Sector sales increase 2.7% in November as industry sees first real-terms growth since June: Britain’s leading hospitality groups recorded year-on-year sales growth of 2.7% in November, the latest edition of the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. The figure is marginally above Britain’s rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index and marks the first real-terms growth since June. The tracker – produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK – shows total sales growth, including new venues opened during the last 12 months, stood at 4.7% in November. Managed restaurants performed best of the main hospitality segments, with like-for-like growth of 3.6%. This just topped a 3.1% increase for pub groups, which benefited from Halloween celebrations at the start of November. Among other channels, bars continued a long run of negative numbers, with sales down by 5.3% from the same month in 2023. On-the-go venues recorded 2.8% growth. Trading in London was slightly ahead of the rest of the country for the first time since July, the tracker indicates. Managed groups’ November sales inside the M25 were up by 3.0% year-on-year, while venues beyond the M25 achieved 2.5% growth. Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “After struggling for real-terms growth for much of the summer and autumn, November’s trading figures represent a solid if unspectacular recovery. They are particularly welcome in light of the new burden placed on hospitality by the government’s Budget, but costs and margins will continue to be under severe pressure for some time to come. With the vital Christmas and new year trading period looming, groups will now be keeping everything crossed for favourable weather and strong consumer confidence so they can end 2024 on a high.”

 

Discover how to grow sales through menu insights at Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, open for bookings: Discover how to grow sales through menu insights at the Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. Steven Pike, managing director at HGEM, will share data-driven insights into menu optimisation. He’ll explore how to decide which dishes to add or remove, the ideal menu length, and how reliable sales volume is as a success indicator. Pike will then be joined by Lizzie Isles, head of food and drink at Côte Brasserie, Claire Scullion, managing director of The Menu Scientist, and Chris Stagg, brand director at Peach Pubs, to offer practical strategies for improving menu performance and 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.

 

Marston’s says price of a pint to be increased by 10p following Budget: Marston’s has announced plans to increase prices at the bar following the Budget tax hit. The Sun reported that Marston’s has increased the price of draught beer across its pub estate, with drinkers facing paying about 10p more a pint. Due to regional pricing, the increase is believed to be variable across the country. The Sun understands that price increases will impact a limited number of products, including draught beer. A Marston’s spokesperson said: “This is not a decision we’ve taken lightly but, as has been widely reported, the cost of doing business is increasing across the sector. At Marston’s, we pride ourselves on offering great value and experiences for our guests every day of the week, and our teams are working hard to minimise the impact of external pressures on our customers and pub partners.” Simon Emeny, chief executive of Fuller’s, previously told The Sun that the price of beer at its sites would likely rise by 10p following the Budget. JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin has also said the group would try to stay competitive on costs for customers but warned them to expect some increases.

 

Retail and hospitality bear the brunt of payroll hike: The majority of Britain’s biggest listed companies will together account for less than 3% of the revenue raised by Labour’s increased payroll tax, Bloomberg analysis shows, despite prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s promise to target “those with the broadest shoulders”. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced more than £40bn in tax hikes at the end of October. Most of the money will come from higher employers’ national insurance contributions, raising around £24bn to £26bn a year. The move was intended to place the burden on large employers rather than voters. However, many blue-chip companies have significant international operations and employ relatively few people in the UK. The higher payroll tax has a much greater effect on firms that depend on British workers, particularly shops, pubs and other high street businesses. Bloomberg Intelligence identified three groups of companies in these sectors and estimated the cost of extra national insurance payments: a dozen FTSE 100 companies in the retail, hospitality and high street sectors (£737m), 28 unlisted or foreign-listed retailers (£536m) and 33 retail and hospitality companies from the broader FTSE 250 (£224m). These 73 companies will pay £1.5bn combined, while the 88 remaining companies from the FTSE 100 pay just £623m – around 2.4% of the total amount the Treasury is hoping to raise. “It’s going to cost us millions more than we originally budgeted,” said Tim Richards, the chief executive of cinema brand Vue Entertainment. Mitchells & Butlers employs more than 50,000 staff and will pay an extra £20m as a result of the tax increases, according to chief executive Phil Urban, who said Labour was punishing industries that offer flexible jobs for people not looking to work full-time. Prices will rise as a consequence, he warned, although businesses are unlikely to pass it all on. “The consumer might not be able to stomach that, but it will be inflationary,” Urban said.

 

Operators criticise Guinness shortage: Pub operators have expressed frustration at the Diageo over shortages of Guinness in the run-up to Christmas. JD Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin said he would be having “a stern word” with the drinks company as his business struggles to get enough Guinness at some of its near-800 sites. “I think someone at Guinness has made a mistake,” he told the FT. “Since we’ve worked with it for so long, we intend to forgive it, but it better get brewing.” Martin claimed Wetherspoon is the biggest global seller of Guinness on tap, with 25 million pints a year. He said Guinness had been a “very reliable supplier” for Wetherspoon for 45 years, and that he could not recall it running out before. Wetherspoon is currently preparing for a shortage by stocking up on real ale, he added. Admiral Taverns chief executive Chris Jowsey saying his company had not received any Guinness supply from its distributor since last Wednesday (11 December). Some of its almost 1,600 pubs are already completely out of stock, he said. “I don’t understand why it can’t make a sufficient [volume],” he added. “My understanding is there’s no shortage of Guinness in Ireland, which is where it’s made. So, it sounds as if it is supplying the Irish market, but not the English market.” He does not expect to receive any Guinness this week. James Baer, chief executive at Amber Taverns, said about 10% of its nearly 180 pubs have already run out of Guinness on tap. The company has been told by its distributor that it could have “less than half” of what it is normally supplied. “It does reflect the success of Guinness, but it’s also poor of Diageo not to have fully responded to that success in terms of supply,” he said. Simon Dodd, chief executive of Young’s, said its pubs have on hand 90% of their usual Guinness volume and the company is not experiencing any shortages. “We’re quite happy in terms of getting through the Christmas period,” he added. A spokesperson for Diageo said: “We have been efficiently allocating stock to all our direct customers on a weekly basis, ensuring that everyone who sells Guinness has stock allocated to them.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a business with four diverse revenue streams that is sales and marketing director. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The sales and marketing director will have a proven track record in upmarket hospitality, ready to unlock the full potential of this exceptional business. They will develop and implement the sales and marketing strategy, recruit, train and develop the sales and marketing team, guide the strategy for the online presence, and meet with key clients to ensure relationships are maintained and nurtured.” The salary is up to £120,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com.

 

Chopstix plans to reach 300 sites and £200m in system sales by 2027 and support 100 neurodiverse young people into work:Chopstix, the QSRP-backed business, has said its three-year strategy lays out a roadmap to reaching £200m in system sales, 300 sites and placing 100 neurodiverse young people into work across its estate by 2027. The company, which currently operates more than 150 sites, said its commitment to creating inclusive opportunities is a core principal of its three-year strategy. To launch the initiative, Chopstix has partnered with not-for-profit organisations DFN Project Search and Mencap, and London South East Colleges, to support internships for young people with learning difficulties. Chopstix said the initiative has already proven “highly impactful” having placed 21 people into the programme to date. Interns gain invaluable on-the-job experience at Chopstix Group sites, guided by a dedicated job coach. Chopstix said it is dedicated to empowering each intern to “unleash their full potential” and grow into future leaders in the company. To ensure colleagues entering the business via the programme receive the wrap-around support they need, the people team has implemented training across the full estate on working with colleagues and serving customers with neurodiversity. Tricia Hamilton, head of people at Chopstix Group, said: “The interns we have already brought into the programme are truly inspiring and we're thrilled by the energy and passion there is across the whole Chopstix estate to support these colleagues and to make this initiative a success. Creating inclusive opportunities and supporting colleagues and customers that experience a learning difficulty is built into the very DNA of Chopstix culture.” Chopstix also launched fully funded higher education opportunities for its staff with Arden University and IBAT College Dublin last year, as it seeks to develop a diverse and inclusive business with “fantastic career opportunities for people from all walks of life, at every seniority level”. Chopstix Group features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, the latest edition of which was sent to Premium Club members last 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.

Neos Hospitality to invest £2.5m to launch two new concepts within Bristol site: Nightclub and bar operator Neos Hospitality, formerly Rekom UK, is set to transform its Pryzm site in Bristol into a “next generation split-experience party bar venue” as it implements its “progressive business strategy”. The venue will close on New Year’s Eve to undertake a £2.5m refurbishment, reopening at the end of January. The transformation will see the venue divided into two new spaces: Barbara’s Bier Haus, an apres-ski “high-octane party bar” which will make its debut on the ground and first floors of the building in March, and Circuit, a “modern late-night venue” scheduled for opening at the end of January. The company said the multimillion-pound investment marks a “pivotal point in Neos’ ongoing strategic evolution”. It said: “The transformation will strengthen and expand Neos’ core brands, furthering their presence in another key UK city, marking a major step in the company’s growth plans.” Chief executive Russell Quelch said: “We’ve spent 2024 establishing a solid foundation for the business through a venue base that can operate within the current market conditions. With Pryzm Bristol, we’re taking the next step by transforming this existing asset into two of our core brands. The refurbishment ticks multiple strategic boxes for us, including growing our brand portfolio and offering a wider variety of experiences for guests. It’s a strong reflection of how we’re adapting to the market and delivering experiences that resonate with our audience. We’ve successfully delivered our 2024 plan and 2025 will see us move on to the next phase of growing the business and refreshing the bars and venues within the existing estate.” In September, the company secured £25m of new funding to expand its “party bar” business. Neos, which separated from its owner, the Danish Rekom Group, in May, said the new funding from its main lender, investment group ACG, would enable it to actively target acquisitions in prime city centre locations across the UK. Neos said it was prioritising sites in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle. The company is set to launch another new party bar concept, Bonnie Rogue’s, which will be a “fiercely confident and always-on live and loud atmospheric party pub”. Neos currently operates 18 venues across the UK.

 

Punch acquires York pub: Punch Pubs & Co has acquired The Marcia Grey pub in York. Located in the suburb of Acomb, the community pub will continue to be run by its existing team and general manager. The pub has two beer gardens with outdoor seating, as well as a cosy seating area and a newly refurbished log burner. Punch’s head of estate development and acquisitions, Andrew Cannons, said: “The Marcia Grey is a fantastic community pub, and we are looking forward to working collaboratively with the existing team to ensure a smooth transition. We are confident that, with the help of Punch’s industry-leading investment and support, it will continue to remain at the heart of the community for many years to come.”

 

Costa Coffee promotes Ben Capon to UK finance director: Costa Coffee, the Coca-Cola Company-owned brand, has promoted Ben Capon to finance director for the UK & Ireland after the departure of Jane Carlin from the role. Capon has been with Costa for almost four years, including the past two as global financial planning and analysis director. He also spent five and half years at former Costa owner Whitbread, including two years as head of restaurants finance. Prior to joining Whitbread, he spent five and a half years at Tesco. His promotion comes after the departure of Carlin, who had been with Costa for more than five years, including two years as finance director for the UK & Ireland. Last month, Costa launched the trial of its first 24-hour drive-thru site in the UK. The company said it will assess customer and community feedback of the pilot at its Leicester Meridien East site before deciding whether to roll out 24-hour trading across more of its 350 UK drive-thru sites.

 

Michael Caines confident of his five-star Devon hotel returning to profitability after losses widen and Ebitda drops significantly as slow down ‘caught us out’: Chef Michael Caines has said he is confident of his five-star Devon hotel returning to profitability after its losses widened and Ebitda dropped significantly in the year to 31 December 2023. Pre-tax losses grew from £395,461 in 2022 to £1,263,815, while Ebitda dropped from £555,067 to a loss of £179,459. Turnover fell from £6,284,506 in 2022 to £5,935,680. Of this, £2,056,337 came from hotel accommodation (2022: £2,373,398) and £3,164,143 from food and beverage (2022: £3,289,042). “We carried a large and less flexible team into the year, having worked hard to put one together previously, and with the expectation of what we thought would be a busy year, the slow down caught us out, having to then reduce our team through both not replacing leavers and redundancies, as well as look to reduce expenditure,” Caines said. “As a result, turnover was down on budget, while rising cost and interest rates resulted in a significant drop in Ebitda and net loss, meaning we significantly reduced our reserves. These accounts, however, also represent the capitalisation of assets that we have invested into the business through the creation and renovation of the hotel, restaurant, vineyard, shepherd huts and the pool house. These figures should therefore be seen in the context that these assets will depreciate quickly over the next few years. The board of directors, while concerned about the loses in the year, remain confident the business can recover back to a profit-making business, with a restructuring of the business in line with expectations, forecasted projections and its overall performance. Additional funding if required will also be made available to help us through the winter months.” Caines added the autumn harvest from the vineyard proved to be of high yield, despite the wet weather, producing more than 21,000 bottles of sparkling wine and in excess of 6,000 bottles of still rosé.

 

German Doner Kebab opens 144th UK site with Bolton launch: German Doner Kebab (GDK), owned by Hero Brands, has opened a site in Bolton for its 144th UK location. The outlet, at 145 Deane Road, has launched after a poll by the brand revealed more than a quarter of residents would like to see a GDK in the Greater Manchester town. Chief executive Simon Wallis said: “GDK is revolutionising kebabs across the UK, and I am confident we will continue this trend with Bolton.” The brand has grown rapidly to more than 150 restaurants across the UK, continental Europe and the Middle East, and is now rapidly expanding in the USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Ireland. 

 

Bewiched Coffee considering trialling cashless stores following string of break-ins: Northamptonshire cafe operator Bewiched Coffee has said it is considering trialling cashless stores following a string of break-ins. The company said its stores have been targeted no less than 16 times in 2024, with the latest break-in seeing thousands of pounds stolen and thousands of pounds of damage done. “This has caused immeasurable stress and upset for our team – from top to bottom,” a company statement said. “And it hugely affects our ability to provide our customers with the best experience, product and service. In light of these targeted break-ins, we’re cash-light across our stores to improve safety, and would prefer card transactions, where possible. We also want to open a conversation with you, our valued community who visit us. Would you continue to support us if we moved to a cashless operation across our stores? We’re considering a trial of two cashless stores in January but would appreciate your feedback on this so we can take that into our thinking.” Bewiched, founded in 2010 by Matt Fountain, operates 19 stores in the region, and in October opened its first drive-thru – at Moulton Park in Northampton – with a further two signed up. The company is also lining up its third franchise site with the Heart Of England Co-operative Society.

 

K1 Speed secures second Central London site: K1 Speed, the world’s largest indoor go-karting operator, has secured its second Central London location, in Vauxhall. The site will open next year in the Storybox leisure complex, owned by creative real estate developer General Projects. The venue will feature an LED-lit track and all-electric go-karts. Storybox is a 100,000 square-foot creative workspace and leisure complex that sits across the basement, ground and first floors of Keybridge House, a 600-unit residential scheme. K1 Speed will occupy more than 46,000 square feet – most of which will sit at basement level. This is the second letting at Storybox after Gail’s Bakery opened in autumn 2022. A further 25,000 square feet of retail and leisure space remains available. In September, K1 Speed announced it was to invest £5.5m in opening what it said will be world’s longest indoor karting track, at the Braehead shopping scheme in Glasgow. The venue will feature a one-of-a-kind, three deck track spanning more than 1,000 metres. K1 Speed, which currently operates 100 sites worldwide, also this year acquired indoor go-karting concept Capital Karts, which has one venue in Central London and two additional venues under development. 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.

KBeverage opens second Slim Chickens site: Multi-brand franchisee KBeverage has opened its second Slim Chickens site, and its 60th in total. KBeverage, which is owned by Alok and Kavina Yadav, has opened the restaurant in Cambridge’s Regent Street. Last October, US brand Slim Chickens, which is being rolled out in the UK by Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), signed up Starbucks franchisee KBeverage to aid its expansion here. KBeverage set up a new company, KChicken, to oversee the new venture, which opened its debut Slim Chickens site in Bury St Edmunds. KBeverage also operates 58 Starbucks sites across East Anglia and the south east. After arriving in the UK from India at age 19 in 2007, Alok Yadav started his career at Domino’s, where he worked his way up from a cleaner who spoke no English to manager of the year within five years. He then became the youngest franchisee to open a Pizza Hut, and three years later, became the youngest franchisee to open a Starbucks.

 

The Real Greek hires Nick Malta-Bey as head of operations: The Real Greek, the Fulham Shore-owned brand, has hired Nick Malta-Bey as its new head of operations. Malta-Bey joins the 28-strong brand from Neat Burger after a year and a half as its operations director for the UK and Europe. Previous to that, he spent two and a half years as group operations and development director at the Tahir Group, the German Doner Kebab, Starbucks and KFC franchisee. He also spent nearly five years as a regional manager at KFC. The Real Greek, which opened in Sheffield Meadowhall this summer, also recently opened in London’s St Paul’s. Earlier this year, The Real Greek launched its first retail range into 400 Tesco stores.

 

Oodles Wok launches two new stores in one day including Welsh debut: Indo-Chinese brand Oodles Wok has launched two new stores in one day, including its first location in Wales. The brand launched at both 240 City Road in Cardiff and Unit 10 in Lloyds Court, Milton Keynes, yesterday (Tuesday, 17 December). It comes a week after the business rebranded from Oodles to Oodles Wok, as it looks to grow towards a long-term target of 100 UK sites. The brand, founded in Leicester in 2010 by Mohammed and Ismail Umar, has since grown to circa 50 UK locations. In October, it made its international debut with a launch at Dubai’s Motorcity, and has plans to roll out across the UAE and Gulf region.

  

Edinburgh operator Merchant Leisure acquires sixth site: Edinburgh operator Merchant Leisure has added a sixth site to its portfolio. The company has acquired Italian restaurant Gordon’s Trattoria in the Royal Mile for an undisclosed sum from Gordon Scott, who opened the restaurant in 1982 and will now retire. Merchant Leisure said it will keep the restaurant as it is for the time being and continue “serving authentic Italian cuisine made with passion and the finest ingredients”. Merchant Leisure owns bars and restaurants across the city including The Newsroom, The Piper’s Rest, Burgers & Beers Grillhouse, The Railbridge and speakeasy venue, Jackson the Tailor. Arthur Mustard, managing director of Merchant Leisure, said: “It’s such an honour to take over an Edinburgh establishment with such rich history and loyal customers.” 

 

McDonald’s franchisee owned by brand’s former head of UK operations reports 10% revenue boost due to growth in digital channels: A McDonald’s franchisee owned by the brand’s former head of UK operations has reported a 10% revenue boost due to growth in its digital channels. Yorkshire operator Mayor Restaurants was founded in 2012 by Mike O’Reilly, who previously spent seven years as McDonald’s head of operations here. The four-strong business saw its turnover grow from £17,937,143 in 2022 to £19,694,627 in the year to 31 December 2023. Pre-tax profit increased from £162,192 in 2022 to £308,638. During the year, the company declared and approved dividends totalling £120,000 (2022: £350,000). Since the year end, further dividends totalling £130,000 (2022: £120,000) have been declared. “The total company turnover increased as the company experienced growth from digital channels, including delivery, mobile app and self-order kiosks,” O’Reilly said. “During 2023, the gross margin has increased from 64.9% in 2022 to 65.5% in 2023 and is in line with expectations. Operating profit increased from £0.2m in 2022 to £0.3m in 2023. The financial position of the company remains healthy, with the balance sheet showing net assets of £1.3m, an increase of £0.1m on the prior year. This is mainly as a result of profit generated in the year.”

 

Starbucks to expand parental leave benefits: Starbucks is making moves to expand employee benefits for new parents in an effort to attract and retain top talent. Starting this spring, the coffee brand is increasing its parental leave policy for employees who work an average of 20 hours or more per week. Parents who give birth are now eligible for 18 weeks of paid time off, and other parents are eligible for 12 paid weeks off. The policy includes workers who choose to adopt or foster children long-term. Currently, hourly workers at the company receive six weeks of paid leave and up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave after the birth of a child. Until now, only corporate employees were offered 12 or more weeks of paid parental leave. “Our benefit was already the best in retail, but after hearing from some partners who wanted more time, we are making this change,” the company’s chief executive, Brian Niccol, wrote in a letter to employees. “We need to provide our partners the support they need to be with their families when it matters most, and one of those times is the birth of a child or welcoming a child through adoption or long-term fostering,” Sara Kelly, executive vice-president and chief partner officer for Starbucks, told Fortune. “This investment is about enabling our partners to be there for their families, and that will then support their future within the organisation.” However, as Starbucks expands its parental leave, it’s also cutting back on employee pay increases and bonuses. Last week, the company told hourly workers to expect smaller pay rises this year than in years past. In November, the coffee brand announced corporate workers will receive 60% of their year-end bonuses.

 

Peak District operator Longbow Bars & Restaurants opens fourth site: Peak District operator Longbow Bars & Restaurants, which is led by entrepreneur Rob Hattersley, has opened its fourth site. Longbow acquired The Peacock at Owler Bar in Sheffield last month and has now reopened its doors following a £350,000 restoration. The pubs dates to the early 1800s, and the refurbishment has preserved original features including oak floors, leaded windows and timber beams, while adding a new outdoor seating area. Catering for up to 130 diners, The Peacock offers a menu crafted by Raymond Blanc-trained executive chef Adrian Gagea, focusing on seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms, heritage brewers and artisan producers, combining pub classics with global influences. Founded shortly before the pandemic, Longbow also operates The Maynard in Hope Valley, The George in Hathersage and The Ashford Arms in Ashford-in-the-Water.

 

North west cafe concept Blanchflower secures third site: North west cafe concept Blanchflower has secured its third site. The company will open a 400 square-foot outlet at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. Opening in the Upper Orient, Blanchflower’s arrival at Trafford Centre is part of a wider initiative by the complex. The area in which Blanchflower will be located, once referred to as “Chinatown”, will champion homegrown Mancunian operators. Founded by Phil and Claire Howells, Blanchflower is a family-business with sites in Sale and Altrincham. Blanchflower has its own bakery, located in Sale, where it produces its own bread, cakes and pastries. Phil Howells said: “Since our journey running cafes in Manchester started in 2012, we’ve wanted to share our love of great coffee and food with as wide an audience as possible, so we’re excited to reach Trafford Centre’s huge volume of visitors. It’s a real vote of confidence that such a large Manchester institution is backing an independent and local business like ours and we can’t wait to get stuck in.” The Trafford Centre site is set to open on Wednesday, 29 January.

 

London venue and bar operator reports record Christmas sales but highlights growing challenges for small hospitality businesses: Huckster, the events venue and bar in London’s Paddington, has reported record sales of £189,000 for the week ending 15 December, marking an uptick during the Christmas period. The operator said growth was driven by a surge in corporate event bookings, supported by strategic partnerships with event agencies Miss London Concierge and CPV Events. In addition to its main venue, Huckster also operates the 200 capacity Skylark Roof Garden, a rooftop event space in Paddington. Both venues are owned by Adam Marshall, former co-founder of the Grand Union Group. Marshall said: “We are pleased with the increase in corporate bookings and the role of our event agency partners in driving this growth. However, the challenges facing small hospitality businesses have become more apparent, particularly following the recent Budget.” While the company is cautiously optimistic about the year ahead, it remains concerned about the impact of rising costs on the broader hospitality industry. Marshall said ongoing financial pressures, such as escalating employment costs and higher business rates, are placing strain on retail businesses. He added: “The government has a vital role to play in supporting small businesses. With the right policies and incentives in place, they can grow and help drive economic recovery and job creation.”

 

Sheffield restaurant Jöro to relocate to new, larger site with new concepts next month: Jöro, the Nordic/Japanese-inspired Sheffield restaurant from chef Luke French and wife and business partner Stacey Sherwood-French, is set to move to a new site next month. Opening on Wednesday, 15 January, “Jöro 2.0” will be within the Oughtibridge Paper Mill development in the Don Valley. The site will allow the husband-and-wife team to “elevate” their restaurant, previously located in a shipping container development, Krynkl, on Kelham Island. The venue will be a dining destination consisting of a flagship restaurant alongside two bars and an outdoor barbecue kitchen concept located on the terrace, based around live fire cooking. The site will also offer five studio rooms and two one-bedroom apartments, while the duo’s current boutique accommodation, House of Jöro, will continue to offer a city stay.  Finally, the site will also be home to Shop by Jöro, a deli shop selling a range of everyday ingredients including tea, coffee, Jöro’s own wine and gin and cured meat. French said: “This move has been years in the making, and we’ve poured so much thought into creating a space that elevates the Jöro experience. The additional space means we can expand our offerings with the terrace, bars, and more, giving guests an array of ways to experience Jöro.” Konjö, Jöro’s street food concept, will take over the shipping container site at Krynkl, offering eastern Asian-inspired street food.

 

New Singaporean-owned luxury London hotel launches pan-Asian restaurant: Ellen Kensington, a new Singaporean-owned luxury London hotel, has launched a pan-Asian restaurant called Lacquer Room. Singapore-based KOP Group opened Ellen Kensington – operated by its hospitality arm, Montigo Resorts – in September, at 18-26 Barkston Gardens in Kensington. The hotel has now launched Lacquer Room, led by Singaporean chef Eugene Lam and featuring 123 covers, a private outdoor terrace, private dining room and immersive countertop dining experiences. Ellen Bar, which also has its own private terrace, has also opened alongside the restaurant, offering signature cocktails. The menu, which draw inspiration from across Asia, include sharing main dishes such as Tonkatsu Shabu Shabum (pork belly with napa cabbage, shiitake, leek, carrots, tofu and glass noodles) and Wagyu Sukiyaki (premium wagyu beef with vegetables, tofu and fresh egg yolk dips). Located in the space formerly occupied by The Burns Hotel, Ellen Kensington comprises 105 bedrooms and suites set across five interconnected Victorian period townhouses. The hotel takes its name from the stage actress Dame Ellen Terry, who at the height of her fame, in the Victorian era, lived at 22 Barkston Gardens. Ellen Kensington is the second UK property to be operated by Montigo Resorts following the 2023 opening of the grade II-listed, 28-room country house Montigo Resorts Somerset at Charlton House in Shepton Mallet.