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Wed 5th Mar 2025 - Boxpark hires Matt Snell as CEO |
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Boxpark hires Matt Snell as CEO: Boxpark has hired Matt Snell as its new chief executive “to direct, challenge and grow the business during an incredible growth period”. Boxpark said with a wealth of experience and a track record of transforming hospitality brands, Snell’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the business as it continues to expand its influence in the UK’s food, drink, and entertainment sectors. Snell has more than 25 years in hospitality, and joins from Gusto Italian, where he led the 13-strong company for seven years, before stepping down last month. He has also driven growth and innovation at director level, overseeing 100 premium pubs at Fuller’s, as well as leading the expansion of Red’s True Barbecue. Boxpark stated: “As chief executive of Gusto Italian for seven years, Matt navigated industry challenges while delivering sustained growth. His expertise in operations, brand development, and customer engagement aligns perfectly with Boxpark’s mission to create trusted and vibrant community spaces that bring people together through food, culture, and entertainment. Matt’s forward-thinking approach will see Boxpark explore new collaborations and partnerships to continue pushing boundaries in the world of hospitality and leisure. His work has been recognised for introducing new concepts that blend social spaces with immersive dining and entertainment. Matt’s ability to lead high-performance teams has made him a sought-after leader in the hospitality industry.” Snell said: “I am hugely excited to join Boxpark at such a pivotal moment in its journey. The brand has already redefined the leisure experience, and I look forward to working with the team to continue pushing boundaries and delivering even more innovative and exciting offerings. With the newest opening of our competitive socialising concept in Croydon, Playbox, and the upcoming launch of premium food hall concept Boxhall, it’s going to be an incredibly busy and monumental year for the brand, which we’re all extremely pumped for!” Boxpark chair Paul Thandi said: “We’ve had a great year opening new sites, developing new concepts, building incredible guest experiences and doing what we do best. As we continue to grow, we need world-class leaders with the skills to help achieve our business goals. I am delighted to welcome Matt to the team who brings a wealth of experience and will mark an exciting new chapter to the Boxpark journey.” Boxpark recently appointed Chris Burford as chief financial officer, who will be supporting and strengthening the operations and growth strategy of the business. In 2024, the group launched two new Boxpark venues – in Liverpool and London’s Camden, and has just announced a lease extension for its flagship Shoreditch location in the capital. This spring, the company will launch premium food hall concept, Boxhall, providing a collection of unique dining experiences set within a historical location in the heart of Liverpool Street in London. Boxpark features in the Propel 500 report, an unparalleled resource that profiles the UK’s leading hospitality operators ranked by turnover – which is available free now to Premium Club subscribers. This comprehensive report provides more than 90,000 words of analysis, delving into company histories, leadership structures, site numbers and financial performance, making it an essential resource for industry professionals. A list of the operators included can be discovered now by visiting the Propel 500 page on Propel’s website. The guide is delivered in two parts: an introductory PDF, featuring deep dives into the top 25 companies and 6,500 words of insight from Propel’s expert writers, and a fully searchable Excel sheet, offering easy access to all the data. Key highlights include Mark Wingett’s exploration of mergers and acquisitions shaping the Top 500’s future, Tim Street’s view of the UK’s franchise market, and Phil Pemberton’s insights into experiential leisure as a hospitality cornerstone. Katherine Doggrell examines developments in UK hotels, while Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, identifies emerging growth sectors, and Maria Vanifatova, founder of Meaningful Vision, analyses trends in quick service restaurants. 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.
Premium Club subscribers to receive new searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Friday: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (7 March), at noon. The database will show the details of 169 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. The database will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club subscribers will also receive a 10,264-word report on the 146 new additions. The database is segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. The database includes new openings in the cafe bakery sector such as an opening by Bayley & Sage,making its debut in London’s Hampstead, Swiss Chocolate brand Lindt, launching a new flagship store in London’s Piccadilly Circus, and artisan dessert restaurant Heavenly Desserts opening a new site in the West Midlands. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club 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.
The Restaurant Group hires new central operations director for concessions and Barburrito division: The Restaurant Group (TRG) has hired Michele Bacon as the new central operations director for its concessions and Barburrito division. TRG said Bacon has a wealth of hospitality experience and has worked in a plethora of different roles within casual dining including Carluccio’s, Giraffe and PizzaExpress. Most recently, she worked for Côte Brasserie as the head of central operations for the Cote business. Jon Knight, chief executive of TRG Concessions and Barburrito, said: ”We are delighted to welcome Michele to the team and are looking forward to working with Michele and taking benefit from her experience as an operator both in restaurants and in the support centre. Michele has achieved great things in her previous roles, and we can’t wait for her to be part of TRG Concessions’ ambitious growth plans over the next few years.” Bacon said: “I am delighted to be joining such a dynamic and growing business. TRG Concessions and Barburrito already have a strong portfolio and I am excited to be able to share in the journey they are on of rapid expansion into more locations while continuing to deliver growth in the current estate.”
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