Starbucks franchisee aiming to almost triple the size of both its UK and overseas F&B estates in the next five years: Starbucks and KFC franchisee Queensway is aiming to almost triple the size of both its UK and overseas estates in the next five years, Propel has learned. The London-based business, led by managing director Karim Jivraj, currently has 31 Starbucks stores in the UK, with plans to reach 85 in the next five years. It also has 33 KFC restaurants across Slovakia and Austria – with exclusive rights to both markets – and plans to also grow this estate to 85 over the same timeframe. In a recently published acquisitions brochure, the company said: “Queensway Coffee House Ltd is expanding Starbucks across England and looking for drive-to and drive-thru sites. We operate 31 locations and plan many more.” It lists Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire as target growth areas. It is seeking sites with a minimum of 0.5 acres of land for a unit size of 1,500-2,200 square feet, which are either new build or conversions, in high visibility locations. These can be freehold or leasehold opportunities in retail parks, business parks and roadsides sites. It comes as Queensway reported that its Starbucks operations, which trades as Queensway Coffee Houses, grew its turnover from £16,240,373 in 2023 to £18,688,160 in the year to 31 March 2024. A pre-tax profit of £154,265 in 2023 turned into a loss of £61,666, as costs and administration expenses each grew by more than £1m. Average monthly staff increased from 324 to 396. During the year, the company secured access to a further £4m loan facility, and at the date of the accounts, had drawn down £1,768,352. Queensway Group was founded 1973 and is also led by chief executive Naushad Jivraj. Its non-food and beverage brands include Point A Hotels, Sloane Place, Montagu Place, ibis Styles and the Sloane Club. It began franchising with KFC in 2004 and Starbucks in 2015.

 

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. 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 cafe bakery sector such as by Coffee#1, the Nero Group-owned business, the first airport site in Ireland from Pret A Manger, and Medicine, the Midlands artisan bakery concept. 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.

 

Plans to scrap Valuation Office Agency ‘will lead to more uncertainty for businesses’: Plans to scrap the government body responsible for calculating business rates and council tax “will lead to more uncertainty”, business leaders have warned. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will be disbanded as a stand-alone division, with the majority will be merged within HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by April next year, according to the government. The VOA is a so-called quango – a quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation – or arms-length body within the government that is responsible for valuing properties and supporting the collection of more than £60bn in council tax and business rates each year. The VOA also provides commercial property valuation services to the public sector. The government hopes the move will help save between 5% to 10% in VOA running costs – around £4m – by 2028-29. The decision will also “improve the experience of taxpayers and businesses by cutting the time spent managing taxes and upgrading the customer experience during the transition to a reformed business rates system”, according to the Treasury. But the decision comes ahead of a major reform of the business rates system next year, with plans to level the playing field between high street and online businesses. Dee Corsi, chair of High Streets UK, a pro-growth partnership of more than 5,000 businesses across the country, said: “This will only lead to more uncertainty for businesses, which will have little time to acclimatise to new multipliers, a new ratings list, and now, a new administrative process. It is stability, not uncertainty, that we need to drive growth and investment on our high streets. We continue to call for a freeze to any increase in multipliers until after the 2026 revaluation, and an exemption for all retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, which play a vital economic role on high streets across the nation.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with an events and hospitality operation in London that is looking for an executive chef. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The executive chef will have experience in culinary leadership, food production for large-scale events, VIP functions and premium hospitality services. The executive chef will be hands on and happy to be in the kitchen, responsible for leading a high-performing kitchen team, delivering exceptional quality across bespoke menus and ensuring flawless execution at volume.” The salary is £70,000. For more information, email yasmin@corecruitment.com.

 

HMSHost to roll out new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant: HMSHost International is to begin the roll out of its new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant concept called Alembic. The new concept launched earlier this month at East Midlands airport and was the first new opening of the year for HMSHost UK and France – part of Avolta. Propel understands that the company is set to open a second site under the concept, which provides “Mediterranean-inspired light bites alongside premium, locally sourced spirits”, at Bristol airport, later this year. On the launch of Alembic, the company said: “Alembic is the first food and beverage operation of its kind in the UK, kickstarting a year of exciting openings for HMSHost (UK and France). Our amazing development chefs have created the most mouth-watering menu, while our brilliant commercial team has sourced some fantastic local products and spirits, all complemented by our enthusiastic team on site ready for the summer influx of passengers from across the East Midlands region. Keep an eye out for more exciting things to come from our Avolta food and beverage UK team as we gear up for an exciting 2025.”

PureGym – 2025 has started strongly, sets out expansion plans in UK and internationally: PureGym, Britain’s biggest health and fitness club operator, has said 2025 has started strongly, as it set out “ambitious” expansion plans in the UK and internationally. It comes as the group, which operates 410 sites in the UK, reported revenue increased 10% to £605m for the year ending 31 December 2024 (2023: £549m), driven by ongoing gym expansion, membership growth and an improvement in average revenue per member. Adjusted Ebitda improved 17% to £154m (2023: £132m), “reflecting ongoing cost management and solid revenue growth”. During the year, the company opened 105 new gyms, of which 56 were acquired through the acquisition of Blink Fitness in the US, while 46 were organic and three franchised, leading to an estate of 680 gyms in total at year end. PureGym ended the year with more than 2.25 million members, adding 400,000 new members on last year, an increase of 21%. PureGym reiterated its plans to open 70 new sites in 2025, primarily in the UK, where, as previously reported, it sees runway for another 300 sites. Clive Chesser, the former Punch Pubs & Co boss who joined PureGym as chief executive in November, said: “Market conditions for the consumer continue to be challenging in many of our markets. Our proposition – to provide a boutique fitness experience at a value gym price – is appealing in these market conditions and demonstrates why the value gym sector continues to thrive. Increasing importance being placed upon health and well-being, both physical and mental, is a structural trend that continues to attract people to our gyms, as does the growing popularity of strength training and fitness competitions. We have a clear strategy for each of our markets. In the UK and Switzerland, we will continue to expand and invest in our existing gyms. In Denmark the re-branded, consolidated portfolio is on a good profit trajectory, and in the US the Blink Fitness integration is well underway. Looking forward, we have started 2025 strongly and see growth accelerating. The US, where we now have critical mass, represents a tremendous opportunity for PureGym. The integration is well underway, following which our focus will turn to growth, both through opening our own sites or with franchise partners.”

Urban Pubs & Bars secures Highbury site: Urban Pubs & Bars, the London pub operator founded by Malc Heap and Nick Pring and backed by Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual, is adding a site in Highbury, North London, to its growing estate. Propel understands that the Chris Hill-led business has acquired Highbury Barn Tavern, a premium neighbourhood pub, that is a five-minuteswalk from Highbury Fields and a ten-minute walk from the Emirates Stadium. It is the group’s fourth acquisition this year so far and takes the company’s estate to 55 sites across London. In January, Urban secured additional funds to “accelerate” its ambitious expansion plans. It came as the company posted record-breaking Ebitda of £8.7m for the year ending 28 April 2024, a 26% increase on the previous year, and reported a 16% rise in turnover to a record £60.5m.

Carlsberg reports soft start to the year: Carlsberg saw a soft start to 2025 dampened by subdued consumer spending. Volumes and revenue were up, 14% and 17% respectively, driven by the recently acquired Britvic, while the beer segment was weaker versus prior comparatives following the ending of Carlsberg’s licensing and distribution deal for San Miguel. Excluding San Miguel, organic revenue was flat. Growth was seen in premium beer, alcohol-free brews, and Beyond Beer, while Carlsberg’s international brands, like Tuborg and Brooklyn Beer, grew 3% and 10% respectively. The Britvic brands – including Robinsons, R Whites, Tango, J2O, Lipton, plus regional distribution for the likes of Pepsi Max and Mountain Dew – accounted for some 4.7 million hectolitres of volume, or around £340m of revenue since the acquisition date in mid-January. Carlsberg chief executive Jacob Aarup-Andersen said: “It was a soft start to the year, impacted by the loss of the San Miguel brand and continued subdued consumer spending in an environment with increased macroeconomic volatility. We have not seen any material changes in consumer behaviour in our markets during the first quarter, but the global macroeconomic environment and consumer sentiment are volatile and uncertain. The Britvic transaction and refinancing were completed in the first quarter, with the integration starting immediately. We’re encouraged by the first quarter performance in the UK and Ireland and the strength of the business. We remain confident in the long-term value creation from this acquisition.”

Australian entrepreneurs acquire majority shareholding in Anytime Fitness UK master franchise: Australian entrepreneurs Justin McDonell and Richard Peil have acquired a majority shareholding in the UK master franchise for Anytime Fitness, which operates circa 180 gyms across the UK. Over the past 17 years, McDonell and Peil have built Anytime Fitness Australia into that country’s largest gym network, with more than 580 clubs and in excess of 700,000 members. The acquisition sees McDonell and Peil joined by RM UK, an indirect subsidiary of Purpose Brands (the global owner of the Anytime Fitness brand), and existing shareholder Marcello Jimenez. Together, they said they are committed to “a collaborative, franchise-first approach to strengthening the brand’s position across the UK”. They also said the partnership presents “significant opportunities to grow the Anytime Fitness network” in the UK. Peil said: “Anytime Fitness is a globally respected brand, and we’re excited to bring our experience and passion to the UK. With a strong network already established and a thriving fitness industry, we see enormous potential to build on the excellent foundations laid to date.” McDonell added: “We’ve grown a values-driven business in Australia by prioritising club standards, franchisee success and member satisfaction. We firmly believe these principles are universal, and we’re excited to apply them here in the UK, to support network growth and deliver greater value to members.” Anytime Fitness launched in the UK in 2010. The brand has more than three million members worldwide and operates across five continents.

Heineken UK invests in natural energy drinks brand: Heineken UK has acquired a minority stake in natural energy drinks brand, Tenzing, marking its first investment in the energy drinks market. Tenzing will continue to operate independently, while Heineken UK will offer the energy drinks brand some limited distribution through its network into the convenience channel. Tenzing, which was founded in 2016 by Huib van Bockel, has quickly become the fourth largest functional energy drink in UK grocery and is the third most popular energy drink in Tesco. Heineken UK managing director, Boudewijn Haarsma said: “This is an incredibly exciting step for us. Next to developing and stretching the beer and cider categories, which remain core to us, we are keen to selectively invest in growth markets beyond these. It is Heineken UK’s first investment into the rapidly growing energy drinks market, and we look forward to sharing valuable lessons and insights, as we help grow the Tenzing brand together.”

Pool House hires Rachel Masing as people director: Poolhouse, the new competitive socialising concept from the founders of Topgolf and Puttshack, has hired Rachel Masing, formerly of ETM Group, as its new people director, Propel has learned. Masing joins Pool House, which will open its debut site in London’s Liverpool Street early next year, after six and a half years as people director at ETM Group and its sister business, Maven Leisure. Prior to that, she spent 12 years at Gaucho, including 15 months as head of recruitment. Andrew O’Brien, a former Credit Suisse banker and a current board member of F1 Arcade, is chief executive of Poolhouse while Matt Fleming, formerly of Be At One and Vagabond Wines, is its chief operating officer. Earlier this month, the founders of Topgolf and World Golf Systems secured $34m (£25.9m) of funding to launch Poolhouse. Propel revealed last September that the Jolliffe brothers, who also co-founded Puttshack with Adam Breeden, co-founder of Flight Club, AceBounce and All Star Lanes, had lined up a site in the City of London, for the first site under the new concept - 21,000 square feet across the ground and first floor of 90 Liverpool Street. The first US locations are expected to open in late 2026, with four to five opening every year after that. Some potential locations include Chicago, New York, Boston, Nashville, Philadelphia and Washington DC. Australia’s Signature Hospitality Group struck a franchise agreement, with more franchise and joint venture agreements expected in other countries. 

New Roadchef CEO looking to strengthen its F&B partnerships as he officially begins role: Tim Gittins, the new chief executive of motorway services operator Roadchef, has said he looking to strengthen its food and beverage partnerships as he officially begins the role. Gittins, formerly chief operating officer at Moto, was named in January as the successor to Mark Fox, who has stepped down after seven years as Roadchef’s chief executive. Gittins, who officially started his new role this week, said: “I am delighted to take on the role of chief executive at such a pivotal moment. Roadchef is a business with a proud reputation for excellence, powered by our strong brand partnerships including Costa, Leon, McDonald’s and WHSmith, and underpinned by our award-winning workplace culture. I am stepping into the role at a tremendously exciting time, from strengthening our existing partnerships to rolling out additional EV chargers, expanding drive-thru facilities and embracing digital solutions.” Last week, Fox told Propel that the future for motorway service areas (MSAs) “is an exciting one”, with more brands set to head roadside. Writing in Premium Opinion about the evolution of MSAs, Fox said with battery electric vehicles needing to charge up more frequently than petrol or diesel vehicles need to refuel in the medium-term, there the additional footfall “will be attractive for all kinds of brands”. He added: “I have a suspicion that smaller brands will seek the exposure and begin to feature more in the line-ups.” Premium Opinion is sent to Premium Club subscribers every Friday at 5pm, featuring insight from leading industry figures and commentators. 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.

Bakery brand Simmons sees profit increase by more than £1m, opens two new stores: Bakery brand Simmons saw its profit increase by more than £1m in the year ending 31 March 2024, since when it has opened two new stores. The company’s pre-tax profit grew from £2,951,131 in 2023 to £4,071,192, while turnover increased 14.3% from £27,159,608 to £31,053,518. The company, which dates to 1838 and employs around 700 staff, operated 42 shops across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire during the year, the same as in the previous year. Since then, the group has opened two new stores – the most recent launching last month in a former launderette in Hempstead Road, Kings Langley. Director Rupert Matthews said: “The performance of the company during the year has produced encouraging results. Costs were controlled and monitored. At the year end, the group was in a good position, with a strong balance sheet. During the year, we invested more than £2.3m in new bakery equipment, vehicles and the fitting out of our shops.” He added: “The UK food to go market is expected to continue to grow. We believe that we are in a very strong position to capitalise on this growth and are actively looking for new shops as well as continuing with the rebranding of our existing shops, along with monitoring rising costs across the business in areas such as ingredients and energy costs.” Dividends of £1,454,310 were paid (2023: £6,900,500).

Urban Leisure Group set to reopen Ask For Janice: Urban Leisure Group is set to reopen Ask For Janice, the Farringdon café and bar it shuttered during covid, in King’s Cross. The group, which is behind eight other London venues including Heist Bank, Coin Laundry and Never For Ever, will open the new Ask For Janice in June in Tileyard.​ It will replicate the “stripped back common room look” of the original Long Lane location, while adding outdoor seating, a pool table and an adjacent party space hosting DJs, live music, listening sessions and events. There will also be supper clubs, weekend brunches and after-parties on a rotating events line up. Development chef Troy Cundy (formerly of Dusty Knuckle, Dalston Superstore and Towpath Café) will lead an all-day offering showcasing local baked goods and seasonal produce, while the drinks menu will feature a curated selection of independent beers, natural wines and bespoke cocktails. “We’re excited to be part of such a dynamic, alive environment,” said a spokeswoman for the group. “Ask for Janice will be a space for collaboration, creativity and, of course, great food and drink.”

San Carlo Group opens new Cicchetti Piccadilly: Family-run Italian restaurant group San Carlo has opened its new Cicchetti site in London’s Piccadilly. The new site is located at 172-173 St James, which was formerly occupied by Richoux and the old Paul patisserie site next door, which closed down in 2023. It offers 94 dining covers, 20 in a private dining room and ten at the bar. The 7,520 square-foot restaurant is set across two floors, with the private dining area in the basement, while the ground floor houses the bar and restaurant. The company currently operates 25 restaurants across the UK plus locations in Kuwait, Dubai, Bangkok and Qatar. Marcello Distefano, chief executive of San Carlo Group, said: “Cicchetti Piccadilly has always celebrated the excitement of one of London’s most traversed areas, the perfect spot for pre and post theatre dining. Our new Piccadilly site will allow us to continue to grow our customer base in the capital and provide an authentic Italian dining experience.”

 

Pure Leisure acquires lakeside lodge development in Lancashire: Holiday park operator Pure Leisure has added a lakeside lodge development in Lancashire to its portfolio. Set across 25 acres of countryside, the Twin Lakes Country Club development currently comprises 29 two-storey luxury lodges, each featuring private hot tubs, and has amenities including two lakes and a communal picnic area. Planning permission is already secured for an additional 24 lodges, 11 apartments and a clubhouse, allowing Pure Leisure significant scope for future expansion. The group purchased the scheme for an undisclosed sum via Savills, acting on behalf of a private client. As part of its integration, Twin Lakes will operate under Pure Leisure’s Royal Westmoreland banner, the company’s hallmark for exclusive leisure experiences. Guests and lodge owners will also be able to access the facilities at neighbouring sister park, South Lakeland Leisure Village, including the Waters Edge restaurant, gym and heated indoor pool. John Morphet, owner of Pure Leisure, said: “Twin Lakes Country Club is a perfect fit for our portfolio, offering a unique combination of luxury living, natural surroundings and future growth potential.” Morphet started life as a farmer but made his fortune in the leisure business, founding South Lakeland Caravans in 1988 and Pure Leisure in 2004. Pure Leisure operates around 15 holiday lodge and caravan parks in the UK, as well as Tydd St Giles Golf and Leisure Estate in Cambridgeshire and Bridlington Links Golf and Leisure Estate in West Yorkshire, alongside the 750-acre Westmoreland estate in Barbados.

 

Dishoom to open Glasgow site this summer: Award-winning Indian restaurant group Dishoom will open a site in Glasgow this summer under its eponymous brand. As previously revealed by Propel, Dishoom will open a 7,000 square-foot site at the former stock exchange building in Nelson Mandela Place in the city. Dishoom has agreed a 20-year lease on the space, which spans the ground and basement floors of the listed building. The venue will be Dishoom's second site in Scotland following the opening of a restaurant in Edinburgh in 2017. Speaking at last month Propel Multi-Club Conference, Shamil Thakrar, co-founder of Dishoom, said he believed the company could open two or three sites a year, “while still maintaining the integrity and the beauty of what we do”. The company currently operates ten Dishoom sites in the UK and three under its fledgling Permit Room concept. The company is also gearing up to open its first Permit Room in London, on the former The Distillery site in Portobello Road. Propel revealed last week that Dishoom has lined up a further opening under its eponymous brand, on the ground floor of 68-78 Vicar Lane in Leeds. Thakrar was among the speakers at last month’s Propel Multi-Club Conference. His video and the 13 others from the conference are available 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.

 

Zaap Thai to make north west debut with Manchester opening: Sukho Group, which operates the Sukhothai and Zaap Thai concepts, will open its eighth site under the latter, in June, in Manchester. Zaap Thai’s first site in the north west will open in the city’s Brazennose Street and will be one of its biggest to date, with space for up to 160 covers. “We’re thrilled to be bringing Zaap Thai to Manchester,” Ban Kaewkraikhot, founder and executive chef at Zaap Thai, said. “This is a city with a rich and diverse hospitality scene, and we’re delighted to be joining that fantastic community. Our mission is to share our authentic flavours of native Thailand with the city – we want to transport guests to sunny south east Asia by providing an amazing and affordable menu where you can try something new each time. Our restaurant is inspired by the places we love back home and everyone is welcome.” Last December, Sukho Group reported a 4.5% increase in sales to £16.7m in the year to 31 March 2024, but told Propel that significant cost pressures had led to a decline in group Ebitda over the period. The company, which opened its seventh Zaap Thai site, in Durham, last September, also revealed it had closed Gai Zapp, its chicken concept site, which opened last summer in Nottingham, to focus on further expansion opportunities for its core business.

 

Permanently Unique Group hires Susie Clark as head of marketing and sales: Permanently Unique Group, the independent restaurant business formerly known as Tattu, has hired Susie Clark, formerly of Gusto Italian and Bistrot Pierre, as its new head of marketing and sales. Clark joins Permanently Unique Group after just over two years at Ignite, the marketing agency known for its branding, digital and design services, as its head of marketing strategy. She previously spent two and a half years as head of marketing at Gusto, and three years at Bistrot Pierre as its digital marketing manager. Last month, Permanently Unique Group promoted Dan Purnell to chief executive as it prepares for its first international opening in Dubai. The group also confirmed it had hired Andrew Jobes as its new chief operating officer. Last September, Permanently Unique Group secured a new £15m revolving credit facility to fund its future expansion and said it had new London locations planned for its Fenix and Louis concepts, as well as its Dubai venture. Tattu Dubai will open later this year across the top three floors of Ciel Tower, the world’s tallest hotel, located at the edge of Dubai Marina.

 

London operator Pizza Union in negotiations on a ‘few’ sites, reassigns lease of Dalston restaurant: Pizza Union, the now five-strong London operator, has said it is in negotiations on a “few” sites and has closed its Dalston restaurant and reassigned the lease. It comes as the business, founded by Babak Hashemi, one of the founders of Coffee Republic, reported turnover fell 7% to £7,633,966 for the year ending 31 December 2024 compared with a record £8,184,298 the previous year amid “soft trading conditions”. Adjusted Editda was down slightly to £968,893 compared with £979,002 the year before. Pizza Union, which employs around 100 staff, saw pre-tax profit grow to £710,294 from £539,558 the previous year. No new sites opened during the period, while in January 2025, the company re-assigned the lease of its Dalston restaurant, leaving the company with outlets in Aldgate, Holborn, Hoxton, King’s Cross and Spitalfields. Pizza Union has £207,916 outstanding on a £750,000 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan received from Barclays on 24 October 2020 that is due for repayment on 24 October 2026 (2023: £527,800 was outstanding). In his report accompanying the accounts, Hashemi said: “The company continues to build brand awareness across its existing sites in Central London. Throughout the year we experienced soft trading conditions across Central London but managed our cost of goods in the inflationary environment, as well as keeping control of labour costs given sector staffing challenges, and benefited from lower utility costs versus the previous few years. The company continues to selectively search for new sites across Central London, and while we are negotiating on a few potential new sites, none are in the legal stage of completion at the time of writing [17 April 2025].” No dividend was paid (2023: nil).

Insomnia Cookies opens fifth UK site, confirms Leeds plans: Insomnia Cookies UK, the late-night bakery business, has opened its fifth site and confirmed plans to open in Leeds. The brand, which made its UK debut in Manchester in 2023, opened its latest site at the weekend at 16 Angel Row, in Nottingham. It will follow this with an opening in Leeds, in the former Vape Social e-cigarette shop in the St John’s shopping centre, in June. The business also operates three sites in and around Manchester plus a site in Sheffield. Ben Lacey, managing director of Insomnia Cookies UK, said: On Saturday, Insomnia Cookies UK opened bakery number five, in a fantastic location just off market square in the city of Nottingham. We had well over a thousand people through the doors on opening day and many multiples of that since. Next stop is Leeds in June, and many other exciting plans to be announced in the second half of this year!” Last summer, Lacey told Propel that the business still had an ambition to build a nationwide presence and had an appetite to have up to ten new sites over the next 12-18 months. Last year, Krispy Kreme sold its majority stake in Insomnia Cookies, which has circa 250 locations worldwide, to investment firms Verlinvest and Mistral Equity Partners, in a deal that valued the late-night bakery brand at $350m (£271.1m).

 

Lucky Voice’s business arm sees 31% like-for-like revenue growth: Lucky Voice, the social entertainment brand, has reported its business-to-business arm saw a 31% increase in monthly like-for-like revenue over the past 12 months, with enquiries rising by 52% over the same period. The company said this continues an upward trend post-covid, as an increasing number of hospitality businesses look to diversify their offer and “take advantage of the boom in experiential leisure” – with revenue from this side of the business growing by 284% since 2020. The company said Karaoke for Business gives pub, bar, hotel and restaurant operators the chance to enhance their offering by “licensing its industry-leading software, and introducing premium, private karaoke booths to their own venues”. The company said: “Over the Easter bank holiday weekend alone, nearly 20,000 songs were sung using Lucky Voice’s software, and the number of karaoke pods using it has consistently grown over the past year, by 27%, and the past five years, by 66% – with notable uptake in larger cities such as London and Manchester.” Lucky Voice said its revenue from temporary karaoke set ups has grown by 131% year on year. Charlie Elek, managing director at Lucky Voice, said: “Karaoke for Business is more than just software – it’s a reliable revenue generator. We’ve seen some of our longest-standing partners expand with us, and the results speak volumes.”

 

My Thai plans third Manchester site: Yorkshire concept My Thai is planning to open a third site in Manchester, and its sixth overall. The business, which was founded in Bradford in 2014 by Simon Grybas and his Thai business partner, Bee Laltham, is planning to open on the former Players venue in the city’s Portland Street. My Thai already operates sites in the city’s Tib Street and John Dalton Street. Alongside its original site, My Thai also operates two sites in Leeds, in York Place and in the Merrion Centre. 

 

Ex-Bel & The Dragon COO’s hotel venture reports first positive Ebitda and opens fourth site, reviewing finance options for further acquisitions: The Signet Hotels, the hotel group founded in 2019 by Hector Ross, former chief operating officer of gastropub operator Bel & the Dragon, has reported its first positive Ebitda and opened its fourth site. The company reported a 108% Ebitda boost for the year to 31 March 2024, turning it from a £1,451,000 loss in 2023 to a £121,000 profit. The company also increased turnover from £12,225,648 in 2023 to £14,270,482 and narrowed pre-tax losses from £3,394,003 to £2,628,059. This despite a slight drop in occupancy from 65% to 62%. Post year-end, the company last month opened its fourth venue – The Alfriston Hotel in East Sussex. Formerly Deans Place Hotel, the company acquired the 35-room South Downs hotel from Michael Clinch in January 2024, using shareholder loans to fund the acquisition. Signet Hotels also reported a £628,029 unrealised deficit on revaluation of tangible fixed assets (2023: surplus of £5,943,495). No dividends were paid (2023: nil). Director Philip Jones said: “The directors are pleased with the results for the year in all areas of trading, with the revenue achieved demonstrating the success of Signet’s portfolio to date. The directors are reviewing financing options for the business to facilitate further growth of the business in the future.”

 

Kolamba founders to launch Sri Lankan street food concept: The founders of Sri Lankan concept Kolamba in London are to launch a street food format. Eroshan and Aushi Meewella are opening Adoh! this summer in the former Franco Manca premises in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, after agreeing a deal with landlord Shaftesbury Capital. Adoh! will draw inspiration from Sri Lanka's roadside eateries, venturing beyond the island’s home cooking traditions. Central to the restaurant’s offering will be kothu – a dish of chopped roti, vegetables and eggs, tossed together on a grill and finished with curry sauce. The kothu will be available in four different versions: crab, chicken, mutton and jackfruit. Other dishes will include fried chicken with curry leaf waffle and Chinese-style seafood fried rice. The drinks offer will include draught beer, as well as a concise selection of wine, cocktails and soft drinks. Adoh! will be for walk-ins only and have 70 covers inside and a further 12 alfresco. Eroshan Meewella said: “We’re excited to be honouring the food stories from our home country and bringing another aspect of our culinary heritage to London in Covent Garden. Adoh! will celebrate Sri Lankan street food at its finest – from fried rice to small bites on the beach in Colombo, and of course, the theatre of kothu making.” The couple opened the first Kolamba in Soho in 2019 and launched Kolamba East in Spitalfields last year.

 

Vegan street food concept Herbivorous ceases trading: Herbivorous, the vegan street food concept, has closed all three of its sites after saying it had become “really difficult to maintain a thriving business”, citing challenges including the pandemic. The business was founded by Robyn Marsh and Damian Myles in 2016 and opened venues in Manchester, Sheffield and York. The business said: “It seems you can’t open social media at the moment without reading about another hospitality business closing down. Throughout eight years of Herbivorous, we’ve come up against many challenges, from covid five years ago to watching all the big vegan brands from London and beyond come to Manchester and largely disappear again, to the closure of Hatch – our busiest site. But with continually increasing costs, it’s becoming really difficult to maintain a thriving business. We’ve had a lot of big changes in our personal life over recent months, including growing our family and a bereavement, and it feels like the right time to bring Herbivorous to an end. We are so incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, from spending long days slinging duck wraps from our green vintage horse box at festivals to three Herbi locations across the north of England. And with that, we’ve also met so many fantastic people!”