Exclusive – Flat Iron appoints advisors to explore strategic options: Flat Iron, the Piper-backed affordable steak concept, has appointed advisors to explore its strategic options, Propel has learned. The Tom Byng-led business, which operates 16 sites across England, with the majority in London, is working with advisors Houlihan Lokey on its options, which may include securing new investment or a sale of the business. Propel understands that a process may commence early next year and will come off the back of another strong year of trading for Flat Iron, which has opened sites in London’s Hammersmith and Manchester this year, both of which are reportedly trading materially ahead of expectations. The company, which made its regional debut last year in Cambridge – followed by a further regional opening in Leeds – will open its 17th site in November, at Terminus Place in London’s Victoria. It is understood to have a well-developed pipeline for 2025, both in London and the regions. Flat Iron reported a record year of sales for the year ended 27 August 2023, with full year sales of £35.9m, up £12.4m (52.9%) on the previous year, while adjusted Ebitda was £3.8m (2022: £3.5m). At the time, Byng said the business was targeting four or five new restaurants a year and believed there was room for at least 30 more sites in London. Flat Iron was founded in 2012 by entrepreneur Charlie Carroll. In 2017, Piper made a £10m investment in Flat Iron, securing a significant minority stake in the process. Byron founder Byng, who had been an investor and non-executive director at Flat Iron since 2017, succeeded Carroll as chief executive in March 2021. 

 

Host of sector companies sending sizeable personnel and HR teams to Propel’s Talent & Training Conference: A host of sector companies are sending sizeable teams to Propel’s Talent & Training Conference next month. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 1 October at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Companies are sending their personnel and HR teams as they realise the importance of developing outstanding people culture and the need to attract talent. Also new for this year are “parallel sessions”, which offer the chance to deep-dive into specialist subjects. Propel managing director Paul Charity said: “Given the sector’s issues with recruitment and the importance of looking after staff, this is a not to be missed opportunity to hear about examples of outstanding people culture from industry peers and how the sector is attracting talent.” For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £345 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. Premium Club members get a 20% discount. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Next edition of Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book to be sent to Premium Club members today: The next edition of the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book will be sent to Premium Club members today (Friday, 13 September), at midday. The 978 companies in the database are turning over a total of £70.5bn. A total of 610 companies are making a profit while 368 are making a loss. The profit being made by sector companies is now outstripping losses by £1.00bn, a fall on the £2.02bn last month. The Blue Book shows the total profit of the 978 companies in the list is £4,355,115,243 and losses are £3,354,916,860. Meanwhile, 57 companies have had their figures updated. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors' earnings for the past five years. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who's Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Clubs members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including the Talent and Training Conference (1 October), Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (two days in January 2025) and Excellence in Pub Retail (May 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.

 

Luke Johnson – this anti-wealth government risks catalysing a catastrophic talent drain: Serial sector investor Luke Johnson has warned that if the Labour government continues to peddle the politics of envy, “we will all suffer”, and its anti-wealth stance risks catalysing a catastrophic talent drain. Writing in The Telegraph, Johnson said: “Labour has repeatedly claimed its main priority is to boost economic growth. If it sharply increases taxes on the wealthy, such as capital gains tax and inheritance tax, then the wealthy and enterprising will go elsewhere to start and back companies. Over time, the negative impact on growth would be immense. During my 40 years in business in Britain, the government has generally made the country an attractive place to start and grow companies – and receive the rewards when they are a success. Yet Labour is going in the opposite direction: it plans to sharply increase regulation and is likely to considerably increase taxes on risk takers. Such enterprise is often found among newer, independent companies, not large corporations: in the digital age, most high potential start-ups could be located elsewhere. And they will be – if Labour drives the risk takers away. If many of the key founders and executives depart, then the decline in tax, investment and job creation would be precipitous. If Labour continues to peddle the politics of envy, we will all suffer. HM Revenue & Customs published a document in January this year that estimated that if capital gains tax were increased by 10%, then for the 2026-27 tax year, £2bn less tax would be raised. That ignores the collateral damage of less investment, diminished job creation and fewer start-ups. Let us hope that Labour listens to its more sensible advisers, who know that economics driven by ideology and resentment against success leads to universal misery.”

 

Martyn’s Law laid before parliament: A law aimed at helping protect venues against terror attacks following the Manchester Arena suicide bombing has been laid before parliament. Martyn’s Law, otherwise known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, will require all venues with a capacity of more than 200 to take steps to ensure they have a plan in place in case of an attack on their premises. The measures, introduced to parliament as a response to the attack on the Ariane Grande concert in May 2017, would require UK venues and councils to have mandatory training and plans to prevent and protect against such attacks. The Bill is named after Martyn Hett, 29, who was one of 22 people murdered in the Manchester terror attack. His mother, Figen Murray, has been campaigning for the government to bring in the law. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has committed to getting it done as a priority and the Bill was included in the Labour government’s King’s Speech. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “I’m pleased the legislation gives venues in the standard tier the flexibility they need to create bespoke plans to keep people safe. This is crucial because no two venues are the same and everyone will have different requirements to best achieve the aims of this legislation – keeping our staff and customers safe.” Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, added: “While the objectives of Martyn’s Law are commendable, it is essential that the legislation is designed with feasibility and fairness in mind. Our goal is to ensure that the safety enhancements are both effective and manageable for all involved.”

 

Junk food adverts to be banned online and on TV before 9pm next year: Andrew Gwynne, the health minister, has revealed plans to implement restrictions on junk food advertising on TV and online from October 2025. In a written ministerial statement, Gwynne said Labour intends to introduce the measure – which would prevent junk food advertising on TV before 9pm – “without further delay”. He said: “We will introduce a 9pm watershed on TV advertising, and a total ban on paid-for online advertising. These restrictions will help protect children from being exposed to advertising of less healthy food and drinks, which evidence shows influences their dietary preferences from a young age.” The ban will relate to TV advertising and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), which delivers television live over the internet. Under Labour plans, these advertising restrictions will be implemented from 1 October 2025. Gwynne said: “Our proposal is to make clear in the regulations that IPTV services regulated by Ofcom will be subject to the broadcast 9pm watershed in the same way as other TV and Ofcom-regulated on-demand programme services. This requires clarification within the secondary legislation and, in line with our statutory duty to consult, we are launching a targeted consultation that is open for four weeks.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a boutique hospitality group with four London venues that is looking for an operations director. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “With two additional locations set to open in the co-working space sector, experience in this area would be highly beneficial. Strong leadership skills are essential, along with a solid understanding of P&L management. The position will report to the founder of the business. Opening experience would be a bonus for this role with ideally some five-star dining experience.” The salary is up to £150,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com.

 

Promoted content – meet Eman, the founder of Bisan Bites who is proudly bringing Palestinian flavours to London’s streets: In 2022, Eman embarked on a journey to bring the authentic taste of Palestinian cuisine to the vibrant street food scene of London. Seeking guidance from the Streets Ahead programme, she transformed her passion into reality, creating Bisan Bites – a culinary venture celebrating the rich flavours of her heritage. To find out more, click here.

 

Tossed MD – ‘we have all but completed our original business plan and need to think really carefully about where we take this next’: Neil Sebba, managing director of healthy eating brand Tossed, has said the owners have all but completed their original business plan and “need to think really carefully” about where they take the business next. Sebba and Angelina Harrison bought the brand out of administration in 2020 and have since grown it from no stores to 13 across London. Its most recent opening, in Chiswick Park in April, was the brand’s first outside of its central London heartland. “When we decided we were going to buy the brand we said we’d give it three years and see where we’re at – it’s four years now and we seem to be generating a stable, sensible level of profitability at last,” Sebba told last week’s Propel Multi-Club Conference. “We have all but completed our original business plan, so now we’re starting to think what next looks like. With Chiswick Park, we’re testing the water to see what outside London looks like. With a team of five, we can’t scale outside of London, so we’ll need to go through another step change if that’s what we’re going to do. But we have a really nice dynamic and need to think really carefully about where we take this next. We’ll also need to look at our financing structure because being owner-managed with some friends and family investment isn’t going to take you to that level of growth.” Since taking on the business, Sebba said an ever-growing amount of salad concepts have been taking space in the capital. “It’s a really dynamic space to be in, but just as our market looks like finally reaching some level of normality, suddenly everyone wants to play in it,” he said. “What we have stayed true to – and it does mean we’ve had to pass price on to the consumer – is making sure our portions stay generous.” Sebba also remains cautious over reports of office workers ditching remote working and returning to their desks. “The thing I really zeroed in on quite early is Transport for London numbers for people clicking out at different tube stations,” he said. “I chose Bank station to follow, and it hasn’t really changed over the last 18 months. There’s a lot of noise about people coming back, but I don’t really see it. London is still a long way behind a lot of other key cities, there’s still some reticence there.” Sebba was among the speakers at last week’s Propel Multi-Club Conference. His video and the 12 others from the conference will be made available to Premium Club members on Friday, 27 September, at 9am. 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.

 

Harvey’s – FY turnover exceeds pre covid records, rental income strong in 2023 showing tenant stability: Brewer and retailer Harvey’s, which operates 45 pubs across the south east of England, saw group turnover exceed pre covid records in 2023, with the majority of its managed houses performing to a “satisfactory level” and rental income strong. The company saw group turnover increase 8.3% to £24,318,708 (2022: £22,426,656), with pre-tax profit up 16.76% to £3,375,563 (2022: £2,893,056). The company said: “Cash resources remain high but there are plenty of investment opportunities ahead. Growth had been more predictable than in 2022 although sales to the independent pub sector remained patchy throughout the year. Despite many individual customers experiencing cash flow issues, trade debtors remain better than pre-covid. Rental income was strong showing tenant stability. Company investment saw us complete our pub decorations catch-up post covid and we also carried out overdue enhancements of listed building structures in Crawley, East Grinstead and Burwash. Harvey’s own managed houses are not immune to this commercial environment, most houses performed to a satisfactory level. Seven tenanted houses (20% of the tenanted estate) changed hands in 2023. However, the company closed the year with no active vacancies for pub tenancies. Full scale brewery tours resumed in the summer of 2023 following covid restrictions. The presence of the Harvey’s beer brand in the market place remains resolute. We are keen to install our new canning plant in 2024. Branding changes will follow to suit several of our beer styles including a new seal of authenticity emphasising Harvey’s beer traditional production. We will continue to develop our properties in ways that make sense to the business needs of the future. While this is likely to include many initiatives like accommodation and tourism, we shall not be neglecting our traditional brewing business or production initiatives that support it. Compared with our traditional competitors, Harvey’s is in excellent commercial shape, but these remain uncertain times. Therefore, for much of the year ahead we shall look to consolidate existing assets.”

 

JD Wetherspoon plans London Bridge pub: JD Wetherspoon is planning to open a new site near London Bridge station. The company, which earlier this month opened a new £2.8m pub at London Waterloo station, has applied to open in the arches at 50 Tooley Street. The pub, which would occupy part of the space that until 2013 was the home of The London Dungeon, has a working title of the Sun Wharf. Earlier this month, the company opened The Lion & the Unicorn in “The Sidings”, within the former Eurostar terminus at Waterloo, creating 70 jobs. JD Wetherspoon chair Sir Tim Martin told Propel earlier this summer that the company had “many potentially excellent sites in the pipeline”. Wetherspoon will open a number of new sites in the next few months, including at Fulham Broadway in London and Marlow in Buckinghamshire, while this year, the company has opened its first site at a holiday park, in partnership with Haven.

 

Arc Inspirations lines up Liverpool and Edinburgh openings: Arc Inspirations, the premium bar operator, has lined up openings in Liverpool and Edinburgh for openings next year. The company has lined up a site in the Lyceum Building in Liverpool’s Bold Street for an opening under its Manahatta concept in the first half of 2025, subject to planning and licensing. Propel also understands that Arc is close to securing a site in Edinburgh for an opening under its Box sports bar concept. It would become Arc’s second site in the Scottish capital, with the company set to unveil a Manahatta at the end of next month, in the city’s Rose Street for its first site in Scotland. The news comes ahead of Arc expecting to unveil record results next week, with annual revenues nearing £50m. The 20-strong business will open its latest site on Saturday, 5 October – a Manahatta in Nottingham’s Queen Street. Earlier this year, Arc secured £7m in extra funding to accelerate its expansion across the UK. Arc has ambitions to deliver at least four new openings per year over the next five years, and to eventually operate 50 bars by 2030.

 

South Africa-based Jimmy’s Killer Prawns returns to expansion trail in UK: South Africa-based Jimmy’s Killer Prawns, which made its UK debut, in Leicester, in 2021, is to return to the expansion trail, with openings lined up in Birmingham and Nottingham. The business currently operates sites in Leicester and Manchester in the UK, and previously also had a site in Blackburn. The brand is now gearing up to open in Derby Road in Lenton, Nottingham, next to the Savoy Cinema. At the same time, Jimmy’s Killer Prawns is understood to have also signed on a site in Birmingham. The menu features specialty prawn dishes and includes family platters offering a variety of prawns, rice, fries and sauces. Jimmy’s Killer Prawns first opened in a Victorian mining house in Johannesburg in 1991. Founder Jimmy Christelis had the idea to offer top-quality prawns and other seafood at affordable prices while providing an exceptional dining experience. The brand is well established in South Africa, United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus.

 

The Celtic Collection falls to a loss, pumps a further £2.7m into ICC Wales JV: The Celtic Collection, which operates a number of hotels including Celtic Manor, fell to a loss in the year to 31 December 2023, and post-year end, pumped a further £2.7m into its International Conference Centre Wales (ICCW) joint venture. Turnover for the year was up from £61,146,000 in 2022 to £68,238,000 while Ebitda grew from £8.1m to £8.2m. A pre-tax profit of £6,324,000 in 2022 turned into a loss of £1,627,000 – including fair value loss on derivatives totalling £1.4m (2022: gain of £5m) and share of losses of joint ventures of £2.1m (2022: £800,000). The group made no further equity investments during 2023 (2022: £4m) into the ICCW joint venture – a business that launched just prior to the pandemic and was heavily impacted by it – but since the year-end has made a further £2.7m equity investment. Furthermore, in January 2024, the company issued ten ordinary £1 shares for a total consideration of £1m, resulting in a £999,990 increase in share premium, and did the same in April 2024 for a total consideration of £2.7m, resulting in a £2,699,990 increase in share premium. Average occupancy for the year for the Resort hotel was 80% (2022: 74%), with an average room rate of £130 (2022: £130) and revpar was £352 (2022: £307). Average occupancy for the Coldra Court hotel was 78% (2022: 82%), with an average room rate of £86 (2022: £81). Average occupancy for the Ty Magar Hotel was 80% (2022: 88%), with an average room rate of £61 (2022: £58). As previously reported, the group has renegotiated its bank loan facilities, through to March 2026 on favourable terms, including making no repayments in 2023. The directors said they are satisfied with the financial position of the group and continue to seek strategic opportunities to expand future operations. Grants of £3,464,000 were received (2022: £3,851,000) and no dividends were paid (2022: nil). 

 

Grab-and-go brands secure space at Gloucester Quays: A trio of grab-and-go brands – Pret A Manger, Subway and Krispy Kreme – are set to open at Gloucester Quays. Pret will make its debut in Gloucester with an opening in High Orchard Street in an 1,841 square-foot unit with room to seat 85 customers. Joining Pret will be Subway, which is set to open in a 603 square-foot unit. The outlet is also set to welcome a new kiosk from Krispy Kreme. Clare Clough, UK managing director at Pret, said: “Pret is opening shops in towns and cities across the UK, so it was about time we found ourselves a home in the historic city of Gloucester.” Paul Carter, asset director at landlord Peel Retail & Leisure, added: “Pret, Subway, and Krispy Kreme will all bring something different to the outlet, and their arrival is further evidence of our 15-year-long dedication to meeting the needs of our loyal and diverse catchment.”

  

Bird & Blend Tea Co to launch in Lincoln today for 21st UK site: Independent tea business Bird & Blend Tea Co is to open a site in Lincoln today (Friday, 13 September) for its 21st outlet. The store, at 30 Sincil Street, will offer a new limited edition flavour will be created exclusively for Lincoln, called “Lincoln Imp” – described as a traditional breakfast brew “with a hint of mischievous spice”. The Lincoln team will host live free matcha tea demonstrations, offer a tea matching service and run mixology masterclasses. Mike Turner, co-founder and managing director of Bird & Blend Tea Co, told Lincolnshire Live: “Customer experience is at the heart of everything we do. We see our stores as not just retail spaces, but as community hubs where customers can come to make connections with one another and our team and enjoy interacting with our tea.”

 

Providence Hotels adds Lake District property to portfolio for 11th site: Providence Hotels has expanded by adding a Lake District property to its portfolio for its 11th site. The company has acquired the lease of the Mary Mount Hotel in Borrowdale. Sybrand Engelbrecht, business development director at Providence Hotels, said: “This partnership with the owners of Mary Mount Hotel reflects our commitment to sustainable growth and long-term value creation. By securing this lease, we not only expand our operational footprint but also strengthen our ability to deliver increased revenue streams for our stakeholders. This property perfectly aligns with our strategic vision of expanding into key locations across the UK, particularly in areas that offer a unique and memorable guest experience.” Providence Hotels operates sites across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and the Lake District. 

 

Derwent London to introduce all-day neighbourhood cafés into portfolio: Landlord Derwent London is introducing new all-day neighbourhood cafés into four of its properties in the capital. The new offering, called DL/ Service, is open to the public and located in four of the group’s buildings. The cafes will serve drinks from Extract Coffee as well as breakfast, lunch and snack options. DL/ Service at DL/78 in Fitzrovia, White Collar Factory in Old Street and The White Chapel Building in Whitechapel will all feature a wide-ranging menu including made-to-order smoothies and juice, brunch and bakery items, freshly prepared sandwiches and a deli counter with salads and protein options. Set within The Featherstone Building, the second Old Street DL/ Service café will serve a more concise selection of coffee, soft drinks, and freshly baked goods. Emily Prideaux, executive director at Derwent London, said: “We see our role going beyond the responsibilities of a traditional landlord. As part of this commitment, we have recently launched DL/ Service and are delighted to extend this amenity to both those who occupy our buildings and those within our local communities.”

 

Scottish restaurant group to open fourth site next month: Scottish restaurant group Scoop is set to open its fourth site next month. The group launched with the Ox and Finch restaurant in Glasgow’s Sauciehall Street a decade ago before introducing south east Asian concept Ka Pao to the city’s Vincombe Street in 2020. Scoop branched out to Edinburgh in 2022 with a second Ka Pao site, in the Scottish capital’s St James Quarter, and is now returning to Glasgow to open the 138-cover Margo at 68 Miller Street. The kitchen will be led by Robin Aitken, who first joined Scoop as a chef at Ox and Finch in 2014 before returning to Scoop as part of the senior team that landed Ka Pao Glasgow its first Michelin Bib Gourmand, and helped the Ox and Finch retain its Bib Gourmand for a tenth year. Margo will open on Monday, 28 October.

 

Hotel group Distinct adds third site to portfolio, lfl sales up in 2024: Hotel group Distinct Group has added a third site to its portfolio and told Propel that like-for-like sales are up in 2024. The company has acquired the Brownsover Hall Hotel in Rugby, Warwickshire. The 47-bedroom, grade II-listed hotel is set in seven acres of grounds. Distinct Group said the property would complement the company’s other two sites – Hotel Cromwell in Stevenage and the Bedford Swan Hotel & Spa in Bedford. Brownsover Hall Hotel stopped welcoming guests under its former owner on 22 August and instructed Ben Robson, of Bridge Newland, to assist with placing the business into creditors voluntary liquidation. Distinct Group stated: “Sadly, Brownsover Hall has suffered many years of neglect, and the manner in which the former owners of the hotel chose to cease trading was clearly regrettable for all those affected. However, the directors of Distinct would like to take this opportunity to reassure the wider community that the hotel will reopen following a significant investment in refurbishment and restoration that it is hoped will deliver a landmark hotel for the area.” In terms of current trading, asset manager Gareth Leakey told Propel: “As with most other operators, we’re battling with the usual issues – mainly recruitment, business rates, utilities and inflation, but fortunately we are enjoying positive like-for-likes, as a result of outstanding work from our dedicated teams to consistently deliver the best guest experience, and continued reinvestment and support from our parent company meaning that we are able to constantly challenge ourselves and evolve.”

 

Motcombs to open second site after more than 40 years: Motcombs, the neighbourhood restaurant which first opened in London’s Belgravia in 1982, is set to open a second site more than 40 years later, arriving in St John’s Wood in early October. The 3,000 square-foot restaurant will be situated at 3 Circus Road, offering 80 covers alongside a standalone bar with bar stools and a covered outdoor terrace for 16 guests. Head chef of Motcombs Belgravia, Veronica Pestana, will oversee the menu development and opening of St John’s Wood. Open from breakfast through to dinner, the menu will celebrate classic British, European and Asian favourites, prepared with carefully sourced seasonal ingredients, with the addition of a New York style pizza menu, exclusive to St John’s Wood. Owner Ross Anderson said: “After more than 40 years in Belgravia, we are delighted to be opening the doors to our second restaurant in St John’s Wood. We hope to become another local favourite in our new north London neighbourhood, offering the same warm and familiar charm.”

 

Sheffield chef takes on first solo venture: Sheffield chef Tom Lawson, former co-owner and chef patron at the Michelin Guide-listed Rafters restaurant in the city, has taken on his first solo venture. Lawson has taken on a ten-year lease of The Psalter Hotel in Psalter Lane, Sharrow, which has reopened following a £175,000 transformation, creating 50 jobs. In addition to the hotel’s 21 bedrooms, Lawson has retained the building’s bar area, which offers locally brewed real ale and cocktails, and has also created a restaurant and a private hire area, which doubles up as a coffee shop. “I wanted to take dining back to the days when it was a family occasion,” Lawson told the Sheffield Star. “You sat around a table together and talked and laughed while enjoying food. I believe that food and drinks are meant to be shared and enjoyed together, creating moments of connection and community. Our food is affordable and approachable but remains true to my core values of seasonality, quality and sustainability.”

 

Otter Brewery plans to open first bar site: Devon-based Otter Brewery is planning to open its first bar and retail site, in Exeter. Patrick McCaig, the managing director of Otter Brewery, has applied for a premises licence for the former No5 Restaurant in Exeter’s Cathedral Close. The site was also previously occupied by Azzurri Group-owned brand ASK Italian until 2020, and has been vacant since. Otter Brewery was first established in 1990 by the McCaig family, which brewed beer from a farmhouse near the village of Luppitt in east Devon. The company expanded with a new brewery and cellar in 2003 and in 2007 it built an underground cellar that is thought to have been the first of its scale in Devon. The brewery near Luppitt is currently it’s only physical location. The business confirmed to Devon Live that it does have plans for a site in Exeter but is currently unable to reveal more details. The licensing application, which is requesting permission to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, suggests it may take the form of a taphouse, with beer also for sale by the bottle.

 

UK’s first net zero carbon tower – featuring aparthotel, bar and restaurant – given green light: The UK’s first net zero carbon tower – which will feature an aparthotel, bar and restaurant – has been given the green light. The £78m, Room2 Hometel project, from developer Lamington Group, involves the redevelopment of a grade II-listed building at 12-16 Piccadilly in Manchester. The 34-storey tower will include 251 aparthotel rooms, an exhibition hall and a rooftop terrace. Robert Godwin, chief executive of Lamington Group, said: “This building aims to set new benchmarks for net zero at this height in the UK and beyond, and we are excited to announce further innovations within it soon.” Construction is expected to start in early 2025, with the development set to open in late 2027.