Petersham Nurseries blames Brexit and the Budget as its restaurants close: The family behind Petersham Nurseries has blamed Brexit, covid and the Budget as it announced it was closing its two Covent Garden restaurants for good. Floral Court restaurants, part of the Petersham Nurseries empire, said that La Goccia and The Petersham restaurants shut for the last time on Sunday (16 February) following six years of operation. Management said they had “struggled to reconcile revenues with fixed property costs and debts, business rates and recent increases in staff costs and the looming impact of the recent Budget”. Lara Boglione, the daughter of the company’s founders, who now runs Petersham Nurseries, took the decision to close the two restaurants after months exploring options “in view of the significant cost challenges they have faced, in addition to legacy issues relating to the trading impact of covid and Brexit”. The business blamed Brexit for an “inability to recruit people with the right experience and skills”. The Telegraph reported last month that Petersham UK, which ran the two restaurants in Covent Garden, had declared in High Court filings that it planned to appoint administrators. This gave it breathing space while attempting to negotiate lower rents with landlord Shaftesbury Capital. Petersham Nurseries faced a substantial property bill of around £1.2m a year, according to its most recent accounts, which included rent to Shaftesbury, as well as business rates and service charges. The closures only relate to The Petersham and La Goccia, and not the wider Petersham Nurseries business, which includes a garden nursery, lifestyle shop and a Michelin Green-starred restaurant in Richmond. Jo Milner, of liquidators Buchler Phillips, which is overseeing the closures, said: “This is clearly disappointing for La Goccia and The Petersham, which, in other circumstances, could once again be a stable business, in line with others in the Petersham Nurseries group. It’s a very difficult landscape: last year almost 3,500 hospitality businesses became insolvent against a background of tight consumer spending and growing staff costs as a result of the Budget.”

Subway pivots to jacket potatoes as ‘demand soars’: Subway is to start selling jacket potatoes for the first time as demand for the traditional British staple soars. Called “Spudway”, 170 branches of the 2,000-strong brand will today (Tuesday, 19 February) begin a jacket potato trial until mid-April, with fillings such as cheese and beans, tuna mayo, chicken tikka and “taco beef”. Guests will also be able to top their jacket potatoes with regular fillings from the Subway menu, including the meatball marinara. Prices will start from £4.79. Deniz Safa, director of innovation and culinary EMEA at Subway, told The Standard the brand was reacting to changing consumer demand and said jacket potatoes have been “surging in popularity” in recent years. “We’re always looking to bring our fans delicious and customisable options that suit every taste and every budget,” she said. “[Our jacket potatoes] are made with British potatoes, salted butter and a double portion of cheese, plus any of our many toppings.” Safa also acknowledged the recent buzz on social media. TikTok sensations such as the Tamworth-based seller Spudman, and the Spud Bros in Lancashire, helped to ignite something of a “potato renaissance” in 2024. Many believe the cost-of-living crisis has had an impact. Consumer reports in 2024 found British diners were swapping shop-bought sandwiches, sushi and salads for money jacket potatoes to save money. Subway said its jacket potatoes will be available until Tuesday, 15 April, with the potential for a nationwide rollout later this year. “We’re eager to see how Spudway is received,” Safa said. “If our guests love it, this could be just the beginning.” Subway will feature in Propel’s highly anticipated International Brands report. Featuring the 100 leading international brands in UK hospitality, the report launches this March and is available to pre-order now. This in-depth report explores company histories, leadership structures, site numbers and turnover figures – an essential tool for industry professionals navigating the UK hospitality market. The top 100 will include expanding brands from markets such as the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia. The guide will be sent out as two files – an introductory PDF featuring deep dives into international brands from Propel’s writers, and a fully searchable Excel sheet for easy access to key data. The analysis includes Matteo Frigeri, founder of Seeds Consulting, on the challenges of recruiting the right UK franchisee, Michael Ingemann, director of Think Hospitality, on why European brands chose the UK for expansion, and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova examining the UK market for quick service restaurant operators. The International Brands report will be available from 9am on Friday, 28 March for £595 plus VAT, with existing Premium Club members able to purchase at a discounted rate of £395 plus VAT. Premium Club members will receive it free on Friday, 9 May at 9am. Pre-order your copy today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

Two restaurants receive four AA Rosettes: The Tudor Pass in Surrey and Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal in London were awarded four AA rosettes at the AA Rosette Awards 2025. Both restaurants have been upgraded to the higher rating, which recognises venues offering “a truly outstanding gastronomic experience that rank among the very best in the UK”. Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal launched in 2022 and was praised by the AA’s anonymous inspectors as “one of London’s most elegantly stylish dining rooms with cooking to match”. Meanwhile, 15 restaurants were awarded three AA rosettes, which are given to those showing “outstanding culinary excellence”. They were: Allt Yr Afon at The Wolfscastle, Haverfordwest, Wales; Maiden Arch, Barnstaple, Devon; The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge, Suffolk; Mark Poynton at Caistor Hall, Norwich; Elements, Glasgow; Cord by Le Cordon Bleu, London; Chef’s Table by Josh Barnes, Ripon, North Yorkshire; Fifty Two, Harrogate, North Yorkshire; Mauro Colagreco (at Raffles at the OWO), London; Sael, London; The Small Holding, Kilndown, Kent; Prithvi, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; 1215 Restaurant at Fairmont Windsor Park, Windsor, Berkshire; Auberge du Lac, Welwyn, Hertfordshire; and Emerald Restaurant, Maften, Northumberland. Simon Numphud, managing director at AA Media, said: “We’re thrilled to celebrate the latest collection of outstanding restaurants. From innovative tasting menus to a renewed focus on provenance and seasonality, these establishments showcase the very best of what the British food scene has to offer.”