Bistrot Pierre reports record trading days, more personalised loyalty scheme ‘doing well’: Bistrot Pierre has reported record trading days at the end of last year and start of this one. On Thursday (2 May), the business launched its new all-day dining concept, Pierre’s, in Newport, which marketing director Jess Wight said would potentially be rolled out if successful. The opening marked a first opening for the group since 19 of its sites were acquired out of administration in 2020 and brings its estate back up to 18. “December was incredible, we traded really well and had some record-breaking days,” Wight told Propel. “January was soft, while in February and March we traded just above the market, helped by our best ever Mothers’ Day. What we’re really hoping for is a great summer as last year was a washout, which had an effect in our seaside sites. Although they traded well, they would have done better if the sun had shone a bit more. Last year, our neighbourhoods and cities performed particularly well, held up by graduations, which had a great effect for us. We’re positive for the rest of the year but are ready to react to changes in the market.” Bistrot Pierre currently has two sites with rooms and would be open to more, even though there are no plans as such. “Both sites with rooms, Plymouth and Ilkley, are boutique style and in listed buildings,” Wight said. “They have performed well over the years they’ve traded, helped by the fact that they’re both different to normal hotels in that they’re restaurants with rooms – we’re restauranteurs first and hoteliers second. If an opportunity came up we may consider it, but it has to be the right opportunity in the right location.” The business last year launched a new personalised loyalty scheme, which Wight said is “doing well”, although the new concept won’t initially be a part of it. “Pierre’s won’t be part of Club Bistrot Pierre in the initial phase as it’s quite a complicated piece of tech to get right, and the offers in Pierre’s will be very different to Bistrot Pierre,” she said. “We will keep it separate with a view down the line, if we think it’s right, of doing an arm for Pierre’s – a club within the club. It’s gone really well. The initial scheme, developed in 2017, was points for pounds, equating to a bottle of wine, a main course etc. The trend within loyalty since that time has changed massively and we found people are looking for special pricing or events just for them. So, we relaunched the scheme on a 5% cashback basis, which means customers get 5p in Bistrot pounds for every pound they spend. In addition, we use it as a way of acquiring customers. In a move to personalise the club, we also ask what customers want for their birthday rather than just giving them a glass of bubbles for six when they might not drink. The idea is to be reflective of our customer’s personality and likes.”

Oakman Group founder Peter Borg-Neal to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, last chance to book this week with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club members: Peter Borg-Neal, founder of the Oakman Group, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 14 May at One Moorgate Place in London and this week is the last chance to book. Borg-Neal will talk about maintaining the company’s award-winning standards against the backdrop of a volatile trading environment, his return as chief executive and how the sector must remain agile and respond quickly to the extraneous pressures it is facing. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club members. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

Premium Club members to receive two updated databases this week: Premium Club members are to receive two updated databases this week. The updated UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database, which will be sent to Premium subscribers tomorrow (Wednesday, 8 May) at midday, will feature ten new entries. The database now has 140 entries and more than 60,000 words of content. Among the new entries are London McDonald’s franchisees Rocket Restaurants and Snak Restaurants, owned by sisters Anisha Sharma and Shafali Shown-Keen. Also featured are Kent Domino’s franchisee Zaan Group, south west Taco Bell franchisee Campana, and west Lancashire Pieminister franchisee Black 29 Holdings. Premium Club members will also receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (10 May), at midday. A further 13 companies have been added, while 40 have updated figures. The database now features 912 companies. Premium Club members also receive access to four other databases: the Propel Multi-Site Database, in association with Virgate; the New Openings Database; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. Plus, all members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to five Propel paid-for events – The Excellence in Pub Retailing Conference (14 May), Social Media for Profit (18 July), the Talent and Training Conference (1 October) and Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (two days in January 2025). Operators are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club members 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 members 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 members 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 a supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Creams CEO – innovation doesn’t have to break the bank to be successful but ‘simply needs to create new moments of discovery and joy’: Everett Fieldgate, chief executive of fast-growing dessert parlour operator Creams Café, has said innovation doesn’t have to break the bank to be successful but “simply needs to create new moments of discovery and joy”. Writing in Friday’s (3 May), Premium Club Opinion, Fieldgate revealed how seasonal innovation had helped the business, which operates almost 100 sites, drive sales in typically quieter periods. He said: “Last Christmas, we created The Adorable Snowman. It used ingredients we already have in-store – white chocolate gelato, fresh fruit, coulis and sauces, to name a few – presented in a festive format to bring a smile to our customers’ faces. Thanks to seasonal innovation, our Christmas trading increased by 4% year-on-year. Creams has always experienced a drop in sales during the winter months. We understand – few people want to dive into gelato when it’s minus two outside. However, we wanted to give people a reason to visit us during the winter months. So, with innovation at the core of our approach, we launched our first non-gelato based/hot pudding products – the Winter Warmers range. It was our biggest and most successful launch last year and reduced the winter sales drop significantly – truly showing the power of bringing insight-based innovation into the business. Looking at innovation for your brand can be intimidating if you think you’re faced with a blank sheet in front of you. In reality, the clues and pieces are all there – they just need to be put together.” 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 a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

Spending on hospitality down by a fifth since 2019: A study has shown that Britons are going out less than they did before the pandemic and average spending on hospitality has dropped by a fifth over five years, according to research by MoneySavingSuperMarket. In 2019, people went out an average of seven nights a month but this has recovered to only five nights a month this year. Residents of Manchester are the most sociable, going out seven times a month on average – the same as before the pandemic – but Londoners now go out only five nights a month, down from seven in 2019. Residents of Plymouth venture out only once a month. The research shows that going out has fallen or remained the same across every one of the 17 cities surveyed except for Newcastle and Belfast, where residents are going out more. As Britons choose to stay in, they are spending less on hospitality. In 2019 they spent more than £5,000 a year on going out, but that has since dropped to £4,000 this year, with around half (£2,010) spent on alcohol alone. However, thanks to rising prices they are having to spend more per night when they do go out. A night out in 2019 cost an average of £61 compared with £67 today. Half goes on alcohol, and the rest is spent on food, tickets and transport. The study found that the most popular ways people are saving is by inviting friends over for pre-drinks at home (60%), walking to venues rather than getting taxis (73%) and choosing late-night snacks at home over a kebab on the way back (65%). Despite economic pressures, nearly six in ten (58%) Britons still want to go out and have fun with their friends. There are some sacrifices Britons aren’t willing to make on their nights out, however. More than half of people would choose cocktails over more economical drinks like lager – and 62% would opt for a three-course meal over a burger.

All new bars, restaurants and offices will be required to have single-sex toilets: New restaurants, offices, schools and hospitals in England will be required to have separate male and female toilets, in a move ministers said will combat growing concerns about “privacy and dignity” in gender-neutral facilities. The Guardian reported that the law will mean newly built non-residential buildings require separate facilities, and cannot solely have “universal” lavatories. According to ministers, 81% agreed with the intention for separate single-sex toilet facilities in a consultation on the proposals, while 82% also agreed with the intention to provide “universal” toilets – a self-contained, and a fully enclosed toilet room with a wash hand basin for individual use – where space allows. The government said the new requirements will mean people of all genders have access to facilities, either through a separate single-gender space or a “universal” toilet. However, the policy has been criticised as being transphobic since it was first proposed in 2021 because it offered no alternative plan for transgender and non-binary people. Campaigners for trans rights have long argued that gender-neutral toilets can be reassuring for some transgender men and women who fear discrimination in binary toilets.

NTIA – ‘London’s night-time economy is at a crossroads’: London’s night-time economy “is at a crossroads” and “cannot afford to continue with business as usual”, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has warned. The trade body gave its warning as it congratulated Sadiq Khan on his re-election as mayor of London. NTIA chief executive Michael Kill said: “This victory is accompanied by a sobering reality: the London night-time economy is at a crossroads, and the challenges encountered during this election period are a stark reminder that change is imperative. We cannot afford to continue with business as usual. The issues plaguing our nightlife, from safety concerns to transport and regulatory hurdles, demand immediate attention and decisive action. Let us commit to working together to usher in a new era for the capital’s night-time economy – one that prioritises safety, innovation, and inclusivity for all Londoners.”

Belfast set to appoint night czar: Belfast’s night-time economy is set to for “a significant boost” as the city’s three Business Improvement Districts (BID) begin the search for its first night czar. The appointed czar – funded by Linen Quarter Improvement Districts, Belfast One and Destination CQ – will co-ordinate, and advocate for the city’s night-time strategy in terms of safety, transport and business. Key responsibilities include acting as a central point of contact for night-time services including hospitality, venues, transport and policing, reports Love Belfast. The part-time role will also provide expert insight to inform the development, support and enhancement of Belfast’s night-time sector. Applications are now open and the closing date is Monday, 20 May. Chris McCracken, managing director of LQ BID, said: “This is an incredibly exciting initiative as we embark on our search for Belfast’s first night czar. This appointment marks a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to enhance our night-time economy and address pressing issues affecting our city after hours.” Eimear McCracken, operations manager at Belfast One, added: “We are excited to recruit a night czar, reflecting our dedication to improving co-ordination and addressing issues promptly. Drawing inspiration from the successful models implemented in cities like London, Manchester and Edinburgh, this position will be instrumental in ensuring that city-related concerns do not go unresolved and will actively help us review the city between 6pm and 6am.” Damien Corr, managing director of Destination CQ, said: “We recognise that a thriving night-time economy is not only about entertainment but also plays a crucial role in the overall economic landscape of the city. To gain a deeper understanding of the scale, scope, and economic impact of the night-time economy, the three city BIDs will be commissioning new research that will assist the night czar in providing valuable insights to guide our future initiatives and contribute to the ongoing success of Belfast as a dynamic city.” London (Amy Lamé), Manchester (Sacha Lord) and Bristol (Carly Heath) all have night czars, while Edinburgh is in the process of appointing one.

Job of the day: Westwood Hospitality is working with a well-established hospitality group that operates a diverse portfolio of restaurants and bars in Scotland – along with other operations – that is seeking a director of operations for its restaurants and bars division. A Westwood Hospitality spokesperson said: “The company is fast moving, and innovative. Ideally this would not be a first-time appointment, and the right person should be highly involved in the venues and their people. Managing a team of operations managers and central support teams, the role reports direct into the senior board. The ideal candidate will already be located in Scotland, or willing to relocate.” The salary is up to £100,000 with 30% bonus and associated benefits. For more information, email Simon@Westwood-Hospitality.co.uk.

F1 Arcade seeking franchise partners to fuel overseas expansion: F1 Arcade, the Formula 1-licensed experiential concept from Kindred Concepts, is seeking franchise partners to help fuel its overseas expansion. The concept, from Puttshack and Flight Club co-founder Adam Breedon, launched in London’s St Paul’s in November 2022, followed by a second site, in Birmingham’s Paradise Estate, in November 2023. F1 Arcade has also expanded to the US, opening a site in Boston Seaport last month, with a second due to open in Washington DC’s Union Market District this autumn. In June last year, Kindred Concepts secured £30m of new funding to fuel its next phase of our international growth, with plans to open 30 locations globally by the end of 2027 – including further openings in the US and UK, as well as in Australia and the Middle East. F1 Arcade has now partnered with York-based consultancy The Franchising Centre to find potential international partners. “Discover international franchising in the fast lane with F1 Arcade,” the company said. “Thanks to the vision of its leadership team, and ongoing collaboration with our head of international franchising, Farrah Rose, F1 Arcade is now expanding its franchise overseas. This is an unmissable franchise opportunity for ambitious and aspirational partners who are already operating in the premium food and beverage/hospitality space and want to take their offering to the next level by becoming business champions with this extraordinary brand. F1 Arcade is keen to hear from potential franchise partners in Europe, south east Asia, China, Australia and the Middle East.”

David Lloyd to spend £500m opening new gyms and spas: Health and leisure business David Lloyd is to spend £500m opening 15 new clubs over the next three to four years and opening 50 new spa resorts over the next six years. Chairman Glenn Earlam told The Sunday Times that despite the cost-of-living crisis, members were happy to pay £100-a-month or more on David Lloyd membership. “Our business has done particularly well post-covid,” he said. “People are willing to prioritise health, fitness and wellness in a post-covid world relatively more than they were beforehand.” With the membership standing at a record 761,000, Earlam said that David Lloyd was benefiting from an increase in the “working from club crowd”. He added: “We have a lot of people that work from clubs. We have a really nice environment, separate work spaces where you can get your laptop out. Many people go into the office two or three days a week and during the other two or three days it’s just a bit too much being at home all the time. So they break it up and go and work in a David Lloyd club for half a day.” The £500m investment, which comes with the support of private equity owner TDR Capital, will also pay for the building of 60 new padel courts. TDR acquired David Lloyd in 2013 from co-owners London & Regional and Caird Capital in a deal worth £750m. At the time, David Lloyd operated across 94 sites and generated about £90m of annual earnings. The group now has 133 clubs – 103 in the UK and 30 in Europe – and is generating £241m in earnings. Bankers from Morgan Stanley were brought in last summer to carry out a strategic review of David Lloyd and sound out potential investors. City sources said that with a £2bn-plus price tag, the business is out of reach for many suitors and a stock market float was not considered possible because of market uncertainty. In November, David Lloyd said it has identified the opportunity for 46 new UK sites and 550 in Europe as new member sales remained ahead of “normal levels”.

Marco Pierre White opens Blackpool restaurant, business model of aligning brands with hotels ‘has proved very successful’: Marco Pierre White has opened a new restaurant in Blackpool, in partnership with Holiday Inn, with his franchising arm saying its business model of aligning its brands with hotels “has proved very successful”. The 90-cover Marco’s New York Italian restaurant has opened in the new, 127-bedroom Holiday Inn hotel, part of the town’s £350m Talbot Gateway project. The restaurant has been opened by Black & White Hospitality, which owns and manages the franchise rights to eight Marco Pierre White restaurant concepts, serving a mix of Italian-inspired dishes and American classics including pizza, burgers, steak and pasta. Nick Taplin, chairman and chief executive of Black and White Hospitality, said: “Interest in the build-up to opening has been unlike anything we’ve experienced before, so we’re expecting Blackpool to be incredibly busy. The New York Italian concept is perfect for Blackpool and the Holiday Inn, and we already have a number of hugely successful restaurants trading under this popular hotel brand. As a business, we are looking at a host of new and exciting opportunities both here in the UK and abroad while working closely with business owners and investors to realise the potential of their dining spaces. Black & White Hospitality has a very strong portfolio and our business model of aligning the restaurant brands with hotels is one that has proved very successful in the UK. We have more sites going live in 2024 and it’s great that we are bucking the trend when it comes to opening new restaurants.” Black & White Hospitality is also set to launch a new pub concept, under the new Marco Pierre White Ale House brand, this year in Felixstowe, Suffolk. As previously reported by Propel, Black & White Hospitality will launch The Queen’s Head alongside a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill in what is currently The Brook Hotel in the town’s Orwell Road, with the refurbishment set to transform what is currently a Best Western branded hotel into a boutique-style hotel called Hotel Coco. In October last year, Propel revealed that Black & White Hospitality is looking to grow its Marco Pierre White brands in the UK with a focus on Mr White’s, as well as rolling out more Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grills and Marco’s New York Italians. Black & White Hospitality currently operates 30 restaurants under seven Marco Pierre White brands.

Starbucks founder – brand’s senior leaders need to spend more time with those who wear the green apron: Howard Schultz, the founder, and former chairman and chief executive of Starbucks, has said that the brand’s senior leaders need to “spend more time with those who wear the green apron” if issues with the company are to be fixed. Schultz was speaking after the company significantly missed shareholder expectations last week, when it gave its latest earnings update, and saw more than $15.4bn (£12.3bn) wiped off the value of its shares. Schultz, who left the business last October, said: “I, too, experienced some quarters of financial disappointment in my four-plus decades leading Starbucks. Ask any public-company chief executive, and they will tell you that ‘a miss’ is virtually inevitable, even at the best-managed, fastest-growing firms. It’s not the miss that matters. It’s what comes next. Leaders must model both humility and confidence as they work to restore trust and increase performance across the organisation. Starbucks will recover – of that, I am certain. The brand is one of the most recognised and respected in the world. I am confident the China business will return to health and become the company’s largest market. The brand is incredibly resilient, but it’s clearly not business as usual. Over the past five days, I have been asked for my thoughts on what should be done. I have emphasised that the company’s fix needs to begin at home: US operations are the primary reason for the company’s fall from grace. The stores require a maniacal focus on the customer experience, through the eyes of a merchant. The answer does not lie in data, but in the stores. Senior leaders – including board members – need to spend more time with those who wear the green apron. One of their first actions should be to reinvent the mobile ordering and payment platform – which Starbucks pioneered – to make it the uplifting experience once again it was designed to be. The go-to-market strategy needs to be overhauled and elevated with coffee-forward innovation that inspires partners, and creates differentiation in the marketplace, reinforcing the company’s premium position. Through it all, focus on being experiential, not transactional. At Starbucks, culture is the currency of the company and its internal operating system. All roads at Starbucks – ground-breaking innovation, relentless execution, years of growth, and outsized financial performance and shareholder value – go through its culture. There are no quick fixes. But the path forward should be what has guided the company over decades of financial success: Inspire your people, exceed the expectations of your customers, and let culture and servant leadership lead the way.”

Irish-themed bar concept Katie O’Briens set to open three new sites: Irish-themed bar concept Katie O’Briens is set to open three new sites. The company is set to open in Nottingham as well as in Birmingham and Leeds adding to venues in Leicester, Newcastle, Sheffield and Durham. Although the exact location of the new bar in Nottingham is being kept under wraps, the former Olivia’s Townhouse in the Chapel Bar area of Nottingham, which has been empty for around 18 months, is under offer, according to the agents on the building, reports The Business Desk. Katie O’Briens’ Leicester venue, which is in Market Street, opened last year, replacing Olivia’s Townhouse. Katie O’Briens “offers a taste of Ireland, right on your doorstep”, according to its website with live music and multi-screen sports.

Tortilla eyes new site at Leeds station: Tortilla, the UK’s largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand, is looking to open a new restaurant in Leeds. The company is eyeing a launch at the city’s rail station in partnership with SSP Group, the UK operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide. A licensing application for the former KFC premises has been lodged with Leeds City Council. Tortilla already operate sites in the city at Trinity Leeds and at the Extra motorway services at junction 45 of the M1. In January, Tortilla said it planned to launch four new travel hub sites in 2024 with SSP, followed by a “strong pipeline of opportunities” in 2025. SSP and Tortilla currently franchise at five sites across the UK. Last month, Tortilla chief executive Andy Naylor told Propel the business is set to explore regional expansion partnerships to supplement its focus on “grade-A company-owned store openings”. Naylor was speaking after the business reported a 3.6% increase in like-for-like sales for the year ending 31 December 2023, as it launched a new strategic approach to drive “disciplined profitable growth and expand Tortilla in the UK and overseas”.

Antony Smith steps down as Tenpin CFO: Antony Smith has stepped down as chief financial officer of Tenpin, which was taken private by US private equity firm Trive for circa £300m earlier this year, after five years in the role. Rachel Braybrook, previously at PwC and Home Retail Group, who joined Tenpin in 2017 has been promoted from head of investor relations to finance director. Smith, who was previously finance director at Wickes, said: “After an amazing five years at Tenpin, I have decided that now is the time to move on to my next challenge. This is an amazing business with great people and it has been a privilege to work with so many hard working and talented colleagues. I’ve loved working with our fantastic chief executive Graham Blackwell, whose deep knowledge and understanding of our market is second to none. Together we have grown to 54 state-of-the-art bowling centres throughout the UK; and we have broadened our entertainment offering to laser tag, escape rooms, karaoke and so much more. Since I joined, we have grown our sales and have more than doubled our profitability to well over £40m Ebitda, making this one of the foremost leisure and entertainment groups in the UK. In January of this year, we successfully delivered a public-to-private sale of the business to Trive for almost £300m, a premium of more than 48% and more than double the value when I joined in 2019. This sale starts a new chapter in the group’s value creation journey and marks the right point for me to move on and let others write their chapter in that history. I am delighted to be leaving the finance team in the capable hands of Rachel Braybrook, newly promoted to finance director, alongside George Sheppard as group financial controller. I am incredibly grateful to both Rachel and George for their support over the past five years and I am delighted that they now take the reins to oversee the next phase of growth and development.” Tenpin reported turnover increased to a record £135,332,000 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £126,673,000 the previous year. Like-for-like sales were up 3.4% in the period.

Holiday park operator Blue Anchor Leisure sees profit halve in ‘difficult trading conditions’: Holiday park operator Blue Anchor Leisure, which operates 17 sites, has reported turnover fell to £29,248,000 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £30,365,000 the previous year. Pre-tax profit halved to £2,397,000 from £4,696,000 the year before in what the group said were “difficult trading conditions with the increasing energy costs and inflationary pressures”. A dividend of £3m was paid (2022: £6m).

Knoops makes Midlands debut: Knoops, the luxury hot chocolate shop brand, has made its Midlands debut with an opening in Nottingham. Propel revealed in February that a site in the city’s Clumber Street was among the 2024 pipeline for Knoops as it grows towards a stated aim of 200 UK stores by 2027. Knoops has now opened in a former Paperchase unit, which has been vacant for more than a year after the company went into administration, for its 18th site. Last month, William Gordon-Harris, executive chairman and chief executive of Knoops, said the company is “just touching the surface of a huge market as we establish a new category”. The company is also set to launch in the Middle East and is in advanced talks to open in China and the US. Speaking at Propel’s Multi-Club Conference, Gordon-Harris said: “When we opened the first site in London, we discovered 89% of purchases were chocolate drinks. That was a light bulb moment for me and I shelved other projects because it was clear we had found a new category. The extraordinary thing is that we're just touching the real surface of what is a large addressable market.”

Wagamama to open eighth Kent restaurant next week with Chatham launch: Wagamama, The Restaurant Group-owned brand, will open its new site in Chatham next Monday (13 May). The venue at Chatham Waterside marks Wagamama’s eighth restaurant in Kent and brings the total to 164 restaurants across the UK. The restaurant will have seating for 172, including 48 external covers and create 60 jobs. Sita Wood, head of regional marketing at Wagamama, said: “We are so excited to open the doors to our new restaurant in Chatham. Our benches will soon be welcoming the local community and visitors at Chatham Waterside, and we can’t wait to serve up some of our newest dishes and fresh favourites.” Wagamama has opened restaurants in Epsom, Glasgow and Wolverhampton already this year while a site at Woodside Leisure Park in Watford will open later this month. The brand has targeted ten new openings in 2024.

Derbyshire brewer and retailer set to appoint administrators: Derbyshire brewer and retailer Buxton Brewery is set to appoint administrators. The company has posted a notice of intention to appoint administrators, via Primas Law. The move will protect Buxton Brewery from creditor action for a period of around ten days. Buxton Brewery was established in 2009 and, according to its website, now produces upwards of 30 beers from a 7,000 square-foot base in Staden Lane in the Peak District town. Buxton Brewery also runs two pubs: the Tap House and Cellar in Buxton and the Treacle Tap in Macclesfield, which closed three weeks ago. Latest available accounts, which were unaudited, show the company made a loss of £215,000 for the 12 months to the end of March 2023, against a profit of £185,000 a year earlier. During the period, Buxton Brewery employed 26 people. The brewery’s core beers include IPA Axe Edge and the Gate Keeper porter. Investec Capital Solutions holds an outstanding charge over Buxton Brewery.

Former The Apprentice star set to open fourth site for soft play cafe concept: Former The Apprentice star Khadija Kalifa is set to open a fourth site for her soft play cafe concept, Full of Beans. Kalifa appeared on the 2018 edition of the BBC show and closed down her cleaning business on the advice of Lord Sugar, saying she lost £20,000 on the business. She then invested £23,000 on two internet domain names for Full of Beans, opening her first site in Bourne, Lincolnshire, just before the first covid lockdown in 2020. Further sites in Peterborough and in Little Stainton, County Durham, have followed, and site number four is set to be at the Grand Union development in Alperton, west London. Kalifa said she posted on LinkedIn that she was seeking three investors in the project, with £20,000 getting them 4.5% of the store with annual dividends, and within a day, had sent out pitch decks to eight interested parties. “There’s something about having four stores that has just made me feel super proud of myself,” she said. “Number four is hitting differently. Like, wow I have four stores! Four communities benefiting from our play cafes. Four different geographic areas of families and children whose childhood memories will have Full of Beans in them. Four sets of ten-plus employees to nurture, support and encourage. Four lots of bills. Four lots of safety procedures, food hygiene ratings and operational manuals. Luckily, we have built every store exactly the same so that they are franchise ready.” Kalifa said she has previously secured £600,000 in private equity investment for Full of Beans and delivered a 35% return on investment within the first year.

West Midlands bakery concept to open in Birmingham city centre for fourth site: West Midlands bakery concept, Baked In Brick, is to open its fourth site, in Birmingham city centre. Founder Lee Desanges is opening the venue in the Jewellery Quarter, adding to its outlets in Digbeth, Sutton Coldfield and Wylde Green. The concept serves fresh bread, cakes and coffee. Addressing customers on Instagram, Bakehouse by Baked In Brick said it had been “asked for ages” when it would be opening in the Jewellery Quarter but it “couldn't find a site to fit”. However, the business revealed it has now secured a unit in Northwood Street and has begun the process of getting it ready. On its website, Baked In Brick wrote: “It's what we've all been waiting for! We're opening a Bakehouse in the Jewellery Quarter. We all loved what was happening in Northwood Street and as new custodians of this lovely shop, we're looking forward to contributing to the community that residents and visitors enjoy so much.” Baked in Brick began when Desanges started baking in a converted mini, winning best street food trader in 2016 at the British Street Food Awards. The first permanent Baked In Brick venue opened in Digbeth in 2019.

Nottingham operator opens takeaway offering chocolate burgers, secures second site with third in pipeline: Nottingham operator Dan Raja has opened a new takeaway, Stateside, offering chocolate burgers. He has also secured a lease for a second site in London, with a third in Manchester also in the pipeline, as he looks to expand the concept. The Nottingham site, in Radford Road in New Basford, has been more than two years in development. Stateside’s speciality sees melted Belgian chocolate poured over an Angus beef smash burger, while the buttermilk fried chicken version, also with chocolate, has the option to swap the brioche bun for a blueberry-flavoured snow blue bun. Chocolate is also one of the flavours for its chicken wings, and guests can also order chocolate fries. “We thought not only is it unique, but our flavours are second to none,” Raja told Nottingham Live. “We came up with the concept after people were selling so-called American food that wasn’t truly American. I’ve been to America many times and know how the food tastes. We source all of our food from America or American wholesalers and suppliers. Instead of being a typical smash burger place, we have a unique concept.” The unit was formerly home to several takeaways including Beast Burger, Vindaloo and Spice & Rice.

George North-backed, roadside coffee shop concept to operate pop-up while preparing second site: Baffle Haus, the biker-friendly, coffee shop concept that includes Wales rugby union star George North and Glamorgan cricketer Andrew Salter as backers, will operate a pop-up while preparing its second site, near Cardiff. Propel revealed in January that Baffle Haus had acquired the former Old Post Inn site on the fringe of the village of Bonvilston for its second site, with a late summer opening planned. The team is currently stripping the old pub back to transform it into a bikers’ haven with a kitchen, café, retail shop and fuelling station similar to its debut location in Pontypool, which opened in 2018. In the meantime, a pop-up coffee shop has launch at the site, within the barns at the former pub, to serve customers while they wait for the main building to be finished. North said: “It’s a wicked space, wicked links to some good roads. Being an old pub, it’s got a lot bigger car park, which is brilliant, so we can open our doors for a lot more car clubs and bike clubs as well.”

East London brewer plans to build new brewery after increasing production capacity by 80%: East London brewer Pillars is planning to build a new brewery after increasing production capacity by 80% at its current site in Walthamstow in the past year. Pillars was established in 2016 by brothers Eamonn, Samie and Omar Razaq, alongside their friend, Gavin Litton, claiming to be London’s first craft lager brewery. The location for the new brewery has not yet been disclosed but the team said it is “working towards the goal of creating the most sustainable brewery in London in the future”. Samie Razaq said: “We are on a mission to become the most loved lager brand in the country. Two of every three pints bought in the UK are lager and we want to elevate the standard of such a well-loved drink. We anticipate continued exceptional growth, driven by our relentless focus on quality that ensures high drinkability. As we look towards future expansion, our commitment to sustainability remains a priority, and we see every step forward as an opportunity to lead the industry in this vital area.”