Sector sees sales increase 1.3% in August for second successive month of below-inflation growth: Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved “modest” year-on-year sales growth of 1.3% in August 2024, the latest edition of the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. Groups have now achieved like-for-like increases in every month of 2024 except April. However, it is a second successive month of below-inflation growth, and the tracker has topped 4% only once since the start of the year. Total sales growth in August, including new venues opened during the last 12 months, stood at 3.7%. The tracker – produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK – shows managed pubs outperformed the sector as a whole in August, with year-on-year growth of 2.9% despite disappointing weather. Restaurants recorded a 0.8% increase, but bars continued a long run of negative numbers with a drop of 9.0%. The on-the-go segment achieved 5.0% growth. Sales rose by 1.2% inside the M25 in August, while venues further afield fractionally outperformed with 1.4% growth. It is only the second time this year that the capital has recorded weaker figures than the rest of the country. Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “August’s figures complete a modest summer for hospitality groups, and with the weather and consumers’ confidence both underwhelming, real-terms growth has been elusive. While some bars and restaurants have found it hard to sustain footfall, the picture has been brighter at pubs, especially given the impact of the cool temperatures on beer gardens and terraces. Consumers remain eager to eat and drink out when they can, but operators will be hoping they will feel confident enough to spend more freely as we move towards the crucial final quarter of 2024.”

Popeyes UK people director Matt Hudson to speak at Propel’s Talent & Training Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club members: Matt Hudson, people director at Popeyes UK, will be among the speakers at Propel’s Talent & Training Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 1 October at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. The conference will showcase examples of outstanding people culture among companies within the sector and how the industry is attracting talent. Hudson will talk about evolving a people culture while opening up to 30 sites a year. 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 Who’s Who of UK Hospitality to be released tomorrow featuring 878 companies: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will be released to Premium Club members tomorrow (Friday, 20 September), at midday. Another seven companies have been added to the database, which now features 878 companies. This month’s edition will also include 42 updated entries and more than 237,000 words of content. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent results reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. 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.

‘Relief’ for hospitality businesses as rail dispute ends: Train drivers have accepted a pay deal that will see the end of more than two years of strike action in England, Scotland and Wales that have cost hospitality businesses an estimated £3.5bn in lost sales. Aslef union members accepted an offer that included a 5% backdated pay rise for 2022-23, a 4.75% rise for 2023-24, and a 4.5% increase for 2024-25. The package had been agreed by union officials and the government in August, but required the backing of members in a vote. Industrial action has caused widespread disruption on the railways since strikes began in July 2022. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “The strikes have been enormously disruptive over the past two and a half years, with businesses estimated to have lost out on £3.5bn in sales as a result. It’s also cost workers who have not been able to make it for shifts and impacted families who have had to cancel plans. A resolution as we head towards the winter months and the critical ‘golden quarter’, when hospitality makes a significant chunk of its revenue around Christmas, was absolutely essential. With a line now drawn under this dispute, I hope all parties can work together to rebuild faith and confidence in our rail network, which is so critical to hospitality, leisure and tourism.”

David Campbell – hospitality is still driven by people but AI will change things and should be embraced: Rare Restaurants chairman David Campbell has said hospitality is still driven by people but that artificial intelligence (AI) will change things and should be embraced. He said a secret ingredient to success “does not exist” and it’s about “incremental gains”, with getting recruitment and scheduling right making all the difference. “I’m a massive fan of technology and an even bigger fan of AI, it really is going to change things,” Campbell told Casual Dining 2024. “It takes away a lot of the hard work that people would do otherwise and puts numbers back on the bottom line. Putting the right people in the right place at the right time and putting more people on at times you need to be generating more sales – all of that stuff requires technology, especially in a market which is inconsistent and changing all the time. With companies the size of PizzaExpress (where Campbell was chief executive), it goes beyond a spreadsheet, that’s where you need the technology. It still requires a human at the other end to make it work, but we should be embracing it. Hospitality is 100% still driven by people but we should use the tools around the outside to make our life easier – it’s not either/or.” He added: “National minimum wage is up 10% two years in a row and will be up about 6% this year, so you have something like a 30% increase in your cost of doing business. Fundamentally it’s a good thing, paying people well for doing a job, but getting recruitment right becomes really important. Hiring people for the sake of it doesn’t really get you there, and how do you utilise those you do hire in the most efficient way possible? If it’s a third of your costs, getting it right makes a massive difference.” Campbell added the sector is being “a little bit held back from a consumer viewpoint”, with people holding on to their savings, and hopes the Budget will be “a case of we can see a way around this and move forwards, because if we go into more years of pessimism, it becomes a very difficult thing to do”. Campbell will be among the speakers at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024, which is open for bookings. The full-day conference – titled “new directions, new ideas” – takes place on Wednesday, 30 October at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London Kensington. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium Club members who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

UKHospitality warns of inflation spike risk unless business rates system is fixed: UKHospitality has warned that the government needs to fix the business rates system for the sector – or risk a spike in inflation. Inflation held steady at 2.2% in the year to August, with falling costs at restaurants and hotels, according to the Office for National Statistics. But UKHospitality warned a quadrupling of business rates bills in April could force venues to raise their prices, unless action is taken in the Budget. Chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “While inflation has now stabilised, hospitality businesses continue to struggle as costs continue to rise, particularly across food, drink, energy and wages. The sector’s acute cost burden needs to urgently come down, if hospitality is to fulfil its ambition to deliver investment and growth into the economy. That can start at the Budget, if the chancellor introduces a lower, permanent and universal business rates multiplier for hospitality. That would avoid the quadrupling of business rates bills when reliefs end in April, likely forcing businesses to raise prices to meet that rise, in turn threatening an inflationary spike. Hopefully, this stabilising of inflation will embolden the Bank of England to cut interest rates today (Thursday, 19 September), which is crucial in helping businesses still paying off covid-related debt.”

Oisin Rogers – ‘if a guest is not happy, they will never like the food, even if it’s perfect’: Oisin Rogers, co-owner of The Devonshire in London’s Soho, has said getting the “unmeasurables” right is so important because if a guest is not happy “they will never like the food, even if it’s perfect”. “Something very small or very unmeasurable can change a guest’s attitude, and once that has happened, changing it back is a huge way forwards,” Rogers told Casual Dining 2024. “When a guest feel like that, they never like the food, however good it is. If you’re in a place where you’re not having a good time for whatever reason, even if the food is perfect, you won’t like it. A lot of the time, when people complain about the food, it’s not the food at all but something that’s gone wrong before that – whether it be a sticky table, the temperature, something they heard, a staff member’s attitude – all things that are emotional and intangible.” Earlier this year, Rogers told Propel The Devonshire was understood to have the biggest Guinness account in the world. “That happened completely by accident,” he told Casual Dining. “I’ve always liked good Guinness, but at the same time we’ve always had good wine, brilliant lager, the best beef, scallops and lobster. But Guinness was something close to my heart and I wanted to do it the best we could. We didn’t think or expect it would capture the imagination in the way it has, but that’s where we are and we’re very happy with it.” In terms of where he goes next. Rogers added: “The Devonshire has always been a one-off, it’s been designed not to be rolled out. It’s big enough to sustain us and I want to stay and run it for the next ten to 15 years. We’re doing a lot of covers and a lot of volume, and it will grow rather than contract, so it’s doing well.”

Coffee prices jump as crops replaced by ‘world’s smelliest fruit’: Coffee prices have soared to a 13-year high, thanks in part to rising demand for the world’s smelliest fruit. The Telegraph reported that international supplies of coffee have been battered by supply disruption, extreme weather and a massive increase in demand for the exotic fruit durian in China. Known for its strong odour, durian has attracted a growing cult of fans in China, leading to Vietnamese switching robusta coffee crops out for the more profitable durian. This has been compounded by drought, heat and pests in Vietnam, the world’s biggest supplier of robusta coffee. At the same time, harsh weather has damaged crops in Brazil, the largest global exporter of arabica coffee, sending its price skyrocketing too. Both arabica and robusta beans have risen to near-record highs, increasing the likelihood that British coffee drinkers will end up paying more on the high street. The average price of a coffee in Pret A Manger, Caffe Nero and Costa in London has risen by 20p to 40p since the start of the year, according to food industry experts Allegra Strategies. Jeffrey Young, Allegra’s chief executive, said: “If you’re talking about a £4 medium latte, I think you’re starting to push the boundaries of what consumers can do every single day. I think we’re at this point now where putting the price up is probably at that moment where the industry needs to pause and we need to reflect.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a premium drink wholesaler with more than 20 years in the industry that is seeking an experienced senior account manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a pivotal role that will be responsible for managing and growing key accounts, developing new business opportunities, and delivering outstanding customer service. The ideal candidate will have a passion for premium drinks, a strong sales track record, and the ability to build long-lasting relationships with clients. This role will come with fantastic progressional opportunities and direct reporting of junior account managers across London.” The salary is up to £70,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com.

Chaiiwala co-founder – we’ve signed a £30m deal to do more drive-thrus with EG Group, targeting 900 US sites: Sohali Ali, the co-founder of Indian street food franchise Chaiiwala, has said the business has signed a £30m deal with EG Group to open more drive-thru sites across the UK. Chaiiwala launched a second drive-thru, in Mellor Brook, between Blackburn and Preston, in July. This followed its history-making drive-thru launch in Bolton at the start of 2023, when it opened the UK’s first drive-thru offering Indian street food. Both sites are in partnership with EG On The Move. As part of the ongoing partnership, Chaiiwala and EG Group will now open a further three drive-thrus by the end of the year. Speaking at the Lunch! Show 2024, Ali said the first two drive-thrus were performing well, and the deal with EG Group had come on the back of their performance. He said: “I’m looking forward to taking the format to London, Manchester and Birmingham, and really breaking some records.” The company currently operates circa 100 sites in the UK – across 30 franchisees, 15 in Canada and three in Dubai. Chaiiwala plans to grow to up to 500 sites in the UK. At the same time, Ali said the business was gearing up to launch in the US, where he believes it can open up to 900 sites within the next five years. He said: “There is so much potential there and lots of interest in the business. We will look to initially go into four to five states, such as New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas. We will launch there with a more food-led proposition than in the UK.” Ali said that he hoped that within five years’ time Chaiiwala would be an established brand. He said: “It will hopefully get to the stage where people when they think Indian street food will think Chaiiwala.” The brand is set to make Birmingham International its second airport location. The business opened its debut airport site this summer, at London Luton, which Ali said at the time would be “one of many” such locations.

Sir Tim Martin – 1,000 pubs may well be as many as we can do, investing £30m-£40m in staff facilities: JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin has said 1,000 pubs “may well be as many as we can do” – leaving space for around 200 more. “We got up to 955 pubs ten years ago and we now have 800, but our sales are a lot higher than they were for 955,” he told Casual Dining 2024. “I think we can maybe have 900-1,000 pubs, and that may well be as many as we can do. Beyond that, I’m not sure. It’s a big world out there, and we did consider going to France once and got as far as finding sites in Calais, Lille and Dunkirk. A lot of hospitality businesses say they’re going to go overseas but I don’t think anyone’s made a success of it yet, so I have a feeling 1,000 pubs is as far as we’re going to get.” Sir Tim joked the ExCel Centre is now “number one” on his list after visiting for Casual Dining, before adding: “We don’t have a pub in Welwyn Garden City, we don’t have a pub in Crewe, so there are still locations to get into.” In terms of staff retention, Sir Tim said the company now has an average of 14 people per pub who have been there more than five years. It is also investing £30m-£40m in putting staff rooms in all its pubs, including separate male and female changing rooms. Sir Tim added he would not consider home food delivery as “the economics are not right” and ruled out the idea of own-brand JD Wetherspoon beer as “there’s so many other fantastic beers out there”. Sir Tim also scoffed at a study by Cambridge scientists suggesting that serving beer in smaller glasses would reduce intake and have public health benefits. The new research, which the Campaign for Real Ale has also railed against, suggested banning pints and replacing them with two-thirds measures. “It’s the most stupid idea ever – that’s really going to cut down drinking, isn’t it?” Sir Tim said. “The daftest flaw in it is when I first started in the trade 40 years ago, pubs had 90% of the beer trade, and now they have half that. What this would do is put up the price of beer indirectly in pubs and supermarkets will go up to three-quarters of the share in a flash – unless they reduce the size of cans in the supermarket at the same time.” Warming to the theme, Sir Tim said: “What the industry needs is equality with supermarkets. We sell a lot of food and we pay 20% VAT. Supermarkets pay nothing and pour that tax advantage into cheap beer to take a lot of trade away from pubs. The industry has been wrong to keep asking for help while failing wholeheartedly to campaign for tax equality.”

Caffe Nero UK CEO – seeing positive trading, incredibly strong runway for further growth, trialling order at table: Will Stratton-Morris, chief executive of Caffe Nero UK, has said the company’s performance over the summer was one of the most positive it has been in the seven years he has been with the business. The company, which is due to report its full-year results, currently operates 630 sites in the UK under its eponymous brand, plus 110 Coffee#1 sites and around 35 Harris+Hoole locations. Speaking at the Lunch! Show 2024, he said: “The pressures on the business haven’t gone away but we have stuck to our knitting and that has paid off with very positive trading, one of the most positive trading periods since I joined the business seven years ago. We are back to pre-covid levels of staff stability, which is transformational in terms of our operations. The level of repeat business has been quite exponential.” On further growth in the UK, he said: “We will look to open 30-plus sites in the UK over the next 12 months, the runway for growth here is still incredibly strong.” Earlier this year, the company opened its first drive-thru site, at Stansted airport, and Stratton-Morris said that there was “huge demand” for the business to do more. The company is currently trialling order at table through its app in its sites in Brighton, with an eye on rolling this out further within the next 12 months. 

Tossed MD – ‘we want to be leaders in tech, but we decided not to be on social media’: Neil Sebba, managing director of healthy eating brand Tossed, has said the business wants to be leaders in tech but took a decision not to be on social media. “We always wanted to be leaders in tech – we were the first brand to pioneer kiosks in the UK and only the second in the world,” Sebba told this month’s Propel Multi-Club Conference. “When you’re making stuff to order and have a menu that is quite customisable, it’s important the guest has time to properly browse it without the pressure of being at the front of a queue. We can take orders through other means, but we don’t need to. The other thing we made a decision about, which I think is quite unusual – and I’m not 100% sure it was the right call – was to not be on social media at all. When you’re building back from the pandemic and have to take difficult choices about where you put your money, we decided for the type of food and market we’re in, there wasn’t a great deal of evidence that suggested that social media was going to drive throughput. That may not be the way to grow the business in the longer term, and if we have more resources, we may change that. But at the moment, we’re not on social media at all.” Sebba, who bought the business out of administration in 2020 with Angelina Harrison and has grown it from no stores to 13, also said he has no immediate plans to franchise it again. “We had some under franchise with Welcome Break pre-covid, but we were being outtraded by KFC three to one, and it made sense not to be in there anymore,” he added. “We don’t currently franchise at all, it’s not something I’ve looked at.” Sebba was among the speakers at this month'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.

 

Pho lines up three new sites, including first regional suburb as turnover tops £70m: Pho, the Vietnamese restaurant group led by Pat Marrinan and backed by TriSpan, saw sales top £70m in the year to the end of February 2024 as it lines up three new openings, Propel has learned. The Patrick Marrinan-led company saw sales reach £71m in FY24 (2023: £58m), with Ebitda of £7.2m (2023: £5.8m). In the year to 15 September 2024, the company said that its like-for-like sales were up 5.2%. The 44-strong business opened its latest site this week, after taking on the former Kaspa’s unit in Greenwich Church Street. It is also currently on site in what will be its second opening in Edinburgh, in the city’s Lothian Road, scheduled to open later this autumn. It is also set to open a site in Harborne, Birmingham, which will become its first opening in a regional suburb when it opens either later this year or early 2025. The company has also renewed its exclusive partnership with Deliveroo. Marrinan told Propel: “We've had another strong year in terms of trading performance and new openings, both in London and regionally. We're excited about the next three sites, in particular Harborne, which as a regional suburb will be another first for the company, and lay the foundations for more suburbs around the UK in the coming years.”

 

Paddy & Scott’s brings in second investor: Independent coffee shop operator and wholesaler Paddy & Scott’s has brought on board a second investor following a management buyout at the start of the year. Suffolk entrepreneur Phil Morris has joined the business as a strategic advisor having started his career in accountancy and gone on to found MAE Financial, which turns over more than £500m and employs 25,000 staff. Paddy & Scott’s said Morris’ expertise in financial consulting and his strategic insights into people will be invaluable as it enters a new phase of growth. Chief executive Jonathan Reed added: “His expertise and enthusiasm perfectly align with our values, and we’re eager to join forces to continue delivering quality coffee experiences to our customers while making a difference in the communities where it is grown.” Morris added: “Working with quality, aspirational management teams in the Suffolk area is a passion of mine, and it’s an exciting time to be part of things.” Morris joins Simon Rees, who became an investor and strategic advisor with Paddy & Scott’s in July. A team led by Reed and operations director Zoe Hill bought Paddy & Scott’s from Scott Russell, the remaining co-founder and sole owner, in January. The company was founded in 2007 by Russell and Paddy Bishop, who exited the business in 2016. It has stores in Ipswich, Lichfield, Hadleigh and Colchester. A spokeswoman told Propel there are no plans for more sites at present.

Pepe’s Piri Piri and CakeBox open outlets in Lichfield: Flame-grilled piri piri chicken brand Pepe’s Piri Piri and CakeBox, the specialist retailer of fresh cream cakes, have opened sites in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The outlets have opened at M Three Spires. Pepe's Piri Piri has opened in a 1,300 square-foot unit in Gresley Row, while Cake Box now trades in a 1,130 square-foot unit in Bakers Lane. M Three Spires, which is owned and managed by LCP, part of M Core, is also due to welcome Grandkidz, a new children's soft play centre, in November. The 2,800 square-foot unit will also house a cafe offering healthy food and snacks. 

DGB Hospitality to invest more than £1m opening new retro disco club: Liverpool independent restaurant and bar operator DGB Hospitality is to invest £1m-plus opening a new retro disco club in the city. The Liverpool Echo reported that DGB Hospitality will open Gloria's, in Back Berry Street, in the space vacated by the former cocktail bar and music venue Mojo. The venue has been designed as a cocktail lounge that will transform into what is touted to be “Liverpool's best dance club” come night-time, when it opens next Friday (27 September). DGB Hospitality marketing manager Sean Singleton said: “We're immensely proud to be bringing Gloria's to Liverpool and it feels really special being the tenth part of the DGB Hospitality family. It's a huge project with our biggest investment yet, with more than £1m going into making this Liverpool's hottest new destination. It's a different proposition to our existing sites and will channel the magic and hedonism of some of the world's greatest disco clubs, joining our existing portfolio.” DGB Hospitality operates a number of venues across Liverpool including Irish pub Pogue Mahone, American-inspired dive bar Teddy’s and the Three Piggies Alehouse & Canteen. 

Big Fang Collective adds new in-house experiential concepts to Nottingham site: Big Fang Collective, the Imbiba-backed entertainment venue operator that owns the Ghetto Golf and Golf Fang brands, has added two new in-house experiential concepts to its site in Nottingham, which opened earlier this month. The 30,000 square-foot site at The Glasshouse in Huntingdon Road launched with the company’s over-18’s crazy golf course Golf Fang. Its immersive karaoke concept – Big Fang Karaoke – and its adult-only gaming arcade – Big Fang Arcade, have now also been added to the venue. Big Fang Collective co-founder Kip Piper said: “There's no doubt that Nottingham is our most immersive venue to date, and we're buzzing to introduce the city to our karaoke and arcade concepts following the success of Golf Fang earlier this month. The feedback so far has been insane, and we can't wait for everyone to see this next phase of the venue, but we're not finished yet. There's loads more to come in our commitment to being the most immersive experience-led socialising brand in the UK.”

Former Great British Menu winner develops menu for Manchester airport’s new private terminal: Chef Adam Reid, a two-time Great British Menu winner, has developed the menu for Manchester airport’s new private terminal. Launching on Monday, 4 November, passengers will have the opportunity to try Reid’s menu before or after their journey. Breakfast highlights will include hot smoked salmon and scrambled crumpet and stewed fruit with granola and yogurt, while lunch will feature a crumpet topped with shrimp and tomato butter and salad, and mincemeat gravy on toasted malt loaf. For dinner, guests will be able to enjoy roasted Cornish cod with brown shrimp and stewed beef cheek with crispy bits of sage. “We’ve crafted a delicious and thoughtful dining experience, marking a first for UK private terminals,” Reid said. Suzanne Orr, general manager of the terminal, added: “Our collaboration with one of the city’s top culinary talents perfectly complements our commitment to offering a high-quality, stress-free travel experience.”

 

Yorkshire better burger business secures site for first franchise location: Yorkshire better burger business Urban Fresh Burgers & Fries has secured the site for its first franchise location. Franchisee Meliha Candir will open the site in Sheffield’s Ecclesall Road in November. It will a sixth site overall for the business, offering 35 covers for customers dining in as well as a takeaway option. “We’re excited to finally announce our Sheffield location,” said Candir. “Being local to the area, we know Sheffield has been waiting for an Urban branch for a long time, and Ecclesall Road is the perfect spot. We are really looking forward to becoming part of the Sheffield community.” The company only last week opened its fifth site and first delivery kitchen, at 7 Wortley Manor Road in Leeds. Founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife team Mehmet and Zerin Kent, Urban Fresh Burgers & Fries also has two sites in Doncaster, one in Rotherham and one in Barnsley. It launched a franchise programme earlier this year and has targeted an eventual UK estate of 200 sites.

North east cocktail bar concept Mother Mercy opens fifth site: North east cocktail bar concept Mother Mercy has opened its fifth site – within the Fenwick store in Newcastle. Located adjacent to Mulberry and COS on level one, the new bar extends Mother Mercy's presence at the store following a successful pop-up on the lower ground floor since December 2022. Founded in 2019, Mother Mercy has further locations in Cloth Market, Café Mercy in Grey Street and Sheepfolds Stables in Sunderland. The menu includes a selection of champagne cocktails and a rare and vintage collection of liquids from Mother Mercy’s private collection. It will also offer a “cocktails and cake” afternoon tea, available exclusively by reservation between 12pm-3.30pm Monday to Friday and 11am-3pm Sunday. Co-founder Neil Donachie said: “This opening presents an incredible opportunity for us to showcase our expertise alongside many iconic fashion brands. Our presence in Fenwick allows us to continue showcasing the incredible talent of our team in an iconic setting. We look forward to welcoming familiar faces and new guests to enjoy our exceptional, table-service cocktails, as well as our ‘cocktails and cake’ experience.” In July, Donachie told Propel he plans to open “multiple venues” in the north east in 2025 as he sees “significant opportunity” in the region.

 

Social Pantry achieved B Corp status: Social Pantry, the London operator and events caterer backed by Edition Capital, has achieved B Corp certification. The business, founded in 201 by Alex Head, is now officially verified as meeting “high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability”. Social Pantry said it has incorporated social and environmental values at the core of its management structure, and into all job roles and responsibilities at the recruitment stage. Head added: “This recognition reflects everything we stand for – our commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, and creating a more inclusive future. We can’t wait to continue pushing forwards with our mission, working towards new and even more impactful goals like becoming net zero.” Social Pantry is also a leading employer of prison leavers in the hospitality industry and includes a specialist carbon literacy programme within its staff training. The business currently works with more than 70 iconic venues across London and the UK including Somerset House, The National Gallery and The Royal Academy of Arts.

  

Mexican concept set to go from pop-up to permanent: Mexican concept Conchita’s Mexican Kitchen, which has been operating pop-ups in food halls and other venues around Brighton and London for the past year, is set to open it first permanent location. New Yorker Javier Vera-Abbassi, whose grandmother Conchita’s 100-year-old recipes inspired the business, is opening a restaurant within the Selfridges Food Hall in London, taking the former Canna Coffee space. Opening on Monday (23 September), the 14-seater restaurant will offer food to eat in or take away, including a breakfast menu of burritos and conchas, launching in the next few weeks. The all-day menu will feature tacos, burritos, salads and churros, all complemented by Conchita’s line up of fresh salsa, which will also be available to purchase in jars to take away. “These salsas have been on my kitchen table since I was a little boy,” Vera-Abbassi said. “My grandmother fed this to me every chance she got. Luckily, she left the secret recipe with my mother – now it’s my mission to put it on everyone else’s table. It’s been incredible to see the reaction to our retail Conchita’s salsa so far and I can’t wait to take it to the next level and reach even more people with the launch of our Conchita’s Mexican Kitchen at Selfridges.”