Giggling Squid co-founder – new labour costs mean focus on larger sites and a possible rethink on how big we can grow, casual dining sector will be a very different place in a decade: Andy Laurillard, co-founder of Giggling Squid, the Thai restaurant brand backed by the Business Growth Fund, has told Propel that the ongoing increase in labour costs is seeing the business switch its focus to larger, more economically viable sites, and brought into question how much further the brand can grow. The 53-strong business recently opened on the former Royal Bank of Scotland site in Park Row, Leeds, and is currently onsite at what will be a circa 210-cover restaurant in York. Laurillard told Propel: “In light of the changes to the national insurance contributions threshold and the fact the national minimum wage is going to continue to increase over the coming years, we are finding sites in secondary market towns are not as viable as they were, and that it is better to focus on larger sites in city centres. Do we still think we can get to 150-160 sites across the country with the expected increases in labour costs over the next four to five years? It is very doubtful. Should we invest the planned £100m of capital getting there or say £25m on a smaller number of large sites and focus on getting more out of our existing locations – through re-locations to bigger sites in the same city/town, or through extensions? This is what we are working through at the moment. We are looking at 11 capacity expansion projects and a couple of relocations. Beyond that we will be looking at sites that are guaranteed to be able to make £40,000-£50,000 average sales a week if the labour model is going to work, and there are probably ten more of those outside of London that we can go after. We won’t be the only ones working through these issues, and working out how they can scale up going forward. Do you look at a quick service restaurant format? The issue here is everyone looking at the same thing and it will get very saturated very quickly and as it's a very different operating model it can distract from and impact your core business. Could we go further into London? That looks hard with our current brand as most of the landlords in the capital aren’t interested in handing out prime sites to national, established brands. So maybe we look at innovation for that. Big strategic questions then need to be addressed, it's no longer a land grab, roll out dash for growth. The casual dining sector will be a very different place in a decade and I want us to be playing a large and successful part in whatever remains of it, and not be one of the many casualties that I expect as a direct result of the Labour ‘growth’ agenda. The direct consequence of the Budget is reducing our growth rate. According to the FT, Giggling Restaurants was among the 20 fastest growth companies in the UK over the whole decade 2013-2023 (and in Europe's top 100). Now we don't expect much growth will be possible due to the tax on top of the further minimum wage increase.”

Arc Inspirations CEO Martin Wolstencroft and marketing director Laura Lewis to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Martin Wolstencroft, chief executive of Arc Inspirations, the premium bar operator, and its marketing director, Laura Lewis, 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. Wolstencroft and Lewis will 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.

Next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality to be released to Premium Club subscribers tomorrow featuring 63 updated entries and 24 new companies: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will feature 63 updated entries and 24 new companies when it is released to Premium Club subscribers tomorrow (Thursday, 17 April), at midday. The database now features 907 companies, and this month’s edition includes more than 243,000 words of content. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent results reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. 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.

BBPA – government plans to accelerate provision of green energy must lead to greater choice for businesses: Plans by the government to accelerate the provision of green energy must lead to greater choice for businesses, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has said. Downing Street has unveiled plans that will see grid connections for businesses that will deliver clean energy prioritised as part of pro-growth reforms to help unlock £40bn of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure. BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “We welcome the plans brought forward by the government to accelerate the provision of clean, green energy through investment in infrastructure to make it easier for providers of clean and renewable energy to connect to the grid. However, to enable the beer and pub sector to flourish, it is vital that this step leads to greater choice for businesses. We urge the government not to forget businesses looking to take the next step in their decarbonisation journey. The government must ensure that they support the ability of businesses looking to upgrade their grid connection to transition away from fossil fuel energy.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a lifestyle hotel, part of an international hotel group in Dublin, which is looking for a corporate sales manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role will help proactively grow the business and client base and maintain existing client relationships along with delivering on targets. The business is looking for an enthusiastic individual with fantastic communication skills to join a dynamic team.” The salary is up to €75,000 per year. For more information, email ed@corecruitment.com.

Lane7 to launch smaller format this summer, Gutterball concept to make London debut: Lane7, the boutique bowling and experiential entertainment operator, is to launch a smaller version of its eponymous concept this summer, while launching the first London site for its Gutterball format later this year. ML7 (mini-Lane7) is launching in Newcastle on Thursday, 19 June and will include duckpin bowling, pool, arcades and gaming. The company launched the more family-focused Gutterball concept in North Shields at the end of 2019. The company has now secured a site in the Ealing Broadway shopping centre for the format. Opening in the third quarter of 2025, the site will see the transformation of the 15,000 square-foot Ealing Project cinema into a Gutterball featuring ten-pin bowling with a twist, pool tables, private karaoke booths, retro and modern arcades, and shuffleboard. Gavin Hughes, managing director of Lane7, said: “Gutterball is all about creating memorable moments – the kind of place where everyone can let loose, have fun and leave with a story. Bringing it to London is a big moment for us, and Ealing Broadway is the perfect place to kick things off. Expect noise, colour, chaos – in the best possible way.” The group, which recently opened a second Lane7 in Dublin, will open two new sites in Newcastle this June — including the aforementioned smaller format concept, ML7. Meanwhile, Gutterball is also set to open new locations in Lincoln and Edinburgh Ocean Terminal during the third quarter. The group, which includes the Level X concept, delivered £42m turnover in the year ending 31 October 2024. Torridon London acts for Lane7. 

Heartwood to open sixth pub with rooms in June: Heartwood Collection, the Alchemy Partners-backed business that operates 28 Heartwood Inns pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK, will open The Ragged Robin in Godalming, Surrey, on Tuesday, 17 June following a multimillion-pound investment. The property is being extended to include a new dining area at the rear, which opens on to a large garden with views of the River Wey. The pub will also feature 19 boutique bedrooms, 200 internal dining and drinking seats, and an additional 124 outdoor covers. The Ragged Robin will take the group’s room offering to more than 190 bedrooms across six locations. The business has plans to open two further stand-alone pubs in the spring, together with The George & Dragon, a 17-bedroom inn close to Marlow Bridge on the Berkshire/Buckinghamshire border. A further three Heartwood Inn pubs are in the works for later in the year. Richard Ferrier, chief executive of Heartwood Collection, said: “We're thrilled to be opening The Ragged Robin, our sixth pub with rooms, located in Godalming. As always, we've dedicated a great deal of care to creating beautiful boutique bedrooms and a welcoming pub space that we hope will become a local favourite.” Last month, Propel revealed that Heartwood Collection had hired Kate Bentley as its first rooms director. Bentley joined the business from the Inn Collection Group, where she spent more than four years as its rooms director. 

Afrikana to open its biggest site yet this week: African restaurant concept Afrikana will open its biggest site yet, on Friday (18 April), in the London Designer Outlet, Wembley Park. The company, which currently has 19 UK locations, is targeting 11 new openings this year – with sites in Holloway, East Ham, Hounslow, Watford, Ipswich and Uxbridge also in its pipeline “We are excited to be opening our Wembley location,” said Omair Ali, chief executive of the concept’s parent company City Restaurants Group. Propel reported last month that Afrikana is seeking locations in Liverpool, Leeds, Luton and Milton Keynes as it looks to expand its UK footprint. The concept is “seeking property opportunities” further afield, with a further London site also being targeted, according to Wasim Riley, director at City Restaurant Group. 

Thesleff Group to open new ‘high-energy restaurant’ in Mayfair: The Thesleff Group is planning to open an “exciting, new high-energy restaurant” in the centre of London’s Mayfair later this year. The business, which is led by Markus Thesleff, currently operates Central London restaurants including Los Mochis, Sale e Pepe, and Juno Omakase. The group also operates the Viajante 87 bar in the capital, and recently opened Luna Omakase, a 12-cover venue hidden beneath Los Mochis London City. The group is now set to open a new venture on the former Ruya site in Upper Grosvenor Street, next to Corrigan's. Thesleff told Propel: “An exciting new high-energy restaurant marks our dynamic return to Mayfair, especially the storied area around Grosvenor Square – the centre of old Mayfair. I firmly believe this neighbourhood remains the true centre of what’s happening now. Exciting times lie ahead.” Last month, Thesleff said that post-covid, sector operators are not in hospitality but in entertainment – and “we compete for time because it’s the new luxury”. Thesleff told Forbes that he aims to innovate on tradition while setting a new standard in hospitality. David Rawlinson, of Restaurant Property, acted on the Ruya site deal.

Redemption Roasters makes transport hub debut: The world’s first prison-based coffee company, Redemption Roasters has made its transport hub debut, with an opening in Victoria train station in London. The company has opened its 12th site in the capital next to the ticket office at Victoria station. Redemption Roasters said: “With every new store opening, we can further our mission to reduce reoffending through coffee, as we are able to offer more employment opportunities to prison leavers. In February 2025, 27% of our hospitality workforce were from this participant group, and we had a 3% known reoffending rate versus the national average of 38%.” Last year, Redemption Roasters said it planned to treble revenue over the next three years after completing a £2.7m investment round. The Macquarie Group Foundation, R&Co4Generations (the Rothschild & Co Group Foundation) and Barrow Cadbury Trust were among those companies that invested in Redemption Roasters’ latest fundraising round. The company said at the time that it was planning to open a further 15 shops in the capital by 2026.

Chinese operator who opened her first restaurant here at the age of 17 looking to expand in the UK and abroad: Chinese operator Wenjum Ziang, who opened her first restaurant here at the age of 17, is looking to expand her business both in the UK and abroad. Ziang moved to London from the Chinese province of Dalian as a teenager to study at Imperial College. While there, she launched her first dumpling restaurant, in the Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall, and she now has three Xi Home Dumplings Bay restaurants, having added locations in Covent Garden and Liverpool Street. “Food has always been at the centre of my life,” she told Propel. “I grew up in Dalian, right by the sea, and summers meant picking mussels, oysters and sea snails off the rocks, and waiting for the fishermen to come back with their catch of the day. After moving to London, I missed that rhythm – the way food brought everyone together and how each meal told a story. Starting XI Home Dumplings Bay was my way of recreating the feeling of those childhood meals in Dalian. I would like to open more sites, but each site is personal – it’s not just about opening another branch, it’s about telling another part of the story. I’m always thinking about where the next XI Home Dumplings Bay could belong. I’d love to see Xi Home grow to five or six locations, each one with its own personality. Outside of London, I’d love to take Xi Home to places that have a connection to the sea. Spain feels like a natural next step, maybe San Sebastián or Valencia, and in the US, somewhere like San Francisco or Los Angeles really excites me.” Reflecting on opening her first restaurant at such a tender age, Ziang said: “It was a whirlwind. At 17, you dream big and imagine things will go a certain way. But once the doors opened, there were long days, constant problem solving and a lot of pressure to prove myself, especially being so young in an industry where experience is everything. People didn’t always take me seriously, and I had to earn that respect by showing up, staying hands-on and making sure the food and experience spoke for itself. When someone told me the food reminded them of their own childhood, or made them feel at home, that made it all worth it.” Ziang added: “We do things a bit differently at XI Home. For one, we serve breakfast, which is rare in Chinese restaurants here, but essential in my family. We also invite people behind the scenes and regularly host dumpling-making classes, where guests learn not just the technique, but the story behind each fold. Watching someone make their first dumpling is, for me, just as important as anything on the plate.”

Floozie Cookies ‘in discussions’ on permanent UK locations after testing concept with short-term leases: Floozie Cookies, the all-vegan stuffed cookie concept founded by Kimberly Lin in 2020, has told Propel it is “in discussions” on permanent locations here after testing the concept with short-term leases. The business, which launched in London’s Covent Garden in December 2020, revealed plans in November 2022 to expand internationally and in the UK under a franchise model. Floozie Cookies, which also has international sites in Expo City Dubai and Riyadh’s Al Mamlaka dining hall, then opened its first regional site and franchise location last year, in Bicester Village. Lin said: “We’ve tested the concept in high-footfall environments including Bicester Village, Cheshire Oaks and Westfield Stratford, all on short-term leases. This approach has allowed us to refine our offer, better understand our audience and fine-tune our operational model. Off the back of these learnings, we’re now pursuing permanent locations with our franchise partners who remain fully engaged and ambitious about future growth. We’re in discussions with several operators, from the Midlands to Aberdeen. The appetite for the brand outside of London is strong, and we’re exploring opportunities that align with our long-term strategic ambitions as well as sites planned for outside the UK – in Kuwait, Duba, and Saudi. London also remains a key market for us, and we’re focused on securing the right locations that align with our brand positioning and partner aspirations – several promising sites are currently under discussion.” At the time of launching its franchise programme, the company targeted 180 stores worldwide by 2027, including 35 in the UK, and Lin said this remains the ambition. She added: “We’re committed to scaling the brand in a thoughtful, sustainable way with the right partners and in the right locations – quality over speed, but with strong momentum behind us. Progress has been a little more nuanced than initially expected, but we’re playing the long game. Our focus is on finding the right partners who share our values and can bring the brand to life with integrity and energy. We remain confident that our persistence will yield the right opportunity in time.”

 

Flour Pot Bakery secures 11th site: South coast artisan bakehouse Flour Pot Bakery has secured a site in Southwick for its 11th store. The business – which has five sites in Brighton, three in Hove and two in Worthing – is preparing to open in Southwick Square “very soon”. The store will take over the former Barclays building, which has been empty since the bank left the unit in October 2022. “We're excited to announce that we'll be opening a new café and production bakery in Southwick Square very soon,” the company posted to social media. “This new space will not only serve up our signature sourdough, pastries, and coffee but will also be home to part of our bakery production.”

Pan-Asian tapas concept Chi Asia set to make south west debut: Chi Asia – the pan-Asian tapas concept – is set to make its debut in the south west, with an opening in Bristol. The business, which was founded in 2019 in Cambridge as a pan-Asian street food concept by Lamen Reddy and Aidan Tjinakiet, will open this summer at 301 Gloucester Road, in the Bishopston suburb of Bristol. Chi Asia currently operates in seven locations across its street food and restaurants including Basingstoke, Bluewater, Cambridge, Derby, Northampton, Rushden and London’s New Oxford Street. Chi Asia recently moved from its original location in the Grafton Centre, Cambridge, to a space more than double the size on the city’s Quayside. The venue – which features a 60-cover restaurant, bar and outside terrace area – offers a newly developed premium Asian tapas menu, including a brunch menu and the addition of an enhanced drinks menu with a range of beer on tap and Asian-inspired cocktails. In February, the business told Propel it was planning to explore franchise opportunities and has “tentative plans for expansion”.

 

Artisan bakery concept Medicine to launch seventh site: Midlands artisan bakery concept Medicine is to open its seventh site in the region, at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Opening this summer, the new bakery and brunch café site will also feature a cake counter. The company said: “Our artisan bakery and café, Medicine, is set to open at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, bringing our signature handcrafted pastries, cakes, and locally roasted coffee to a stunning green space.” The business, which was founded by Simon and Francesca Jones, operates sites in Birmingham – including a café in Selfridges – as well as Wolverhampton, and the village of Codsall in Staffordshire. 

Hyde & Co co-founder – we’re closing Four Wise Monkeys site as unable to afford 25% rent increase: Nathan Lee, co-founder of Bristol operator Hyde & Co, has said the business has decided to close its Four Wise Monkeys site after the company was unable to afford a 25% increase in rent, despite investing “more than £500,000” into the building over the years. As Propel reported earlier this week, the Piper-backed Flat Iron has applied to open on the site in Bristol’s Old City. Hyde & Co – which also own the likes of The Raven, Bambalan, The Milk Thistle, Seven Lucky Gods, and The Ox – is planning to reopen Four Wise Monkeys in a new location in the city. Lee told Bristol Live: “The whole thing has taken about a year to progress to this stage and we have managed to agree a deal to keep The Raven in the upper floors of the building. We’ve been custodians of the building for more than ten years now and seen our fair share of ups and downs. The area has changed significantly from what it was when we first moved in. I think we’re one of the last independents on the street. Unfortunately, a number of brands have opened in the Old City recently. They’ve pushed up the value of commercial property in the area by paying higher rental values than us independents can really afford. It’s a bit of a cycle and we’ve just got out at the right time for us. The bottom line is that as margins get shrunk by inflation, increases in fixed costs and labour costs, there is very little room to make profit so you have to make a business decision about whether it’s a good idea to sign up for another five to ten years or leave and let somebody else have a go. As we have other businesses, we were able to offer most of our staff other positions and the good news for Four Wise Monkeys fans is that we are going to continue with the concept on Deliveroo for now, before moving it to a new location. For me it's a positive thing that we have managed to find a decent company to take over and look after the building. There is going to be a significant investment going into it, which we just couldn't afford to do.”

 

London McDonald's franchisee reports turnover and profit boost following new pricing strategy: McDonald's franchisee A&L Restaurants, which operates a portfolio of sites in north London, has reported turnover increased slightly to a record £22,822,824 for the year ending 31 March 2024 compared with £22,199,506 the previous year. Pre-tax profit was up to £907,944 from £888,349 the year before due to “effective cost control measures and a new pricing strategy”. The net assets of the company were £3.38m (2023: £3.15m) at the balance sheet date, “reflecting the solid position from a solvency point of view”. In his statement accompanying the accounts, owner Amir Atefi said: “The sales growth has been primarily driven by the continued expansion in revenue from digital channels.” Dividends of £400,135 were paid (2023: £50,000). The company employs around 500 staff.

 

The Escapologist plans fourth site as turnover tops £1.2m mark: Yorkshire escape rooms business The Escapologist, which is led by Ellie and Olly McClaren, is planning a fourth site after celebrating a “bumper year”. Established in 2017, the business, which has sites in Leeds, Castleford and Gateshead, said turnover for 2024 topped the £1.2m mark, and the company is expecting a 58% increase this year to around £1.9m. The Escapologist said it plans to open a fourth site later this year and is looking to expand some of its existing venues. Each venue features a steampunk inspired café and cocktail bar to complement the escape experience, with a range of gourmet tea and coffee, spirits, wine and a selection of hand-crafted smoking cocktails and mocktails. Ellie McClaren said: “We created The Escapologist to deliver a world-class, immersive and memorable experience for our customers and to allow them to escape the everyday to the extraordinary. Our escape rooms invite visitors to step into new worlds and challenge their wits, with each room having its own captivating narrative, allowing guests to dive into a world of wonder and excitement. We’re so proud of everything we’ve achieved over the last eight years and the last 12 months specifically – and we can’t wait to see what 2025 brings for us a business.”

Team behind Guanabana restaurant in London’s Kentish Town launches two new sites: The team behind Caribbean restaurant Guanabana in London’s Kentish Town have opened two new restaurants next door to each other. Owner and restaurateur Omar Shah, who also owns Ramo Ramen in Soho, has launched The Hoodwood and Cafe Mama & Sons. With both eateries located in Kentish Town Road, The Hoodwood replaces Shah’s previous Caribbean takeaway concept Moi Moi Island. The Hoodwood specialises in Caribbean oak-smoked jerk chicken patty pies served with mash and jerk gravy. Meanwhile, Cafe Mama & Sons serves a selection of Filipino-Japanese baked goods, sandos, matcha, coffee and more.

Indian hospitality firm opens debut UK site for luxury lifestyle hotel brand: Indian hospitality firm InterGlobe Enterprises has opened the debut UK site for its luxury lifestyle hotel brand, Miiro. InterGlobe – a large Indian travel conglomerate also involved in aviation, logistics, airline management and maintenance and advanced pilot training – has opened the site in London for its fourth in Europe. The 156-room hotel in Templeton Garden, Earl’s Court, features modern British restaurant Pippin’s, which offers 62 covers, and neighbourhood bar Sprout. There is also neighbourhood café-meets-deli, Pip’s, which has its own street entrance separate to the hotel. With 32 covers, Pip’s offers a selection of fresh pastries, bread and coffee from the counter as well an all-day casual dining experience. Neena Gupta, chief executive of Miiro and executive director of group strategy and international hospitality at InterGlobe, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the opening of Templeton Garden, the latest addition to Miiro’s growing collection of characterful boutique hotels across Europe. The hotel beautifully embodies our promise to deliver brilliantly considered stays that connect guests with the local community.”

Independent Liverpool operator opens fourth site: Independent Liverpool bar operator Ma Pub Group has opened its fourth site in the city. Following a £200,000 investment, the group, which is headed by operator Iain Hoskins, has launched Newington Temple, situated just off Bold Street. The venue joins Nova Scotia, Tempest on Tithebarn and Ma Boyle’s Alehouse & Eatery in the company’s portfolio. Hoskins said: “It's been a labour of love over the past couple of months as the building was in quite a bad way. Like with domestic renovations of period buildings, 8 Newington threw up a number of unforeseen surprises and challenges along the way. It reminds me of the work we did with Ma Boyle’s and before that Ma Egerton's here in the city, both of which had reached the end of the road and the future for them looked bleak prior to the work we did with restoring them and giving them a fresh purpose. The pub in its various name changes across the decades has outlived every other business on Bold Street over the last two centuries, so it’s great to see her properly back in business.” Ma Pub Group previously said its existing three sites have continued to trade strongly, with a “strong 2024 leading into hopes for a busy 2025”.

 

Dipna Anand to open new west London venture this month: Restaurateur and author Dipna Anand will open her new venue in Southall, west London, this month. Anand, author of cook books Dip in Brilliant and Beyond Brilliant, is the third generation of a family of chefs who came to the UK in 1973 and launched The Brilliant Restaurant two years later. That venue shut last week ahead of Anand opening Brilliant Gastro on Friday, 25 April. The venture will be part of The Green Quarter, which is being developed by Berkeley Group, and offer an Indian gastro-style eatery combining the Anand’s Punjabi roots with modern influences and twists on western classics. The restaurant, which will have seating for 80 inside along with an outdoor terrace, will offer a menu including the banging chicken tikka burger and charred spiced cauliflower steak. Anand is also relocating her cookery school to the site. “As Southall transforms, so do we,” she said. “This gastropub is my personal take on the flavours I love. There’s nothing else like it.” The opening of Brilliant Gastro follows the launch of the Dipna Anand Kitchen & Bar in Milton Keynes’ Unity Place development last year. Anand has also recently taken over the kitchen at her local village pub, The Plough in Norwood Green, west London, “bringing a fresh twist to classic British pub fare”. Her expertise has also led to her collaboration with Compass Group, as the brand chef for its Punjabi food range. She also previously operated Dip In Brilliant in Chelsea and Dipna Anand at Somerset House in the capital.

 

Berkshire pizza concept to open second site: Knead Neapolitan Pizza, the Berkshire concept, is to open its second site in the county. The business, which is led by Simon and Olivia Perry, and counts Nick Csemiczky, formerly of Byron and ASK Italian, as a director, launched in Maidenhead in 2022. The business has now secured the former Leafy Elephant site in Wokingham, for its second opening. Knead Neapolitan Pizza said: “For us, the site is perfect for where Knead is at this moment in time. The space gives us room to grow rather than rinse and repeat. Of course, our core offering will be very similar – banging planet friendly pizza – but we will hopefully have a chance to add some new additions (brunch anyone?) and continue to develop and experiment with our events. We are tentatively saying we’ll be open early mid-summer and yes there’ll be one hell of an opening party and all sorts of shenanigans before then.”

South Korean survival drama Squid Game to be brought to life in new immersive experience in London: The award-winning South Korean survival drama, Squid Game, on Netflix is to be brought to life in a new immersive experience in London this spring. “Squid Game: The Experience” will open at Immerse LDN at the Excel London waterfront. Heading to the UK capital after runs in New York, Sydney, Seoul, and Madrid, “Squid Game: The Experience” is presented by Netflix in collaboration with The Luna Entertainment Group, the UK-based producer and promoter of live experiences, exhibitions and events, and Letsgo, a Spanish company specialising in entertainment and content creation. Teams will compete for 60 minutes as they take on five challenges inspired by the television series’ nail-biting tasks including “Red Light, Green Light” under the watchful eye of the haunting Young-hee doll, the Glass Bridge, and the Marbles game. The waitlist for exclusive pre-sale access is now available ahead of tickets going on general sale on Friday, 25 April.

West Midlands chef set to open Birmingham restaurant: West Midlands chef Jonny Mills is set to open a restaurant in Birmingham. Mills will launch Sǣl at The Goodsyard this autumn. With eight seats arranged around a kitchen counter, Sǣl will be a dining experience that is “intimate, immersive and deeply rooted in the seasons”. At the heart of Sǣl will be a singular tasting menu that evolves in step with the landscape. In one dish currently in development, turnip is used threefold including using its roasted trimmings in a smoked dashi for poached cod. The drinks programme will also be ever-changing “mirroring the spirit of the kitchen”. The opening of Sǣl follows a run of pop-ups across south Birmingham, with Mills’ return to permanent bricks-and-mortar marking a new chapter following the closure of his Leamington Spa restaurant, The Tame Hare, after the covid pandemic. His previous experience includes kitchens such as The Cross in Kenilworth and Mallory Court in Leamington Spa. To support the final stages of Sǣl’s development, a crowdfunding campaign will launch in the coming weeks.