Team behind The Crystal Maze Live Experience and Chaos Karts planning UK roll out for Arcade Arena concept and eyeing overseas expansion: The team behind The Crystal Maze Live Experience attraction and Chaos Karts immersive go-karting has told Propel it is planning a UK roll out for its Arcade Arena concept alongside overseas expansion. Little Lion Entertainment, which is also behind Tomb Raider: The Live Experience, will next year launch the Pac-Man Live Experience at Arcade Arena Manchester. Launching on 22 March, it will replace Chaos Karts at Arcade Arena, located in Manchester’s Lower Byrom Street. While the success of the Crystal Maze, Chaos Karts and Tomb Raider experiences will see these taken overseas, in the UK, Little Lion is looking to roll out more Arcade Arenas, where the games, as in Manchester, will be interchangeable. “The potential is incredibly high,” managing director Neil Dolan told Propel. “Hybrid working is here to stay, which makes team experiences and in-person social interaction all the more important. The adaptability and repeatability of this concept means there’s no reason why we can’t have ten to 15 Arcade Arenas across the UK with different content. We will also be looking to develop new games and franchise our games internationally. We’ve had a great year in 2024, with double digit growth, and we’re forecasting similar for 2025. What hasn’t changed is people wanting to interact with each other, but you still need the right product for the right people at the right time. With experiences like Crystal Maze and Pac-Man, we have dialled into the nostalgia element for millennials but looked at how to make it suitable for families. With Generation Z, we have flipped it and targeted them through the activity rather than the nostalgic aspect, and then the brands cement it. We’re looking at what’s next location-wise; we’ve had enquiries to take Arcade Arena into places like Birmingham, Nottingham, Glasgow and Sheffield, but it’s got to be the right location at the right time.” Of its current experiences, the Crystal Maze Live Experience, which currently has two UK locations, is prepped to expand overseas, such as the Middle East, the US and parts of Europe. This is on the back of the development of a smaller scale version designed to go into shopping centres. There are also plans to take the Tomb Raider: The Live Experience abroad, as well as expand Chaos Karts, which has secured a franchise deal in Dubai, overseas. 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.

 

Exploring the vital role of community engagement to feature at Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit, open for bookings: Exploring the vital role of community engagement and creating meaningful connections with customers will feature at the Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. Rosie Prior, managing director at Me:Mo, will be in conversation with Lucy Harwood, brand and marketing director at Boston Tea Party, Russell Danks, managing director at Laine Pub Co, and Lesley Mcilroy, sales and marketing director at Ole & Steen, and reveal effective strategies for leveraging physical spaces to create meaningful connections with customers and foster loyalty to ultimately drive increased repeat visitation. 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, 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 two updated databases this week: Premium Club members will receive two updated databases this week. The latest Propel UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database will be sent to subscribers tomorrow (Wednesday, 11 December), at 12pm. The database will feature 50 new additions, plus updates to existing entries. It now has 330 entries and more than 178,000 words of copy. Among the new entries are Cheat Daze, Marlowe’s, Chocoberry, Churros Locos, Pasta Evangelists, Pizza Rebel, Insomnia Coffee, HeyBoba, Cactus Jacks, 12th Street Burgers, Rico Burrito & Jimmy’s Burgers, Udderlicious, Side Street Burgers, Project Bun, Popeyes and The Souvlaki. The latest Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book will then be sent to subscribers on Friday (13 December), at 12pm. The database will feature 30 new companies, for a total number of 1,039, with 65 accounts updated. Of these, a total of 650 are in profit and 389 are making a loss. Premium Club members also receive access to four other databases: the New Openings Database, the Multi-Site 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.

 

NTIA – majority of night-time economy staff fear job cuts or reduced shifts but almost half of consumers still planning to go out more frequently: The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) said its latest poll has showed that 75% of night-time economy staff fear job cuts or reduced shifts as a result of the Budget. The survey of 100 employees and 100 consumers across the sector also revealed that 50% of employees believe rising living costs will negate the benefits of the wage increase, while only 37.5% of staff foresee a slight or significant improvement in their financial situation, and none feel the wage increase will lead to greater financial stability. However, while 34.9% of consumers anticipate struggling to afford nights out due to expected price increases, 32.6% believe the wage increase will make night-time outings more feasible. Furthermore, 44.2% expect to go out more frequently, with 34.9% stating they will have slightly more disposable income. And while 34.9% said higher prices could reduce how often they go out, 37.2% plan to maintain their current frequency of visits. NTIA chief executive Michael Kill said: “While the minimum wage increase is designed to provide financial relief, our survey reveals significant concerns from businesses, employees and consumers within the night-time economy. Rising living costs, coupled with increasing pressures on businesses, mean the intended benefits risk being overshadowed by mounting challenges.” 

 

Welsh government urged to maintain business rates relief: UKHospitality Cymru has said it is essential that rates relief is extended to ensure that Welsh businesses are not left uncompetitive with the rest of the UK. Both England and Scotland have in place 40% business rates relief schemes from next April, and failure to extend the current Welsh scheme would leave hospitality venues in Wales at a significant disadvantage, the trade body warned. UKHospitality Cymru said without relief, a local pub would see its rates bill increase by almost £5,000 next year, and its increased rates would be £5,400 higher than an English equivalent; a town centre restaurant would see its rates bill increase by £11,700 next year, and its increased rates would be £13,600 higher than an English equivalent; and a coastal hotel would see its rates bill increase by £18,700 next year, and its increased rates would be £19,000 higher than an English equivalent. David Chapman, executive director of UKHospitality Cymru, said: “Business rates relief has been incredibly important for Welsh hospitality businesses, and we’ve been grateful that the Welsh government has recognised how valuable it is for the sector since the pandemic. We’re urging the Welsh government to maintain those levels of relief in its upcoming Budget, particularly as hospitality businesses are feeling the pinch now more than ever.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a bar/pub group in London that is seeking an operations manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “Each venue has its own unique vibe, from sleek, modern gastropubs to warm, community-focused locals. The operations manager will oversee eight to ten general managers, taking full responsibility for financial targets and driving revenue growth. The group has ambitious expansion and redevelopment plans over the next few years.” The salary is £80,000. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com. 

 

Joe & The Juice sees potential for ‘hundreds’ more UK sites, signs exclusive delivery agreement with Deliveroo: Joe & The Juice, the juice and cafe bar brand, has said it sees the potential for hundreds more sites in the UK. The company, which has 72 UK locations among a worldwide portfolio of 380 stores, said it sees “the opportunity for expansion of its UK footprint, with the potential for hundreds more sites in the UK, regionally as well as in London, as it works towards a goal of growing its global estate to 1,000 stores in the next five years”. It comes as the business signs an exclusive delivery agreement with Deliveroo, beginning in January. Joe & The Juice began its partnership with Deliveroo in 2019, initially operating with just five UK sites on the platform, which has since expanded to 65. With digital sales now representing 29% of Joe & The Juice’s total business, the new partnership is designed to support this growth area. The company said its five most ordered products on Deliveroo this year in London – where the vast majority of its UK stores are – have been sandwiches. Topping the list is its spicy tuna sandwich, followed by its Joe’s club sandwich, Tunacado sandwich, avocado sandwich and turkey sandwich. 

 

Spanish vegan concept Plant Shack signs UK franchise agreement: Plant Shack, the Spain-based, fast casual business, has signed its first international agreement, which will see the brand launch in the UK. The plant-based business, which was founded by Sarah and Lee Brogden in 2019 and currently operates six sites in Spain, has partnered with Michael Vosc, an experienced entrepreneur, marketer and investor, to open the first Plant Shack in London. The business said it is currently evaluating “several suitable locations” in the capital, with plans for further expansion in the UK to follow. Plant Shack said its first London location will include the brand’s signature cold-pressed juice bar along with its menu, featuring superfood smoothies, açaí bowls, wraps and sandwiches, and specialty coffee. Sarah and Lee Brogden said: “We are excited to bring Plant Shack back to our roots in the UK and continue our mission to make the power of plants more accessible to everyone. We are looking forward to building a Plant Shack London community that thrives on a healthy lifestyle and being positive for the planet.” Alex Innes, commercial director at Plant Shack, added: “We’re thrilled to be expanding beyond Spain and into the UK, a market that has been at the forefront of the plant-based movement. Michael’s passion for entrepreneurship and his expertise in building successful businesses make him the perfect partner to lead Plant Shack’s entry into London.” Vosc said: “Consumers in the UK are showing a growing demand for plant-based options and deserve access to an experience that combines sustainability, health, and fast-casual healthy dining.” Propel understands that Loui Blake, the award-winning marketer, entrepreneur and founder of the UK’s largest plant-based restaurant, is an advisor to Plant Shack. The brand said it continues to see global interest from prospective franchisees and is working with Franchise Growth & Development to support its global expansion.

 

Wendy’s UK looks to expand presence across south west: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant brand in the US, has appointed property advisors to help increase its presence in the south west of England. Last month, the brand signed a new development agreement with franchisee Khidmat that will see six restaurants opened across the region. Savills has now been appointed by Khidmat to target locations in central Bath, Exeter and Plymouth due to the high levels of foot traffic from tourists and students. Khidmat is considering sites within these areas, including drive-thru, shopping centres and retail parks that span an approximate size of 2,500 square feet. Jessica Hill, surveyor in restaurants and leisure at Savills, said: “Wendy’s has experienced phenomenal global growth in recent years, making substantial investments in local resources to strengthen its foothold for its ambitious expansion plans. We are delighted to be working with Khidmat in the south west to help bolster Wendy’s pipeline of new openings and reach its long-term target of 400 restaurants in the UK.” Wendy’s said Khidmat’s managing director, Farhat Abbas, and operations director, Isa Naeem, decided to grow with the brand because of its “global recognition and world-class support system”. Abbas said: “We’re excited to grow with a brand that has such loyal fans across the globe.” Since relaunching here three years ago, Wendy’s has grown to circa 40 locations. The majority of these are split between five franchisees, with a company footprint of 13 locations.

 

Coco Di Mama – link up with Sainsbury’s has surpassed our expectations, delivery kitchen numbers growing again: Jim Attwood, managing director of Coco di Mama, owned by ASK Italian, Zizzi and Boojum operator Azzurri Group, has told Propel that the Italian food-to-go brand’s link up with Sainsbury’s has surpassed expectations for both parties, and the business is now looking to develop pasta salads and pasta ready meals. In October, Coco Di Mama launched a range of six Italian-inspired sourdough baguettes as part of the supermarket brand’s meal deal offer. Attwood told Propel: “We’re really excited about retail. We spent a couple of years doing an innovative direct-to-store fresh baguette model in London with Sainsbury’s. We got to 45 sites with it, and it had great rates of sale, but we couldn’t get the economics to work in terms of getting a day-one fresh product into store in a £5 meal deal. We’ve spent a year and a half talking to manufacturers, and we’ve got a product now that’s got a two to three days shelf life across a range of six baguettes that we can get into Sainsbury’s on shelf ready for day one. And it has surpassed ours and Sainsbury’s expectations.” Attwood said Coco di Mama, which has 14 sites in London, has the baguettes on sale at more than 800 Sainsbury’s outlets, “which is seeing our awareness tick up”. He added: “Motorways have helped. I think Sainsbury’s will help. We are working hard to build on that, so we’re looking at doing pasta salads, and we’re also looking to do a pasta ready meal. So, the vision is that consumers can get their lunch time sorted but pick up their meal for later as well.” Attwood also said the brand’s delivery kitchen numbers are growing again. He said: “I’ve put a bit more resource behind it. It's quite an intellectual challenge trying to get delivery brands moving as it’s not traditional retail.” Last month, Propel reported that the Italian brand’s London estate had had its best 12 months since covid, that it had lined up a second train station site and was currently trialling pizza slices at selected outlets.

 

Auntie Anne’s reports record year of growth with like-for-like sales ‘trending upwards more than 10%’, opens in Camberley: Pretzel brand Auntie Anne’s has reported a record year of growth in the UK, with “like-for-like sales continuously trending upwards more than 10%”, as it opens a new store in Camberley, Surrey. The latest launch, in The Square, is the US brand’s eighth here this year, bringing the total number of UK locations to 41. It follows recent store openings in Basingstoke and Guildford, and the brand’s first railway travel hub at Brighton station. In addition, as it celebrates 20 years of operating in the UK, the brand said its original location here, at the Regent Arcade in Cheltenham, still retains original team members and franchisees. Max Burton, managing director of Freshly Baked, which operates Auntie Anne’s in the UK and Ireland, said: “We are extremely proud to be in a phase of incredible growth with a vibrant updated look, world-class marketing campaigns, and a strategy to open 100 new stores by 2034. Our sales continue to rise annually, reflecting growing demand and love for our product.” Freshly Baked last week opened the debut UK site for Dutch smash burger brand Fat Phill’s, in London’s Clapham, having become its UK master franchisee earlier this year.

 

Urban Pubs & Bars paid £3.6m for part of former Antic portfolio, Antic founder buys back one site: Urban Pubs & Bars, the London pub operator founded by Malc Heap and Nick Pring and backed by Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual, paid £3.6m to acquire five of the former Antic sites it secured this summer, Propel has learned. In August, Propel revealed that Urban had acquired several sites from the portfolio of London pubs formerly operated by Antic, which was placed into administration this summer. The group of pubs were held under a number of different companies. Propel understands that Urban acquired three non-trading freehold properties – The Volunteer, The Mews and Linman & Turner – for £1.7m. In a separate deal, The Elephant & Castle and The Sun of Camberwell were acquired by Urban, which last week reopened the former Antic pub – the Clapton Hart in Hackney, following a £1.2m refurbishment, for £1.9m. At the same time, administrators Interpath completed a sale of the brand, goodwill and fixtures and fittings of the Graveney & Meadow in Tooting to Sunflake for £10,000. Propel understands that Sunflake is owned by Antic founder Anthony Thomas. 

 

Trust Inns acquires Cotswolds freehold site: Trust Inns, which is owned by a discretionary trust for the benefit of family members of the late Trevor Hemmings, has acquired a freehold pub site in the Cotswolds. The business, which owns more than 350 leased and tenanted pubs across the UK, has acquired The Barrington Arms, located in the Oxfordshire village of Shrivenham. The country inn is situated on the village high street and offers nine en-suite bedrooms. Previously under private ownership, Trust Inns plans to transform and enhance the pub, with a new operator already in place. Warren Drake, of Drake & Company, acted on behalf of Trust Inns. 

 

Young’s sells Surrey village pub to brewery: Young’s has sold The Dolphin in the Surrey village of Betchworth to Dorking Brewery, which is the brewery’s first freehold pub acquisition. Dorking Brewery, which also operates a taproom at its brewery at Aldhurst Farm in Temple Lane in Dorking, acquired the pub in a deal brokered by agent Fleurets. Dating to around 1785, the sale secures the future of the village pub under local ownership. Neel Singh, director and owner of Dorking Brewery, said: “Our vision is to be the best brewery and pub company in Surrey, and this will be a great addition to our business.” Fleurets’ James Davies, who acted on behalf of Youngs, added: “Although we received a number of offers for the Dolphin, our client was committed to selling to Dorking Brewery to ensure the long-term future of the pub is in the safe hands of a local operator.” Dorking Brewery was initially founded in 2008 and was acquired by Singh, a former reservist lieutenant commander in the Royal Navy, in 2016 with the help of an “X-Forces” military start-up fund.

 

Proposed Loungers site on the Otley Run receives opposition: A plan to serve alcohol from a new Loungers site on a famous bar crawl’s route has been met with public opposition. Leeds City Council has received 99 objections to an application from Loungers for 22-24 Headingley Central, in Otley Road. Ward councillors, West Yorkshire Police and the council also raised concerns over the new venue on the Otley Run, which includes 18 pubs from Headingley to the city centre. The site, in the former Arndale Centre building, would serve drinks until 11pm between Sunday and Thursday and up to midnight at weekends. Fears have been raised that the licence would add to anti-social behaviour caused by groups of rowdy pub crawlers. The Otley Run has become an increasingly divisive issue in recent years, with critics claiming residents are being forced to live with persistent drunkenness. Others have argued the crawl remains a traditional rite of passage for Leeds students and that most participate peacefully.

 

Gail’s to expand West Midlands presence with Leamington Spa opening: Fast-growing bakery brand Gail’s is to expand its presence in the West Midlands with an opening in Leamington Spa. The company is opening the outlet at 91 Regent Street in January. The property is owned by Raj Chohan, who appeared in this year’s series of BBC show The Apprentice, and she told Coventry Live she chose Gail's from a range of competitive offers. Gail’s made its West Midlands debut last month with a launch in Solihull and has also lined up its first opening in Birmingham, with a site at 42a New Street due to welcome customers in January. Gail’s is also understood to be in talks on a site in Moseley. The company opened its 150th site in October, in Watford. Earlier this month, co-founder Tom Molnar told The Sunday Times the brand is targeting £300m in sales next year, with plans to open another 30 to 40 bakeries, while last month, Sky News reported Goldman Sachs has been hired to sell Gail’s, which is backed by Bain Capital Credit and Ebitda Investments, for a reported £500m.

 

Creams opens in Aylesbury, two more set to launch this year: Fast-growing dessert parlour operator Creams Café has opened in Aylesbury and is set to launch two further locations this year. The operator of circa 100 UK stores has opened at 39-41 High Street in the Buckinghamshire town for second site in the county following its High Wycombe location. Creams operations director Elton Gray said: “Proud of everyone at Creams Café for the work we continue to put into driving the business forward, profitably, for our franchise partners. We opened in Aylesbury this week and have two more to go before Santa does his rounds.” Creams chief executive Everett Fieldgate told Propel this summer that the business was returning to the expansion trial, with a “strong desire” to grow in the north and Scotland. He went on to say that this would be led by further partnerships, such as its deal with Tesco, and new venue types, having last year expended into the garage forecourt sector. Creams also last month launched its first savoury range, featuring a selection of “hot pockets” with various fillings.

 

Oodles rebrands: Indo-Chinese brand Oodles has rebranded as Oodles Wok. The business, founded in Leicester in 2010 by Mohammed and Ismail Umar, has since grown to circa 50 UK locations. In October, it also made its international debut with a launch at Dubai’s Motorcity. “Growth is a part of life, and evolving has always been part of Oodles,” Mohammed Umar said. “For the past 15 years, we’ve been blessed with oodles of love from our community. Ismail Umar and I always knew what the wok truly stood for – the essence of passion, flavour and storytelling. Freshly cooked in the flames of our open kitchens, we combine the highest quality ingredients to create a bold and authentic fusion of Asian flavours. With the grand opening of our first international store in Dubai (and more to come), the wok has brought a new synergy to our brand. That’s why Oodles Chinese is evolving into Oodles Wok. The Oodles Wok logo represents love – the core ethos of our brand. Every element of the logo and our brand design reflects the essence and style of who we are. This is just the beginning of Oodles Wok’s exciting journey, here’s to many more chapters ahead.” Oodles has a long-term target of 100 UK sites, and having opened its first overseas location, also has plans to roll out across the UAE and Gulf region.

 

Fulham Shore opens first Franco Manca site in Liverpool: Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator which is backed by Toridoll and Capdesia, has opened the first site in Liverpool under its Franco Manca brand. It has opened a 110-cover site at 60 Bold Street, creating 25 new jobs. The company has also opened a further central London location, at 82 New Oxford Street, bringing its total to 72 restaurants across the UK. Meanwhile, Fulham Shore’s new concept, Super Club Roma, which was due to launch last weekend, will now launch this Saturday (12 December), in London’s Westfield Stratford. Fulham Shore chief executive Marcel Khan said: “It’s an exciting time of growth for The Fulham Shore as a whole. We’re reaching new audiences, launching entirely new brands and generally delivering La Dolce Vita to the UK. As we head into 2025, this period of growth sets us up well.”

 

Shake Shack to replace YO! in Cambridge: US better burger brand Shake Shack is to replace YO! when it opens in Cambridge next year. Propel understands Shake Shack will expand its regional presence in the UK with an opening on the former YO! site in the Lion Yard shopping centre. The outlet will become Shake Shack’s 18th in the UK. The brand will open its latest UK site today (Tuesday,10 December) in Birmingham’s Grand Central shopping scheme, adding to its other regional locations in Cardiff and Oxford. The 2,866 square-foot site is situated on the second floor of the main station and has 84 covers. Colin O’Kane, managing director at Diverse Dining, operator of the Shake Shack brand in the UK, said: “With locations across London and the south east, expanding the Shake Shack portfolio to new regions in the UK is a key part of our strategic growth plan, and this debut Midlands site at Bullring & Grand Central is a very important milestone.  As the country’s second-biggest city, we’ve had Birmingham in our sights for a while, and situated above the bustling Birmingham New Street Station, Grand Central is the ideal destination.” Shake Shack also has 12 London sites plus restaurants at Gatwick airport and Lakeside in Essex. The brand is also set to open on the former RBS premises at 78 Notting Hill Gate. Jake Bernstone, of Matta London, acted on the Cambridge deal. 

 

Boojum to open in Liverpool tomorrow: Mexican fast-casual brand Boojum, which was acquired by the Azzurri Group last summer, is set to open in Liverpool tomorrow (Wednesday, 11 December). Opening in the former Pieminister site at 31 Bold Street, it will be Boojum’s fourth mainland UK site following openings this year in Leeds, Nottingham and Birmingham. Boojum, which plans to open 25 sites over the next five years in major UK student cities, also operates 16 sites across Ireland and Northern Ireland. “To say Liverpool has been by far our most-requested city outside of the island of Ireland is nothing short of an understatement,” the company said. “We’ve had literally hundreds of requests in the past few months alone and we’re buzzing to be finally opening our first store in the city.”

 

Restaurant group JM Socials to open Indian barbecue concept: Restaurant group JM Socials, which operates ten sites in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, is to open a new venue that mixes “Indian gastronomy with barbecue”. The company, founded by long-term friends Michael Raphel and Jay Rahman, is launching Jai Ho in the Gloucestershire village of Bishop’s Cleeve in the new year. Jai Ho will offer a menu centred on Indian barbecue small plates, alongside a selection of other dishes. JM Socials’ other restaurants include Cheltenham venues Prithvi, Circo, and The Mayflower, as well as Dosa Darlings in Oxford. Rahman told Business Live: “Our goal with this new venture is to build on the success of Prithvi and our other Cheltenham restaurants by offering a relaxed neighbourhood dining experience, with high-quality food and a welcoming atmosphere. While the concept will differ from our existing restaurant offerings, we are excited to bring that same creativity and care to Bishop’s Cleeve.” 

 

Vittoria Group opens new ‘seaside chippy’ concept for seventh site: Edinburgh operator Vittoria Group has opened its seventh site in the city – “a reimagined seaside chippy” concept called Landy’s. Located in the Scottish capital’s North Bridge, Landy’s is a 200-cover restaurant in a 7000 square-foot space that blends the “elegance of historic Edinburgh with playful seaside charm”. The company said: “Landy's is a reimagined seaside chippy where you can enjoy the classic comfort of fish and chips, served with a modern twist. Think crispy, golden batter, Edinburgh's favourite chippy sauce, and all the flavours you know and love – upgraded for an unforgettable dining experience. Landy's is a fresh take on tradition.” Director Alberto Crolla said: “The capital's lively Old Town is the ideal location to expand our restaurant business.” In the spring, the business opened a gastropub and restaurant – Brunswick Book Club – at 113 Brunswick Street in the Scottish capital. The company has also reopened its newly renovated family Italian restaurant, Vittoria on the Walk, which has operated in Brunswick Street since 1970. The group, led by Tony Crolla, also operates Vittoria on the Bridge on the George IV Bridge, Bertie’s Fish & Chips in Victoria Street, wine bar and restaurant Divino Enoteca in Merchant Street, and cafe-takeaway Taste of Italy in Baxters Place.

 

Chit ‘n’ Chaat opens fourth Manchester site: Indian street food concept Chit ‘n’ Chaat has opened its fourth Manchester site. The business, which also operates a site in London’s Bethnal Green, has opened a 2,000 square-foot site in the Trafford Centre. The opening forms part of Trafford Centre’s new look dining area in the Upper Orient. Sagar Modha, co-founder of Chit ‘n’ Chaat, said: “Trafford Centre is a dream location for our business. After nearly two years of planning, we are proud to achieve this milestone. Our vision has always been to bring the vibrant flavours of Indian street food to new markets, and Trafford Centre provides the ideal platform to do just that. We’re eager to share our culinary heritage with our customers and look forward to the exciting journey ahead.”

 

Professionals at Play launches first Star Pins site: Professionals at Play – the parent company of the Roxy Lanes, Roxy Ball Room and King Pins concepts – has launched its first Star Pins site. A sister concept to King Pins, which has two venues in Manchester, with another to launch in Bristol, Star Pins has a more family-friendly offering. Launching at West Orchards shopping centre in Coventry, it features ten-pin bowling, mini-golf, bumper cars, tech darts, shuffleboard, ice-free curling, American pool, a shooting pod, ping pong and an arcade. The venue is open until 10pm every weekday and midnight on weekends, with a separate access in Smithford Way for after the shopping centre is closed. “We’re thrilled to open our first Star Pins venue,” said James Travis, brand manager at Star Pins. “This exciting new location brings a fun-filled experience where friends and families can come together, have fun, and create lasting memories.” Professionals at Play operates King Pins and Star Pins under its Pins Leisure portfolio, and Roxy Lanes and Roxy Ball Room under its Roxy Leisure portfolio.