YouMeSushi aiming to reach 35 sites next year with Birmingham and Manchester ‘key areas’, sushi ‘now mainstream and attracting younger customers’: YouMeSushi, the restaurant and takeaway business, has told Propel it is aiming to reach the 35-site mark next year, with Birmingham and Manchester “key focus areas”. The franchise brand has previously said it aims to double its estate over the next three years, and it will finish the year on 26 stores. Much of the focus for its expansion will be taking the predominantly London-based business further out into the regions, having added locations this year in places such as Glasgow, Bristol, Rayleigh and Worthing. “We’re looking to have 35 sites by the end of next year,” YouMeSushi’s head of development Tim Circus told Propel. “We opened five this year and will open five more in the coming months, having taken six new franchisees on board in 2024. We want to go into more parts of the country – Manchester and Birmingham are high on our list, and the Bristol site is doing really well, which opens up going into places like Cardiff. The south coast sites have outperformed expectations too, doing much higher revenue than we expected, so we’d be keen to do more down there. We see the potential for four or five more in Glasgow, and to go to from there to Edinburgh.” Circus said that while a link up with Putt Putt Noodle, which saw it operating out of several of the mini golf concept’s sites, didn’t work out, it is open to other partnerships and a big one is “on the cards” for next year. He also said sushi is no longer niche and is attracting ever younger audiences. “Sushi used to be quite niche but now it’s mainstream and we want to become a household name,” he said. "What surprised me when I spent a few days training in-store was how many schoolkids came in. We’ve gone past the generations that want just pizzas and burgers and they’re looking for healthier foods.” Circus said he “100% believes” sushi would work in drive-thrus but that the business is not at that stage in its growth. He added that while it’s also not currently in travel hubs, “there’s definitely a massive opportunity there”. He said: “Those are probably more long-term goals for us as we’re really focused on getting these high footfall locations in city centres.” Circus went on to say that YouMeSushi managed to reduce its food costs by 1.5% this year and also has a labour efficient set up, with some stores operating with just a couple of staff members. YouMeSushi features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, the latest edition of which was sent to Premium Club members this week, featuring 50 new entries. 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.

 

Discover how to grow sales and enhance customer experience through technology at Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, open for bookings: Discover how to grow sales and enhance the customer experience through technology at the Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, will talk to Kallie Kocourek, vice-president of UK market at Roasting Plant Coffee, Guy Scott-South, director of IT at Smart with Heart Group, Matt Griffin, digital operations manager (EMEA) at Subway, and David Carey, chief technology officer at Popeyes, about how restaurants can leverage digital tools, from online ordering and delivery to in-store experiences, while maintaining key human touch points to enhance guest satisfaction. 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 next Turnover & Profits Blue Book today featuring 1,039 companies: Premium Club members will receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book today (Friday, 13 December), at 12pm. The database will feature 65 updated accounts and 30 new companies, taking the total to 1,039. A total of 650 companies are making a profit while 389 are making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings 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.

 

David Campbell – the need to invent new ways to be more efficient will accelerate our adoption of emerging AI-driven technologies: David Campbell, the former chief executive of PizzaExpress and Wagamama and current chair of Rare Restaurants and Ole & Steen, has argued the need to invent new ways to be more efficient will accelerate the sector’s adoption of emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technologies. Writing in this week’s Propel Premium, Campbell said: “P&Ls are being squeezed, and passing this on to the consumer via menu price increases is much less of an option as a lever to mitigate this pressure, given that – broadly speaking – most operators have put 20%-25% through on price, in the past two to three years. If necessity is the mother of all invention, as the saying goes, right now, our businesses necessarily need to invent new ways to be more efficient. It’s my sincere belief that this need will accelerate our adoption of emerging AI-driven technologies.” Campbell also believes that the cry from some in the sector that it is “all about people, not technology”, is the “wrong answer in this game”. In this week's Propel Premium Opinion, which will be sent to Premium Club members today (Friday, 13 December) at 5pm, Campbell talks about how we are living in the midst of what is in reality the fourth industrial revolution and how great hospitality in today’s market means both great people and winning technology. Meanwhile, Propel group editor Mark Wingett talks to John Welsh, co-founder of the Greene King-backed, US barbecue brand Hickory's. 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.

 

Tourism and hospitality suffered the biggest cost hikes of any industry after the Budget: Britain’s pubs, restaurants and hotels experienced the fastest increase in costs of any business sector last month after being hit by tax and wage changes in October’s Budget. Tourism and recreation companies also implemented the steepest price hikes of any industry monitored, according to the latest Lloyds UK Sector Tracker. The Daily Mail reported that Lloyds UK said the level of cost increases imposed by tourism and recreation firms last month measured 67.5 on its index, compared with 66.3 in October. Any number above 50 indicates an overall rise measured against the previous month, and a figure below 50 denotes a drop. Lloyds also found that companies’ future output expectations declined to their worst level for almost two years. The number of firms who said inflationary pressures could impact their future activity also jumped to more than nine times the long-term average: 9.23 in November versus 3.45 in October. Nikesh Sawjani, senior UK economist at Lloyds, said: “The softening in output expectation and rise in inflationary concerns is a reflection of the headwinds that businesses are facing into currently. As we reach the end of 2024, businesses are already planning and preparing for what they hope will be a strong start to the new year.”

 

Serial sector investor hails UK foodservice innovation: Serial sector investor Imbiba, which backs the likes of Pizza Pilgrims, Clays, Farmer J and F1 Arcade, has said the UK remains a “hotbed of innovation and creativity” when it comes to creating and curating the very best location-based businesses and brands. The investment firm, which also backs Big Fang Collective and the Ninja Warrior operator Leisure TV Rights, said: “While 2024 hasn't been entirely plain sailing, at Imbiba we count ourselves extremely fortunate to get the opportunity to work with some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs and best growth businesses in the UK. Recent whistle-stop trips across America, the UAE and parts of Europe reaffirmed our belief that the UK remains a hotbed of innovation and creativity when it comes to creating and curating the very best location-based businesses and brands. As we all know, small growth businesses from all sectors will endure good times and bad, peaks and troughs. However, with innovation and entrepreneurial spirit at their core, great businesses – of which this sector has many – will survive and thrive. We look forward to a lively 2025!”

 

Only A Pavement Away receives grant that will enable it to place 300 people into hospitality jobs: Only A Pavement Away, the industry charity helping those facing or at risk of homelessness find employment in the hospitality sector, has received a grant that will enable it to place 300 people into hospitality jobs and provide 900 individuals with access to employment opportunities. Although the exact amount has not been disclosed, it is one of a handful of global not-for-profit organisations selected to receive part of a £4.2m pay-out from the Hilton Global Foundation. Only A Pavement Away’s flagship programme, Passport 2 Employment, is an immersive five-day hospitality experience, where candidates study and work on site, with 80% of those who take part offered permanent roles. Following the grant, the charity is now looking to host additional Passport 2 Employment Programmes in 2025 to meet its aspiration of getting a further 5,000 people into work over the next four years. Greg Mangham, founder and chief executive of Only A Pavement Away, said: “The funds will enable us to deliver training and learning and development activities to help more of our candidates overcome barriers and get into work. Thanks to employers such as Hilton, we can bring talented and loyal people into the hospitality sector and add value back into local communities.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a hospitality business that is seeking a general manager with a background in fine dining. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The general manager will exceed expectations and maintain the excellent reputation for food and service. People will be at the heart of what they do, ensuring the best performance of the team through consistent coaching and mentoring and excellent leadership from the front. With private dining, rooms and a menu to die for, the business is looking for a candidate who can tie the whole building together.” The salary is up to £55,000 and the position is based in Berkshire. For more information, email kate@corecruitment.com.

 

Simon Rimmer’s restaurant business collapsed owing nearly £600,000 to creditors: Greens, the restaurant business from chef Simon Rimmer, fell into administration owing circa £600,000 to creditors, with administrators calling the company’s sales projections for its site in Sale as “over-ambitious”. Vegetarian restaurant Greens opened in Didsbury, Manchester, in 1990 but was forced to close at the start of this year. The business closed its other site in Sale – which opened in 2022 – in September. At the time, the company said: “We’ve done everything possible to make this work, but it is now clear the business is untenable.” According to the joint administrators report by Begbies Traynor on Strudel, the company behind the Greens business, HM Revenue & Customs is owed an estimated £458,873 in unpaid VAT and PAYE. Royal Bank of Scotland is also owed £13,164 while trade creditors are owed an estimated £75,000. Consumer creditors who paid for restaurant vouchers and gift cards are owed around £35,790. Begbies Traynor said there will not be enough money recovered through the administration process to pay anything back to these creditors. Begbies Traynor said: “The company was incorporated in 2011, with a capital investment from John Redeyoff, the plan being to open further sites. The site itself was expanded twice to accommodate more guests, in both 2003 and 2008. The business traded well during this time, regularly making sizeable profit – one year around £150,000. Though several sites were considered, it wasn’t until 2021, shortly after covid lockdowns, that a seemingly suitable site was found in Sale. Investment was provided by Jamie Clarke and Peter Holliday. John Phythian and Kyle Quinn were named as directors alongside Simon Connolly, Redeyoff and Simon Rimmer. The directors decided to close the Didsbury site at the end of 2023 to concentrate on the larger site that was deemed to have more potential. Sales projections for Greens Sale were over-ambitious, and it took too long to adjust cost base to actual turnover. Opening at the start of the financial crisis, cost of living spike and increased mortgage interest rates were contributing factors. Further cash injections were made by former directors/shareholders (of around £200,000), but ultimately, the debt accrued could not be settled through trade. In September 2024, the remaining directors accepted the outstanding debt could not be paid through either trading or time to pay schemes and the responsible thing to do was to go into administration.” The company’s business and assets were acquired by The Bubble Room Sale, an unconnected entity, for £50,000. The Bubble Room, which is owned by the Mason family, operates sites in Alderley Edge and Bramhall. The company recently reopened the Sale site as the third Bubble Room. The Greens restaurant in West Didsbury was acquired by north west restaurant and bar concept Porta Tapas earlier this year. 

 

Aviary Hospitality Group renews partnership with Daizun Investments, opens second Flamingo Café site: Bournemouth operator Aviary Hospitality Group, founded by entrepreneurs Joshua Simons and Steve Crawford, has renewed its partnership with investment firm Daizun, as it opens its second Flamingo Café Bar site. Aviary initially partnered with Daizun Investments at the start of 2023. Daizun Investments, founded as a family office, was established to deploy its own capital to offer flexible funding options to British small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as supporting innovative start-ups. It comes as Aviary, which also operates the Chicken & Blues concept, opens a new Flamingo Café Bar on the former Bateau site in Ashley Cross, Poole. Flamingo Café Bar “by the Green” joins the group’s other Flamingo site in Boscombe Spa, after the recent closure of the original site under the concept, in Winton. Aviary also operates Chicken & Blues sites in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Simons said: “Partnering with Daizun Investments has always been about shared vision and mutual respect. The Flamingo Café Bar concept represents our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences at everyday prices, and we couldn’t think of a better partner to bring this vision to life.” David Rogers, chief executive of Daizun Investments, added: “We pride ourselves on supporting visionary businesses that bring something extraordinary to our communities. Aviary Hospitality embodies these values, and we are excited to once again partner with it to deliver a standout venue in Ashley Cross.” 

 

Ex-Tapas Revolution heads of operations and Chi restaurants co-founder launch new hospitality company, acquires two Adnams pubs: David Booth, former head of operations at Tapas Revolution, and Lamen Reddy, co-founder of Asian street food concept Chi, have joined forces to launch Anjuna Group, which is looking to roll out pubs and restaurants across East Anglia. The business launched earlier this year with the opening of Mediterranean-inspired small plates concept Blue Fig in Bury St Edmunds. Anjuna has followed this with the acquisition of two Suffolk pubs from Adnams – The White Hart in Blythburgh, Halesworth, and The Bell Inn in Middleton, Saxmundham. Propel understands that Anjuna has also secured The Galley in Woodbridge, Suffolk, for what will become the Burnt Fig. At the same time, the business is close to securing two further pubs in the region and is looking to expand both the Blue Fig concept and its pub estate further over the next few years. Anjuna said its pubs and inns aim to deliver a “perfect balance of laid-back vibes and lively atmospheres, with a focus on delivering exceptional hospitality and providing an inviting, memorable experience across their locations”. Booth said: “Suffolk is such a diverse, culturally rich area, we are delighted to join the amazing food scene here offering a taste of true hospitality, showcasing the wonderful food and drink that goes hand in hand with a relaxed and welcoming way to socialise.”

 

Taco Bell launches third UK equity store: Taco Bell, the Yum! Brands owned brand, has opened its third UK equity store. The company, which operates circa 135 franchise sites in the UK, opened its first equity-owned restaurant in the UK in October, at Anglia Retail Park in Anglia Parkway, Ipswich. At the time, it said it would launch five more UK equity stores this year and ten more in 2025. The second – and first Taco Bell to open in Norfolk – opened the following month at 14 London Street in Norwich. Number three has now launched at Westwood Cross in Broadstairs, Kent. “The growth continues at Taco Bell UK, with the third company-owned store opening for business at Westwood Cross, in Kent,” a company spokesman said. “Lines outside the door are becoming the norm as the UK get more excited about the brand with each opening. Lots more growth to come before 2024 ends.” Earlier this week, Taco Bell launched a new beverage concept called Live Más Café in the US, opening its first site in San Diego.

 

Krispy Kreme confirms Northern Ireland debut and plans to open more in the country: Krispy Kreme has confirmed it will open its debut site in Northern Ireland next year, in Belfast, which will be the first of a series of planned openings in the country, with more to follow in 2025. The new site in the Victoria Square shopping scheme will include seating. Guy Meakin, Krispy Kreme UK & Ireland managing director, said: “Bringing Krispy Kreme to Northern Ireland for the first time feels like a natural next step for the brand, especially given the amazing reception we’ve had across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.” The brand currently operates 14 stand-alone shops in the Republic of Ireland. 

 

TRG Concessions and BrewDog open their largest UK airport site: TRG Concessions and Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog have strengthened their partnership with the opening of the largest BrewDog airport site. Having opened the world’s first BrewDog airport bar at Edinburgh airport in 2018, TRG Concessions and BrewDog have relocated into a larger location, which now offers a full bar and restaurant, in response to “significant customer demand”. Triple the size of the previous site, the 4,200 square-foot concession features 16 taps of beer, a photo booth and Zoom booths. The opening is the sixth new site introduced by TRG Concessions over the past year, with a strong pipeline of new concessions planned for 2025. Kirsten Pottinger, commercial director at TRG Concessions, said: “After the success of BrewDog’s first airport site in 2018, we are delighted to welcome passengers to this new and expanded BrewDog restaurant and bar, in response to popular demand. With an exciting pipeline of future projects, we look forward to continuing to enhance the variety of concepts available to the travelling public.” Laura Godsman, franchise director, at BrewDog, said: “This is an incredibly exciting opening for us, in a brilliant location within the airport.” 

 

Midlands McDonald’s franchisee narrows losses, 3.8% growth in sales ‘predominantly due to price rises’: McDonald’s franchisee Lemaca, which operates 14 restaurants in the Stoke and Derby areas, narrowed its losses in the year to 31 December 2023, and said that a 3.8% growth in sales was “predominantly due to price rises”. The company, founded in 1999 by Edward Leligdowicz, saw a pre-tax loss of £1,873,169 in 2022 reduced to £1,119,524. Turnover was up from £62,978,190 to £65,378,390. Dividends of £173,000 were paid (2022: £2,068,000). “The growth in sales is predominantly due to price rises,” Leligdowicz said. “The gross profit margin is 62.85% compared with 62.79% in 2022 and is in line with expectations. The company also plans to acquire more restaurants should the opportunity arise.” Leligdowicz took on his first franchise in Newcastle-under-Lyme high street in 1999, having previously worked as a sales and marketing manager for Fujitsu Australia and purchasing manager for International Computers.

 

We Do Play to open Flip Out in Coventry tomorrow: We Do Play, the Flip Out and Putt Putt Noodle operator, will tomorrow (Saturday, 14 December) open a new Flip Out trampoline park in Coventry. The venue will open in the former TJ Hughes store in the city’s Lower Precinct shopping centre following a multimillion-pound investment. Flip Out Coventry will feature state-of-the-art dodgems, a roller rink, a huge inflatable arena, air-track football, a traversing wall and a PS5 gaming zone. The site will also have a large ninja playground, drift trikes, a laser tag experience and three party rooms. There will also be a Flip Out Diner. Richard Beese, co-owner of We Do Play, said: “The opening of Flip Out Coventry is finally here, and it is bursting at the seams with 11 adrenaline-pumping activities.” Propel revealed earlier this week that We Do Play will also this week launch a new concept called Rumble Rooms in Milton Keynes’ 12th Street. In a busy month for the group, it will also launch the first UK site for Canadian experiential brand Activate on Monday (16 December). 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.

 

Midlands better burger business set to open new headquarters as it prepares for ‘big things’ in 2025: Midlands better burger business Phat Buns has said it is set to open a new headquarters as it prepares for “big things” in 2025. Founded in 2019, Phat Buns is owned by Hussein Sacranie and Ahtesham Moosa, who have since grown it to 14 sites. The business has a current pipeline to reach 20 sites in the UK, including openings in Wolverhampton and Liverpool, and is working on deals for international locations in Canada and the UAE. “When we first started, Phat Buns and [sister brand] Doorstep Desserts were born out of humble beginnings, with operations scattered across Leicester,” Sacranie said. “Over the years, we’ve grown, evolved, and built something truly special. Now it’s time to take things to the next level. We’re in the midst of creating a new headquarters, a space where all the magic will happen under one roof. This isn’t just an office, it’s the beating heart of our brands, where ideas will come to life, teams will collaborate, and the future of Phat Buns and Doorstep Desserts will be shaped. 2025 is set to be a game changing year for us, and this new headquarters is just the start. Watch this space – big things are on the horizon.”

 

Livingstone brothers’ hotel company sees turnover rise to £584m, profit reduces almost six-fold: London & Regional Hotels, which owns and manages an extensive hotel portfolio across the UK, Europe, US and the Caribbean, saw its turnover rise to £584m in the year to 31 December 2023, but its profit reduced almost six-fold. Group turnover less shares of joint ventures rose from a restated £542m in 2022 to £548m. Pre-tax profit dropped from £40m to £7m. Director Ian Livingstone, who created London & Regional Hotels with brother Richard in 1990, said: “The group’s net asset value reduced by £30m to £715m (2022: £745m) principally due to the currency translation differences for the year. Group cash at 31 December 2023 decreased to £145m (2022: £252m), due to the repayment of loans to related parties of £170m. The performance of the group has continued to strengthen with significant increases in turnover and cash generated from operating activities in Europe, United States and the Caribbean. The company is no longer required to provide financial support to subsidiary companies in the course of normal business, although certain hotels have and will require some financial support as part of refurbishment programmes. At 31 December 2023, the group was in net current liabilities position of £387m (2022: 289m), primarily due to amounts owed to the ultimate controlling parties of £83m (2022: £135m) and amounts owed to related undertakings of £373m (2022: £486m). Subsequent to the year end, an agreement relating to an amount of £234m owed to related undertakings was signed deferring the payment of this balance to October 2026. The bank loans in both Strand Palace Hotel & Restaurants and SRE Hotels (Cliveden) were refinanced on 25 March 2024 and are now repayable on 25 March 2027. Subsequent to the reporting date of these financial statements, the group disposed of the shares in Titania SA that owned and operated a hotel in Athens. Additionally the group acquired the Hampton by Hilton, Barcelona.”

 

Big Smoke Pub Co opens fifth pub: Big Smoke Pub Co, which underwent a restructure last year, has opened its fifth pub. The company has launched The Swan in Hampton Wick, joining its other pubs in south west London and Surrey – in East Molesey, Surbiton, Weybridge and Kingston. “It’s been a great first week at our new pub, The Swan, in Hampton Wick, just a stone’s throw from the River Thames,” the company posted to social media. “The pub has just reopened following a four-week renovation.” The five original pubs operated by Big Smoke Pub Co were sold for £80,000 via a pre-pack administration last year and the business was acquired by a new vehicle led by Big Smoke directors, Rich Craig and James Morgan. The company returned to the expansion trail in March with the opening of The Poyntz Arms in East Molesey.

 

Nottinghamshire operator opens fourth site: Nottinghamshire operator OneUnion has opened its fourth site, in Beeston. The company has acquired tapas restaurant The Glass Orchid, which is based at the £50m Beeston Square development and closed in September. The venue continues to serve tapas but pizzas and “pub classics” have been added to the menu. A breakfast offer will be introduced in the new year, reports Nottinghamshire Live. OneUnion also operates the Commercial Inn in Beeston, The Manor in Toton and The Bromley in Fiskerton. 

 

Yorkshire holiday park business returns to profit: Yorkshire holiday park business Leisure Resorts returned to profit in the year ending 31 December 2023. The company turned a pre-tax loss of £223,635 in 2022 into a profit of £238,694. As previously reported, the company used the proceeds from the sales of two sites early in the year to pay back £10m worth of loans. It sold Lakesway Holiday Home & Lodge Park in Kendal to Pure Leisure in March 2023 and Rivers Edge Country Park to UK Leisure Parks a month later. “In early 2023, the company completed on the sale of two holiday parks, the proceeds of which were used to significantly reduce bank debt and to provide capital for investment in the company's remaining holiday parks,” Leisure Resorts director Gary Molloy said. “For the year ended 31 December 2023, the company reports a profit before tax of £238,694 (2022: loss of £223,635). However, due to a tax charge on the disposal of holiday parks, the company reports a loss for the year of £853,916 (2022: £72,753).” The sales left the company with a portfolio of three parks – Angrove in North Yorkshire, Aysgarth in the Yorkshire Dales and Ullswater Heights in the Lake District – and saw its turnover drop from £25,204,108 in 2022 to £17,222,794. Ebitda was down from £2,845,389 in 2022 to £443,278, while £2m in capex was spent enhancing facilities on its remaining parks. The company has a surplus on shareholders’ funds of £1,829,698 (2022: £2,683,614). No government grants were received (2022: £26,000) and no dividends were paid (2022: nil).

  

Alan Yau-inspired Duck & Rice plans second site: Duck & Rice, the classic Chinese food in a pub concept set up by Wagamama founder Alan Yau in London’s Soho, is planning to open a second site in the capital. The business, in which Yau is no longer involved, has lined up an opening for next year in the Battersea Power Station development. At the time of opening of the original Duck & Rice site in Berwick Street, Yau said: “I don’t do pastiche. What we have is a proper pub with a Chinese kitchen. It’s not a ‘Chinese pub’, because then it becomes an extreme exercise in the way a musician doing a restaurant would create a Hard Rock Cafe.” 

 

European beer hall opening lined up for Sheffield: A European-inspired beer hall and restaurant is set to open in Sheffield next year. The vast new venue will showcase fresh imported tank beer, continental cuisine, and top-tier live entertainment – all under one roof. Named Kapital, the venue is the brainchild of the team behind the award-winning Two Thirds Beer Co, which is located in Abbeydale Road in the city and known for its craft beer and German-themed street food. Spanning two floors, the new 4,500 square-foot beer hall and restaurant will be located in the £470m Heart of the City mixed-use development and will offer the single biggest European beer selection within the city centre. The bar’s owners aim to bring the best of Europe’s beer halls to Sheffield, spotlighting the rich traditions and vibrant cultures of the iconic beer cities of Brussels, Pilsen, Prague and Munich. The space will be dominated by four huge stainless steel beer tanks filled with fresh, unpasteurised Budvar Czech lager – delivered directly from the brewery cellars in South Bohemia to Sheffield every week. The venue will also boast an outdoor beer garden, pan-European restaurant and private hire space with panoramic views. Kapital co-founder, Ben Stubbs, said: “We are excited to be expanding our operation with a flagship site in Sheffield’s Heart of the City. Our vision is to bring something fresh, innovative, and exciting to the area with a truly authentic European drinking and dining destination unlike anything else.”

 

New Birmingham nightclub to launch in former fried chicken site: A new nightclub in Birmingham is opening, aiming to “bring back what has been lost” and promote local DJs. The nightclub is split into two rooms, one of which has been converted from an abandoned fried chicken shop. Club Colette is managed by the team from nearby nightclub Mama Roux’s and will provide a similar atmosphere, promoting high-sound quality in electronic music. Located in Lower Trinity Street, the nightclub will host a daytime party tomorrow (Saturday, 14 December) before a full launch next year. Fridays will focus on a broader range of genres, including hip-hop and drum and bass while Saturdays will feature international acts in the house and techno worlds. Club Colette director Benjy Hill told the Birmingham Mail: “In an era where venues and events seem to be growing bigger and bigger – and there’s, of course, a place for this – we’re focusing on getting the little details right and bringing the artists headlining these mega venues back directly in front of the types of crowds that helped them learn their craft with support from our residents. While there will be some of the world’s most underground acts and brands gracing this space, there will be real emphasis on our residents that has lost its place in today’s rave. Our motive is clear: bring back what has been lost.”