Sector sees sales rise 1.7% in September as restaurants lead the way: Britain’s leading hospitality groups recorded year-on-year sales growth of 1.7% in September with restaurants leading the way, the latest edition of the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. It means managed operators have achieved like-for-like increases in eight of the nine months of 2024. Following recent below-inflation growth – of 1.5% in July and 1.3% in August – industry growth has matched the inflationary rate of 1.7% in September. While this is a welcome improvement, those behind the tracker said it is a sign of the continuing challenges to real terms growth, as the sector enters the crucial final quarter of the year. Total sales growth in September – including new venues opened during the last 12 months – was healthier at 3.7%. The tracker – produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK – shows September was a solid month for restaurants, with like-for-like sales rising 3.2% – double the rate of 1.5% for managed pubs. Bars extended a sustained period of negative numbers with a drop of 3.8%, while the on-the-go segment achieved 4.3% growth. As was the case in August, trading in London was slightly softer than the rest of the country. Sales inside the M25 were 1.3% ahead of September 2023, while venues further afield achieved 1.9% growth. Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “Against the comparative of a sunny start to autumn in 2023, September’s dismal weather made real-terms growth for hospitality groups challenging. Pubs faced a particularly difficult month, with the rain keeping people out of beer gardens and terraces – though it did at least drive some of them indoors to give restaurants a brighter time. While some positive economic indicators raise confidence for a brighter final quarter of 2024, hospitality continues to battle substantial headwinds, and the forthcoming Budget is an opportunity to give the sector the targeted support it deserves.”

Sponsored message – BackWerk to start franchising in the UK: BackWerk – a European bakery convenience brand backed by Swiss conglomerate Valora Group – is gearing up to enter the UK market. BackWerk is targeting growth through multi-unit franchise agreements or a potential master franchise agreement. With more than 350 stores across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, BackWerk is renowned for providing fresh, high-quality products with a quick and easy customer experience. Typically situated in shopping centres, travel hubs and city streets, BackWerk sites range from sub-100 to 200-plus square metres and are designed for convenience. The brand’s flexible product range includes freshly made sandwiches, smoothies, hot beverages and baked goods, all catering to on-the-go customers. BackWerk said its commitment to health, sustainability, and affordability, with average transaction values of €7.00-€7.50, is what has driven its European success. “We have proven the BackWerk success story in our home market and neighbouring countries and see a huge opportunity in the UK, given the value for money offering BackWerk brings to the table,” said Sebastian Kayser, CEO foodservice business to consumer at Valora Group. BackWerk has engaged WhiteSpace Partners as its exclusive representative in its UK search for franchisees and sees opportunity for at least 150 units in the market. For more information, click here. 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 feature 101 updated entries and 20 new companies, released on Friday: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will feature 101 updated entries and 20 new companies 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 more than 236,000 words of content. 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.

Hospitality ‘faces being penalised by HMRC for keeping staff safe’: Sector businesses helping staff get home safely after late-night shifts could be penalised by an HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) loophole, a new investigation has discovered. Operators are at risk of being taxed thousands of pounds for providing free transport to staff finishing after 11pm, such as the reimbursement of taxi fares, in an apparent benefit-in-kind tax loophole that night-time economy adviser, Sacha Lord, described as “an insult to every employer fighting against violence and harassment towards women”. According to HMRC guidance, taxi fares can only be exempt from tax implications and national insurance if the employee is irregularly working late, and it would not be reasonable to expect the employee to use public transport – criteria that is in direct contrast to regular late-night shift patterns, and against safety concerns. Critics also point out the loophole seems to unfairly penalise those who regularly work late nights, such as hospitality workers, while a professional who typically works nine to five and occasionally requires a late-night taxi would be exempt under current rules. The investigation found the HMRC penalties go directly against the Unite union's Get Me Home Safely initiative that encourages operators to provide greater safety for staff, a motion that was tabled before the government in 2022 by then-Labour MP Zarah Sultana. It required employers “to take all reasonable steps to ensure workers are able to get home safely from work at night”, including the extension of an employers’ duty of care to include safe transport home policies for all workers. The motion also urged local governments and licensing boards to amend regulations, making free transportation home for staff a requirement for new liquor licences. In December 2022, Glasgow City Council adopted this measure, mandating hospitality businesses to provide free and safe transport home for late-night workers after 11pm, “creating a significant burden for many businesses now facing additional pressure from HMRC”. Lord said: “I am pressing the government to address this as a matter of urgency. Put quite simply, is HMRC serious about the safety of vulnerable workers or is it not?”

Indie brewers ditch ‘craft beer’ tag as drinkers are ‘misled’ by global brands: Small breweries in the UK are ditching the term “craft beer” in favour of “indie beer”, warning that global corporations have confused many drinkers into believing that formerly independent brands are still artisanal hidden gems. In a survey by YouGov, consumers were asked to say whether ten beer brands were made by “independent craft breweries”. The Guardian reported that corporate branding has been so effective that 40% of those surveyed thought that Neck Oil, brewed by Heineken-owned Beavertown, was independent, higher than genuinely stand-alone breweries such as Vocation, Fyne Ales and Five Points. More than three-quarters of those surveyed said they felt consumers were being “misled” because pints of Beavertown, Camden, and Fuller’s were actually made by multinationals Heineken, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Asahi respectively. The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), which commissioned the survey, is responding with a campaign to help consumers identify “indie” beer over increasing concern in the sector that “craft” no longer has the same meaning. “For lots of breweries across the UK, ‘independent’ has become a lot more valuable and relevant to what they do than ‘craft’ – the meaning of which has been blurred by macro-ownership of craft beer brands,” said Andy Slee, chief executive of SIBA. “The ‘indie beer’ campaign focuses on what unites breweries in the UK rather than what divides us. They [independent brewers] are a force for good in the local communities they represent and it’s essential global beer companies are not taking credit for the hard work of true independent brewers.”

FB Holdings’ Jamaican restaurant concept Jamaya and south London bakery Bunhead among winners at Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards: FB Holdings’ Jamaican restaurant concept Jamaya and south London bakery Bunhead were among the winners at the third Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards. Jamaya won the Caribbean food category while Bunhead was named best Middle Eastern food. The African food category went to The Quirky Oven in London’s Forest Hill, the east and south east Asian food award was picked up by supper club experience Little Yellow Rice Co and Maasi’s in Cardiff won the south Asian food accolade. Eko Brewery and Taproom in Peckham Rye, south London, was named bar or pub of the year. Brand of the year went to chef Dom Taylor while Nikita Mathew, senior HR partner at Burger & Lobster, picked up the head office impact accolade. Writer of the year was Romy Gill, chef of the year was Mandy Yin, founder of Sambal Shiok in north London, while Paul Rutasikwa, co-founder of Matugga Rum, won drinks professional of the year. Pastry chef of the year was Darryl Collins from Hotel Endsleigh in Tavistock. The rising star award went to Davina Dhami, guest relations manager at Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham. Olawale Makinde, front of house manager at Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham, was named people’s choice person of the year and people’s choice restaurant of the year was west African concept Akara in Borough Yards in London. Founded by Lorraine Copes in 2020, Be Inclusive Hospitality is a not-for-profit organisation recognising exceptional talent of Black, Asian and ethnic minorities working within hospitality, food and drink, across the UK. 

Liberation Group managing director Marc McGuigan passes away: Marc McGuigan, group managing director of brewing and drinks at Liberation Group, has passed away. McGuigan joined Liberation in July 2019 after 12 years at Greene King, most recently as business unit director for its local managed pubs division. A year later, he was appointed group managing director Liberation Brewing and Drinks, covering the UK and Channel Islands. Liberation Group chief executive Jonathan Lawson said: “We are incredibly sad to have lost our friend and colleague Marc Mcguigan, following a brave battle, where he demonstrated characteristic determination and bravery. Following his arrival in July 2019, Marc made an immediate impact upon our business, leading a turnaround in the performance of Butcombe Brewing and Drinks before assuming responsibility for the entire Liberation Brewing and Drinks business across the UK and Channel Islands. Marc then played a key role during one of our most exciting periods of growth, demonstrating the potential of a modern integrated pub and brewing business with growth driven in all channels. Marc adapted incredibly well from his operations and retail background to the challenges of brewing and drinks. Key to this was his belief and focus in what the market and customer was looking for, which encouraged exciting innovation from the brewing teams with new beers such as Tall Tales and Goram Zero. Marc loved pubs, food and beer and the teams involved in this wonderful industry, frequently putting himself out to make sure people were looked after, developed and progressed. I was fortunate enough to work with Marc twice in my career, first at Greene King and then at Liberation, for a total of nearly nine years. He had a great set of personal values that he never compromised and challenged me and others vigorously if he felt the wrong decision was being made. He also loved his sport and his immense competitiveness would come through in the most casual game of golf, but always in great spirit and with a smile on his face. I was privileged to have had him as a colleague, even prouder to call him my friend.”

London and Manchester restaurants awarded share of £220,000 grant programme: Twenty independent restaurants in London and Manchester have been awarded an equal share of £220,000 as part of the American Express Backing International Small Restaurants grant programme. Now in its third year, the programme is run by the International Downtown Association Foundation in partnership with the Association of Town & City Management and backed by American Express. American Express said: “Small, independent restaurants play a valuable role in local communities and high streets. Grant recipients will each use the £11,000 funding to help them continue to thrive, through making essential upgrades to their venues, from kitchen operations, improved marketing, to enhancing the dining experience.” One of the recipients, record and coffee shop Wax and Beans in Bury, Greater Manchester, will use its grant to make planned upgrades to its kitchen and extend its outdoor dining area. 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a London restaurant group that is seeking a bar manager to oversee two distinct venues within one concept. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role involves managing the bar for an upstairs restaurant with a 400-bin wine list, where they’ll also play a part in curating the selection. Downstairs, it’s all about a more casual, drinks-led atmosphere, focusing on cocktails and dining.” The salary is up to £50,000. For more information, email kate@corecruitment.com.

The Revel Collective CEO – we are in a phase of testing and trialling lots of things to find the secret sauce for Revs again: Rob Pitcher, chief executive of The Revel Collective – the operator of 65 venues trading predominantly under the Revolution, Revolución de Cuba and Peach Pubs brands and formerly known as Revolution Bars Group – has told Propel that the business has entered a phase of “testing and trialling lots of things to find the secret sauce for Revs again”. It comes after the company said it is well positioned for future growth after receiving £12.5m from its restructuring plan and fundraise and reported “improved” recent trading. Pitcher said: “As we've tried to highlight, it (the restructuring) has given us a completely new beginning, if you like. The shape of the estate is just very, very different. At one point it was up to sort of 90 odd bars and now a few years on, we are sort of 60 odd, and almost split evenly between Peach, Revolution and De Cuba. So, it is really well balanced. We’ve also halved our indebtedness. The bar brands are still exposed to that cost-of-living crisis. We’ve not opened into a bar market that's in double digit growth. The bar market remains difficult, so we have to be absolutely on our A game to be better than the rest in that market, but we've now given ourselves a really good chance of doing that.” Pitcher said the immediate focus is for Founders & Co, Peach and De Cuba to “just carry on doing what they're doing – deliver brilliantly for your guests and your team”. He said: “We are still finding the secret sauce for Revs again, albeit it's getting better and better. We think there is still brand proposition or guest proposition work to be done in that brand. So, we are in the phase of testing and trialling lots of things. Hence Savage Eats (the group’s pop-up burger concept), hence Playhouse inside a Revs site. How does that sort of game play work in a Revs? We liked the Playhouse concept, we think there's something in it and hence why we are going to trial it in a Revs. But also, we're putting in things like karaoke booths into Cardiff and Cambridge next week, to see if that sort of game play, that competitive socialising, which elements of that work best in Revs. It might be a collection of those different things in different Revs. Based on the local area, this one could do karaoke, this one could do Playhouse, this one could do Savage Eats. We’re also launching Slice Shop, which was the food offering out of Playhouse, in the Revolution in Ipswich, in the first week of November.”

Poke House CEO – planning next stage of growth, looking to reach 25 sites in London by 2027: Matteo Pichi, co-founder and chief executive at Poke House, Europe’s largest poké restaurant brand, has told Propel the business is planning its next phase of growth refocusing on the UK market and expanding further in the US. Founded in November 2018 in Milan, the business has expanded across Europe and the UK, reaching 150 directly-owned stores in nine countries, including ten in London. Additionally, Poke House has minority stakes in Sweetfin (California) and Poke Perfect (Netherlands), bringing its global footprint to around 190 stores. Poke House reported €92m in revenue for 2023, with €5m Ebitda and a gross merchandise value of €130m. In 2024, Poke House said it aims to surpass €100m in revenue, with the total group projections reaching approximately €150m. Pichi told Propel that from next year, the company expects to open circa 40 restaurants per year globally with a focus on the USA and the UK. He said: “We expect to open at least five sites per year in London to reach 25 sites in London by 2027.” In terms of UK trading, he said: “We have now opened on Uber Eats and Just Eat and we are very happy about the growth. In store, while there are small fluctuations, the overall pattern shows an increase in sales. October is growing versus September and this is good considering the seasonality that is approaching.” To support this phase of expansion, Poke House strengthened its leadership team this summer by hiring Esther Arnanz, formerly of Pret A Manger, Comptoir Libanais and Eat, as its new country manager for the UK group. Pichi said her expertise in scaling businesses and driving operational excellence will be “instrumental in steering Poke House’s growth in the UK market”. He said: “This is just the beginning for us in the UK. Over the past five years, we have explored various markets and channels, carefully balancing growth with our commitment to offering the highest quality ingredients, freshly prepared in every store each day. We took on the responsibility of introducing a new category to the city and have actively contributed to its growth and evolution. As Poke House continues to push boundaries, its forward-thinking approach paves the way for sustained growth in global markets, with London’s dynamic food scene at the forefront. As we look to the future, Poke House is not just here to stay in the UK; we are poised for remarkable growth.”

Taco Bell to launch five more UK equity stores this year and ten more in 2025: Taco Bell, the Yum! Brands-owned brand, has said it will launch five more UK equity stores this year and ten more in 2025. The company, which operates circa 135 franchise sites in the UK, has opened its first equity-owned restaurant in the UK, at Anglia Retail Park in Anglia Parkway, Ipswich. “As a display of the explosive growth initiative for Taco Bell UK, history has been written with the opening of Ipswich, in the Anglia Retail Park,” the company said. “This is the first of five more stores company owned this year and a further ten in 2025. Spanning more than 2,000 square feet with 70 seats, multiple digital kiosks and drive-thru, the opening has been the talk of town and expressed by a surge of hundreds waiting in line for their first taste since 5am.” Ian Cranna, general manager of Taco Bell UK & Europe, said the brand in the UK is “at the pinnacle of explosive growth” and is now operating 136 locations. “We’ve been looking to open this site for two years and have been working on it for the past few months,” he added. “The team have done an incredible job. This is just the beginning – next stop, Norwich.”

Pho to open second Edinburgh site this week: Pho, the Vietnamese restaurant group led by Pat Marrinan and backed by TriSpan, will open its second location in Edinburgh's city centre, on Friday (25 October). The restaurant in Lothian Road will be Pho's third site in Scotland, following its first Scottish venue at Edinburgh's St James Quarter, and its central Glasgow location in Renfield Street that opened earlier this year. Set in a former Wildwood site, Pho's new Edinburgh restaurant will accommodate 100 covers. The 44-strong business opened its latest site last month, after taking on the former Kaspa’s unit in Church Street in Greenwich, south east London. Pho is also set to open a site in Harborne, Birmingham, which will become its first opening in a regional suburb when it opens either later this year or early 2025.

Stonegate Group confirms debut site for new concept Rita’s Beer Hall and Ballroom: Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has confirmed the first site for its new trial concept, Rita’s Beer Hall and Ballroom, will open later this year, in Leeds. Propel revealed last month that Stonegate was 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. The business is investing £1m into the conversion of the Leeds site, which will open in December and offer a more “sociable” experience through its offer of live music, all-day dancing, beer hall tables and live sport. The city-centre site has been dubbed a “beerhall for cocktail lovers”. David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate Group, said: “In the past few years, the way in which guests socialise has rapidly changed. Going out remains a real priority, but guests are going out at different times and searching for engaging, entertaining venues, and new types of experiences. Rita’s Beerhall and Ballroom brings all of that together with a day-to-night experience like no other. It’s a place where everyone is welcome, and anything can happen!”

Notes to make regional debut with Reading opening: Notes, the London coffee shop and wine bar concept owned by WSH Group, the parent company of BaxterStorey and Benugo, is to make its regional debut next year, with an opening in Reading. The 13-strong business has signed a ten-year lease on the ground floor at the One Station Hill, which is situated opposite Reading station. Notes, which will be at the front of the building facing the station, will offer brunch and small dishes in the evening. It will also offer wine and cocktails and specialises in seasonal food. Robert Robinson and Fabio Ferreira, co-founders of Notes, said: “We are thrilled to bring our single-origin specialty coffee to Reading. We have been planning to expand outside of London, and Station Hill offers a unique blend of a travel hub, high-spec offices, and a vibrant local community.” Notes returned to the expansion trail at the end of last year, with an opening in London’s Tottenham Court Road. The business, which WSH Group acquired in November 2022, opened in the former Rush hair shop at 105 Tottenham Court Road. Notes’ coffee shops across the capital include sites in Canary Wharf, King’s Cross, Moorgate and Trafalgar Square. Notes also owns a roastery in Canning Town, east London, and an online retail business.

Wild Tavern team to open site in the City: George Bukhov-Weinstein and Ilya Demichev, the co-founders of Mediterranean restaurant Wild Tavern, are set to open a new site in the City of London. Propel understands that the pair, co-founders of Burger & Lobster, have secured a new lease on space at Frederick’s Place in Old Jewry, between Gresham Street and Cheapside. Bukhov-Weinstein and Demichev, who are also behind steak brand Goodmans, opened the first Wild Tavern in Chelsea’s Elystan Street in December 2019. They followed that up with the opening of Wild in Notting Hill, at 202 Westbourne Grove, last year. The pair have also teamed up with London chef Chris Denney for their latest venture – new neighbourhood restaurant Fantômas, which opened at 300 King’s Road in Chelsea this week. Mike Webb, of Distrkt, acted for the landlord on the Frederick’s Place deal, while Seb Howard Property acted for Wild Tavern. 

Travelodge exchanges on three new Spanish hotels as it targets 20 markets across country: Travelodge, which operates more than 600 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain, has exchanged deals for three new hotels in Spain as it targets 20 markets across the country. The properties in San Sebastian, Cadiz and Alicante total 263 rooms. All three hotels will be new constructions and will operate under a leasehold model. Travelodge already operates 11 hotels in Spain. The company has agreed a deal with landlord Astigarraga Eurohostels SL on its first hotel in San Sebastian, located in Astigarraga, and planning has been submitted to deliver a 78-room hotel. Construction is expected to commence in 2025. Travelodge has secured a deal with landlord Verbian Street Iberica SL on its debut hotel in Cadiz, located at Gibraltar Street in the Zona Franca. Construction on the 103-bedroom hotel is expected to start in spring 2025. Travelodge has also agreed a deal with landlord Aguilera Orozco SL on a new hotel in Alicante, located at Avenida Aguilera 28, which will be Travelodge’s second site in Alicante. Construction of the 82-bedroom hotel is expected to commence in summer 2025. All three hotels will feature Travelodge’s in-house restaurant, 85 Bar Cafe. To help capitalise on its Spanish growth opportunity, Travelodge has identified 20 initial target markets including: Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Bilbao. Angel Beleno, Spain general director, Travelodge, said: “There is plenty of opportunity for Travelodge to expand within the Spanish hotel market, and we want to take our brand to new business and leisure locations across the country.”

Bun House founders to open new disco-themed site in London’s Shoreditch: Alex Peffly and Z He, the founders of London Cantonese steam bun concept Bun House, will open a new site in Shoreditch. Located on the corner of Brick Lane and Bethnal Green Road, Bun House Disco will bring a new take on their signature buns to east London for the first time as well as new wonton and cocktail menus. Bun House Disco – which opens on Tuesday, 12 November – “will take guests on a journey back to the hedonistic era of 1980s Hong Kong, when the disco scene was exploding and nightclubs were booming with the sounds of Canto and synthpop”. The lunch menu will centre around wontons, a Chinese and Bun House staple; available filled with either prawn or vegetables. The dumplings will be offered with a number of different dressings. As the evening draws in, guests will be able to enjoy a shorter wonton menu alongside He’s favourite snacks and sharing plates, complemented by the signature buns from Bun House and a new black sesame lava bun. Leading the drinks menu will be He’s take on classic cocktails using Chinese herbs and spices to create interpretations such as the chrysanthemum martini. There will also be a selection of craft beer and herbal tea. He said: “Growing up, I always admired the neon lights of 80s disco culture, particularly in Hong Kong and wanted to create a place that captured the spirit of this. Shoreditch feels like a natural home for Bun House Disco and gives us the opportunity to embrace the creativity and energy of east London.” As well as Bun House in Chinatown, Peffly and He also operate Wun’s in Soho and the Pleasant Lady Jian Bing trading stall.

Japanese restaurant business Osaka to open sister concept Kawaii: Japanese restaurant concept Osaka is to open a new site in Reading under a new format called Kawaii. The first Osaka opened on the Riverside Mall level of Reading’s The Oracle shopping centre in 2020, in the former Cafe Rouge site. Osaka owner Ka Man Lam opened a second site earlier this year, in High Wycombe’s Eden Centre. The business opened in the former GAP unit, with the concept offering sushi, ramen, katsu curry and noodle dishes. It has now signed a 15-year lease in one of the restaurant units in the One Station Hill scheme in Reading to launch Kawaii, which aims to create a contemporary dining space, along with outdoor seating. Lam said: “We aim to offer the best we can to create a memorable and differentiated dining experience. We are fully confident that by focusing on our unique offerings, we stand out.”

Greene King opens two more Hive Pubs: Brewer and retailer Greene King has opened two more Hive Pubs for a combined investment of £970,000 – bringing the total number to 57. The Otter in Drayton, near Norwich, has reopened as The Old Mill after a £445,000 investment, transforming the former Greene King managed pub into a Hive Pub. It is now operated by franchisees Mark and Carol Wenn. The Broken Cross in Rudheath, Cheshire, has also reopened as a Hive Pub after a £525,000 investment by Greene King. The pub is operated by franchisees Samantha and Nick Garland. Aimed at those with experience of running a pub, the Hive Pubs franchise agreement gives licensees a ready-to-trade pub for £5,000 ingoing cost. Franchisees get a minimum guaranteed income of £20,000 as well as a percentage of food and drink sales, a share of the profits in their pub and can earn a bonus as well. Earlier this year, Greene King launched its second franchise concept, Nest Pubs, a more wet-led franchise pub offer with lower ingoing costs for franchisees. Dan Robinson, managing director of Greene King Pub Partners, said: “We intend to open more Hive Pubs and Nest Pubs in the coming months, while also continuing to support our excellent leased and tenanted operators to grow their businesses.”

Whitbread secures prime Leeds city centre site for new hotel development: Whitbread has acquired an office building in Leeds city centre, which will be redeveloped into a 120-room Premier Inn. It has acquired the freehold of a 42,000 square-foot office building, Verity House, in the South Bank area of the city centre. Whitbread intends to retrofit the L-shaped property near Leeds station into a Premier Inn hotel and seek planning consent for an extension. Jill Anderson, acquisitions manager for Whitbread, said: “Whitbread has a long and successful track record of converting office buildings into popular budget hotels. It is a proven route to expanding our presence in popular locations like Leeds city centre where development opportunities are limited and where we have a requirement to grow. Converting offices into hotels also provides obvious benefits to the environment by extending the life of existing buildings and reducing the embodied carbon of development. Verity House makes for a superb hotel location given its proximity to the station and all the amenities in Leeds city centre. It complements our existing network of eight Premier Inn’s across the city and as a freehold purchase it demonstrates Whitbread’s willingness to take on planning and development risk to secure exceptional locations for our guests.” The acquisition of Verity House grows Whitbread’s secured development pipeline in Leeds city centre to two locations and more than 250 pipeline bedrooms. 

Mama Shelter set to make Netherlands debut: Accor and Ennismore-owned hotel and restaurant operator Mama Shelter is to make its debut in The Netherlands, with an opening in Amsterdam. Set to open its doors in the first quarter of 2027, the new 150-room site will be located in the city’s Noord district. The venue will also comprise four food and beverage spaces, including an all-day dining restaurant, restaurant bar, terrace bar and rooftop bar. It will also offer 80 square metres of meeting and event spaces, including karaoke rooms and fully kitted breakout containers. Cedric Gobilliard, brand chief operating officer for Mama Shelter at Ennismore, said: “Mama thrives where urban excitement meets warm hospitality. Mama Shelter Amsterdam promises an immersive experience in this unique corner of Amsterdam, blending local charm with Mama’s distinctive spirit. We are thrilled to work with White House Development BV to bring Mama to the heart of the ‘Venice of the north’, creating an unforgettable getaway in the Dutch capital.”

Staycity set to open new Wilde-branded hotel in Oxford: Aparthotel operator Staycity Group is set to open a new Wilde-branded hotel in Oxford. Staycity will redevelop a former cinema at 38-40 George Street in a 145-room aparthotel, with completion scheduled for the end of 2027. Staycity development director UK Simon Walford said: “We are excited to be opening a Wilde in the historic and popular city of Oxford, and in such a key location as the Gloucester Green area. The aparthotel will make a huge contribution towards the city’s need for more overnight accommodation. Our design-led Wilde brand, the first of which opened in London’s Covent Garden in 2017, was originally inspired by Oscar Wilde, so it seems particularly fitting to be opening in the city where he was himself a student.” Last month, Propel reported that Staycity had targeted up to three new acquisitions per year via its new development platform as it looks to double in size. The new platform, Carnsór, will source and manage the development of sites, focusing on expanding the group’s Staycity and Wilde brands, with acquisitions funded by group equity and external investment.

Former The Stork and Red Wolf House GM to open new immersive cocktail bar in London’s Spitalfields: Dimitar Petkanov, former general manager at Mayfair venues The Stork and Red Wolf House, is set to open a new immersive cocktail bar in London’s Spitalfields. Through his Level Hospitality vehicle, Petkanov will next month launch the 180-capacity The 1 Bar at 18 Appold Street, near Liverpool Street. Opening on Friday, 1 November, it will feature live music performances from talent plucked from the West End’s biggest shows, and experiential cocktails crafted by world-class mixologists. “We’re not just opening another bar,” said Petkanov. “We’re creating a destination where the art of mixology meets the vibrancy of live music, offering an unparalleled experience for London’s discerning professionals and music enthusiasts.”