Harden’s – price rises outside of London significantly higher as regions show stronger recovery from pandemic: Price rises outside of London are significantly higher than in the capital, suggesting London is still feeling the after-effects of the pandemic while the regions show a stronger recovery, the new Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2025 has said. Published today (Thursday, 5 December), the guide reported a notable difference in price increases outside of London, suggesting regional restaurants are continuing to move forward in their post-covid recovery more so than those in the capital. “There has been a noticeable difference in the increase of restaurants entering into the higher price bands outside of London compared with last year,” Harden’s co-founder Peter Harden said. “We can see significantly higher price increases of between 16%-21% for the number of restaurants in the £100, £150 and £200-plus price brackets outside of London, compared with between 10%-15% in the capital. This data adds to a general feeling that London is still feeling the after-effects of the pandemic and – in particular – quieter Mondays and Fridays caused by working from home, while beyond the capital, things are ticking along a little more strongly.” The new guide also names Endo Kazutoshi’s ten-seater flagship, Endo at the Rotunda, above the old Television Centre in London’s White City, as the UK’s best restaurant in its annual poll. “Since the Top 100 started 15 years ago, this is only the second time the number one has been neither modern British nor French,” Harden said. “With the ever-increasing influences of Japanese cuisine in the UK, it is refreshing to see one of the leading lights in the capital’s Japanese restaurant scene awarded the winning title. Coming in at more than £250 per person, it’s certainly one of the higher priced restaurants in our listings, but our diners’ feedback expressed that they considered this to be excellent value due to the exceptional quality of the experience.” Outside of the capital, restaurants in the north of England have had a particularly strong showing in this year’s ratings. The north east took the Top 100’s runner-up and third place accolades, thanks to Restaurant Pine in East Wallhouses, run by husband and wife team Cal and Sian Byerley, and Scandi-inspired Restaurant Hjem in Wall, owned by Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and his partner, Ally Thompson. Meanwhile, Cumbria in the north west became the county with the most Top 100 listings outside of London, with five placements in total, while the cities outside of London with the most Top 100 listings were Edinburgh and Brighton, with three each.

 

Heartwood Collection marketing director Joanna Richardson joins speaker line-up at Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit, open for bookings: Joanna Richardson, marketing director of Heartwood Collection, has joined the speaker line-up for Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. Richardson will be part of a panel led by Maria Vanifatova, chief executive and founder of Meaningful Vision, which also features Siobhan Lloyd, head of marketing at 200 Degrees, discussing menu and digital strategies. Restaurant Marketer & 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 new searchable and segmented New Openings Database tomorrow: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club members tomorrow (Friday, 6 December). The database will show the details of 193 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. It will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club members will also receive a 10,943-word report on the 193 new additions to the database. The database is now segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. The database includes new openings in the cafe bakery sector such as Mahali Bakery opening in London’s Battersea, Natural Bean with an opening in Essex, and artisan bakery Boulangerie Pierre Alix opening its second site in London. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, 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.

Hospitality sales up 8.5% in November: Hospitality sales were up 8.5% in November 2024 compared with the same month last year, according to the latest data from people, productivity and payroll system, S4labour. London saw growth of 9.9% year-on-year, while sites outside the capital saw an 8.1% like-for-like boost. S4labour chief growth officer, Richard Hartley, said: “These figures show many great operators are meeting challenging consumer conditions, but potentially hide the pressures on underlying profitability caused by wider macroeconomic headwinds. Operators have a short window now to capitalise on improved sales and get to grips with the main variable costs before the effects of the Budget hit home.”

 

Ex-The Revel Collective director – today's young adults are rewriting the social rule book: Jemima Bird, who has stepped down as non-executive director of The Revel Collective – the operator of 65 venues trading predominantly under the Revolution, Revolución de Cuba and Peach Pubs brands – has said today’s young adults are “rewriting the social rule book”. The former Tragus marketing director, who has been on The Revel Collective board for eight years, said: “I’ve witnessed first-hand the seismic shifts transforming the sector. The challenges faced today are not mere obstacles, but fundamental restructuring of how younger generations conceptualise social interaction, entertainment and community. The most critical transformation is happening with our core demographic. Today’s young adults are rewriting the social rulebook. Where previous generations saw pubs and bars as primary social hubs, the current generation is crafting more diverse, technology-mediated social experiences. They’re as likely to connect through digital platforms, curated events and experience-driven gatherings as they are through traditional nightlife venues. I see four key strategic imperatives. Firstly, reimagining the customer experience – successful venues will transform from mere drinking establishments to curated social experiences. Secondly, diversification of revenue streams. The future belongs to operators who can create flexible, multi-dimensional spaces: daytime co-working options, wellness and fitness integration, technology-enabled private event spaces, and hybrid physical-digital engagement models. Thirdly, sustainability and conscious consumption. Younger generations demand more than just a night out – they want alignment with their values, including transparent sourcing of products, reduced environmental impact, and ethical employment practices. And finally, the human capital imperative. Perhaps most critically, we must reimagine our approach to talent. The hospitality industry needs to position itself as a career of choice, offering: clear professional development pathways, competitive compensation, meaningful workplace cultures, and flexibility and work-life balance. The late-night hospitality sector stands at a crossroads. Those who view current challenges as opportunities for radical reinvention will not just survive but potentially redefine social experiences for a new generation.”

UKHospitality – 40% business rates relief welcome but thousands of Scottish hospitality businesses won’t be eligible: UKHospitality has said the 40% business rates relief for Scottish hospitality business announced in its 2025-26 Budget is a welcome relief but warned that thousands of them won’t be eligible. The relief is for hospitality businesses paying the basic property rate, meaning those with a rateable value up to £51,000 will be eligible. Leon Thompson, executive director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “The introduction of 40% business rates relief is very positive for venues that are eligible for this support,” he added. “With costs mounting for venues across Scotland, this support could be a lifeline for some businesses making tough decisions about whether to invest, take on more staff, or even shutting the doors for good. However, there are around 2,600 businesses that will not be eligible for relief. They face a double-whammy of increased employer taxes and an inflationary rise in their higher level of business rates in April. This will seriously threaten their ability to support jobs, and we have to recognise that these businesses employ more than half of Scotland’s hospitality workforce.” Emma McClarkin, chief executive of The Scottish Beer & Pub Association, added: “The support on business rates announced by the Scottish government is greatly welcomed by our sector and much needed. It is still an uphill challenge, but the 40% relief will hopefully mean fewer closures over the next year and give the sector some added confidence moving forward. The lack of support on rates in previous years created a situation where pubs in Scotland were closing at twice the rate of those in England and support on this was our number one ask in our budget submission.”

Building loyalty key to operators reaping the rewards in 2025: Building loyalty by offering guests great value, exceptional customer service and meeting customer demands will be key to operators reaping the rewards in 2025, according to new research. Zonal’s latest GO Technology report, in partnership with CGA by NIQ, offered five key insights to help operators thrive in the new year. Its five key takeaways includes streamlining workflows to master the basics – delivering exceptional food and service – with 53% of those surveyed saying the quality of food is the most likely reason to return to a venue. Value remains a top priority for consumers, and venues should actively promote deals and rewards as 54% of guests want updates from their favourite spots. Loyalty programmes will play a pivotal role in 2025, with nearly half (49%) of consumers expressing interest in member-only pricing. The importance of addressing guest concerns also cannot be overstated, with 61% of guests frustrated by issues before or during their visit saying they are unlikely to return. With 30% of consumers less likely to miss a booking if the process is simplified, venues also need to focus on user-friendly online reservation systems, with features like booking reminders, which 25% of guests say influence them to show up for a booking. Tim Chapman, chief commercial officer at Zonal, said: “Loyalty has been a hot topic and, looking ahead to 2025, operators who focus on building this by offering great value, exceptional customer service, and meeting customer demands will reap the rewards. We know that eating and dining out remains an important part of people’s lives, despite the cost-of-living crisis, but it is more important than ever to build a loyal customer base to thrive in 2025.”

 

SHS Drinks acquires Shandy Shack: SHS Drinks, the independent manufacturer of alcoholic and soft drinks, has acquired mid-strength ABV beer brand Shandy Shack. Shandy Shack will join established names in the SHS Drinks portfolio including Shloer, bottlegreen, Rocks, WKD and Merrydown. Prior to the acquisition, the two companies collaborated to create Raspberry Lager using bottlegreen’s Raspberry Cordial, which launched in June 2024. Andy Morris-Jinks, managing director of SHS Drinks, said: “The mid-strength ABV market is seeing rapid growth as consumers seek options for low-tempo, relaxed socialising, and Shandy Shack’s innovative and award-winning product range aligns perfectly with our vision for broadening our consumer base and tapping into emerging market trends.” Shandy Shack co-founders Ed Stapleton and Tom Stevens will continue to lead the brand’s development and expansion. Stapleton added: “It is a fantastic feeling to join forces with SHS Drinks to accelerate the development of Shandy Shack. This partnership will provide unparalleled opportunities to leverage its expertise, resources and support to expand our brand’s reach.” Shandy Shack was founded in 2018 as an eponymous pop-up festival bar and now produces and distributes an award-winning range of five shandies using craft beer and unique flavours. 

 

McDonald’s E.coli outbreak in the US declared over: The McDonald’s E.coli outbreak in the US has been declared as over by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The outbreak began on 22 October, temporarily stopping the sale of McDonald’s Quarter Pounders in impacted areas. By mid-November, the CDC said the public health risk had remained “very low” for three weeks, while the FDA there were no confirmed food safety concerns at McDonald’s restaurants related to the outbreak. With no new illnesses reported since then, McDonald’s said: “These announcements from the CDC and FDA provide certainty and validation from leading health authorities, which will be meaningful for our customers and communities. While the issue had been fully contained – and any contaminated product associated with this issue had been removed from our supply chain as of 22 October 2024 – it can now be classified as ‘closed’ and remediated.” The company told Nation’s Restaurant News it couldn’t comment on legal actions or disclose how much the outbreak impacted sales or visits, but McDonald’s did reaffirm it is spending $100m on recovery efforts, including $65m for franchisees in the 900 affected restaurants and $35m on marketing efforts to “earn customers’ trust back”.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a private property investment and management organisation that is seeking an assistant property manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role will offer an opportunity to work with some of London’s most renowned properties, alongside major assets in other cities across the UK. The position will manage property operations, including tenant relations, maintenance coordination, and vacant property marketing, maintaining accurate property records, schedules, and compliance with legal and statutory requirements, overseeing financial aspects such as utilities, cost control, rent and service charge collection, and arrears management.” The salary is up to £70,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email joe@corecruitment.com.

 

Escape Hunt and Boom Battle Bar operator sets out strategy to be £90m turnover business by March 2028: XP Factory, which operates the Escape Hunt and Boom Battle Bar brands, has set out its strategy as it plans to be a £90m turnover business with £13m group Ebitda margin by March 2028. Chief executive Richard Harpham said this will be delivered by focusing principally on growing the owner-operated estate and leveraging the head office platform the group has in place already. The expansion will be led by a £10m funding facility secured in October. It comes after the company reported group revenue increased 33.2% to £24.9m for the six months ended 30 September 2024. XP Factory operates 22 company-owned Escape Hunt sites and 25 Boom venues in the UK. Harpham said the group's target can be achieved from a portfolio comprising 50-60 Escape Hunt sites, requiring growth on average of eight to ten of its current sized sites per annum, alongside 35-40 Boom sites, requiring growth on average of two to four new sites per annum from the current base. At that level, Harpham said Escape Hunt would generate turnover of £30m and Boom would be turning over £60m. Meanwhile, the franchise business would continue to contribute between £1.5m and £2m of revenue to the group. Harpham said: “Escape Hunt performs highly consistently across all sites, all of which are similar sized with six games rooms on average. Expanding the estate rapidly across the UK in this format remains the focus, and additionally we now have data that supports the building of larger sites in areas of particularly high traffic. Our Boom estate comprises some large sites in very high footfall areas, but also some smaller sites in more neighbourhood towns. While the business works in both, the returns are disproportionately higher when the sites are larger, more prime and in large towns, so these opportunities will be our focus over the coming periods.” Harpham said the group was looking at opening more than one venue in some locations such as in Cambridge, where both brands will open at 36 St Andrews Street on Friday (6 December), and increasing capacity in existing sites “where there is that demand”. XP Factory has previously said it believes there is “now a significantly longer runway than we first imagined” for Escape Hunt, with scope for around 100 sites rather than 50. Harpham said: “The consistently strong returns generated by Escape Hunt and experience in cities such as Norwich, where we proved two sites could operate very profitably alongside each other has given us that confidence. Furthermore, we are increasingly being able to secure landlord contributions for smaller Escape Hunt sites, which previously were not available, reducing the net investment required to open a new site.” Following the planned takeover of café bar operator Loungers, Harpham was asked if he felt XP Factory was a target. He said: “It would be surprising to me if someone wasn’t looking at us given our performance, but I can’t say any more than that.”

Tossed reports best year of trading as sales top £9m, exploring new growth opportunities: Healthy eating brand Tossed has told Propel that it has just had its best year of trading for the 12 months to 29 September 2024, with record sales and profitability. The business, which operates 13 sites in London, is privately owned, with directors Neil Sebba and Angelina Harrisson having acquired the brand in the summer of 2020. Sebba told Propel: “The directors are delighted to report the company’s best year of trading. The sector has been faced with several years of aggressive inflationary pressure across its cost-base, and our early years’ trading was significantly impacted by both the pandemic, which systematically changed the working habits of our core office-based guests, and by industrial action on the capital’s transport networks. The company took an aggressive, counter-cyclical approach to establishing a store portfolio that includes sites on some of the busiest streets in London, and this strategy has borne dividends with sales and performance growth in every year since inception. Sales for the 53 weeks to 29 September 2024 grew 22% to £9.07m, and further growth is anticipated in 2025. The company posted adjusted Ebitda of £378,000 for the period, increased from £53,000 the previous year. The directors are proud of this performance, particularly considering the continued challenging market conditions and poor weather this summer.” Sebba said that footfall in London remains “suppressed significantly below pre-pandemic levels”. He said: “The market for healthy food in the capital is more competitive than ever, but the strength of this wonderful brand and the demand for fresh, healthy, made-to-order food continues to grow, and our team works hard to deliver on this vision every day. New growth opportunities are being explored for 2025, including new formats, channels, location types and brand partners. Exciting times ahead.”

 

JKS makes US debut with Berenjak opening: JKS Restaurants has made its debut in the US with the opening of a site under Berenjak, the Persian-influenced brand it founded with Kian Samyani, in New York. Berenjak has opened at Soho House’s Dumbo House as part of a two-year residency. Located on the sixth floor of the property, the restaurant offers views over the Brooklyn Bridge and Hudson River and allows Soho House members to experience chef Samyani’s signature dishes. In the spring, Berenjak opened a “little sister” site on the grounds of Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire. In March, Soho House chief executive Andrew Carnie announced that Berenjak would be opening a site with the company, as it focused on improving the experience for its members. Berenjak currently operates two restaurants in London and one in Dubai. Last December, JKS Restaurants completed a fundraising round from an investor consortium comprising high net worth individuals and family offices from the UK, US, Middle East and Asia, as it planned further expansion in the UK and internationally. JKS’ Indian brand, Gymkhana, opened in Riyadh in June, and Berenjak opened in Dubai in November. JKS also operates a Hoppers site in Doha, Qatar. JKS said it is also actively exploring further opportunities in the Middle East, as well as New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

 

Vapiano UK hires Mike Rainer as new FD: The McWin-backed Vapiano brand, which currently operates circa 155 sites across 32 countries, including five in the UK, has hired Mike Rainer as its new UK finance director. Rainer spent two years as chief financial officer at clothes retailer FatFace, and just under a year as group chief financial officer at Theo Paphitis Retail Group. He also previously spent three and a half years at the then circa 90-strong, food-to-go retailer EAT, including more than two years as its chief financial officer, and just under a year as its managing director after it had been acquired by rival Pret. Vapiano UK has been strengthening its management team over the past few months. Last month, Propel revealed that Vapiano had hired Lloyd Bloom, formerly of The Big Table Group, as its new UK managing director. In September, Propel revealed that Richard Downs had stepped down as managing director of US comfort food and cocktails brand Dirty Bones to join Vapiano as its new director of development. Sinclair Beecham, the co-founder of Pret, was one of the group investors that backed the new owners of the Vapiano brand when it was acquired in summer 2020. The group of investors, which also included AmRest founder Henry McGovern, backed Mario C Bauer, who was Vapiano’s former head of international franchising, to restart the brand after it filed for insolvency due to liquidity problems following declining sales earlier that year. In March this year, Vapiano appointed Andrew Walker, former chief executive of EAT and ex-managing director of Pret A Manger, as its new chairman. Last month, Vapiano launched a new “smaller, more accessible format” called Vapialino, which has been “designed to offer the same authentic Italian flavours and quality service, just in a more compact space”, and includes a grab and go offer. 

 

Jamie Oliver Restaurants to make debut in Greece: Jamie Oliver Restaurants is set to make its debut in Greece next year. The business has struck a deal with long-standing franchise partner, PHC Franchised Restaurants Public, which has taken the rights to launch Oliver’s restaurant brands in Greece. Ed Loftus, global restaurant group director at Jamie Oliver Restaurants, said: “We have built an incredible global restaurant business, working with fantastic partners worldwide. We are currently in more than 20 countries and have a fantastic pipeline of new locations and new markets developing for 2025 and beyond. We are proud to announce a new market! Our long-standing franchise partner has taken the franchise rights to Greece. PHC Franchised Restaurants Public has established Jamie Oliver Restaurants in Cyprus over the last few years. We can't wait to open our first location in Greece in the vibrant city of Athens in 2025.”

 

Domino’s largest franchisee adds four more stores as it closes in on 300-mark: Domino’s largest franchisee, Santio, has added four more stores as it closes in on the 300-mark. Santio, which is part of SK Group, now operates 274 Domino’s following openings in Norwich, Salford in Greater Manchester, Ramsey in Cambridgeshire and Lymm in Cheshire. “I am delighted to announce the openings of SK Group stores 271, 272, 273 and 274,” said director Surinderjit “Ricky” Kandola. “First, we are delighted to open two stores in our existing areas that will result in even better service times, more brand awareness and fortressing for the future. Good luck to the teams in Norwich-Bowthorpe and Salford-Pendleton. We’ve also opened two new virgin stores that will finally have their own Domino’s to enjoy. We start with Ramsey, a beautiful town with a rich history. Last but by no means least, we’ve waited a long time to have a store open in Lymm. Its neighbouring store, Stockton Heath, has been a rock to our business for nearly 20 years, and we are just as excited to see what the team can do with this lovely new store.” Earlier this year, Santio reported turnover increased to a record £296,683,114 for the year ending 30 September 2023, compared with £270,586,873 the previous year. The team behind Santio was also responsible for bringing Canadian coffee and bakery brand Tim Hortons to the UK in 2017.

 

Olly Smith promoted to MD of Daylesford Organic: Olly Smith, who stepped down as chief culinary and brand officer at Prezzo to join the Bamford Collection as its new food director earlier this year, has now been promoted to managing director of its Daylesford Organic business. Smith, who was formerly at Pret A Manger and Nando’s, joined Prezzo in January 2022 as chief culinary officer. The Bamford Collection includes Daylesford Organic and Daylesford Stays – the company’s hospitality division that encompasses a collection of “traditional Cotswold-stone cottages and modern British Inns” such as The Wild Rabbit in Kingham, The Fox in Oddington, The Bell in Charlbury and The Three Horsehoes in Ashtall. Founded and owned by Carole Bamford, Daylesford Organic is a luxury farm and homeware business. The company has four London stores as well as a flagship farm shop and spa resort in the Cotswolds, and its products are also listed with the likes of Planet Organic and Ocado.

 

Dave’s Hot Chicken set to make UK debut this week, 250th site in total: Azzurri Group, the hospitality investment platform that operates ASK Italian, Zizzi, Coco di Mama and Boojum, will open the UK debut site for Dave’s Hot Chicken, the fast-growing US quick service restaurant brand, on Saturday (7 December). Propel revealed in September that Dave’s Hot Chicken had secured the former Fratelli La Bufala site in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue. The venue will be the 250th opening for the brand in total. The two-floor, 90-seat site marks the nearly 80th opening this year for the brand, with 2025 planned to be a year of equal expansion. “Going from a parking lot pop-up run by three friends to a global restaurant with 250 locations in seven years is the American Dream story,” said Dave’s Hot Chicken chief executive Bill Phelps. “As we continue to expand across the globe, we know that focusing on making the most craveable, hottest and juiciest hot chicken on the planet will ensure that expansion.” Jim Attwood, managing director of Mind Blowing Chicken, part of Azzurri Group, added: “We're excited to bring the hugely popular Dave’s Hot Chicken to London and proud to be the franchise partner introducing this bold, spicy brand to the UK. Londoners are in for a treat being the first to experience Dave’s signature heat and unique flavours, which have rightfully built a massive fanbase in the US.” Propel revealed in July that the US brand had signed a franchise agreement with Azzurri Group to open 60 locations across the UK and Ireland. KLM Real Estate acts for Dave’s Hot Chicken.

 

Chestnut adds north Norfolk pub to portfolio: East Anglian pub company Chestnut Group has acquired The Gin Trap Inn in the north Norfolk coastal village of Ringstead. Adding a further 16 bedrooms to its portfolio, it is the 20-strong group’s fourth Norfolk acquisition in 2024. Chestnut founder and managing director Philip Turner said: “2024 has been a busy Norfolk year for the business. We started this journey in March 2020, one week prior to lockdown, and four years later, we have almost 200 bedrooms across the county. We remain an ambitious business trying to make a difference for our guests and team. I have known The Gin Trap Inn for many years and feel privileged that Chestnut has the chance to be part of the future.” David Lamyman, vendor of The Gin Trap Inn, added: “We have taken The Gin Trap Inn to a new level since we acquired the business in 2019. Having watched Chestnut grow by acquiring such quality venues and ensuring they individually thrive, I know that The Gin Trap will be in good hands.” Turner’s presentation at Propel’s Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference in May is one of 100 videos from eight conferences in 2024 that are available to Premium Club members. Premium Club members also get a 20% discount on tickets to all Propel events in 2025. 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.

 

Mikos Gyros looking to raise £1m to help fund move into grocery market: Greek farm-to-table grill business Mikos Gyros is looking to raise £1m to help fund its move into the grocery market. Propel revealed earlier this year that the company, founded in 2017 by Hugo Ushida, was launching a range of Greek/gyros products into local farm shops and independent retailers, to sit alongside its nine restaurants across Greater London and Manchester. “We’re raising our first investment round,” Ushida said. “Mikos is a premium Greek food business looking to disrupt the UK’s world foods market with our range of gyros wrap kits, premium kebab sauces, moreish seasonings, proper Greek pitas and more in development. With key listings for 2025 secured, we now need to raise funds to fuel that sales growth, so are currently speaking to investors. We actually need to raise a further £1m under EIS in mid-April 2025. The macro and empirical data suggests we’ve got a pretty good shot at making gyros mainstream in the next couple of years. We’ve already had £100,000 committed out of the £250,000 target with industry angel investors. Even £5,000-10,000 tickets will help us cobble our way there, and you don’t have to be a professional in the industry. The funds will be used for increasing our product range from four to nine products; supplying Holley’s, which will increase our ability to supply from 850 retail outlets in London to 4,350 nationwide; and buying a sauce sachet machine. There’s a lot in the pipeline, like supermarket listings.”

 

We Do Play to launch active leisure concept Activate in UK this month at The O2, reveals price points: We Do Play, the multi-concept experiential leisure operator, is launching the debut UK site for immersive games experience Activate at The O2 on Monday, 16 December. Propel reported in October that We Do Play had invested in a multimillion-pound roll out that will see 30 UK Activate sites built in 42 months and signed a 15-year lease for a prominent London store at Mount Royal, 530 Oxford Street. The O2 site will cover 10,000 square feet on the upper level of The O2, close to Outlet Shopping and Mamma Mia! The Party. The venue will feature 12 rooms offering nine dynamic games, including physical challenges like Strike, Laser, and Hoops, as well as strategy-based activities such as Portals and Control. Prices are £22.50 per person off peak and £27.50 per person peak for 60-minute sessions, with groups between two and five people. The minimum age is set at six years old. Richard Beese, co-founder of We Do Play, said: “Activate in the UK is going to take the world of competitive socialising by storm. There is nothing else like it. It is going to redefine the entertainment industry in the UK. It brings together interactive technology, agility, physical ability and problem-solving in 12 dynamic rooms with wristbands tracking gamers progress to declare an ultimate winner who will leave The O2 with a bunch of prizes. There are actually 1,000 levels to beat, and gamers can also take part in the Activate World Championship.” Activate launched in Canada in 2017 and has 32 locations across Canada and the US. A new report has been produced by Propel on the fast-growing experiential leisure sector. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes more than 180 companies, 3,500 sites and a 35,000-word report. The report is available to Premium Club members. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

 

Fulham Shore set to debut new concept Super Club Roma today, Franco Manca to open in Liverpool: Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator which is backed by Toridoll and Capdesia, will open the debut site under its new concept – Super Club Roma – today (Thursday, 5 December), in London’s Westfield Stratford. Propel revealed in October that the Marcel Khan-led business would launch the concept, which will feature crispy Roman-style pizza, as complementary to the company’s Franco Manca brand. Super Club Roma is situated in the former The Real Greek site in Chestnut Plaza. The Real Greek moved to a bigger site in the scheme earlier this year. The new 131-cover site comprises 87 covers internally and 44 externally. The concept uses electric ovens, allowing it to fit into units in locations that Franco Manca currently can’t. Super Club Roma’s menu features fritti – a breaded, deep-fried, traditional Italian dish – with options including lasagne, spaghetti, crocchetta, truffle porcini arancini and “nduja bombs” with nduja honey, priced at between £5-£6. The pizzas are priced at between £8.50 for a marinara sbagliata and £14.50 for a supernova, which will feature San Marzano tomato, chilli flakes, mozzarella, salami Napoli, habanero hot sauce, erupt burattini, chilli crisp and pecorino. Khan told Propel: “Super Club Roma is Fulham Shore’s weekend trip to Rome. Our customers spend a lot of time in Napoli and Athens, and we thought Rome would make a nice addition. The energy and flavours are fabulous.” Meanwhile, Franco Manca will open a site in Liverpool on Saturday (7 December). The restaurant will open in the former Rennies Art Gallery building in Bold Street. The venue will offer seating for 90 diners indoors and an additional 20 outside.

Freemans Event Partners to roll out Costa Coffee kiosks across UK sporting events: Freemans Event Partners, the UK-based global multi-service event partner, has reached an agreement with Costa Coffee to roll out of the coffee brand’s kiosks at venues across the UK. It builds on the success of the collaboration between the two companies during the summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, where eight mobile kiosks were built and deployed in venues across France’s capital. The kiosks sold more than half a million drinks during the event, with the Olympic Village kiosk selling a drink every 13 seconds. Freemans Event Partners will be redeploying the kiosks at venues across the UK, such as the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, Cheltenham Racecourse, Badminton Horse Trials and the BMW PGA in Wentworth, Surrey. Jason Mumby, client development and strategy director at Freemans Event Partners, said: “Increased demand for great quality coffee is a trend that we’ve been witnessing in the event space over the last few years. Coffee has always been a consistent revenue generator across our portfolio of live events.”

 

SSP to launch new all-day dining concept at Liverpool John Lennon airport: SSP Group, the UK operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, is set to launch a new all-day dining concept at Liverpool John Lennon airport. Having earlier this year secured a new ten-year contract with the airport, SSP will, in the new year, be opening Monty's Diner. Described as “a new all-day dining concept with seating for nearly 200 guests in an upbeat and energetic environment”, Monty’s joins an extended Kissing Gate bar, as well as refurbished Upper Crust and Starbucks outlets at the airport. Monty's Diner’s menu will include a wide range of breakfast dishes while later in the day, guests will be able to enjoy signature smashed patty burgers, mac ‘n’ cheese and hot dogs as well as thick milkshakes and desserts. SSP UK & Ireland chief executive Karl Daniels said: “We always strive to offer bespoke concepts for our customers alongside some of our more established names. This was the catalyst for Monty’s Diner – it’s a new concept for us, but one that we’re confident will bring a fresh, modern experience to Liverpool John Lennon airport, complementing our existing outlets to offer exceptional choice.”

 

Blank Street Coffee lines up Glasgow site: US coffee brand Blank Street Coffee has lined up a site in Glasgow, as it looks to build its opening pipeline in Scotland. The brand, which is closing in on the 40-site mark in the UK, plans to open on the former Black & Lizars site at 42 Gordon Street, near Glasgow Central station. In October, Propel revealed that Blank Street had lined up two sites in Edinburgh, in the former Ernest Jones jewellery shop on the corner of Princes Street and Hanover Street, in the Scottish capital, and at 5 India Buildings, in the city’s Victoria Street. Earlier that same month, Issam Freiha, co-founder of Blank Street Coffee, said the UK market was a driving force of the company’s overall growth strategy. Freiha founded the business in New York in 2020 with Vinay Menda. The brand currently operates circa 50 sites in New York City plus outposts in Boston and Washington DC. Blank Street launched in the UK, in London, in 2022 and operates 31 sites in London, three in Manchester and two in Birmingham. Propel understands Cardiff and Leeds are also on Blank Street’s radar for future openings. 

Team behind Firebird in London’s Soho set to open new seafood and martini concept in Shoreditch: The team behind restaurant and wine bar Firebird in London’s Soho is set to open a new seafood and martini concept in Shoreditch. Madina Kazhimova and Anna Dolgushina, who launched Firebird in 2022, will open Noisy Oyster in the spring of 2025, introducing “a fresh, modern take on the seafood bistro”. The 50-cover space will offer a menu rich in local oysters, crudo and whole fish dishes, complemented by a bar offering that “elevates the martini to new heights” and that “perfectly pair with the seafood-centric menu”. Kazhimova and Dolgushina said: “We have always felt inspired by the creative scene in Shoreditch, and with Noisy Oyster, we have combined our passion for creating exciting culinary experiences with our love for art, fashion and design. We are excited to bring this concept to the east London community and to be able to be a part of the culinary evolution happening here.” Kazhimova and Dolgushina also operate Asian restaurant and bars Wong Kar Wine and Made in China in St Petersburg, Russia.

Ole & Steen to be available via Uber Eats: Danish bakery brand Ole & Steen has signed up to offer delivery via Uber Eats. With the partnership, the brand’s 26 locations will be available to order from, including stores in London, Oxford and Guildford. Graham Hollinshead, managing director at Ole & Steen, said: “As demand for our freshly baked goods continues to grow, this partnership allows us to deliver the unique flavours and traditions of Denmark straight to our customers’ doors. We're excited to reach new audiences and bring the true Ole & Steen experience to more people.” In October, David Campbell, chair of Ole & Steen, said the company was getting more out of its existing UK estate, which led to it experiencing its “best five weeks ever” of trading and providing significant motivation across its teams.