Foodservice price inflation remains calm amidst global economic crosscurrents: The latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) indicates a continued easing of inflationary pressures, with the Index remaining relatively flat in February, falling by a marginal 0.1 point from January 2025. Year-on-year inflation held steady at 1.8% in February, while month-on-month inflation saw a slight decrease of 0.1%. While this reflects a degree of stability for the foodservice sector over the past 12 months, the underlying global economic factors and domestic policy changes present more challenges going forward. The majority of the Index's categories, six out of ten, experienced month-on-month inflation in February. Conversely, only one category out of ten showed year-on-year deflation. The highest year-on-year inflation was observed in oils and fats at 5.7%, and coffee, tea and cocoa at 6.8%. After the sharp increases seen in cocoa and coffee prices over the past 12 months, there has been some recent easing, but both commodities still remain at nearly double the average price compared to 2023. Meat and poultry prices are also under significant upward pressure, with beef prices continuing to trade at record highs, and price rises in chicken being seen due to the Avian Flu outbreak in Poland. The impact of recently imposed US tariffs remains a concern, although their full effect is yet to materialise. However, there will undoubtably be some volatility in the market as some imports and exports to and from the US will start to seek alternative markets. Looking ahead, the foodservice sector must also consider the potential inflationary impact of the autumn Budget, which takes effect in April. The associated rise in labour costs will start to filter through the supply chain, adding further upward pressure to food and beverage pricing as producers and wholesalers adjust to increased overheads. This, coupled with existing pressures on food production costs, suggests that while the current inflation rate is subdued, businesses should remain vigilant for future price increases. Shaun Allen, chief executive of Prestige Purchasing, said: “While the overall Foodservice Price Index indicates inflation has been tracking at a relatively low level to date, the upward price pressure on key commodities like beef, chicken, dairy and coffee combined with the impacts from the national minimum wage and national insurance contribution changes which come into effect in April, means we are likely to see a resurgence of inflation in the coming months.” Reuben Pullan, senior insight consultant at CGA by NIQ, added: “The inflationary waters in foodservice have been calm lately, but there are several major causes for concern. Increases in national insurance contributions will hit hospitality operators’ margins and are also likely to drive up some prices, while tariff wars will inevitably cause more collateral damage across the sector.”

 

Sir Tim Martin to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Sir Tim Martin, founder and chair of JD Wetherspoon, 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. Sir Tim will discuss how the company plans to double its sales to £4bn in the next ten years after passing the £2bn mark last year and why his business is a true melting pot of consumers. 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 tomorrow featuring 1,108 companies: Premium Club subscribers will receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book tomorrow (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. 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 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.

UKHospitality – sector should be at the forefront of government’s industrial strategy: UKHospitality has said the sector should be at the forefront of government’s industrial strategy, as it adapts to a “new world order”. The trade body was responding to Universal’s plans to invest in a large-scale theme park near Bedford. The government has confirmed the first Universal theme park in Europe will be built on the site of a former brickworks and is set to open in 2031. The announcement comes as US president Donald Trump’s new trade tariffs cause global financial turmoil. “This announcement, bringing £50bn in economic growth and 28,000 jobs, shows the power of hospitality and tourism to attract inward investment into the UK at a scale not seen for decades, proving our sector’s resilience to global instability,” said UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls. “The world order has dramatically changed in just a few weeks, and the government’s industrial strategy should adapt in a way that recognises that fact. It’s time to adopt a more expansive approach that equally recognises the power of foundational sectors, like hospitality, to attract investment and drive socially productive growth, job creation and regeneration, equitably across the UK. The UK is already home to the world’s best hospitality, tourism and leisure companies, and they too should be benefiting from government backing and support, like that afforded to inward investment. Backing hospitality and tourism is an investment in economic stability, at a time when globalised sectors are facing challenges never seen before, and the UK has consistently been Europe’s largest recipient of tourism inward investment.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a premium multi-site restaurant company that is looking for an experienced group executive chef to lead its high-volume Mediterranean concept. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “With six sites to manage, this is a fast-paced restaurant environment where the group executive chef will need strong leadership and an eye for menu innovation and cost control and to maintain excellence across all sites.” The salary is up to £70,000 per year and the position is based in Central London. For more information, email olly@corecruitment.com.

 

KoKoDoo set to kickstart expansion plans, looking to ‘scale rapidly’ as overseas competitors eye UK market: KoKoDoo, the Korean fried chicken concept founded as a restaurant by Joseph and Mary Yoon in 2006 before evolving into a street food operation, has told Propel it is set to kickstart its expansion plans and is looking to “scale rapidly” as overseas competitors eye the UK market. Alongside an established catering business, KoKoDoo currently operates four franchised locations across the UK – a takeaway site in London’s Shoreditch, delivery kitchens in Camberwell in the capital and Swansea and a food truck in Bristol. Last summer, KoKoDoo launched a fifth site, at Market Place Harrow in north west London, and the franchisee is considering relocating to a new site – potentially a stand-alone takeaway – once the 12-month contract concludes in July. Propel revealed in October that KoKoDoo was lining up a new flagship store in Central London, and the focus will remain on that for now before kickstarting its franchise programme and targeting cities and towns across the UK. “Our franchise programme is currently on pause as we focus on launching our first flagship site in London, which will be owned and operated by the parent company,” Joseph Yoon told Propel. “We’ve secured a site in Fulham Broadway and are currently in the early stages of finalising the acquisition. We haven’t yet had the chance to open a company-owned location, so this launch is a key milestone for us. We’re targeting a third quarter opening, after which we’ll fully resume our franchise expansion plans. This site will set the standard moving forward and we intend to use it as the blueprint for future franchise locations. Once relaunched, we’ll be open to working with both single-site operators and multi-site franchisees who share our brand values and long-term vision. Our current focus remains in the Greater London area, and we plan on opening several of our sites in London ourselves alongside our franchisees. However, we currently have a franchisee who operates in Swansea, which demonstrates our capacity to successfully support remote franchisees outside of the London area. We will certainly also be looking to find franchisees who can work with us in the Midlands and north west areas soon, such as Birmingham and Manchester. Although the transition into the franchise sector since 2023 has been somewhat slower than we’d hoped, we’re confident in the strength and uniqueness of our product and we see ourselves becoming the leading Korean fried chicken franchise in the UK. We are aware there are several Korean fried chicken brands from Korea and the US eyeing the UK market. In light of this, accelerating our own expansion is a top priority beginning, with the launch of our flagship site, and we’re positioning ourselves to scale rapidly in succession.” Yoon said trading across the company’s franchise sites remains “stable and consistent”. He added: “We’re pleased with the resilience of our sales, particularly in light of the broader challenges facing the hospitality sector and the increasing competition within the fried chicken market.” KoKoDoo features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, which now features a total of 340 companies, and which is exclusive to Premium Club subscribers. 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.

Sides reveals target locations as it looks to double restaurant estate by next year and deliver revenue of £200m: Sides, the food business from YouTube collective Sidemen, has reveals its target locations as it looks to double its estate by next year and deliver £200m in revenue. Sides last month opened its sixth restaurant site – at District, the new food hall at Brent Cross shopping centre in north west London. The business posted to social media: “Since our launch in 2021, we’ve charted an ambitious trajectory. By next year, Sides projects: 12 restaurant locations, more than £2m in weekly revenue and our first £200m revenue milestone. Building on our successful performance in Manchester, we’re expanding into prime student markets across the UK, including Bristol, Newcastle, Leicester, Liverpool and Edinburgh. Our proven success with student consumers makes these locations particularly attractive, with 20% of our current customer base coming from the student demographic. These markets consistently demonstrate strong customer loyalty and repeat business, creating an ideal environment for franchise success.” Founded in 2021, Sides grew initially as a delivery-only brand but intends to expand across the country. Last summer, Sides surpassed the £1m weekly revenue mark for the first time, following the launch of a retail range with Iceland.

 

Jersey Mike’s Subs eyes UK launch as part of international expansion plans: Jersey Mike’s Subs, the second-largest sub-sandwich brand in the US behind Subway, is planning to launch in the UK as part of its international expansion plans. Jersey Mike’s Subs, which operates circa 3,000 sites in the US, was acquired by private equity firm Blackstone last November in a deal that reportedly valued the sandwich brand at approximately $8bn, including debt. Founder and chief executive Peter Cancro told Restaurant Business that the sale of Jersey Mike’s Subs to Blackstone was largely designed to accomplish two goals: help the company – which last year generated more than $3.7bn in system sales – integrate technology into its restaurants, and bring its restaurants to more countries. He said Jersey Mike’s Subs has eyes on the UK in particular after a relatively strong performance so far in Canada. Cancro said the locations the company had opened in Toronto are on pace to average $3m per location. “Each store is better than the next,” he said. “Canada is really going well.” The company said it is still looking for the right group to open with in the UK but is eyeing the other side of the Atlantic. “We think Europe, it’s time for that,” Cancro said. At the same time, with around 3,000 US locations, Cancro said there is plenty of white space domestically to keep that momentum going. “We have a long way to go right there,” Cancro said.

 

TRG Concessions planning nine new restaurants this year: The Restaurant Group (TRG) Concessions has said it is planning to open nine new restaurants this year – including seven by the summer. TRG Concessions has just opened a Giraffe at London Heathrow airport’s Terminal 3 for its second launch of 2025. This follows the opening, in February, of its largest ever site – a 12,810 square-foot, 480-cover American-style restaurant called Sanfords at London Luton airport. Last month, TRG 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 and Giraffe. Last November, TRG chief executive Andy Hornby, said the company’s concessions division had “a great year”, with some of its airport sites “turning out up to £300,000 in sales a week”.

 

PureGym hires Martyn Brett-Lee as new UK MD: PureGym, Britain’s biggest health and fitness club operator, has hired Martyn Brett-Lee, formerly of Welcome Break owner Applegreen and Merlin Entertainments, as its new UK managing director. Brett-Lee stepped down as UK managing director of Applegreen at the start of this year after two and a half years in the role. He joined Welcome Break in October 2019 as commercial director after more than two years in the same role at Merlin Entertainments. Before that, he was group head of operational transformation at Odeon Cinemas for a year. He said: “It’s not often that a role comes along that manages to so neatly marry professional experience with personal passion, but this one has done just that. I love fitness, and it’s such an important focus for me, for both physical and mental well-being. I’ve had such a warm welcome from so many at PureGym already and I’m enjoying getting out and visiting clubs. It’s fantastic to be part of such a vibrant team with the mission to inspire a healthier nation by helping more people in more places live healthier lives.” Last December, PureGym said it saw potential for around 600 sites in the UK after opening its 400th venue, in Plymouth. The company expects to open 70-plus sites in 2025.

 

Former Blackrose Pubs MD set to launch new wine lounge in Jesmond: Former Blackrose Pubs managing director Daren Knipe is set to launch a new wine lounge in the Jesmond area of Newcastle. He and wife Kate will open Angel’s Share in the former Boots building in St George’s Terrace in June. The venue will offer wine, beer, spirits, non-alcoholic refreshments, small plates and sharing boards, with self-dispensing machines allowing guests to sample a range of rare and premium wine by the glass. Knipe left Blackrose Pubs in January after six years as managing director having acquired the company name and goodwill in December 2023 following its insolvency by its former owners.

 

Morrisons hires former deep Blue Restaurants COO David Ellison as MD of its cafes: David Ellison, formerly of Deep Blue Restaurants, Pret, Costa and Black Sheep Coffee, has joined supermarket brand Morrisons as managing director of its cafes, Propel has learned. He joins Morrisons after five years as chief operating officer at Deep Blue Restaurants – owner of the Deep Blue, Harry Ramsden’s and Fish & Chips @ 149 brands. Prior to that, he spent a year at delivery-only kitchen concept Taster as director of international operations. He also spent 15 months as director of operations at Honest Burgers and 16 months in the same role at Black Sheep Coffee. It comes as Deep Blue hires Mikayla Whittle as director of franchising and licensing for its Harry Ramsden’s brand. Whittle previously spent six years with franchise consultancy 2x, in several roles including head of franchising and consulting partner – helping grow brands such as Cupp and Oodles. Earlier this year, Deep Blue secured a ferry franchise for Harry Ramsden’s as it partnered with DFDS Ferries to offer Harry Ramsden’s new “Proudly Serving” format to passengers travelling on DFDS routes between Dover and Calais and Dover and Dunkirk. The rollout across six DFDS vessels is expected to be completed by Easter. Whittle said: “Harry Ramsden’s continues to thrive across diverse, high-volume locations, whether a busy coastal site or onboard ferries navigating the Channel. As we expand globally, we’re looking for ambitious franchise partners to join us in bringing this iconic British brand to strategic locations worldwide.”

 

Hollywood Bowl opens sixth Scottish site and furthest north in the UK: Hollywood Bowl has opened its sixth site in Scotland and furthest north in the UK. The company has invested £3.1m in a state-of-the-art bowling and family entertainment centre in Inverness Shopping Park. The venue features 18 bowling lanes equipped with the latest technology, including hi-tech scoring systems and leaderboards, and a cashless arcade with Mario Kart, air hockey and racing games. The centre also includes an American-style bar and diner, offering classic American cuisine from hot dogs and burgers to shakes and signature cocktails. Stephen Burns, chief executive at Hollywood Bowl Group, said: “This new location is our sixth venue in Scotland and our most northerly centre in the UK, as we continue with our goal to enrich local leisure options and economic development in communities across the UK.”

 

Lane7 gears up to open second site in Dublin: Lane7, the boutique bowling and experiential entertainment operator, will open its second site in Dublin, tomorrow (Friday, 11 April). The site, in the city’s Chatham Street, will join the group’s Dundrum site, which opened at the end of January. The Tim Wilks-founded business recently opened its largest Lane7 to date, in Milton Keynes. Earlier this year, managing director Gavin Hughes said the brand’s expansion pipeline is well underway, both in the UK and internationally. Lane7 opened its first international site in Berlin in 2024. Hughes said: “Berlin has been a fantastic success, proving the international demand for our unique take on competitive socialising. Dublin is next, and we have an active pipeline of further European locations in development.” In the UK, the group will open a new Lane7 in Newcastle and Gutterball sites in Edinburgh and Lincoln later this year. The group, which includes the Level X concept, delivered £42m turnover in the year ending 31 October 2024. Wilks was among the speakers on a competitive socialising panel at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. His video and the 13 others from the conference have now been made available to Premium Club members. 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.

 

Reel Cinemas set to build new complex in Northumberland: Plans put forward by Reel Cinemas to build a new cinema complex in Ashington, Northumberland, look set for approval. The cinema would include five screens, along with an entertainment area and restaurants. A similar scheme secured planning permission in 2020 but did not go ahead. The new plans, earmarked for Portland Park, will go before Northumberland County Council's strategic planning committee on Tuesday (15 April), with a recommendation for approval, reports Insider Media. Reel Cinemas currently operates 16 cinemas across the UK.

 

Family-run Kent bakery opens 13th branch: Family-run Kent bakery Boyce’s has opened its 13th branch, in Sittingbourne. Boyce’s, which opened its first branch 30 years ago in Leysdown, has acquired the former P&R Italian Shop at 118 High Street, which was also formerly JC Rook & Sons butchers. Boyce’s is run by founders Keith and Karen Boyce and their son, Tommy, while the new store is being run by their daughter, Stacey Canty, and her husband Nic. Its other sites are in Sheerness, Brambledown, Edenbridge, Allington, Gillingham, Parkwood, Rainham, Canterbury, Herne Bay, Hoo and Snodland. “We feel like Sittingbourne is up and coming,” Nic told Kent Online. “We have our production unit on the Eurolink [estate], we used to do the market here and had Sittingbourne customers visit our sites in Sheppey, so it made sense to open here.”

 

Aberdeen pub group turns a loss, aiming to reopen fire-damaged restaurant this year: Aberdeen pub group PB Devco, which operates 11 bars and restaurants in the city, turned a loss in the year to 31 March 2024 and said it is aiming to this year reopen one of its venues damaged by fire. Vovem, in Union Street, was gutted by a blaze in September 2024. The venue’s bar had reopened by November, and the company is aiming to reopen the rest of the venue, including its kitchen, this year. It is estimated that the repairs will cost around £200,000. It comes after the business, owned by Stuart Clarkson, saw a £553,017 pre-tax profit in 2023 turn into a loss of £181,891. However, the previous year’s figure included a £767,382 profit on disposal of the Bieldside Inn, which it sold for £1.5m in May 2022. The company’s turnover increased from £7,303,876 in 2023 to £9,283,260. Dividends of £1m were paid (2023: nil). Clarkson said: “The company will continue to face a highly competitive market following the year end. However, we are confident about future prospects following continued investment in venues and improving financial conditions.”

 

BVC Group to open Parisian restaurant in Mayfair: The BVC Group, the company behind London’s Mayfair restaurant North Audley Cantine (NAC), smashburger format Supernova, and dessert shop concept Crème, is to open a new Parisian brasserie-style restaurant called 74 Duke this spring. As previously revealed by Propel, the business, which was founded in 2013 by Jeremy Coste, David Bellaiche and Gabriel Cohen-Elia, will launch the new restaurant it describes as a “Brasserie Parisienne” on the former Spaghetti House site at 72-76 Duke Street, in Mayfair. The new restaurant will be spread over two floors and comprise circa 150 covers. The company is also gearing up to launch a new all-day dining venture, Le Café NAC, in London’s Belgravia. The new concept is also set to open this spring, offering “French-inspired food and drinks with global influences”. In early 2023, BVC, which sold its Ahi Poke business to Poke House in 2021, expanded NAC to the Middle East with a double opening. The business launched its first overseas NAC sites, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Doha, Qatar. This was followed in autumn 2023 by a further site in Dubai. At the same time, the business operates two Crème sites in London, three in Bahrain, three in Saudi Arabia and one in Paris.

 

Nigerian restaurant concept Enish to open first site in Scotland: Nigerian restaurant concept Enish, which operates ten sites in the south east, is to make its debut in Scotland later this month with an opening in Glasgow. The business, which opened its first site in Lewisham, south London in 2013, will make its Scottish debut in Glasgow’s Bath Street, next week (17 April). It follows the launch of the group’s first site outside the south east, in Manchester, last October. The company also operates a restaurant in Dubai. It said: “Our chefs expertly prepare traditional favourites like jollof rice, egusi soup and all of your favourite dishes. At Enish, we’re passionate about sharing the rich culinary traditions of Nigeria with the world.”

 

Blend Family to make London debut with Tower Bridge opening: Blend Family, the team behind Liverpool’s GPO food market and Kargo MKT in Salford’s Media City, is to open its first food hall in London called Tower Bridge Collective. The company has agreed a lease with developer Fore Partnership and TBC.London’s majority owner, KKR, to occupy 16,000 square-foot of ground-floor space in Tower Bridge Court. Blend will host 13 food partners serving a variety of authentic street food from across the globe. A net zero carbon development by Forge Partnership, the venue will operate entirely on 100% electric energy, with no fossil fuels in its kitchens. Blend Family co-founder and chief executive Matt Bigland said: “We are committed to delivering the vibrant and authentic experience that has defined us in Sheffield and Manchester. Now, we are bringing our northern charm to the south, introducing our unique offerings to a fresh audience in the capital.” Last summer, Blend Family opened what was described as “Europe’s biggest purpose-built food hall”. Cambridge Street Collective in Sheffields is 27,000 square feet in size and features circa 20 kitchens. The Blend Family is also behind Sheffield’s Cutlery Works food court and the award-winning former Milestone gastropub. The business, which was formerly Milestone Group, was founded by Bigland alongside his wife and business partner, Nina Patel Bigland.⁠

 

Ukrainian restaurateurs open first London restaurant: Ukrainian restaurateurs Alex Cooper and Anna Andriienko have opened their first London restaurant, Tatar Bunar, in Shoreditch. The 90-cover restaurant, which also has a 20-cover outdoor terrace, has taken over the space that was once the Shoreditch outpost of Brindisa, at 152 Curtain Road. Cooper and Andriienko have multiple restaurants in Ukraine. Leading the kitchen at Tatar Bunar is Kate Tkachuk, whose menu includes such dishes as Ukrainian onion bread with lardo, sprat with potatoes, pickled tomatoes, Bunar tartare, plachinda with bryndza and signature varenyks – a traditional dumpling filled with lamb, beef, smoked sour cream, pickled tomato sauce, braised cabbage, smoked sour-cream, Bessarabian paprika and crispy onions. The wine list features a curated selection of wine from local Ukrainian producers.

North west independent bakery and café secures third site: North west independent bakery and café Cotton has secured its third site. The company is set to open at a newly completed town centre development in Farnworth Green in Bolton. The company already operates two branches in Manchester – in the Halle St Peters building in Ancoats and in Chapeltown Street in the city centre. Capital & Centric, the developer behind Farnworth Green, said the new space will have the same “laid back” atmosphere as Cotton’s other locations, although an opening date has yet to be confirmed. Cotton is also collaborating with Bolton Council to launch an apprenticeship scheme. Chris Griffith, founder of Cotton, said: “We’ve been on an amazing journey growing Cotton, and we’re incredibly grateful for the loyal following we’ve cultivated. Now, Farnworth Green feels like the perfect next step. The bakery is a big move for us too, allowing us to craft everything from scratch and supply all our locations with freshly made goods. We’re also buzzing to team up with Bolton Council to offer apprenticeships, helping young people take their first step into the industry.”

 

Detroit Pizza secures third site, plans new format: London based Detroit Pizza has secured its third site in the capital, in Shoreditch. The business, which is led by chef Ryan O’Flynn, has acquired the former Sake Collective site in Commercial Street, for an opening later this year. The site will see the company serving up its signature pizza – “but in a fresh and exciting new format”. The company also operates sites in Upper Street, Islington, and Spitalfields Market. The concept said its style of pizza is characterised by “its thick, focaccia-like crust, which is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside”. Detroit Pizza was represented by Cafe Ventures in the Commercial Street deal, which is spearheading Detroit Pizza’s expansion plans in London.

 

Team behind Manchester music venue acquires adjacent pub: The team behind Manchester music venue Band on the Wall, located in the city’s Northern Quarter, has acquired the pub next door. The music venue, operated by Inner City Music, has added The Rose & Monkey pub, located adjacent to Band on the Wall at 31 Swan Street. The pub, formerly The Burton Arms, can trace its history to 1783, but in recent years has been transformed into a destination for music lovers and locals. Known as one of the city's oldest pubs, it includes a beer garden, small music stage and Airbnb accommodation upstairs. Gavin Sharp, chief executive at Band on the Wall, said: “We are delighted to welcome The Rose & Monkey into the Band on the Wall family. This acquisition allows us to expand our footprint while preserving one of Manchester's most cherished independent venues. Together, we aim to create even more opportunities for emerging artists and provide unforgettable experiences for music fans.” The Rose & Monkey will continue to operate as a live music venue and pub while benefiting from Band on the Wall’s expertise in programming performances.

Essex independent cinema owner set to open new cinema and café in Oxford’s former Odeon site: Essex independent cinema owner Alejandro Whyatt is set to open a new cinema and café in Oxford’s former Odeon site. Whyatt, who owns The Rio cinema in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, has been granted permission to restore the site in Magdalen Street, which closed in 2023. Whyatt – who has previously restored cinemas in North Wales, Essex and Norfolk – registered a new company on Companies House in January called Roxy Movies (The Oxford Cinema), reports The Oxford Mail. The new venue will be a two-screen traditional cinema with a cafe in the foyer. The venue will be open daily from 8.30am to 11.30pm, the licence application states. The cinema in Magdalen Street was first opened in 1924 and changed hands multiple times before being bought by Odeon in 2000. Oxford’s last remaining Odeon, in Gloucester Green, closed its doors for the final time at the end of January to make way for plans from Oxford City Council to demolish the building and redevelop it. Plans to demolish the cinema building and replace it with an aparthotel have been approved by the council, and construction will start in 2026.