Exclusive – TDR Capital founding partner backs The Beefy Boys: Manjit Dale, founding partner of TDR Capital, the backer of Stonegate Group and Popeyes UK, has become an investor in and director of The Beefy Boys, the Herefordshire better burger business, Propel has learned. Born out of a back-garden barbecue in 2011 between four childhood friends – Anthony Murphy, Daniel Mayo-Evans, Christian Williams and Lee Symonds – The Beefy Boys has grown to operate sites in Hereford, Shrewsbury and Cheltenham, and earlier this month, its Oklahoma Onion Boy burger was named the fourth best burger in the world at the World Food Championships in Indianapolis. Dale is also an investor in London gastropub operator Cubitt House and Red Engine, the business behind Flight Club and Electric Shuffle. At the same time, Propel understands that The Beefy Boys, which operated three pop-up events in London this summer, is also being advised by Simon Blagden, the former Jamie’s Italian chief executive. Blagden, who joined Jamie’s Italian in 2008 as its managing director from PizzaExpress, spearheaded the growth and development of the Jamie’s Italian brand in the UK and internationally, growing it into a business that at one time was valued at circa £200m. He stepped down from Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group in October 2017. Propel understands that Blagden, who was also formerly at PizzaExpress and Mitchells & Butlers, is advising The Beefy Boys on its growth plans, with sites in Bath and Cardiff currently under consideration. The business is understood to be in talks to take the former Loch Fyne site in Bath’s Milsom Street. This summer, The Beefy Boys hired Paul Alexander, former managing director of Tiny Rebel and ex-operations director at Loungers, as its new head of operations. The company also launched its first book – “The Beefy Boys: From Backyard BBQ to World-Class Burgers”.

 

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, while 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 Adam Martin, managing director of Tesco Hospitality, talking about evolving the food and beverage offer across circa 500 in-store cafes at the UK’s leading supermarket business, how the company stays on top of consumer trends and its work with sector brands. Meanwhile, Andy Hornby, chief executive of The Restaurant Group, talks to Propel group editor Mark Wingett about the company’s plans for Wagamama and Brunning & Price, the role the group’s concessions business plays, and his thoughts on where the wider sector 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.

Bar manager sacked after blowing whistle on colleagues wins £33,000 payout: A bar manager who was sacked after blowing the whistle on colleagues for taking cocaine at work has been awarded more than £33,000 in compensation. Nadine Fallone told owner Preston Benson that bar staff were drinking and taking drugs on shift at Peckham Levels in south London. An employment tribunal was told Benson was unhappy she had triggered an investigation, reports The Telegraph. Fallone was subsequently sacked and has now won £33,080.90 in her unfair dismissal claim. An employment judge ruled that the underlying and principal reason for her sacking was her whistleblowing. The tribunal, held in Croydon, heard Fallone started working as a manager at the venue in August 2022 and became aware of some of the bar staff taking drinks, including bottles of wine from the bar, and appeared to be drunk. Another employee at the company said she had been offered cocaine by one of the bar staff at a colleague’s leaving do. The tribunal heard an “important team meeting” was arranged by Benson to discuss the issues and Fallone noticed “a change in attitude towards her by other staff at work” and she felt as if she was being “ignored” by her colleagues. She was removed from the rota – although this was later fixed – and she reported feeling “sidelined at work”, which hindered her mental health. Her doctor signed her off sick for nine days, during which time the venue began advertising for a duty manager role, which was the “equivalent” to Fallone’s job. When she returned, she was dismissed for “business reasons”. The tribunal recognised Fallone had raised concerns over “potentially criminal matters.” Her claims of unfair dismissal were upheld.

UKHospitality – Welsh government striking out on its own with DRS ‘extremely disappointing’: UKHospitality has said the Welsh government striking out on its own with a deposit return scheme (DRS) is “extremely disappointing”. The trade body said Senedd’s move to pursue a separate scheme not aligned with the rest of the UK will increase cost and complexity for businesses. Huw Irranca-Davies, the country’s deputy first minister, confirmed that the Welsh government’s own scheme will include glass, whereas UK-wide efforts had excluded glass due to staff safety and storage concerns. David Chapman, executive director of UKHospitality Cymru, said: “It’s extremely disappointing. Successful deposit return schemes will deliver maximum alignment and interoperability between nations. A Welsh scheme, which is not aligned with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, only serves to increase cost and complexity for businesses operating across the UK, makes the objective of improving recycling more difficult and could lead to a reduction in products available in Wales.” Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Association, added: “Our preference has always been for a four-nation approach on DRS with full alignment and interoperability to avoid the added complexity and costs that different approaches create. However, we respect that Wales is already leading the way on recycling rates and their desire to go further to achieve a truly circular economy for packaging.”

  

Insomnia Cookies UK MD – we’re a late-night brand, I’m just not convinced London is a late-night city anymore: Ben Lacey, managing director of Insomnia Cookies UK, the late-night bakery business, has said that to realise the potential of the brand in the UK, the business will look to eventually launch in the capital, but he is not convinced London is a late-night city anymore. The brand, which made its debut here last year, currently operates four UK sites, three in and around Manchester plus a recent opening in Sheffield. Speaking at Propel’s Multi-Club Conference, Lacey said: “When we were choosing the initial launch city in the UK, we wanted cities with the vibrant late-night economy and lots of students, and obviously Manchester was the natural choice for that. We treated the first six to nine months of the UK market launch as a bit of a market test, there's quite a few unique elements of the model, particularly the late night, the own delivery and so on. We wanted to be sure there was a strong foundation for the brand before we continue to expand. Results have been very encouraging. It won’t surprise you that we’ll be targeting other, big regional cities for that. In terms of the quantity, we’ll do, I think, a minimum of five next year. I would love to do ten of them next year, but frankly, I’m conscious about the pace of growth, as opposed to opening bakeries for the sake of it. The question I get a lot is, when are you going to come to London, which to realise the potential of the brand in the UK, we have to. But, as I’ve explained, we’re a late-night brand, and I’m just not convinced London is a late-night city anymore. I’m not sure it ever really was compared with some of the great late-night cities globally, but certainly the anecdotes I hear is councils are quite hostile to late-night businesses. There’s much less footfall late at night now. We'll come to London at some point, but we have to do it in a way that’s right for Insomnia and also that the price is right.” Lacey said that around two thirds of the brand’s customers are under the age of 25 and “they skew female, so we sit squarely within that Generation Z demographic”. He said: “I’m sure I don't need to tell you what those Generation Z consumers want is a digital first, social first, mobile experience, and they care about what a brand stands for just as much as what it is selling to them. A third of our delivery orders go through our app, and about 15%-20% of our in-store transactions are also going through our rewards app, which is, frankly, quite astonishing, given we only launched it in August this year.” Lacey 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.

Electric Shuffle to open in London’s King’s Cross and Chicago: Red Engine, the Flight Club operator, has secured sites in London’s King’s Cross and Chicago for Electric Shuffle, its cocktail bar and shuffleboard concept. The business will open an Electric Shuffle near the Coal Drops Yard area in 2025. The new 9,400 square-foot, 400-capacity venue will be the concept’s third London location, joining existing venues in Canary Wharf and London Bridge. In addition to King’s Cross, Electric Shuffle is also expanding its venues Stateside, with a new opening in Chicago set for 2025, which will follow the concept’s US debut earlier this year in New York. They will bring the total number of Electric Shuffle sites globally to nine – five years since the first venue opened in Canary Wharf. The new Electric Shuffle in King’s Cross will be located moments from Coal Drops Yard, in the Parkside neighbourhood surrounding Lewis Cubitt Park. The venue will be set over one floor and feature 12 shuffle table play spaces, two bars, plenty of seating and an outdoor terrace with additional seating. Steve Moore, chief executive and founder of Red Engine said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing the Electric Shuffle experience to another cracking London location. This area of King’s Cross is a hub of cool, well-loved brands with a buzzing nightlife.” By the end of 2024, Red Engine's venue portfolio, including venues owned and operated by its franchise partners, will total 32 across the UK, US and Australia. Earlier this year, Red Engine posted 2023 sales of £68.6m for its owned and operated venues and more than £100m in total, including those that are owned and operated under licence. The group also secured a £60m bank facility to support its global growth strategy.

 

Cake Box to make international debut: Cake Box, the specialist retailer of fresh cream cakes, is to open its international debut with its first store in Paris as it seeks to expand into continental Europe. The company is due to open an outlet in the Gare du Nord in the first half of the next financial year. The group has grown to span a network of 232 stores across the UK. “We want to bring our brand of cakes to the continent to show it what our fresh cream cakes are like,” chief executive Sukh Chamdal, told The Times. Cake Box said that further expansion in Europe will be franchisee-led, with the Netherlands also being considered as a potential new market. Last week, the company announced at its interim results it is on track to open “in excess” of 25 new stores this year, with the group previously stating it has a long-term goal of reaching 400 sites across the UK. Last year it identified 200 potential locations for new Cake Box stores. Chief financial officer Michael Botha said: “At any point in time now, we will have more than 60 stores in our pipeline. We want to open somewhere between 25 to 30 stores a year going forward.” For the six months ended 30 September 2024, Cake Box reported revenue up 4.3% to £18.7m. The group has also expanded its online presence this year, with 23.9% of franchise sales carried out online in October, up from 21.5% a year earlier.

 

Lancashire family bakery business Oddie’s seeks buyer as it faces closure: Lancashire family bakery business Oddie’s is seeking a buyer with the group at risk of closure. Oddie’s, a fourth-generation family business that was started in 1905 by William Henry Oddie and operates 13 sites across the county, is being advised by Azets and Brabners Solicitors. Oddie’s director Lara Oddie said: “Over the decades, the business has withstood two world wars, the Great Depression, the fall of Lancashire's cotton industry, the rise of powerful supermarkets, and even the covid-19 pandemic, which forced us to adapt our entire operating model.  But with an energy crisis quadrupling costs and footfall declining on the high streets, the Oddie family decided it was time to sell. Sadly, an 11th-hour withdrawal by a buyer has left us with no choice but to consider closure.” Tim Mills, corporate finance partner at Azets, added: “We are exploring sale options of Oddie’s with interested parties with a view to securing a future for the group and saving as much of the business and as many jobs as possible.” Latest accounts show Oddie’s posted a loss of £273,174 for the year ending 31 October 2023.

 

North Brewing Co MD and co-founder step down to focus on North Bar brand: North Brewing Co managing director John Gyngell and co-founder Christian Townsley have stepped down from their roles with the Leeds brewer and retailer to instead focus on the company’s North Bar brand. Gyngell, who has been managing director of North Brewing Co since 2015, has also been managing director of the nine-strong North Bars business since 1997. Townsley, who co-founded North Brewing Co in 1997 and has been a director since 2015, has also been a director at the North Bar business since 1997. Townsley said: “Establishing the brand and values that brought success to North Brewing alongside working with amazing people is an achievement we’re incredibly proud of. We wish the new ownership the very best in the future. We opened North Bar in 1997, and currently have nine bars across Leeds, Manchester, Harrogate and Otley. Hospitality and people have always been at the heart of everything we’ve done, we pride ourselves in creating warm, friendly spaces that deliver exceptional service and offer a range of incredible drinks. Watch this space for the next chapter in North Bar.” The future of North Brewing Co was secured in January following a sale of the business out of administration to Steve Holt, founder of fellow Leeds brewer Kirkstall Brewery. Propel later revealed that Holt had acquired the business for a total consideration of £225,000, safeguarding the future of both North Brewing Co brewery and the North taproom bars. At the time, North Brewing Co continued to be run as an independent brewery by a team led by Gyngell and Townsley.

 

Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell’s closed Birmingham restaurant owes customers £40,000: Glynn Purnell’s restaurant in Birmingham, which closed down earlier this month, has been left owing customers nearly £40,000 in outstanding vouchers. Michelin-starred chef Purnell took the decision to close his restaurant after 17 years due to the knock-on effect of the covid pandemic and increased costs and wages and issued a statement saying: “I’m heartbroken.” A statement of affairs by corporate recovery firm Butcher Woods outlines 246 “consumer creditors” that had bought vouchers and put down deposits from the top-rated restaurant. The total amount owed is £39,375. As well as the vouchers and deposits, the document for Ginger Boy, which traded as Purnell’s Restaurant, shows HM Revenue & Customs is owed £51,086.57, while former employees are owed £23,875.16. Purnell is also listed on the statement as a company creditor alongside suppliers to the tune of £60,610.75. In total, the company’s deficiency as per the estimated statement of affairs is £431,871.39. Purnell also operates Plates by Purnell’s and The Mount at Henley-in-Arden. 

 

JD Wetherspoon set to open new £2.8m hotel in Newcastle: JD Wetherspoon is set to open a new £2.8m hotel in Newcastle. The Mile Castle hotel will open on Tuesday, 26 November, in the grade-II listed building adjoining the existing Mile Castle pub in Westgate Road and Grainger Street. The hotel will have 26 bedrooms, of which 19 can accommodate twin occupancy (including four family rooms and two accessible rooms), with seven double rooms also available. Occupying four floors, each of the rooms features an en-suite bathroom, tea and coffee making facilities, flat-screen television with Freeview TV and unlimited free Wi-Fi. A new beer garden measuring more than 275 square metres is also opening on the site of a former car park at the side of the building. The pub itself reopened in September following a refurbishment, at an overall cost of £5m including the hotel development. One of 56 JD Wetherspoon hotels, it has created 70 jobs, taking the pub and hotel’s staff to 200. 

  

Gordon Ramsay Restaurants to open new Bishopsgate site in February, creating 250 jobs: Gordon Ramsay Restaurants has said its new site in London’s Bishopsgate will open in February and create 250 jobs. The business is launching its biggest ever recruitment drive to fill the roles at 22 Bishopsgate, which will feature three new restaurants, a rooftop terrace and a culinary academy. Available roles include chefs of all levels, front of house, sommeliers and mixologists, as well as managerial positions. At level 60 in the Bishopsgate development, Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay will become the capital’s highest restaurant, offering an Asian-inspired menu with 360-degree views of the city, and with a rooftop cocktail terrace open until 3am. Level 60 will also feature a 14-seat chef’s table, which descends from the chef’s Chelsea restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary and its 22nd year maintaining three Michelin stars. Below on level 59, Bread Street Kitchen & Bar by Gordon Ramsay will serve its signature dishes, cocktails and a new afternoon tea experience, while the Gordon Ramsay Academy will see culinary enthusiasts hone their skills in everything from pasta making to mixology. Andy Wenlock, chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, said: “We look forward to continuing to attract, train and nurture passionate hospitality talent to come and join us on this journey, our biggest adventure yet.”

 

Din Thai Fung set to open fourth London site: Taiwanese dim sum brand Din Tai Fung, which operates more than 170 restaurants worldwide, is set to open its fourth site in London. Scheduled to open in early 2025 at Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf, it will be the brand’s first venture into east London. The Canary Wharf site will offer 112 seats and a private dining room for 16 as well as an immersive show kitchen, where guests can watch its signature Xiao Long Bao handcrafted with 18 folds and pass through six stations manned by different teams of chefs. The menu will also offer dishes such as house made noodles, pork chop and egg fried rice and salted egg yolk custard lava buns. XueFeng Bai, UK managing director at Din Tai Fung, said: “As we celebrate 66 years of culinary excellence, we look forward to sharing authentic flavours of Din Tai Fung with a new and diverse community.” The first UK Din Tai Fung opened in Covent Garden in 2018, followed by Selfridges and Centre Point locations in 2022. The UK sites are operated by Singapore-based BreadTalk Group, which also owns brands such as Toast Box, Food Republic, Food Junction, Sō Ramen and Thye Moh Chan, and partner brands such Song Fa Bak Kut Teh and Wu Pao Chun Bakery.

 

Wingstop adds to London estate with Uxbridge opening, on target to reach 60 sites by year end: Wingstop, which is being rolled out here by Lemon Pepper Holdings and is currently seeking new investment, has further increased its presence in London with an opening in Uxbridge and said it is on target to reach 57 sites in the UK by the year end. Located in The Chimes shopping centre, the 3,000 square-foot site, the brand’s 22nd in the capital, comprises 62 covers and has created 65 jobs. Chris Sherriff, chief executive at Wingstop UK, said: “We’re excited to keep growing across London, following the success of our recent openings in Ealing, Whitechapel and Stratford. We’re looking forward to making a home in Uxbridge, bringing our iconic flavours to locals for the first time. We’re on target to reach 57 locations by year-end. Momentum is strong, and this is only the beginning.”

 

Pub Invest Group opens new rock dive bar in Liverpool: Liverpool operator Pub Invest Group has opened a new rock dive bar in the city. The business, which operates more than 30 pubs, bars and nightclubs in the area, has opened Diego’s Demise in the former Yankees site in Wood Street – next to sister venue K1 Metal & Electrik Warehouse. The venue hosts live rock music every Thursday to Sunday, while DJs play until the early hours, and on Thursdays, its own house band leads “bandeoke” sessions. A food menu includes pizza, wings and churros, reports Insider Media. “Diego’s Demise will prove to be the perfect spot for those in search of live music and events, in an iconic setting in a part of the city known for its love of rock music,” a company spokesman said. “Liverpool has been missing a dedicated rock bar for a while, and following the success of our sister club K1 Metal Club, we decided it was time to launch the city’s latest dive bar.” Sina Moradian replaced Jamie Motlagh as the group’s managing director last year.

 

Mowgli opens second London site: Mowgli, the Nisha Katona-led, TriSpan-backed business, has opened its second site in London, at Westfield Stratford. Propel revealed this summer that the now 25-strong business had secured the former Tapas Revolution site at the east London scheme. Mowgli, which made its debut in the capital in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, in November 2021, said its next opening, on the old Café Royale in Nelson Street, Newcastle, will now happen next spring. Katona, who founded the business ten years ago, said: “This is one of those precious, flagship listed buildings with such a rich history that I need to really get this right. It’s a long and thoughtful build as I need to give her all the character and iconic beauty she deserves. Opening the other side of winter means we’re not rushing and stretching ourselves through a busy Christmas period.” 

 

Pret franchisee Dallas Holdings opens site at Gloucester Quays: Pret franchisee Dallas Holdings has opened a site at Gloucester Quays. The company has opened the 1,841 square-foot outlet that has seating for 85 people, having agreed a deal with landlord Peel Retail & Leisure. The site marks the first in Gloucester for Pret. Krishan Thakrar, co-founder and chief operating officer of Dallas Holdings, said: “Gloucester Quays’ dynamic atmosphere and strong connection makes it an ideal spot for Pret.” Dallas Holdings, which is also leading the roll out of Pret in North America, is looking to grow its UK presence in Oxfordshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and its US footprint in New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Orange County and further afield through southern California. Subway has also opened a 603 square-foot unit at Gloucester Quays. 

 

Country Inns (Southern) sells lease of New Forest pub to concentrate on core business: Country Inns (Southern), which operates across the New Forest, Dorset and Wiltshire, has sold the leasehold of the Mortimer Arms in Romsey to concentrate on its core business. The pub, on the outskirts of the New Forest, is a former Victorian dowager house. Country Inns (Southern) owners Debbie and Duane Lewis said: “While we have greatly enjoyed our time at the Mortimer Arms, the moment has come for us to focus on our core business of country pubs and restaurants with rooms. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been part of the Mortimer Arms journey for their dedication and support. We wish the new owners every success and hope the Mortimer Arms continues to thrive under their leadership.” Country Inns (Southern) now operates eight sites. Fleurets acted on the deal.

   

Bubbleology adds to retail partnerships with Sainsbury’s and One Stop listings: Bubble tea bar operator Bubbleology has added to its retail partnerships after securing listings with supermarket company Sainsbury’s and convenience store operator One Stop. Having already secured listings for its home-kit range with Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, B&M and Ocado, the new partnerships with Sainsbury’s and One Stop form part of Bubbleology’s strategic partnership with Aimia Foods. Two mixology kits will be available from Sainsbury’s, online and in-store: the fruit bubble tea with raspberry and passion fruit tea and strawberry and mango popping boba; and the milk bubble tea with taro and brown sugar milk flavours instant tapioca pearls, both retailing at £8.50 each. At One Stop, customers can purchase the single serve passionfruit bubble tea with strawberry popping boba at stores across the UK. Earlier this month, Bubbleology opened its first site in the north east, in Eldon Square in Newcastle, for its 36th outlet. The company’s new mobile kiosk format was launched in August, as it looks to roll out to high footfall locations in new regions across the UK.

 

Elle R Leisure adds Ribble Valley country hotel to portfolio: North west hospitality company Elle R Leisure has added a 4.5-acre country house hotel and wedding venue in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley to its portfolio. Ferrari’s Country House Hotel & Restaurant in Preston was bought off a guide price of £2.25m. The property, in Chipping Lane, was sold by Savills on behalf of a private client. The hotel has 23 en-suite bedrooms and two cottages, as well as three function rooms for 250 people, an outdoor wedding ceremony space and summer private dining, and a bar area. Founded in 1991, Elle R Leisure operates eight other sites across the region, including four under its Albert’s Restaurants concept.

 

Northern Ireland McDonald’s franchisee sees profit more than quadruple to £2.1m as turnover rises to record £42m: McDonald’s franchisee JMC Restaurants, which operates seven sites in Northern Ireland, has reported turnover increased 15% to a record £42,031,665 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £36,611,550 the year before. Pre-tax profit rose to £2,142,838 from £496,189 the previous year. Gross profit margin was 65.05% compared with 64.21% the previous year, which was “in line with expectations”. In his report accompanying the accounts, franchise owner John McCollum stated: “As a result of the 2023 menu and marketing strategy, alongside the execution of incremental price rises, the company has seen increased sales growth as the company continues to operate against the backdrop of significant macroeconomic challenges. The growth in sales is predominately due to the continued growth in delivery sales and incremental price rises throughout the year.” At the year end, the company, which employees around 1,050 people, had net assets of £6.33m (2022: £5.47m). The company did not receive any government grants (2021: £23,194. A dividend of £858,660 was paid (2022: £404,000). McCollum has been a McDonald’s franchisee since 1993.

 

BloomsYard lines up Islington opening: BloomsYard – the cafe wine bar concept from Bharti Radix, ex-finance director of Draft House, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group and Petersham Nurseries – is to open a new site, in London’s Islington. The business – which operates sites in Marble Arch, Liverpool Street, Finsbury Avenue and Regents Place in the capital, plus a site at Watford station – is understood to have lined up an opening at 4-10 North Road in Islington. Radix launched BloomsYard in the Upper Mall at Watford’s Intu shopping centre in 2020. In 2021, the business made its London debut after securing a site at 100 Liverpool Street, where it operates the cafe in the reception area of the development. 

Restaurant group gets green light for Stockport high-dining destination: Plans to transform the iconic Stockport Pyramid into a luxury hospitality space and high-end dining destination have been given the green light. Manchester-founded restaurant group, Royal Nawaab, will develop the glass-fronted former Co-operative Bank building into the operator’s biggest location to date. Plans include a restaurant with a capacity to accommodate 350 diners on the ground floor and three premium banqueting facilities, providing space for 150, 300 and 700 diners. Set to open in 2025, the new venue adds to Royal Nawaab’s two London sites and marks a return to Manchester following the closure of its Levenshulme restaurant. Mahboob Hussain, founder of Royal Nawaab said: “Living close to Stockport, the Pyramid has always been an iconic symbol of the town for me. It is unique and we are thrilled to be bringing Royal Nawaab Manchester. This is definitely not ‘a curry house’. Royal Nawaab will be a destination and will attract visitors from across the UK and beyond to experience the best cuisine in the most stunning of settings.”

Former Barrafina GM to open new wine bar, bottle shop and restaurant concept in London’s Bermondsey: Jay Patel, former general manager at Koya and Barrafina, is set to open a new wine bar, bottle shop and restaurant concept in London’s Bermondsey. Patel, who partnered with former Trullo chef Matt Beardsmore for Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian restaurant Legare at Shad Thames in 2019, will open Luna on the same riverside street in early 2025. Luna will come under the umbrella of Patel’s NinthCollective group, with Beardsmore becoming executive chef across the portfolio. Opening opposite Legare, Luna will offer 28 covers inside, including a counter dining bar, and a further six to eight outside on a Thames-facing terrace. Taking its name from the moon’s role in biodynamic wine making, Luna will take over the space previously occupied by D&D’s Le Pont de la Tour food store, which closed in 2023. Luna’s wine list will focus on old world producers that use ethical farming practices and biodynamic and organic principles. The food menu will include oysters shucked over ice, crudos and carpaccios sliced to order, and French fries. Patel said: “We are really proud of our little corner of the world in Shad Thames and what we’ve created here with Legare over the last five years. Matt is a phenomenal chef whose cooking honours the integrity of the ingredients, without the need for fussy peripheral garnish or extras that often detract from the actual joy of a simple well-executed dish. It’s this philosophy that we’ve honed together along with our wonderful team at Legare that we now hope to continue at Luna.”