Church’s Texas Chicken plans UK launch in next two years, could grow to between 300 and 500 sites here: Church’s Texas Chicken, one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurant brands in the world, is targeting a launch in the UK in the next two years, Propel has learned. Founded in San Antonio in 1952, Church’s Texas Chicken has more than 1,400 locations in 25 countries and global markets and system-wide sales of more than $1.5bn, Last week, the brand, which is known as Texas Chicken outside the Americas, said it had set its sights on opening in the UK having signed an agreement to launch in Germany. Eric Hanson, vice-president of international development, told Propel that conversations were underway with potential franchisees in the UK and believes it could have between 300 and 500 sites here in the next 15 years. “The fried chicken market in the UK is on fire,” said Hanson. “The UK is a very important market and probably the second largest in Europe. We appreciate there are some tremendous players already in the market, but we believe there is still room for a brand that offers quality at a relatively low value point like us. We’ve still got a lot of work to do and we’re probably looking at 2026 or 2027 for a launch. We’re looking for regional franchisees rather than one operator – dealing in London and Leeds, for example, is totally different. In terms of size, I think we could have 300-500 sites here in ten to 15 years. Whether we can grow to the size of KFC, which has more than 1,000 sites here, is another question, but there are some smaller independent operators that could be absorbed. There is substantial scope for development in the UK.” Hanson said the brand expects to be in 30 international markets by the end of the year. “It’s been a busy last three or four years with expansion both in the US and internationally,” he added. “Sales in our international markets were up almost 40% last year. We’re hoping to add a couple more in Europe, potentially in Asia, and two or three in the Americas and Caribbean. In Europe, we’re looking at Italy, Spain and France. About 20 years ago, France would never have been a market for us. Now, it’s probably the most franchise friendly market in Europe.”

Sponsored message – Sybron looks to the future with management buyout: Sybron, a leading UK supplier of cleaning, hygiene and catering products to some of the largest names in hospitality, has taken significant steps to safeguard the long-term future of the business with the completion of a management buyout. The new, five-strong management team has, collectively, 70 years’ experience in the business, and includes executive director Kathryn Henwood, operations director Bradley Henwood, business development director Chris Henwood, sales and marketing director George Mason and purchasing director Mark Newson. The team took leadership roles more than two years ago, bringing fresh skills to evolve and drive the business forward. The company continues to retain its strong culture and values, building on the solid foundations laid over the past 22 years by its previous leadership. “The new team is proud to take the baton from Trevor and Stephen Henwood as they retire,” said Mason. “We are committed to preserving and expanding upon the legacy they’ve built. Sybron’s strong foundations remain intact, and we are focused on ensuring the business’ long-term success. From a customer perspective, everything they love about Sybron will remain the same – it’s very much business as usual. Sustainability, innovation and our exceptional team are at the core of our growth strategy moving forward. We’re excited about what lies ahead.” To find out more about Sybron, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

New speaker joins Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference line-up, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Laura Lewis, marketing director of Arc Inspirations, has joined the speaker line-up for 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. Lewis will join Arc Inspirations chief executive Martin Wolstencroft to talk about how the award-winning company strives to deliver an elevated experience across all areas of its business and how it plans to almost double its estate over the next five years. 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 two updated databases and Multi-Club Conference videos this week: Premium Club subscribers will receive two updated databases and the videos from the Propel Multi-Club Conference this week. The 14 videos from the conference will be made available to Premium Club subscribers today (Wednesday, 9 April) at 9am. The latest Propel Food & Beverage Franchisee Database will also be sent today, at 12pm. The database will feature 50 new entries to take the total number to 240 and more than 98,000 words. The new entries include CD’s UK Holdings, which is rolling out US seafood brand Captain D’s in the UK, and Jiniex, which is rolling out Taiwanese bubble tea brand Gong Cha here. The database also includes the first franchises for Champage + Fromage, Brgr Lab and Mowchi – namely HF Viticulture & Wine, Brgr Lab Leicester and MxChi Bfd. Premium Club subscribers will then receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (11 April), at 12pm. The database will feature 78 updated accounts and 20 new companies, taking the total to 1,108. A total of 697 companies are making a profit while 411 are making a loss. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to four other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the New Openings 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.

 

Caravan co-founder – securing funding is a huge barrier to getting more women into the sector: Laura Harper-Hinton, co-founder and chief executive of Caravan, the restaurant group and coffee roastery, has told Propel that the ability to secure funding remains a “huge barrier to getting more women into the sector from an entrepreneur perspective”. Speaking on Propel's new podcast series, In Conversation, she said: “We all know that the sector remains reasonably male dominated and not as diverse as we would all like it to be. One of the key barriers I always see from a female entrepreneur and female founder perspective is access to funding. There was a terrible statistic last year, which was only 1% of venture capital funding went to female-founded businesses. My question would be how can we try and break that down? How can we get more access to funding to these fantastic women who’ve got brilliant ideas and would bring so much to our sector? When we were trying to get the initial funding for Caravan, I remember very clearly getting laughed out of one of the high street banks because I was the only female representative at the meeting, and they did not take me seriously. I do think that funding is a huge barrier to getting more women into the sector from an entrepreneur perspective. I do think that there are still a lot of deals that are done on the golf course or in quite male spaces where there remains a barrier to women.” Looking ahead, Harper-Hinton said is planning to open another site towards the tail end of this year, in “a very exciting location in London”. She added: “Part of the expansion play will be around where the brand might be going forward from a format perspective. Do we look to do two smaller Caravans in the environs of Manchester, or are we jumping straight to Edinburgh and Glasgow, for example? We’re looking at both options and trying to zero in on where we think the right opportunity lies.” In Conversation is a new series of fortnightly podcasts, exclusive for Propel Premium Club subscribers, featuring industry leaders and sector players talking about their businesses and issues impacting the UK’s hospitality market. 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.

Deliveroo executive – ‘hospitality is taken for granted by our policymakers’: Carlo Mocci, chief business officer at Deliveroo, has said that for a sector that is so integral to London, “it too often feels as if hospitality is taken for granted by our policymakers”. He told City AM: “This week’s rise in national insurance contributions for employers will be a blow for the UK’s beloved restaurants and cafes. These are the very businesses that make up the fabric of our communities, shaping the identities of our local neighbourhoods. Run by passionate innovators and entrepreneurs, UK restaurants collectively employ hundreds of thousands of people and support supply chains across the country. In the face of mounting costs that will hold back growth and high street revival, the government needs to give the hospitality industry certainty that there will be no further tax rises that will squeeze the sector and instead create the right environment for the industry to thrive and grow.” Mocci said that the cuisines to watch right now are Argentinian, Taiwanese and West African – fuelled by eateries such as Bao, Gaucho and 805 Restaurants. He said: “In central London, salads are trending as City office workers increasingly opt for healthy lunches from places like Farmer J, Eat Activ, The Salad Project and Joe & The Juice. But it’s not all salads fuelling the City – sales of Dishoom Lunch Pots, Bleecker Burger and Mama Li’s famous rice, and roast meat boxes are up year on year too.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a luxury estate in the Cotswolds that is looking for a general manager to lead and shape the future of the destination. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will oversee all aspects of the estate, ensuring that each guest experience is seamless, unforgettable and flawlessly executed. The general manager will lead a talented team, curating world-class offerings, and create a destination experience that sets new standards of luxury. This is more than a job; it’s the chance to make a mark on a historic, world-renowned property.” The role offers a six-figure package and is based in the Cotswolds. For more information, email lara@corecruitment.com.

 

Exclusive – Popeyes UK enters partnership with SSP, secures first airport site: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, has entered into a strategic partnership with SSP, the UK operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, to open a pipeline of travel hub sites across the country, Propel has learned. The first site under the new partnership will open at Birmingham airport at the start of this summer. Opening in time for the peak summer travel season, Popeyes’ first UK airport restaurant will be located airside and will offer the brand’s full all-day menu, as well as its recently launched breakfast menu. “As the food travel experts, we’re always working to ensure we meet the evolving needs of customers while offering variety across our portfolio,” said Kari Daniels, chief executive of SSP UK & Ireland. “There’s a huge appetite for Popeyes’ tasty menu, so we’re really excited to launch our new partnership together at UK travel hubs, starting with the brand's inaugural journey into UK airport restaurants at Birmingham airport.” Popeyes UK, which holds the UK and Ireland franchise for the brand, entered the UK market in November 2021. It has subsequently expanded to circa 70 sites across the UK. The brand has ambitious expansion plans and is targeting 350 UK outlets by 2031 with a plan to almost double its current restaurant portfolio during 2025. It is targeting sales of more than £200m in 2025, up 70% year-on-year. Tom Byng, chief development officer at Popeyes UK, said: “Everybody is delighted to be working with SSP to open Popeyes’ first UK airport restaurant. This is the first of a number of locations we will open in partnership with SSP, marking a significant milestone for the business as we roll out our ambitious growth plans for 2025, and reflects the continued strength of our customer proposition and brand appeal.” In February, Josh Kobza, chief executive of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), the owner of Popeyes, Burger King and Tim Hortons, said average restaurant sales for Popeyes UK reached nearly $3m (£2.4m) in 2024. TDR Capital took control of Popeyes UK last year after initially injecting £50m into the business in 2023.

We Do Play co-founder – ‘we’re getting offered exceptional properties across the board as our brands generate tonnes of footfall’: Richard Beese, the co-founder of multi-concept experiential leisure operator We Do Play, has said the company is getting offered “exceptional properties across the board” as its brands generate “tonnes of footfall”. We Do Play operates 35 sites under its Flip Out trampoline brand, along with six Putt Putt Social crazy golf sites. In December, the group launched the first UK site for Canadian immersive games concept Activate, at London’s O2, and plans to roll out 30 further UK Activate sites over the next three and a half years. We Do Play had also launched a further experiential concept, “social jungle” Rumble Rooms, in Milton Keynes, and is seeking franchise partners ahead of a potential UK rollout. Speaking at the Propel Multi-Club Conference, Beese said: “Both our indoor trampolining business, Flip Out, and Activate, the brand we brought across from North America, bring in tonnes of footfall. Flip Out will bring in 200,000-300,000 people a year and our first Activate is bringing in 200,000 people, we think, on the run rate for this year. As a result, we are getting offered exceptional properties across the board, so the opportunity is to try to land grab those opportunities as much as possible. At the same time, we obviously need to be aware that we’ve got cashflow and investment needs and we don’t want to come off the tracks. But we want to move fast, and that’s exactly what we did with Boom Battle Bar as well, which was a company we founded and sold [to XP Factory]. We just moved as fast as possible to get critical mass, and that’s the same with our current opportunities. The property deals are out there for the right concept.” Beese also said the increases in labour costs from this month meant “we’ve probably never looked as hard at costs as we are doing now”. He added: “What we don’t want to be doing is passing that cost on to the customer, so we are doing everything we can to streamline all the costs in the business. I think we’re doing a pretty good job.” Beese was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. His video and the 13 others from the conference will be made available to Premium Club members today (Wednesday, 9 April), at 9am. 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.

 

US hot sandwich brand to open first UK site in six years in June, seeking franchisees to expand here with: US hot customisable sandwich brand Which Wich will open its first UK site in six years in June. Propel revealed in February that the brand, which has grown to more than 400 sites globally since being founded in Dallas in 2003 and first entered the UK market in 2018 with a debut store in London’s Covent Garden, was set to kickstart its expansion here with two openings. These would include a Central London location, in Fleet Street, and its Welsh debut, in Cardiff. The former will now open in June, at 53 Fleet Street, in a former Chronext luxury watches shop. “We’re building momentum and looking for entrepreneurial partners who share our passion for great food and innovative, scalable businesses,” said Rami Awada, Which Wich’s UK master franchisee. “With an award-winning brand, multiple revenue streams and full franchise support, this is just the beginning of our national growth journey. This opening marks a major milestone in the brand’s UK expansion and showcases the scalability of its modern, multi-channel business model. The new Fleet Street store will bring Which Wich’s signature offerings to a vibrant business district and serve as a prototype for future franchise locations nationwide. Which Wich has evolved into a scalable, technology-enabled operation with strong revenue potential. The brand has developed a state-of-the-art technology stack that powers everything from online ordering and delivery logistics to catering co-ordination and real-time sales analytics. With flexible formats, locations benefit from a balanced mix of dine-in, takeaway and delivery sales, while corporate catering offers a very strong and lucrative growth opportunity for the brand’s urban growth strategy. The brand is currently in discussions for additional UK locations and welcomes enquiries from prospective franchise partners.” At the end of 2023, Awada told Propel he was targeting opening 30 UK sites over the next three years “as a conservative estimate”.

 

Black Sheep Coffee reports record-breaking week: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee has reported a record-breaking week for the seven days ending 31 March 2025. The company said overall estate net sales were £1,804,323 – a 9.3% increase on the previous week’s total of £1,650,262 – underpinned by a UK record high for the company. This growth was driven by strong weekday performances, peaking at 15% week-on-week growth on the Tuesday. All but three sites experienced like-for-like net sales increases in the week, with a record-breaking 48 sites breaking their all-time highs. Like-for-like sales were up 13.3% from the previous week, while like-for-like transactions were up 12.6% from the previous week. Black Sheep Coffee, which has 105 UK stores and eight overseas, opened its latest store on Tuesday (8 April) in Glasgow – its sixth in the city. The store, in the Silverburn shopping centre, is a fourth for franchisees Suhail Rehman and Tariq Din. Rehman said: “This opening marks another major milestone in our journey as part of a multi-unit area development agreement to roll out double-digit locations across the west of Scotland over the next five years. Our first three stores have recently delivered record-breaking performance, with more than 50% year-on-year growth. In fact, March and early April have delivered our best sales weeks to date, proving the strength of the concept and its appeal to Scottish consumers.”

 

Simmons Bars able to maintain trading levels despite cost-of-living crisis, Manchester site ahead of expectations: Cocktail bar operator Simmons has said it was able to maintain trading levels in the year to 31 March 2024, despite the impact on the disposable income of young consumers of the cost-of-living crisis. The 24-strong company, which is backed by Lonsdale Capital Partners, reported turnover in the 12 months to 31 March 2024 of £28.6m (FY23: £28.0m), gross profit of £23.1m (FY23: £22.6m) and adjusted Ebitda of £2.4m (FY23: £3.7m). It posted a pre-tax loss of £2.2m (FY23: £31,000). The Nick Campbell-led business said that the year to the end of March 2024 was “another period where the bars market faced significant macroeconomic headwinds”. It said: “The group was able to mitigate the worst effects of this with trading remaining resilient across the year, with revenue finishing ahead of the prior year and ahead of the market. This did not prevent Ebitda dropping year on year in the face of continuing high inflation and the impact of the relatively high operational gearing common across all hospitality companies. The key driver of this performance was the impact of the cost-of-living crisis in the UK. The persistently high inflation has a dual impact on the group with consumers disposable incomes being squeezed as well as putting pressure on the group’s cost base. The impact on consumer disposable incomes and confidence was more pronounced for the group’s key younger, lower income, London-based consumer than other parts of the hospitality industry. Despite these severe headwinds, the group was able to maintain FY23 trading levels, with the group’s market leading value for money proposition a key factor. Festive trading was particularly strong, with multiple records broken (site and group daily, weekly and monthly sales and profit) which was very pleasing, with like-for-like group sales of +9.5% over the period (compared to comparable weeks in FY23).” The company opened its first regional site, in Manchester’s Deansgate, last October. It said: “The opening of the site has gone very well to date and early trading has been very positive and well ahead of expectations and budgets.” The company said that despite the multiple challenges still facing the sector, “the directors remain very optimistic regarding the future for the group with the strength of the management team, brand and continued relevance of the offer”.

Team behind L’Eto to launch Japanese restaurant in Soho: The team behind L’Eto, the upscale international restaurant and cafe brand, is gearing up to open a new Japanese restaurant concept in London’s Soho, Propel has learned. The business, which is led by Artem Login, will open Moi in Wardour Street. The new restaurant will offer “an inventive fusion of Japanese flavours with a modern, elevated twist” and will be led by executive chef Andy Cook. Earlier this year, Propel revealed that the team behind L’Eto is to open a new Mediterranean concept Alta in part of the former Rum Kitchen site in Kingly Court, Soho. The business said that Moi is the first in “a series of innovative restaurants from the Login family, which is a collaboration between a father-and-son duo celebrated for establishing the globally renowned patisseries, L’Eto”. It said: “This marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Login family, bringing their signature warmth and artistry to the city’s dining landscape. Moi, literally translated as a ‘bowl’, presents a Neo-Japanese dining experience in a relaxed, stylish space where guests can savour the atmosphere as much as the food.” L’Eto’s global portfolio spans 40 restaurants in seven countries. The company, which launched in the UK in 2011, operates ten L’Eto sites in the capital, along with My & Sanne in Brompton Road, Knightsbridge.

Atis co-founder – we are only at the start of our journey: Philip Honer, co-founder of Atis, the fast-growing, London salad concept, has said that the business is only at the start of its journey in helping people “reclaim their lunch break through real food”. Speaking at the Propel Multi Club Conference, Honer, who co-founded the ten-strong business with former Noble Rot sommelier Eleanor Warder, reiterated that the company has a target of reaching 20 sites in the capital by September after securing £8m of new funding earlier this year, with regional expansion also being considered. He said: “The perennial challenge to our segment is will the model work outside of London, and will the premium lunch work in general? It’s up to us as entrepreneurs and operators to use creativity over model, menu, format and pricing structure to make sure that it appeals to everyone outside London. We always talked about allowing people to reclaim their lunch break through real food, and we think it’s just the beginning.” Honer said the new funding, which was secured from long-term backer and property developer, Graham Hedger, would be deployed in four ways – on new sites, building the company’s teams, technology and toward a dedicated product development facility. He added: “The increase in restaurant technology is well documented and grows at a frightening pace. The problem is, as operators, you’re caught between the rock of a fragmented landscape and the hard place of if you choose to integrate further, you become very sticky and lose your leverage. This is our way of controlling our own destiny. We’re building our own e-commerce platform that spans kiosk, website, app and click and collect with embedded loyalty throughout.” Honer was among the speakers at last week’s Propel Multi-Club Conference. His video and the 13 others from the conference will be made available to Premium Club members today (Wednesday, 9 April) at 9am. 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.

New artisan sandwich concept seeking £250,000 investment for first permanent site, targets 50 stores and dark kitchens within five years: New artisan sandwich concept Primo Banjo is seeking a £250,000 investment to help open its first permanent site and has targeted 50 stores and dark kitchens within the next five years. Currently operating as a pop-up within the Bone Idyll Distillery in Water Lane, Kingston-on-Thames, south west London, founder John Woodward is now seeking to take his concept to the next level. Primo Banjo is a first hospitality venture for the former catering student, who has been working as an estate agent in London for the past two decades. He is raising £250,000 in SEIS advanced assurance to secure its debut permanent site in Kingston, for which negotiations are already underway. Woodward said investors will gain equity “in a concept backed by a powerhouse team, a cult following and a scalable model primed for rapid growth”. He added: “Primo Banjo, the cult-favourite artisan sandwich business with a fiercely loyal following, is on a mission to redefine the UK’s quick service sandwich sector and is inviting forward-thinking investors to join its ambitious expansion. Born from a wildly successful pop-up, where queues wrapped around the block and demand exploded, Primo Banjo is now ready to establish its first permanent flagship location. With plans for five sites in 24 months and 50 in five years with a blend of physical and dark sites, this is more than a sandwich shop: it’s a scalable, high-growth business poised to take on industry giants. The £250,000 secures the first flagship, with future raises already in planning. We have a clear roadmap to 50 sites by 2029 and a strategic exit plan by 2030. We’re not here to play – we’re here to dominate – our pop-up success proved people are tired of mediocre sandwiches.”

 

New TGI Fridays CEO – franchisees are now in charge of the brand globally: New TGI Fridays chief executive Ray Blanchette has said franchisees “are now in charge of the brand globally”. Blanchette, owner of Sugarloaf TGIF Management, returned to the role in January after the company filed for bankruptcy protection in November, reports Nation Restaurant News. Blanchette, who served as chief executive of TGI Fridays for five years, stepped down from the position in May 2023. “We've formed our new management advisory committee, which is made up of six international franchisees, two domestic franchisees and myself,” Blanchette said. “That’s really acting as sort of the quasi-board, if you will, but we're making all the brand strategy decisions collectively as a group. The franchisees are now in charge of the TGI Fridays brand globally.” After closing underperforming restaurants earlier this year, the brand is repositioning itself for growth under the leadership of Blanchette, who returned to the company in 2022. “We’ve done the hard work,” Blanchette said. “We’re now a smaller, nimbler organisation with a clear vision for where we’re going.” TGI Fridays has embarked on a brand refresh centred around simplifying its operations and improving unit-level economics, with a franchise-first model. “Our focus now is squarely on building a franchise-friendly model,” Blanchette said. “We’ve lowered the cost to build, improved four-wall economics, and created a much more investable business.” A key component of the strategy has been a menu simplification, focusing on top-performing items like burgers, ribs, wings and proteins. “This is not the TGI Fridays of old,” Blanchette said. “We’re building something that’s streamlined, relevant, and built for today’s operators. It’s all about getting back to our roots – bold food, a great bar and an energy that sets us apart. We’re ready to grow again, and we’re doing it the right way.”

 

Rick Stein Group names new chair: Richard Banks has stepped down as chair of Rick Stein Group, Propel has learned. Banks has been replaced by Mark Hixon, who has stepped up from his position as a non-executive director of the group. Banks, who was formerly chief executive of UK Asset Resolution, joined Rick Stein Group as chair in September 2021. Hixon joined the group at the same time as a non-executive director. He has more than 30 years’ experience of working at all levels within the management consulting profession and is also currently the managing director of Consulting Associates Worldwide, a consultancy set up in 2001 focused on delivering cost management and performance improvement solutions to the UK financial sector. A Rick Stein Group spokesperson told Propel: “We can confirm Richard Banks has stepped down as chair due to personal family reasons. The company sincerely thanks him for his leadership and contributions. Mark Hixon has stepped up from non-executive director to chair.” Stein opened his first restaurant in 1975, and now has nine restaurants across the UK, with five in Cornwall, and a pub.

 

Aspers files notice of intention to appoint administrator: Casino business Aspers looks set for a restructure after filing a notice of intention to appoint an administrator. The business, which currently operates casinos in Stratford and Milton Keynes, is understood to have lined up FTI Consulting to oversee an administration process. Last February, the business reported that attendance figures were up 11% in the year to 30 June 2023 but spend per head was down 15%. It has also forecast a 18% revenue rise in 2024 as it employs more staff to meet increasing demand and moves its flagship casino in Stratford to a 24/7 operation. It came as the business reported a pre-tax loss of £8,444,000 for the period compared with a profit of £2,640,000 in 2022. Turnover was down from £64,637,000 to £61,022,000 while Ebitda dropped from £8.2m to £2.2m. Director Richard Noble said: “Group trading revenues in the year reduced by 6% due to a reduction in customer spend levels resulting from the cost-of-living crisis. This led to a 15% reduction in spend levels per head. Challenges with staff recruitment further contributed to the declining revenue position with reduced numbers of gaming and food and beverage staff, resulting in fewer open tables and a less efficient F&B offering.”

 

Bannatyne Group reports significant rise in profit as turnover approaches record £150m and membership levels grow by almost 4,000: Health club company Bannatyne Group, led by Duncan Bannatyne, reported a significant rise in profit in the year to 31 December 2024 as its membership levels grew by almost 4,000. The group saw pre-tax profit rise more than 40% to £14.4m, up from £10.1m in 2023, as memberships grew to 219,500. Turnover increased by 7.7% from £138.9m to a record £149.7m. Bannatyne said: “These results demonstrate what can be achieved when a great team works together to turn things around. We encountered our first loss during covid-19, and the post-pandemic period has required real focus on core activities and delivering what members want at the right price. This has succeeded, and we have returned to the level of profits that we were targeting five years ago. The introduction of new classes, new technology and an upgrade programme for our buildings and facilities will help us maintain members’ loyalty as we strive for sustainable growth in 2025. Like our members, we have become leaner and stronger and are concentrating on staying fit for the future.” The group operates 67 health clubs across the UK.

 

German Doner Kebab set to launch in Bluewater this summer: German Doner Kebab (GDK), owned by Hero Brands, is set to launch in Kent’s Bluewater shopping centre this summer. The brand, which is approaching 150 UK locations, will open within the centre’s Winter Gardens food court. The location will create 20 jobs. Simon Wallis, GDK’s chief executive, said: “Bluewater is one of the busiest shopping destinations in the UK, making it the perfect location for us to serve up our game changing kebabs. As we continue our rapid growth across the UK, openings like Bluewater are powerful markers of the momentum behind the GDK brand.” 

 

Hong Kong-inspired concept signs up for House of Social: Choi Wan, a new concept by seasoned restaurateur Victor Yu which offers a modern take on traditional Hong Kong cuisine, is the latest business to sign up to open in Manchester this summer at the city’s new food hall, House of Social. Yu, together with executive chef Bruno Birkbeck (formerly of the Michelin-starred Northcote and The Samling) will oversee the new concept, which joins Burger & Beyond and Mughli, the Leeds Indian soul food restaurant concept, in signing up to open at House of Social, which is owned by the Vita Group. Choi Wan will feature dishes like bamboo chicken and duck bao, plus “reimagined classics” like their prawn toast crumpet and Chinese rotisserie chicken.

 

Fife operator acquires third site in ‘one of the largest independent pub sales in Scotland in last five years’: Fife operator M&R Bars has secured its third site. The company has acquired Louie Browns bar and restaurant in Dalgety Bay from Bar & Bistros. Bar & Bistros opened the Regents Way site in 2013 after purchasing and converting the former Dalgety Bay Social Club. The business was sold on an off-market confidential basis. The price was undisclosed, but agent Cornerstone said the freehold sale represents “one of the largest independent pub sales in Scotland in the last five years”. M&R Bars currently operates Foxtons Bar & Grill in Glenrothes as well as Hugos Bar & Pavillion also in Dalgety Bay.

 

Manchester-based bakery concept to close all of its sites due to ‘financial domino effect’: Loaf MCR has announced it is to close its three sites in Greater Manchester at the end of this month following a difficult year and a “financial domino effect” that was “impossible to recover from”. The bakery and cafe chain was created by baker Aiden Ryan during the pandemic to raise money for the NHS. Its first cafe launched at Affinity Living Riverview in Salford in 2022, which was quickly followed by another spot on the city’s Oxford Road. It also operates a concession at Selfridges in the Trafford Centre. Ryan said: “Behind the scenes, it’s been a really hard year. We were relying on funding that fell through at the last minute – funding that was essential to keeping Loaf sustainable. At the same time, we were hit with severely delayed payments and invoices, ever rising costs and mounting arrears. A supplier also took thousands from our account without permission, triggering a financial domino effect that was almost impossible to recover from. The cashflow challenges starting last May last meant there were delays in paying important bills, including tips and pension contributions - something I’ve carried with a huge amount of sadness and guilt. These are people who gave so much of themselves to Loaf and not being able to give them what they were owed on time was one of the hardest parts of all this.” Ryan said he has something of a breakdown and shared this not sympathy but “to be honest about what running a business really looks like”. He added: “It’s not just wins and Instagrammable moments – sometimes it’s stress, silence, self-doubt and sacrifice.”

 

Gloucestershire kitchen garden concept opens second site: Gloucestershire kitchen garden concept Roots + Seeds has opened its second site. Schoolfriends Toby Baggott and Sam Lawson-King launched the first Roots + Seeds in Cirencester Park, within the grounds of the Bathurst Estate in Cirencester in 2023. The duo, who previously operated Cotswolds socially distanced dining experience The Scenic Supper during the covid lockdown, have now launched the second Roots + Seeds, with a 60-cover restaurant at Gloucester Dock. Roots + Seeds is the 12th trader to join the Gloucester Dock line-up. Roots + Seeds’ brasserie-style menu of modern British dishes with influences from further afield offers Cotswolds-sourced produce. The Gloucester Dock site serves coffee, breakfast, brunch and lunch daily, as well as dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. There is also award-winning Roots + Seeds London Dry Gin plus a selection of wine and beer. Baggott and Lawson-King said: “We are excited to bring our local and seasonal menu to Gloucester and share dishes that highlight some of the amazing producers of Gloucestershire. We’re pleased to join a fantastic food community of like-minded businesses.”

Universal closes in on deal to open biggest theme park in Europe near Bedford: Universal is on the verge of securing a deal to build what could become Europe’s largest theme park on a 500-acre former brickworks site near Bedford. US media company Comcast, which owns Universal, is close to finalising terms that would transform the industrial land into one of Europe’s premier tourist destinations. The FT reported that an announcement could come as early as next week, according to sources close to the negotiations, which have been ongoing since last summer. The proposed theme park was confirmed in December 2023 after the company bought the 476-acre parcel of land. The scheme could generate nearly £50bn of economic value to the UK over its first 20 years, according to analysis by Universal Destinations & Experiences. The theme park and resort are expected to support 20,000 jobs in total. “It’s in its final stages,” said one person involved in the talks, who added that the final terms were still being discussed. In February, Universal applied to trademark its name in the UK, specifically in relation to advertising services; hotels, restaurants, bar and cafe services; and amusement park, theme park and water park services.

 

Leroy alumni to launch new venue in the site of the former Michelin-starred Shoreditch restaurant: Two team members from Leroy, the former Michelin-starred restaurant in London’s Shoreditch, are set to launch a new venue in its place. Alex Grant and Simon Shand, who met at Leroy before it closed last year, will next month launch Duchy in the same premises. Named after the Duchy of Savoy, reflecting its French and Italian influences, Duchy will open in May at 18 Phipp Street. Dishes will include pork shoulder and smoked eel croquettes, brown crab arancini, anchovies with lardo on marjoram toast, roasted pork neck with bagna cauda and courgette, and Dover sole with Grenobloise sauce. There will also be larger sharing dishes like côte de boeuf and red mullet with beurre blanc sauce, while wines will come from the Duchy of Savoy region. Grant said: “Leroy was that rarest of things, and yet, even knowing it as well as I do, I often struggle to put into words why. It was serious and small. It was wildly busy. It was loud at times, but wonderfully so. It was fast and loose, and for a bistro of that size, it had an extraordinary cellar. It’s where I met Simon. It’s where I met some of my now closest friends and, of course, where I met my incredible partner, without the love and support of whom none of this would have been possible. I guess, for me, the timing and the team were some kind of perfect storm. And I hope, with chance on our side, we can do the ghosts justice.”

Liverpool operators open new coffee shop for first site: Liverpool operators Anestis Gaitanidis and Dimitrios Samaras have opened a new coffee shop for their first site. The friends, both from Greece, have opened Sips & Stories on Smithdown Road in South Liverpool. It offers speciality coffee with a focus on ethically sourced, single-origin beans, hot and cold brews and loose-leaf tea. Food options include spinach and feta and chicken and vegetable pastries, bagels stuffed with turkey and cream cheese, pastel de nata, cruffins and brownies. Samaras said: “After perfecting our menu, service and style, Sips & Stories is very excited to welcome guests from Liverpool and beyond to explore our variety of coffee beans and continue to visit time and time again to explore new and exciting flavours as we rotate our guest flavour each month.”