Licensed premises numbers increase for second successive quarter but Budget jeopardises recovery optimism: Britain’s number of licensed premises has increased for a second successive quarter, according to the new Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners. The report shows a 0.7% rise in outlets between July and September 2024 – equivalent to 661 net new openings, or seven per day. It follows 0.5% growth in the second quarter of the year, which was the first positive quarter-on-quarter movement since mid-2022. The latest increase brings Britain’s total sites to 99,868—virtually level with the figure 12 months ago. However, confidence for continued growth has been stifled by the government's autumn Budget, with industry-wide concerns of a stalling of this emerging outlet growth, and fears of renewed (net) closures across the hospitality market. Hospitality’s recovery is particularly fragile in the independent sector, which has been weakened by covid-19 and high inflation and is now 15.9% smaller than it was in March 2020. After contracting every quarter for four years, it has now been in growth for two quarters in a row, and site numbers increased 0.7% in the three months to September. However, added costs from the Budget now put the revival of small businesses and start-ups in doubt. The monitor also indicates some cautiously positive trends in local pubs. There are now 12.0% fewer community pubs than there were before covid, but the number rose by 0.4% between June and September. The high street pub segment measured by the tracker is meanwhile 3.8% larger than three months ago. The monitor showed modest growth in the scale of the casual dining and bar sectors while there was also some significant regional variations, including above-average increases in London and Scotland. Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “While the sector is smaller in outlet terms than before covid, the last six months have shown that hospitality groups, investors and entrepreneurs have been confident enough to be opening rather than retrenching. With inflation, GDP and other economic indicators moving in the right directions, the sector should be looking forward to 2025 with guarded optimism. However, with substantial extra costs on labour and rates now looming, there is a real danger that hospitality’s momentum will be lost.” Graeme Smith, AlixPartners’ managing director, added: “With many businesses now looking to further consolidate their estates, market flux and churn may well create more opportunities for others.”

Sponsored message – GigPig partners with New World Trading Company and makes senior appointment: New World Trading Company (NWTC) has partnered with GigPig, the UK’s fastest growing live music marketplace, to host live music across the group’s 31-venue estate. The collaboration will see more than 500 gigs performed across NWTC venues monthly; boosting footfall and securing regular work for local artists. It comes as GigPig hires its first music operations director, Luke Geoghegan, to secure and expand partnerships with hospitality brands as part of its commitment to deliver quality live music at scale. Geoghegan joins GigPig from NWTC, where he was head of music. Michael Forster, chief executive of GigPig, said: “Our mission remains to make every pub, bar and restaurant a stage for artists to support the hospitality and music industries. Luke’s highly respected in both sectors and we’re delighted to be working with NWTC.” Amber Wood, managing director of NWTC, added: “Live music has always been a key pillar for our brand. Through our partnership with GigPig, we can’t wait to make live music bigger and better than it’s been before at NWTC.” GigPig enables operators to search, book and manage entertainment in-house and works with national brands including BrewDog, Albert’s Schloss, Stack, Arc Inspirations, East Coast Concepts and Katie O’Briens. For further information, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Propel to launch the definitive guide to the UK’s 500 largest hospitality companies: The Propel 500 report is an ambitious new project that will bring together the top 500 companies within the sector, offering not only comprehensive listings but also insights into the forces driving growth, innovation, and transformation across the sector. Propel 500 will provide critical insights into the companies leading the charge in hospitality, including turnover, number of sites, and key staff. The 45,000-word report will also include exclusive analysis to provide a full understanding of the market’s dynamics. Mark Wingett will delve into the mergers and acquisitions shaping the future of the Top 500. Tim Street dissects the UK’s rapidly developing franchise market. As the experiential leisure sector becomes a cornerstone of modern hospitality, Phil Pemberton will assess how innovative experiences are attracting customers. Meanwhile, Katherine Doggrell will examine the key developments in UK hotels, data expert Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, will look at emerging growth sectors and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vantifatova will analyse the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market. Propel 500 will be released on Friday, 10 January at 9am and is available for £595 plus VAT. Existing Premium Club members can receive it on Friday, 10 January at 9am for £395 plus VAT. Premium Club members will receive the report for free on Friday, 28 February at 9am. Pre-order Propel 500 today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com. 

Premium Club members to receive next Who's Who of UK Hospitality and videos from Multi-Club Conference on Friday: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will be released to Premium Club members on Friday (22 November), at midday. Another 11 companies have been added to the database, which now features 874 companies. This month’s edition will also include 61 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 will also receive all the videos from the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024 on Friday, at 9am. They include Ben Fogle, the TV personality who has summited Everest, raced to the South Pole and rowed the Atlantic, talking about overcoming adversity, teamwork and leadership. Meanwhile, Michael Clarke, managing director of Wendy’s UK and Europe, discusses the return of the third-largest quick service restaurant brand in the US to these shores, the challenges and opportunities of launching here again, its relationship with its franchisees, and where the business goes from here. 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.

Des Gunewardena – lots of question marks over desirability of opening restaurants in UK but now easier to get sites in London: Des Gunewardena, founder of the D3 Collective and co-founder of D&D London, has said there are lots of question marks over the desirability of opening restaurants in the UK but believes it is now easier to get sites in the capital. Gunewardena, who left D&D London in September 2022, made his return to the sector this summer by opening a Japanese-Korean restaurant, a 1920s Berlin-inspired bar and live performance space at the Royal Exchange in the City of London. He is set to follow that with a site in Canary Wharf and next year will open a 30,000 square-foot venue with restaurant, speakeasy and event space as part of the £1.3bn redevelopment of Olympia. Speaking at Propel’s Multi-Club Conference, Gunewardena said: “I think it’s easier now to get sites in London because trading is tough. There are far more sites now becoming available in Central London from restaurants that haven’t been able to make it. I think it’s still difficult to get sites in Mayfair because there’s money coming in from the Middle East and a number of those restaurants have done quite well. There’s a little bit of that creeping into Marylebone but otherwise the City, the West End generally, I think it’s easier to get sites. I think you can build a business of scale providing you’ve got the funding quite quickly now. But you have to have confidence in the long-term prospects. There are a lot of question marks now compared with other cities in the Middle East, US and India, which I’m very keen on opening a project in, over the desirability of opening restaurants in the UK.” Gunewardena said the Budget will have a huge impact on the sector and added: “The fact the national minimum wage and national insurance rates have been jacked up together with rates relief going down from 75% to 40% will probably cost a small business like ours half their profits next year. It’s a really big thing for small businesses. It’s [The Royal Exchange site] going well now but I’m really looking hard at what’s going to happen next year. What the City does or feels about the Budget – especially with the level of corporate revenue we have – will have quite a big impact on our business.” When it comes to sites, Gunewardena said he looks for “beautiful buildings, memorable locations, which will work in the long term”. He added: “We’re not always concerned about short term footfall. We are quite happy to be patient and wait for a site or area to develop. For example in my Conran days we built Le Pont de la Tour at Butler’s Wharf in London, south of Tower Bridge, when there wasn’t much there, and with D&D in New York, we built a 26,000 square-foot restaurant in a pretty out of central location on the east side of Manhattan and today that is one of D&D’s most successful businesses.” In terms of future ventures, he said: “I’m looking at putting restaurant concepts into hotels. But though those restaurants will be independent, you’ve got to make sure the concept is the right fit for guests at that hotel too.” Gunewardena was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. His video and the 12 others from the conference will be made available to Premium Club members on Friday (22 November), at 9am. 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.

JW Lees MD – the Budget is anti-business, it does nothing to encourage entrepreneurs and private business: William Lees-Jones, managing director of Manchester brewer and retailer JW Lees, has called the Budget “anti-business” and said next year the company faces “the greatest challenge of our lives – the removal of business property relief (BPR) by this government”. He said: “JW Lees will do everything we can to remain a family business and we’re proud to have created more than 1,000 jobs in the last 30 years. JW Lees has survived the challenge of lockdowns and the energy crisis and now, just when we were finding our feet and had an ambitious £20m investment plan for 2025, we face the greatest challenge of our lives – the removal of BPR by this government. The recent Budget is anti-business; it does nothing to encourage entrepreneurs and private business, which are the engine of the UK economy. Business is becoming global and people will leave the country; the UK government needs to back-track on the proposed changes to BPR and agricultural property relief (APR). The removal of BPR and APR will only bring in an estimated £500m per annum to the government or 1.21% of the total £41,170m impact of the recent Budget but the government modelling is flawed and businesses and farms will be forced to sell out to pay these taxes. No-one minds paying tax when a sale happens and capital is realised but BPR allows families to pass on the company or farm within the family so that the enterprises can grow, creating more jobs and giving workers job security since they are working for a family concern rather than a ruthless multi-national, plc or private equity. It’s what colleagues tell me every day – people love working for family businesses. We're not happy but will reluctantly ‘suck it up’ and pay the increased living wage and national insurance contributions to pay for our public services. But the changes in BPR represent a real threat to the very existence of family businesses like JW Lees and this is worth fighting for.”

Dame Karen Jones – as employers’ costs climb after the Budget we may lose the human connection: As employers’ costs climb after the Budget, the sector may lose the human connection, Dame Karen Jones, who co-founded Café Rouge and is currently chair of Hawksmoor, has warned. Writing in the Sunday Times, Dame Karen, who is also the ex-chief executive of the Spirit pub group and current non-executive director at Mowgli, said: “I have been thinking a great deal about the customer experience in service industries, particularly hospitality. What does it take to create one that is positive, consistent and capable of making a genuine difference? The stark reality of the ‘once in a generation’ October Budget added urgency to the question. One visible consequence will be the increased use of automation for low-latency tasks. If that leads to a corresponding reduction in human interaction, what will be the implications for the customer? The end point of our efforts in service businesses has to be the creation of an emotional connection with our customers – a memory hook that resonates more deeply than simply meeting functional needs. I have spent my life in hospitality searching for ways to express and communicate that connection. From April 2025, the cost of employment will increase very significantly. Already, we are seeing businesses shift to automation through, for example, self-serve screens, often halving the number of people employed onsite. More voids will appear in high streets as the costs of doing business lead owners to call it a day. The resulting loss of that human connection, of community, risks a black hole that cannot be measured in fiscal terms alone.”

Two of UK’s largest club venues introduce onsite testing of drug substances to help enhance public safety in nightlife sector: Two of the largest club venues in the UK – Drumsheds in London and The Warehouse Project in Manchester – have introduced the testing of drug substances to enhance public safety within the nightlife sector. Drug-checking charity The Loop has received Home Office licences to test at venues, building on its work at festivals over this summer. Much of The Loop’s service delivery, since 2013, has been working within and alongside the festival industry, and developing the service model and approach for drug testing services in different environments. The Loop’s drug testing services are non-public facing and operate by testing substances confiscated or through amnesty onsite, and working alongside key stakeholders. The licensed mobile laboratories are now operating at Drumsheds and The Warehouse Project during operating hours to inform understanding of the UK’s changing drug market and the implications of that for both customers and emergency services operating in those venues. Katy Porter, chief executive of The Loop, said: “The introduction of our year-round onsite testing into a venue in both London and Manchester will provide intelligence for real-time risk management and harm reduction information that can be quickly shared with the public, other venues and wider stakeholders to reduce the potential of significant harms.” Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, added: “This programme represents a ground-breaking step forward in our shared commitment to enhancing public safety within the nightlife sector. The rapid changes within the UK’s drug market, including the rise of synthetic substances, have underscored the urgent need for informed, real-time responses.”

UKHospitality Cymru – tourist tax funds in Wales must be ring-fenced to support sector: Plans by the Welsh government to give local authorities the right to charge people staying overnight in visitor accommodations in the country will further burden accommodation businesses, UKHospitality Cymru has warned. The trade body said any funds raised from the tax must be ring-fenced to be spent on the hospitality, tourism and visitor economy and not be funnelled into day-to-day council spending. Furthermore, in order for the levy to work, there must be legislative requirements for local authorities to consult with accommodation operators in areas where they are looking to introduce the “tourist tax”, UKHospitality Cymru added. Affected businesses must also be involved in any decision making around how the levy is spent. As part of the Bill – due to be introduced to the Senedd on Monday, 25 November – the Welsh government is also hoping to introduce a registration scheme, followed by a licensing scheme, to bring short-term lets up to appropriate standards of health and safety. UKHospitality Cymru has welcomed the scheme, which it said helps to level the playing field by requiring all visitor accommodation to operate safely. However, it’s imperative the register does not duplicate existing administrative requirements on established accommodation providers who are already heavily regulated, the trade body added.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with an award-winning wine supplier that is seeking a senior sales manager to join its team in London. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is an exciting opportunity to drive growth and make a significant impact through new business development, account management, and leadership.” The salary is up to £60,000. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com.

Indian plant-based brand eyeing UK debut and seeking franchise partners: Indian plant-based brand Punjabi Chaap Corner is eyeing expansion to the UK and seeking franchise partners here. Punjabi Chaap Corner was founded in New Delhi in 2012 by Hemant Batra and Shiva Gupta and has grown to more than 50 franchise locations in the country. In 2020, it expanded to Canada and now has 16 locations there, as well as two in the US. Punjabi Chaap Corner is now seeking an entry into the UK market and has signed with consultants whichfranchise to find experienced multi-unit operators. “Punjabi Chaap Corner serves delicious, high-quality vegetarian cuisine that celebrates the rich culinary heritage of India,” the company said. “One of our USPs is our unique, high-demand vegetarian chaap dishes that mimic the taste of meat, catering to vegetarians who crave familiar non-vegetarian flavours. With multiple locations in key cities across India, Canada and the US, we have become a beloved destination for those seeking high-quality vegetarian Indian cuisine. We now want to replicate this success in the UK and are looking for partners who want to become part of a trusted, modern and progressive brand.” 

Açai brand Oakberry targets 50 sites across London: Açai brand Oakberry has said it sees potential to open 50 sites across London over the next five years. The company, which was founded in Brazil in 2016 and has grown to 700-plus locations in 43 countries, launched in the UK in 2022. It is on track to have 15 sites here by the end of the year, after opening sites in West One Bond Street station, London Fitzrovia, Bristol, and Birmingham Bullring, this year. Speaking to the brand’s retained property advisor in the UK, GCW Property, Oakberry operations director Peter Davies said: “Between Central London, where we want to concentrate our growth, and Greater London, there’s potential for up to 50 stores over five years. We have mapped out the UK into 12 regions and are looking to approach the expansion with equity and franchise partnerships with multi-site operators from Scotland to central, and Greater London, and out to the west.” Oakberry said it has also introduced coffee to its core demographics of 20 to 35-year-old females, through partnering with Caravan Coffee Roasters.

Luxford Burgers founder sells Edinburgh pan-Asian bao bun concept to Scottish franchisees of Haute Dolci, new owners plan UK expansion: Alexander Galpin, founder of better gourmet burger business Luxford Burgers, has sold Edinburgh pan-Asian bao bun concept Ozen Street Food to UK City Foods, owned by Afzal and Sofia Mir, for an undisclosed sum. The Mirs are Scottish franchisees of premium dessert and gourmet burger concept Haute Dol, fish and chip restaurant Mother Hubbard’s and Charlie K’s and also own Shish restaurant in Edinburgh. Ozen Street Food was acquired in 2022 by Galpin, who relaunched the concept at the St James Quarter in early 2024, and retained founder Chris Thomas as marketing director. Ozen Street Food will continue its tenure at St James Quarter while expansion to further Edinburgh locations and cities across the UK is proposed by UK City Foods. The new owner also plans limited menu changes including offering 100% halal products. Galpin told Propel: “It makes us happy to see such a fun, engaging and energetic business pass hands to operators who have the drive to take it to the next level. The product is genuinely fantastic and unlike other operators in this market, and I’m confident Sofia and Afzal will continue to do our customers and stakeholders proud. Chris, Jacob [Rodriguez] and myself have enjoyed creating some outstanding food, connecting with our customer base, and engaging in frankly outrageous marketing, and I certainly have enjoyed getting hands-on with building and managing a new food concept from the ground up.” Luxford Burgers operates five sites across the UK.

Cineworld owners eye stock market comeback in New York: Cineworld's hedge fund backers are drawing up plans to return the cinema operator to the public markets amid continuing uncertainty about the future of dozens of its British sites. Sky News reported that Cineworld’s owners are at the early stages of considering a New York listing for the business, with the first half of 2026 considered a likely window for it to take place. City insiders said that a flotation was likely to encompass Cineworld's operations outside the UK, with the group's board expected to consider a sale of the British operations at some point. They cautioned, however, that no decisions had been reached and would not be for some time. The fate of Cineworld's business in the UK has been uncertain for months, with the company initially exploring a sale of it before turning to a restructuring plan. Cineworld has announced the permanent closure of six sites, but it emerged last month that nearly 20 more were at risk of being shut amid ongoing talks with property owners. The restructuring plan is due to complete later this month, which some landlords have opposed over the fairness of its terms. Documents circulated as part of the restructuring plan process highlighted the fact the company did not have sufficient funding to meet a quarterly rent bill on 24 June of £15.9m. The group trades from more than 100 locations in Britain, including at the Picturehouse brand. Cineworld expanded as the cinema empire developed by the Greidinger family grew through a series of acquisitions, including Cinema City in 2014 and US-based Regal Cinemas four years later. However, the pressures of the pandemic quickly turned its $8.8bn in debt and lease liability into a burden, prompting it to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US in 2022. Cineworld delisted from the London Stock Exchange last year after its share price collapsed and was taken over by its lenders through a debt-for-equity swap.

Wimpy to open in Brighton: Wimpy is to open a site in Brighton. Terms have been agreed for the brand to occupy a 2,285 square-foot ground floor and basement unit at 34 West Street. Wimpy is aiming for the restaurant to be up and running in time for the new year. Will Thomas, director at Flude Property Consultants, which acted on the deal, said: “West Street is not only one of the main gateways to the beach from Brighton’s city centre, but it is also at the heart of the city’s vibrant nightlife scene. Given its prominent location, we anticipated strong interest, particularly from food-led operators. This result reflects the growing activity in this sector and is a testament to the strength of the local retail market.” Last month, Wimpy owner Famous Brands said lower footfall and economic uncertainties have affected its UK business as it reported revenue for the division fell 17% during the six months ended 31 August 2024. Revenue dropped to £2,996,656 (69 million rand) from £3,604,723 (83 million rand) in the same period last year. Operating profit was down 68% from £434,421 (ten million rand) to £130,338 (three million rand). Wimpy operates 61 sites in the UK.

Pizza Pilgrims strengthens London presence with King’s Road opening: Pizza Pilgrims, the pizzeria brand, has strengthen its presence in London with an opening in Chelsea. Propel revealed in September that Pizza Pilgrims had agreed a deal with The Sloane Stanley Estate for 219 King’s Road. Pizza Pilgrims has now opened the 2,021 square-foot space, which provides up to 40 covers, as well as a 32-cover basement dining room that can transform into “Cinema Paradiso”, delivering an experiential element. Pizza Pilgrims co-founder Thom Elliot said: “Bringing Pizza Pilgrims to Chelsea feels like a real milestone for us. Our dad ran a pub in King’s Road back in the day, and the area has always pulled us in. We have now secured the perfect corner site to house our Capri-style pizzeria and bring the joy of Pizza Pilgrims to one of London’s most iconic roads.” Pizza Pilgrims said it typically opens six new sites each year. A new restaurant is scheduled to open in London’s King’s Cross this month, while its debut Scottish restaurant, in Edinburgh, is set to launch by December. Propel revealed last month that the 24-strong brand has appointed PwC as it looks to embark on its next stage of growth, which will include further expansion in the UK, exploring international opportunities, and the relaunch of its quick service restaurant format Slice. Miles Commercial and Levy Real Estate represented the Sloane Stanley Estate on the King’s Road deal.

Epic Bars and Clubs acquires former Revolution site in Cheltenham: Epic Bars and Clubs, the venture from Mark Shorting and Nigel Blair, two of the founders of the Fever Bar business, has acquired the former Revolution Bars site in Cheltenham. The property, set in an 1843 Baptist church in Clarence Street, has relaunched as The Chapel. Revolution Bars Group closed the site earlier this month as part of its restructure. Epic director Duncan Squires told Gloucestershire Live: “Cheltenham is our company's home town and it would've been a discredit to the late-night scene here to allow the site to sit empty. We will trade the business every Friday and Saturday night into the new year while we finalise our plans for 2025 and beyond.” Epic has 23 sites across the UK. Earlier this year, having acquired several sites from Rekom UK, Epic told Propel it is on the expansion trail and looking to become the UK’s largest chain of bars and nightclubs.

Urban Baristas reports record first day sales at latest franchise location: Aussie-inspired coffee concept Urban Baristas has reported record first day sales at its latest franchise location. The business opened its fourth franchise site, at 15 King Street in Twickenham, south west London, on Friday, 8 November. The launch came five months after Urban Baristas opened its first franchise location, in Batavia Road in New Cross Gate, south London. Urban Baristas has since added further franchise sites – in Fountain Park Way, White City, and in in Balham High Road, Tooting Bec – and now Twickenham. Co-founder Huw Wardrope said. “It was a huge success, with record first day of sales.” Opened by franchisee Kirit Johal, the Twickenham site is Urban Baristas’ 16th overall. “Urban Baristas is thrilled to welcome Kirit to the family,” Wardrope added. “Being able to attract franchisees like Kirit, who’s venturing into the food and beverage industry from a non-hospitality background, is a true testament to the strength of the business and the support we offer.” Upon launching its franchise offer in December 2023, Wardrope told Propel he is planning 30 additional stores over next three years for the then 12-strong business. He also said the London-focused business would look to explore opportunities outside of the capital, in market towns around the M25.

Po Na Na founder and former Chicago Rib Shack MD acquires former Hippo Inns pub for seventh site: Po Na Na founder and former Chicago Rib Shack managing director Christian Arden has acquired a former Hippo Inns pub for the seventh site for his London focused Parker Pubs portfolio. Arden and co-founder Ben Abrahams have invested £100,000 in The Royal Oak in Twickenham, creating “a more premium and welcoming ambience”. The duo plan to make it a destination pub serving sustainable food from locally sourced ingredients. Further investment is planned for early 2025 to upgrade the kitchen and private dining areas. “Our entire business model, and my own personal passion, is focused on breathing new life into cherished community pubs with authenticity, sustainability and quality food at their heart,” Arden said. “Not only do we want to make our pubs incredible, welcoming destinations, we ensure we put sustainability foremost by using local suppliers, fresh ingredients and minimising the use of single use plastic and waste. We believe pubs have an important role to play in encouraging more sustainable behaviour and we’re extremely keen to set an example that others can follow.” The company has just completed a further refurbishment of The Crossing Pub in Barnes, including turning the upstairs dining and event room into gallery space featuring a rolling exhibition of artists’ work. The company’s other pubs include The White Horse in Richmond, New Inn in Ham Common (a Star Pubs leasehold), The Gipsy Queen in Kentish Town, The Fox in Palmers Green and The Castle in Harrow. Arden and Abrahams launched Parker Pubs in 2020. Before his roles with Po Na Na and Chicago Rib Shack, Arden opened The Argyll Restaurant in Chelsea’s Kings Road in the 1990s. More recently, he owned Shillibeers Pub in Islington and The Rectory Public House in Clapham Old Town. Abrahams launched the Parker McMillan live music venue in Barbican London in 2006. In 2015, he opened the Victoria Stakes and Gipsy Queen pubs in north London, restoring both to profitability prior to covid.

Josh Eggleton expands Somerset portfolio and makes move into accommodation: Chef Josh Eggleton has acquired The Pelican pub in Chew Magna, north Somerset. The pub is the latest addition to The Pony Group, which he runs with his sister Holly. They have teamed up with life-long school friends and fellow publicans Lottie and Josh Bryant, also siblings, for the project. The pub has now reopened while ten bedrooms being added to the property will welcome customers in spring/summer 2025. The pub serves beer, ale, cider and wine alongside a selection of bar snacks. Local pizza truck Soul Dough also visits in the evenings between Thursday and Saturday. The Pelican forms an extension of its nearby sister restaurant, The Pony, with the idea being that overnight guests will be able to move between the places seamlessly, with the addition of bicycles and a complimentary shuttle service. The team also plans to build experiential stay packages around The Pony’s restaurant, gardens and cookery school. Josh and Holly said: “We have always wanted to have accommodation as part of The Pony family, it’s been an aspiration of ours for years and we’ve kept a lookout for the right location. We used to go to The Pelican as kids and have fond memories of it, so it’s a natural extension for us to give it a new lease of life while growing The Pony experience beyond the restaurant.” Lottie and Josh added: “Having run a pub in the valley for the past five years, we’re excited to be teaming up with old friends to bring something new to Chew Magna.” The Pony Group also includes Salt & Malt in Chew Valley and Wapping Wharf in Bristol, The Kensington Arms in Bristol and Root in Bristol and Wells.

Merlin row over Universal Studios theme park plans: A row is brewing between Universal Studios and Merlin Entertainments over claims that ministers are giving the Hollywood company preferential treatment in fast-tracking planning permissions for a 480-acre theme park in Bedfordshire. The Sunday Times reported that culture secretary Lisa Nandy is understood to be pressing ahead with plans for a special development order (SDO) that will smooth the way for one of Europe’s biggest theme parks to be built. But Merlin Entertainments, the company behind Alton Towers, Legoland, Thorpe Park and Peppa Pig World, has asked if Universal is receiving preferential treatment. Fiona Eastwood, chief operating officer at Merlin, said: “Our biggest concern is ensuring there is a level playing field. We’ve invested £90m into the UK this year on new attractions and we’ve had to go through a very robust planning process with all of them. So we’d expect the same for Universal, particularly being a US company when we’re a UK-based company.” Universal shocked locals a year ago after it bought a plot of land the size of roughly 300 football pitches on a former brickworks site in Stewartby, south of Bedford. If built, it would be Universal’s sixth resort and its first in Europe. SDOs grant permission for specified development in a given area. They can be designated without fresh legislation but require a “sponsoring” department. In this case, it is the culture department. Planning documents are to be submitted to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport before Christmas, with consent as early as next spring. Universal Studios said: “We continue to evaluate our potential project, which is transformational for the UK and the wider region.”

Golf club concept Pitch to open site in London’s Canary Wharf, will be biggest venue yet: Golf club concept Pitch, which is the brainchild of friends and golf professionals Elliot Godfrey and Chris Ingham, will open its biggest venue yet, in London’s Canary Wharf, in January. Located at 30 Churchill Place, Godfrey said that once open, Pitch Wharf will be a space that “redefines the indoor golf and social club experience”, featuring: 11 Trackman-powered bays, an exclusive members’ area, two bars and the company’s signature 18 Greens restaurant, a golf concept store, a riverside terrace with seating, shuffleboards, and access to PGA professionals for lessons. Godfrey said: “This flagship location marks an exciting chapter for us at Pitch. It’s all about bringing our community together in a space that’s been thoughtfully designed with a refined social environment.” Earlier this month, Propel revealed that Pitch has secured its debut site in the Midlands, in Birmingham. The concept, which recently opened its first international site, in Dublin, secured an opening at 2 Colmore Square, The Priory, Queensway, for the first quarter of next year. Last month, Propel revealed that Pitch had entered a joint venture with England and Manchester United footballers Luke Shaw and Mason Mount to open a site in Manchester. Pitch, which launched in London’s Bishopsgate more than four years ago, has long-term plans to open new sites across the UK and add further sites internationally. Adam Bowers, of Onepoint2, is retained by Pitch to aid its further expansion across the UK. 

Burger concept Smoke & Pepper to open Manchester site: Smoke & Pepper, the London burger concept, is to make its regional debut with an opening in Manchester early next year. The business, which was founded by Sara Ibrahim and Suhail Mala, is set to open on the former Vurger Co site in Church Street in January. The company made its debut in Leyton in 2022. It launched a new hybrid “takeaway-meets-restaurant” format, within Bow arches in Elenor Street, east London, earlier this year.

Lapland UK plans second site: Christmas-themed Lapland UK is opening a second site, in Cheshire, in time for the 2025 festive period. The Sunday Times reported that it is the first big expansion for the firm, which is still run by husband-and-wife co-founders Mike and Alison Battle, and welcomes more than 170,000 people a year. The new site will replicate the original near Ascot, doubling the business. Lapland UK, which opened in 2007, offers families an interactive experience over the course of three to four hours, typically culminating in a visit to Santa’s cabin. Mike, a former City trader, said the plan to open in Cheshire was hatched after he rejected multiple approaches from “entertainment giants” to buy Lapland UK. The Battles have built the business without outside investment. In the year to February 2023, the last year for which accounts are available, Lapland UK reported turnover of £22.7m and a pre-tax profit of £3.3m. Tickets for the experience start at £59 per person, but demand appears to outstrip supply: this year, 346,000 people tried to book.