Exclusive – Czech fast-food brand aiming for at least 200 UK sites as it seeks partners to expand here, plans to launch by next spring: Czech fast-food brand Bageterie Boulevard is aiming for at least 200 UK sites as it seeks partners to expand here, and plans to launch on these shores by next spring, Propel has learned. Founded in 2003, the Prague-headquartered brand has since grown to 62 restaurants across shopping centres, high streets, drive-thrus and airports in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with many more under construction. The business, which offers baguettes, salads, fries, soup and soft drinks, has partnered with Platinum Wave franchising to enter the UK market. “The UK is an exciting market with immense potential for us,” a Bageterie Boulevard spokesman told Propel. “We began franchising in 2011 and have always aimed to expand to the UK. Now, with a proven business model and advanced proprietary technology from our growth across central Europe, we are confident that this is the right time to enter the UK market and partner with the kind of operators who share our vision. We anticipate opening our first UK location within eight to nine months and we are excited about introducing British customers to our menu in 2025. Given the competitive landscape where some brands have more than 2,000 stores, the potential for Bageterie Boulevard is significant, and we expect to see at least 200 locations in the UK within the next ten years. While establishing Bageterie Boulevard as a major brand in London is a significant aspiration, we remain open to launching in other prime locations first, based on the best opportunities available, and we will take strategic advice from our UK franchise partner. We offer a variety of formats and seek a master franchisee to form a joint venture with, leveraging its knowledge and experience of the UK market to make informed decisions about early locations collaboratively.” Bageterie Boulevard currently has what is considers a “healthy ratio” of 80% franchise stores and the remainder as equity stores and will focus its growth on an express format. “Our mission is to take people on a culinary tour across European regional cuisines through our Express Gourmet format,” the spokesman added. “These baguettes are designed by renowned regional chefs from around Europe, so in addition to our core offering, customers can experience a new ‘chef menu’ every three months. Our flexibility also allows us to take local tastes and eating habits into account, so while our core offering remains broadly consistent across the countries we operate in, we will definitely incorporate local and regional adaptations to ensure the menu is perfect for our UK customers.” The brand is also in active discussions with potential partners in Germany, Austria, the Gulf countries and the US.

 

Sponsored message – DISTILLED Magazine reveals the latest trends and opportunities in the spirits and soft drinks categories: Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company’s (CMBC) specialist spirits division, DISTILLED, is passionate about working closely with customers to help them grow their business. Paul Waller, director of third party brands, said: “At DISTILLED, we do more than sell spirits, we help our customers create great drinking experiences by sharing local and global insights and advice to educate, inspire and help improve customers’ offering. DISTILLED Magazine launched in 2017, mixing a peek into CMBC’s range with articles and interviews, in partnership with Tom Sandham and Ben McFarland, the Thinking Drinkers. This year’s magazine delves into challenges facing the spirits category, and how getting the basics right will ensure it remains a key part of consumer experiences. We’ve added some interesting new products into the rum and tequila categories, and grown our range of mixers and cocktail solutions. We are delighted to introduce the 2024-25 DISTILLED Magazine. Packed full of great products, interesting facts and tips, we’re all really excited to present our new sprits range to our customers. Whether you’re a seasoned spirits pro or craving support with category opportunities, download DISTILLED Magazine. Get inspired and get in touch with our experienced team of dedicated spirits managers.” If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Sector corporate lawyer David Roberts to speak at Propel summer conference and party, three free places per company for operators: David Roberts, leading hospitality sector corporate lawyer from global law firm CMS, will be among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference and summer party on Thursday, 5 September, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry. The all-day conference will focus on “new ideas and directions in an era of strong headwinds” and will be followed in the evening by the summer party, with a barbecue and four hours of live music, including the UK’s best Ed Sheeran Tribute Act, The Ed Sheeran Experience; the UK’s top Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow tribute acts joining forces, Scott Borley and Daniel Hadfield; and the famous house band at Piano Works. Roberts will explain best practice for founders and backers who are considering selling their hospitality business or raising further investment. For the full speaker schedule, click here. There are up to three free places per company for operators but Premium subscribers can have up to four places. To book, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com. A room can also be booked for the evening. For more details, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com.

Premium Club members to receive new searchable and segmented New Openings Database today: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club members today (Friday, 5 July). For the first time it will also be delivered in an easy to search Excel sheet and segmented into seven key categories of cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants. The database will show the details of 160 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. It will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club members will also receive a 12,356-word report on the 160 new additions to the database. The database includes new openings in the quick service restaurant sector such as burger franchise concept Burger & Sauce, which will soon be opening at Liverpool Central station, US brand Slim Chickens increasing its presence with an opening in Somerset and Burger Drop opening a site in Sunderland this summer. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. Plus, all Premium Club members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including Social Media for Profit (18 July), the Talent and Training Conference (1 October) and Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (two days in January 2025). Operators that are Premium Club members 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 supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Nottingham pondering introduction of ‘tourist tax’: Nottingham is weighing up introducing a form of “tourist tax”. Plans being discussed include a nightly £2 levy on providers of accommodation in the city. Similar taxes are common in European countries such as Spain, Germany and France, and while not currently permitted by law in the UK, cities such as Manchester and Liverpool have done so through Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) – non-profit organisations privately funded by businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. In Manchester, the levy is known as the “City Visitor Charge” and participating businesses are encouraged to itemise it on guests’ bills. Nottingham’s BID, called It’s in Nottingham, is now looking to introduce an “Accommodation BID”, which will be discussed at a council meeting on Monday (8 July). According to council documents, the total number of rooms that could be subject to the levy each day is 3,160. The plan will be voted on by accommodation providers that fall into the relevant area, most likely in September, and if successful, it will be introduced in 2025. Alex Flint, chief executive of It’s in Nottingham, said: “The proposed Nottingham Accommodation BID will enable strategic collaboration between hotel venues and place-making partners, attract more major events, including sport, music and entertainment to the city, and secure the long-term strength of Nottingham’s economy and visitor appeal.” Propel reported in May that Chester in also considering a form of “tourist tax”.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a multi-purpose large scale venue that is seeking a venue director to join its leadership team. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in senior management, with extensive experience in the food and beverage sector. This role requires a strategic leader who can shape the long-term vision, enhance the venue’s market position, and ensure sustained growth and excellence.” The salary is up to £90,000 and the position is based in the West Midlands. For more information, email marlene@corecruitment.com.

 

Fallow owner reports first-half turnover up 46%: The team behind sustainable restaurant group Fallow has reported turnover for the first-half of its financial year was up 46% to £5.7m. The business, which is led by chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft, alongside chairman James Robson, said that its half-year turnover was up 60% at £6.3m when taking into account the organic expansion of its operations in London’s St James with the opening of chicken shop concept Fowl. In April, the business opened its latest restaurant, Roe, in London’s Wood Wharf. It follows the same nose-to-tail and root-to-stem ethos seen at its sister restaurant, Fallow St James’s, and Fowl, the fast-casual chicken shop concept it opened in the capital last October. Robson told Propel: “We see some further growth with breakfast and with Fowl. However, we are now trading at circa £250,000 average weeks, which is close to peak Fallow. It's been a five-year journey to date and our team have been exceptional in creating quality at quantity and we are fully focused on retaining our standards at this level of turnover. We are currently in the process of expanding our head office function to ensure the same level of detail and care continues at Roe, which we opened two months ago, which certainly has similar if not more potential than Fallow.”

 

Platform ceases trading and enters liquidation: Gaming restaurant/bar concept Platform has ceased trading and holding company Platform Hub One has entered liquidation. The company, which was co-founded by Tomaso Portunato, Nicolò Portunato and Lucas Weintraub in 2018, opened its debut site in Shoreditch in 2019. It rebranded during lockdown and, a year ago, a second Platform Canary Wharf gaming bar opened, and there were plans to open more, including a site in Bloomsbury. In spring 2022, the business closed a £1.5m equity round led by Actium AG, a Swiss investment firm, to aid its expansion. A message to suppliers said: “Unfortunately, due to the company’s financial position, it is with regret that I must inform you that the decision has been made to cease trading and place the company into creditors’ voluntary liquidation. Insolvency firm Antony Batty & Company LLP has been instructed to assist the board with placing the company into liquidation and will shortly be writing to all creditors with further information about the company and the liquidation process.”

 

BaxterStorey sees record turnover of £572.8m boosted by return to office working but costs impacted by food inflation: Contract catering company BaxterStorey saw its turnover boosted by a return to office working in the year to 27 December 2023, but its costs impacted by food inflation. Its turnover rose from £448,901,000 in 2022 to a record £572,774,000, of which £492,455,000 came from the UK (2022: £389,042,000) and £80,319,000 from the rest of Europe (2022: £448,901,000). Its pre-tax profit grew from £24,954,000 to £35,927,000 despite an increase in costs of more than £100m. “During 2023, our business experienced two major trends: the return to the office and inflation,” director Marc Bradley said. “While there are significant variations between clients, there were generally more consumers in the offices we serve than in 2022, which drove higher transaction volumes and food consumption. In addition, the continued effect of food inflation impacted our costs and to a lesser extent our turnover, as our tariff increases tend to lag trends seen in high street retailers. Our employee base recovered further, and we continued to adapt our benefit packages and branding in order to retain talent and to enhance the attractiveness of our business to potential candidates. As the economic outlook remains uncertain and the effects of inflation persist, we expect that clients will seek ever ¬increasing value from outsourced catering services. The directors believe that the business is well positioned to take advantage of increased competition in the market, as it benefits from operating scale and from the quality of its food offering and service. Further investments in culinary training will contribute to retaining existing contract and gaining new clients. In addition, we see an opportunity to grow sales through existing clients, by providing value-added services and structuring attractive offers for customers.” No dividend was paid (2022: nil). Cash at bank and in hand was £32m (2022: £32m) while net assets were £228m (2022: £201m).

 

Northern China dumplings restaurant concept XI home opens third site: Restaurateur Wenjun Xiang has opened a third site for his XI home concept, which focuses on signature dumplings from northern China. The site has launched in London’s Blossom Street, near Liverpool Street station. The 165 square-metre property is home to a 46-cover restaurant that serves a range of more than 20 dumplings including black cuttlefish and sea cucumber, alongside buns and pancakes. Tea pairings are also available alongside a concise cocktail list, wine and a range of beer. Xiang said: “We are delighted to have secured such a prestigious location for our third and flagship XI home, it was a dream of mine since graduating from Imperial College Business School, which for me was an invaluable experience. The restaurant is very dear to me, as it is completely inspired by my hometown, Dalian. I feel like it’s very essence has been transported here by steamboat and I can’t wait for Londoners to come and try it.” XI home also has a site at the Bang Bang Oriental Foodhall, and a restaurant at 43 Chandos Place in Covent Garden.

Searcys reports record results, events business ‘buoyant’: Restaurateur and events caterer Searcys has reported record results for the year ending 27 December 2023 and said its events business especially is “buoyant”. Its pre-tax profit increased from £2,951,000 in 2022 to £3,083,000 off turnover of £73,429,000, up from £62,075,000 in 2022. Director Marc Bradley said: “2023 was a year of strong growth for the business with turnover increasing 18.2% on the prior period. The result for the year showed continued improvement, achieving our strongest result in Searcys’ history. Despite a cooling off in the pent-up demand stemming from the impact of covid-19, the events business continued to be buoyant, while the retail market was hampered by cost-of-living pressures and reduced margins caused by food and labour cost inflation, and increasing overheads costs driven by utilities and business rates. The business is proud to have been awarded new contracts with some of the most reputable organisations in and around London including Church House, The Guards Polo Club and the National Portrait Gallery, in partnership with Richard Corrigan. The directors remain confident of continued growth, both organic from the base of existing business, and from future new contract wins, to ensure continued positive trajectory.” No dividends were paid (2022: nil). Net cash flows from operations was £2.3m at year-end (2022: £2.8m) while cash at bank and in hand was £2.9m (2022: £3.0m).

Greene King opens first site for new boutique hotel concept: Brewer and retailer Greene King has opened the first site for its new boutique hotel concept, Everly Hotels Collection. Propel revealed last year that the Nick Mackenzie-led business had begun trialling the concept alongside Seared – a pub concept with a “freshly grilled, globally-inspired menu” – as it worked towards a more balanced portfolio. The first Everly site, The White Horses in Rottingdean, East Sussex, has now opened, offering 32 rooms (three of which are dog friendly) and a 290-seater restaurant with outside terraces. Vincent Madden, managing director of Everly Hotels Collection, said: “The official opening of The White Horses hotel marks a pivotal occasion for Everly Hotels Collection as the first property in our repertoire, and we’re thrilled to finally be welcoming our guests through our doors. The White Horses is deeply grounded in the community and we’re committed to supporting local, so our guests can expect the freshest produce and sample local ale, wine and spirits from our favourite local drinks producers in the Discovery Bar.” The hotel bar and restaurant are focused on “seasonal classics with a twist inspired by the coastal location to delight”, with British produce taking centre stage on a menu featuring a signature sea food platter. Madden, who joined Greene King in in 2022 from Arora Hotels, said last year that The White Horses would be the first in a portfolio of multiple sites across the UK for the concept.

Crest Hotels reports record turnover of £12.8m: Privately-owned hotel group Crest Hotels has reported turnover increased to a record £12,763,988 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £6,931,879 the year before. The group, which operates nine sites across the UK, made a pre-tax loss of £319,391 compared with a profit of £172,174 the previous year as the business continued its refurbishment programme. During the period, the group acquired the Tiverton Hotel in Tiverton, Devon, for a total consideration of £3.7m. Since the year end, the company has added the Imperial Hotel in Tenby, south west Wales, to its portfolio. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “We believe the results are satisfactory while the group has carried out a major refurbishment programme during 2023 and 2022 across some of the hotels, which has temporarily reduced trading and profitability in the year.” The group received government grants of £25,684 (2022: £21,734). A dividend of £56,008 was paid (2022: £76,100).

Nottingham Venues promotes Tom Waldron-Lynch to chief executive: Nottingham Venues, the brand behind events, hotel stays and a collection of venues across the University of Nottingham's campuses, has appointed a new chief executive. Tom Waldron-Lynch has been promoted to the role after joining the business as general manager in 2017, when it was part of DeVere group. Waldron-Lynch said: “I am excited about the future of Nottingham Venues and look forward to the company playing an important role in supporting the growth of the visitor economy in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.” The Nottingham Venues portfolio includes The Jubilee Hotel and Conferences, Orchard Hotel & Restaurant, East Midlands Conference Centre and Hugh Stewart Manor House.

SSP opens new business lounge at Larnaca airport: SSP Group, the operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, has partnered with Cyprus Airports F&B to open the Skala Business Lounge at Larnaca International airport. The lounge offers a quiet area for working and a family zone with video game consoles and other entertainment options for youngsters. It has seating for 400 visitors, including 80 seats outdoors, and a staffed welcome desk and bar. There is also a menu of classic Cypriot dishes with an order-at-table option. George Antoniou, managing director for SSP eastern Europe and Middle East, said: “We aim to make a visit to one of our bars or restaurants the best part of the journey, and we’re certain that this lounge will do much to help us achieve that purpose. The lounge market offers much scope for development and we’re looking to expand our portfolio of lounges in this region and beyond.” 

Nottingham McDonald’s franchisee narrows its losses: McDonald’s franchisee Finix Restaurants, based in Nottingham and operated by Fiona Nicholls, narrowed its losses in the year ending 31 December 2023. The company’s pre-tax loss of £144,088 in 2022 decreased to a loss of £54,052 during the year. Its turnover grew from £20,224,111 to £21,847,069. Dividends of £38,000 were paid (2022: £40,000). Nicholls said. “Turnover for the year increased by 8.02%, with an increase in gross profit of 7.58% compared with the previous year. In common with many other similar businesses and industries, both labour costs and utility costs increased considerably along with other overheads, with the result that the years trading produced an operating loss of £54,052. We believe the trading environment in which the company operates will continue to be challenging but remains optimistic regarding future trading and is committed to increasing both future turnover and profitability and to continuing the company’s reinvestment programme. The company has continued to invest in the business and in the development and training of its employees, as well as continued investment in IT and store equipment.” Nicholls had worked for McDonald’s in various roles since 1987 before becoming a franchisee in 2016. She is the wife of Jerry Nicholls, who owns 11 McDonald’s restaurants through his own franchise, Blades Restaurants.

Marco Pierre White opens first site for new pub concept: Marco Pierre White has opened the first site for his new pub concept. Falling under the Marco Pierre White Ale House brand, The Queen’s Head in Folkestone is the first of its kind in the country and the latest addition to the chef’s eight other concepts, which operate under Black & White (B&W) Hospitality. Located on the corner of Queens Road and Orwell Road in Felixstowe, Suffolk, it forms part of a major refurbishment project that saw the opening of a new boutique-style hotel called Hotel Coco and a new Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill restaurant. The opening of the first franchised pub follows a deal between B&W and the property’s owners, who are responsible for its day-to-day running. The pub also serves simple, classic food from Pierre White’s various restaurant menus such as pie, fish and chips and butcher’s steaks. B&W chairman Nick Taplin said: “We’re delighted with the opening of the first Marco Pierre White Ale House. The Great British pub is more than just a place to drink beer – the best become hubs of their community or places where locals go out to eat. The concept offers quality food in a more casual atmosphere than a good restaurant and we’re delighted to have teamed up with the owners and opened in this fantastic location. Also, when you see very sadly almost daily that pubs across the country are closing their doors, it’s great news that we are bucking the trend by opening The Queen’s Head.” B&W now operates circa 30 venues under Marco Pierre White brands including Mr White’s, Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grills and Marco’s New York Italian.

Raddison Hotel Group opens new Sheffield hotel: Raddison Hotel Group has opened a new hotel in Sheffield city centre as part of a wider regeneration scheme. Located in Pinstone Street, Radisson Blu Hotel Sheffield features 154 guest rooms, a rooftop speakeasy-style Indian restaurant and bar, six meeting and event spaces, an outdoor terrace and a fitness centre. General manager Valerie Donaldson said: “We are thrilled to welcome guests to our stunning property where history meets hospitality. As part of the Heart of the City regeneration project, the hotel plays a pivotal role in shaping the city's new identity while staying true to its roots.” The top-floor restaurant and bar, Governor Gupta, features the flavours of northern India, offering small plates, kebabs, grills and naan as well as cocktails and wine.

 

Bristol operator saves ‘legendary’ nightclub from permanent closure: Bristol operator Mark Harris has saved the city’s “legendary” nightclub Dojo from permanent closure. The Park Row, venue, previously owned by former Gloucestershire and England cricketer David “Syd” Lawrence, looked set to shut for good after 25 years after announcing its closure in May. But Harris, chief executive of the city’s HallPass Bar and of the now-closed Asylum nightclub in the city, has said he has acquired the site with a business partner and will be reopening it, although no date has yet been set. “The legend lives on!” he wrote on social media. “Pleased to finally be able to announce that me and my partner have completed the purchase of Dojo’s nightclub. We will be running house nights Saturdays and drum and bass on Fridays. Any promoters who want to run a night please get in touch.”

 

Dalata opens first Liverpool hotel under Maldron brand: Irish hotel operator Dalata has opened the first site in Liverpool for its Maldron brand, creating 75 jobs. The four-star Maldron Hotel Liverpool, located in Park Lane, includes 268 rooms, a bar, the Grain & Grill restaurant, a gym and a Red Bean Roastery coffee dock. The hotel is Dalata's 55th overall, with openings in Brighton and London’s Finsbury Park to follow this year. Dalata Hotel Group chief executive Dermot Crowley said: “We are proud to take our Maldron Hotel brand to Merseyside. The opening of Maldron Hotel Liverpool is further proof of Dalata’s commitment to our UK expansion, and we are excited about the upcoming openings in London and Brighton.”

 

Korean concept opens in London’s Hackney for second site: Korean concept Miga has opened its second site. Originally starting in New Malden, south west London, 22 years ago, the concept currently has a takeaway in nearby Morden and has now opened a restaurant in Hackney in the east of the capital. The restaurant in Mare Street is open for lunch and dinner, with the menu roughly divided into rice, noodles, small plates and sides, reports London On The Inside. Dishes include fresh steamed tofu with grilled kimchi; and sanchaeg bibimbap topped with vegetables such as spinach, soya bean sprouts, courgette, radish, and dry napa cabbage, topped with a soy vinaigrette. 

 

North east operators launch second site: North east operators Russ and Melanie Wood have launched their second site. The owners of the Lamp Room restaurant in Seaham have opened another restaurant in the town, with Tide having taken over the former Clean Bean site at North Terrace following a £200,000 transformation. Initially, the restaurant will be open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, but with plans in the coming months to introduce an evening tasting menu. The kitchen will be headed up by Lewis Oliver, formerly of The Samling in the Lake District, Seaham Hall and Wylam Brewery. Craig Liddell, head chef at The Lamp Room for the last eight years, will be also moving to Tide. “Our chefs have created a menu where virtually everything will be made locally,” Russ said. “Lewis is a keen forager and has already sourced wild garlic in the area, which we are using in our dishes. We believe Tide is going to be an exciting new addition to the area.”

 

Bristol coffee shop and event space concept opens second site: Bristol coffee shop and event space concept Dareshack has opened a second site. It has opened in a former Chinese restaurant in the city’s Christmas Steps, following on from the original Dareshack in Wine Street. Co-owner Adda Cohn said a percentage of coffee sales will go towards creative projects at the Wine Street site. “Our tagline is ‘ideas powered by coffee’ so what we want is people to come here, drink good coffee, but also support our creative efforts,” he said. “I think the difference between us and other places is what we do after. We reinvest in creativity, not just ours, but we also support other creatives in our space in Wine Street by mentoring, anything we can do really. It’s hard work, but we are excited to have this new model for us that we want to explore more.”

 

Chef Brad Carter reveals opening date of first London restaurant: Birmingham chef Brad Carter has revealed the opening date of his first London restaurant. Carter has joined forces with former music publisher Martin Priestnall to launch Undercroft, which will nestle below St George’s Church in Mayfair, a 16th century building off Hanover Square. Undercroft – which opens on Thursday, 5 September – will bring together “the best in art, design, music and food, and as such will be more than a stand-alone restaurant”. The 107-seat restaurant, housed in a vaulted underground space accessed by a side door and stairway, will be open for lunch through to late evening. There will also be a 20-cover private dining space. Carter is set to revive dishes that have disappeared off menus. They will include wild garlic chicken toast, sea tripe and seaweed soup; Tamworth pork with creamed snails and sorrel; and barbecued duck with offal and oats. The space will also feature a bar and “eclectic” cocktail list, and a varied selection of champagne and fine wine. Carter said: “We’ve always been keen to make the move to London and spent years searching for the right place to open and the undercroft at St George’s Church couldn’t be more perfect. I can’t wait to get stuck in and create a menu that reflects the history, character and magic of this incredible building.” Carter held a Michelin star at his Birmingham flagship, Carter’s of Moseley, for eight years. The team is in the process of relocating the restaurant. One Star Döner, Carter’s casual kebab concept in Manchester, remains open.