Exclusive – Homeslice in administration: London better pizza brand Homeslice, founded by Alan and Mark Wogan, has been placed in administration, Propel understands. Begbies Traynor is understood to have been appointed as administrators to Homeslice, which operates three sites – in the City, Marylebone and Neal’s Yard. All three restaurants continue to trade, and the company’s recent opening at Harvey Nichols – its first opening in five years – is understood not to be part of the administration process. Propel understands that Homeslice’s 70-cover site in James Street is currently being marketed by joint agents AG&G and Gordon Brothers, with a guide price of £150,000. Propel understands that Homeslice’s founders are in talks to buy back the remaining two sites. Homeslice, which operated from six sites pre-covid, launched a residency in Harrods last month, on the fifth floor of the luxury Knightsbridge department store. For the first time, Homeslice, which was founded in 2013, is also serving non-pizza dishes, including £6 “from the counter” items such as dough balls, stracciatella and caviar, wagyu polpette, deep fried olives and meatball sliders, at the new site. 

Honest Burgers opens first Smash + Grab site: Honest Burgers, the Active Partners-backed business, has opened the first site under its new quick service restaurant (QSR) format focused on smash burgers, called Smash + Grab. Opened today (Wednesday, 11 December), the converted site in London’s Old Broad Street offers a new range of smash burgers starting from £6.25 with the Smash Cheese, up to £8.95 for the Smash Plant or BBQ Chicken. The menu also features loaded fries for £4.50 and chicken tenders for the same price. Consumers can place their orders via new digital screens to grab and go or eat-in. The 39-strong business, which in October revealed it is aiming to quadruple in size by 2030, said it plans to open more sites under the new concept in 2025. Last month, the company said: “We’re opening a QSR dedicated to smash burgers. We are transforming Honest Burgers Liverpool Street restaurant into Smash + Grab, which combines Honest’s high standards with speed and convenience to get your burgers quickly. There will be a wider range of smash burgers built around the hugely popular [smashed burger] we have been serving for the last two years at Honest. Smash + Grab features a menu using the highest quality British ingredients at excellent value. The smashed range includes new burgers including the Smash BBQ, Smash Hot and ‘Smash Tribute’, all homemade with beef from Honest’s butchery and an optional side of our famous rosemary salted chips. Smash + Grab will also offer our popular buttermilk fried chicken, and a new smashed plant burger. Other new additions include loaded chips, fried chicken tenders, as well as milkshakes. We’re taking all the great things about Honest and smashing them together with everything people love about getting food fast, on-the-go. We’re excited about unleashing Smash + Grab, and look forward to opening more next year.” Honest Burgers features in the Premium Club Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the latest edition of which will be sent exclusively to Premium Club members on Friday (13 December) at 12pm and will feature 1,039 companies. Honest Burgers turnover of £56.4m for the year ending January 2024 is the 200th highest in the database. 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.

Inverlochy Castle owners acquire boutique Perthshire hotel: The owners of the five-star Inverlochy Castle have acquired Knockendarroch Hotel in Pitlochry, Scotland, for an undisclosed sum. The multi award-winning luxury Knockendarroch Hotel is nestled in the heart in the Perthshire countryside, featuring 18 bedrooms and a two AA Rosette restaurant, and was owned by Struan and Louise Lothian for ten years. From 20 January 2025, Knockendarroch Hotel will join the group of luxury hotels run by Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI), including Crossbasket Castle, Greywalls, Isle of Eriska Hotel and Spa, Rocpool Reserve and the Glenfinnan Hotel. Knockendarroch Hotel is set to reopen in February. Norbert Lieder, managing director of ICMI, said: “With hotels across some of Scotland’s most popular rural locations it feels like we are meant to have a presence in beautiful Pitlochry. The previous owners significantly upgraded the hotel, and it is extremely well run. We look forward to continuing to deliver the same high standard of service.” Knockendarroch currently has planning permission to build an additional eight bedrooms, which ICMI hopes to develop in the near future.