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Hakkasan owner sees cover numbers increase 5% at London restaurants after making menu changes as it looks to become ‘more than just a visit for a special occasion’: Tao Group Hospitality vice-president Jared Boles has told Propel that cover numbers are up 5% this year across its London sites – Hakkasan Mayfair and Yauatcha City – after introducing new menu and pricing changes as it aims to become “more than just a visit for a special occasion”. Boles said the group had made the move to broaden the restaurants’ appeal in response to shifting diner expectations, “while maintaining the dining premium experience we’re known for”. Boles, who began his career with Tao Group 25 years ago in New York, said: “Customers are looking for more than just a meal – they are looking for atmosphere and an experience. If we can tap into that emotional connection through food and beverage, then they have a reason to come back. But one of the things that’s stopping them doing so is financial anxiety, so we’ve introduced a more value driven proposition to help overcome that.” The changes include a two-course Taste of Hakkasan menu for £29 and the option to add cocktails on top from £10. Other additions are a beer for £1 included within the “Beer & Bao” offer and unlimited dim sum at Yauatcha City for £45. “We know the perception for most people is that Hakkasan and Yauatcha are expensive and we’re working hard to change that,” said Boles. “You’ll be looking between £18 and £30 for a cocktail in some areas of London, so we think our offer is good value. Similarly, where can you get a beer for £1? We want people to come to our restaurants and have a remarkable experience and realise we’re not just here for a special occasion – we want to be part of their everyday.” Boles admitted the “high-risk” move has put “huge pressure” on profit margins but is confident the gamble will pay off in the long term. He said: “This year, we’ve seen a 5% rise in cover numbers at two of our sites, and we’ve been seeing good growth in various meal periods, so we’re pleased so far.” In terms of London’s recovery from the covid pandemic, Boles said the city is seeing increases in footfall “slowly but surely” but added: “The resilience of the city is unmatched.” Boles also said London was not immune to the changes seen in the market, with the group seeing similar patterns in the other cities it operates. In terms of further UK expansion, Boles said: “There’s planned nothing at the moment, but we are always looking for opportunities.”

Industry News:

AIM founder Steve Haslam to speak at Operational Excellence Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Steve Haslam, who founded pub and restaurant operator AIM, will be among the speakers at Propel’s Operational Excellence Conference, which is being held in partnership with Purple Story. The conference – which takes place on Wednesday, 9 July at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings – is designed for operations directors, managers, area managers, site managers and chief executives who want to maximise performance. Haslam will talk about improving operating standards to revitalise performance in uniquely challenging times. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £345 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book.

Premium Club subscribers to receive new searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Friday: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (6 June), at noon. The database will show the details of 181 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. The database will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club subscribers will also receive a 11,152-word report on the 181 new additions to the database. It is segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. The database includes new openings in the cafe bakery sector such as an opening by Norfolk coffee shop business Folks Coffee Co in Holt, the launch of Jesmond sandwich shop Awesome Frank’s by Scream for Pizza co-founder Alex Walker and a new site for Cambridge bakery Fitzbillies. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including the Operational Excellence Conference in July and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers 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 subscribers 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 subscribers 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.

Christie & Co – we’re having conversations with a lot of equity firms in the US and Far East, UK ‘not been a prime target’ but now an ‘obvious one to do’: Simon Chaplin, director of pubs and restaurants at Christie & Co, has said the company is having conversations with a lot of equity firms in the US and Far East, and while the UK “not been a prime target” for them over the past two years, it is now an “obvious one to do”. Speaking at Propel’s Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, Chaplin said. “We’re having conversations with a lot of equity firms, some of them US-based, some from the Far East, and the Middle East is still a potential market. For the past 24 months, the UK hasn’t been a prime target for them, but with the activities of Bonchon and other operators looking at the UK as the next step, it’s an obvious one to do. In terms of US investment, it depends on how much they trust in Trump. Are they going to invest outside the US to make it easier or not?” Chaplin said he last year sold a portfolio of 38 franchised Pizza Hut Delivery stores to US equity firm Directional Capital, which went on to acquire 139 dine-in Pizza Hut restaurants from franchisee Heart With Smart in January. “It was the third package of Pizza Huts Delivery sites I’ve sold, and I’ve now sold more than 100 in the last four years,” he said. “Interesting that the pandemic hit, sales went up by 30% and quite a few people jumped on the bandwagon. They’re still good businesses to invest in, and you now have private equity investing in some of these. We sold this to Directional Capital, from the US, and it went on to buy the restaurant package as well, so an interesting move into the UK.” Giving his predictions for the rest of 2025, Chaplin added: “I can see activity picking up throughout the year as any shocks in the system have now been factored in. I think we will see increased M&A activity as interest rates fall and opportunistic buyers come into the market as they see increased value in the sector. Tenanted pub companies will continue to thrive and continue to offload tail end pubs, giving others opportunity. Given increased cost pressures in the casual dining sector, I think there might be one or two more casualties, and we’re seeing many of the branded high streets now converted into smaller, more nimble brands who are able to move with the times – a lot of them coming out of the street food boom.” Chaplin was one of the speakers at Propel’s Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. Propel Premium Club subscribers have now received all 13 videos from the event. 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.

New carbon cutting measures could save UK’s hospitality sector £3m via cheaper energy bills: New carbon cutting measures could save the UK’s hospitality sector £3m via cheaper energy bills, it has been claimed. The government’s Plan for Change will see more than 600 small and medium-sized hospitality businesses receive free energy and carbon reduction assessments to cut energy costs, support productivity and boost growth. The trial will put business owners in direct contact with trusted energy and sustainability advisers, who will share their expertise. Funded by the government and delivered by advisory group Zero Carbon Services, it is hoped the savings will allow pubs and restaurants to invest in jobs and continue to be the hubs of communities. Minister for Industry Sarah Jones said: “By providing business owners with expert advice to cut bills and reduce emissions, this will help them keep more money in their pockets to grow their business, employ local people and continue to serve your pint of lager or fish and chips.” Zero Carbon Services chief executive Mark Chapman said: “Most venues have opportunities to save energy, food and money without realising it. We’ve already helped thousands of UK pubs, restaurants and hotels, to cut carbon and costs, and thanks to this scheme, we can now offer that support for free to even more independent businesses.” Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “Hospitality businesses have already made great strides to reduce their emissions but are keen to go further and faster in order to save costs and become more sustainable.” Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “This initiative is welcome and will give valuable insights into the ways the sector can become more energy efficient, which could help to cut down on energy bills.” Steve Alton, chief executive of British Institute of Innkeeping, said: “Running a lean, sustainable pub business is vital for operators, so we are delighted Zero Carbon Services can now offer more support via free assessments and coaching to more than 600 operators.”

Company News:

UK’s ‘first gluten-free QSR’ launches fundraise to open debut site following endorsement from Sir Richard Branson, aiming to grow to every UK town and franchise overseas: A new company claiming to be “the UK’s first gluten-free quick service restaurant” has launched a fundraise to open its debut site following endorsement from Sir Richard Branson. Thereafter, Sonny’s is aiming to grow to have a presence in every town in the UK and is already getting franchise requests from overseas. Last month, founder Sonny Wells saw off 1,200 other aspiring founders to win the Elevator of Dreams competition from Branson and fellow entrepreneur Simon Squibb – where business ideas are pitched to a global audience of investors. As well as getting to meet both Branson and Squibb, Wells had a mentoring session with the latter, author of the best-selling What’s Your Dream book. Wells, who has had coeliac disease for more than a decade, said he founded Sonny’s out of necessity as he “can’t eat safe food on the go”. He told Propel: “This business is born out of frustration, and it’s not just another food business – we are solving a massive problem. I’m currently raising investment, and we’ve had amazing traction so far, with many people desperate for our business up and down the country.” Wells is doing the fundraising privately through angel investors and is hoping to raise £400,000 to go on the first employees, first site, rent, cashflow and fit out. He already has £180,000 committed and said he doesn’t think it will take much longer “to get close to the target”. Thereafter, he is hoping to open the first location six months after completing the fundraise, with Liverpool Street station in London lined up for the debut site, and travel hubs will be the focus for the roll out. This is a first venture in hospitality for Wells, whose background is in property, and he has used a food consultant to help develop the menu. Items will include toasted sandwiches, fried chicken and fresh milkshakes. He said: “We won’t advertise is as gluten-free food; just good food that happens to be gluten-free. We’ve had demand from around the world, and we want to get into every town across the UK. We want to get three locations and then look at franchising, although we will keep it in-house in the UK. We’ve had franchise requests from the US, France, Italy, Malta and Australia already.”

Phat Buns operators launch new virtual brand: The owners of better burger business Phat Buns have launched a new virtual brand. Hussein Sacranie and Ahtesham Moosa founded Phat Buns in 2019 and have since grown it to 16 bricks-and-mortar locations. They have now launched Phat Ville to sit alongside their Phat Buns and four-strong Doorstep Desserts brands – with two more concepts to follow. “Last weekend, Phat Ville became its own stand-alone brand on Uber Eats,” Sacranie said. “Overnight, we dropped 17 new outlets across the UK, without adding a single square foot of space. Let that sink in: 17 virtual restaurants, zero extra rent, zero new kitchens. Just smart, scalable growth. This is just the beginning. From one kitchen, our partners can now run: Phat Buns, Phat Ville, Doorstep Desserts and two more launching soon. That’s five brands, one unit, 85 outlets nationwide. This is what modern franchising looks like: multi-brand, multi-platform, high-return, low-overhead. We’re not just flipping burgers anymore; we are flipping the script on how food businesses grow.” Earlier this year, Sacranie said Phat Buns had lined up an opening in Sharjah for its first foray on the international stage, and that this was “just the beginning” for its overseas plans.

Wingstop hires Kate Clarke as new marketing director, launches Paris restaurant: Wingstop has hired Kate Clarke, formerly of Pret A Manger and Itsu, as its new marketing director EMEA. Clarke joins the business after more than three years at Pret, including two and a half years as its head of global brand. Prior to that, she spent 14 months as head of marketing at Itsu. She steps into the role previously held by Andreia Harwood, formerly of The Restaurant Group’s leisure and concessions division, since autumn 2023. Propel understands that Harwood remains with Wingstop and will be taking up an as-yet revealed new role within the business. Clarke joined the US brand as it launched its first restaurant in France, in Paris. Last year, the brand operated a pop-up to coincide with the 2024 Olympics in the French capital. Since then, it has expanded across the city with six dark kitchens. Earlier this week, it opened its first restaurant site in Paris, at 61 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine. Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, currently operates 64 locations and employs more than 2,700 people. Wingstop UK plans to open more than 20 new locations by the end of this year.

JD Wetherspoon lines up Wetherby opening: A new JD Wetherspoon pub set to open in Wetherby, West Yorkshire. Designs have been released showcasing plans for what was the former Sant’ Angelo restaurant, located in High Street, will look like upon opening. Wetherby is well known for its heavy concentration of historic buildings, and the new pub will take inspiration from the market town’s long-standing history of horse racing. Wetherspoon hopes to have the venue ready for a Christmas opening. Wetherspoon spokesperson Eddie Gershon said: “We are delighted to have received planning and listed building consent. However, there are a few planning conditions that need to be addressed. Subject to this happening, Wetherspoon aims to start building work in July and open around Christmas.” A Leeds City Council licensing sub-committee was told the former restaurant, once a favourite of ex-Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa, would employ around 50 people. The venue will serve customers until 1am at weekends.

Admiral Taverns promotes Nikki Greenhalgh to ops director, invests £350,000 in the new karaoke concept: Admiral Taverns, the Chris Jowsey-led business, has promoted Nikki Greenhalgh to operations director of Proper Pubs, its community-wet led operator division, which operates more than 200 pubs. Greenhalgh has been a business development manager at Admiral for the past three years, after six years in the same role at Hawthorn Leisure. She has also worked at Maclay Inns and the G1 Group. Her promotion comes as the business announced it had invested more than £350,000 to transform the Singing Canary in Newcastle into a new karaoke bar. The site is spread across two floors – with the first floor available for private hire – and has been completely refreshed to give the pub a bright, bold and vibrant new look. The investment also included new feature flooring, quirky new furniture, fixtures and fittings as well as a hand painted karaoke wall inspired by the local area on the first floor to complement the pub’s retro style. In addition, the pub now boasts a separate bar on each floor, which have both been entirely remodelled to “maximise capacity and ensure a smooth customer experience for all”.

Noble Hospitality Group lines up a third site for pizza concept: Noble Hospitality Group – the group behind Japanese brand Chotto Matte, Angus Steakhouse and Steak and Company – has lined up a third site for its Alley Cats pizza concept. The company launched the concept, which focuses on New York City-style pizza, at the start of last year in London, at 22 Paddington Street, just off Baker Street. The venue was followed by the opening of a second site at 342 King’s Road in Chelsea. Propel understands Noble Hospitality Group is eyeing up an opening on the former Verderame site in Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, for Alley Cats. The group previously told Propel it had targeted 15 sites by 2029 for Alley Cats. Last year, the company told Propel that it was already looking at international opportunities for Alley Cats. Noble Hospitality Group chief executive Paul Sarlas told Propel: “We have quite a solid rollout plan for probably up to ten sites in the next 18 months. It will be around London. We don’t truly want to be in Central London, we feel the ‘village feel’ is our niche, although you can’t pass up an opportunity when they come along in the likes of Covent Garden. We have a presence in the Middle East with Chotto Matte in Doha, with Riyadh and Dubai opening shortly, and these partners have always asked for other brands. We have Alley Cats Pizza, which I think will be the next one growing over there very, very quickly.”

L+R Hotels hires new director of brand and communications: L+R Hotels – which owns and manages a portfolio of 115 hotels with 23,000 bedrooms across the UK, Europe, the US and the Caribbean – has hired a new director of brand and communications. Gemma McAloon joins the company from global PR agency W Communications, where she most recently served as senior vice-president of its North America office and launched the agency’s US operations. She will be based at the company’s headquarters in London. Joe Pettigrew, L+R Hotels’ group chief commercial officer, said: “Gemma’s appointment marks an exciting step forward in our ambition to build an exceptional brand and communications function. As we expand our global footprint and evolve the identity of our most iconic properties, her strategic insight, creativity and track record of building high performing teams will be invaluable.” L+R Hotels’ UK portfolio of 16 hotels includes The Mayfair Townhouse, Strand Palace, The Cumberland and 11 Cadogan Gardens in London, plus Clivedon House in Taplow, The Lensbury in Teddington and The Abbey Hotel in Redditch. The company’s operating partners include Accor, Fairmont, Hilton, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott, Melia and Nobu.

Beefy Boys to open in Oxford for fifth site: The Beefy Boys, the better burger business backed by Manjit Dale, founding partner of TDR Capital, is to open a fifth site later this summer, in Oxford. The Beefy Boys, which was founded in 2011 by four childhood friends – Anthony Murphy, Daniel Mayo-Evans, Christian Williams and Lee Symonds – will open a site on the roof terrace in the Westgate scheme in the city this September. Earlier this year, the company opened in the former The Milson restaurant unit, which was also previously a Loch Fyne restaurant, at 24 Milsom Street, on the corner with George Street in Bath. The Beefy Boys also operates restaurants in Hereford, Shrewsbury and Cheltenham. On the upcoming Oxford site, Murphy said: “Oxford has always been high up on our list of dream restaurant locations. It’s a city full of culture, energy, and food lovers, so we can’t wait to fire up the grill and introduce our signature smashed patties and dirty burgers to this amazing city.” Murphy told Propel last November that The Beefy Boys was focusing on growing sustainably and “focusing on locations that aren’t saturated with burger offers, such as Bath”. The company, which is also exploring an opening in Cardiff, said at the same time that Simon Blagden, the former Jamie’s Italian chief executive, was working with it in a chairman/advisory role. Propel revealed last autumn that Dale had become an investor in and director of The Beefy Boys.

Kuwaiti burger brand HBR confirms UK debut plans: Kuwaiti burger brand HBR, which is owned by the Al Thiqa Food Group Company (TFGC), has confirmed it will make its debut in the UK in London this month. Propel revealed last summer that TFGC, which operates three sites in Kuwait under the smash burger concept, was planning an opening in Eccleston Street, Belgravia. The site will officially launch on Friday, 13 June. The company said: “HBR is a cool smashed burger concept that serves a specific purpose – ‘smashing good’ food and a fun time! We offer a short-listed menu of mouth-watering items prepared with the best ingredients. Our motto is ‘the food will bring you back, the vibe will make you stay’, and that’s how we want each customer to feel when they visit us.” TFGC is a Kuwaiti-owned enterprise that owns, operates and distributes some of the leading brands in Kuwait, the Middle East and the UK. The company currently operates the TomTom Coffee House in Belgravia.

Former Fat Duck Group director opens fourth site: Nigel Sutcliffe, former director of the Fat Duck Group, has opened his fourth site. Sutcliffe joined forces with Barry Wagner, owner of butchers Gabriel Machin in Henley, earlier this year to acquire The Three Tuns pub in the Oxfordshire town. The 34-cover pub has undergone a light refurbishment and now reopened. Sutcliffe, who worked alongside Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck Group from 1996 until 2021, has been a long-standing customer of Wagner’s. The Three Tuns is run by the team from one of Sutcliffe’s other ventures – The Oarsman in Marlow – headed up by executive chef Scott Smith. His menu features dishes such as confit lamb breast with carrot and black garlic, baked hake with brown shrimp and spring greens, and a confit chicken chasseur pie for two. Located in the courtyard of the pub, The Boat Shed offers a more casual burger-focused menu, available to eat in or take away. Sutcliffe and business partner James McLean help chefs develop their proposition through their Truffle Hunting Consultancy and also operate The Crown in Bray, Berkshire, and The Mutton in Hazeley Heath, Hampshire.

London brewery Bohem in the market for further sites after opening third venue: London brewery Bohem has told Propel it is in the market for further sites after opening its third venue. The company has headed south of the Thames to relaunch the Queen’s Arms in Battersea. Bohem acquired the lease and has reopened the pub, which had been closed since 2022, following an extensive refurbishment. The Queen’s Arms now serves a range of beer brewed in authentic Czech style at the Bohem Brewery in Tottenham, as well as cask ale from selected London independent brewers. The Queen’s Arms, in St Philip Street, joins the Nicholas Nickleby in Finsbury Park and the original Bohem Brewery taproom in Bowes Park as a brewery-managed venue. General manager Jakub Mikusinec said: “We’re delighted to bring Bohem’s unique combination of authentic Czech beer served in a classic British pub setting to south London.” A spokesperson told Propel: “The business is in the market for further pubs.”

Kerb to launch new London street food market today: Street food collective and hospitality group Kerb will launch a new London street food market today (Wednesday, 4 June). The market, at White City Place, will thereafter open every Wednesday from 11.30am to 2.30pm. There will be seven traders on offer at all times, in a line-up that will change over time, reports Hot Dinners. The starting list of traders includes Oshpaz, which has a Regent Street restaurant offering Uzbek plov rice bowls; Bask Street Boys, featuring handmade cornflour galettes filled with Txistorra sausage, cheese and more; and Duck Shed, with slow-roasted duck stuffed in rolls or buns, paired with original homemade sauces and jam. Also in the debut line-up are Moroccan street food concept Harissa and Lemon; burger concept Meltdown from a Patty & Bun alumni; Taiwanese fried chicken and rice bowls from Bian Dang; and South Indian street food from Andhra Ruchulu.

Immersive production company to launch interactive Peppa Pig experience: Immersive production company Immersive Everywhere is launching “Peppa Pig: Surprise Party”, at the Metrocentre in Gateshead. Opening later this year, the experience – developed under licence from Hasbro – will transport visitors into the world of Peppa Pig. The multimillion-pound project marks a significant milestone for Immersive Everywhere as it embarks on its first partnership with a shopping centre. The venture builds on experiences, such as “The Traitors: Live Experience”, which is opening next month in London, “Peaky Blinders: The Rise”, “Doctor Who: Time Fracture” and “The Great Gatsby”, which is the UK’s longest running immersive show. “Peppa Pig: Surprise Party" will span more than 19,000 square feet within the Metrocentre after Immersive Everywhere secured a deal with Sovereign Centros from CBRE, asset managers of the scheme. Designed for children aged one to six years, the experience will take them on a series of adventures as they interact with their favourite characters before ending the two-hour experience with a surprise party. The experience will feature themed birthday party rooms, healthy food and drink options and an on-site gift shop. Elliot Hargreaves, chief executive of Immersive Everywhere, said: “This a huge milestone for us and reflects our commitment to creating exceptional, memorable experiences for families. This will be the first immersive live experience for children of this age that allows them to actually step into an episode of Peppa Pig.”

Five-star hotel Noth Yorkshire hotel to open its own pub: A North Yorkshire village pub is to reopen this summer after being bought by a country estate. Grantley Hall, the five star hotel offering 47 bedrooms and five restaurants, one of which is run by Shaun Rankin, will launch the Grantley Arms following the luxury resort’s purchase of the pub, which dates to the 1600s. The pub, in the neighbouring village of Grantley, to the west of Ripon, will have a focus on seasonal dishes and regional produce. At the helm of the operation will be chef Gavin Swift, currently the senior sous chef at Grantley Hall, who will take on the role of chef patron. Grantley Hall managing director, Richard Sykes, said: “At Grantley Hall, warm hospitality is at the heart of everything we do – and that same spirit is what makes a great local pub. Grantley Arms is a proud new chapter for us, and one we’re excited to share with both our hotel guests and the local community. Whether it’s a leisurely lunch before check-in or a relaxed farewell meal after a stay, we see the pub as a natural extension of the Grantley experience.”

New food hall featuring nine traders opens in Liverpool: A new food hall has opened in Liverpool. Victoria Street Collective has launched in the Metquarter city centre hub. Set across 10,152 square foot on the upper level, Victoria Street Collective is home to nine independent food and drink traders. The all-day offer ranges from Indian and Greek to Mexican and Korean, with vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal options all available. Santosh Kumar, founder of Victoria Street Collective, said: “We are excited to open and bring something fresh to the local dining scene.” The traders are Indian concept SK Little India; Greek-inspired Flavours of Greece; Bella Ciao, which blends Italian and New York-style pizza; burgers and wings concept Burger N Wings; Korean-inspired Korean Bliss; breakfast focused Sunnyside Up; Mexican concept Mexican Hub; Churroholic, which offers churros, waffles and crepes with a Latin American twist; and the Vibhuti Bar, which offers a range of handcrafted drinks.

South Korean survival drama Squid Game brought to life in new immersive experience in London: The award-winning South Korean survival drama, Squid Game, on Netflix has been brought to life in a new immersive experience in London. “Squid Game: The Experience” has opened at Immerse LDN at the Excel London waterfront. Arriving in the UK capital after runs in New York, Sydney, Seoul and Madrid, “Squid Game: The Experience” is presented by Netflix in collaboration with The Luna Entertainment Group, the UK-based producer and promoter of live experiences, exhibitions and events, and Letsgo, a Spanish company specialising in entertainment and content creation. Teams compete for 60 minutes as they take on five challenges inspired by the television series’ nail-biting tasks including “Red Light, Green Light” under the watchful eye of the haunting Young-hee doll, the Glass Bridge and the Marbles game. Afterwards, guests can head to the Korean-inspired night market, where they can buy exclusive “Squid Game: The Experience” merchandise and snacks and drinks.

Industry veteran acquires Glasgow restaurant: Industry veteran Walter Barratt has acquired a Glasgow restaurant from technology and hospitality entrepreneur Oli Norman. Barratt, who has recently returned to Glasgow after a period in Los Angeles, has acquired Epicures in Hyndland Road in a deal led by CDLH Hospitality and Leisure Surveyors, reports The Herald. Alan Creevy, director at CDLH, said Norman has built Epicures into “a beloved fixture of the city’s vibrant dining scene”. Creevy said: “Barratt brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to this exciting new venture. Located in a prime West End location, Epicures has long been celebrated for its exceptional food, stylish ambiance and loyal customer base. This discreet transaction underscores the continued strength and buoyancy of the market for well-located bars and restaurants in Glasgow.” He added: “We are delighted to have facilitated this transaction, bringing together two prominent figures in the hospitality sector. The off-market nature of the sale reflects the confidential and strategic approach often required for premium assets like Epicures. Both the vendor and purchaser are well-respected figures, and this transition promises continued success for this iconic West End destination.”

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