London-based South American street food concept looking to expand across UK with long-term plans to go international: London-based South American street food concept Assenheims56 has told Propel it is looking to expand across the UK with franchise partners, with long-term plans to go international. Assenheims56, which was originally founded in 1989 and is now owned by Matthew Ashley, opened its first franchise location in December, at 8 London Bridge Street. This joined its seven other locations spread across the capital – in Holborn, Ludgate Hill, Canary Wharf, Smithfield Street, Great Tower Street, Wormwood Street and Queen Victoria Street. A second franchise location, and ninth overall, will open later this month at 22 Kingsland Road in Shoreditch. The most recent franchisee is the operator of Ringside Sports Bar in Shoreditch, who became a franchisee in order to offer Assenheims56 menu to its customers. Assenheims56 has been working with consultant Presman & Colard on its franchise launch and growth plans. Presman & Colard chief operating officer Charlie Mander told Propel: “Since launching this franchise opportunity, we have been receiving many applications, and our team is currently holding open days and franchise discovery days for multiple territories across the UK. Assenheims56 is looking to expand across the UK with franchise partners, with long-term plans to go international. Assenheims56 is looking to target main university towns and corporate cities. The company was founded in London and is now operating a portfolio of highly successful sites across the city. Matthew Ashley took over this family business and has grown the business into a very well recognised South American food concept. Assenheims is a south American-inspired quick service restaurant concept with growing demand across the UK. The first franchisee has opened in London Bridge Street and is performing very well.” Assenheims56 features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, the latest edition of which has 340 entries and was sent to Premium Club subscribers this week. 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.

 

Cat & Wickets Pub Company co-founder Harry Gurney to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Harry Gurney, co-founder of the Cat & Wickets Pub Company, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Wednesday, 14 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Gurney, who founded the company with former England cricketer Stuart Broad, will discuss building the award-winning business, and how it is now looking to grow and become a “genuine multi-site operator”. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £345 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive next Turnover & Profits Blue Book today featuring 1,092 companies: Premium Club subscribers will receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book today (Friday, 14 March), at 12pm. The database will feature 54 updated accounts and 29 new companies, taking the total to 1,092. A total of 684 companies are making a profit while 408 are making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings 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.

 

Luke Johnson – social element lying at heart of hospitality industry matters more than ever: The social element that lies at the heart of the hospitality industry matters more than ever now, argues serial sector investor Luke Johnson. Writing in today’s (Friday, 14 March) Propel Premium Opinion, Johnson said: “It matters more than ever now, in a post-lockdown era when people are staying at home rather than going out. Instead, they are communicating virtually and having fewer conversations in real life. Yet basic human interaction is fundamental to happiness, and it is why people want and need to eat and drink out – because when they do so, they meet other people. But going out for a meal, a pint or a coffee isn’t just about seeing friends or making new ones. It is also about the loose attachments with the staff who serve you, and other customers who you may never see again. Our best times, our favourite memories, almost everything that makes life meaningful: these emotions are based around relationships – both close ones, but also fleeting ones. These happen when you are in the room, not while you are glued to a smartphone and wearing earphones.” This week’s Premium Opinion also features Propel group editor Mark Wingett’s take on who the runners and riders could be for Domino’s Pizza Group’s second brand. 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 a supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Sector CEOs sign up to pledge to increase inclusion: The chief executives of some of the biggest sector businesses have signed up to a pledge to increase inclusion across hospitality, travel, leisure and retail. The leaders of companies such as Stonegate, Whitbread, The Restaurant Group, Greggs, McDonald’s UK & Ireland, Nando’s, Domino’s Pizza, Greene King, PizzaExpress, Fuller’s and The Revel Collective are among those supporting collaboration community, WiHTL & Diversity in Retail. The companies have pledged a continued commitment to building more inclusive organisations and highlighting the sector as being welcoming to all. In launching the campaign, Tea Colaianni, founder and chair of WiHTL & Diversity in Retail, said she aims to galvanise the industry in nurturing talent, investing in leadership and fostering an inclusive culture. She added: “It is more important than ever to visibly demonstrate our collective commitment to inclusion, recognising its strategic importance to the hospitality, travel, leisure and retail sector. This industry-wide pledge to building truly inclusive workplaces by chief executives will undoubtedly galvanise our industry, build trust with colleagues and help to attract the most talented people to work here, now and in the future – making it a sector of choice that is open and welcoming to everyone.”

 

Deliveroo CEO – groceries could eclipse takeaway orders: Deliveroo’s founder and chief executive Will Shu has said the company’s foray into grocery shopping could eventually overtake takeaway food orders. About one-sixth of Deliveroo’s income was from delivering retail and grocery shopping in 2024, but Shu said it could grow to be more than half. He told the PA: “I don’t see why it wouldn’t be bigger than our core restaurant business over time. There is a broader societal shift in on-demand, which is the impetus behind a lot of this stuff. People are substituting away from the large weekly shops, and they’re substituting that by multiple smaller weekly shops. Getting stuff faster is just what people want.” Grocery orders accounted for 16% of the company’s gross transaction value last year, meaning the total cost of people’s baskets plus delivery fees. Shu said growth areas included DIY shopping, health and pet food, pointing to recent tie-ups with B&Q and Boots. His comments came as Deliveroo posted a £2.8m profit in 2024, its first full year in the black and up from a £31.8m loss in 2023. Shu pointed to an “uncertain” consumer environment, saying changes to the minimum wage and employer taxes had upped costs for shops and restaurants that Deliveroo delivers from. “You’re talking about some pretty significant increases in their cost base,” he said. He said the group was seeing “good momentum” in the UK but added: “We don’t know what’s going to happen in April. We’re going to see inflation again. Do people put prices through to the consumer?” Deliveroo said it had seen an improvement in the frequency of orders and the retention of customers. Shu also played down reports that he was planning to leave the company after selling nearly £15m of shares last year. He said: “I’m not (going to leave). I am the single largest individual shareholder of the company.”

 

PCA outlines difficulties in applying Pubs Code legislation to certain ‘innovative’ agreement types: The Pub Code adjudicator (PCA), Fiona Dickie, has outlined the difficulties in applying the Pubs Code to certain “innovative” pub-tenant agreements – which have become increasingly popular in the market since the code was introduced. The code, which regulates the relationship between large pub-owning businesses and their tied pub tenants in England and Wales, includes pub franchise agreements. The PCA, which is responsible for enforcing the code, said it has received enquiries relating to the status of certain types of profit or turnover share agreements. The PCA has been considering how the code may apply to such agreements, which can also be known as operator, manchise or hybrid agreements. “The PCA is minded to the view that some of these profit or turnover share agreements may fall within the relevant definition of what constitutes a tied pub for the purposes of the Pubs Code,” Dickie said. “However, given no rent is payable in relation to these agreements, it is hard to see how most of the provisions of the Pubs Code could apply. There is presently no exemption from any of the Pubs Code regulations, as there is for franchise agreements, that could apply to these types of agreements. The PCA does not, at present, consider it appropriate to require compliance in respect of any of these types of agreements that may fall under the Pubs Code, and will not be taking action to regulate them. The PCA will continue to keep the matter under review. This does not affect the ongoing regulation of Pubs Code franchise agreements. The PCA understands that such operator, manchise or hybrid agreements typically represent lower commercial risk for the operator than a traditional tenancy or lease. The PCA is not currently aware of evidence showing significant harm to operators from these types of agreements.”

 

Londoners increasing eating out frequency and amount spent despite rising cost: Londoners are increasing the frequency with which they eat out and the amount they spend, despite the rising cost, according to new research. The findings, by global payments company Square, showed 44% said the frequency they dine out has increased over the last 12 months, rising to 60% across millennials. Alongside this, 49% said the amount they are willing to spend has increased over the last 12 months, rising to 60% across millennials. The average diner eats out just over once a month (3.7 times per quarter), and about one in six diners (16%) eat out at least twice a month (seven times or more per quarter). When it comes to getting customers to return to a restaurant, the most important factors are price and affordability (53%), consistent quality of food (52%) and service quality (47%). Service quality matters differently to different generations, with 54% of millennials citing this as an important factor compared with 40% of Generation Z, to whom price and consistent quality matters more. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they wouldn’t dine at a restaurant if there was a maximum seating time, and word of mouth remains the most popular way to finding places to dine out (42%). The research also showed people also want to find different ways to dine out, with 48% loving the idea of a supper club as a way to spend an evening. Sustainability was also a key factor, particularly among millennials, with half (51%) saying they choose a restaurant based on whether it is farm-to-table.

 

Westminster launches evening and night-time plan: The London Borough of Westminster has launched its first evening and night-time plan – Westminster After Dark – a blueprint for managing the borough after 6pm. The key recommendations include all new licensed venues needing to show they are prioritising women’s safety, with a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and predatory behaviour, alongside an extra 100 CCTV cameras, improved street lighting and an expanded joint council and police unit to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime hotspots. The plan will also encouraging non-alcohol-led activities at night and plans to set up Westminster’s first late-night entertainment zones – in Oxford Street, The Strand and Victoria Street – to encourage music, theatre and creative venues to set up on wide streets with few residents. The plan will prioritise support and protection for culturally significant LGBTQ+ spaces and encourage venues to host “quiet nights” with reduced noise levels, dimmed lighting and designated calm zones. The plan will also lobby Transport for London to restore night bus services and expand safe, reliable transport options after dark, and creating opportunities for residents to work in Westminster’s hospitality, creative and cultural industries. The draft strategy is now open for public consultation. Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Westminster’s cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: “Westminster After Dark aims to balance the needs of a thriving evening and night-time offer with the well-being of the residents who call Westminster their home. This new strategy is our response to the obvious challenges of managing these competing demands. We want it to enhance the city between 6pm and 6am as a welcoming, thriving and resilient place for everyone.”

 

European hotels see values rise despite ‘seismic geopolitical shifts’: Hotel values across Europe showed a steady 2.0% increase in 2024 – helped by lower interest rates, modest gains in revpar and consistent demand for European travel from international visitors, according to the latest Hotel Valuation Index (HVI) by global hotel consultancy HVS. The rise in hotel values, with some markets surpassing values of 2019, was helped by a return by many to pre-pandemic occupancy levels, as well as improving food and beverage revenues and the slow recovery of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions segment. Although the report showed European hotel performance was solid and costs broadly normalised, 2024 was a year in which operators “faced the most significant geopolitical and climate-change-related events in decades”. But while payroll costs grew at above inflationary levels, utility costs gradually decreased and other costs stabilised. Southern Europe experienced the strongest growth in hotel values, with a close to full recovery to 2019 levels. Eastern Europe, while behind the rest of the region, saw the second-strongest growth as its recovery picked up momentum. In top position in terms of value growth was Athens, where hotels on a per key basis remain comparatively more affordable than other European cities. Positive revpar growth and continued investor interest prompted a rise in values of 11.8% in Athens. Hotels in Lisbon, Madrid and Edinburgh benefited from a strong influx of leisure visitors, putting them next in the rankings, with value rises of between 6% and 8%, while German markets saw the slow but steady return of corporate demand and fairs, helping values grow 4.8% in Munich, 3.4% in Frankfurt, 2.8% in Berlin and by 0.9% in Hamburg. Hotels in Paris remain the most expensive in Europe, followed by London, Zurich, Rome, Florence and Geneva. However, the HVI warned while prospects for Europe’s hotels remain relatively strong, the weakening of the dollar would be detrimental given the significance of the US as a source market, and trade tariffs might cause inflation to resurface.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a specialist catering and events business that is seeking an experienced business development manager to join its team as it continues to expand. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will be responsible for identifying, targeting and cultivating relationships that drive contractual opportunities and expand the company’s venue portfolio.” The salary is up to £60,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email marlene@corecruitment.com. 

 

US fast-casual seafood brand Captain D’s set to make UK debut this summer, two further locations lined up: US fast-casual seafood brand Captain D’s is set to make its UK debut this summer, in Kent, with two further locations lined up – in Hampshire and Sussex. Propel revealed in January that Captain D’s, which was founded in Tennessee in 1969 and has grown to more than 530 restaurants, was preparing to enter the UK market after signing a 20-store multi-unit franchise agreement. The franchise partner was not named at the time, but it has now been revealed as CD’s UK Holdings. Incorporated in September 2024, CD’s UK Holdings in based in Leytonstone, east London, and led by Naveed Chattha, with Mudassar Ali also listed as a director. Listed as one of Chattha’s mutual companies is Saxby Kent, which Propel understands is a Creams Café franchisee. “We have been looking for the right brand to introduce to the UK market, which is exciting and healthy,” Chattha, operations director of CD’s UK Holdings said. “There is a large fish and chips market in the UK, but no one has tried to apply discipline, standards, and quality to such a level here before. With our experience, we feel Captain D’s is the right choice.” While CD’s UK Holdings will open the brand’s first locations here, Captain D’s is still looking for more multi-unit franchisees to open additional locations in the UK. “This is an exciting time in the growth of our brand,” said Hair Parra, senior vice-president of international operations and development for Captain D's. “Our master franchisees are committed to making a sustainable impact in the UK, and we are committed to working alongside them and offering new opportunities to other entrepreneurs as we expand into new international markets.” The UK will be Captain D’s second international development agreement, having last year announced a Canadian expansion in Toronto. 

 

New World Trading Co consolidates management team: Graphite Capital-backed pub restaurant group The New World Trading Company (NWTC) has consolidated its management team, which has led to the departures of people director Karl Jolly and property director Tim McCormac, Propel has learned. Jolly joined NWTC at the start of 2023 after a brief stint as people director at catering equipment supplier Nisbets. He previously spent more than three years as chief people officer at Sticks‘n’Sushi, the Japanese restaurant brand. Jolly, who has also had stints at Mitchells & Butlers and Pret A Manger, spent almost 13 years as director of people at motorway services operator Welcome Break. It is thought that his responsibilities will now come under the remit of NWTC’s managing director, Amber Wood. McCormac has been with the business as its property director since the summer of 2016. Last October, Propel revealed NWTC intended to restructure its business to focus on its large Botanist-branded sites. As part of the restructuring, NWTC launched a company voluntary arrangement, which saw the closure of three loss-making sites. The company operates 27 sites across the UK. NWTC recently converted The Furnace in Sheffield to The Botanist, and a new The Botanist will open in Bournemouth in May, while NWTC has also lined up an opening in Lichfield.

 

Pret promotes Alice Kewley to regional and franchise operations director UK & Ireland: Pret A Manger has promoted Alice Kewley to regional and franchise operations director UK & Ireland. Kewley, having started out at McDonald’s, where she was an area manager in Cambridge for seven years, has worked for Pret for almost 18 years in a variety of roles. She started out as assistant manager at its Stansted airport site before being made general manager at its City airport and Gatwick airport locations. Then followed roles as group manager, operations manager, franchise operations manager and head of operations. Since March 2022, she has been Pret’s head of franchise operations UK & Ireland.

 

New Gaucho concept and openings by Farzi and Club Mexicana among line-up for new Boxhall site: A new concept from Gaucho, as well as openings by Farzi, Club Mexicana and Sourdough Sophia, will be part of the new Boxhall site from Boxpark, which will open in the City next month. Boxhall City, which will house 13 food and beverage operators, will open on Thursday, 10 April in Liverpool Street and marks Boxpark’s first venue under the new concept. Gaucho will open a new concept called Gaucho Go, featuring the brand’s signature steak and chips, burgers and new dishes such as a “spin on the classic hot dog”. The award-winning baked chicken concept Baked Bird will open its first physical location at the site, while Farzi, the fine dining restaurant in the St James’s area, will also feature at the development. They will be joined by Burger & Beyond, Club Mexicana, Sourdough Sophia and Nativo, a Japanese-Latin fusion restaurant that has sites in Elephant & Castle and Peckham. Meanwhile, Inamo Sukoshi, a sushi and fusion street food concept, and Singaporean street food restaurant Old Chang Kee will also be part of the line-up. Little Bao Boy’s Boxhall City kitchen will be its first site outside of the north. Soft Serve Society will offer its range of desserts, while Boki Coffee – the independent all-day coffee shop with sites in Aldgate and Wembley – is also joining. Boxhall City will also feature a dedicated kitchen space – Kitchen No.8 – designed to be a platform for culinary talent to test new ideas, which will see a rotating line-up of chefs. Boxhall City will also feature a rooftop bar, which is set to open later in the year. Matt Snell, chief executive of Boxpark, said: “With only a month to go until we open Boxhall City, we’re delighted to welcome 13 exceptional dining experiences to take space at this beautifully restored arcade. This mix of food and drink brands, chef-led kitchen and heritage venue has resulted in the creation of a destination unlike anything we’ve done before.”

State of Play Hospitality secures Seattle site for Flight Club: State of Play Hospitality, the international experiential leisure operator, has secured a site in Seattle for darts brand Flight Club. State of Play Hospitality, which operates Flight Club in North America under licence, will open the venue at 300 Westlake Avenue in the South Lake Union neighbourhood, after agreeing a deal with landlord Kilroy Realty. The site, set to open in 2026, will be the 11th Flight Club in the US operated by the group and the first on the West Coast. The venue will feature 11 private and semi-private playing areas, known as “oches”, and span 7,100 square feet. “Seattle has long been on our wish list,” said chief executive Toby Harris. “Given South Lake Union’s dynamic community and the quality of its dining scene, we believe it’s a natural fit for Flight Club and our patience to wait for the right location will hopefully pay off.” Flight Club was launched by Red Engine in Shoreditch in London in 2015. In 2018, State of Play Hospitality launched its first Flight Club in North America under licence in Chicago's downtown Loop area. Since then, State of Play Hospitality has expanded Flight Club across the US, with additional locations in Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Denver, Washington DC and St Louis. New venues are scheduled to open in Philadelphia and New York in 2025. In January, Propel revealed State of Play Hospitality had secured a new £15m debt facility to aid its further expansion, and said it was “increasingly confident” that a 50-plus site opportunity exists in the US for Flight Club. State of Play Hospitality is also “actively engaged on an opportunity” to bring its bingo concept Hijingo to the US.

Black Country Ales acquires Lichfield pub as it extends Staffordshire footprint: Brewer and retailer Black Country Ales has acquired a further pub in Staffordshire, The Bitter Suite in the city of Lichfield. The pub in Upper John Street becomes the company’s 53rd site. The pub, which closed in January, is undergoing a refurbishment and is expected to reopen in the summer. Black Country Ales, which was founded in 1999 by Angus McMeeking, said the pub will be “an excellent addition to our group”. The company’s other Staffordshire pubs include The Bird In Hand in Stafford and The Horse and Jockey in the village of Penkridge. Richard Tole, of WTS Property Consultants, acted on behalf of Black Country Ales on the Lichfield deal.

Permanently Unique Group promotes Dan Purnell to CEO: Permanently Unique Group, the independent restaurant business formerly known as Tattu, has promoted Dan Purnell to chief executive as it prepares for its first international opening in Dubai. Purnell’s journey with the business began more than a decade ago when he consulted on its first venue, and in 2021, he returned to the group as managing director, playing a key role in launching the London location of Tattu. He started out as beverage manager at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and then spent 15 years as a consultant, working with brands such as Hakkasan and Hilton Worldwide. In 2014, Purnell founded Elixir Tonics and Treats, an incubator business for nurturing talent and innovation in the bartender industry. Permanently Unique Group co-founder and chairman Adam Jones said: “Dan joined us as managing director in mid-2021 as the business emerged from the pandemic. He brought with him a clear focus on people and process, elevating our operating policies and creating a platform for our teams to develop and flourish. He unified the business under a common vision, harnessing the incredible passion that exists within our group. He is the right leader to drive our amazing brands as we embark on our global expansion plans.” The group also confirmed it has hired Andrew Jobes as its new chief operating officer – as revealed by Propel last month. Jobes joins from UAE-based Fundamental Hospitality business, where he was chief operating officer, having previously held senior roles at Tao Group, Hakkasan and Punch Pubs & Co. Last September, Permanently Unique Group secured a new £15m revolving credit facility to fund its future expansion and said it had new London locations planned for its Fenix and Louis concepts, as well as its Dubai venture. Tattu Dubai will open later this year across the top three floors of Ciel Tower, the world’s tallest hotel, located at the edge of Dubai Marina.

 

Ellen Chew reveals details and opening date of her new Shan Shui concept: Singaporean restaurateur Ellen Chew has revealed the details and opening date of the new concept for her Shan Shui format. Propel revealed in January that Chew was planning to open a third site for Shan Shui – which has locations in Heathrow airport and Bicester Village – with a new concept. Shan Shui Social will now bring Shan Shui to Central London for the first time when it opens at 14 Buckingham Palace Road next month, offering “a well-crafted cocktail menu along with an array of iconic Chinese culinary delights”. Inspired by 1960s Shanghai, its menu will “range from Cantonese dim sum and roast meats to the spicy and sour flavours of Sichuan cooking”. Chew said: “Our existing sites for Shan Shui have both successfully catered to the demands of tourists, travellers and shoppers. With Shan Shui Social, we can serve city dwellers, theatregoers and appeal to the working crowd.” The 74-cover site will be spread across two floors, with a neon-lit bar will sit at the back of the restaurant hosting the cocktail offering. As well as the Shan Shui locations, Chew’s Chew on This group also comprises Mrs Chew’s Chinese Kitchens in Westfield White City and Stratford in London and in Birmingham, as well as Singapulah and Rasa Sayang in London’s Chinatown. Chew also had partnership sites Arôme Bakery in Covent Garden and Duke Street, and Lobos Tapas in Soho and London Bridge. Chew told Propel earlier this year that she is open to rolling out smaller cafe versions of Singapulah and is exploring opportunities for the expansion of Mrs Chew’s.

 

Stubbings Pub Group acquires lease of Farnham pub in partnership with Greene King: Stubbings Pub Group has acquired the lease of a pub in Farnham in Surrey owned by Greene King. Stubbings Pub Group, operated by Jon Paul Stubbings, is operating The Albion, located in Hale Road. The pub has been given a £165,000 upgrade by Greene King, including the removal of a chimney breast and an internal wall, allowing for a dedicated sports area, a dining section, a speakeasy-inspired space and a lounge area. A new food offer has been introduced too, based around popular pub classics and a Sunday roast. Stubbings said: “We are delighted to take on The Albion and grow our partnership with Greene King Pub Partners. Working together with Greene King, it is great to see our vision for The Albion come to life with its support.” Stubbing Pub Group’s Facebook page shows that it operates ten other pubs across Surrey and Hampshire.

 

South west operator opens new Italian restaurant: South west operator The Camel’s Back has opened a new Italian restaurant in Newquay. Tallo has launched in SeaSpace – Cornwall’s first coastal aparthotel – offering Italian and New York-influenced cooking. The company is also behind The Atlantic in New Polzeath, The Beach Bar at Watergate Bay, Polzeath Beach House, Harbour Brewing and Treleavens Ice Cream. Ed Cooke, chief executive of The Camel’s Back, said: “This latest venture confirms our commitment to the Cornish food, drink and hospitality scene – a place where we’ve been active investors for more than a decade, committed to creating and growing great concepts, employing local people, sourcing local ingredients and celebrating the county we all love so much. Our mantra is to bring moments of joy and lasting memories to all those who visit our venues or enjoy our products, and I know that Tallo, in partnership with the team at SeaSpace, will deliver on this in spades.” Ben Harper, chief executive of SeaSpace, added: “From day one, SeaSpace has been about offering something fresh, new and exciting for guests and locals, with a shared spirit that puts coastal lifestyle first. Tallo has taken that idea and run with it full speed, and we can’t wait to see it become a stand-out show stealer on the south west food scene.”

  

Sticks‘n’Sushi alumni secure third Sushi Revolution site: Aidan Bryan and Tom Blackshaw, who previously worked together at Sticks‘n’Sushi, have acquired a third site in London under their Sushi Revolution concept. The duo have agreed terms to take 1,850 square-foot of space at British Land and AustralianSuper’s 53-acre Canada Water development. Sushi Revolution will be joined by The Village Tree, which will be the third offering from husband-and-wife team Matt Lloyd and Tze-May Ng, who run restaurant and deli The Pear Tree in Surrey Quays and The Barn at Surrey Docks City Farm. The Village Tree will occupy a 1,250 square-foot space, serving salads, sandwiches and savoury bakes during the day, and in the evening, the venue will operate as a wine bar offering small plates. The restaurants, which will open later this year, will be located on the ground floor of Three Deal Porters, a mixed-use building with adaptable workspace above, located opposite Canada Water tube station. Sushi Revolution will offer alfresco dining within Dock Office Gardens, and The Village Tree will overlook Canada Dock. Bryan and Blackshaw launched the first Sushi Revolution restaurant in Brixton in 2021 before adding a venue in Shoreditch last year. Bryan said: “Canada Water has been on our radar from the very beginning. As a local resident that has watched the building work for the last couple of years and eagerly awaited this first phase to open, there is a very personal joy to being a part of it and bringing our sushi to the area.” Last summer, Bryan told Propel there was potential for up to ten Sushi Revolution sites in London.

 

Ravinder Bhogal to open restaurant at London’s V&A East Museum: The team behind Jikoni in Marylebone, Ravinder Bhogal and Nadeem Lalani Nanjuwany, is set to open a restaurant at London’s V&A East Museum. The museum, a planned branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, is due to open in 2026. The duo said: “We’re excited to be in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on East Bank, with a project that will speak to the depth and breadth of the culturally rich and diverse communities in east London. Beyond serving nourishing and delicious food, our intention is inclusivity, collaboration and connectivity.” Laura Parker, deputy director of V&A East, said it will be “a distinctive new restaurant experience” in which Bhogal and Nanjuwany will be “bringing their passion for storytelling through food while focusing on seasonal ingredients, sustainability, and supporting local producers”. 

Caerphilly operators open Welsh-Italian café bar for fourth site: Caerphilly operators Jonathan, Richard and Martin Rees have opened a Welsh-Italian café bar in the town for their fourth site. The brothers have taken over the lease of the former Coffi Vista site in Castle Street, opposite the town’s castle. The owners of cocktail bar and event space Ten Degrees, Team Rees Gym and Jake’s Ice Cream & Co have created a space “inspired by the Italian cafes that brought a rich coffee culture to the Welsh valleys after the Second World War”. Since acquiring the lease, the brothers have invested £275,000 in a complete refurbishment of the property. The idea for Rosita’s was born out of a trip the youngest brother, Jonathan, made to Rome with his partner. The couple were searching for somewhere to eat when they stumbled across a side street café “serving amazing food and incredible coffee”. At the heart of the operation was Rosita. Jonathan then brought his vision for an all-day dining experience with some Italian flair for Caerphilly back to his brothers, who got behind the idea.