Individual Restaurants CEO – weekends have become more of a challenge, pizza concept to grow ‘at speed and scale’ with interest in taking it overseas: Andrew Garton, chief executive of Individual Restaurants, the Restaurant Bar & Grill and Piccolino operator, has told Propel that weekend trading has become more of a challenge for the 34-strong business over the past year and consumer sentiment remains cautious. Earlier this week, the company posted a 4% rise in turnover to £76m for the year to the end of March 2025. Garton said in the first quarter of its current financial year, the business was “ahead on both a four and 12-week basis, on spend and on transactions” versus the same period last year. He said: “While the market is feeling the heat considerably, we are outperforming our sector from a premium, casual perspective. We’re seeing celebrations still being very strong. We’re seeing corporate spend being good. Weekends are a little bit more of a challenge than the previous year in terms of discretionary spend. I think customer sentiment is cautious. People are still looking for high quality experiences. Food quality is number one. All the gimmicks out there – Instagram, money shots and all the rest of it – I think consumers are becoming a little bit not necessarily tired of it, but it’s not the main reason to visit. We continue to invest in our estate, and our expectations remain unchanged for our full-year position. We’ve had very warm Monday to Thursdays, and then the weekends, in some cases, haven’t been particularly good, even though I think there’s quite a big shift in terms of north/south in terms of weather as well, but we'’e in good shape.” In terms of people dining out earlier, Garton said: “In regard to Monday to Thursday. I don’t think it’s necessarily changed too much, that seems relatively resilient. But I do think there’s definitely something on the weekend, certainly on Saturday. There, we’ve seen people dine earlier – so earlier on in that late afternoon period that it’s great if you get another sitting after a good sitting before. But if you’re not really getting that second sitting, it is difficult. So, weekends are a different territory to what they once were.” In April, the business launched Neapolitan pizza concept Forbici, in Manchester. Garton said: “It is going extremely well. Our Google reviews are 4.7 – the operation works for us. We've picked a beautiful, sweet spot between quick service restaurants and casual dining. We’ve got sites lined up for the next 12 to 18 months and there is lots of interest outside of the UK. We continue to refine some of the things that we’re doing there, but our plan is just to grow that business at speed and at scale.”

 

Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference open for bookings, panel to be held about challenges the industry faces around working with debilitating diseases in the workplace: Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference is open for bookings. The conference takes place on Thursday, 9 October at One Moorgate Place in London. The conference will include a panel where COREcruitment founder Krishnan Doyle talks to Clare Lawson, commercial excellence director at Merlin Entertainments, and Alyson Hancock, group people director at The Wonderfield Group, about the challenges the industry faces around working with debilitating diseases in the workplace. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £345 plus VAT for suppliers. Premium Club subscribers get a 20% discount. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,436 operators and 26 new companies today, videos from Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database today (Friday, 25 July). The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,436 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 1,005 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 800 (23%) pub and bar operators, 597 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 480 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 283 (8%) hotel operators, 225 (7%) experiential leisure operators and 54 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes 26 new companies. The database includes new companies in the experiential leisure sector such as family entertainment business Funstation Group, Northern Ireland cinema operator Movie House Cinemas, and US interactive museum and social gaming experience Spyscape. Premium Club subscribers will also receive all the videos from the Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August, at 9am. They include Claire Robertson, operations director of Premium Pubs and Bars within Marston’s, talking about getting the best out of multiple teams. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five additional databases: the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, 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 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. In this week’s Premium Opinion, Katy Moses examines the HiPPO effect – Highest Paid Person’s Opinion, and the balance between trusting data and trusting gut instincts in business, while Kathryn Cripps, partner at Knight Frank, explores why pedestrian streets are hospitality’s secret weapon in the new work era. At the same time, Propel group editor looks back at the week’s news, especially what’s happening at BrewDog, Cote, Honest Burgers and Oakman Inns. 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.

 

Sector investors fear industry will be left out from British Business Bank investment: Sector investors have expressed concern the hospitality industry could be left out of the new £6.6bn of investment committed by the British Business Bank (BBB) to boost growth and support smaller businesses across the UK. Last month, the government announced its industrial strategy, including “doubling down” on the BBB, which is effectively the UK’s development bank and funnels capital – via lots of different products (debt, equity, grants etc) – into high growth small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The government has committed £6.6bn of funding to the BBB over the next four years and, with “match funding” alongside BBB money, this means circa £16bn will be invested into SMEs in the next four years to drive economic growth. However, leisure/hospitality is currently excluded from the “priority sectors” identified in the strategy. The eight sectors are: advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, creative industries, defence, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences and professional and business services. One sector investor said: “By my reckoning, these sectors probably account for circa 70% of the private sector, as a number of the eight sectors identified are very broad (e.g. technology, business services etc). Financial services alone accounts for circa 10% of the UK economy. The BBB’s reach across the UK economy is massive and, as it currently stands, it’s very unlikely that any material amount of this £16bn will find its way to the UK leisure and hospitality sector in terms of investment. While leisure and hospitality is not excluded per se, the fear is those managing this money will ‘prioritise’ the priority sectors. And given that there are a lot of demands for the BBB’s capital, it makes no sense that they would turn a business/fund down that targets a priority sector in favour of a business/fund that doesn’t. Rather than lobbying to have the government’s industrial strategy amended to include the sector – which is never going to happen as it’s already been published – the best chance the sector has, I believe, is working with the government to be recognised as a ‘creative industry’ ,and thus being included that way. Our sector is awash with creativity and innovation, so I think we have a very valid case for inclusion.”

 

FSB calls for simplified illegal worker checks: The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called for simplified right to work checks after a Surrey chip shop owner was fined £40,000 for inadvertently employing an illegal worker. Mark Sullivan, who runs Big Fry Fish & Chips in Egham, said immigration officers took away one of his managers in March after the Home Office alleged they were using a false identity. Sullivan said the original fine was £45,000 but he was given a discount as he assisted the Home Office with its enquiries straight away. He said he was advised by a lawyer to pay the fine rather than challenge it, or the cost could reach up to £80,000 if he lost the appeal. Craig Beaumont, executive director at the FSB, said a penalty of this amount could be “fatal” to small businesses. He said: “Small employers take their responsibilities seriously in necessary documentation checks, but ultimately, they are not immigration officers. They need a system that treats genuine mistakes proportionately rather than punishing them with crushing fines large enough potentially to threaten the existence of their business.” Sullivan said the worker had supplied him all the right paperwork, which he believed to be legitimate. “We later found out he had a totally different name, which was different from all the paperwork he had given us,” he told the BBC. “There were no red flags to suggest he was anything but the person who we were led to believe. He was also employed in the UK before he worked for us. It’s had a big impact on the business; there’s a massive cash flow hole. Obviously, retail trade is struggling, and this is the last thing we needed.” The Home Office told the BBC it was employers’ responsibility to conduct right to work checks and it was clamping down on those who failed to do them. It said right to work checks can be completed by either a manual check, using a digital verification service or a Home Office online check.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with an award-winning restaurant group seeking head chefs and sous chefs, with opportunities for progression and international placements. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a chance to launch or elevate a culinary career within a dynamic, high-volume kitchen focused on luxury pan-Asian and Japanese cuisine. The roles begin with a one-year placement in London, followed by six-month seasonal rotations across top European destinations. Individuals will benefit from structured training, mentorship from elite chefs and exposure to 12 new openings over two years. Chefs should have at least one year of experience in high-end sushi or Japanese kitchens, ideally with open fire or robata skills. A passion for Japanese cuisine, excellent knife skills and the willingness to travel and adapt to fast-paced environments are essential.” The roles offer salaries of up to £80,000. For more information, email Olly@corecruitment.com.

 

Megan’s reports record turnover of £33.4m boosted by new openings, close to signing for two flagship sites outside of London: Megan’s, the all-day, neighbourhood restaurant concept, has reported revenue increased 12.9% to a record £33,412,886 for the year ending 30 March 2025 compared with £29,599,540 the previous year. It is also set to follow openings in Windsor and Beaconsfield later this year with two further flagship locations outside of London, which it is close to signing deals for. The 21-strong business, which is chaired by Rod McKie, said growth was driven by the addition of three new sites – in Twickenham, Weybridge and Farnham – alongside 2% like-for-like sales growth. Adjusted Ebitda reduced to £3,844,740 (2024: £4,584,381), with Ebitda margin decreasing to 12% from 15% in the prior year “reflecting the impact of significant cost pressures in both labour and food, which were particularly acute during the period”. The group posted a pre-tax loss of £1,045,276 compared with a profit of £2,714,036 the year before. This included £1.6m of exceptional costs, comprising pre-opening expenditure for the new sites and impairment charges. Within this, £489,100 relates to one specific site that the company said it is seeking to exit. The company also exited its lease at London’s Clapham Common during the year following the removal of planning permission by Lambeth Council, “which rendered the site unable to be traded under the Megan's concept”. Megan’s finance director Gill Clements told Propel: “We are proud to have delivered record revenue this year, driven by strong like for like growth and the successful launch of new neighbourhood sites. Our expansion continues at pace. Build is already underway in Windsor ahead of our October opening, and Beaconsfield will follow later this financial year. We are also on the verge of signing two incredible flagship locations outside of London. These are truly standout sites that represent a major step forward in our regional growth journey.” In her report accompanying the accounts, Clements added: “Alongside these inflationary pressures, the company made a conscious decision to protect its value-for-money proposition for guests by absorbing some of the cost increases rather than fully passing them on through pricing. As part of this strategy, the company did not implement any significant increases to menu prices during the year. The company maintains appropriate financing facilities to support future growth.” Dividends of £285,000 were paid (2024: nil).

 

Chipotle CEO – we can potentially have thousands of restaurants in western Europe over time: Scott Boatwright, chief executive of Chipotle, has said the company thinks it can have “hundreds of restaurants in the existing markets we're in today, potentially thousands in western Europe over time”. Earlier this year, the US brand made its Essex debut, with an opening at the Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock – its 20th UK location. Chipotle also operates sites in France and Germany. Speaking after the brand’s second quarter update, Boatwright said: “In Europe, we continue to progress with positive consumer feedback on the improvements to the experience, including the quality of the food. Our head of Europe and Canada is doing an excellent job of building the team and culture to be able to scale, similar to what she did in Canada several years ago. Anat [Davidzon, managing director Chipotle International] and her team have done remarkable work in western Europe. We didn’t have kids’ meals or soda fountains. The team is making a lot of progress on creating and delivering the Chipotle experience the way it was intended. We are driving top line. We are driving margin improvement in western Europe today. We’ve already unlocked Central London and Germany for additional restaurant growth. We think we can have hundreds of restaurants in the existing markets we’re in today, potentially thousands in western Europe over time. It’s early on what international will be for this brand, but we fully believe it will be a pretty significant growth lever for us in the years to come.” It comes as Chipotle lowered its sales growth target for the second time this year, in response to lower US consumer spending as inflation ticks up again. The brand reported like-for-like sales fell 4% between April and June. The business said in April it expected like-for-like restaurant sales to rise in the “low single-digit range” over the course of the year but now estimates they would be “about flat” for the rest of the year.

 

Thai noodle bar brand Khao-Sō-i to make UK debut: Thai noodle bar brand Khao-Sō-i is to make its UK debut, on the former EL&N site in Market Place. The site in London’s Fitzrovia – the brand’s first international outpost – will launch in October. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Win Srinavakool and Por Haruethai Noicharoen, the brand began life as a 25-cover neighbourhood noodle bar in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. Khao-Sō-I’s success saw expansion into Bangkok, and its Fitzrovia location follows a sold-out pop-up in London in October 2024, where the team served more than 500 guests each day. Heading up UK operations is Oliver Darrington, formerly of Fallow in London’s Haymarket’s, who brings deep operational knowledge and first-hand cultural insight after spending more than 16 years living in Thailand. Guests can expect Khao-Sō-I’s signature Khao Soi, developed from a 20-year family recipe using fresh egg noodles, 32 Thai spices and house-squeezed coconut milk, alongside a rotating menu of Glub Glam small plates such as Sai Ua (Chiang Mai sausage), Larb Kua (spicy stir-fried minced pork) and Tam Khanun (young jackfruit salad). “We started Khao-Sō-i with one goal, to create the perfect bowl of Khao Soi that the world will come to know and love,” said Srinavakool. “Fitzrovia is the next step in that story, and we’re excited to bring the flavours of Northern Thailand to the heart of London.” Darrington added: “This opening feels really personal for all of us. Khao-Sō-i is rooted in the kind of food and hospitality I grew up around, and to bring that to London, with this team, is exciting.” Ted Schama, founder of One Voice Hospitality, acted on the Market Place deal.

 

The Salad Project now expects to have 20 sites in London by end of 2026, trading in 2025 ‘incredibly strong’: The Salad Project, the all-day dining concept that launched in London in 2021, has told Propel it now expects to have 20 sites in the capital by the end of 2026 – a year ahead of planned – and trading in 2025 is “incredibly strong”. The eight-strong Salad Project, founded by James Dare and Florian De Chezelles, will open two new sites in August. A flagship venue will launch at the Nova development in Victoria on Friday, 1 August, which will have space for more than 60 guests both inside and out. The Victoria site will be followed by a venue in Southwark on Friday, 22 August. The Southwark Street location – its first south of the Thames – is the second site under the business’ “Spaces” format – its “digital-only” concept that debuted in Watling Street in the City last year. Further openings are also lined up this year in Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill and at Battersea Power Station. In terms of trading in 2025, a spokesperson told Propel: “It’s been incredibly strong. The business is 85% up on last year so far in terms of revenue. This is driven by average 30% like-for-like sales growth across existing sites and strong performances and rapid growth of the newly opened sites. The second half of the year should see revenue continue to grow steeply with the opening of four sites between now and December.” De Chezelles previously told Propel the business was aiming to reach 20 sites in London by 2027 before exploring expansion outside the capital. The spokesperson added: “The business will have 20 sites in London by the end of 2026, effectively doubling in size in 12 months.”

 

Bootlegger Bars hires ex-Dirty Martini CEO Scott Matthews as new MD: Bootlegger Bars – the prohibition era-themed pub concept from former New York bar owner Lee Miller – has hired Scott Matthews, the former chief executive of Dirty Martini-owner CG Restaurants & Bars, as its new managing director, Propel has learned. Matthews joins the seven-strong business after a year and a half as a sector consultant, working with the likes of the Groucho Club and Drake & Morgan. He spent more than 15 years at CG Restaurants, including ten and a half years as chief executive, before the sale of the Dirty Martini business to Nightcap. In the summer of 2023, Nightcap – the owner of The Cocktail Club, the Adventure Bar Group and the Barrio Familia group of bars – entered into an agreement to acquire the ten-strong Dirty Martini business, plus Tuttons British Brasserie in London’s Covent Garden, for a consideration of up to £4.65m. Matthews has also had stints at Novus Leisure and Hard Rock Café. His appointment follows the departure of Karen Bosher from the business. Bosher, the former chair of Greene King’s Venture Brand, joined Bootlegger Bars last year as a non-executive director and interim chief executive. She told Propel: “I really enjoyed the early-stage involvement and was proud to support the business on an interim basis over the past year through a pivotal phase, and find them a full-time managing director. I’m fully committed to building my portfolio as a non-executive director and things are building nicely.” Bootlegger Bars announced last November the successful closure of a £2m funding round led by SVN Capital, an investment firm based in Dubai, which it said would enable it to expand its footprint and enhance its offerings. Having launched in 2014, Bootlegger Bars has venues in Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, London’s Richmond and Leeds. As part of its ongoing expansion, Bootlegger Bars said it is seeking venues in cities across the UK, including Manchester, Liverpool and Nottingham, and is “interested in speaking with bar owners considering an exit in 2025”.

 

The Ned exploring regional UK expansion and overseas growth: The Ned, the City of London venue and private members’ club operated by Soho House, is exploring regional UK expansion and overseas growth. Group managing director Gareth Banner told City AM the company has three additional “very serious offers with either real estate owners or potential partners” for new international ventures. The new UK site is set to be “a newly created concept” that will “comprise of more than just a hotel and a club”. Banner said the new property, which is slated to open in 2028 or 2029, will be located in the countryside “within 100 miles of London”. He said: “To create something from scratch brings with it slightly different challenges. Everything else [we have opened] has been a repurposing or a refurbishment, but this is a newly created concept. We think we’re probably three and a half years from opening, although there may be a phased approach. We think this brand is only really getting started. We’re not [saying] ‘we’re going to have five sites in five years’ but we are opportunistic, and when we find the right site with the right DNA – and the architecture is a big part of that – I think we are aggressive.” The brainchild of Soho House founder Nick Jones, The Ned is owned by US billionaire Ron Burkle, who is also a major shareholder in publicly listed Soho House. The Ned, which opened in 2017 in the former Midland Bank headquarters in the Square Mile, features ten restaurants, 12 bars and 250 hotel rooms, with exclusive areas for members, who pay around £4,000 a year. The Ned NoMad opened in Manhattan in the summer of 2022, followed later that year by The Ned Doha. In February this year, The Ned opened a club-only outpost in Washington DC, on the upper levels of The Walker Building. Jones founded Soho House in 1995, selling 80% of the business to Richard Caring in 2008. Burkle acquired a 60% stake in 2012, with Jones retaining 10% and Caring 30%.

 

Dishoom to open in Glasgow next month: Award-winning Indian restaurant group Dishoom has confirmed it will open a new restaurant under its eponymous brand in Glasgow next month. The company will open the 7,000 square-foot site at the former stock exchange building in Nelson Mandela Place on Friday, 29 August. This will be its second site in Scotland, after opening in Edinburgh’s St Andrews Square, in 2017. Arun Tilak, Dishoom group executive chef, said: “Bringing Dishoom to Glasgow has long been a dream of ours. The team has worked hard to create a space and a menu that feels authentic to Bombay while celebrating the character of Glasgow and the heritage of its south Asian community.” Last month, Propel revealed that transatlantic investment funds and high net worth individuals were believed to be among the parties that have submitted first round bids to Dishoom. This after Dishoom revealed it had appointed advisors to help it secure new investment to aid a launch in the US, which could happen as early as this year. The business currently operates ten sites under its eponymous concept and four under its newer Permit Room format. Dishoom – which operates Permit Rooms in Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford and in London’s Portobello Road – has also lined up a further opening under its eponymous brand, on the ground floor of 68-78 Vicar Lane in Leeds.

 

Moto reports £22m increase in non-fuel turnover, rolls out 16 new KFC, Greggs and Pret units: Moto, the motorway services operator, has reported a £22m increase in non-fuel turnover for the year to 25 December 2024 after rolling out 16 new KFC, Greggs and Pret AManger units across its network. Total turnover for the year was £1,075,430,000, up from £1,067,526,000 in 2023. Of this, £478,237,000 was non-fuel turnover, compared with £456,122,000 in 2023. The group – which operates a national network of 70 sites at 53 locations, including 54 sites at 39 motorway service area locations – reported 64 million non-fuel and forecourt transactions, up from 63 million in 2023. This came from a passing traffic number of 1,010 million, up from 1,007 million in 2023. Pbitda was £125.9m (2023: £118.5m) and adjusted Pbitda was £124.1m (2023: £116.8m). This included £1,905,000 in Travelodge provision utilisation (2023: £1,780,000) and a £139,000 loss of disposal of fixed assets (2023: £26,000). The group made a pre-tax profit of £44,120,000, up from £36,866,000 in 2023. Employee numbers rose to 5,701 from 5,694 in 2023, with employee engagement of 83% (2023: 81%). The group’s net promoter score was 51.6 (2023: 41.8) and capital investment was £56.9m (2023: £39.4m). Dividends of £25m were paid (2023: £60m). Director Claire Catlin said: “The group is well placed to benefit from recovery and growth in the UK economy and remains focused on long term growth. Turnover has exceeded the recovery of that of the National Highways traffic. Investment was focused on the redevelopment of numerous sites, rolling out 16 new trading units across KFC, Greggs and Pret, as well as the opening of a further three new trading units at the new Leeds Skelton Extra site and the construction of a new site at Sawtry. Management is pleased with the progress made against the strategic priorities to ‘transform the UK rest stop experience’. The business has recovered well post covid and responded robustly in a highly inflationary market. During 2025, the business will continue to invest significant capital into site redevelopment and technology, in addition to the opening of approximately a further seven trading units.” The new Sawtry service station in Cambridgeshire, which opened in April, features a Burger King, Costa Coffee, Greggs and Pret.

 

Nell’s Pizza plans to double in size over next three years: Jonny Heyes, co-founder of Nell’s, the north west New York-style pizza business, has told Propel the company has completed its three-year plan of developing a regional business and is now set to embark on its next three-year strategy of growing across the north of England and doubling in size. Founded by Heyes and his wife Charlotte, the business currently operates sites in the Northern Quarter, Kampus and Chorlton in Manchester, along with a restaurant in Altrincham. Nell’s will open a fifth site, its first to feature karaoke and shuffleboards, in MediaCity, Salford, this autumn. The site, located at MediaCity’s quayside Orange Building, will be the first Nell’s to feature private karaoke booths, shuffleboard tables and a massive outdoor terrace, all alongside the concept’s signature 22-inch New York-style pizza, ice cream sandwiches and frozen margaritas. Heyes told Propel: “We feel like we have proven the concept over the past three years in the city centre and in suburbs. Although the latter locations have been more challenging over the last 12 months, we believe they will bounce back. Now is the time to begin on our next three-year plan of expanding further afield across the north, and we will look at opening in more cities, such as Leeds, over the next few years. I think we have proven that the cluster model works and would like to replicate that elsewhere.”

 

Napoleons owner reports increase in profit and turnover: A&S Leisure Group, owner of casino operator Napoleons, has reported a rise in profit and turnover for the year to 30 September 2024. The group – which operates the Owlerton Stadium alongside its casinos in Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and Hull – saw pre-tax profit increase from £6,869,952 in 2023 to £7,661,776. Turnover was up from £44,410,403 to £47,649,563. This included £37,176,304 from its casinos (2023: £33,956,921) and £3,417,022 from racing (2023: £3,490,435). Grants of £4,568 were received (2023: £4,240) while a £28,818 gain was made on disposal of assets (2023: loss of £30,519). Dividends of £2m were paid (2023: £3m). Director Susan Battersby said: “Over the last three years, the company has undergone refurbishment at two of the operations, which has created regeneration and interest in the premises, improving attendance and turnover. There has been increases in particular areas of expenditure, in particular direct wages and employment related costs. But these additional costs have been offset by the increase in turnover. The company will continue with this strategy by developing and refurbishing another site in 2025. Increases in employers’ national insurance imposed in April 2025, planned levies on water, heat and light, and changes introduced by HM Revenue & Customs that are specific to the activity of the group, will have an impact in the year 2024-25, but the directors are aware of these and are proactively adjusting to prepare for the impact they may have. The group has strong cash reserves to act as a cushion against any deterioration in the trading position. Following disruption to the trade of the hospitality sector in recent years, mainly due to the recent pandemic, the directors look forward to a period of consolidation and growth with confidence.”

 

Offworld Industries restaurant group owner looking to grow through partnerships with staff: David Stein, owner of restaurant group Offworld Industries, has told Propel he is aiming to grow the business through partnerships with his staff as he looks to reward their loyalty. Stein is the second generation of a family butchers’ business with sites in Bathgate and Blackburn in West Lothian, which expanded into hospitality in 2013 with the opening of Cafebar 1912 in Bathgate. This was followed by Cafebar 1807 in Linlithgow in 2017 and Cafebar 1962 in Livingston Designer Outlet last year. Now, Stein has launched Cafebar eighteen38 at the Dalton Park Outlet in Seaham, County Durham, for his debut restaurant in England. The 4,000 square-foot eatery has opened after Stein agreed a deal with landlord Global Mutual. Stein told Propel the Seaham site is also the first to open in partnership with staff, as long-term employees Kirsty Weir and Louise Campbell join him in the venture. Meanwhile, another site is set to open in Scotland under the same agreement as Stein joins forces with long-standing employee Kieran Connor. “We’ve got a wonderful group of staff, many of whom have been here more than 20 years,” said Stein. “They’ve shown tremendous loyalty. I’m a one-man band, so for me, the way to grow the business is through these partnerships. I want these people who have shown such loyalty to own something tangible. To support our planned growth, we might also look at the franchising route. We looked at the partnership model before covid, but the last four years has been about building the business back. Now, we’re ready to pick it up again.” Stein said trading in 2025 has been “mixed”, with efforts to turn a profit being hampered by the “damaging” actions of the government on both sides of the border. “We’re trying to operate with two hands tied behind our back,” said Stein, who was a printer by trade before moving into the family butchers’ business. “We’ve streamlined operations to make every penny work – it’s survival of the fittest. We are slightly fortunate that we supply all the restaurants from the butchers. But I must say while the government has been working against us, Global Mutual has been terrific and extremely supportive of our business.”

 

New landlord for Mitchells & Butlers following £55m headquarters sale: Sterling Property Ventures has sold the Birmingham headquarters of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B). Funds managed by US-based alternative asset management firm Blue Owl Capital have acquired the asset at 27 Fleet Street and 65 Lionel Street for £55m. M&B has a circa 20-year lease on 95,000 square feet of purpose-built office space at the asset, which was built in 2003. The building also has a 120-bedroom Ibis hotel, operated by Accor Group on behalf of M&B. The asset was the first acquired by Sterling’s asset management and investment business, launched in 2024. James Howarth, managing director of Sterling, said: “The M&B headquarters is a prime mixed-use asset let to a FTSE 250 business on a 20-year lease, with five-yearly index-linked uplifts. During our ownership, we proactively worked alongside M&B on various environmental strategies to improve the performance of its premises, including the installation of solar panels on the roof, adding value to the asset as a result.” Blue Owl, which is headquartered in New York, has more than $273bn of global assets under management, including more than $67bn within the firm’s real assets platform. “As we expand our presence in the UK and Europe, we’re excited to add this high-quality, mixed-use asset to our growing portfolio” said Marc Zahr, global head of real assets at Blue Owl. “This acquisition reflects our continued conviction in long-duration, mission-critical real estate assets backed by high-quality tenants. The M&B headquarters is a prime example of the type of resilient, income-generating property that aligns with our real assets strategy.” BSB Real Estate advised Sterling on the deal. Dentons and Knight Frank acted for Blue Owl.

 

Two new operators join line-up at Liverpool Boxpark: Two new operators have joined the line-up at Liverpool Boxpark. Greek concept Christakis has been operating in the city for more than 25 years, with Christakis Georgiou creating authentic Greek dishes such as chicken gyros wraps, halloumi and loukanika sausage and feta spring rolls. Also joining is Rogue Pizza Co, a new concept spearheaded by Matthew Keenan, Ben Gorry and Jay Riley. The trio are behind tour caterers Rock N Rogue, which has catered for major stars including Green Day, Sabrina Carpenter, Mary J Blige, Sting and Jamie Webster. Rogue Pizza Co serves American-style pizza and pasta, including Pepperoni Punk, Blazing Beef and Buffalo Chicken Blitz. Joel Lee, general manager at Boxpark Liverpool, said: “We’ve been working with local concepts to give our guests an even wider range of delicious dishes and felt that both a Greek kitchen, and one that serves such classics like pizza and pasta, were necessary, and would add so much to our offering.” Georgiou said: “We felt Boxpark Liverpool needed a Greek style vendor, and we were highly experienced, serving traditional Greek food in Liverpool.” Riley said: “When we created Rock N Rogue during covid to offer touring bands, artists and crew fresh, restaurant quality food, word spread, and we’ve grown so much each year with rave reviews, and when the opportunity arose to join Boxpark Liverpool with Rogue Pizza Co, we were excited.”

 

Hotel Chocolat to open new Velvetiser Café in Leicestershire: Hotel Chocolat, the premium British chocolatier, is to open a new Velvetiser Café in Leicestershire. The company will launch the outlet in Market Harborough on Thursday, 7 August. The new store and café in High Street will offer a space that can fit up to 59 customers. They will be able to choose from 18 different “velvetised” flavours served hot, over ice or as a chocolate shake. The opening hours will be Monday to Saturday from 8am until 6pm and Sunday from 9am until 6pm. Hotel Chocolat currently has 163 stores and 84 cafes across the UK.

Operators sought for north west London park cafes: The charities responsible for three of the capital's “most cherished green spaces” – Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen's Park – are inviting proposals from potential operators to lease five individual cafe facilities across the sites. Applicants can bid for one or more sites. The City of London Corporation, which manages the open spaces as registered charities, said the remarketing process will ensure “high-quality, inclusive cafe operators deliver welcoming community spaces that help sustain the charities’ long-term future”. Gregory Jones, chair of the City of London Corporation's Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen's Park committee, said: “All five cafe operators are trading under tenancies at will, which are short-term arrangements. This process will provide greater clarity and security for the cafes’ operators, supporting their long-term investment and future on these sites. We are focused on securing the best operators to serve the local community and support the aims of our open spaces charities.” Davis Coffer Lyons is marketing the five cafe opportunities, which are: Parliament Hill Fields Cafe, Parliament Hill Fields Lido Cafe, Golders Hill Park Cafe, Highgate Wood Cafe, and Queen's Park Cafe. 

 

Immersive experience based on BBC show The Traitors to opens in London: An immersive experience based on BBC show The Traitors has launched in London’s Covent Garden. The Traitors: Live Experience allows players to dive into the world of the TV series as they take a seat at “the round table”, participate in missions and work together to uncover the “traitors” under the guide of a live host. Each day, the top players will secure a coveted place on the leader board, celebrating the evening’s sharpest strategists and schemers. The venue is also home to its own bar, The Cloak & Dagger, where players can debrief, discuss theories and relive every twist and turn of the game. The experience is produced by Immersive Everywhere – which is behind projects such as Doctor Who: Time Fracture in London, with BBC Studios, and Peaky Blinders: The Rise in London and Riyadh – along with live music and event promoters Cuffe & Taylor and Global Creative, under licence from All3Media International.

 

Imad’s Syrian Kitchen founder to open new restaurant at London’s Somerset House in September: The chef and restaurateur behind Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, Imad Alarnab, will open a new concept at London’s Somerset House in September. Alarnab has partnered with Michalis Ntais and Christos Georgogiannopoulos to launch Aram, a new cafe, deli and restaurant coming to Somerset House as it expands its food and drink offering. A departure from Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, Aram will serve baked goods, salads, breakfast and lunch from across the eastern Mediterranean, with dishes inspired by the regions spanning Syria, Turkey, Cyprus, Jordan and beyond. Aram will overlook Somerset House’s River Terrace and house four rooms – a deli that will also be home to a new shop with products from across the Mediterranean, two dining rooms and the Salamlik, an “elevated dining space designed to celebrate and nurture emerging talent through events, from supper clubs to cooking classes”. Alarnab said: “We are collectively inspired by the eastern Mediterranean, and how it reminds us of home, and we want to celebrate this in the best way possible. Opening in Somerset House is a milestone for us and feels like the perfect location to bring Aram to life, especially with the addition of Salamlik.” Somerset House will also be home to Poon’s, the debut restaurant for Amy Poon’s celebrated Chinese heritage food, and Setlist, a new riverside food, music and arts destination championing female talent launched by James Dye, founder of Franks Café and the Camberwell Arms, along with Thomas Kidd, co-founder of the Adventure Bar Group, and Paul Smyth, co-founder of Mission Kitchen.

Fine-dining Greek restaurant opens in Birmingham’s Colmore business district: A fine-dining Greek restaurant has opened in the heart of Birmingham's Colmore business district. Located at Bruntwood SciTech’s Cornwall Buildings in Newhall Street in the premises previously occupied by Mitchells & Butlers’ All Bar One brand, Cylla aims to blend authentic Greek cuisine with contemporary gastronomy. The venue, which looks to bring a “sophisticated approach to Mediterranean dining”, also offers cocktails incorporating traditional Greek spirits and fresh ingredients. General manager Adonis Maniadakis said: “I’m thrilled to open Cylla, and to be able to share my Greek heritage with the city of Birmingham. We want to deliver a unique experience to our guests, which transports them to the shores of the Greek Islands. Cylla is an elevated take on traditional Greek cuisine – we’ve created a touch of glamour while retaining the authentic flavours and warmth of Greek hospitality.” The Cornwall Buildings are part of Bruntwood SciTech’s technology and digital cluster in Birmingham.