Hospitality suffers a January hangover as sales slip and costs rise: Sales at Britain’s leading restaurant, pub and bar groups fell by 1.3% year-on-year in January, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. It marks an abrupt end to a strong period of trading for managed operators following like-for-like growth of 3.2% in December. January’s figure is the tracker’s lowest since April 2024, and only the second month of negative trading since early 2022. Sales in early January were restricted by a squeeze on consumers’ spending after Christmas and widespread participation in “Dry January”. Footfall was also affected by Storm Éowyn, which kept people at home in many parts of the country over the last weekend of the month. The tracker shows fractional growth of 0.6% in total sales, including at venues opened in the last 12 months. However, this is still below the UK’s rate of inflation of 3%, as measured by the consumer prices index. Despite “Dry January”, pubs performed the best of the major hospitality channels in the tracker, with like-for-like sales down by just 0.1%. Restaurants fell 1.1% as some consumers restricted their meals out after the festive season. After briefly returning to growth in December, bars’ sales fell away in January to finish 10.2% behind January 2024. The on-the-go segment of the market dropped 4.8%. London had a slightly tougher January than the rest of the country as groups’ sales inside the M25 were down by 1.9% year-on-year, while venues beyond the M25 were 1.1% behind. Karl Chessell, director of hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “After a happy Christmas for hospitality groups and their suppliers, trading came back down to earth with a bump in January. It shows many consumers remain hesitant about their spending, and while inflation has eased in some areas, business costs remain very high across the sector. Energy price rises and the government’s planned changes to national insurance thresholds and rates could hardly be coming at a worse time. Hospitality’s outlook is positive in the long run, but it deserves much better support than it is currently getting.”

 

Sponsored message – operators go Candid as pilot scheme launches: Big Table Group, Honest Burgers, Bill’s, Popeyes, The Alchemist, Punch Pubs, New World Trading Company, Turtle Bay and 50 other operators and suppliers have gone Candid – as the anonymous matchmaking platform for hospitality careers opens its doors. Last week, Candid Hospitality launched its pilot scheme, unveiling a new perspective on hospitality hiring. All candidates are anonymous and no CVs are required, instead matching individuals with suitable roles based on culture, competencies and compensation. Co-founder Nick Holroyd-Doveton said: “Candid removes any subconscious bias, but also all risk for candidates who join, making it the perfect opportunity for those who wish to keep one eye open for a dream move. Already, 1,500-plus hospitality professionals have registered, with more than 40% creating ‘passive’ accounts – giving hirers access to hospitality's biggest pool of hidden talent. Built for both operators and suppliers, there have been more than 220 matches made in the first week, and the number continues to rise as more candidates register daily.” The platform’s introduction comes as the sector looks for ways to cut costs. Candid charge a fixed fee per month for unlimited use, meaning no more finder fees for hiring top talent. To learn more, either as a company or a candidate, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,335 operators and 24 new companies on Friday: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database on Friday (28 February). The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,335 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 972 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 790 (24%) pub and bar operators, 569 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 466 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 273 (8%) hotel operators, 210 (6%) experiential leisure operators and 55 (2%) fine dining operators. It is updated each month, and this edition includes 24 new companies. New additions in the experiential leisure sector include the Scottish family entertainment group, Wonderworld, with its soft play sites, and Treetop Golf with six locations offering an immersive mini-golf concept. Premium Club subscribers 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 subscribers 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 International Brands report. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers 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 subscribers 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 subscribers 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.

Sacha Lord – government needs to support high streets with hospitality-led regeneration: Sacha Lord, chairman of the Night Time Industry Association, has put forward six policy recommendations to the government including rethinking the tax burden on hospitality and supporting high streets with hospitality-led regeneration. The recommendations are part of Last Orders, a report by Lord, with the Adam Smith Institute, which found 85% of hospitality firms are planning to cut staff hours or salaries from April. The report also showed for 88% of operators, the 1p drop in alcohol tax on draught beer would have little to no impact on their trading. Meanwhile, 64% of people said their pub is one of the main places they socialise in, while 86% said when a pub closes, the community suffers. The report’s recommendations are to implement a sector-specific VAT reduction, defer the reduction in business rate relief, rethink the tax burden on hospitality, support high streets with hospitality-led regeneration, rethink national insurance and conduct a fundamental review of energy costs. Lord said: “If the government is serious about high street regeneration, it must recognise the role of hospitality in that vision. This means: investing in business support in left-behind areas, streamlining licensing and planning to encourage new hospitality ventures, and providing targeted funding to ensure hospitality is part of regeneration strategies. Without this, we risk further business failures, leading to empty high streets and economic decline in towns and city centres.” Lord said a sector-specific energy strategy is needed to “ensure fairer pricing for hospitality venues compared with retail” and to explore energy efficiency incentives to help businesses reduce long-term costs. With national insurance, Lord proposed a revenue-banded system where businesses are categorised based on their income, ensuring smaller operators receive greater financial support, such as lower national insurance contribution rates or increased business rate relief. Lord said: “The hospitality sector has weathered crises before, but without urgent action, we risk losing thousands of venues along with the jobs, culture and economic activity they support.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a coffee brand that is seeking a business development manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will be responsible for winning new business, maximising sustainable short and long-term sales, boost profitability and increase brand awareness within new sectors, including the business-to-business hotel, restaurant and café/catering channels.” The salary is up to £60,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mikey@corecruitment.com.

 

Plan Burrito aiming to double its estate over next 18 months with ‘huge potential’ in London, increased sales by 104% in 2024:Burrito franchise Plan Burrito has told Propel it is aiming to double the size of its 13-strong estate over the next 18 months and sees “huge potential” in London especially. Founded by Stephen Hopper in 2015, Plan Burrito launched in Loughborough before expanding to London’s Southampton Row and Whitburn in Scotland. Plan Burrito accelerated its growth in 2023 and 2024 with launches in Hitchin, Guildford, Leamington Spa, Ramsgate, Shrewsbury, Norwich, Canterbury, Southend and Gillingham and kicked off its 2025 pipeline by returning to London to launch a second site in the capital, at 18 Camberwell Road in Camberwell. “Plan Burrito began franchising in 2022, and since then we have successfully expanded our presence, and we are set to continue our growth this year with two new sites in Wales, as well as additional openings in Nuneaton and Sheffield,” Hopper told Propel. “With a strong pipeline of prospective franchisees, we anticipate the potential to double our store count within the next 18 months. All locations are led by the franchisee as we are yet to find a market where we are struggling for demand. Camberwell has had an influx of positive reviews from customers and we see huge potential for opening many more sites in London as our first store in Holborn is exceeding our expectations in terms of revenue targets. The Treforest branch in South Wales is approximately one month from completion and the Swansea store should be six months after that. We have secured a unit in Nuneaton, which was formerly Claire’s Accessories, so planning has been submitted and a rental deal agreed with the landlord. Should this go smoothly, we will be opening in approximately three months’ time. We are also in the early stages of securing a unit in Sheffield too, which would be expected to open in time for summer.” Hopper said between 2022 and 2023, Plan Burrito’s turnover grew by 230%, followed by a 104% increase in 2024, while its projections for 2025 “suggest a continuation of this strong growth trajectory”. Last summer, Plan Burrito revealed a long-term target of 500 UK sites, plus international expansion, after appointing consultant Catesby to advise on its next stage of growth. “We are still working with Catesby, but it is only appointed to grow sites via multi-unit agreements,” Hopper added. “All single unit agreements have been brought in house so we can continue to grow that side of things too. International expansion will look to be more realistic in 2026, by way of master licence.” Plan Burrito features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, the latest edition of which has 330 entries. The next edition will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Wednesday, 12 March, with updates to existing entries plus ten new entries. 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.

Arkell’s reports record turnover of £29.1m, expects to raise in excess of £2m from property sales: Brewer and retailer Arkell’s has reported record turnover of almost £30m and said it expects to raise in excess of £2m from planned property sales. Turnover increased 8.4% to £29,145,052 for the year ending 31 March 2024 compared with £26,889,989 the previous year. Of this, £12,522,835 came from the managed estate (2023: £12,125,236), £12,190,176 from the tied estate (2023: £11,258,045) and £4,432,041 in other income including free trade (2023: £3,506,617). Pre-tax profit rose to £2,680,162 from £773,618 the previous year, when the company had a pension past service cost of £1,500,000. During the year, the company, which owns and operates 93 pubs, borrowed an additional £1m to purchase and refurbish The Sudeley Arms (renamed The Airs & Graces) in Cheltenham. In the year, capital repaid on other bank loans totalled £1,431,815. The company sold one pub and a residential property generating a profit on disposal of £407,073. A total of £4.2m was invested in the estate during the year. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “Higher levels of sales generated additional gross profits, albeit at a slightly reduced margin, and the financial performance of the managed houses improved. The business benefited from a reduction in inflationary pressures on costs and protection from most energy price increases afforded to us by the long-term energy contracts signed in 2021. The market in which we trade continues to change as do our plans for the future. The demise of some wet-led pubs will result in some of our current estate becoming uneconomic over time. Accordingly, we are actively looking to improve profitability by investing strategically in our existing pubs and making acquisitions when the right opportunities arise. Since the year end, we have sold The Apartments in the centre of Swindon (a former bar that we converted into flats). We have a further four properties up for sale – two pubs, a former off-licence and a residential property. In total, these five properties should raise proceeds in excess of £2m.” Dividends of £585,000 were paid (2023: £572,000).

 

Urban Pubs & Bars paid £8.8m for former Antic portfolio: Urban Pubs & Bars, the London pub operator founded by Malc Heap and Nick Pring and backed by Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual, paid £8.8m in total to acquire the 11 former Antic sites it secured last summer, Propel has learned. Last August, Propel revealed that Urban had acquired several sites from the portfolio of London pubs formerly operated by Antic, which was placed into administration last summer. The group of pubs were held under several different companies. Urban acquired three non-trading freehold properties – The Volunteer, The Mews and Linman & Turner – for £1.7m. In a separate deal, The Elephant & Castle and The Sun of Camberwell were acquired by Urban – which last week reopened the former Antic pub, the Clapton Hart in Hackney following a £1.2m refurbishment – for £1.9m. Propel now understands that Urban paid £5.2m for the remaining six leasehold sites held under Elflock. Last year, administrators Interpath completed a sale of the brand, goodwill and fixtures and fittings of the Graveney & Meadow in Tooting to Sunflake for £10,000. Propel understands that Sunflake is owned by Antic founder Anthony Thomas. Last month, Urban said it had secured additional funds to “accelerate” its ambitious expansion plans as it reported record-breaking Ebitda and turnover. The 53-strong business – which has a “strong pipeline” of openings for 2025, refinanced with Barclays, increasing its available facilities from £16m to £30m. Urban said this enhanced funding will enable the group, which has opened ten new sites in its current financial year, to “seize new opportunities across London’s pub and restaurant market”.

 

Subway owner linked to $1bn acquisition of Dave’s Hot Chicken: Roark Capital, the private equity firm that owns Subway, is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Dave’s Hot Chicken, the fast-growing US quick service restaurant brand that made its debut in the UK in December, for approximately $1bn (£790m). According to The Wall Street Journal, the acquisition of the 270-strong, California-based fried chicken brand could be announced soon. Dave’s Hot Chicken declined to comment. It was reported earlier this month that Dave’s Hot Chicken was exploring a potential sale that could value the business at around $1bn, including debt. Reuters reported that the brand was working with investment bank North Point on a sale process. Dave’s Hot Chicken, which is majority owned by its founders Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan and Gary Rubenyan, brought rapper Drake in as an investor in 2021 and has received backing from other big names such as actor Samuel L Jackson. In 2017, Kopushyan and the other founders scraped together $900 and launched the company in an east Hollywood parking lot. In 2019, Dave’s Hot Chicken brought in Bill Phelps, who co-founded restaurant brand Wetzel’s Pretzels, as its chief executive. Dave’s Hot Chicken has a franchised business model, having sold the rights to more than 1,000 franchise locations in the US, the Middle East and Canada, according to the company. Propel revealed last July that the US brand had signed a franchise agreement with Azzurri Group to open 60 locations across the UK and Ireland. The Steve Holmes-led business opened in the former Fratelli La Bufala site in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue for the UK debut of Dave’s Hot Chicken and is believed to be close to securing sites two and three.

 

Joe & The Juice hires Jorrie Bruffett as new US MD: Jorrie Bruffett has left Pret A Manger to join Joe & The Juice, the juice and cafe bar brand, as its new managing director for the US. With a wealth of experience in the food and beverage industry, the company said Bruffett will play a pivotal role in accelerating Joe & The Juice’s expansion across the US and strengthening its market presence. Bruffett joins Joe & The Juice from Pret A Manger, where she served as president of its US operations. During her tenure, she was instrumental in leading Pret’s North American growth strategy and forming strategic partnerships to scale its footprint across the US. Prior to Pret, Bruffett held senior leadership roles at Panera Bread, where she oversaw expansion efforts, digital innovation and customer experience initiatives. Additionally, she has experience working with brands such as Disney and Burger King. Thomas Nørøxe, chief executive of Joe & The Juice, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Jorrie to Joe & The Juice at such a transformative time for our company. Her deep understanding of brands, experience within the food and beverage industry, and ability to interpret the Joe brand values make her the ideal leader to strengthen our US operations and drive our ambitious growth agenda.” Last week, Propel reported that Joe & The Juice saw turnover across its UK business in the year to 31 December 2023 near £77m and said it expected its turnover in 2024 to “continue the upward trend”. The company, which has 72 UK locations among a worldwide portfolio of 380 stores, saw turnover for 2023 stand at £76,952,519 (2022: £45,770,416), while pre-tax profit stood at £5,034,254 (2022: loss of £5,141,031). 

 

McDonald’s to offer $1 Egg McMuffins and rejects eggs surcharge: McDonald’s has vowed to reject a surcharge on meals with eggs while announcing a special one-day discount on Egg McMuffins. The company said to mark the 50th anniversary of its breakfast menu cornerstone, customers on Sunday (2 March) would be able to purchase an Egg McMuffin sandwich, as well as a Sausage McMuffin with Egg sandwich, through the McDonald's app for just $1, reports NBC. “At McDonald’s, breakfast isn’t just a meal; it’s a cherished tradition and cornerstone of our brand,” said McDonald’s USA president Joe Erlinger. “Every morning when we open, we are a breakfast restaurant.” At the same time, a McDonald’s executive emphasised in a LinkedIn post that the brand had no intention to charge customers extra for meals featuring eggs amid a nationwide shortage in the US that has sent prices soaring and prompted Denny’s and Waffle House to do so, reports NBC. “Unlike others making news recently, you definitely won’t see McDonald’s USA issuing surcharges on eggs, which are 100% cage-free and sourced in the US,” wrote Michael Gonda, McDonald’s chief impact officer for North America.

 

Fuller’s to acquire freehold pub in London’s Twickenham: Fuller’s is set to purchase the freehold of The White Swan pub in London’s Twickenham. The purchase is due to complete on Wednesday, 19 March. The company said the pub is a matchday favourite for rugby games at Twickenham and has been named as one of the 30 best pubs in Britain by The Times. Fuller’s chief executive Simon Emeny added: “I’ve always thought The White Swan is the best pub in Twickenham, outside of our existing estate – so I’m delighted to be bringing it into the Fuller's family. We are famous for having some of the most iconic pubs in the country, and this is no exception. The White Swan has been brilliantly run for many years, and I can’t wait for us to play a part in its continued success.”

Heavenly Desserts and Burger & Sauce secure sites at Merry Hill: Artisan dessert restaurant Heavenly Desserts and Burger & Sauce have both secured new units at Merry Hill, for the final additions to the West Midlands shopping centre’s leisure quarter. Opening in April, Heavenly Desserts has signed for a 68-cover, 2,189 square-foot unit, while Burger & Sauce will open a 54-cover, 2,106 square-foot location later this year. Sobia Mirza, partner at Merry Hill Heavenly Desserts, said: “With its broad catchment, high footfall, and significant dwell time, Merry Hill is an ideal destination, aligning with exactly the culture we strive to find for our restaurants.” Heavenly Desserts currently has 58 UK locations plus a single overseas site in Mississauga, Canada. It has set a long-term target of up to 250 UK sites and is aiming to grow to 100 locations by the end of 2026, as well as lining up further international openings. Burger & Sauce, which last week opened at 41-43 High Street in Sheffield for its 18th location, is also gearing up to launch new sites in Manchester and Nottingham, as it works towards a target of 50 locations by the end of 2025.

 

Professionals at Play opens King Pins in Bristol: Professionals at Play – the Foresight-backed, parent company of the Roxy Lanes, Roxy Ball Room, King Pins and Star Pins concepts – has opened Kings Pins in Bristol. The state-of-the-art bowling and leisure complex has opened in the city’s Cabot Circus, marking its third UK site and first outside Manchester. The site is located on the second floor of the centre, next door to the unit that housed Frankie & Benny’s. As well as offering ten-pin bowling, tech darts, American pool, shuffleboard, ice-free curling, karaoke rooms and an arcade, in-house food vendor Marvin’s serves Neapolitan-style pizza, fried chicken and sides. A premium full-service bar offers frozen cocktails and draught beer plus alcohol-free options. Professionals at Play operates 11 Roxy Ball Rooms, eight Roxy Lanes, three King Pins and a single Star Pins site. Earlier this week, the company confirmed it will open its first Roxy Ball Room in London – in St Mary Axe, opposite the Gherkin – on Thursday, 10 April.

 

Lindt to launch flagship store in London’s Piccadilly Circus featuring café and immersive chocolate experiences: Swiss chocolate brand Lindt is set to launch a new flagship store in London’s Piccadilly Circus featuring a café and immersive chocolate experiences. Located at 1-17 Shaftesbury Avenue and opening on Friday, 21 March, it will also feature the largest Lindor truffle pick 'n' mix in the UK. The café will sell freshly made hot chocolate, milkshakes and ice cream, while in a UK first, three Lindt master chocolatiers will craft chocolate in-store. The company already has more than a dozen shops and concessions across the UK, including sites in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, but the new 6,000 square-foot flagship location, based in the former Gap Store under the Piccadilly Circus lights, will dwarf them all. Joel Burrows, chief executive of Lindt & Sprüngli UK and Ireland, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing the exquisite taste of Lindt Chocolate to the heart of London. With 2025 marking Lindt & Sprüngli’s 180th anniversary, what better way to celebrate this journey and enduring passion for captivating chocolate lovers worldwide, with the opening of this one-of-a-kind store – something unique to the UK.”

 

Australian gym franchise opens 19th UK site with three more in the pipeline: Australian gym franchise Jetts Fitness has opened its 19th UK site, with three more in the pipeline. Franchisees Jen and James Watson have opened at Unit 5b at Colton Retail Park in Stile Hill Way, Colton, Leeds. The business also has openings in Basingstoke in Hampshire, and in London’s Burnt Oak and Maida Vale lined up. A Jetts spokesman said the new club, its third in Leeds, had achieved the second-best 24-hour sales across the brand’s entire global network of 250-plus gyms. Jen Watson said: “The response when we launched membership sales was fantastic, backed up by the feedback since we opened. We’re proud of what we’re creating within our community, and the support of the Jetts UK team has been beyond my expectations.” Jetts UK managing director, James Garner, added: “Jen and James have been brilliant to work with, bringing a passion and energy for the brand that is already spreading among their members. They are also proof that you don’t need experience of opening a gym to be successful with Jetts; our turnkey solution is backed by years of industry experience and continues to deliver highly profitable, well-run clubs with great results.”

 

Neos Hospitality to invest £3m to transform Kingston site into ‘next generation split venue space’: Nightclub and bar operator Neos Hospitality, formerly Rekom UK, is set to transform its Pryzm site in Kingston, south west London, into a “next generation split venue space”. The company is planning to invest £3m converting the site, which closed last year. The ground floor will be home to new “party bar” concept Bonnie Rogues, while its “modern late-night venue” Circuit will take up the first and second floors. Neos said in its planning application to Kingston Council the refurbishment would attract top artists to the venue as all customers will have a better view of the stage. Russell Quelch, chief executive of Neos Hospitality, told Metro: “We have exciting development plans to bring two of our core venues, Bonnie Rogues and Circuit, to our Przym site in Kingston, as we look to provide a vibrant, next generation, split venue space for our customers to enjoy throughout the day and evening. If our submitted plans are accepted, this will allow us to develop the existing space and invest £3m into the venue this year, transforming the space into two concepts that align with customer demand in the area.” In September last year, the company secured £25m of new funding to expand its “party bar” business. Neos, which separated from its owner, the Danish Rekom Group, in May 2024, said the new funding from its main lender, investment group ACG, would enable it to actively target acquisitions in prime city centre locations across the UK. Neos, which currently operates 19 venues across the UK, said it was prioritising sites in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle.

 

Experiential concept that takes guests around a city’s venues and landmarks to launch Race Across the World experience in London: An experiential concept that takes guests around a city’s venues and landmarks is set to launch a Race Across the World experience in London. CityDays creates interactive city experiences that blend technology, storytelling and exploration through experiences such as murder mysteries, mystery picnics, classic treasure hunts and bespoke team building events. To date, it has provided 64 experiences across 16 UK cities, and a further 24 cities worldwide. CityDays is now preparing to this spring launch an experience based on the TV series Race Across the World, where guests will navigate the streets of London, working as a team to unlocking hidden secrets of the city in a race to the finish line. Players will be given a budget to manage that can be spent on clues to help navigate the next leg of the journey. They will be scored based on their time and how much budget they have left, with their final score ranked on a live leaderboard throughout the day and week. The race takes participants on a 4km-5km mission through the capital, typically spanning two to three hours and passing through partner venues including renowned pubs, cultural hotspots and famous landmarks. Each serves as a checkpoint where teams must solve escape room-style puzzles that guide them toward the next leg of the race. CityDays founder Tom Rymer said: “This is a dream come true for fans of the show, offering them the chance to dive into the heart-pounding action and strategy that has made the show a hit. What makes this experience special is the unique combination of exploring London’s hidden spots while working together in a race against time.” The London version of Race Across The World: The Experience is created by CityDays under licence from All3Media International on behalf of the show’s creators, Studio Lambert.

 

Bayley & Sage to make north London debut: London deli restaurant concept Bayley & Sage is to make its debut in north London with an opening in Hampstead. The business, which launched in Wimbledon in 1997, will open its 12th site overall, at 25-26 Hampstead High Street. The concept currently operates across neighbourhoods in west and south London, including Kensington, Belgravia and Marylebone. Last week, Bayley & Sage signed a delivery partnership with Deliveroo. The partnership has officially launched out of its Kensington store, with plans to ramp up to all of its sites by the second half of this year. James and Malcolm Raven, of Raven Green, acted on behalf of the landlord of 25-26 Hampstead High Street.

 

Tap & Tandoor lines up fifth site: Indian gastropub operator Tap & Tandoor has lined up its fifth site, in Bournemouth. Propel understands that Tap & Tandoor, which is led by husband-and-wife team Ajay and Shivani Kenth, is set to take on the former Wildwood in the Dorset town’s Richmond Hill. The Wildwood site closed at the start of this year. Tap & Tandoor opened its fourth site at the start of last year, on the ex-Coast to Coast site in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. The venue joined the company’s other sites in Peterborough, Solihull and Southampton. David Muslin, of Ecliptic, acted on the Bournemouth deal.

 

Burger Drop co-founder launches doner kebab concept: The co-founder of north east craft burger concept Burger Drop has launched a doner kebab concept. Hasan Hamad founded Burger Drop with Amer Qayyum in 2020 and has grown it to two sites in Newcastle and one in Whitley Bay. Burger Drop also has franchise locations lined up in Edinburgh, Manchester and Sunderland, which will double the size of its estate once open. Propel revealed in November that Hamad has been out in Germany and Turkey researching different forms of kebab ahead of launching his debut This Is Doner restaurant. He has now opened This Is Doner in the former Westgate Fish & Grill unit at 183 Westgate Road in Newcastle, featuring 25 covers “We’re huge fans of doner, but we’ve always felt the UK market has missed the mark when it comes to quality,” Hamad said. “Doner should not just be for a night out or when you’re drunk. In places like Turkey and Germany, it’s a go-to meal, just like a burger here in the UK. The problem with the UK doner market is that many operators prioritise profit over quality, leading to sub-par experiences. That’s what we wanted to change.” Hamad said last October that he has an ambition to grow Burger Drop “to be as big as Five Guys and KFC” and has more than 200 franchise inquiries in the pipeline. He previously told Propel he was targeting 150 stores for the concept in the next decade.

 

Antoinette Hotels almost doubles profit but turnover remains below pre-covid levels: Antoinette Hotels, which operates two sites in south west London and one in the New Forest, has reported turnover dipped very slightly to £4,922,423 for the year ending 31 March 2024 compared with £4,965,932 the year before. Revenue remained below the £6,321,611 reported for the year ending 31 March 2019 – the last full year before the covid pandemic. Pre-tax profit almost doubled to £610,802 from £366,384 the previous year. A dividend of £75,400 was paid (2023: £75,400). Antoinette Hotels, which employs around 80 staff, operates its eponymous site in Wimbledon and Hotel Bosco in Surbiton along with The Crown Manor House Hotel in Lyndhurst in the New Forest.

Independent restaurant business Bluegrass BBQ Smokehouse closes all its sites: Independent restaurant business Bluegrass BBQ Smokehouse has closed all three of its sites after its parent company was placed into liquidation. Starting out with its first location in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire in 2013, the company, which was led by owner Steve Brown, expanded to Berkshire with openings in Gun Street in Reading, in December 2015, and opposite Windsor Castle in March 2018. Bluegrass specialised in a “low and slow” American style of barbecuing serving ribs, burgers and chicken. Brown had competed in The Jack Daniels Invitational BBQ Championships in Tennessee, one of only a handful of Brits to do so.

 

Independent pan-Asian food market set to open second London location: Independent pan-Asian food market, Kiki & Miumiu Market, is set to open its second London location. In a deal led by agent Shelley Sandzer, Kiki & Miumiu Market will open within the Lewisham Gateway scheme, following last year’s debut site at Lendlease’s Elephant Park. The 5,000 square-foot ground floor unit, set to open in early 2025, will be Kiki & Miumiu’s largest store to date and will stock an extensive selection of products from across east and south east Asia. Eddie Chan, owner of Kiki & Miumiu, said: “Our Elephant Park location continues to thrive, so the time is right to begin the next phase of our journey by expanding our presence. This great location will help us realise our ambitions, and we look forward to delivering our international stock to a local community.” Shelley Sandzer acted for landlord Muse Developments.

Hotel operator narrows losses: Mer Manor Hotels, which operates several hotels across the UK, has reported turnover fell slightly to £30,538,000 for the year ending 31 December 2023 compared with £30,612,000 the previous year. The company, which employs around 350 staff, narrowed losses to £3,471,000 from £3,836,000 the year before. Administrative expenses were cut from £16.9m to £15.1m. In March 2024, the company sold the Mercure Dartford Brands Hatch Hotel & Spa in Kent. No dividend was paid (2022: nil).

Bristol craft brewer planning new venue in 2026 as part of five-year plan to be ‘best in south west’: Bristol craft brewer Wiper & True is aiming to open a new venue in the city next year as part of plans to “become the best brewer in the south west” in the next five years. Michael Wiper, who started the company in 2012 with wife Francesca, said the focus is to launch the site in 2026. The venue would join the brewery’s other two sites in the city – The Taproom in Old Market and The Barrel Store in St Werburghs. He told Insider Media: “We want to open a venue in the heart of the city. We’ve seen two or three in the past week, but it takes a long time to get over the line. We’ve just cleared our plan by the board, so this could take six months to a year.” In terms of its plans to be the best brewer in the south west, Wiper said: “We’re not measuring on the biggest. We want to think of ourselves as, at the end of that period, as the best. There’s three main themes to that – best product, best people and best place to work, and then most positive impact, both on the environment and especially around us.” Wiper said the business had averaged about 40% growth over the last few years and added the business would focus on developing its alcohol-free range. Looking ahead, the company is forecasting another 25% growth this year.

Award-winning chef Nathan Davies to launch Guernsey venture: Award-winning chef Nathan Davies is to open a restaurant in Guernsey. Davies will launch Vraic in July on the island’s north shore. Named after the Guernésiais word for seaweed, Vraic will “champion the island’s rich and bountiful produce”, with a particular focus on fish, shellfish and the diverse array of seaweed species found along its rugged coastline. Davies, the visionary behind SY23 in Aberystwyth in Wales – which earned a Michelin star and was crowned “Opening of the Year” in the 2022 Michelin Guide – and former head chef at Ynyshir, will bring his passion for fire-led cooking and foraging to this new venture. The 25-cover restaurant will offer a tasting menu for both lunch and dinner. Davies said: “It was always going to take something very special for me and my family to leave Wales, but this new project is exactly that. This restaurant will be a progression of our journey, building on the principles we established at SY23 – utilising the abundance of ingredients on our doorstep and cooking with fire at the heart of everything we do. I’m thrilled to be joined by some of the team from SY23, and I can’t wait to share this new chapter with everyone.”