Amber Taverns looking to expand geographical reach following Epiris deal, trading ‘solid’ in 2024: James Baer, chief executive of community pub operator Amber Taverns, has told Propel it will look to expand its geographical reach after being acquired by Epiris, the private equity backer of Big Table Group, for an undisclosed sum. Amber operates 178 freehold, wet-led pubs, predominantly in the north of England, the Midlands, Scotland and Wales, and Baer said the business will now look to grow in new areas. He said: “This deal shows confidence in the pub market. It also gives us a solid platform and the capital structure to move forward and continue to develop great Amber pubs. The team at Epiris has been really engaged and really invested the time to find out what makes Amber tick. Bill Priestley [managing partner] was involved with Amber previously when he was managing director of LGV, which backed the management buyout of Amber in 2010. We’re still look to open between 15 and 20 sites a year because it’s about finding the right sites. We are clear on our site selection and Epiris has fully brought into that. What we will look to do is expand geographically and we’ve made an offer for a site on the south coast.” Amber’s portfolio is uniquely focused on the hybrid “operator-managed” business model, and with more companies adopting the format, Baer said it showed its “effectiveness and resilience”. He added: “It gives us the structure to enable us to provide customers with that great customer experience by having that head office support for the operator.” Baer said trading in 2024 has been “solid”, although the last couple of weeks have been “a bit flat as consumers seem to be a bit wary about the upcoming Budget”. He added: “We’re up on last year in terms of sales and like-for-like Ebitda.” Baer expects some increases in alcohol duty but hopes tax rises will be kept down so not to hit disposable income too hard. He said: “The British economy is a service economy now so wider retail, including hospitality, needs to feel that people can afford to go out and treat themselves from time to time.”

 

TV personality Ben Fogle to speak at final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024, open for bookings with free places for operators: Ben Fogle – the TV personality who has summited Everest, raced to the South Pole and rowed the Atlantic – will be among the speakers at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2024. The full-day conference – titled “new directions, new ideas” – takes place on Wednesday, 30 October at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London Kensington and is open for bookings. Fogle will talk about overcoming adversity, teamwork and leadership. 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.

Popeyes looking to more than double internal management promotions over next two years: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, has said it is looking to more than double its internal management promotions over the next two years. The fast-growing brand this week opened its 58th UK site – a drive-thru in Wakefield – a number that will reach 62 by the end of 2024, having first launched here only three years ago. These numbers are set to grow to 110 next year, 160 in 2026 and 350-plus in 2030, with head count set to grow from 3,100 to 8,200 over the next two years. “Only 30% of our managers are currently internal promotions – we want that to be 50% next year and 70% in 2026,” Matt Hudson, Popeyes’ people director, told this month’s Propel Talent & Training Conference. “When I joined [last year], we didn’t really have a Popeyes culture as such. Nothing had really been written down about the DNA and the heritage and what we want to achieve. We open really well commercially, with people queueing for 24-36 hours, but what that does is really put pressure on the teams, and when you have that newness, finding our culture is something we really need to define. There was a set of seven principles lifted from the US business that weren’t really relevant to what we were trying to do here in the UK. We spoke to hundreds of team members and they said there a was a lot of excitement about the pace of the brand – but we also heard that the pace was tough and expectations were high. This led us to forming five values – ‘everyone counts’, ‘we do it together’, ‘always fresh’, ‘doing mighty good’ and ‘bring the fun’.” Hudson said a prime example of ‘everyone counts’ was an opening in London’s Wembley, which has a large Muslim population, but which launched with a pork breakfast and a big picture of a bacon muffin in the window. He said the feedback from the team was “this was the wrong thing to do” and it added a chicken breakfast offering as a result. “We’re actioning this (the five values) through an overhaul of our selection methodology – how do we recruit quickly and against these values – and we’re now in the process of growing and developing our talent on these values,” Hudson said. “Our career pathways that are currently being defined will demonstrate these as well.” Premium Club members will be sent the videos from this month’s Talent & Training Conference on Friday, 18 October, 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 supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up. Popeyes announces opening date for next Yorkshire site – see Company News.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a fast-growing hospitality management company that is looking for a portfolio revenue manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The position involves managing pricing strategies, distribution channels, and forecasting for a portfolio of branded hotels. Hybrid working is available, with at least three days in either of the company’s offices in Leeds and London.” The salary is up to £50,000. For more information, email oliwia@corecruitment.com.

 

Hollywood Bowl CFO – potential to add more mini golf centres but it’s about optimising the estate appropriately: Hollywood Bowl chief financial officer Laurence Keen has told Propel there is the potential to add more mini golf centres to its sites, “but it’s about optimising the estate appropriately”. He said: “We added mini golf to some sites with excess space – Leeds, Stockton, Colchester – picking up the excess demand we can’t service when we’re busy, and those are performing over and above the rest of the estate –we don’t have many sites that they can go into – it’s a question of size. But it’s also about using the estate appropriately, because you’ll usually make more money from amusements machines, and they take up so much less space. It’s not like you can just put two holes in, it’s got to be at least nine, and that takes up about 2,800 square feet, where you could put ten machines. Our average site size is 28,000 square feet, and newer sites tend to be smaller, although Colchester was bigger. It’s about utilising the space when you have it, but when we do the refurbishments, we tend to put more machines in. We spent £3m in Stockton and it looks like it will pay back in less than three years. We’ve got four [sites with mini golf], and our new location in Uxbridge – to open in 2025 – might have it. There’s the potential for two or three more, but you’ve got to have the demand – there’s no point putting it in just because you have the space.” Keen also said there are no plans to roll out its Hyper Bowling concept – which sees multiple levels and challenges across four games – further than the two sites it’s already in (Norwich and Lakeside). “We trialled it at Lakeside but found lots of customers didn’t understand it,” Keen said. “It looks really cool but we won’t be rolling it out. We found what customers actually want is value and great service.” In terms of what the business is hoping for from the new government, Keen said: “The biggest thing for us is consultation – to consult with not just industry bodies, but people working at the forefront of it. It needs to engage with the chief executives of big sector groups to understand what’s going on and get a sense of the real impact policies such as business rates, pay rates and corporation tax can have on investment within businesses and employment. We’re a gateway employer for people taking their first steps in employment. When I was starting out, it was normal to talk to people and interact. Social media has taken that away to some extent. It was great when my kids got their first job in hospitality as it was their first real chance to go out and talk to people, and we give people that confidence to do this. It’s important the government understands the part we play in developing people and building their confidence.”

 

Yolk reports record-breaking September: Fast-growing “fine fast food” business Yolk has reported a record-breaking September. The business, which is currently nearing the end of a £300,000 crowdfund, to help “deliver its next stage of expansion”, gave an update to investors on Crowdcube. “September was a huge month for us – so we thought we’d share some highlights with you,” it said. “We hit an all-time high of more than 55,000 transactions – that’s a lot of happy customers! We sold a record-breaking number of next-level sandwiches, more than 21,000 of them! We closed out the month by breaking our all-time weekly sales record, two weeks in a row! This is just the start for us – we plan to continue growing and smashing records.” With nine days left of the campaign, Yolk is overfunding, having raised £480,501 from 221 investors. They are being offered equity of 3.1%, giving the company a pre-money valuation of £15m. Yolk, founded in 2014 by Nick Philpott, opened its eighth site in London last month – at Cardinal Place in London’s Victoria. The company’s target is to reach 25-plus sites by the end of 2026.

 

Zuma and Roka operator trading ‘well’ in 2024 with ‘strong’ pipeline of opportunities, full-year turnover hits record £205m: Azumi, which is led by Sven Koch and operates the Zuma and Roka high-end restaurant brands, has said the business has traded “well” so far in 2024 and has a “strong” pipeline of potential opportunities. So far this year, the group has added restaurants under management contracts in Bahrain and Santorini, while a company-owned site opened in May in Cannes. It comes as the group reported turnover increased 7.7% to a record £205,129,000 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £190,383,000 the year before. Pre-tax profit fell to £40,769,000 from £46,126,000 the previous year. At the reporting date, the group, which employs around 2,100 people, owned or had controlling stakes in seven restaurants in London, two in Florida, two in Dubai, and individual restaurants in New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Rome and Madrid. Azumi also had investments in restaurants in Istanbul, Bangkok, Riyadh, Mykonos and Jeddah. During the period, the group operated nine seasonal restaurants and four full-year restaurants under management contracts across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In January 2022, the group commenced operating its first full year restaurant under a management contract in Istanbul, which was followed by a second in Kuwait in September 2022. New seasonal restaurants opened in Barcelona and Capri. Zuma Doha, which traded for the World Cup in the previous period, converted to a full-year restaurant. In his report accompanying the accounts, Koch stated: “FY23 benefited from strong growth across all territories in which the group operates. The company increased net assets by £11.3m to £68.9m. The group has traded well in FY24. The group continues to seek opportunities to further expand and the potential pipeline remains strong.” A divided of £13.5m was paid during the period (2022: £45.9m). In January 2024, a dividend of £23.4m was proposed and paid.

 

Popeyes to open next Yorkshire location later this month: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, will open its next Yorkshire location later this month. Having opened its latest drive-thru on Monday (7 October), at Snowhill Retail Park in Wakefield, it will open another, at Gildersome, on Monday, 28 October. Tom Crowley, Popeyes UK’s chief executive, said: “Seeing chicken fans in Wakefield queue round the block for our chicken sandwich and supporting our fourth drive-thru in Yorkshire has been brilliant! The region continues to be a key target for our exciting growth plans.”

 

Tokyo Industries-owned Snowdonia hotel opens ‘family-style’ brasserie, restaurant and bar: Snowdonia hotel Caer Rhun Hall, which is owned by Tokyo Industries, has opened a new “family-style” brasserie, restaurant and bar. Seating more than 80 guests, the venue has taken over an area of the ground floor within the main house. The menu, which has been designed by head chef Mark Williams, is set to feature a number of classic dishes such as “posh” fish and chips, peas and warm tartare sauce, and slow roasted Conway Valley lamb shank, buttery mash, roasted carrots and a rich rosemary jus. Operations director Chris Bateson said: “We are excited to be launching our restaurant concept at Caer Rhun Hall. The team has worked incredibly hard to transform a disused space within the venue into a beautiful brasserie with a carefully curated menu featuring a selection of top-quality dishes.” Grade-II listed Caer Rhun Hall Hotel was purchased by Tokyo Industries in 2021. It features 32 bedrooms and sits within 18 acres of grounds. A refurbished conference centre is set to feature an extensive spa that will launch at the end of 2025. Tokyo Industries, led by Aaron Mellor, operates circa 50 bars, clubs and venues in the UK, plus several international sites.

 

Lola’s Cupcakes set to open new store in south east London: Lola’s Cupcakes is set to open a new store in Greenwich, south east London. Lola’s Cupcakes will later this month open an 800 square-foot site at 11 Durnford Street in Greenwich Market. It will have seating for 20 guests alongside a grab-and-go offering and outdoor seating. “We’re delighted to bring Lola’s Cupcakes to Greenwich,” said managing director Asher Budwig. “The location right outside Greenwich Market is ideal. This store is designed to be a real part of the community.” The launch will take Lola’s Cupcakes up to 24 stores and 19 collection lockers/vending machines across London and the south east. In July, the business reported a positive start to 2024 as it saw a return to pre-covid activity levels in its stores. It more than doubled its pre-tax profit in the year to 31 December 2023, from £337,546 in 2022 to £774,848, while its turnover grew from £22,462,005 to £24,869,985.

ETM Group’s NFL partnership leading to record sales: ETM Group’s NFL partnership for London-based games is proving to be a success with record sales for one pub. Sport London – the premium sports-led hospitality venues from ETM Group and Maven Leisure – has hosted two exclusive pub takeovers for NFL teams’ UK-based and USA-based travelling fans. Week one saw Greenwood in Victoria become the team pub for the Minnesota Vikings, for their game against the New York Jets, leading to a record-breaking day for the pub. Meanwhile, the New York Jets made Redwood in London Bridge their home for the week, with pre-booked sales for the week up 75% versus last year and more than 10,000 beers sold. The next two weeks will see three more NFL pub takeovers, with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ taking over Goldwood for their fixtures against the Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots, while the Bears take over Greenwood. ETM chief executive Ed Martin said: “We are thrilled to have been appointed as the official NFL UK Sports Bar Partner in London, which opened the doors for fantastic opportunities such as becoming the official pubs of each of the participating London games teams.”

Boxpark gets go-ahead for £5m Birmingham site: Boxpark has secured planning permission for its new £5m Birmingham venue. Propel revealed in October 2023 that Boxpark was set to open the venue at the Floodgate Street Arches in Digbeth for its Midlands debut. A 15-year lease has been signed with landlords The Arch Company, with Boxpark planning to transform the space under four 12-metre railway arches into a food hall and events destination. Spanning almost 17,000 square feet, plans feature a large, covered structure with around ten kitchen units and four internal bars set across two floors. There is also external space for seating with two bar units. It will be the group’s second Boxpark-branded development outside of London and is expected to generate more than a million visitors each year. LDC backed Boxpark in 2021 to support national expansion plans to launch new sites in London and in major regional cities. In addition to its four London locations, Boxpark launched its first development outside the capital in Liverpool in spring 2024. Last year, Boxpark said it planned to open an average of two or three sites per annum over the next five years in London and other major UK cities. Boxhall sites are scheduled to open in Bristol and London’s Liverpool Street this year.

 

Bewiched Coffee gearing up to open second drive-thru: Northamptonshire cafe operator Bewiched Coffee is gearing up to open its second drive-thru. Propel revealed in June that Bewiched, founded in 2010 by Matt Fountain, had opened its first drive-thru – at Moulton Park in Northampton – with a further two signed up. It is now set to open its next one, and 19th store overall, at Glenvale Park in Wellingborough. “This store was five years in the making but the fit out is now in full swing,” Fountain said. “I was first offered this unit as a stand-alone drive-to, in October 2019. I declined it, unless it could made into a drive-thru. That was declined. I then drove the landlord mad with sketches of how it could fairly easily be adapted into a drive-thru, and finally we got the deal done after many stars aligning. It’s just a mile from where our brand was born – sometimes you just never know when your luck is in!” In August, Fountain told Propel the business is now seeing consistent like-for-like transactional growth nearing double digits. It also has openings lined up in Bedford, Northampton and another in Wellingborough – its third franchise site with Heart Of England Co-operative Society.

Farmer J to open Holborn site next month: Farmer J, the all-day market concept, will open its new site in London’s Holborn next month. It will open at 127-128 High Holborn for its 12th location. Founder Jonathan Recanati said in August that the company plans a further four openings this year, as it looks to accelerate expansion in the capital. It also hopes to take its first steps internationally next year, with a focus on the east coast of America, targeting locations in New York and Boston. He said the vision for the business is to hit a “minimum of 50 sites in the UK”, and that it has “only scratched the surface to continue to build a global brand”.

 

Burger Drop’s debut Scottish to be its biggest yet, reveals location: Newcastle craft burger concept Burger Drop, which is looking to expand across the UK through franchising, has said its debut Scottish site will be its biggest yet and has revealed the location. Propel revealed in July that Burger Drop, founded in 2020 by Hasan Hamid and Amer Qayyum, had secured a site in Edinburgh for its first opening outside the north east. It will now open an 80-cover store at 74-78 Clerk Street in the Newington area of the Scottish capital, with work due to begin in the coming weeks. “We’re excited to announce the site location for our Edinburgh franchise – our largest store to date,” said Hamid. “Contractors will be starting work over the coming weeks. This will be a signature flagship store.” Burger Drop currently has two sites in Newcastle and one in Whitley Bay – its first franchise location – and also has sites in Sunderland and Manchester lined up.

The Padel Club opens site at Gloucester Quays: The Padel Club has opened a site at Gloucester Quays Retail Park, bringing the activity to an indoor centre in the city for the first time. The company has invested £1m in the venue having agreed a deal with landlord Peel Retail & Leisure. Covering 43,577 square feet, the site features nine courts and a wellness-focused restaurant and bar. Hannah Thomas, general manager at The Padel Club Gloucester Quays, said: “The reason padel has taken off in the UK is because it is more than just a sport or a fun way to exercise – it also brings a real sense of community and is one of the most accessible activities around. Gloucester is a great place to expand the presence of padel in the south west, and Gloucester Quays Retail Park has provided us with the best possible site to reach the broadest demographic of people we can.” In August, The Padel Club, which was founded by Kris Ball in 2020 and operates four other courts, announced it had raised £3.8m to support its expansion to grow to 42 courts by 2025. The company has already announced plans for a new 11-court site in Trafford City in Manchester where Peel Retail & Leisure is also the landlord.

Liverpool Italian coffee shop concept set to open fourth site: Liverpool Italian coffee shop concept Gran Caffè is set to open a fourth site in the city. Owned by Italian brothers Paolo and Donato Cillo, the launch mark’s the group’s third site in under 12 months, with Gran Caffè Lark Lane opening in June 2024 and Gran Caffè Duke Street opening in December 2023. The first Gran Caffè opened in Williamson Square as part of the Italian Quarter more than ten years ago. The new venue in Jesse Hartley Way, Park Central, is set to launch in January 2025. The venue will serve its signature breakfast pastries that are crafted and baked fresh each day, as well as a selection of brunch dishes. The menu will also include Italian small and large plates for lunch, aperitivo and dinner. Paolo Cillo said: “The last 12 months have been transformational for Gran Caffè. After having our flagship site in Williamson Square for more than a decade, it was the right time for us to expand into other areas of the city centre and beyond in south Liverpool, and we can’t wait to introduce Gran Caffè to Park Central in early 2025.”

It’s Bagels set to open third bricks-and-mortar site: It’s Bagels, the New York-style bagel concept, is set to open its third bricks-and-mortar site. The concept was founded during the pandemic by New Yorker Dan Martensen, a fashion and portrait photographer who had recently moved to London with his family. Following a pop-up at Caravan Coffee Roasters in the summer of 2022, its first permanent venue opened in September 2023, at 65 Regent’s Park Road in Primrose Hill. A second branch opened this summer, at 120 Kensington Park Road in Notting Hill, and a third is set to follow this autumn, at 8 D’Arblay Street in Soho, offering 15 covers. As the primary West End location, It’s Bagels Soho will, for the first time, offer grab-and-go ready filled bagels, with new flavours including its signature whitefish salad. Martensen said: “We’ve had a busy year, with Primrose Hill little more than a year old and Notting Hill mere months, but Soho has always been a dream for us, and when the right site comes up, you grab it! We love hanging out in Soho and are excited by the creative challenges of catering to this different demographic to the previous neighbourhoods and making some new friends. We’ve been happily astonished at the London appetite for our New York staple and will keep boiling and baking and schmearing to meet that demand.”

 

Pure Padel lodges plans for new Greater Manchester site: North west padel club business Pure Padel is aiming to build a new site in Prestwich, Greater Manchester. The company has lodged plans with Bury Council to develop the new facility, featuring seven courts, on land previously known as Brooklands playing fields at the Manchester Maccabi Community and Sports Club in Bury Old Road. The club’s amenities will include four covered padel courts, an open-air padel court, two pickleball courts, a clubhouse, and revised car and cycling parking facilities, reports the Manchester Evening News. Pure Padel, which was co-founded by Sammy Arora, opened its first club in Alderley Park in 2023 and has plans to build another 30 in the next five years. The business said in June that it has eight new sites in planning and a further 15 in the pipeline.

 

Northamptonshire brewery set to open third taproom: Northamptonshire’s Three Hills Brewery is set to open its third taproom. It will open The General in the former Hopmaster General site in College Street, Rushden, on Friday, October 25. Andrew Catherall founded Three Hills Brewery in Woodford in 2016 in his family garage, and after failing to find a site in Northamptonshire, he opened The Outpost in London’s Bermondsey in 2020. This was followed by a second location, The Way Station, in Thrapston, and now The General. “Rushden is a really historic market town, a bit like Thrapston but bigger, but there aren’t many options there, so we wanted to bring something nice to the community and people – Rushden is crying out for it,” Catherall said. “What we’re trying to create is a super chilled atmosphere with a cosy vibe and a friendly space where people can come together with their friends, and a place for people to make new friends and just enjoy life in.”

 

North west bakery set to open new takeaway concept for third site: North west bakery La Chouquette is set to open a new takeaway concept for its third site. The first La Chouquette opened in Didsbury Village in December 2020, followed by a second branch in the Cheshire town of Poynton – both selling freshly baked croissants, breads and patisserie. The new concept, called Piqniq, will open in School Lane today (Tuesday, 8 October) – serving takeaway sandwiches and salads alongside coffee and catering for corporate events. La Chouquette founders Mairead Deignan and Florent Verove posted on Instagram: “Initially we introduced you to Picnic by La Chouquette, but after hearing from a business with a similar name, we've taken this as an opportunity to get even more creative. Introducing Picniq by La Chouquette. Same delicious food, same love and craft, just with a fresh twist on the name.”

 

Northumbrian operator acquires second lease with Star Pubs & Bars: Northumbrian operator Chris Greaves has acquired his second lease with Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars. Licensee of Newcastle House in Rothbury and a former hotelier and restauranteur, Greaves has taken on The Coach Inn in Lesbury, near Alnwick. He is undertaking a joint £330,000 refurbishment with Star, which will be completed in mid-November. The investment will see the pub benefit from a new, extended kitchen, dining areas and a snug. The Coach Inn reopened in February after a four-year closure, with Greaves and his team managing it on a temporary basis until he took on its lease. “I had The Coquetvale Hotel in Rothbury for eight years, The Town House restaurant in Alnwick, and at one time was general manager of The White Swan Hotel in Alnwick,” Greaves said. “Having had experience running hotels, restaurants and pubs, I wish I had focused on pubs years ago as income is better paced and more regular. Locals have really embraced having their pub back, albeit without a fully functioning kitchen and a dated décor, but the addition of a new kitchen will broaden the pub’s appeal and extend its catchment area.”

Oxfordshire operator set to open second pub: Oxfordshire operator Ben Moss is set to open his second pub. Moss, who previously worked in film production and creative tech, founded the Montgomery Hospitality Group in 2021, and the following year opened The Lamb Inn in Little Milton. This will be followed next month by pub with rooms The Bat and Ball, at 28 High Street in Cuddesdon. Open for lunch and dinner daily, the dining space will offer 48 seated covers and additional standing space for ten. The pub will also feature five guest rooms including three king suites, one king, and one double. The kitchen will be overseen by Michelin-star-trained executive chef Nat Berney, previously of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and head chef at The Lamb Inn, while the wine list will focus on small growers and there will also be local ale. “It brings me so much joy to be bring this community pub back to life in the form of The Bat and Ball and continue our mission of creating inclusive spaces where everyone can come together and enjoy great food, drinks and hospitality,” said Moss. “The pub will preserve the essence of a classic British pub, where people can either pop down for a pint with their dog in tow or indulge in a proper dining experience with serious bottles of Bordeaux.”