Hospitality lost two sites per day in first half of 2025 as employment cost pressures bite: Additional cost pressures from government policy around national insurance contributions and taxation, combined with tough market conditions, saw venue numbers fall in the first half of the year, with two premises closing every day for the first six months of 2025, the new Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners shows. The research reveals a total of 98,746 sites operating at the end of June – 374 fewer than at the start of the year. It equates to 62 net closures per month, or two per day. In the context of the overall size of the market, Britain’s number of licensed premises fell by 0.4% in the first six months of 2025. The latest closures mean the sector is now 14.2% smaller (net) than it was at the start of the covid-19 pandemic, having recorded more than 16,000 net closures in the ensuing five-year period. The new numbers are a setback for hospitality after a solid 2024, when site numbers were largely stable. The closures followed the introduction of significant new employment costs in April, which have placed new pressures on site profitability. In absence of mitigation, these costs may trigger a new wave of company restructurings in the second half of this year, the report said. It shows how restaurants and smaller businesses have borne the brunt of closures so far in 2025. The food-led sector has contracted by 2.9% in just one year, in contrast to a 1.0% increase in drink-led venues. The difference in fortunes is also reflected in the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker, which shows managed pubs have outperformed all other sub segments for sales in each month of this year. The Hospitality Market Monitor reveals more trends in openings and closures across the hospitality sector, including a spotlight on the relatively resilient Manchester market. Of the ten British city centres with the most licensed premises, Manchester is the only one to have a recorded an increase in venues between March and June, with recent openings there featuring expanding London-based brands, as well as local operators and entrepreneurs. Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said: “These latest figures are a devastating blow. Two hospitality venues closing every day is not just a statistic; it represents the hollowing out of our high streets and communities. The result is a sector in survival mode, where investment is at a standstill. Businesses are being forced to focus on just keeping the lights on, and growth is secondary. This cannot continue.” Karl Chessell, business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “New pay and national insurance contributions aren’t the sole cause of closures lately, but they have been the final straw for many operators, especially smaller ones. The sector needs a fairer tax regime that supports growth and investment and encourages consumer spending.” Graeme Smith, a senior partner at AlixPartners, added: “Consumer demand appears to be resilient, so the medium-term impact of these changes is yet to be seen, although it seems likely that more closures will follow in the immediate term. In this environment, we would expect the polarisation in the market to continue, with the leading players continuing to grow and take market share from struggling brands.”

 

Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference open for bookings, panel about the challenges of building a culture in a fast-growing business across multiple concepts and locations to be held: Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference is open for bookings. The conference takes place on Thursday, 9 October at One Moorgate Place in London. As part of the speaker line-up, Karen Turton, founder of Purple Story, will talk to Nickie Bartsch, people director at Honest Burgers, Hayley Moosa, people director at Bella Italia, and Daryl Sutcliffe, head of talent acquisition at The Restaurant Group, about the challenges of building a culture in a fast-growing business across multiple concepts and locations. 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 Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday now featuring 1,151 companies: Premium Club subscribers will receive the updated Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (8 August), at noon. The database will feature 13 new entries and 58 updated accounts. The database now features a total of 1,151 companies, with 725 in profit and 436 making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the New Openings Database, 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 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.

 

Catering butcher Birtwistles – turkey market experiencing ‘unprecedented challenges’ with low availability and rising prices ahead of festive season: The turkey market is experiencing “unprecedented challenges” with low availability and rising prices ahead of the festive season, according to catering butcher Birtwistles. Its latest market report showed UK turkey slaughter numbers are down 30% year-on-year, with live bird weights also decreasing. EU turkey prices are at record levels for this time of year, matching last Christmas prices. There is also no EU frozen turkey availability due, with the shelves emptied by last year’s demand due to the biggest Avian flu outbreak in Poland ever. Meanwhile, the report stated the UK beef market is facing challenges, with lower cattle kills and high demand, leading to increased prices and export opportunities. Cattle slaughtering is down 25% due to a lack of cattle, with some producers slaughtering only three days a week. In some cases, beef is being sourced from Australia and Uruguay due to UK shortages. The report said the UK pork market is experiencing a production increase and stable prices, as consumers switch away from beef. UK pork production is forecasted to rise by 3.3% year-on-year. Birtwistles said lamb prices are bucking traditional seasonal trends. GB deadweight lamb prices crept up again in the week ending 26 July, with the deadweight new seasons lamb price rising by 10p to 754p/kg – 105p above the same week last year. EU chicken prices have continued to gradually rise due to a shortage of birds caused by the Avian flu outbreak in Poland and cases of Newcastle disease, which is a virus and not airborne like Avian flu, and has reported cases in Israel and Sweden.

 

UKHospitality Cymru calls for parity for hospitality and retail in proposed business rates reform: UKHospitality Cymru has called for parity for hospitality and retail after saying the Welsh government’s new rating plans would lead to “substantial and potentially damaging business rates hikes”. The trade body said the new proposals, coupled with the cut off in business rates funding from Westminster, will mean that there will effectively be no support for Welsh hospitality businesses in 2026/27 unless its government acts. It said a new lower business rates multiplier has been set aside solely for the retail sector and ignores the requirements of hospitality. That lack of support will mean a typical high street pub will be paying an extra £6,800 per year in business rates, a typical country hotel would see an increase of around £17,000 per year and a city centre hotel would see nearly £50,000 extra in costs, UKHospitality Cymru said. It is calling for Welsh business leaders to join it in responding to the government’s consultation, which is due to close on Tuesday, 12 August. David Chapman, UKHospitality Cymru’s executive director, said: “This is a critical issue that will threaten the very existence of pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants across the UK. Hospitality must, without a shadow of a doubt, be included in any and every business rates support package, if we are to avoid the sector being taxed out. We urge all hospitality businesses across Wales, large or small, to back our calls for support from government by submitting their views to the Senedd before this crucial consultation closes.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a national catering and soft facilities management provider within healthcare that is hiring a general manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a critical role that requires an outstanding leader to oversee the soft facilities management offering. The role is to lead and develop a circa £4m healthcare contract, overseeing soft facilities management elements including catering, cleaning, retail and security. There is a stable and strong team across all service streams. This is a very client focused role that requires a strong contract manager with a hands-on approach who will lead from the front.” The salary is up to £55,000 and the position is based in Bristol. For more information, email dan@corecruitment.com.

 

David Page – ‘we’ve looked at about ten different businesses and signed a few NDAs, we really want to sign two in next six months and then look at bigger acquisitions’: David Page has told Propel that he and new business partner Jonny Plant have so far “looked at about ten different businesses and signed a few NDAs” and that they are aiming to sign two up in the next six months before looking at bigger acquisitions. Tasty, the listed operator of the Wildwood and Dim T brands, confirmed on Friday the appointment of Page as chairman, alongside launching a £9.25m fundraise and setting out a new growth strategy. This includes aiming for four to six acquisitions over the first three years, with an aim to grow the enlarged group’s brands to 50-plus sites. Page, the former chairman of Franco Manca-owner Fulham Shore and ex-chief executive of PizzaExpress, told Propel: “We’ll go around and see which businesses fit into the existing estate and sit down in a few weeks to make some early decisions. We’ve signed five NDAs, all different cuisines. These people have queues out of the door as they’re doing one or two things really well, whether it’s a hamburger, a pizza or a croissant. The easier wins are the reinventions – we’re looking at two businesses that aren’t a reinvention of Gail’s but a continuation of the café model. We’ve looked at Japanese, we’ve looked Portuguese and we’ve looked at a number of cafes that have four sites each. There’s a really successful operator out in the west country that has three £60-a-head restaurants, which is too expensive for us, but he’s started a hamburger business in Bristol which is going £45,000 a week, so we could do a deal there. There’s plenty of things out there on a small scale that are doing well, despite Rachel Reeves. We’ve looked at about ten different businesses and signed a few NDAs, so there are things in the market that are working. We really want to sign two businesses before six months are out, and at the same time be going through our existing estate. The quicker we can get these new businesses under our belt and start transferring some of the sites that are suitable to them, the whole atmosphere will change within the company and there will be a lot of excitement – and a lot of excitement in the shares as well. We want to do two or three acquisitions, get their growth going and then look for bigger things. As we get bigger, we’ll go for bigger acquisitions. It will happen as quickly as we can agree the contracts because we want to buy them with the owners and management and incentivise them to stay with the business for two or three years and grow it with us.” In terms of possible growth for the Wildwood and Dim T brands, Page added: “We’re going to get it settled first and spend some money on the existing estate. I suppose if a decent site came up at the right rate in a place we’re not represented, we could take new sites on. But I think we’ve quite a lot of work to do on the existing estate, which is going to take about a year, and in the meantime, we’re going to be buying new brands. As we’ve alluded to previously, half the estate was doing very well – and I think we’ve got time now, which is something Jonny hasn’t had in the past.”

Burger Drop in slower growth phase as it prioritises ensuring franchisee stores are successful, set to open in Middlesbrough for sixth restaurant: Hasan Hamid, co-founder of independent burger business Burger Drop, has told Propel the business is in a slower growth phase now as it prioritises ensuring franchisee stores are successful, while trading has been “positive” in 2025. It comes as Burger Drop is set to open its sixth restaurant and fifth franchise, in Middlesbrough. The 20-cover site is due to launch this autumn. Founded in Newcastle in 2020 by Hamid and Amer Qayyum, Burger Drop operates restaurants in Newcastle, Whitley Bay, Sunderland and Manchester, and in May made its Scottish debut, in Edinburgh. Hamid, who previously told Propel that Burger Drop was targeting 150 stores in the next decade, said: “We’re in a slower growth phase now as our priority is ensuring franchisee stores are successful and get the best possible support, but as we get more experienced with new openings, we will certainly look to ramp up store numbers again. We’ve had positive trading from all our existing and new stores and are anticipating a very busy winter.” Having previously revealed the business had more than 200 franchise inquiries, Hamid said the business stopped taking new enquiries earlier this year “to focus on the openings we already had in the pipeline”. He added that Burger Drop plans to start to take new enquiries again later this year. As well as its smashed burgers, the Burger Drop menu also includes chicken tenders and a line-up of thick milkshakes in flavours like Oreo, Biscoff and salted caramel. In February, Propel revealed that Hamid had launched a premium kebab concept, This Is Doner, in the former Westgate Fish & Grill unit at 183 Westgate Road in Newcastle.

 

Real estate business Dominus aiming to add three more hotels to portfolio by 2027, ‘continuing to outperform our competitors’: Dominus Hospitality, the hotel operations division of multi-sector real estate business Dominus, has told Propel it anticipates adding another three properties by2027 and “continuing to outperform our competitors”. Since 2011, Dominus has developed 15 hotels, totalling more than 4,000 keys, and has retained ownership of five, which are managed by the Dominus Hospitality platform. Dominus Hospitality is led by Matt Williams, director of hotels. Dominus’ operational portfolio of hotels comprises The Dixon, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection in Tower Bridge in London, Lost Property, a Curio Collection by Hilton in St Paul’s in the capital, a Courtyard by Marriott in Oxford and two Hampton by Hilton hotels, in Bath and London City. Meanwhile, The Derby London City, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel, is due to open in early 2026, as Dominus Hospitality aims to hit revenue of £100m. Williams told Propel: “We anticipate being at eight hotels by 2027 as our existing pipeline completes and we add more hotels to our portfolio. We are always on the lookout for the new opportunities as we continue to grow our pipeline, but they need to be in the right place at the right price, where we can add value to create a market-leading hotel. Our focus is largely on London as there is a strong, sustained demand for hotels across the majority of London’s sub-markets, but we’re also looking at other key regional locations – for example, Cambridge, Oxford and Edinburgh.” In terms of trading, Williams said: “The wider industry has seen a downturn in visitor numbers across key cities, but the central location of our hotels, combined with our focus on delivering an exceptional guest experience, has meant we continue to outperform our competitors. We own and operate the top ranked hotel in Oxford on TripAdvisor and two of our hotels in London are in the top 12 as a result of our team’s ability to create the perfect stay for both business and leisure travellers.”

Haven investing £140m in estate in 2025 with company set to welcome record 3.7 million holidaymakers this year: Holiday park operator Haven is investing £140m in its estate in 2025 with the company set to welcome a record 3.7 million holidaymakers this year. The investment is aimed at delivering upgraded facilities, new holiday homes and enhanced dining experiences. They include a new JD Wetherspoon pub at the Haven Kent Coast Holiday Park where a £10m swimming pool is also set to be opened this winter. Since its acquisition by funds managed by Blackstone in 2021, Haven has invested more than £660m in enhancing its 39 parks nationwide, including the £140m committed for 2025. The company said this “transformative” investment has driven growth, with Easter 2025 holiday sales up 25% compared with the previous year and summer bookings trending significantly ahead of 2024, all while maintaining high levels of guest satisfaction. Across Haven’s portfolio, this year’s investment will deliver more than 300 new holiday home pitches, bringing the total to nearly 40,000, alongside upgraded facilities, expanded Christmas and New Year breaks, and enhanced digital innovation, such as interactive maps for booking preferred caravans and flexible arrival times. Dining options will be further bolstered with the addition of new Wetherspoon pubs and Burger King restaurants. Chief executive Simon Palethorpe said: “There’s nothing that gives me a greater sense of pride in what we do than seeing our guests and owners enjoying themselves on our parks. We’re investing significant capital to give them more of what they love – more familiar brands, more and better facilities, more choice of holiday homes.”

 

Staycity opens new Wilde venue in Cambridge: Aparthotel operator Staycity Group, operator of the Staycity and Wilde brands, has opened a new venue under its boutique lifestyle aparthotel brand, Wilde, in Cambridge. Wilde Cambridge City Centre offers 227 studio and one-bed apartments sleeping up to four people, including 22 accessible rooms with fully equipped kitchenettes. Facilities include a gym, laundry room and a ground floor communal space with a co-working area and lounge.The ground floor features an all-day café bar serving a range of drinks and dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, and a landscaped terrace, while a shop on the ground floor sells artisanal foods and drinks such as regional cheeses, charcuterie, locally brewed beers and meals to prepare in the apartments. Staycity, founded in Dublin in 2004, currently operates 6,000 keys across 36 aparthotels in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the UK. In February, the then 36-strong business secured a new £77m loan from OakNorth to support its future growth as it looks to expand to 18,000 rooms by 2029.

 

Nigerian restaurant and takeaway concept Tasty African Food opens site in London’s Romford: Nigerian restaurant and takeaway concept Tasty African Food has opened a site in Romford, east London. The High Street venue is the brand’s 27th outlet. Abolaji Modile, head of restaurant business, told the Romford Recorder: “Opening in Romford is more than just a new chapter for Tasty African Food, it’s about bringing a taste of home to a vibrant and diverse community. For 25 years, we’ve shared the warmth and flavour of west African cooking, and we’re excited to welcome Romford into our growing family.” Tasty African Food was founded in Woolwich in 2000, and its restaurants and takeaways span the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Croydon, Greenwich and Newham, as well as parts of Kent.

 

Mowgli to open in Norwich this week: Mowgli, the Nisha Katona-led, TriSpan-backed business, will open its latest restaurant this week, in Norwich. It will open on Friday (8 August) in the former Superdry clothing store in Chantry Place. “Mowgli is a place to kick back with friends and family, two and four-legged, as we have a passion for the things that matter to you,” said Katona. “It’s about creating a home-from-home, where food and kindness come first.” Mowgli is also set to open in Belfast’s Victoria Square this summer, for its Northern Ireland debut, and is understood to also be in talks on a second site in Edinburgh. In June, Lucy Worth was promoted to Mowgli’s chief executive as Katona, who founded the 26-strong brand in 2014, moved to the role of founder director. Last week, TriSpan, the transatlantic private equity firm which also backs Pho and Rosa’s Thai in the UK, announced the closing of a single-asset continuation vehicle (CV) for Naya, the rapidly growing, US-based, fast-casual restaurant brand.

 

Bristol Subway franchisee sells majority of its stores as it focuses on its investment portfolio: Subway franchisee Pasco Group, which operated 18 sites in Bristol and the surrounding area, has sold the majority of its stores and is looking to offload the rest as it focuses on its investment portfolio. In the company’s accounts for the year to 30 June 2024, director Ryan Pasco said: “The group has performed broadly in line with the director’s expectation and continues to sustain in a highly competitive fast changing environment and global pandemic environment. During the year, the group sold six subway stores and is in the process of selling rest of the stores and actively looking for buyers.The management is focusing on investment arm of the business and is in the process of selling Subway stores. After the year end, one of the significant subsidiaries has sold majority of its stores and planning to cease trading.” The company’s turnover dropped from £9,469,653 in 2023 to £9,007,042 during the year while a pre-tax loss of £985,131 turned into a profit of £11,756. Further analysis of the turnover shows that £8,948,142 came from the restaurants and takeaways (2023: £9,412,846) and £58,900 from property rental (2023: £56,807). Dividends of £96,000 were paid (2023: £44,095). Founded in 1997 by husband-and-wife team Stephen and Sue Pasco, in 2017, Pasco Group opened the 2,500th Subway store in the UK, in Keynsham, and in 2019, it opened the first Subway drive-thru in the south of England, in Swindon.

 

True North Brew Co reveals details of first stage to restore Sheffield venue: True North Brew Co has revealed details of stage one of the restoration of Abbeydale Picture House in Sheffield – a new identity for the basement venue Abbeydale Ballroom. The 11-strong company acquired the venue in January and plans to restore the grade-II listed auditorium as a bar and entertainment venue, in what it said at the time was its “most challenging project we’ve ever undertaken”. The Abbeydale Ballroom will encompass multiple interconnected spaces: the former ballroom (most recently the Shuffle Shack), the central room with small cinema space, and the bar, diner and terrace area. The team is aiming for an autumn 2025 opening. The space will be reimagined as an “inclusive, social and dynamic destination” – open day-to-day and serving up pool, sports, drinks, food and events all under one roof. “This is where it really begins,” says Kane Yeardly, owner of True North. “Abbeydale Ballroom is the first space we’ll reopen, and it’s going to set the tone for everything that follows within Abbeydale Picture House. It’s ambitious, but we’re all in.”

 

Wendy’s franchisee set to open in Solihull for ninth site with the brand: Wendy’s franchisee Blank Table, which launched the brand’s debut UK drive-thru restaurant, is set to open in Solihull. The site, in the town’s Touchwood shopping centre, will be the franchisee’s ninth with the brand. Blank Table also has two Wendy’s locations in Peterborough and one each in Huntingdon, Wisbech, Derby, Cambridge, Oakham and Spalding. In February, Propel revealed that the business is seeking to expand its footprint across the Midlands and is seeking locations in areas such as Stafford, Coventry, Walsall, Oldbury, Wolverhampton, Halesowen and Birmingham to develop drive-thrus. Wendy’s currently has circa 50 UK locations.

 

Scottish hotel group reports strong current trading, latest acquisition trading beyond expectations, sells Prestwick property: Scottish hotel group Rad has reported strong current trading and said its latest acquisition is trading beyond expectations. The business, owned by Robert and Vivien Kyle, operates eight hotels across Ayrshire, Dumfries, Lanarkshire and Glasgow. In September 2023, it acquired the Seamill Hydro Hotel and leisure club in West Kilbride. “Trading has been ahead of forecasts since takeover and a £1m investment in the refurbishment and extension of the Firth Pavilion and Firth Lounge completed in March 2025 so that the reimagined Firth Pavilion now boasts floor-to-ceiling windows framing views of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran and additional capacity," director Tom Stevenson said in the company’s accounts for the year to 30 June 2024. “In the current financial year, in the nine months prior to March 2025, trading remained strong, continuing to service weddings and events postponed earlier in the pandemic and post pandemic bookings which have a longer lead time with the crowded events calendars. It is worth re-iterating bookings in this area of the business are extremely healthy and mostly at full price. Staycations continue to lead to very good accommodation sales. As a result, sales and profit are ahead of forecast.” The company’s turnover increased from £28,068,081 in 2023 to £38,028,521 and its pre-tax profit grew from £2,774,873 to £3,977,126. Further analysis of the turnover shows £15,596,735 came from food sales (2023: £12,317,795), £9,495,401 from drink sales (2023: £7,460,476), £11,094,404 from accommodation (2023: £7,122,892) and £1,352,704 from spa sales (2023: £434,151). No government grants were received (2023: £13,241). Further refurbishments were made at the Lochside Hotel & Spa and Carlton Hotel, while £1.5m was spent upgrading the grand ballroom at Brig O’Doon and doubling the restaurant’s capacity. No dividend was paid (2023: nil). Post year end, in July 2025, The Carlton Hotel in Prestwick was sold to independent hotelier Henry Fitzsimons – owner of The Riverside Lodge in Irvine and The Fenwick Hotel in Kilmarnock, plus leisure complex Premier Leisure and Oscars bar and grill in Saltcoats.

 

Nando’s to open sixth Sheffield site: Nando’s is to open its sixth Sheffield site. The restaurant will launch on Wednesday (6 August) at Crystal Peaks Retail Park. Nando’s has converted the former Pizza Hut premises and will join brands including KFC, McDonalds and food-to-go operator Greggs, reports The Star. Nando’s other sites in the city are in West Street, The Moor and Ecclesall Road, as well as at Meadowhall and Valley Centertainment.

 

Essex operator takes on third pub and second lease with Star Pubs: Essex operator Jamie Foster has taken on his third pub and second lease with Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars. He will next month reopen The Railway Hotel in Southend, which has been closed for three years, following a joint £650,000 refurbishment. Foster also has a Star Pubs lease for The Old Garrison in Shoeburyness and runs a third Star Pub, The Spread Eagle in Southend, on a temporary agreement. He said: “Since taking on the Old Garrison two and a half years ago, trade has increased tenfold. It’s gone from an empty shell to a well-loved community pub. My focus now is on finding the niche activities and initiatives that will help level out this see-sawing. Overall, however I remain optimistic and think you get out what you put in. Whilst people will leave the industry, it will not fall over, it will continue.” Foster will continue to host live music at The Railway Hotel, where David Bowie and Wilko Johnston once performed. “I have had my eyes on The Railway Hotel for a year – I could see its potential and know the local market well,” he added. “I can’t wait to reopen it and make it a landmark music venue once again, while broadening its appeal with great food and other activities." Upstairs there are two rooms, one which will have a pool table, interactive darts and a weekend bottle bar, and the other has a stage for live acts. Outside, the courtyard garden will have two heated, covered outdoor dining pods, each seating six, plus garden furniture and festoon lighting. The menu at will consist of popular breakfast dishes, pub favourites and small plates, available to eat in the pub or take away. Drinks will include premium draught beers and ciders, cocktails and a selection of wines and spirits, plus a comprehensive soft drink and low and no range and fresh coffee.

 

German fitness brand to open third UK site: German fitness brand Xtrafit is set to open its third UK site with an opening in Manchester under its XF Gym brand. Xtrafit made its UK debut at the end of 2023 by launching XF Gym at the Merry Hill shopping centre in the West Midlands. A second site followed earlier this year, in a former Wilko store at St Johns shopping centre in Liverpool. It has now signed a 20-year lease for a 37,000 square-foot unit at Manchester Arndale, offering top of the range equipment, fitness classes and massage and tanning facilities. Laurence Benson, chief executive of XF Gyms said: “We are proud to bring XF to Manchester – a city that’s bold and vibrant. Ambition and grit are part of everyday life here, making it the perfect home for XF.Manchester doesn’t do average and neither do we. This club will be a statement of what fitness should feel like: loud, energetic, unapologetic, and built for people who demand more. We’re not here to blend in; we’re here to raise the bar. And this is just the beginning – as we continue our expansion into 2026 and beyond.” Scott Linard, portfolio director for landlord M&G Real Estate, added: “A strong leisure mix has become the backbone for successful retail destinations, so we are delighted to introduce XF Gym to Manchester Arndale. With a bustling city centre population, XF Gym are in the perfect location to serve Mancunian fitness needs.” Metis Real Estate and Time Retail Partners are Manchester Arndale’s retained letting agents.

 

North Yorkshire operator launches new venture in Leeds: North Yorkshire operator John Quinlan has launched a new venture in Leeds – six months after exiting his former site in the city. Quinlan, a former operations manager at boutique hotel Dakota Deluxe in Leeds, has opened CrowdedHouse in D&D London’s former Angelica & Crafthouse site in Trinity House. It comes after Quinlan’s Three’s A Crowd gastropub, which was located at 76-78 North Street in Leeds, closed in February. Quinlan had opened the venue in 2023 as the second site for his Three’s A Crowd concept after taking over the former The Reliance pub. Quinlan still operates the original Three’s A Crowd site in Harrogate’s West Park, which he launched in 2019 with ex-D&D London executive chef Lee Murdoch. He and Murdoch also launched shared dining concept Farrands in Leeds’ Swinegate in 2020. Quinlan said: “It’s a true cultural moment for Leeds – we’re proud to bring something new and unique to the city.”

 

Zeal Hotels opens ‘UK’s first branded net zero carbon hotel’ for its debut site: Zeal Hotels has opened what it said is the “UK’s first branded net zero carbon hotel” for its debut site. Tim Wheeldon and Tony Clark founded Zeal Hotels to create a group of sustainable hotels, with planning permission granted in December 2022 for their first location, at Exeter Science Park. The four-star, 142-bedroom Zeal Hotel Exeter, developed in partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts and Valor Hospitality, also includes a restaurant and bar with private dining. The 100% electric hotel has been built at a cost of £22m and spans 54,000 square feet, including conferences facilities and a gym, as well as electric vehicle and electric bike charging points. Wheeldon said: “The decision to build our net-zero hotel reflects our commitment to combating climate change and reducing our carbon footprint. By harnessing renewable energy sources, implementing energy-efficient designs and using innovative technology, we have created a space that not only provides comfort and luxury, but also prioritises environmental responsibility.”

 

Lake District operator acquires hotel, pub and brewery: Lake District operator Dave Keeler has acquired a hotel, pub and brewery in the region. Keeler, who began his hospitality career at The Strands as a teenager in the 1980s when his Godmother owned the hotel, is the new owner of Strands Hotel, Screes Inn and Strands Brewery in Wasdale. The deal, helped by £900,000 in funding from NatWest, includes the freehold of the historic site, located at the base of Scafell Pike, England's tallest mountain. Keeler’s will operate the venues under his Strands & Screes Holdings business. Keeler said the cash injection will be used to renovate accommodation and kitchen facilities, expand brewing and distilling operations and create new jobs during the summer tourist season. He said: “We are thrilled to have the support of NatWest as we embark on this exciting new chapter for The Strands Hotel. We look forward to welcoming guests to The Strands and the Wasdale Valley area over the busy summer period.” Currently, The Strands Hotel is open for business, with Screes Inn offering limited accommodation and plans a full reopening by May 2026.

 

New workspace and hospitality hub launches in Hull: A new workspace and hospitality hub has launched in Hull. Monocle is already home to six businesses and includes Daze, its ground floor coffee house which is open to the general public. Located next to Paragon Interchange, Monocle offers up to 60,000 square feet of workspace, a business lounge with co-working spaces, a podcast studio, a private gym, event space and a city garden. Charlie Allenby, development director at developers Allenby Commercial, said: “Monocle has always been about reimagining what a workspace should be. It’s more than an office – it's a place that reflects the way we want to live and work now.”