Britain’s managed groups’ like-for-likes fall 0.6% in March but pub sales heat up in the sunshine: Britain’s managed groups’ like-for-like sales fell 0.6% in March, the new CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. It completes a subdued first quarter of 2025 for operators, after a 1.3% year-on-year decline in sales in January and growth of just 0.1% in February, and suggests consumers remain cautious about their spending. However, managed pub groups saw a positive performance with like-for-like sales up 3.6% in March as they benefited from the sunshine and events including Mother’s Day and St Patrick’s Day. It means that for the fourth month in a row pubs outperformed restaurants, which saw like-for-like sales slip by 5.7%. The timing of Easter is a mitigating factor in this comparison, as trading in March 2024 was inflated by the long holiday weekend, which fell instead in April this year. The tracker – produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK – shows bars’ sales were down by 9.2%, extending a long run of negative numbers, while the on-the-go channel achieved fractional growth of 0.1%. Total sales across all channels – including at venues opened by groups in the last 12 months – were 1.8% ahead of March 2024. This is below the UK’s wider rate of inflation of 2.6% in March 2025, as measured by the consumer prices index. Better weather in the south of England meant trading was slightly better in London than elsewhere in March. Groups’ sales inside the M25 were ahead by 1.1% year-on-year, but further afield they were 1.1% behind. Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “It’s clear that patchy consumer confidence is compromising spending in hospitality. However, a bright March for pubs suggests people are still going out in good numbers, especially when there are special occasions to celebrate, and the Easter weekend should make for more favourable comparisons in April. Nevertheless, with operators’ costs rising again this month and wider economic concerns mounting, the trading environment is likely to remain challenging throughout the second quarter.”

Sponsored message – unlock the power of change and download McCain’s impact report today: McCain’s Streets Ahead programme, powered by KERB+, is transforming the UK street food scene by empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs, particularly those facing barriers to entering the hospitality industry. Since its launch, the programme has supported more than 185 individuals through 40-plus charity referrals, invested in 30-plus new businesses, and provided vital skills to hundreds of individuals, helping them break into the industry. See the real difference McCain and KERB are making in the lives of refugees, prison leavers, young unemployed individuals and those experiencing homelessness by downloading the report. A McCain spokesperson said: “From business start-ups to life-changing skills development, Streets Ahead is leading the charge in breaking down barriers and shaping the future of the hospitality industry. Join us in supporting this movement. Download the full report and learn how McCain is making a lasting impact on both individuals and the UK’s thriving street food sector. Together, we can continue to drive positive change in the industry and create more opportunities for future food pioneers.” To download the report, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Panel about ways to evolve the customer experience to be held at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: A panel session about ways to evolve the customer experience will be held 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. The panel, which features Charlie McVeigh, non-executive director at the Revel Collective, Oisin Rogers, co-founder of The Devonshire, Joycelyn Neve, founder and managing director of Seafood Pub Company, and Dominic Jacobs, managing director of JKS Pubs, will also discuss the challenge the sector faces in attracting new customers, and whether loyalty schemes can play a part. Propel is also launching “parallel sessions” at this year’s conference, which offer the chance to deep-dive into specialist subjects. There will be a chance for teams attending the conference to break away and absorb the parallel sessions. There will be ten parallel sessions in total, which will run alongside the main conference. 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 new searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Friday: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (2 May). The database will show the details of 154 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. The database will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club subscribers will also receive a 9,493-word report on the 154 new additions to the database. The database is segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. The database includes new openings in the pubs and bars sector such as sports bar concept The Yard in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, following its return to the Twisted Bars fold, Irish-themed bar concept Katie O’Briens, opening in Lincoln, and The Trafalgar Public House, the first new pub in the Kings Road in London’s Chelsea in more than 100 years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including Excellence in Pub Retail (May 2025) and discounts on specialist sector reports such as the International Brands report. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Cinnamon Kitchen owner – cut price of meals after 9pm to save London’s nightlife: Vivek Singh, the owner of the Cinnamon Kitchen restaurant group, has said that offering discounted meals later in the evening could aid business owners as they battle to revive the capital’s late-night economy. Singh told The Telegraph they could mimic the “dynamic pricing” used by airlines, where tickets for less popular flights are sold at cheaper prices. Singh said: “Demand needs to be created. Sectors like airlines, they’re all dynamically priced. Nobody questions why their seat is half the price it was last night.” Singh opened his first restaurant, the flagship Cinnamon Club, in 2001, and has since grown the company into a group of five across the UK and one in Dubai. He said: “It’s completely unlike any other time in the past 25 years that I have been here in London. We never had to encourage people to book a table at 9pm or beyond, it was just unthinkable. When I opened The Cinnamon Club, we were trading from 12pm to 2.30pm and then opening at 6pm and taking bookings until 10pm. Now we take bookings only until 9.30pm and we barely get any [at 9:30].” He said there had been an increase in people eating far earlier in the day, with a rise in diners wanting to eat as early as 5pm. Singh said: “If you’re trying to change diner behaviour, or footfall, or demographic, and want to do something rather than just sit there and complain that there’s not enough business, then this is one of the things that people will consider.” Singh stressed that he does not believe restaurants should increase prices at busier times. He said: “The bit that I’m talking about is not necessarily surge pricing, it is just a slightly more refined way of discounting. You’re not going to put your tasting menu up to £150 just because a lot of people want to have it at that time.” He said he believed restaurateurs had previously stayed away from practices such as dynamic pricing owing to a “romantic” view of how hospitality businesses should operate. However, Singh said: “We live in a totally different world now, and the way people are both experiencing, transacting and consuming is so different that it does require a completely different prism to look at it through.”

 

Pete Brown – Norfolk has the best pubs in the UK: Sunday Times beer columnist Pete Brown has argued that the county of Norfolk has the best pubs in the UK. Writing in his column for the publication, the four-time British beer writer of the year said of Norfolk: “The county has the best brewing barley in the land – and the pubs to go with it. Some counties just have too many good pubs. It’s a nice problem to have to deal with, when the quantity and quality of pubs in one area is out of all proportion to the number of residents. That’s not the reason that I moved from London to Norfolk last year, but it is an awfully nice coincidence that, per capita, and with the arguable exception of Cornwall, it has more perfect pubs than any other British county. Norfolk attracts plenty of well-heeled tourists, of course, particularly along the beautiful north coast. But that alone doesn’t explain why the pubs in this quiet, rural county thrive all year round. The microclimate on the north coast makes Norfolk’s brewing barley the best in the world, with its maris otter in particular used by ale brewers from Sydney to San Francisco. No surprise, then, that there are excellent brewers all around the countryside, and that good-quality cask ale – in significant decline nationally – is thriving here. The welcome is always warm and sincere; and the attractive countryside means many pubs have great beer gardens, often next to a river or broad.” Brown goes on to list his top eight pubs in the county as The Brisley Bell in Brisley, The Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham, The Dun Cow in Salthouse, The Earle Arms in Heydon, The Gunton Arms in Thorpe Market, The Nelson Head in Horsey, The Peasant’s Tavern in North Walsham and The White Swan in Gressenhall. He added: “I’m leaving out the many excellent pubs in the county capital, Norwich – they could easily fill a list like this themselves.”

 

Celebrated restaurant critic Richard Vines dies, aged 71: Richard Vines, the former chief food critic for Bloomberg, has died, aged 71. Vines, who worked for British Rail before entering journalism, spent 26 years at Bloomberg, initially as markets editor, before becoming its food critic in 2004. He was named chief food critic in 2008, a post he held until his retirement in 2021. After stepping down from his role at Bloomberg in 2021, he started a review website with his close friend, the chef Pierre Koffman. Paying tribute to Vines, chef Jason Atherton said: “Richard was deeply loyal, incredibly kind, and someone who supported me as a young chef when I was still growing, helping me in so many ways. As a true critic at Bloomberg, he only ever shared positive energy and encouragement. More than that, he was a true friend.” Martin Williams, chief executive of Evolv Collection (D&D London) and founder of M Restaurants, said: “I first met Richard in 2014, when I opened M in Threadneedle Street. Richard was the beating heart of hospitality in the City; a champion, a fierce critic, the man who knew everyone and everything worth knowing. I feel very lucky that Richard became a friend. He was always there to generously support me when I opened restaurants and was delighted for me when I took my position at D&D/Evolv Collection. Everyone in hospitality will have many wonderful memories of Richard. His impact on the London restaurant scene is a light that will never go out.” 

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a restaurant group that is seeking a head chef for its award-winning site in the west Berkshire countryside. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The ideal head chef will bring proven experience from three Rosette or AA-starred kitchens, strong leadership and menu development skills, a passion for training and team development, and a creative flair for seasonal, modern British cuisine.” The salary is up to £50,000. For more information, email olly@corecruitment.com.

 

Craft Union MD – never been more competitive to recruit operators, cost pressures have pushed up their sustainable earnings threshold by up to £3,000 per week: Frazer Grimbleby, managing director of Stonegate Group’s circa 650-strong Craft Union business, has told Propel that the recruitment market for the operator-managed model has “never been more competitive”. He added that current cost pressures mean the level of sales “has had to move north by £2,000 to £3,000 a week” to allow operators to have sustainable earnings. Grimbleby said the key for the business, which is ten years old this year, is being able to create good, sustainable and growing earnings for operators. He said: “They face the same headwinds we do, as a larger company, around the cost of living and the cost of doing business. Therefore, we need to continue to evolve our operator-led agreement to make sure that as we grow our profits as a company, to satisfy our investors, we can stand shoulder to shoulder with our operators, knowing that they are equally able to grow their own earnings in order to match inflation and increasing costs. We need to continue be really motivated by the incentivisation that comes from the operator-led model. That means we’ve got to keep our proposition fresh and competitive and continue to deliver value but also continue to develop what we do and how we do it and be innovative. Once we’d gone through the 300-mark, we started seeing the other big pub companies developing their own operator-led model. It’s never been more competitive around the recruitment market, and our attraction strategy therefore is key. We build that around what we offer in our model, how we incentivise our points of difference, and how we stand shoulder to shoulder with our operators. The most powerful thing is the testimonials we have from our existing operators around what it is like to work and partner with Craft Union. They need to see that there is true potential to create sustainable earnings. We continue to enjoy a really high level of interest and demand on a week-to-week, month-to-month basis.” Grimbleby said the cost headwinds that the sector is facing has moved the level of sales for operators “north”. He said: “It’s moved for all of us. For our operators, that level of sales has moved north, to around £2,000 to £3,000 a week in terms of what it means for them to have sustainable earnings because of cost inflation. We have to react to that in terms of how we deliver improved benefits in the model, which we have done. We moved it significantly last year. Then, for us to be able to continue to invest or reinvest and work on the development of the proposition, we need to be able to demonstrate that we’ve got profitable growth.”

Imbiba generates three-times return from Little Houses Group sale: Serial sector investor Imbiba has reported it generated a three-times return on its investment in Little Houses Group (LHG), the family members’ club concept from Charlie Gardiner. Propel revealed last month that international investment firm Blackstone, which backs Merlin Entertainments and Village Hotels, had invested in LHG. Gardiner, who founded Incipio Group in 2015, opened Jaego’s House in London’s Kensal Rise as the first venue under the LHG umbrella in November 2022. Branded as a club for all the family, the venue features a jungle gym, crèche, child-minding service and kids’ cinema for children, plus a co-working office, gym, treatment room and library for adults. The 20,000 square-foot site also features a restaurant and waterside cafe, seating 85 inside and 24 on a canal side terrace. The business opened a second site – Jesse’s House in Heathman’s Road, near Parsons Green tube station – last August. Both clubs have sold out membership. The fresh backing from Blackstone will enable LHG to bring its “unique community-focused concept to even more families across the capital”. The business, which will continue to be run by Gardiner, is set to expand into new sites, including in East Sheen (Orly’s House that will open spring 2026) and a south London venue, following the investment from Blackstone. LHG was the inaugural investment by Imbiba’s oversubscribed second fund, which closed in October 2022. Imbiba said that the transaction represented “another significant exit”, generating a three-times return from the sale in less than two years. Partner and head of investment at Imbiba, Lizzie Ryan, said: “It is with a heavy heart that our partnership with Charlie and the LHG team has come to an end. Charlie is one of the pre-eminent leisure entrepreneurs of his generation with an innate understanding of today’s consumer coupled with an uncompromising work ethic. In LHG, Charlie, supported by Olivia [Rostron] and the wider team, has built one of the most exciting leisure brands in the UK. We wish Charlie and the team every success in the future and look forward to watching as the business continues to grow and thrive.”

 

Heartstone Inns reports 2025 sales 18% higher than last year following strong Easter weekend, 2024 full-year revenue up 6%: Heartstone Inns, the nine-strong managed pub operator, has told Propel its 2025 sales are 7% higher than last year following a strong Easter weekend. Including its latest acquisition, the Sidcot Arms in Somerset, sales are 18% higher than last year “rounding off strong sales in the early months of the year”. The company acquired the 31-bedroom Sidcot Arms in late 2024 and is currently developing the site. Heartstone Inns has invested £3.2m in its estate over the last three years and recently added shepherd hut accommodation at the Butchers Arms in the Cotswolds. It comes after Heartstone Inns told Propel in January that turnover for the year ending December 2024 had topped £10m for the first time. The company has now reported it delivered sales of £10.3m in the year, an increase of 6% on 2023 and 16% on 2022. In addition, average sales per pub continued to grow and reached £1.3m in 2024 compared with £1.2m in 2023. Pub Ebitda of £2.2m was achieved, representing a margin of 21%, compared with £1.8m and 19% in 2023. Company Ebitda was £1.4m, representing a margin of 14%, compared with £1.0m and 10% in 2023. The company, which owns the freehold to all its sites, said it has a strong balance sheet, with net debt of £5.0m and gearing of 21%, having had its property assets independently revalued in December. Over the last three years, the company has returned £0.8m to shareholders via a combination of dividends and share buy backs. Managing director James Birch said: “The last few years have seen significant growth in both sales and profitability. We were delighted to add the Sidcot Arms to our estate and look forward to developing the business along with further investments across our pubs. The company now has 74 bedrooms across six of the nine pubs, with ambitious plans to increase to closer to 100 over the next few years by virtue of the planning permissions already in place. We continue to look forward to developing our existing estate, to making selective acquisitions and to providing returns for our shareholders. Alongside our great pubs, we are grateful to our dedicated team of licensees and staff who all make such a positive contribution to our business.”

 

Las Iguanas launches first loyalty programme: Las Iguanas, the Big Table Group-owned brand, has launched its first loyalty programme, The Iguana Club. The 47-strong brand’s app launched in 2024, and it said that the launch of the new loyalty programme marks its evolution. The company said: “This isn’t just a loyalty programme – it’s your passport to a world of flavour-packed perks, surprise giveaways, birthday treats and much more. Las Iguanas is all about living life with colour, flavour and rhythm and The Iguana Club brings that spirit to your phone. Think thrilling competitions, secret menu drops, and exclusive invites to special events, only for members.” To mark the launch, the brand is offering loyal customers 50% off food for 90 days. The company said: “Spend £30 or more at Las Iguanas, scan your Las Iguanas app to collect an Iguana stamp. Collect three stamps before 1 July 2025 and unlock 50% off food for 90 days – valid Sunday to Thursday.” A spokesperson for Las Iguanas said: “The new Iguana Club is our biggest and boldest launch to date. We wanted to create something that truly rewards our guests, not just with great savings, but with a sense of excitement every time they visit. The 50% off food for 90 days is our way of saying thank you to the people who bring our restaurants to life. It's more than a deal, it's an invitation to make memories, share good times and enjoy incredible food, again and again.” Earlier this month, the brand launched its “most ambitious menu overhaul yet”, introducing a fresh line-up of “mouthwatering dishes, bringing back long-lost favourites, and unveiling a new rhythm of the week packed with exciting offers”.

 

Rosa’s Thai opens second international site: Rosa’s Thai, the TriSpan-backed business, has opened its second international site, in Dubai. The circa 40-strong group made its international debut with an opening in Dubai, in The Walk, at the Jumeirah Beach Residence, in October 2022. The launch in the region was done in partnership with Eathos, which has launched seven concepts in close to 40 locations across the Middle East, including Tortilla. The latest Rosa’s Thai site has opened in Dubai Hills. In the UK, Rosa’s Thai, which is led by Sarah Hills, has recently opened sites in London’s Balham, Reading and Cheltenham. Rosa’s Thai has also been linked with an opening in Brighton.

PizzaExpress refreshes loyalty scheme as it hits more than three million members: PizzaExpress has refreshed its loyalty programme, PizzaExpress Club, which the company revealed has now reached more than three million members. The new-look scheme sees customers who download the PizzaExpress Club app now instantly enter the “bronze” tier, unlocking rewards before even spending a penny. This includes a free portion of the brand's dough balls every time they dine. Anyone using the app will also automatically receive at least 25% off the children’s three-course Piccolo menu all week, as well as free birthday rewards. The PizzaExpress Club was launched in December 2021 as a key pivotal moment in the brand’s digital transformation. Customers progress through “bronze”, “silver” and “gold” tiers by collecting stamps to access more rewards from the menu. As part of the revamp, customers now progress through the tiers even more quickly, with new members automatically elevated to “bronze”, and then progressing to “silver” after three stamps and gold after ten stamps. Chief executive Paula MacKenzie said: “We’ve welcomed more than three million members to the industry-leading PizzaExpress Club since it launched just over three years ago, and we’re excited to have updated our rewards and benefits to give our loyal pizza fans even more of what they love.” PizzaExpress operates almost 360 sites in the UK as well as 110 international and franchise sites with a target of reaching 1,000 restaurants globally by 2030.

Merlin partners with Paramount to open first Paw Patrol-themed land in UK: Merlin Entertainments is partnering with Paramount to open the first Paw Patrol-themed land in the UK. The land will launch at Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey next year. Merlin said the collaboration is part of its strategy to work with owners of leading intellectual property to bring premium brands to life in key locations across the world and comes hot on the heels of its recent global partnership with Minecraft. Merlin added it also signals the company's ambition to broaden its offering to families with pre-school children. The development at Chessington will include the creation of first-of-its-kind concepts, not only with four Paw Patrol-themed rides, but also guest accommodation and a customised retail offer. Merlin chief executive Fiona Eastwood said: “We're delighted to be joining forces with Paramount to bring Paw Patrol to life in one of our most popular UK theme parks. The partnership reinforces our position as the preferred partner for the world's most beloved brands and builds on our expanding offer to families with younger children, who are a key audience for us as part of our future growth plans.” Marie Marks, senior vice-president, global experiences at Paramount, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with Merlin to bring these beloved pups to their first fully themed land in the UK. Chessington World of Adventures and Nickelodeon have a deep commitment to creating entertainment that families can enjoy together, and we are delighted this new themed land will immerse young visitors in their very own Paw Patrol adventure.”

The Coffee House to open in Manchester for second city centre location: North west independent coffee shop The Coffee House is set to open in Manchester for its second city centre location. It will open next month in City Tower within Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens, in New York Street, for the brand’s 33rd site overall. The company, which is based mainly in neighbourhood and suburbs across the region, opened its first city centre site last year – at St Johns Market in Liverpool. “We’re excited to be opening in the heart of Manchester,” said Chris Shelmerdine, co-founder and managing director of The Coffee House, “We’ve spent years growing within local communities, and bringing that same warmth and quality to City Tower feels like a huge moment for us. We want this store to be a place where people can take a break from the hustle and bustle, enjoy amazing coffee, and feel at home.” The Coffee House launched in Wrexham’s Island Green Retail Park earlier this month for its Welsh debut. Shelmerdine, who co-founded the business in 2011 with brother Stephen, told Propel last year that it is eyeing an estate of more than 80 sites after securing a £4m cash injection from the founder of investment platform AJ Bell, Andy Bell.

 

Vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant concept planning Oxford launch for sixth site: Vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant concept Namaste Village is planning to launch in Oxford for its sixth site. Vijay and Dalsukh Jetani first founded the company as Namaste India in 2010, having moved to the UK four years earlier, opening a small restaurant in Norwich. After Ketan Vaghasiya joined the team in 2016, the concept evolved into Namaste Village and moved to a former church hall in the city’s Queens Road. Namaste Village has since opened further locations in Cambridge and Southend as well as Twickenham and Islington in London. The company is now preparing to open in the former Prezzo site at Oxford Castle in New Road, Oxford, reports the Oxford Mail. The Prezzo restaurant shut in 2023. Namaste Village is also reportedly exploring launching a site in Birmingham.

 

Richard Caring confirms London’s King’s Cross opening for Harry’s: Serial sector investor Richard Caring has confirmed he will open a site in London’s King’s Cross under his Harry’s bar and restaurant brand. Propel revealed last year that Caring had acquired the former Vinoteca site in King’s Boulevard and was gearing up to replace it with what will become the fourth Harry’s site in the capital. The site was running at a pop-up called the Champagne Chalet – by Perrier-Jouët over the festive season. Caring opened the latest Harry’s site last July, at Terminal House in Grosvenor Gardens, opposite Victoria station. Harry’s also comprises eponymous restaurants in Knightsbridge (Basil Street) and Marylebone, plus private members’ club Harry’s in South Audley Street, Mayfair. Last autumn, Caring opened the first international site for the Harry’s bar and restaurant brand, in Qatar. He partnered with the Alfardan Group Hospitality to open the venue at the Marsa Malaz Hotel Kempinski, The Pearl, in Doha. Located in King's Boulevard, the 174-seater King’s Cross restaurant will offer an all-day dining experience when it opens on Tuesday, 3 June. The venue will feature 80 covers indoors and 94 seats on its outdoor terrace, spanning more than 3,200 square feet. Laura Mills, managing director of The Ivy Group, said: “We’re excited to be opening our fourth Harry's in the heart of King's Cross – a location full of energy, culture and character. Harry's has always been about more than just great Italian food; it's about creating memorable moments through warm, heartfelt hospitality. Bringing our signature Italian charm to this vibrant and ever-evolving part of London feels incredibly special.”

 

Okan team launches new Osaka-style Japanese diner: The team behind London-based Japanese restaurant Okan has launched a new concept for its fourth site. Founder Moto Priestman and food director Takuma Shoji, who both hail from Osaka, already operate Okan restaurants in Brixton Village, Brixton East and in County Hall on the South Bank. Priestman and Shoji have now opened a food truck concept called Oton, in Lower Stable Street in King’s Cross, offering okonomiyaki (a Japanese pancake), donburi, yaki soba, miso udon and a selection of otsumami (Japanese tapas), alongside saké and tea. Oton and Okan are the casual words for ‘dad’ and ‘mum’ in Japanese, reports Hardens. “Here, we cook the way dad would,” the founders said. “Simple, comforting and full of love – warm bowls, grilled fish, and the kind of food that brings you home, no matter where you are.”

Sankey’s takes on Brakspear tenancy for third site: Seafood pub and restaurant group Sankey’s has acquired a third site, The George and Dragon near Tunbridge Wells, Kent. The business, which is led by Matthew Sankey and operates the Old Fishmarket and the Seafood Kitchen & Bar, both in Tunbridge Wells, has taken on the tenancy of the pub in the village of Speldhurst from Brakspear. The company said: “In 1960, Matthew’s grandparents, Dick and Jeff Sankey, bought The George & Dragon, becoming the birthplace of Sankey’s in hospitality. Now, more than 60 years later, we’re bringing it back into the fold. We’re excited to restore the historic pub to its full potential. Speldhurst is the home village to Matthew as well, where he serves as a local councillor, making it even more special. We can’t wait to welcome you to The George & Dragon very soon, where we’ll be serving some great food, proper hospitality and, of course, a pint or two in a place that means the world to us. It’ll be business as usual for the first few weeks before we start to implement our planned changes and improvements.”

Bubala opens third site: Middle Eastern vegetarian concept Bubala, which opened its debut site in London’s Spitalfields in 2019 following a string of pop-ups and supper clubs, has opened its third site. Founder Marc Summers, who added a second Bubala site in 2022, in Soho, has taken the concept to King’s Cross, where it has launched at Unit 1 in Cadence Court, at 4 Tapper Walk. The two-floor venue, complete with an expansive outdoor terrace, offers Bubala’s signatures and new dishes like charred cucumber tzatziki and vava bean with Vadouvan braised broad beans. The restaurant features a 65-cover ground floor dining room, an additional 25 covers upstairs and 30 alfresco seats on the terrace. The drinks offering includes wine on tap, as well as a selection of bottled natural wine, UK beer and Gazoz house soda. In February, Summers said looking ahead to the next 18-24 months, the plan was “carefully selecting locations and going for it when the right sites come along”. He added: “Ideally, we would add a site or two in London in that period. We remain really positive in a difficult climate and want to continue to seek opportunities and grow.”

Dishoom to open first London Permit Room site next month: Indian restaurant group Dishoom will open the first London site for its fledgling Permit Room concept next month. Propel revealed last year that the first Permit Room in London will open on the former The Distillery site in Portobello Road. Dishoom has now confirmed the venue will now open on Friday, 9 May, following openings under the concept in Brighton, Oxford and Cambridge over the past 18 months. The company also operates ten Dishoom sites and is set to open in what was previously Michael O’Hare’s Michelin-starred Man Behind the Curtain restaurant, in Leeds. Dishoom is also set to open a further eponymous site, in Glasgow, this year. Co-founder Shamil Thakrar told Propel earlier this year that he believes Dishoom can one two or three sites a year, and that it will have a plan in place by the end of 2025 for its US debut, with New York earmarked for the launch.

Bancone to open in London’s Kensington next month: Bancone, the all-day fresh pasta concept led by Will Ellner and backed by David Ramsey and Jason Myers, will open in London’s Kensington next month. Propel revealed last year that the three-strong concept planned to open a site at 127a Kensington High Street as part of the Kensington Building in Wrights Lane. The venue will now open on Tuesday, 20 May, offering signature dishes such as silk handkerchiefs with walnut butter and confit egg yolk and raviolo with smoked potato, new season truffle and egg yolk, reports Hot Dinners. There will be some new dishes exclusive to the site like alourde clams with n’duja and burnt bread, confit tomato with gnochetti sardi, lentil and pickled chilli, and monkfish with saffron mayo and herb salad. Bancone, which raised more than £900,000 from a crowdfunding campaign in 2023, also has sites in Borough Yards, Covent Garden’s William IV Street and in Soho’s Lower James Street. 

NoMad London set to open new New York City-inspired bistro: NoMad London, the luxury Covent Garden hotel from the Hilton-owned brand, is set to open new a New York City-inspired bistro. The 91-room hotel will launch Twenty8 NoMad on Friday, 9 May, named after the fact that NoMad New York was located on 28th Street in Manhattan, and NoMad London is located at 28 Bow Street. With a custom-built, eight-foot wood-burning hearth as the dining room’s centrepiece, the restaurant will offer wood-fired dishes such as a dry-aged, fire-roasted Galician blond steak, inspired by New York’s classic chophouses, while the raw bar section will celebrate the fresh seafood of both the British Isles and the East Coast of the US. There will also be a Martini-focused cocktail list and a wine list with a strong focus on provenance and ethos, with Nebbiolo as a prominent variety. Andrew Zobler, founder and chief executive of the Sydell Group, which is responsible for managing the brand, said: “It is with great pleasure that we set the heart of our beautiful hotel beating anew, with the opening of Twenty8 NoMad. It is very much in the spirit of NoMad to view London carefully and fully through the eyes of a New Yorker.” Having opened in 2021, NoMad London was named number 46 in the inaugural World’s 50 Best Hotels list in 2023, and in 2024, received a One Michelin Key. Hilton acquired a controlling interest in the Sydell Group in April 2024, to expand the NoMad brand beyond its London flagship to “high end markets around the world”.

Ukrainian entrepreneur revels opening date of debut UK restaurant: Ukrainian entrepreneur Polina Sychova has revealed the opening date of her first UK restaurant. Sychova, who is from Kiev and has a background in brand building and design, will launch Sino at 7 All Saints Road in London’s Notting Hill on Wednesday, 21 May. She has partnered with chef Eugene Korolev for a restaurant that will blend elements of Ukrainian food culture with contemporary western cooking techniques. The restaurant will have 52 covers – 30 in the main room, a ten-cover private dining room and a small terrace. Korolev, who spent more than a year fighting on the front-line in the Russo-Ukrainian war, will bring with him the kitchen team from his now-closed Dnipro restaurant. Dishes will include the likes of cherry glazed barbecue catfish, fried parsley root, samphire, kovbasa (a traditional Ukrainian sausage spice with paprika) dried grated mussels and bell pepper sauce; and vareniky (dumplings) with ox tail, spicy beef broth and homemade mushroom garum. A cocktail list has been created by Ukrainian mixologist Ana Reznik, with drinks drawing inspiration from classic Ukrainian dishes, while the wine list will encompass varieties from across Europe, including from family-run Beykush Winery on the Black Sea shore. Sychova said: “At Sino, our mission is to celebrate Ukrainian culture and gastronomy, and to help to raise its profile in the west. Ukraine has a rich culinary history, yet its food is sorely underrepresented in the UK. We’re combining traditional Ukrainian ingredients and dishes with western techniques, to create something elevated that we hope will feel authentic, innovative and familiar at the same time.”