our identity, and being near Shakespeare’s Globe has motivated us to weave even more immersive experiences into our creative product. This is a really exciting site, with oddities in wine and intensely flavoured food, but most importantly, it will be fun.”

 

AG Barr – UK on-trade market continuing to experience challenging trading conditions: AG Barr has said the on-trade UK market has continued to experience challenging trading experiences as it reported revenue increased 5.2% to £221.3m for the 26 weeks ending 27 July 2024 compared with £210.4m the previous year. Pre-tax profit was down to £24.9m from £27.8m the year before. The company stated: “The UK soft drinks market was up 2.0% versus the same period in the prior year. Growth was price led with volumes marginally down (0.4%), partly as a consequence of the disappointing early summer weather. While value was up, the level of price inflation in the market has reduced significantly versus the peak in 2023. Overall, our performance was ahead of the market across both volume and value, with growth primarily arising in segments not measured by market analytic data. Ready to drink (RTD) cocktails in the take home market grew 9.1%, well ahead of the wider pre-mixed alcoholic drinks market growth rate of 2.7%. Funkin’s growth was ahead of both market segments, and it remains the number one brand in the RTD cocktail market. As has been widely documented, the UK on-trade market continued to experience challenging trading conditions during the period. The value of cocktails in the on-trade declined by 1.3% in the year to March 2024 driven primarily by a 1.9% reduction in the number of outlets. Cocktails performed relatively favourably within this wider trend, marginally growing volume share. While we expect on-trade cocktail consumption to return to growth in the longer term, this may take some time given current economic and consumer trends.”