Exclusive – Fulham Shore to launch new crispy pizza concept called Super Club Roma: Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator, is to launch a new concept – Super Club Roma – before the end of the year, in London, Propel has learned. The Marcel Khan-led business will launch the concept, which will feature crispy Roman-style pizza, as complementary to the company’s Franco Manca brand and will be situated in the former The Real Greek site in Westfield Stratford. The Real Greek moved to a bigger site in the scheme earlier this year. The new 131-cover site will comprise 87 covers internally and 44 externally. The concept will use electric ovens, allowing it to fit into units in locations that Franco Manca currently can’t, if the launch proves successful. Super Club Roma’s menu has been overseen by the company’s recently appointed new head of food, Mark Rush, who previously worked at Spook – the company that caters events for brands – as well as Sessions, Revolution Bars Group and PizzaExpress. It will feature fritti – a breaded, deep-fried, traditional Italian dish – with options including lasagne, spaghetti, crocchetta, truffle porcini arancini and “nduja bombs” with nduja honey, priced at between £5-£6. The pizzas will be priced at between £8.50 for a marinara sbagliata and £14.50 for a supernova, which will feature San Marzano tomato, chilli flakes, mozzarella, salami Napoli, habanero hot sauce, erupt burattini, chilli crisp and pecorino. The menu will also feature a selection of “crust dippers” – super club pesto, habanero, formaggio aioli, truffle crème, nduja honey and red chilli. There will also be a range of merchandise available. The look of the new concept has been inspired by the “radical Italian design movement of the 1960-70s – where objects are ironic and innovative even in their primary functions, eccentric and outside the box”. The company said: “The black and white grid was a hallmark, the design free and informal, dynamic, vivid and playful. Super Club Roma embraces these design cues, creating a bold and unique brand aesthetic for interior and visual identity.” Khan told Propel: “Super Club Roma is Fulham Shore’s weekend trip to Rome. Our customers spend a lot of time in Napoli and Athens, and we thought Rome would make a nice addition. The energy and flavours are fabulous.”

 

Sponsored message – Santa Maria launches K-Food range: Santa Maria has launched a K-Food range that will “ignite those taste buds”. A spokesperson said: “Chef Glenn Evans puts these five bold and delicious products to the test in the road test kitchen, creating mouthwatering Korean corn dogs, bulgogi filthy fries and a lip-smacking Korean fried chicken burger. With Santa Maria’s black pepper soy sauce, fermented chili sauce, fermented soy and chili paste, chili and sesame seasoning, and Kimchi paste chili and garlic, the possibilities are endless. Watch as Glenn creates loaded bulgogi fries. He starts by sautéing beef short rib with Santa Maria's fermented chili sauce and black pepper soy sauce, makes kimchi with Santa Maria's kimchi paste chili and garlic, and mixes the fermented chili sauce and fermented soy and chili paste to create a delicious chili mayo. Then he sprinkles the fries with Santa Maria chili and sesame seasoning and loads them up with beef bulgogi, kimchi, and Korean chili mayo. Don’t miss out on this indulgent mega-trend! Try Santa Maria's K-Food range and elevate your menu with bold and authentic Korean flavours. Watch the full video here and get inspired to create your own K-Food creations today.” If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality to be released on Friday featuring more than 236,000 words of content: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will feature more than 236,000 words of content when it is released to Premium Club members on Friday (25 October), at midday. The database now features 873 companies, and this month’s edition includes 20 new additions and 101 updated entries. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent results reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. All Premium Clubs members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including 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.

Hawksmoor – creating an inclusive environment is not only the right thing to do, but it also enhances productivity: Ceri Gott, chief growth and culture officer at award-winning steak restaurant business Hawksmoor, has said creating an inclusive environment is “not only the right thing to do, but it also enhances productivity”. Writing in Propel Premium, Gott said: “At Hawksmoor, we foster a culture where people can feel comfortable being themselves, from expressing their individuality by wearing their own clothes to speaking about mental health, women's safety, neurodiversity and tackling racism. Creating an inclusive environment is not only the right thing to do, it also enhances productivity. Hiding is mentally exhausting, so it’s not surprising that research has found that it reduces people’s ability to be productive. So, welcoming everyone attracts a bigger pool of people to apply for your jobs, and supporting them to be themselves supports both individual and business growth. I have been known to say that HR is ‘not exactly brain surgery’, but I’ve stopped saying that. I'll leave you with two of the most striking things I learnt from Professor Colin Lindsay, who led a Strathclyde University study we were part of. The first is that there is a lot of evidence that good people practices drive innovation and productivity across the board. The second is evidence suggests that people who work in companies with good people practices have better health outcomes and live longer. Emotional intelligence, diversity, equity and inclusion and people management can be seen as soft fluffy things, but they drive hard numbers. Great HR and people managers are both the financial engines and the brain surgeons of our companies, and their influence shapes our organisational success, ensuring that we thrive in a competitive landscape.” A full video of Gott’s presentation at Propel’s Talent & Training Conference, and all the videos from the day, are now available to Premium Club members, who 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. 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.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a group of bar and restaurants that is preparing for expansion and is seeking an operations manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The position will oversee all front and back of house operations across the company’s new premium sites, which will offer a strong mix of wet and dry sales, with projected weekly sales up to £150,000. The role will be responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the day-to-day operations, supporting and mentoring the team, improving standards and processes, overseeing all new openings and helping to move the business forward in the right direction. The company is looking for someone with exceptional team leadership and project management experience to enhance guest and customer journey, someone passionate about the trade and the hospitality industry in general.” The salary is up to £100,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com.

 

Bone Daddies co-founder to open new seafood restaurant in London’s Mayfair, eyes expansion: Ross Shonhan, the former executive chef at Zuma and co-founder of Bone Daddies, is planning to open a new fine-dining seafood restaurant in London’s Mayfair. Lilibet’s will open next year at 17 Bruton Street, the same address Queen Elizabeth II was born at, and will be named after her nickname, as well as paying homage to Mayfair’s golden era of the 1920s. According to Stanza Media, investors in the project which will be Shonhan’s 11th hospitality venture, include Vivien Wong, the co-founder of Little Moons, and Bernard Kantor, who co-founded Investec. Construction of the site is halfway complete and opening is slated for the first quarter of 2025. Propel understands it will have 166 covers in total and comprise a 21-cover cocktail bar, 26-cover oyster bar, 12-cover fireside grill, 24-cover garden terrace and 83-cover dining lounge. The company said: “A gap exists for a seafood restaurant that expertly marries tradition with global innovation, while remaining comforting and exciting. Lilibet’s will bring a refreshing alternative to Mayfair’s current seafood restaurants. This is a scalable concept, which can travel to Queen Elizabeth’s favourite global destinations.” The venture has so far secured 65% of committed capital, with a minimum investment of £50,000. The funding round closes at the end of November. The business said: “This is an exclusive opportunity to invest early in a unique concept with institutional global potential.”

 

Gail’s to open landmark 150th site this week: Gail’s will open its landmark 150th site on Thursday (24 October) at 70 High Street, in Watford. The 16 square-metre bakery has 90 covers, and all surplus baking at the end of each day will be gifted to local charity groups. Gail’s, which opened its first site in London’s Hampstead High Street in 2005, said its mission is to make “exceptional craft baking a part of every community, whether that’s in a village, town, railway station or supermarket”. This year has seen the business venture into the south west with a Bristol opening earlier this year; secure a first Midlands site, in Stratford-upon-Avon; and will see it open its first major travel hub location, in London’s St Pancras station in December. Gail’s said it will mark its 150th bakery opening with a continued commitment to offer “better bread to more people in the UK” as well as play its part in creating a more positive food system. Its latest bread launch, The Brown Slab, is the company’s version of a brown sourdough and will be sold in Watford and all bakeries across the UK, alongside other hand baked breads, sandwiches, fresh baked pastries, morning goods and specialty coffee. The Brown Slab combines wheat and non-wheat grains, pulses, and regenerative and organic flours. Anomarel Ogen, the company’s baking strategy director and executive head baker, said: “When we developed the Brown Slab, we were attempting to do several things: minimise processing in all aspects of ingredients and baking; support farms and farming; increase nutrient density and diversity; and of course, make it tasty and useful.” Gail's remains co-owned by original founder Tom Molnar and is backed by Bain Capital Credit and Ebitda Investments.

 

TGI Fridays US seeks new financing in preparation for bankruptcy: TGI Fridays in the US is seeking financing as the casual dining brand prepares to file for bankruptcy protection in the coming weeks. Bloomberg reports that TGI Fridays is talking with lenders in search of a loan that would help it continue running restaurants through a Chapter 11 process and emerge as an operating company. The business is working with lawyers from Ropes & Gray LLP on its bankruptcy preparations, which aren’t final and may still potentially change, sources said. The brand’s obligations include asset-backed securities, which were the source of some drama last month after the company’s management breached their terms by failing to file documents to bondholders on time. As a result of that breach, they had to turn over control of some assets to an outside manager. At the start of this year, the brand closed 36 locations in the US it said were “underperforming”. The company’s restructuring efforts included selling eight locations that were corporate owned to its former chief executive, Ray Blanchette. A further seven restaurants closed in May. Earlier this month, the brand closed 12 more sites in the US, meaning it has circa 215 sites left there.

 

Hollywood Bowl ‘under pressure from boom in competitive socialising venues’: Hollywood Bowl is facing intensifying competition in the UK from bars offering competitive socialising activities, chief executive Stephen Burns said, as the company reported record annual revenue in spite of a slowdown in the UK. The UK’s biggest ten-pin bowling operator, which has 72 centres here, lifted its profit outlook for the year to the end of September on the back of strong sales across its 13 Canadian sites – a market it entered in 2022. It reported revenue of £230.4m, up 7.2% year on year, as sales across Canadian venues surged by 42% to £30.7m, but like-for-like sales in the UK remained flat – with revenue for its mini golf centres falling. “[Competition] has hugely increased since 2019 for sure,” Burns told the FT. “There has been a big growth in experiential leisure activities [and] a whole wave of new operators coming in to try and serve that demand.” Burns said Hollywood Bowl was targeting a slightly different market to many of those bars, catering towards “active families” instead of Generation Z consumers and adults. It comes after Hollywood Bowl chief financial officer Laurence Keen told Propel last month there is the potential to add more mini golf centres to its sites, “but it’s about optimising the estate appropriately”. Keen also said there are no plans to roll out its Hyper Bowling concept – which sees multiple levels and challenges across four games – further than the two sites it’s already in. Hollywood Bowl is now expecting to report core profits “in excess of £65m” for the year, while the company’s shares were up by about 3% in afternoon trading on Monday (21 October). 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 is available to Premium Club members. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

 

Bill’s hires Raj Manek as its new head of property acquisitions: Bill’s, the Richard Caring-backed group, has hired Raj Manek as its new head of property acquisitions. Manek joins Bill’s after a year as head of acquisitions at the fast-growing independent brand The Cornish Bakery. He joins the business after more than two and a half years as property director at Various Eateries, the AIM-listed Andy Bassadone-chaired Coppa Club and Noci operator. Previous to that, Manek spent more than seven and a half years with Loungers, where he started as property manager before stepping up to acquisitions director in March 2017. Last month, Bill’s appointed Savills to advise on its UK expansion plans. Propel revealed exclusively in July that Bill’s was to return to the expansion trail with a new iteration of its restaurant format, following the trial of two new cafe bar concepts earlier this year. The circa 45-strong company will open up two new sites before Christmas, in Milton Keynes and Street in Somerset, and is in the process of securing a pipeline of properties for 2025 and beyond. 

 

Shrimp Shack lines up double Birmingham opening for regional debut: Shrimp Shack, the seafood concept from Creams co-founder Balil Aqil, is to open two sites in Birmingham. Aqil, who co-founded Creams in 2008 and grew it to more than 100 sites before selling his shareholding in 2021, founded Shrimp Shack last year with Danny Caratella, Rish Gola and Raf Adam. Shrimp Shack’s debut site opened in December in Streatham, south London. This was followed by an opening this summer in Camden. Shrimp Shack will open in the former Creams site in Birmingham’s Broad Street, and in a unit in the city’s Star City scheme. Shrimp Shack has also set its sights on openings in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Luton. The business launched its second site at 10 Jamestown Road in Camden, north London, through its first franchise partner, Bluewater Wealth Management, run by Dubai based property investor Mussa Patel. Caratella told Propel this summer: “We knew the Shrimp Shack concept would be a success, but the way people have embraced our vision, concept and food has been incredible. This is just the beginning, and we have our sights firmly set on expansion through franchise partnership into different areas in London and other major UK cities in the future.” Aqil told Propel earlier this year that he can see Shrimp Shack eventually growing even bigger than Creams and that he is targeting 50-70 stores within five years.

 

Benihana reports record UK revenue following first full year of trading for flagship London restaurant: Benihana, the worldwide Japanese teppanyaki restaurant brand that operates two restaurants in London and franchise venues internationally, has reported record UK revenue for the year ending 31 December 2023 following a first full year of trading for its flagship London restaurant. The company, which has traded from a restaurant in Chelsea for more than 30 years and also previously operated a Piccadilly site, opened in Covent Garden in the spring of 2022. Having invested £2m in the restaurant, in the former Fire & Stone site in Maiden Lane, the company saw its turnover jump from £5,567,949 in 2022 to £8,173,309. Pre-tax profit dropped from £997,972 in 2022 to £888,978 as both costs and administration expenses rose by more than £1m. No dividends were paid (2022: nil). The accounts are for UK operations only. The company also has franchised operations in countries including Canada, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. At the time of opening the Covent Garden site, the company said it is planning to open in other locations in the UK under franchise agreements.

 

Professionals at Play confirms details of Bristol opening for King Pins concept: Professionals at Play, formerly Roxy Leisure, has confirmed it will open a third site under its fledgling King Pins family bowling concept in Bristol, in January. The group, which launched its first two sites under the concept in Manchester in summer 2023 (Trafford Centre) and May 2024 (Arndale Centre), will make its first venture out of the north west with an opening in the city’s Cabot Circus. King Pins Bristol will host a variety of games and activities including ten-pin bowling, tech darts, American pool, shuffleboard, ice free curling, karaoke rooms and an arcade. James Travis, brand manager at King Pins, said: “King Pins Bristol will be the brand’s first venture outside of Manchester, and we couldn't be more excited to join more than 120 brands in Cabot Circus.” A further two King Pins sites are in the pipeline – at Glasgow’s Silverburn scheme and the White Rose shopping centre in Leeds. Last year, Roxy Leisure managing director Matt Jones told Propel the company was targeting six King Ping sites within the next two years.

 

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire McDonald’s franchisee returns to profit and acquires new store: Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire McDonald’s franchisee Fun & Fries returned to profit in the year to 31 December 2023 and acquired a new store. Owner Jacqueline Moore, who now operates six stores in the region, opened the new site in Forest Town, Mansfield, in December 2023. The new restaurant was so successful upon opening that it immediately advertised for an additional 30 staff members, reported Nottinghamshire Live. During the year, Fun & Fries turned a £110,783 pre-tax loss in 2022 into a profit of £168,695. Turnover rose from £22,946,271 in 2022 to £25,866,836. Staff numbers increased from 571 in 2022 to 675. Dividends of £160,000 were paid (2022: £138,000). “Turnover for the year increased 12.73% with an increase in gross profit of 10.91% compared with the previous year,” Moore said. “In common with many other similar businesses and industries, food costs, labour costs and utility costs increased considerably, along with other overheads. Notwithstanding this, the company still recorded an operating profit of £196,037, compared with a loss of £77,858 in the previous year. Towards the end of the reporting date the company purchased a further restaurant with the aim of increasing turnover and profitability.”

 

Castlebridge Group expects to see profitability improve in 2024, in discussions over financial arrangements of Chester hotel: Hotel operator Castlebridge Group has said it expects to see profitability improve in 2024 and is in discussions over the financial arrangements of its Chester property. It comes as the company reported turnover increased to £9,817,819 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £9,299,894 the previous year. The group, which operates three hotels – in Birmingham airport, Winchester and Chester – saw pre-tax losses rise to £972,680 from £867,797 the previous year. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Following the impacts of both the covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine and Russia conflict between 2020 and 2022, the group’s performance largely stabilised during 2023, with restructuring costs incurred in its hotel management company during the period responsible for the increase in operating loss on 2022. In 2024, the group’s profitability is expected to improve as its hotels continue to build up to expected mature trade levels, and as cost inflation reduces interest rates fall and tourism (particularly international) continues to increase. In addition, the group has refurbished and rebranded its hotel in Winchester, which reopened as a Voco branded hotel in October 2024. The company is in discussions with the bank lenders to its Chester hotel to reset its financial covenants in line with its forecast trading. However, these are yet to be finalised.” No dividend was paid (2022: nil). The company, which employs around 220 staff, is also set to open hotels in Bristol and Coventry.

 

Rosa’s Thai partners with Just Eat and Uber Eats: Rosa’s Thai, the TriSpan-backed business, has entered into partnerships with Uber Eats and Just Eat as its delivery providers, following a departure from Deliveroo, which it has used as its exclusive delivery partner for seven years. Rosa’s Thai said that during that time, it has delivered more than 1.2 million Pad Thais across the country. The company said offering delivery through Uber Eats and Just Eat will allow the brand to reach more customers from its 42 restaurants across England, Scotland and Wales. Rosa Thai’s sister restaurant, Lao Café in Covent Garden, will also offer delivery via both platforms from Monday, 28 October. Gavin Adair, chief executive of Rosa's Thai, said: “Over the past seven years, Deliveroo has been a great partner. Looking to the future, we have taken the decision to make a switch and will now be working with Just Eat and Uber Eats in a dual aggregator partnership, delivering our fresh and fragrant flavours to even more customers nationwide. These new partnerships represent the next phase in our growth as we continue to expand our restaurants across the UK.”

Experiential business returns to profit, secures £15m loan to refinance and enable further projects: Experiential business Escapade Group returned to profit in the year to 31 January 2024 and secured a £15m loan to refinance its existing debts and enable further projects. The group operates Kidspace indoor play sites in Croydon and Romford in London, Hobbledown adventure parks in Epsom in Surrey and London’s Hounslow, a Gripped aerial adventure park at the Hounslow site, and Watermouth Castle in Devon. The company’s pre-tax loss of £538,227 in 2022 turned into a profit of £56,722, while Ebitda rose £2.11m to £3.26m. Turnover rose from £10,261,824 in 2022 to £13,786,215. Of this, £7,993,758 came from admissions (2022: £5,977,577), £2,757,062 from food and drink (2022: £2,084,797) and £2,340,308 from parties and events (2022: £1,689,506). No government grants were received (2022: £18,000). The year saw a first full year of trading for its second Hobbledown park, in Hounslow – which achieved £2m of Ebitda on £5.1m of revenue – and the acquisition of Watermouth Castle – which generated £0.94m of revenue and £0.33m of Ebitda. Since the acquisition, the castle’s play area has been expanded “into a Hobbledown type experience”, while the castle accommodation has been upgraded and refurbished. Trading at the Hobbledown park in Epsom was affected during the summer of 2023 following a 19-day closure due to “an alleged outbreak of a bacterial infection on site”. The £15m loan, from HSBC, was secured in December 2023, to “refinance existing debt and to provide a revolving credit facility to enable further capital investment projects to be prioritised”. It also enabled partial repayment of loan notes injected by the ultimate controlling party, Kings Park Capital, for the acquisition of Watermouth Castle. Escapade Group was founded in 2011 by Richard Farley and Nick de Candole. 

 

Arrow Hospitality to launch new Indian restaurant and cocktail bar in London’s Knightsbridge: London operator Arrow Hospitality is to launch a new Indian restaurant and cocktail bar in Knightsbridge. The company, founded by Neha Beriwala, is teaming up with Michelin-starred chef Rohit Ghai for a third time to open Vatavaran in Knightsbridge. The venue will open in Beauchamp Place on Thursday, 7 November, replacing Arrow Hospitality’s “vibe dining” destination Geode, which closed six months ago. On each level of the multi-storey venue will be an offer that “symbolises the unique element of the Himalayan landscape”, including a fourth-floor cocktail bar called Shikhar, reports Hot Dinners. Arrow Hospitality also operates Manthan in Mayfair and Kutir in Chelsea in partnership with Ghai.

 

Australian-style sushi concept Rolled begins roll out: Australian-style sushi concept Rolled, which opened its debut site earlier this summer, has begun its roll out in the UK, with a further opening in Manchester. The business opened its debut site at the Trafford Centre in Manchester in August, with the sushi to-go kiosk based in Lower Orient. Rolled has now opened a second site in the city, in the Arndale centre, in the Upper Mall. In August, Rolled founder Adam Miller told Propel: “If the initial proof of concept is successful, we’re confident the UK can sustain hundreds of Rolled sites, both in city centres and across suburban areas too. We have real ambition for Rolled, with the aim of establishing it as the UK’s largest and most loved sushi brand.”

 

North west tapas concept secures second site: North west tapas concept Salt House Tapas has secured its second site. Founded in Liverpool in 2010, the independently run business will next month open in Chester’s Bridge Street, taking over the former Boheme site. The new restaurant will offer seating for 90 guests inside, with an additional 40 seats outside, as well as a bar area. Salt House Tapas will serve seasonal, contemporary tapas dishes, with the menu created by head chef and former Great British Menu regional semi-finalist, Laszlo Nagy. Salt House Tapas is co-owned by Matt Robinson and Luke Creedon, with Creedon having been executive chef for eight years before taking ownership alongside Robinson earlier this year. “We’re thrilled to be bringing the Salt House Tapas experience to Chester,” said Creedon. “Our focus will be on maintaining the same high standards of food, drink and service that we’ve become known for in Liverpool, while embedding ourselves in the city’s vibrant hospitality scene.”

 

Michael’s Coffee House to open second Manchester site: Michael’s Coffee House is to open its second site in Manchester after signing up to take space at the city’s Arndale scheme. The company has signed a ten-year lease to occupy a 544 square-foot space in Halle Place in the centre. Founded in 2017 by Thanasis Michael, Michael’s Coffee House is an independent café based in Manchester's Royal Exchange which specialises in “organically grown, high-quality, ethically sourced” coffee beans and crafts a wide variety of contemporary coffee beverages. It also provides smoothies, milkshakes and juice. The cafe also offers toasties, breakfast buns and soup, with customers able to order ahead to pick up their refreshments at specific times. Scott Linard, portfolio manager for M&G Real Estate, joint asset managers of Arndale, said: “It is great to welcome another growing Manchester business to the centre as we continue our commitment of supporting local independent operators that are seeking to grow their presence in the city.”

 

Steakhouse and cocktail lounge concept secures second site: Steakhouse and cocktail lounge concept Kobe Steakhouse has secured a second site. It will open early next year in the former Middletons Steakhouse and Grill unit at 25-26 Bridge Street in Cambridge, which closed in June. The new restaurant is described as “a high quality steakhouse” that offers “a unique dining experience”. It added that its menu will feature premium cuts of beef from England, Argentina, Chile, Australia and Japan, as well as a wide selection of cocktails. A statement from Kobe Steakhouse on social media said: “It was long in the making, but we're thrilled to announce a new Kobe coming to Cambridge this autumn. All confirmed and in the making!” Owner Razvan Marcu opened the first Kobe Steakhouse in Milton Keynes’ Xscape destination in 2022.

 

Leicestershire hotel and country club collapses as liquidators appointed: Stapleford Park, the grade I-listed country house hotel in Leicestershire owned by Dreamr Hotels, has collapsed – with liquidators appointed. The Business Desk reported the four-star hotel and country retreat, near Melton Mowbray, emailed guests and members late last week, complaining of adverse trading conditions. Leonard Curtis has been appointed as liquidator. In an email to members, Stapleford Park said: “It is with great regret that we must inform you that Stapleford Park Hotel ceased to trade as of 16 October 2024, and your club membership terminated with immediate effect. Unfortunately, as a result of adverse trading conditions and the financial position of the operating company, Stapleford Park, the hotel cannot continue to operate, and management has little option but to cease to trade the hotel with immediate effect including club membership.” Stapleford Park was bought by Dreamr Hotels in August 2022. Earlier this year, Dreamr signed a deal with hotel management company M&T Hotel Management, which specialises in hotel management and advisory services. At the time, David Fam, founder and chief executive of Dreamr Group, said: “We are excited for this next chapter of the Stapleford Park story. Being our UK flagship hotel, Stapleford Park will birth and serve as the centre of our flywheel and will be the model for our growing portfolio.”

 

South London operator opens second wine bar concept: South London operator Tom Grater has opened a second site for his “no nonsense” wine bar concept. Grater spent seven years as a reporter and editor for several film industry publications before pivoting to hospitality in 2021 with the founding of Crystal Palace Wine Club – offering a wine bar, retail business, events, tastings and subscription service from 44 Anerley Hill. In the meantime, he has had spells as marketing manager for Bon Vino, which operates a wine shop in Bermondsey and a pizza restaurant in Maltby Street Market, and London director for Calduero Wine Importers. Grater has now opened a second wine bar, Vining Street Wine Club, at 1 Vining Street in Brixton. It serves a regularly changing list of 15-plus wines by the glass, starting at £7 a glass, reports Hot Dinners.

 

Diageo’s Johnnie Walker experiences passes one million visitor mark three years after opening: Diageo’s Johnnie Walker experiences in Edinburgh has passed the one million visitor mark three years after opening. The Princes Street venue leverages artificial intelligence technology to help create a personal flavour profile for guests, which is used to not only tailor their experience, but is an invaluable resource for product development. Dafydd Pugh Williams, managing director of Diageo’s Scotland Brand Homes, said: “Johnnie Walker Princes Street was launched to disrupt consumer perceptions of whisky through offering a pioneering experience. We could not be prouder of the venue’s hugely dedicated team, which has made such an impact in just three short years. We feel like we’re just getting started and there is plenty more growth to come.”