Story of the Day:
Looming cost increases could force 70% of hospitality businesses to reduce employment levels: Sector trade bodies have urged the government to work with them and delay the employer national insurance contribution (NIC) threshold changes so that hospitality can continue to boost the economy, as 70% said the cost increases could force them to reduce their employment levels. A joint survey by leading hospitality trade associations – The British Beer and Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping, Hospitality Ulster and UKHospitality – has revealed how the sector fears it will be drastically affected by new employment costs and the reduction in rates relief come April. The survey, which questioned businesses representing 8,300 sites in January 2025, found that 60% would cancel planned investment; 29% will reduce trading hours; 25% have no cash reserves left (up six percentage points since October 2024); and 15% believe they will have to close at least one site. The trade associations said a delay to the changes to the employer NICs threshold would avoid the immediate impact on jobs and investment revealed in the survey. Instead, it would allow hospitality to deliver economic growth further and faster. When asked how the government could support the sector, businesses cited a reversal of employer NIC changes as the second biggest priority after a lower rate of VAT for hospitality. In a joint statement, the trade bodies said: “These figures should serve as a clear warning that pubs, brewers and hospitality venues will be forced to make painful decisions to weather these new costs, which will have damaging impacts on businesses, jobs and communities. At a time when hospitality has been one of the top contributors to economic growth, the last thing the government should be doing is piling on costs that will impact employment and cut off our ability to grow. We want to work with the government so we can continue to vitally boost the economy, which is why we urge them to delay the changes to the employer NICs threshold. This would help save jobs and allow the sector to continue on its growth path. If it doesn't act then businesses are clear that the impact on communities, employees and supply chains will be significant. They have warned about potential lost earnings, lost jobs, reduced trading hours and, in some cases, business failure. This would mean the loss of essential community hubs that would otherwise drive the local economy and create jobs. Our message to government is to delay its changes to the employer NICs threshold and allow hospitality to continue to deliver economic growth, regenerate our high streets and support local communities.”
Industry News:
Premium Club members to receive Multi-Site Database with 3,335 operators and 24 new companies on Friday: Premium Club members are to receive the Multi-Site Database on Friday (28 February). The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,335 multi-site operators and is now searchable in seven main segments. The database features 972 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 790 (24%) pubs and bars, 569 (17%) cafe bakery, 466 (14%) quick service restaurants, 273 (8%) hotel, 210 (6%) experiential leisure and 55 (2%) fine dining. It is updated each month, and this edition includes 24 new companies. New additions to the casual dining sector include Welsh restaurant Group
Redefining Dining Co, Birmingham Indian restaurant Indian
Café Racer and south west restaurant operator
The Beach House Group. Premium Club members also receive access to five additional databases:
the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, 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 Excellence in Pub Retail (May 2025) and discounts on specialist sector reports such as the Propel 500 and International Brands report. 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.
UKHospitality – Manchester tourist tax would harm city's visitor economy: UKHospitality has warned that any tourist tax introduced in Manchester would harm the city's visitor economy. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said he wants to see the city centre's optional 'city visitor charge' replaced by a compulsory fee. Anyone staying in a city centre hotel is currently urged to pay £1 per night to fund the Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) organisation, which promotes Manchester as a destination, but Burnham said it should be replaced by "a proper levy". Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, responded: "It's really disappointing that the mayor of Greater Manchester doesn't seem to appreciate the damage a mandatory tourist tax would have on the city as a destination, which modelling shows would reduce visitor numbers and spending. It's frustrating to see the oft-used comparison to other major tourist destinations charging visitors a tax used yet again, without recognition that those cities have a significantly lower rate of VAT – often half the 20% charged in the UK. Our visitors are already taxed considerably more compared to other countries in Europe – we shouldn't be adding to that burden. Everyone can appreciate the challenging financial situation many local authorities find themselves in, but a tourist tax to top up day-to-day council spending is not the answer. It would do further harm to our tourism competitiveness, hit consumers in the pocket and place further burdens on business. I'm pleased that the government has been clear that it has no plans to introduce a tourist tax, and we will be holding them to that commitment."
Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a family-owned spirits business that is seeking a sales manager who will be directly responsible for managing all of the London on-trade accounts along with wholesale. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The ideal sales manager will have a passion for innovative spirits and quality products, along with a great track record in selling within the London market. The sales manager will need to negotiate new business while also building on the current portfolio with a string of brand ambassadors. This role will have leadership and new business accountability.” The salary is up to £55,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com.
Company News:
Exclusive – The Light and All Star Lanes exploring options of working together, James Morris takes joint CEO role: Cinema and entertainment operator The Light and boutique bowling alley operator All Star Lanes are “exploring options” of how they can “work together productively”, with James Morris becoming chief executive of both businesses, Propel has learned. The Light was acquired by serial sector investor Luke Johnson and Risk Capital Partners, along with a co-investment from cinema and leisure investors Melcorpo, for an undisclosed sum last October. Risk Capital Partners has backed All Star Lanes since September 2019, when the investment firm acquired the then five-strong business via a pre-pack administration, in a £2.325m deal. Johnson told Propel: “James Morris and the team at The Light have deep experience of bowling and related leisure businesses, and All Star Lanes is taking advantage of their advice and exploring options of how the two companies can work together productively.” All Star Lanes was founded in Holborn in 2006 and opened further sites in Westfield Stratford City, Westfield London, Bayswater, Brick Lane and Manchester. The sites in Bayswater and Manchester subsequently closed, with the latter then acquired by Lane7. All Star Lanes had been led by Graham Cook, who joined the business eight and half years ago and has spent the last five and half years as its chief executive. In May 2023, Propel revealed that All Star Lanes was working with advisors at BDO on its options. Last October, The Light, of which Morris has been chief executive since January 2020, said its new funding deal, which fully recapitalises the business, was supported by a large new banking facility, enabling it to invest over £15m over the next couple of years with the aim of doubling its size. The Light, which was previously backed by Connection Capital, currently operates 13 cinema and leisure venues in local communities across the UK. The company said it has developed a unique entertainment model which includes bowling, mini golf, interactive darts, climbing and karaoke, in addition to its core cinema offering. It said it offers landlords an “attractive and sustainable alternative solution to under-performing locations rather than simply requiring rent reductions”. The company said: “The new management team has already proved the model at a number of locations and are now looking to build on this success with the new investment.” On the back of the deal, Johnson said: “I have spent 40 years building businesses in the leisure and hospitality sectors, ranging from PizzaExpress to Gail’s. We think the combination of cinema together with competitive socialising is a compelling offer for both consumers and landlords and believe the disruption facing the cinema industry provides opportunities. The Light model offers a long-term, exciting solution to the challenges facing high street and existing cinema locations rather than short term fixes.”
Dawn Donohue steps down as group MD of Nightcap, 360i to reopen next month: Dawn Donohue has stepped down as group managing director of Nightcap – the owner of The Cocktail Club, the Adventure Bar Group and the Barrio Familia group of bars – Propel has learned. Nightcap promoted Donohoe to group managing director at the start of 2023. She joined the then listed business in June 2021 as managing director of the then London Cocktail Club. She joined Nightcap from Enhanced Hospitality, the food and entertainment-led business that at the time operated several venues situated in London’s Camden Market, including Dingwalls and Shaka Zulu, as well as sister company, We Are Bar. She was also an original senior team member at Urbium/Novus, which launched its expansion across the West End and subsequent UK rollout. Propel understands she has left Nightcap and “moved onto new adventures”. Earlier this month, Nightcap acquired Brighton’s i360 Tower, which closed last December, out of administration. The company has announced that the seafront attraction will reopen its doors in a phased launch from 11.30am on Saturday, 8 March, with the price of £5 for local residents. Sarah Willingham, chief executive of Nightap, said: “The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. The tower is now commissioned and ready to operate and we want to start getting her up and running as soon as we can. It is the tallest moving viewing platform in Europe. The experience is great, the views are sensational, I’ll never tire of it. It’s so sad to hear how few locals have actually been up in the pod and we want to change that. It’s here, it’s iconic, and we should all take the opportunity to enjoy it along with the hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. We’ve listened carefully to feedback about pricing and want to put this behind us. We’re thrilled to announce an exclusive price for locals of just £5 for adults and £2.50 for children. This is our way of saying thank you to the community for coming with us on this exciting journey and ensuring that everyone can experience the magic of this unique location.” The phased opening will begin with the tower, the bar, the gift shop, and then a beach front café. Willingham said: “We will reopen the substantial space for weddings and corporate events, and later this year, we’ll unveil a stunning rooftop terrace, boasting uninterrupted panoramic views of the ocean with a delicious food and drink offering. And as we get into the summer, we'll take things to the next level with the grand opening of our beach bar, the newest social spot for both the local community and visitors to Brighton alike.” Nightcap declined to comment on Donohue’s departure.
Five Guys UK CEO – ownership structure has allowed us to avoid cost cutting: John Eckbert, chief executive of Five Guys UK and Europe, has argued that the company’s ownership structure, and Sir Charles Dunstone’s deep pockets, have allowed the company to avoid cost cutting at a time when rivals were cutting portion sizes and finding efficiencies to appease demanding private equity owners. Dunstone and the Murrell family, the founders of the better burger brand, agreed to create a joint venture to launch Five Guys in the UK, with the British entrepreneur banking the endeavour. The first UK site was opened in the summer of 2013. The burger brand, which employs thousands of people in Britain, now has 280 sites across the UK and Europe and hopes to have about 300 by the end of this year. The UK is by far its biggest market, accounting for 171 of its restaurants. Sales at the company’s UK and Europe business grew by more than £90m in 2023 to hit £542.9m. Eckbert told The Telegraph: “[Private equity ownership] creates opportunities for very unhelpful financial decisions. If you told me you were going to make £10m this month but it looks like you’re going to be short – well, what can you do to make up for that shortfall? Shrink the product and sell it at the same price? That’s a strategy to make this month’s profits, but now you’ve just completely undermined your business in the long run.” Eckbert met Dunstone when studying at the London School of Economics and established a close friendship. “[Sir Charles] funded the whole thing – we were £5m in before we sold the first burger. That was pretty gutsy of him, to be that bold without knowing what was going to happen,” Eckbert added.
Chopstix has a platform for continued expansion and international development: Chopstix, the QSRP-backed business, has told Propel it has a platform for continued expansion and international development following a year of “very strong growth” and development “on all fronts”. The group, which is led by founders Sam Elia and Menashe Sadik and managing director Jon Lake, said revenues grew 25% to £64.5m in the 12-month period. Adjusted Ebitda for the group rose more than a third (37.1%) to £8.6m, while gross profit margin expanded from 75% to 77%. Lake said: “This was a very strong year of progress by any measure; it was an excellent year for the Chopstix brand, which moved forward significantly on all fronts. We continued to see good growth in both equity stores and openings in concert with strategic franchise partners, and since the year end, we have also successfully established the first international store for the Chopstix brand. In addition to materially expanding our physical presence and geography, we successfully launched our brand into grocery retail, to underscore our position as the leading Asian QSR brand and the only brand of scale in our space. The icing on the cake came shortly after the year end, when we announced our strategic partnership with European specialist quick service restaurant operator QSRP – a huge moment in the evolution of our business and one that will give us an array of opportunities. Following the deal, we have been able to lean on their extensive industry expertise, resources and footprint, and this will in time enable us to accelerate our expansion plans further, as we seek more locations in Europe.” The business operates from more than 150 locations in the UK, and during the period, opened its first international store, in Bucharest, Romania. The brand also took its first steps into retail with a grocery retail brand extension, launching its ‘Wok Pot’ cooking range into 500 Iceland and Food Warehouse stores across the UK. Lake said: “These results are a huge credit to our teams and partners and everyone that has played a role in driving Chopstix forward to its position as the leading QSR brand in the UK. We are excited for what the coming year will bring as we implement our growth plans further and have great confidence in our ability to build this brand further.”
92 Degrees signs up first franchisees: Independent coffee roaster 92 Degrees has told Propel it has signed up its first franchisees since it launched its franchise programme last month. Co-founder Jack Brewitt told Propel: “In the first six weeks of launch we have had two signed to open in London and Birmingham, with another three looking to sign over the coming months. In North London, there is a big push for locations, which is exciting.” Last month, Propel revealed that 92 Degrees was to launch its first franchise opportunities after receiving more than 1,000 enquiries, with plans to have ten franchisees onboard by the end of this year. The 20-strong business, which is led by co-founder Jack Brewitt and is privately funded, launched the new franchise opportunity to mark its tenth anniversary. Brewitt told Propel: “We are hoping to have ten franchisees onboard by the end of this year, all with plans to build three stores each or more. Over the next two to three years, we plan to have franchised internationally. With my mum originally being from Manhattan, franchising 92 Degrees on the US east coast to start with would be something we are pushing for. We have been approached by a few individuals internationally already, but the main focus over the next 24 months is in the UK. Our long-term strategy is to have built such a strong network of entrepreneurs that the franchise store count far outweighs the company-owned stores. Over the next 18 months, my focus is to get it to a 50/50 split.”
Andrew Davill steps down as Prezzo COO: Andrew Davill has stepped down as chief operating officer of Prezzo, the Cain International-backed Italian dining group, after two years in the role, Propel understands. Davill, formerly of David Lloyd Leisure, joined the then 148-strong Prezzo after more than 30 years with the gym operator. For 11 years, he was a regional director at David Lloyd Leisure, and more recently, spent four years as the chain’s head of operational workflow, communication and supply chain. Prezzo has been building its management team under new chief executive James Brown, who joined the business from BrewDog, where he was most recently chief executive of its bars division. Last month, Propel revealed that Prezzo had hired Adam Lindop, formerly of ASK Italian and Caffe Nero, as its new operations director, while last November, Prezzo hired Mark McCulloch, formerly of Pret A Manger and YO!, as its new chief marketing officer on a fractional basis, to “lead brand growth”.
Urban Baristas to follow first opening of 2025 with 11 more this year: Aussie-inspired coffee concept Urban Baristas has opened its first site of 2025 and will follow it with 11 more this year. It has opened at 19 Dacre Street in St James’s, central London, for the company’s 16th location and fifth franchise site. Franchisee Dan Klin – a former intern with Urban Baristas in 2017 who helped the then fledgling brand acquire its third and fourth sites – will operate the store through his company, JDT Coffee, which he founded last month with brothers Theo and Joe. “I’m incredibly excited to open my first Urban Baristas café and bring this fantastic brand to more people,” he said. “The specialty coffee sector in the UK is growing rapidly, and I see huge potential. I’m already eyeing location number two and can’t wait to expand further with Urban Baristas.” Founder Huw Wardrope said Urban Baristas has 12 franchise territories already sold and plans to open 11 more sites this year, including a mix of franchise stores and equity-owned locations. “This new opening is another exciting step forward for our brand,” he added. “We’re passionate about creating epic coffee experiences and the brand continues to expand its footprint in the UK coffee market. As we grow, we remain dedicated to redefining the coffee experience across the UK, while staying true to our mission of spreading Aussie vibes and specialty coffee nationwide.” Next up for Urban Baristas, which has a long-term target of more than 40 stores by the end of 2026, is an opening within Mosaic East in Addiscombe Road, Croydon, south London.
Sessions revenues surge in January, seeks to enhance marketing function: Sessions, the growth platform for original food brands, has said it saw its revenues in January increase 94% year on year, as consumers continue to be attracted by “high quality QSR products on delivery platforms”. Of that growth, it said that 26% came from new site launches, while the remaining 68% came from significant improvements in revenue per site. It comes as the business said it was looking to hire an experienced marketer for a new vice president of marketing role at a time that it wants to capitalise on “exceptional consumer momentum”. Sessions chief executive Dan Warne told Propel: “2023 was a year of building out a large base of franchisees, while developing our tech, data and culinary infrastructure. 2024 was about slowing down site growth and setting higher standards for the consumer, with exceptional outcomes. We hope to hire a top marketeer to take us to new levels in 2025, with the launch of Ivan Ramen, new titles from Netflix and multiple new brands in our portfolio.” Sessions also said it expects to announce several high-profile brand partnerships following the success of its partnership with Netflix. Sessions’ current brand portfolio includes Sobe Burger and Little Bao Boy and extends to partnerships with international brands including Ivan Ramen. It has so far launched and scaled 12 food brands, partnered with 350-plus kitchen partners and delivered more than four million orders.
Costa begins extending 24-hour drive-thru initiative: Costa Coffee, the Coca-Cola Company-owned brand, has begun extending its trial of operating 24-hour drive-thru sites in the UK. Last November, the company said it would assess customer and community feedback of the trail at its Leicester Meridien East site before deciding whether to roll out 24-hour trading across more of its 350 UK drive-thru stores. The company has now extended the trial to a site in Oldham. The drive-thru site on Olive Claydon Way, Failsworth, is also offering NHS and emergency service workers a 50% discount on hot drinks and cakes between 6pm and 6am for a limited time only. The promotion is being held to show appreciation to key workers and will last until 1 May. Costa said the initiative reflected its commitment to serving customers “whenever they need us, providing a vital service to the local community, including key workers and night-shift heroes who rely on their perfect pick-me-up”.
Chicken Shop lines up Canary Wharf launch: Chicken Shop, the Sir Charles Dunstone-backed business that was previously known as Chik’n, is lining up a launch in London’s Canary Wharf for its eighth site. The company, which in 2023 received a further £8.275m investment from Dunstone, its main shareholder, currently has six locations and is due to open number seven next month, in Hammersmith’s Kings Mall. It has also hired Ana Sologub as its new operations manager. Sologub joins from Pasta Evangelists, where she spent eight months as area manager, before which she also spent three and a half years as an area manager with Poke House. Last year, chief executive John Nelson said Chicken Shop is aiming for 70 UK sites long-term and is thinking about European expansion.
Loungers to launch in Workington for first opening since £354m acquisition, secures Rotherham site: Café bar operator Loungers will this week launch in Workington for its first opening since its £354m acquisition by Fortress Investment Group. The business, which was acquired by the US private equity firm earlier this month, will open a Saludo Lounge at 2 Steelman’s Walk in the town on Wednesday (21 February). The unit was previously occupied by The Garden restaurant and bar, which was opened in 2021 by Paul and Ashleigh McGee. Meanwhile, Loungers has also secured the site for a new Vetro Lounge in Rotherham. Vetro Lounge will be the first food and drink venue at the town’s new Forge Island development when it opens on 30 April. Loungers currently has 285 sites across the UK including 245 Loungers, 36 Cosy Clubs and four Brightsides.
Chaiiwala opens in Wolverhampton for 125th site: Indian street food franchise Chaiiwala has opened in Wolverhampton for its 125th site globally. It has opened at 10 Broad Street in the city, creating 15 new jobs. It will be operated by franchisee HLN Group, which also has a portfolio of brands including Heavenly Desserts, Boss Pizza and Pepe’s Peri Peri. Muhummed Ibrahim, chief executive officer at Chaiiwala, said: “We’re thrilled to bring the Chaiiwala experience to Wolverhampton and introduce our bold, flavour-packed menu to a brand-new audience. We're confident that the Wolverhampton store will become a hub for both existing fans and those discovering Chaiiwala for the first time.” Chaiiwala, which was founded in Leicester in 2015, made history in 2023 by launching the UK’s first Indian street food drive-thru. Last year, the brand followed this by launching its first airport and university campus locations. It is also gearing up for US expansion – having already launched in Canada and the Middle East – and told Propel last month it sees the potential for more than 1,000 stores there.
Home Counties McDonald’s franchisee adds eighth store after returning to profit and reporting £13m turnover boost: Home Counties McDonald’s franchisee Compassco has added an eighth store to its portfolio after returning to profit and reporting a £13m turnover boost in the year to 31 December 2023. The company has opened in the former Pizza Hut unit at Ryemead Retail Park in High Wycombe. Compassco now operates eight stores across Hemel Hempstead, High Wycombe and its surrounding areas, employing more than 800 staff. It comes after Compassco turned a pre-tax loss of £427,669 in 2022 into a profit of £748,922 in 2023. Turnover increased from a restated £19,737,088 in 2022 to £33,047,255. Dividends of £140,000 were paid, the same as in 2022. Managing director Alan Butchers said the growth in sales was predominantly due to continued growth in delivery sales and the acquisition of three stores during the year. He added that on a like-for-like basis, sales increased 8.15% at the four stores trading in both financial years. Butchers founded Compassco in 2012 after spending 23 years as a franchise relations manager with McDonald’s.
Manchester operators close their flagship Unagi site after just six months but planning new openings: Manchester operators David and Jo Vanderhook have closed their flagship Unagi site in Salford Quays after just six months but are planning some new openings. The venue was claimed to be the “biggest sushi bar in the north” when it opened in August last year, in the Vanderhook’s former Lime Bar unit, next to the Quayside MediaCityUK shopping centre and The Lowry theatre. The 225-cover restaurant included a Tokyo 7 cocktail bar alongside an outdoor terrace and central sushi bar, where diners could watch chefs as they prepared meals. But the owners have now pulled down the shutters after deciding not to renew their licence on the space, reports the Manchester Evening News. They still operate four other Unagi sites in the region – in Altrincham, Wilmslow, Cheetham Hill and West Didsbury. The Vanderhooks, who also own the Con Club in Altrincham and the George Charles in West Didsbury, said despite the closure, they have plans for some new sites in the pipeline. “Dear friends, sadly, we must announce that we won’t be extending our stay in Salford Quays and will be closing Unagi Media City with immediate effect,” they posted to Instagram. “It’s been a tough decision, but it will enable us to focus on our thriving Unagi’s in Altrincham, Wilmslow, Didsbury and Cheetham Hill and get rolling on some exciting new openings in Manchester later this year.”
Manchester Detroit pizza business set to open second site this month, launches new smaller model franchise concept: Manchester Detroit pizza business Dough Club is set to open its second site this month and has launched a new smaller model franchise concept. The business opened last year as a hole-in-the-wall concept in Manchester’s Queen Street, and Propel revealed last month that its second and third sites were in build – in the city’s Cheadle Hulme and Oxford Road. Dough Club will now launch in Cheadle Hulme’s Station Road later this month, followed soon after by the Oxford Road location, next to the University of Manchester. “Getting started with Dough Club is easier than ever with our plug-and-play model – perfect for fitting into an existing restaurant space that’s too large or underutilised by clearly partitioning the area,” said franchise consultant Zane Naik. “You only need 500 square feet to bring Dough Club to your area. It’s £100,000 all-in, including the franchise fee and full build-out – territories are flying out. Why franchise with Dough Club? A proven concept with a loyal following, a turnkey setup for new and existing restaurant spaces, and with full training and marketing support to set you up for success.”
West Wales indoor soft play and activity centre opens third site: West Wales indoor soft play and activity centre Sgiliau has opened its third site. The company has opened on the Dafen Industrial Estate in Llanelli, signifying the largest of its venues in the region. The centre has opened after Sgiliau received a £100,000 finance package from BCRS Business Loans, via the British Business Bank’s £130m Investment Fund for Wales. In 2019, Sgiliau was established by Steffan Hughes, with its first site in Carmarthen. After opening a further centre in Llandeilo in 2022, Hughes has been keen to further expand the business. When an opportunity to rent the 18,000 square-foot unit in Llanelli came up, Hughes wasted no time in exploring his options. Now, the business is targeting turnover in excess of £1m. Hughes said: “Having worked in education for many years, I was keen to establish the Sgiliau business and come up with a concept that met the gaps in the market. With this in mind, our centres go further than just utilising soft play equipment, and while they house activities including slides, inflatables and a floating football pitch, they all are sensory led, so that we cater for all children. With both the Carmarthen and Llandeilo businesses doing well, I knew there was demand in the Llanelli area, but we needed to secure additional finance to ensure we weren’t compromising our business model.”
Nottinghamshire operator gets go-ahead to open new cocktail bar for third site: Nottinghamshire operator JRA Bars has been given the go-ahead to open a new cocktail bar for its third site. The company, owned by James and Jennifer Aspell, has been given permission to redevelop 92 Friar Lane in Nottingham by the city council. The venue, the name of which has not been disclosed, will open in the space formerly occupied by champagne and cocktail bar French 75, reports The Business Desk. JRA Bars also runs late-night tequila and cocktail bar 400 Rabbits in Nottingham city centre, have launched French-themed Le Petit Vert in the village of Farnsfield.
Somerset venue planning new attraction to coincide with centenary in 2027: The Wookey Hole tourist venue in Somerset has said it is planning a new attraction to coincide with its centenary in 2027. In the company’s accounts for the year ending 29 February 2024, director Sarah Ramsay said: “While further investment will be needed in site infrastructure, attention is also focused on 2027, when we will be celebrating the caves having been open to the public for 100 years. Our goal is to have a new attraction ready for the centenary that will excite audiences and help to drive visitation, and initial research and planning work has commenced.” It comes as the company, which also operates Bucklegrove holiday park, saw a pre-tax profit of £362,485 in 2023 turn into a loss of £173,807. Turnover grew from £6,563,752 to £6,703,836. Dividends of £8,122 were paid (2023: £30,000). Ramsay added: “Work has continued with the development and improvement of the site infrastructure with significant investment in electrical programmes and the tarmacking of roadways at both Wookey Hole and Bucklegrove. We invested in purchasing additional static units at Bucklegrove and Homestead residential park, with the aim of driving additional revenue and providing increased flexibility. We started a programme of improvements works in the hotel at Wookey Hole that will see all the bedrooms refreshed, and we have commenced a programme of updating and upgrading the provision of lighting and sound in the caves – all this work will help enhance the guest experience. We successfully secured new premises licences for Bucklegrove and the Wookey Hole hotel, allowing for extended opening hours and greater flexibility with the range of activities we can offer, and we successfully secured planning permission that allows Bucklegrove to operate 12 months of the year.”
Former Hide head chef to open Greek open-fire restaurant: Yiannis Mexis, former head chef at Ollie Dabbous’ Hide restaurant in London’s Piccadilly, is set to open a new Greek open-fire restaurant. Mexis, who has also worked at in the kitchens at Elystan Street, The Ledbury and Petrus, will open Pyra in Borough Market later this year. Ahead of the launch, he will preview the concept with a pop-up at Carousel in Charlotte Street, from 4-15 March, reports Hot Dinners. Dishes will include panakopita, fragrant herbs and barrel-aged feta; embered souvlaki skewer, prunes, radicchio and sour apple; and charred octopus, spiced red wine and yellow split pea.
Hotel and leisure group acquires freehold investment of Belfast city centre Travelodge for £8.75m: Hotel and leisure group Andras House has acquired the freehold investment of a Travelodge in Belfast city centre for £8.75m. Andras House was established in 1981 and the business has an extensive portfolio of office, hotel and leisure developments. The hotel was originally built by Andras House in 1991 and operated as The Belfast Plaza and then as a Holiday Inn, before it was bought by Travelodge in the mid 1990s. Andras House purchased the 90-room hotel from Tifco Hotels Group with the deal supported by Danske bank. Andras House is now planning to significantly invest in the refurbishment of the property in Brunswick Street. Rajesh Rana, director of Andras House, said: “Travelodge is a strong brand at the budget end of the UK market that people recognise and understand, and we are delighted to be its franchise operator in Northern Ireland. It is a vote of confidence in Andras House’s expertise and experience.”
