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Thu 25th Sep 2025 - Propel Thursday News Briefing |
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Story of the Day:The Alchemist CEO – late night sector will come roaring back once economic pressures ease, government needs to start communicating its intentions so we can prepare for Christmas: Simon Potts, chief executive of bar and restaurant brand The Alchemist, has said he believes the late night sector will come “roaring back” once economic pressures in this country ease. He said while all manner of studies and reports have shown a trend for Generation Z not drinking or staying out late, this will change once they have more money in their pocket. The 22-strong brand is currently working towards a debut franchise site in Dubai, and Potts said the situation he has found out there confirms his belief that trends are not necessarily behavioural. Speaking on the bar leaders panel at the National Restaurant Pub & Bar Show 2025, he said: “There’s a trope around Generation Z not being drinkers and people are completely off the late night experience. We feel that has sometimes been economically driven rather than behaviour driven, and the core group of people that helped drive that activity are coming of age and maybe in an earnings bracket where they can afford to take part in that a little bit more, and we’re seeing a bit more of a kickback into the night time economy. I was in Dubai recently as we’re doing some franchise programmes over there. Talking to our customers out there, who are people earning a good salary, not necessarily the topline of what they would here in the UK but without the heavy taxation and the pressures of the cost of living, and it’s completely different. They’re going out three or four times a week as a standard practice, whereas that person doing the same job in the UK is probably still living at home with their parents and can only afford to go out twice a month. When some of the pressure eases, I’m certain the late night sector will come roaring back to life.” Potts also said the government, having shifted its autumn Budget back to late November, needs to start communicating its intentions “so we can prepare for Christmas”. He said: “The government needs to start communicating its decisions. The latest example is the Budget being delivered at the last possible moment in November, and it’s clearly going to be tax orientated, which is clearly going to affect a lot of people around the country and how they spend their money. We’re going to have two months of stasis when we’re waiting to see if it’s income tax or inheritance, and that is just going to keep the consumer edgy and not wanting to spend their money. Just let us know, and then we can prepare for Christmas.”
Industry News:McDonald’s UK & Ireland vice-president of development Mike Spencer to speak at final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, open for bookings: Mike Spencer, McDonald’s UK & Ireland vice-president of development, will be among the speakers at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, which is open for bookings. Spencer will discuss the brand’s large-scale reimagining programme across its estate, with a target of 200-plus stores refreshed a year, as it looks to unlock capacity to drive future growth. He will also talk about how McDonald’s is looking to open 40 new sites a year, and its approach to the customer journey. The all-day conference takes place on Wednesday, 5 November, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London’s Kensington. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium subscribers who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.
Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,457 operators and ten new companies tomorrow: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database tomorrow (Friday, 26 September), at 12pm. The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,457 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 1,001 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 800 (23%) pub and bar operators, 603 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 487 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 283 (8%) hotel operators, 229 (7%) experiential leisure operators and 54 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes ten new companies. 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 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.
Pepper to issue insightful video into how it helps operators strengthen guest connections, streamline operations and drive repeat visits: Pepper will give an insightful look into how it helps operators strengthen guest connections, streamline operations and drive repeat visits in a video that will be sent to Propel subscribers today (Thursday, 25 September). Pepper is the UK’s leading provider of branded loyalty, order and pay, and digital guest journeys across app, we, and wallet for the hospitality sector. The two-minute video will show how that is brought together. Pepper’s platform powers some of the industry’s most recognisable brands including Itsu, Young’s, Prezzo Italian, Tortilla, Heartwood Collection, Peach Pubs, 200 Degrees Coffee, BrewDog, Dunkin’, Rick Stein, Pieminister and Notes Coffee. The video will be sent as part of a mailshot at 11am.
UKHospitality Scotland urges councils to pause visitor levy plans: Amid legislative uncertainty and the unknown economic impact of visitor levies, UKHospitality Scotland has urged local authorities to review whether plans to implement a levy is right for their areas. It comes as Stirling, Dumfries and Galloway and Perth and Kinross councils are all currently consulting on a levy. Leon Thompson, executive director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “The impact of a visitor levy on visitors and businesses is still unknown, so Argyll and Bute Council is right to rule out implementation of a visitor levy. Argyll and Bute’s consultation showed a majority of respondents did not support the levy and this is a clear example of a council listening and acting on concerns from local residents, businesses and trade associations like UKHospitality Scotland. There remain many questions about the visitor levy – from its economic impact to how it will be legislated in the future. There is now uncertainty about whether, or when, visitor levy legislation will be changed to allow the use of a flat rate fee. I hope other councils will follow the pragmatic approach of Argyll and Bute by pausing their plans and taking stock of the economic realities of accommodation businesses.”
Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a fast-growing, investor-backed food and hospitality technology company that is expanding rapidly across the UK and internationally and is looking for a chief financial officer. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will drive financial strategy, forecasting and reporting; lead investor relations, board reporting and governance; manage cash flow, treasury and capital structure; ensure compliance, risk management and operational excellence; build and lead a high-performing finance team; and support UK expansion and international market entry.” The salary is negotiable. For more information, email oliwia@corecruitment.com
Company News:Mowgli CEO – this is a year of transition, looking to up presence in London: Lucy Worth, chief executive of Mowgli, the TriSpan-backed business, has said that the 27-strong company is in the midst of a transitional year as its moves away from being a founder-led business and beds in delivery. In June, Propel revealed that Worth had been promoted to Mowgli’s chief executive as Nisha Katona, who founded the brand in 2014, moved to the role of founder director. Earlier this week, the business made its first venture into delivery through an exclusive national partnership with Uber Eats. Speaking at the National Restaurant Pub & Bar Show 2025, Worth said: “This is a transitional period for the company as we make that move from being a founder-led business and assess what the next stage of growth is. Nisha is very much involved, but there is a management team in place to take the business forward. At the same time, we need to bed in delivery and what that brings to the business. We also need to focus on how we reach more people and raise the brand and the portfolio. What does the next chapter of digital marketing look like for the business? We need to raise awareness but maintain what makes Mowgli so special. Nisha was very aware of making that change and I see it as a very exciting opportunity.” Worth previously said the new delivery service should increase sales by around 10%. Mowgli, which opened in Norwich last month, has openings lined up in Belfast (later this year) and Dublin (2026), but Worth said that it has eased off on its openings for the rest of the year to focus on growth in its existing estate, including delivery. She also said she was keen to up the brand’s presence in London. The business currently operates sites in Westfield Stratford and in Fitzrovia. She said: “We have eased off openings this year, and it is great that our investors have been supportive of that. I do think we need to increase our presence in London, and that is one of my personal goals as we go into next year, to build the brand’s presence across the capital.”
PizzaExpress – ‘we continue to perform strongly in a challenging consumer environment’: PizzaExpress has said it “continues to perform strongly in a challenging consumer environment”. It comes after the group reported group revenue fell to £442,100,000 for the year ending 29 December 2024 compared with £454,566,000 the previous year. Like-for-like sales were down 2.7% in the UK & Ireland and 6.0% internationally. Adjusted Ebitda was down to £49.4m (2023: £52.3m). UK & Ireland adjusted Ebitda fell to £46.6m compared with £50.8m the year before. Profit before tax and exceptional charges in 2024 was £4,371,000 (2023: loss of £1,988,000) after PizzaExpress took the decision to take a provision of £41,854,000 against the carrying value of the brand to reduce it to £421,705,000 (2023: £463,559,000), which was recognised as an exceptional charge in 2024 (2023: £2,142,000). A spokesperson told Propel: “We continue to perform strongly in a challenging consumer environment, retaining market share across casual and Italian casual dining. With 50 more restaurants to be refreshed by the end of 2025, our remodel programme is on track, and we’ve already opened seven new pizzerias this year, with more to come. PizzaExpress Pods and our travel hub locations, including Edinburgh, Jeddah and Riyadh airports, are trading well. Our retail range remains the UK’s number one chilled pizza brand, now strengthened by four new ‘specials’ pizzas launched this week. With more than 3.5 million PizzaExpress Club members, our loyalty scheme continues to thrive. All of this, combined with our iconic dishes and talented teams, means that in our 60th year, PizzaExpress remains the nation’s leading casual dining brand.” The new “specials” range features four 11-inch chilled pizzas – the Margherita Speciale, Pollo Ad Astra, Pollo American and Quattro Carne. The range is available in Sainsbury’s.
Arc Inspirations CEO – ‘our debut London site is a fantastic part of the journey’, ‘balancing act between providing experiences and operating effectively’: Arc Inspirations chief executive Martin Wolstencroft has said the premium bar operator’s debut London site is “a fantastic part of the journey” and “it’s got to be a success”. The 21-strong company will open a site under its Box format in Piccadilly Circus on Friday, 24 October – joining its other Box locations in Leeds, Birmingham, Headingley, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester. Spread across three floors, the 7,200 square-foot Central London venue will have capacity for 550 guests, with seating for 250. Speaking on the bar leaders panel at the National Restaurant Pub & Bar Show 2025, Wolstencroft said: “It’s our biggest investment at around £4m, unbelievably ridiculous rent, so it’s got to be a success. It’s a fantastic part of the journey for everyone involved with Arc Inspirations – something we’re very proud of, and we’re determined to deliver a fantastic experience with a brilliant team.” Wolstencroft also said it’s a balancing act at the moment between providing the experiences guests want and operating effectively. He said: “We’re living in very challenging times, and we’ve always got to be thinking what’s coming next in all areas of the business. The biggest challenge is we want to deliver those experiences that people want, but you’ve got to be able to do that as efficiently as can be, and sometimes the two don’t go together. That’s probably the biggest challenge. The second biggest is, because of the cost-of-living crisis and people staying at home, the amount of sales we take just on a Saturday. Saturdays are probably 50% of our sales across the week, so in terms of recruitment and retaining people, sometimes we can only really afford to give our team members one day – and that’s a Saturday. The trade through the rest of the week is a lot more challenging.”
Velvet Taco to make UK debut in November: US fast-casual brand Velvet Taco will make its UK debut in November. The opening, at 33 Broadgate in London, will be a first international location for the brand, which has more than 50 sites in the US. Velvet Taco’s menu will include the spicy tikka chicken (crisp tenders, house-made spicy tikka sauce, buttered coriander basmati rice, raita crema and Thai basil) and fish ‘n’ chips (beer battered cod, curry aioli, French fries, malt vinegar and napa ‘slaw). These favourites will feature alongside Velvet Taco’s menu refreshes, with new recipes unveiled every week of the year in flavours such as chicken fried oyster, paneer hash, barbecue ranch pork and mango kerki-churri. The new location will also feature a fully-fledged bar where guests can enjoy drinks such as Velvet Taco’s own take on the classic margarita. Velvet Taco chief executive Clay Dover said: “Opening our first UK restaurant in the heart of London is the perfect way to kick off our global expansion. Velvet Taco’s menu is inspired by flavours from around the world so London, known for its international food scene, was naturally at the top of our list for our first location outside of the US. We’ve always been inspired by UK flavours and featured them on our menu, so to have our global debut in London feels like a real full circle moment. We can’t wait for Brits to get their first taste of our bold, unexpected tacos, starting this November!” The brand had previously spoken about also opening a site in Piccadilly.
Rosa’s Thai CEO – focused on generating growth from existing estate, especially dine-in volumes: Sarah Hills, chief executive of Rosa’s Thai, the TriSpan-backed business, has said she is focused on generating growth the company’s existing 46-strong estate and increasing dine-in like-for-like cover growth. Speaking at the National Restaurant Pub & Bar Show 2025, Hills, who joined the business last November, said: “We are very much focused on growth and not just on new sites. I am concentrating on getting dine-in like-for-like covers/volumes up, whether that is through local marketing or further menu innovation, but that, for me, is critical. We will open new sites, but that is something for next year, and TriSpan is very supportive of that strategy.” Hills said that the business was against pushing through any further price increases. She said: “The way I see it, if you take more price, you invariably do more discounting, which leads to a false economy. Part of being a bigger group (along with other backed TriSpan businesses in Mowgli and Pho) is that you can leverage economies of scale to help control pricing.”
Chaiiwala adds to London estate with Hayes opening, eight more stores to launch this year: Indian street food café brand Chaiiwala has added to its estate in the capital with an opening in Hayes, west London, as it looks to open eight more stores during the autumn/winter. The brand has opened its 107th UK café at Lombardy Retail Park, Unit 7Amin Hayes. Founded in Leicester in 2015, Chaiiwala also has more than 20 locations in Canada, and a handful in Dubai. The new café will offer breakfast roti wraps in the morning and Bombay bowls and toasties throughout the day, as well as sweet treats. Earlier this summer, the group opened a store in Milton Keynes, as well as its first motorway services location, at Watford Gap services. As the business works towards an ambitious expansion strategy to scale up to 500 global locations over the next ten years, it will be looking to significantly expand its footprint in the UK, explore expansion in Canada and enter new international markets, including the US, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Co-founder Sohail Ali said: “These exciting new locations will help us bring high-quality, protein-rich and affordable Indian street food-style dishes and world-famous Karak chaii to more consumers across the UK. However, we aren’t stopping there. Over the coming months, we have at least eight new stores planned in varying formats across the country. This will bring our total UK footprint to 115 and create a really strong platform to make Chaiiwala a household name and create growth opportunities for our franchisees.”
Greggs to open first pub: Greggs is to open its first pub, complete with its own beers on draft, called the Golden Flake Tavern, in Newcastle, this weekend – which it will operate for the next five months. The pub, which will be housed within the Fenwick Newcastle department store and operate until 15 February next year, will serve exclusive beers and a menu featuring the brand’s bakes and sausage rolls. Two exclusive beers on draft – the Pink Jammie Pale Ale and the Gosforth 1939 Stottie Lager – have both been developed in partnership with the Newcastle-based Full Circle Brew Co for the opening. A traditional Sunday carvery will be a choice of steak bake, chicken bake or cheese and onion bake with trimmings including cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. The pub, which can seat 88 people at full capacity with space at the bar, will also host a quiz night every Tuesday from 7 October, with tickets available for £5 for teams of up to six people. Hannah Squirrell, customer director at Greggs, said: “Following the reaction and success of our previous collaborations with Fenwick – Bistro by Greggs in 2023 and the Greggs Champagne Bar last year – we’re thrilled to be launching our third landmark venture together. The Golden Flake Tavern brings a fresh twist to the traditional British pub experience and we hope everyone who joined us before, along with many new faces, will come along to enjoy this unique Greggs experience.”
Lego agrees to buy entertainment venues from Merlin for £200m: Lego has agreed to buy 29 entertainment venues from Merlin Entertainments for £200m. Lego announced the deal to buy the Lego and Legoland branded Discovery Centres as part of a strategy to take more control of sites linked to its brand. The acquisition will include 29 centres in nine countries that attract about five million visitors each year. Niels B Christiansen, Lego Group chief executive, said: “We are excited to welcome the Discovery Centres to the group and appreciate all that Merlin Entertainments has done to bring the Lego brand to life through these attractions. They will be an important addition to our global network of retail stores and allow us to offer fans of all ages even more memorable hands-on brand and shopping experiences.” Fiona Eastwood, Merlin Entertainments chief executive, said: “For 20 years, Merlin has partnered with the Lego Group to bring its beloved brand to life through experiential play, including in the Discovery Centres. It is now a natural next step for the centres to become part of the Lego Group, allowing Merlin to strengthen its focus on driving the growth and success of Legoland Resorts alongside our other attractions worldwide. Together with the Lego Group, we look forward to the opportunities ahead as we build on our shared commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for families across the globe.” Merlin will continue to operate 11 Legoland Resorts around the world under licence from the Lego Group, including the recently opened resort in Shanghai.
The Sushi Co to open seven new sites by end of 2025: Sushi brand The Sushi Co, which is led by former large-scale Papa John’s franchisee Raheel Choudhary, has confirmed it will open seven new sites by the end of 2025. New franchised live kitchens are set to open in Basildon, Sidcup, Worthing, Islington, Hendon, Dalston and Redhill within the next few months. Choudhary said: “The new openings agreed means we are on target to have 30 live kitchens open by the end of the year. We also have other deals in the pipeline ready for 2026, all with the aim of reaching 100 UK restaurants by the end of 2030. With our stores experiencing record average sales this summer, we have identified multiple franchise areas across London, the Home Counties for continued growth. However, the demand for our fresh, healthy sushi is such that we are open to launching in all regions with approval. We are proud that several of our existing franchisees have already gone on to open multiple sites and this is a testament to the robustness of our tried and tested business model. Sushi is big business and it’s set to get bigger. Our most recent launches in Tower Bridge and Brighton have met with unprecedented success. As a result, The Sushi Co is very much open to offering franchising opportunities to like-minded individuals to take advantage of a proven and profitable business model in an expanding market, supported by a vastly experienced management team.” Choudhary told Propel last month that the brand is aiming for ten new sites a year, “and much more when more franchisees come on board”.
Inamo to open fifth location for sub-brand Inamo Sukoshi with sales up 25%: London tech-restaurant group Inamo has told Propel that it will open a fifth site for its sushi and fusion street food sub-brand Inamo Sukoshi, with sales up 25% since the start of the company’s new financial year in July. Inamo Sukoshi was created for use in food hall operations. The latest opening will be at the Tower Bridge Collective on Monday, 6 October, the Blend Family’s new venture in London. This will be Inamo Sukoshi’s third opening this year following Boxhall City and Hackney Bridge. Inamo also operates two West End restaurants. Co-founder and marketing director Noel Hunwick told Propel the business has a strong pipeline of future opportunities and was keen to hear of further locations that might be available both within and outside Greater London.
Retro gaming concept owner – ‘arcades have become gateway gambling venues for kids’, ‘we want to bring guest enjoyment back’: The owner of retro gaming concept Continue Arcade has told Propel that arcades have become “gateway gambling venues for kids” and he wants to bring guest enjoyment back to such venues. Austin Wood opened the first Continue Arcade in May 2024, in Plymouth, having previously worked in ecology education in the US. A second site opened in April this year, in Taunton, with several more in the pipeline after a franchise programme was launched in May. At the time, franchise consultant Joel Bissett told Propel the concept – which offers retro classics and consoles alongside pinball machines and shooting, racing and table games – is aiming for 80 sites over the next five years. “I’ve always been a fan of gaming, but whereas people assume I’m an arcade geek, I'm not,” said Wood. “I was looking to move back to the UK, and as I was spending a lot of time flying between here and the US, I had in mind a business that could be fairly self-sufficient. I also couldn’t really bring the outdoors stuff I was doing in the US to Plymouth as it rains all the time, so I thought what else am I passionate about, and I just love seeing families have fun. The way arcades have gone in the last ten to 15 years really opens up the door. Arcades are currently very token and coin-focused with redemption prizes, or as I see it, gateway gambling for kids. Video games have gone the same way, with a focus on additional spend or in-game purchases. I don’t know how many people actually have fun in arcades anymore – parents certainly aren’t, and kids never seem happy however much they spend. That’s the model – they want to keep money going into the machines – but in my mind, they’ve taken it in the wrong direction when it comes to guest enjoyment. We’ve taken it the other way. We’ve priced it through competitor analysis, looking at how much we’re charging per each hour of fun compared with cinemas, mini golf, bowling and other concepts, and with the scope of games we’ve got, we have the ability to appeal to a lot of people. So that’s where it came from really – what’s missing from the high street and what can we bring in?” Wood said the business’ first two franchise sites, in Swansea and Chichester, should be open by Christmas, in between which a third company-owned store will open in Exeter. Sites in Bournemouth and Southend are also in heads of terms, and with 25 units signed for so far, Wood is hoping to have at least ten open by this time next year. He said: “Taunton was a real test; I wasn’t expecting to make much money there. My thinking was if we did well in Plymouth, there’s 20-25 places we can go in the UK, let’s go and see what happens in Taunton. It’s trending the same as Plymouth, so that has really opened the doors up, as if we can do well in a medium-sized town like that, we can look at a lot more areas and open in smaller spots as well as bigger cities.” The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel’s exhaustive report on the market, is now available. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It also provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since last year’s study, with 3,700 sites. The report is available for £595 plus VAT. Existing Premium Club subscribers can receive it for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium subscribers on Wednesday, 10 September at 9am. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to order a copy.
Purity Soft Drinks hires David Collard as new chair: Purity Soft Drinks, makers of Juice Burst and Firefly, has hired David Collard as its new chairman, to succeed Rooney Anand, the former Greene King chief executive who is stepping down after 13 years with the business. The company said that Collard brings extensive leadership experience from across the food and drink sector, most recently as chief executive and chair of The Bart Ingredients Company. It said that his track record includes driving strategic growth, leading acquisitions,and expanding retail presence across major UK grocers. Collard said: “I am delighted to be joining Purity Soft Drinks. The business has a strong heritage, a dynamic team and a clear ambition for growth. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team, including chief executive Jonathan Duffin and the team at Purity’s majority shareholders Verdane, to help shape the next phase of development.” The company said that under Anand’s leadership, it has grown significantly and is well-positioned for continued success, reporting annual turnover of £27m-plus for the last financial year. Anand, who is chair of RedCat Hospitality, the operator of Coaching Inn Group and RedCat Independent Pubs, said: “It has been a privilege to be chairman of Purity and for such an extended period of time; guiding the business and supporting the team as it has grown and developed over the years. It’s now time for me to step aside and I wish Jonathan, David and the wider Purity team all the success for the future.”
Pizza Pilgrims confirms Birmingham restaurant to open in November: Pizza Pilgrims, the pizzeria brand acquired last month by McWin-backed German pizza and pasta restaurant business L’Osteria, has confirmed it will open its new Birmingham restaurant in November. Propel revealed in June that Pizza Pilgrims was set to further enhance its regional presence, with an opening in the city. The Gavin Smith-led business will launch the 114-seater venue in the former Tapas Revolution site in the Grand Central scheme on Monday, 3 November. The opening will mean a transport hub debut of sorts for the brand, with the scheme being part of the city’s New Street station. Founders Thom and James Elliot said: “We are really excited to be bringing Pizza Pilgrims to Birmingham – such a vibrant city with so much cultural and food heritage. We are going to be right in the heart of the action in Grand Central – somewhere we have visited so many times on our numerous exploration trips.” Pizza Pilgrims, currently operates 26 pizzerias across the UK and recently opened inaugural sites in Wales (Cardiff) and Scotland (Edinburgh). New pizzerias are also due to open in Bristol and London’s King’s Cross in the near future.
Central London-focused hospitality operator The Shreeji Group of Hotels adds Paddington hotel to portfolio: Central London-focused hospitality operator The Shreeji Group of Hotels has acquired the St George Hotel, Paddington, for an undisclosed sum. The off-market sale sees the property change hands for the first time in four decades. Shreeji Group of Hotels has acquired the leasehold interest from the retiring owner. This transaction is the latest addition to Shreeji Group of Hotels’ growing portfolio, which currently operates 15 boutique hotels across London. Among its recent projects, the group repositioned the Hyde Park Green Hotel at 53 Inverness Terrace, transforming it into an18-room boutique property. The St George Hotel comprises 22 en-suite rooms and will undergo a light refurbishment ahead of its relaunch. Sanchit Patel, general manager of Shreeji Group of Hotels, said: “We are pleased with the addition of the St George Hotel to our growing estate. The location of the hotel complements our existing operations.” Andy Frisby, director and head of Central London agency at Fleurets, acted for the vendor on the deal.
The Salad Project to open first neighbourhood site and matcha bar next month: The Salad Project, the all-day dining concept that launched in London in 2021, will open its first neighbourhood site and matcha bar next month. The venue will open at 110 Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill, serving a line-up of hot and cold matchas inspired by its salads – with flavours such as maple walnut, hot honey and spritzy greens. Light breakfast bites will also be on offer, turning the space into an all-day destination. The site will also offer The Salad Project’s regular menu of salads and protein bowls. Florian de Chezelles, The Salad Project’s co-founder, said: “This marks an exciting milestone as our first step into residential neighbourhoods, and I’m especially looking forward to it as a local myself as it means I’ll finally be able to get my daily fix just around the corner. Notting Hill will also be the launchpad for a completely refreshed store design, created specifically with the community in mind. As our 12th location, and our fifth opening this year alone, it’s no small feat, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome everyone in.” The company has previously said it expects to have 20 sites in London by the end of 2026.
Wagamama launches midweek student nights initiative: Wagamama, The Restaurant Group-owned brand, is “turning up midweek” with the launch of Wagamama Wednesdays. Starting from 1 October and running every Wednesday for seven weeks across 50 restaurants, from 8pm until close, students can enjoy a “lively hangout” with bespoke playlists, live student DJ sets, freebies and an exclusive 20% discount through Student Beans, plus a free Asahi beer for those who purchase a main dish. Wagamama has partnered with Locked On Records for the initiative that will also aim to discover the next generation of student DJs, producers and lyricists. Students can submit a three to 15-minute mix via SoundCloud for the chance to perform at lock-in qualifiers, part of a nationwide tour of ten events at Wagamama restaurants across the UK from Wednesday, 8 October to Wednesday, 5 November. Each event will feature three student DJs performing live 20-minute sets, with audiences voting in real time. The winners from each city will progress to the grand finale in Nottingham on Wednesday, 19 November, where the winner will record a track with Locked On Records in London, supported by studio time, professional mentoring and Wagamama rewards.
Laine outsources brewing operations: Laine Brew Co, the brewing arm of Laine Pub Company, has outsourced its operations. Laine Brew Co has partnered with Keystone Brewing Group, the brewing operation backed by investment firm Breal Group. The agreement will see Keystone become the sole producer of Laine’s beer, supporting its distribution and maintaining supply to Laine’s 55 pubs and existing customers, while opening new national routes to market. Laine managing director Russ Danks added: “Partnering with Keystone marks an exciting new chapter for Laine Brew Co, and our wider business. We're looking forward to leveraging its brewing expertise and strong distribution network to drive exposure of our innovative offering across the UK. The patnership will enable us to keep our focus firmly on our pub estate, which remains at the heart of the Laine business.” Steve Cox, chief executive of Keystone Brewing Group, said: “This is a true partnership in every sense of the word, and is about unlocking growth for both parties. We will provide the brand with the production infrastructure and national reach it needs to scale sustainably, without losing what makes it unique, while also allowing us to build a relationship with what is a large and successful pubco. This comes at a time when Keystone has made major investments across our brewing and packaging sites, reinforcing our ambition to build a £100m portfolio that brings together both challenger and established brands.”
Indoor climbing operator Freeklime to open third site as it targets £3m turnover by 2030: Indoor climbing operator Freeklime is to open its third site as it targets turnover of £3m by 2030. Freeklime, which operates venues in Huddersfield and York, is launching the 6,000 square-foot site in Lincoln. Chris Whitehead, founder and managing director of Freeklime, said: “Our mission at Freeklime is to become the number one indoor climbing brand in the UK by making climbing accessible regardless of age, gender or ability. My goal is to have five profitable sites by 2030 with a turnover between £2.5m to £3m. Our Huddersfield and York sites now attract around 100,000 climbers each year.”
London wine bar to open second site: London wine bar Passione Vino is to open a second site. Passione Vino initially started in 2003 as a wine importing business, when Luca Dusi and Federico Bruschetta saw a gap in the UK market for quality everyday Italian wine. They then opened a wine shop, which later doubled as a wine bar, at 85 Leonard Street in Shoreditch. The new location is set to open later this year in a former tattoo parlour in Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell. As with the original bar, the new branch will focus exclusively on Italian wine “imported from small artisan natural wine producers across 95 different wineries in Italy”. The venue will also sell Italian wine and food to take away, reports Hot Dinners.
Growing UK hotel operator adds Gloucestershire property to portfolio: Kang Hotels, which operates a growing portfolio of UK properties, has added a site in Gloucestershire to its estate. The company has acquired the Oakwood Hotel near Gloucester for an undisclosed sum off an asking price of in excess of £2m. The 55-bedroom hotel is housed within a grade II-listed Georgian manor house. Kang Hotels plans to expand on the hotel’s current offering, complete a refurbishment of the hotel and introduce a new food and drink offering. The hotel is home to a newly refurbished bar and a large restaurant. The property was sold as the former private owner now wishes to retire and relocate. Harpreet Saluja, director at Kang Hotels, said: “We are excited to have acquired the Oakwood Hotel, as we see great potential to further develop it and present it in its finest form to our guests. We will be investing heavily in the hotel and look forward to bringing a high-end offering in the near future.” Sam Roberts, senior agent at Christie & Co, handled the sale.
Scottish hospitality group reports venues now in ‘excellent shape’ on back of significant refurbishment work as turnover increases to £7.1m: Scottish hospitality group Costley & Costley has said the group’s venues are now in “excellent shape” on the back of significant refurbishment work. It comes as the company, which now operates two hotels in Ayrshire, reported revenue increased 16% to £7,138,932 for the year ending 30 September 2024 compared with £6,086,786 the previous year. Pre-tax profit was down to £82,931 from £772,909 the year before. Gross profit margin increased from 73% to 75%. In his report accompanying the accounts, director William Costley stated: “We are confident that on the back of significant refurbishment work, all of the group's premises are in excellent shape. Weddings and events continue to be a key focus for the group and this is reflected in the high level of bookings and deposits that are held.” No dividend was paid (2023: nil). As previously reported, in July 2025, Costley & Costley sold the Souter’s Inn, in the south Ayrshire village of Kirkoswald, just outside Turnberry, for an undisclosed sum. Costley & Costley now operates Lochgreen House Hotel and Highgrove House Hotel, both near Troon.
Welsh coffee shop owners open second site: Welsh coffee shop owners Michael Davies and Denis O’Malley have opened their second site. The duo launched their first Coffi Kitoko in the Cwmbran Centre just over a year ago, upscaling from the coffee cart business they had run in the town centre since 2022. They have now opened at Mamhilad Park Estate in Pontypool. O’Malley said: “Opening another espresso bar really wasn’t on our radar, but then the local authority approached us about this amazing opportunity here in this beautiful parkland. We could immediately see the huge potential to be a real hub for the people who work here – the visitors who use the gym, nursery and well-being hub, and local residents, too. It’s now a contemporary, welcoming space perfect for co-working and meeting or taking time out of a busy day, with excellent Wi-Fi, and quieter booths as well as a bookable meeting room.”
Manchester gym operator lodges plan for second site: Manchester gym operator One XPS Fitness has lodged plans for second site. The company currently operates a state-of-the-art training and exercise facility in the One Express building in Ancoats. One XPS Fitness has now identified a circa 6,000 square-foot space in Sevendale House, a grade II-listed building off Dale Street and close to Stevenson Square. One XPS Fitness director Mike Lathwood told Insider Media: “One XPS Fitness has been operating successfully for more than four years, and the timing is now right to open our second gym. Sevendale House is an iconic building in the Northern Quarter, and the space is far larger than our current gym. There will be two areas, one being a weights room and the other a Hyrox specific training area. There will also be on site high quality changing and shower facilities. The new gym will have eight on site personal trainers, which will enable us to provide excellent service for a far larger number of people.”
Former Restaurant Gordon Ramsay chef patron to open debut solo venture in November: Former Restaurant Gordon Ramsay chef patron Matt Abé will open his debut solo venture on Tuesday, 4 November. Abé will open Bonheur by Matt Abé at the site of the former Le Gavroche restaurant in Upper Brook Street in London’s Mayfair, after 18 years under the mentorship of Ramsay. The menus will feature “classically rooted cuisine with a contemporary touch, utilising the finest seasonal ingredients and underscoring Abé’s dedication to detail”. Guests will be able to choose between an á la carte selection or explore one of the carefully curated tasting menus, while for a more intimate encounter, the chef’s table experience, Petit Bonheur, will seat six guests and feature open, collaborative cooking.
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