Story of the Day:
Exclusive – Burger King UK to open first prime central London site in more than a decade: Burger King UK, which operates 561 restaurants, 285 of which are directly owned, is to open its first site in central London for more than a decade next year, on the Strand, Propel has learned. The Bridgepoint-backed business has secured a 4,500 square-foot site at 60 Strand, which will open in the second quarter of 2025. The company told Propel that the restaurant will feature the latest visual identity for the brand, “along with design, look and feel”. The new restaurant will comprise more than 100 covers spread over two floors, ground and first. It will also, in a UK first for the brand, feature a “Family Experience” area on the first floor with the interactive tables. The “Family Experience” design initiative will also be launched in other new openings next year. The site will also feature a kitchen in the basement and a travelator which will bring food to the ground floor kitchen for customers. Burger King UK chief executive Alasdair Murdoch told Propel: “Burger King UK is both proud and excited to open this flagship site in the heart of London in 2025, and we look forward to welcoming Burger King’s many fans next year to this flagship restaurant.” In August, Murdoch told Propel that there remains “a lot to go after” for the quick service restaurant brand when it comes to expansion across the country, and that he believes the group’s performance will pick up further in the remaining months of this year. Murdoch said the business is comfortable looking at opening somewhere between 25 and 35 sites a year, at a “fairly steady run rate”. It came after the business reported a 30% rise in revenue to £381.8m in the year to 31 December 2023, with like-for-like sales growth of 3%. The company said its post year end trading has been “resilient” with total sales growth of 5%. Brandon Elmon, of Genius1 Group, acted for Burger King UK on the Strand deal.
Industry News:
AI challenge to be held at Restaurant Marketer and Innovator European Summit, open for bookings: An artificial intelligence (AI) restaurant challenge will be held at the Restaurant Marketer and Innovator European Summit. Two teams of industry professionals will work under time pressure to design an entirely new restaurant concept in just four hours. They’ll receive a live brief and create everything from mood boards to menus and video flythroughs, exclusively using AI tools. The two teams will later pitch their concepts, followed by an audience vote to crown the winner. Restaurant Marketer and Innovator European Summit is returning for its seventh edition, and tickets are now on sale. The event is a partnership between Propel and Think Hospitality, aiming to build a community, promote the sharing of ideas, recognise talent and define the future of eating out. Bookings are now open for the two-day conference as the centrepiece of the January event series, taking place on 21 and 22 January at One Moorgate Place in London. The conference will focus on technology, marcomms strategies, proposition, brand building, the latest market insights, digital developments and diversification of revenue streams. It is designed for customer focused chief executives, senior marketers, technology and innovation teams, as well as investors wanting to better understand the latest marketing, innovation and development opportunities to build market share and grow. For the full speaker schedule, click
here.
The pre-Christmas early-bird prices are as follows: a one-day ticket for operators is £295 plus VAT while a two-day ticket is £550 plus VAT. Supplier tickets are £395 plus VAT for one day and £700 plus VAT for two. Propel Premium Club members receive a 20% discount. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.
Premium Club members to receive updated segmented Multi-Site Database with 3,292 operators and 32 new companies on Friday: Premium Club members are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database on Friday (29 November). The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,292 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 968 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 788 (24%) pubs and bar operators, 556 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 450 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 270 (8%) hotel operators, 206 (6%) experiential leisure operators and 54 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes 32 new companies. New additions to the casual dining sector include
Cow & Sow, Mark Warburton’s steakhouse restaurant concept, Kent Korean barbecue concept
The Korean Cowgirl, and
Artusi, the London Italian restaurant. Premium Club members also receive access to five additional databases:
the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and
the Who's Who of UK Hospitality. 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.
UKHospitality – government’s industrial strategy risks shutting out the majority of the people in the country: UKHospitality has warned that the government’s industrial strategy risks shutting out the majority of the people in the country. Consultation on the strategy, which is the UK government’s proposed ten-year plan for the economy, closed yesterday (Sunday, 24 November). UKHospitality said it focuses only on a small number of high economic productivity sectors and warned that policies which favour those sectors over the wider economy would risk the success of the strategy. The trade body called for the creation of a Foundation Economy Sector Council to ensure sectors like hospitality can thrive and contribute to the success of the eight sectors identified in the strategy. “The focus on only eight high economic productivity sectors, in only some parts of the UK, risks meaning that the majority of the people in the country are shut out,” said Allen Simpson, deputy chief executive of UKHospitality. “We saw from the impact of the Budget on lower earners what happens when we forget the everyday economy. It also risks the success of the strategy itself. Investors tell us that quality of life is a bigger driver of investment decisions than anything like tax or regulation. To put it simply, companies want good pubs, good restaurants, good coffee and good places to live. Hospitality delivers that. That’s why a Foundation Economy Sector Council is crucial to retain that focus and utilise hospitality’s ability to create places where people want to live, work and invest.” The British Beer and Pub Association also warned that the strategy fails to include industries like brewing and pubs, despite their significant economic and cultural contributions. BBPA director of strategy and policy Andy Tighe said: “It is alarming that the sector is currently overlooked in the strategy. Brewers and pubs pour billions into the economy, support more than one million jobs and are at the heart of local economies and communities throughout the UK.”
NTIA welcomes spiking legislation pledge: The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has welcomed the prime minister’s commitment to making spiking a specific criminal offence. It said Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge will send a strong message to offenders while empowering victims to come forward with confidence. It will also allow authorities to focus on perpetrator profiling, enabling law enforcement to build a formidable picture of offenders, said NTIA chief executive Michael Kill. “The prime minister’s decisive action marks a critical milestone in our ongoing efforts to address the pervasive issue of spiking and ensure the safety of women and girls within the night-time economy and beyond,” he added. “As a society, we must stand united to tackle this appalling crime that undermines the trust and enjoyment people deserve when socialising or simply travelling at night.” Kill said the NTIA has “worked tirelessly” with night-time economy businesses to ensure safeguarding remains a core focus, but that training is the cornerstone of the broader UK strategy against spiking. “While we have worked extremely hard to enhance our ability to manage spaces such as pubs, bars, and clubs, it is essential to recognise that the issue of spiking extends beyond the hospitality and night-time economy,” he added. “This is a societal issue, and success requires a collective approach. Policing, transport authorities, nighttime economy and hospitality businesses, universities, community stakeholders, and government agencies must work together to eradicate spiking and other crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls. Together, with coordinated action and shared responsibility, we can drive real change and create a society where safety is guaranteed, whether in a licensed venue or a domestic setting.” A British Beer and Pub Association spokesperson added: “Our sector is already working to help prevent this awful crime, and both we and our members support new ways to stamp out these attacks, support victims, and collect robust evidence. Although spiking does not solely occur in the hospitality sector, we are steadfast in our endeavours to prevent it.” Meanwhile, the NTIA has delivered a warning over the government’s new ‘respect orders’, designed to help police tackle anti-social behaviour in local communities. Kill, while broadly welcoming the move, said: “The real question is whether there are sufficient resources, particularly police officers, to ensure these measures are effectively implemented. Many businesses across the country, especially in the night-time economy, are already stepping up by funding private security to fill the void left by the shortage of police. The focus must be on ensuring that these powers are backed by the resource to make them meaningful.”
Afternoons now the big night out: Saturday nights used to be the time people let their hair down and headed out on the town for a few drinks, but “the night out has become the day out”, the boss of Britain’s biggest pub group has said. David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate, which has more than 4,000 pubs and bars, told The Sunday Times: “At Slug & Lettuce in particular, what used to be our busiest hour, 9pm to 10pm on a Saturday, is now 3pm to 4pm. The day out starts with lunch or brunch, then drinks or cocktails. By the time 8pm comes around, it is time to head home.” Day drinking is one of several new trends pubs are trying to embrace in the run-up to Christmas, with younger customers also demanding more low or non-alcoholic drinks. In 2016, just 0.5 per cent of beer sales were alcohol-free varieties, which has now risen to 2%. In the Netherlands, France and Germany, low and zero-alcohol beers make up 11%, 9% and 7% of sales respectively, according to Lucky Saint founder Luke Boase. Spain has embraced low or no-alcohol beers the most, making up 15% of sales following a government-sponsored marketing initiative a decade ago. For those not willing to forgo alcohol altogether, “zebra striping” or “zebraing”, is gaining popularity, where drinkers alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to mitigate the effects of a hangover. One in four drinkers regularly practise “zebrastriping”, according to research by KAM Insights in conjunction with Lucky Saint.
KFC drops pledge to stop using ‘Frankenchickens’ in the UK: KFC has ditched its pledge to improve animal welfare by sourcing its chicken from slower-growing breeds by 2026 in the UK. Fast-growing meat chickens have been called “Frankenchickens” because of welfare concerns, including higher mortality rates, lameness and muscle disease, reports The Observer. KFC announced in 2019 it was signing up to the Better Chicken Commitment but now says it will not meet the pledge. Its 2024 annual progress report on chicken welfare reported that just 1% of its chickens were from slower-growing breeds. The firm’s ambition was to meet six key targets by 2026. Ruth Edge, head of sustainability at KFC UK and Ireland, told the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference in Wales last week that this ambition was not achievable. “We’re not saying we’re never going to,” she said. “But we’re saying for 2026, and the way the market has developed, or lack of, we’re not going to be able to do it.” KFC says there is an inadequate supply to meet the commitment because farmers are not switching in big enough numbers to slower-growing breeds, but it is still working to source chickens from farms with lower stocking densities. Other companies that have signed up to the commitment include Burger King, Subway, Nando’s and Greggs. Rudi Van Schoor, chief supply chain officer for KFC Europe, said: “When we signed up in 2019, we were very clear that we could only meet all the asks in the commitment if the wider poultry sector moved, as we make up less than 3% of the total UK chicken market. The reality, at the moment, is that the UK poultry industry is not yet in an operational and commercial position to deliver the Better Chicken Commitment by 2026. But we remain committed to the Better Chicken Commitment framework.”
Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a rapidly growing brand with ambitious expansion plans across the UK that is seeking an area manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The position involves responsibility for around five stores with another five-plus opening next year.” The salary is up to £55,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email giulia@corecruitment.com.
Company News:
Costa Coffee trials 24-hour drive-thru: Costa Coffee, the Coca-Cola Company-owned brand, has launched the trial of its first 24-hour drive-thru site in the UK. The company said it will assess customer and community feedback of the trail at its Leicester Meridien East site before deciding whether to roll out 24-hour trading across more of its 350 UK drive-thru stores. The company said: “As the first store to trial this exciting initiative, Leicester Meridien East Drive-Thru is set to lead the way in redefining convenience for coffee lovers. We will carefully monitor feedback from our customers and the local community throughout the process. By listening to local needs and assessing the trial's success, Costa Coffee will make informed decisions about the potential to roll out 24-hour trading across additional locations in the future.” The company’s Leicester Meridien East Drive-Thru is trialling operating its drive-thru lane only overnight from 10pm to 5am, with both the store and drive thru lane open daily from 5am to 10pm. To support the new operating hours, Costa said it had invested in growing its team, welcoming four new team members to help serve the local community. Costa said the initiative reflected its commitment to serving customers “whenever they need us, providing a vital service to the local community, including key workers and night-shift heroes who rely on their perfect pick-me-up”. Matt Harman, regional operations director for North and Central England at Costa, said: “Costa Coffee has always been at the heart of the community, and this trial is another way for us to serve our customers when they need us most,” said. “We’re proud that our Leicester Meridien East Drive-Thru is the first store to trial this exciting initiative, and our team is ready to deliver the Costa Coffee experience around the clock.”
Esquires UK boss – work from home has been fantastic for us: Aiden Keegan, chief executive of Esquires owner Cooks Coffee Company in the UK, has said working from home has been “fantastic” for the business. Keegan, who was promoted from managing director of the 70-strong Esquires UK business in March, told the Sunday Times: “The working-from-home phenomenon has been fantastic for us. We’re not going high street, we’re not going flagship, you’ll never see us on Oxford Street. We don’t particularly want to be in central business districts or city centres. We’re happier in the suburbs where people working from home want to visit a café to work, for a break or to catch up with friends. This means we get bigger spending and longer dwell time than in more central locations.” Keegan said Esquires’ corporate structure, which sees regions run by regional developer or master franchisees responsible for its future pipeline, has proved beneficial as regional teams have detailed knowledge of local areas. Steering clear of large city centres also means Esquires has lower rental costs. A 1,000 square-foot site in Mayfair, for example, could cost £150,000 or more in rent annually, compared with about £40,000 for a 2,000 square foot site in the suburbs, Keegan said. Last week, Cooks Coffee Company reported UK sales for the seven weeks to 17 November 2024 were up 39.4% as the group maintained the momentum seen over the past six months, where it returned to profitability. It said Esquires UK achieved record daily sales per store in October 2024, and the expansion of its regional development model will assist in accelerating its growth here, as it seeks regional development partners for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
McDonald’s to launch McValue platform, extend the $5 Meal Deal: McDonald's has announced that it is launching a McValue platform for its restaurants in the US in 2025. McValue will include the brand’s current $5 Meal Deal, exclusive in-app offers and local food and drink deals – plus, a brand-new ‘Buy One, Add One for $1’ offer on popular items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The new ‘Buy One, Add One for $1’ offer will see customers be able to customise their own deals, mixing and matching their favourite items. After buying one full-priced menu item from the McValue menu, the items that can be added for a $1 include the Sausage McMuffin, sausage biscuit, sausage burrito, hash browns, six-piece Chicken McNuggets, double cheeseburger, McChicken and small fries. McDonald’s also plans to continue to offer local deals and in-App offers outside the McValue platform. The McValue platform will start on 7 January. “We’ve worked closely with our franchisees to create a new platform that will let our customers define value on their own terms,” said Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA. “As local small business owners, my fellow franchisees and I are always listening to what our customers want from their neighbourhood McDonald’s,” said Cory Watson, McDonald’s owner/operator and National Value Chair for 2025. “No matter the city or the state, they’re telling us how important it is for them to find their favourite meals at affordable prices, and we couldn’t agree more. We have great value for everyone, whether you’re a party of one or feeding the whole family.”
Stuart Broad’s The Cat & Wickets Pub Co hires ex-Coaching Inn Group CFO to aid further growth: The Cat & Wickets Pub Company, founded by England cricketers Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney, has hired former Coaching Inn Group chief financial officer Edward Walsh as its new finance director, as its looks to have at least five pubs by the end of 2027. The company, which currently runs two award-winning pubs, is actively looking for new pubs and said that by bringing in Walsh, they will utilise his extensive experience in the hospitality sector. The wider Cat & Wickets team includes operations director Jack Whitehead, product director Avril Gurney and non-executive director Lee Cash, co-founder of Peach Pubs. Walsh stepped down from Coaching Inn Group earlier this spring after nine and a half years with the business. RedCat Pub Company, the vehicle founded and chaired by Rooney Anand to invest in the UK pub sector, acquired the then 18-strong Coaching Inn Group in August 2021. Gurney, managing director of The Cat & Wickets Pub Company, said: “At a time when we’re looking to grow, the team is absolutely delighted to bring Ed on board. We have ambitious plans for the future, and Ed’s knowledge, insight and wealth of experience will be invaluable and enable us to drive the business, and these exciting plans, forward.” Broad said: “Both The Griffin Inn and The Tap & Run are going from strength to strength and we are looking for additional pubs to add to the group starting in 2025. We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Ed to the company to support our ambition to have at least five pubs by the end of 2027.” Walsh said: “What Harry, Stuart and The Cat & Wickets team have achieved so far is really impressive. The sophistication with which they run business is far beyond what you would expect for their size and sets them up well for the future. Taking a business from two pubs to become a genuine multi-site operator is a notoriously challenging step, and I’m really looking forward to supporting the team through this next phase of their journey.”
Flight Club opens two new venues on opposite sides of the world: Flight Club, the darts brand owned by Red Engine, is opening two new venues today – on opposite sides of the world. The 14th Flight Club in the UK opens in Oxford, while more than 10,500 miles away in Melbourne, Australia’s fourth venue is being launched by franchise partner NightOwl Entertainment, taking the brand’s total number of activity bar venues worldwide to 24. These latest venues follow openings in Liverpool and Sydney earlier this year, while another in Washington, in the US by franchise partner State of Play Hospitality, will open before the year is out. Flight Club Oxford, located on the roof terrace of the Westgate scheme, can accommodate up to 250 people and features a bar, 11 semi-private oche play spaces and two terraces. The Melbourne location is at 228 Russell Street in the city. Chief executive and founder of Flight Club, Steve Moore, said: “Opening two venues in one day in places that couldn’t be much further from each other is a truly pinch-me moment. We couldn’t be prouder and more excited to see the unexpected, ridiculous, joy of Flight Club touch more and more people across the globe.” Red Engine opened the first Flight Club in Shoreditch almost ten years ago and also operates its Electric Shuffle, its cocktail bar and shuffleboard concept, which has secured new sites in London’s King’s Cross and Chicago in the US. 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.
Former McDonald’s UK vice-president turned franchisee narrows losses as price increases help boost revenue to record £31.3m: McDonald’s franchisee Kaizen Restaurants, which operates eight sites in Milton Keynes and the surrounding area and is owned by former McDonald’s UK vice-president Ken Tomkins, has reported turnover increased 3.5% to a record £31,280,545 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £30,222,419 the year before. Pre-tax losses narrowed to £291,547 from £531,370 the previous year. Tomkins, who established Kaizen in 2011, 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 price rises during the year, with five pricing rounds overall. On a like-for-like basis for the seven stores trading over the full financial year, sales increased by 2.88%. The company also plans to acquire more restaurants should the opportunity arise.” Dividends of £60,000 were paid (2022: £83,000). Tomkins, who was McDonald’s UK vice-president from 2004 to 2011, now employs 970 staff across his restaurants.
Kew Green Hotels expects turnover to remain in excess of £150m on an ongoing basis, number of properties in advanced stages of negotiation: Hotel group Kew Green Hotels has said it expects turnover to remain in excess of £150m on an ongoing basis and has a number of properties in the advanced stages of negotiation. It comes as the group, which manages 51 UK hotels over several brands and employs more than 1,600 staff, reported turnover increased to £158,851,000 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £153,679,000 the previous year. Ebitda grew to £38,345,000 from £34,120,000 the year before. Pre-tax profit rose to £6,380,000 from £2,083,000 the previous year. A joint venture agreement with Siamese Asset in Thailand has seen the opening of a number of hotels branded under Wyndham and Ramada franchises together with Tribe Bangkok. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Post covid-19, trading conditions have continued to strengthen across the UK and the group is expecting annual turnover to remain in excess of £150m on an ongoing basis. The group’s cash position remained positive, with a cash balance of £8,164,000 (2022: £8,065,000) at the period end, with no external debt held. Repayments of £11,555,000 of group company loans were made during 2023 (2022: £31,559,000). There are a number of properties in the advanced stage of negotiation and the group hopes to make announcements relating to new openings shortly. Recruitment continues to be challenging. 2023 also saw the initial launch of a new range of bespoke apprenticeship programmes for company employees. A variety of programmes were introduced encapsulating guest service, kitchen, leisure and other business-related disciplines. During the year, we saw more than 40 apprentices starting a programme with many due to reach fruition at the end of 2024/early 2025.” The group did not receive any government grants (2022: £277,000). No dividends were paid (2022: nil).
Odeon makes its Cambridgeshire debut: AMC-owned Odeon Cinemas Group, Europe’s largest cinema operator, has opened its first cinema in Cambridgeshire. It has opened a 27,500 square-foot, eight-screen cinema at Queensgate Peterborough, forming a key anchor for the scheme’s £60m leisure extension. The 600-seater venue features a state-of-the-art immersive IMAX experience, Dolby surround-sound with high-resolution screens and an elevated food and beverage offer. Ed Ginn, director of investment management at landlord Invesco Real Estate, said: “Bringing a cinema to Queensgate has been at the top of our agenda, with our focus on enhancing the overall experience within the destination. Odeon is a great addition to the leisure space, driving forward our vision of crafting a hub rich in visits day-to-night, seven days a week, to support and strengthen our wider retail and F&B offer.” CBRE, Time Retail Partners, and Sovereign Centros from CBRE advised Invesco Real Estate. In September, Odeon reported a slight footfall drop in 2023 as its turnover increased to £210.2m. The company said its average ticket price was down compared to the previous year while food and beverage spend per person was up.
Festival Republic reports drop in turnover and profit after running five less festivals: Festival Republic, the company behind large-scale music festivals Reading, Leeds, Latitude and Wilderness, has reported a drop in both turnover and profit after running five less festivals than the previous year. The festival promoter, run for more than 30 years by managing director Melvin Benn, ran 11 shows in 2023 compared to 16 in 2022, admitting 793,088 people compared to 1,030,478 the previous year. The company’s turnover fell from £94,333,843 in 2022 to £77,599,517 while its pre-tax profit was more than halved from £14,313,701 to £7,169,913. Average employee numbers dropped from 242 to 214. Dividends of £16.2m were paid (2022: £15m). Net assets were down from £15,548,841 in 2022 to £5,644,037. The company was founded as Mean Fiddler Group in 1982 by Irish-born Vince Power, while US firm Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, bought into Festival Republic in 2005. Its other festivals include Electric Picnic in Ireland, and Wireless in London’s Finsbury Park.
BrewDog co-founder James Watt invests in fast-growing energy drinks brand and becomes strategic advisor: Fast-growing energy drinks brand Virtue Drinks has hired James Watt, co-founder of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, as a “strategic advisor” after receiving investment from the entrepreneur. Virtue Drinks revealed Watt, who stood down as BrewDog’s chief executive earlier this year, was an angel investor in its recent £2m fundraising round. As a result, he will advise its founder and chief executive, Rahi Daneshmand, on “how best to scale the business globally”. Crystal Palace footballer Eberechi Eze also participated in the funding round and will be “actively involved” in its marketing strategy, Virtue said. Watt and Eze join ex-Manchester United centre-back and England international Chris Smalling, who invested a six-figure amount in Virtue three years ago. Established in 2016, Virtue creates energy drinks using yerba mate, a plant made from the dried leaves of holly trees high in caffeine and antioxidants. The company’s drinks are available in three varieties: tropical, peach and raspberry, and strawberry and lime, and are sold across 20 territories. Virtue claims to be the UK's fastest-selling 'clean' energy drink due to its distribution doubling, on average, over each of the past two years. Watt said it was “seldom that I see a drinks brand that genuinely excites me”. Watt, who remains on the BrewDog board as a non-executive director, revealed earlier this week he lost his entire £150,000 investment in Clean Kitchen Club, the plant-based, fast-food concept, which was “the single largest sum that I have ever lost on a single investment”.
Go Ape plans Durham adventure course: Go Ape has submitted plans to open a new adventure course in Durham. The plans include a net zero visitor centre in Hamsterley Forest alongside the course, a camping area and holidays cabins. The forest already offers mountain biking, hiking and nature trails. Kevin May, forest management director for Forestry England’s north district, said: “The project has been designed with the forest’s long-term future in mind, balancing the needs of visitors, wildlife and the local community.” Go Ape operates 38 adventure course sites across the UK.
PureGym to strengthen Derbyshire presence with Alfreton opening: PureGym, Britain’s biggest health and fitness club operator, will strengthen its Derbyshire presence with an opening in Alfreton next month. The 5,000 square-foot gym in Nottingham Road will open on Friday, 6 December, offering 24-hour access and state-of the art equipment, reports Derbyshire Live. PureGym currently has around two million members across more than 600 gyms in six countries. The group was launched in the UK in 2009, where it has 387 gyms.
Belfast operator to open competitive sociable gaming concept this week for third venue: Belfast operator Haymarket will open a competitive sociable gaming concept this week for its third venue. The Stock Exchange completes the final phase in Haymarket’s £3m investment, as well as a restoration of a historic landmark building in the city’s Royal Avenue. The company has already opened bar and street food venue Haymarket, and simulation shooting range The Armoury. The team began work on the vacant site three years ago, paving the way for the three venues. Owner Gareth Murphy said: “Powered by continuous growth, positive feedback and endorsement from thousands of customers since we introduced Haymarket in 2021 in the wake of the pandemic and our launch of The Armoury earlier this year, we are thrilled to be launching a new competitive socialising experience to Belfast. The Stock Exchange, part of our £3m investment programme, plans to breathe new life into this important part of the city centre, restoring its heritage and protecting it for the future.”
Soul Padel secures Bolton site: Soul Padel, the racket sport concept based in the north west of England, has entered a new partnership to bring a padel facility to Bolton. The proposed scheme will transform Bolton School’s two disused shale courts at its Leverhulme Pavilion into a new hub for the sport. The planned facility, which is currently going through the application process, will be accessible to both Bolton School students and the wider community. Philip Britton, head of foundation at Bolton School, said: “We are delighted to work with Soul Padel to provide a fantastic new facility that will allow our pupils to experience one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.” Mark Hewlett, founder and chief executive of Soul Padel, added: “We’re thrilled to partner with Bolton School to introduce this new facility to the area, providing a high-quality venue that aligns with our mission to make padel accessible to everyone.” Hewlett, who is also the founder of Black 29 Holdings, a franchisee in the north for pie and mash restaurant operator Pieminister, founded Soul Padel in November 2023. The business currently has a site in Stockport’s George’s Road and is lining up a second, in St Helens, as it looks to grow across the north west. Earlier this month, it brought on board Britain Padel Tour chief executive Fabian David to work with its operations team as it prepares for expansion.
London artisan bakery opens second site: London artisan bakery Boulangerie Pierre Alix has opened its second site. Propel reported in September that Boulangerie Pierre Alix had secured the former Fish & Skewers site in Holloway Road, Islington. The outlet has now opened offering its range of loaves and sweet treats as well as coffee. The concept, which is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Pierre and Florence Alix, opened its first site, in Muswell Hill Broadway, in July 2022. Emma Wright, of CDG Leisure, acted for the landlord on the Holloway Road deal.
Husband-and wife-team behind Lebanese restaurant in London’s Mayfair to open second site: Husband and wife-team Tarek and Monika Farah, who are behind Lebanese restaurant Aline in London’s Mayfair are to open a second site. They will launch Lebanese rotisserie Toum three doors from Aline, which opened in Maddox Street in 2016. Toum – which opens on Wednesday, 4 December – will be “more of a modern take on Lebanese cuisine with some French and Mediterranean influences too”, the duo told Hot Dinners. Rotisserie chicken will be at the heart of the menu and given a special house brine and marinade before being roasted on the rotisserie. Other dishes will include octopus with green hummus and shallots, and sauteed chicken livers with pomegranate mollases and pine nuts. Downstairs will be a listening bar called Encore that will offer a Lebanese-inspired cocktail list.
