Marston’s CEO – new formats producing ‘really strong results’ with 33% revenue improvement in converted sites: Justin Platt, chief executive of Marston’s, has said the company’s new formats are producing “really strong results” with 33% revenue improvement in converted sites. The company’s format-led strategy is intended to create a more balanced and guest-centric pub portfolio through the development of five distinct propositions: Locals Pub, Family Pub, Grandstand, Two-Door and Adult Dining. Speaking after the 1,333-strong company reported pre-tax profit of £19.5m in the 26 weeks to 29 March 2025, up from a £26.9m loss in the same half last year, Platt said the business had converted 18 sites to the new formats and had seen “really strong results”. He said: “Revenue improvement of new pub versus old pub across those 18 is 33% and guest feedback is really strong too. It is worth saying it’s still early days – some have been open for three or four weeks and some of them have been open for a couple of months – so we need to let them settle before we can be clear on the extent that the returns are, but early signs are very good.” Platt said the company will focus on opening sites under the Two-Door, Grandstand and Family Pub formats this year, with a target of opening 30 in total this year. He said: “That test and learning process will allow us to read how effective each of them are being and how they are in terms of driving returns, and that then guides decisions for future years about where we may choose to spend that precious capex. But so far, so good, in terms of that roll out. Of the 30 that we will do this year, about two thirds will be on Two Door, and that’s because Two Door is the one that we’ve got the most conviction, at the early stage, that it will deliver. You don’t need to spend too much capital on that, approximately £250,000 a time. Two Door so far has shown really good signs for us.” The company launched its new order and pay platform in late March, and so far, it has been rolled out into 750 pubs. Platt said: “This is a much slicker, much cleaner, much more customer friendly platform to drive order from your table. It can make a big difference in terms of upsell, but also in time. The opportunities for us for data capture are very, very important because we can build that into our marketing programmes. Our data to date shows that guests using the app are spending 10% more than guests ordering the bar. It’s very early days on this, but it is one that we can start to get benefits from this year, and we’ll then really capitalise on it.”

 

Propel launches Operational Excellence Conference, restaurateur and entrepreneur Matthew Kirby to speak, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Propel has launched the Operational Excellence Conference in partnership with Purple Story and is open for bookings. The conference, which takes place on Wednesday, 9 July at One Moorgate Place in London, is designed for operations directors, managers, area managers, site managers and chief executives who wants to maximise performance. Among the speakers will be restaurateur and entrepreneur Matthew Kirby, who oversaw the sale of quick service business Chozen Noodle to Chopstix and who operates US foodservice businesses. He will talk about the pros and cons of operations in the UK and the US. 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.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive next UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database on Friday: Premium Club subscribers will receive the next UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database on Friday (16 May), at 12pm. The new database will feature ten new entries, for a total of 350 companies either franchising in the UK or looking to franchise here. The new entries include Eat Pizza, Korea’s largest pizza brand with 100-plus outlets, which exhibited at last month's International Franchise Show at London’s ExCel, as it seeks partners with which to expand to the UK. They also include north east, New York-style pizza concept Slice, which was founded in 2021 by Mark Milroy and Andy Smith, and has just begun to franchise. 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 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 the Operational Excellence Conference in July and discounts on specialist sector reports. 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.

 

Stonegate CEO – we are seeing the evolution of the alcohol-free trend into a fundamental shift in drinking habits: David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has argued that the business is seeing the evolution of the alcohol-free trend into a “fundamental shift in drinking habits, which is here to stay”. It comes as the business said sales of low and no-alcohol beer and cider increased 32% in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2024 – with more than 270,000 sold across Stonegate’s 4,500 pubs and bars. Data from Stonegate’s MiXR app revealed low and no-alcohol drinks are in most demand from 25 to 34-year-olds – accounting for 21% of sales, compared with 12% of total draught. By comparison, young adults aged 18 to 24 only account for 14% of low and no-alcohol beer sales, yet account for 24% of total draught beer sales. Stonegate’s research also found demand for low and no-alcohol sales peaks on Saturdays, with nearly a quarter of sales taking place in late afternoon and early evening, between 5pm and 7pm. Guinness 0% tops the list of best-performing low alcohol beers, followed by Heineken 0.0%, Old Mout Berries 0%, Peroni Nastro and Days Lager 0%. Across the regions, London accounts for the largest proportion of low and no alcohol sales at 27%, compared with 20% of total draught beer sales. McDowall said: “There has clearly been a growing demand from our guests for low and no-alcohol options in recent years, but what we are seeing now is the evolution of the trend into a fundamental shift in drinking habits, which is here to stay. For some time, we’ve seen our guests going out earlier and demanding more from their experiences and nights out, but the depth of our data shows low and alcohol-free drinks are growing in popularity up and down the country. Fundamentally, it’s all about choice and showing that even as guest trends and habits change, the great British pub is still the place for people to come together, as we have done in the UK for centuries.”

 

UK foodservice inflation rises above 6% with beef burger prices leading the surge: Inflation continues to climb across the UK restaurant landscape, with burger prices, particularly beef, outpacing the sector average, according to new data from Meaningful Vision, a provider of real-time competitive intelligence for the foodservice industry. As of April 2025, overall foodservice inflation has risen above 6%, marking the second consecutive month of accelerating pressure on menu prices. Beef burger prices at major quick service restaurant brands increased by 3% between January and April, with annualised growth rising to 5% by April. This trend closely mirrors record-high raw beef prices in retail, which, according to the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board, have surged nearly 20% year-on-year, Meaningful Vision said. Chicken burgers and sandwiches also saw a 2% price rise in April, with year-on-year growth at 4%. Price adjustments were more varied in this segment, with some brands increasing by up to 6%, according to Meaningful Vision’s data. The steepest price growth was recorded in value menus, where chicken items rose 9% and beef items 6% since January. “Despite relatively moderate increases in fast food so far, further inflation across the sector is expected in the months ahead, but not only for beef,” said Maria Vanifatova, chief executive of Meaningful Vision. “While raw ingredient prices remain a factor, the main inflation driver in foodservice today is labour cost, which plays a significantly larger role in restaurant economics than in retail grocery.”

 

CAMRA and Cask Marque collaborate to help drinkers find top-quality pints: The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and Cask Marque are collaborating to give provide data on which pubs have the highest beer quality and cellar hygiene ratings. CAMRA website users can now filter searches to find pubs with top Cask Marque ratings, helping people find top quality pints of cask. Paul Nunny, executive director of Cask Marque, said: “Consumers recognise the government food hygiene ratings, and with 7,000 pubs now displaying their cellar rating, this action by CAMRA will increase consumer awareness and influence the consumer choice of pub.” Cask Marque ran a pilot in late 2024, with the support of major brewers, to check the rating of cellars in an average pub. Only 46% of pubs initially achieved a four or five-star rating, but following training and a second assessment, the rate jumped to 79%. Nunny said beer quality depends on the use of best practice, and so does pub profitability. He added: “For a typical pub selling 150 barrels of beer per year, here is an opportunity to improve bottom line profitability of nearly £7,000. Research shows that a better customer experience through bar staff training can improve sales by 2% and generate better yields. A review of the draught product portfolio is also critical – this shows increased profitability is there for the taking.”

Hospitality accounting company Accurise acquires payroll firm Petticoat Management Team: Hospitality accounting company Accurise has acquired payroll firm Petticoat Management Team. Accurise supports 35-plus multi-site hospitality businesses with embedded finance teams, real-time reporting and scalable software. Founded in 1999 by Di Stevens, Petticoat is a BACS-approved bureau that brings 25 years of payroll experience and 150-plus clients to the mix, with around 60% of them in hospitality. The companies said the acquisition gives both businesses “access to shared expertise, faster problem-solving, and long-term planning”. Accurise chief executive Rob Howard said: “I met Petticoat 15 years ago as an operator when it did our team’s payroll. Since then, through various roles and a career change to accountancy, I’ve seen everyone out there, and it’s still the best. Teaming up with it was an easy call.” Di Stevens, along with her daughters Jo and Amanda, will continue to lead Petticoat. “We’ve always been a family-run business with a team that really understands hospitality,” said Di Stevens. “Joining Accurise means we can work with like-minded people and draw on more knowledge to support the businesses we care about.” The move follows Accurise’s own acquisition in 2023 by View Group – a Nordic leader in cloud-based accounting and IT services, supporting clients across 40-plus locations. 

Westminster launches scheme to cut cooking emissions in restaurants to improve air quality: Westminster City Council has launched a pilot scheme aimed at tackling harmful air pollution caused by cooking emissions in restaurants. The council said commercial cooking is the third-largest single source of particulate matter (also known as PM2.5 emissions) in London, which is estimated to account for 59% of total emissions. It said these originate from cooking fuels such as charcoal, wood and gas, as well as food preparation methods like frying and grilling. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 particles has been linked to serious health conditions such as heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and even cognitive decline. To address this, the council is trialling a new air purification system in five local restaurants to assess its effectiveness in reducing PM2.5 emissions and improving indoor and outdoor air quality. The trial will also provide valuable data on how restaurant emissions contribute to pollution across the city, which will be shared with the businesses. Mayfair restaurant Apricity is one of the restaurants piloting the new technology. Eve Seemann, head chef at Apricity, said: “Although our style of cooking may not be as polluting as others, it’s important to see what areas we could improve in.”

 

Jeremy Clarkson admits running a pub is ‘more stressful’ than a farm: Jeremy Clarkson has admitted he didn’t do himself any favours trying to juggle running his farm with opening a new pub. The TV presenter-turned-farmer and publican took on the challenge in buying, renovating and opening The Farmer’s Dog in Oxfordshire last year. He has since said that in comparison, operating his new pub was “more stressful” than the daily running of Diddly Squat, his 400-hectare farm in the Cotswolds. Clarkson told the Press Association: “There are so many things that you discover about opening and running a pub that you wouldn’t even consider. When you and I go to a pub, you ask for a pint, you get a pint, you sit down, maybe have some pork scratchings or something, and it doesn’t look that difficult. But there’s an enormous amount of regulation on food hygiene and safety, and then you’ve got staffing. You’ve got to try and find chefs, you’ve got to find waitresses, and that’s all very complicated.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a contract caterer that is seeking an operations director for the south of England. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “As this business continues its rapid growth, the individual will be at the forefront of day-to-day operations. This role requires strong leadership, experience of managing change and building new teams plus new openings and site mobilisation. It is essential the individual has multi-site, senior management experience across contract catering, ideally in public sector contracts. The operations director will have an impeccable eye for detail and be patient and observant. Excellent financials are a must with a firm grasp of how to go above and beyond client expectations.” The salary is up to £120,000 plus bonus/package. For more information, email dan@corecruitment.com.

 

Country Inns (Southern) completes £4.64m refinance to support growth plans: Country Inns (Southern) – which operates eight pubs across the New Forest, Dorset and Wiltshire – has completed a refinancing to support its transition to a fully freehold operation, with plans for expansion, Propel has learned. The business, which is owned by Debbie and Duane Lewis, arranged a £4.64m refinance through Sirius Finance. Structured at 65% loan to value and a 4.55% margin, the facility supports the group’s transition to a fully freehold operation. Despite more than £200,000 in existing debt commitments, Sirius Finance said that the deal consolidated liabilities, improving cash flow and freeing capital for growth. Several of the Country Inns sites are understood to offer scope to add or expand letting rooms, which will be a key focus for the capex funding included within the facility. Sirius Finance said that the deal “successfully restructured both secured and unsecured liabilities into a consolidated, manageable facility, significantly improving cash flow and freeing capital to reinvest in the business”. In November, Country Inns (Southern) sold the leasehold of the Mortimer Arms in Romsey to concentrate on its core business.

 

Popeyes UK eyes Republic of Ireland launch: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, has taken a step forward in plans to launch in the Republic of Ireland. PLK Chicken Ireland has submitted a planning application to develop a unit in Westmoreland Street in Dublin city centre. The brand made its Northern Ireland debut in 2023 with a site in Belfast’s Forestside shopping centre. Earlier this year, the company revealed ambitious plans for 2025 to almost double its footprint in the UK, creating approximately 2,500 jobs and targeting sales of more than £200m. It has also launched a strategic partnership with SSP Group to open a pipeline of Popeyes restaurants across UK travel hubs, starting at Birmingham airport this summer. Popeyes UK, which holds the UK and Ireland franchise for the brand, entered the UK market in November 2021 and has subsequently expanded to circa 70 sites across the UK.

 

Doner Shack signs Mumbai franchise deal: Doner Shack, the Berlin fast casual kebab concept, has signed a franchise deal to open in Mumbai, India. Last November, Doner Shack signed a 150-site deal to expand in India with FranGlobal – the international arm of Asia’s largest franchising firm, Franchise India Holdings. The company has now added to that by signing an agreement with Anand Chandnani to launch in Mumbai. Chandnani said: “I’m excited to share that I’ve signed the franchise deal to bring Doner Shack to Mumbai and to be working with such a dynamic, forward-thinking brand. We’re currently focused on securing our first location, ideally a premium space in or around Bandra, and we are already exploring options for a second site, with further stores on the cards as part of our long-term growth strategy.” Doner Shack has more recently been focusing on expanding in the US. Last month, the business said it was on track to award more than 50 new franchise agreements this year across North America. It comes after the business, which currently has agreements signed for 27 US units, said it had signed a second multi-unit franchise deal in Nevada. Doner Shack said its newest US location is locked in at the Cascades development in downtown Tallahassee, Florida.

  

Taco Bell partners with Applegreen to launch in Ireland: Applegreen will open Ireland’s first Taco Bell site this summer as part of plans to open further sites under the US brand in its Irish locations over the next five years. The move to bring Taco Bell to Ireland is part of Applegreen’s €1bn expansion programme over the next five years. The company plans to grow its business in Ireland, the UK and the US as it redevelops existing sites and adds new locations. Taco Bell, the Yum! Brands owned brand, currently operates circa 140 sites in the UK and has more than 8,700 restaurants worldwide. Matthew Johnson, new market lead for Taco Bell Europe, said: “This expansion is a testament to our commitment to growing our brand globally and delivering exceptional dining experiences to new markets. We believe that our unique offering will resonate with consumers in Ireland, providing a new and exciting dining option that celebrates bold flavours and a fun, vibrant atmosphere.” Applegreen recently introduced Taco Bell restaurants at several of its Welcome Break motorway service areas in the UK. Seamus Stapleton, managing director of Applegreen’s Republic of Ireland business, added: “This partnership underscores our commitment to bringing world-class roadside hospitality to our customers, offering them greater choice and quality while they travel, and I’m sure Irish consumers will be very excited at the arrival of Taco Bell.”

Heartwood opens 29th pub: Heartwood Collection, the Alchemy Partners-backed business that also operates 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK, has opened its 29th Heartwood Inns pub. It has opened The Prince of Wales in East Barnet, offering 150 internal covers and a sheltered garden with a further 55 seats. Heartwood Collection chief executive Richard Ferrier said: “We are delighted to have been able to bring this much-loved pub back to life and to restore it to its rightful place at the heart of the East Barnet community.” The company will open its sixth pub with rooms – The Ragged Robin in Godalming, Surrey – next month.

 

North London pan-Asian restaurant group Tootoomoo launches debut retail range, ‘number of sites in the pipeline’: North London pan-Asian restaurant group Tootoomoo has launched its debut retail range and told Propel it has a “number of sites” in the pipeline. The company, which has three restaurants, has partnered exclusively with Sainsbury’s to offer six chilled food-to-go products. The range includes shophouse noodles, sushi tacos and handheld rice rolls and are available as part of Sainsbury’s £5 premium meal deal. Tootoomoo founder Philip McGuinness said: “Our restaurants have always been about sharing the vibrant energy of Asian street markets. Now, we’re bringing that same spirit to Sainsbury’s.” McGuinness told Propel that trading has been “positive this year. He said: “People are staying more local, and our business model is flexible as we are strong on both dine in and delivery. We are focused on expanding through retail, which is now helping drive our franchise side of the business, and we have a number of sites in the pipeline.” Tootoomoo has sites in Crouch End, Islington and Whetstone.

 

US indoor water park business Great Wolf Resorts eyes site in Derbyshire: US indoor water park business Great Wolf Resorts is eyeing a new site in Derbyshire. Councillors from Bolsover District Council have met with representatives from the company, who outlined their idea for a family-oriented waterpark resort to be sited on land off the A619/Gapsick Lane junction, on the outskirts of Clowne. The proposed resort could feature a 500-plus-bedroom hotel, an indoor water park, conference facilities and leisure offerings including mini-golf, mini-bowling, a ropes course, games arcade and selection of restaurants, cafés and bars. Great Wolf Resorts is a provider of family resorts that offers indoor water parks, family dining and other attractions. A consultation event is being planned for Tuesday, 20 May, at Clowne Town Cricket Club. Bolsover District Council leader, Cllr Jane Yates, said: “This is an exciting project that will certainly put us on the map and provide us with leisure opportunities that will be fit for 21st century living.” Great Wolf Resorts currently operates more than 20 sites in the US and Canada, designed around family holidays. The company also has planning permission to build a UK resort near Bicester, in Oxfordshire, and is looking to develop a site in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

 

Big Table Group confirms opening date for Banana Tree’s biggest site yet: Big Table Group has confirmed the opening date for the biggest site yet for its Banana Tree brand, in Cardiff. Propel revealed in February that the Las Iguanas and Bella Italia operator had secured a site in the city’s Mill Lane, which will offer 290 covers split over two floors. It has now confirmed the site, which will also be the brand’s first in Wales, will open on Monday, 2 June. The group’s 22nd Banana Tree restaurant, it will offer 249 covers inside and 38 outside. Tom Patrick, Banana Tree’s marketing director, said: “We’re excited to open in Cardiff. It’s our very first site in Wales and our biggest restaurant to date, right in the heart of one of the UK’s most exciting food destinations.” Last month, Banana Tree managing director Kate Wilton told Propel that the brand could grow to 75 sites and “maybe beyond”, and that the Cardiff site is Big Table Group’s single biggest investment project to date. Propel also revealed that the group is working on a new tapas-focused concept, with a working title of Cantina, and could convert a Las Iguanas site in Ealing, west London, for its debut.

 

Restaurateur Steven Shamoon acquires The Oak in London’s Notting Hill: Restaurateur Steven Shamoon, whose family owns Luxury Hotel Partners, including the Marbella Club in Spain’s Costa del Sol, has acquired The Oak pub in London’s Notting Hill, Propel has learned. Shamoon has acquired the lease of the site, which is understood to have been sold for a substantial premium. Previously operated by the Out of the Woods Group, the site was famed for its pizza and Italian menu, and the new owners are planning renovations to revitalise the venue. Shamoon is working with Alex Ghalleb from Five Graces Hospitality to ensure The Oak becomes “a local top shot in the neighbourhood”, while its new executive chef is Shady Halim, formerly of Il Borro and the Connaught Hotel, who will be bringing his take of a modern Italian menu to the venue. Andrew Robinson, of A3A4 Licensed Property, acted on behalf of The Oak’s vendor. 

 

Dodo Pub Company secures tenth site: Dodo Pub Company has secured its tenth pub, in Newbury, Berkshire. The company has acquired The Cross Keys, located in London Road. Dodo Pub Co has taken the site over and is set to reopen it soon under a new name – The High Horse. Dodo’s first pub was the Rusty Bicycle in Magdalen Road, east Oxford (formerly the Eagle Tavern) in 2009, followed by the Rickety Press in Jericho (formerly the Radcliffe Arms) in 2011. Both these pubs are owned by and tied to Swindon brewer and retailer Arkell’s. Co-founder Leo Johnson told Propel last spring that the group’s current expansion plans were set at two pubs a year.

 

Scottish operator secures largest site to date: Scottish multi-site operator Michael Bergson, who owns the Buck’s Bar concept, has secured his largest site to date for a sister venue for its Thundercat bar and diner concept. Bergson operates five locations of his American-style fried chicken restaurant, Buck’s Bar, across Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as the Thundercat Pub and Diner in Glasgow’s Miller Street. ThunderDog Pub + Diner, the sister to Thundercat, is set to launch at the end of this month, in Glasgow’s Byres Road. Bergson said: “It’s a big step for our team with 120 covers inside and 40 outside; our largest venue to date. ThunderDog’s menu will feature many of your Thundercat favourites. Expect Chicago-style deep dish pizza, chicken ‘n’ waffles, smash burgers, chilli dogs, barbecue brisket bites, shakes and fried pickles. Unique to ThunderDog, we will be serving our buttermilk fried chicken dogs. We are determined to keep prices easy on the pocket. Drink deals from £3, pints from £4.50 and mains from £8.50.”

 

East London bakery Signorelli secures fifth site: East London bakery Signorelli is to open its fifth site in the capital, in Canary Wharf – its first location outside E20. The business, which is led by Rebecca Rosmini, will open the site next month, in Wood Wharf. Rosmini said: “As we get ready to open our fifth bakery in June 2025, our team continues to grow – now 50-plus strong – and we couldn’t be prouder of the community, quality and care that defines us. After 18 months of sketching on napkins, juggling budgets, value managing and working with a fantastic landlord, we’re finally about to go on site. Every one of our sites has been built without investors, designed in-house and shaped by what we’ve learned from our team, our customers and our community.” The company currently operates Signorelli cafés at 15 Endeavour Square and 7 Victory Parade, its Bakehouse & Bakers Bar at 1 Fortunes Walk, and The Coffee House by Signorelli within Stratford Cross’ Turing building.

 

Hunky Dory Group plans further Zhima site after success of first opening: Scottish operator Hunky Dory Dining Group is looking to open a further site under its high-end, Chinese restaurant concept, Zhima, after a successful first year of trading in Glasgow. As revealed by Propel last February, Zhima – which translates to sesame in Mandarin – opened at the former site of Prezzo in St Vincent Place, creating more than 60 jobs, last spring. Paul Sloan, co-founder of Hunky Dory Dining Group, told the Glasgow Times: “Launching a new concept always comes with a risk, especially one that diverges from our established brand, but the response has been overwhelming. We wanted to create something new for Glasgow and our guests have embraced that. Our proudest moment was in December. It was a record month across the group, and to hit those heights with a new team, a new concept and a labour-intensive kitchen, was a huge achievement. Zhima isn’t like anything else we’ve done. We had a vision of creating a late-night space where people could dress up and experience something special. I think Zhima has proven that the city was ready for that.” The restaurant is now looking to expand beyond Glasgow, with Edinburgh on the horizon. Sloan added: “Edinburgh is definitely on our radar, and we can see it happening in the not-so-distant future. What we’ve proven here is that the appetite exists for this kind of elevated, late-night Chinese dining. We set out to create something special, and when you see how hard it is to get a booking most nights, you know it’s struck a chord.”

 

The Greggs Foundation expands Breakfast Club programme: The Greggs Foundation has announced a new chapter in its commitment to supporting children and families across the UK as it marks 25 years of its Breakfast Club programme. Feeding Brighter Futures will build on the legacy of the foundation’s Breakfast Club scheme, which currently serves more than 75,000 children daily across more than 1,000 schools. The evolved scheme has the same underlying mission as the Breakfast Club programme – to improve educational equality – but will expand support beyond breakfast to include after-school and holiday activities. This expansion follows the UK government’s new commitment to fund breakfast provision in schools, with trials having begun and a wider rollout expected by 2027. This policy shift prompted The Greggs Foundation to consult with its partner schools on how best to redistribute its support. As a result, schools voiced the need for more after-school and holiday club support areas where many children currently miss out due to financial constraints or limited resources. Feeding Brighter Futures will continue to support existing breakfast clubs during the government transition period. Simultaneously, the foundation will pilot after-school and holiday club funding with select schools through 2025.

 

Former Fat Duck Group director to open fourth site later this month: Nigel Sutcliffe, former director of the Fat Duck Group, will open his fourth site later this month. Sutcliffe joined forces with Barry Wagner, owner of butchers Gabriel Machin in Henley, earlier this year to acquire The Three Tuns pub in the Oxfordshire town. The 34-cover pub has undergone a light refurbishment and will now reopen on Tuesday, 27 May. Sutcliffe, who worked alongside Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck Group from 1996 until 2021, has been a long-standing customer of Wagner’s. The Three Tuns will be run by the team from one of Sutcliffe’s other ventures – The Oarsman in Marlow – headed up by executive chef Scott Smith. His menu will feature dishes such as confit lamb breast with carrot and black garlic, baked hake with brown shrimp and spring greens, and a confit chicken chasseur pie for two. Located in the courtyard of the pub, The Boat Shed will offer a more casual burger-focused menu, available to eat in or take away. Sutcliffe and business partner James McLean help chefs develop their proposition through their Truffle Hunting Consultancy and also operate The Crown in Bray, Berkshire, and The Mutton in Hazeley Heath, Hampshire.

Chef Stevie Parle opens new restaurant in London’s West End: Chef Stevie Parle has opened his new restaurant, Town, in London’s West End. Parle first announced plans for the new venue – opposite the Gillian Lynne Theatre in Drury Lane – at the end of 2023. The team behind the restaurant includes executive chef Olly Pierrepont, previously head chef of Luca and La Trompette, executive chef Andy Bright, formerly of Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, and Zinzan Riess-Hollier, who also worked at Luca. Dishes include a wood-grilled Romney Marsh hogget with chianti and anchovy butter, and a south Indian cod and clams curry to share. The bar serves aperitifs, smaller serve cocktails and lower ABV drinks alongside a wine list. Parle said: “Town is the biggest, most ambitious project I’ve ever done. We are helping to pioneer a genuinely new approach to restaurant supply chains, built on knowing every farmer who grows what we cook.” The restaurant opens daily for lunch and supper, aside from Sunday, when only lunch is served. Town is Parle’s first launch since well before the pandemic, which saw the closure of his restaurants Sardine, Palatino and Craft London.

London New York-style pizza concept launches fundraiser as it prepares to go from pop-up to permanent: London New York-style pizza concept Bad Boy Pizza Society has launched a £15,000 fundraiser as it prepares to go from pop-up to permanent. The company was founded in 2018 by four friends at Southampton University – Samuel Clowes, Henry Hill, Joshua Oliver and Charlie Reeves – who initially sold pizzas at house parties before running pizza deliveries during the covid lockdowns. This soon grew into residencies at Vinegar Yard in Shoreditch, Kerb’s Seven Dials Market in Covent Garden and The Railway pub in Tulse Hill. Bad Boy Pizza Society has now secured a site in Bethnal Green for its first bricks-and-mortar location, but having already invested circa £50,000 in the project, Clowes, Hill, Oliver and Reeves are looking to raise a further £15,000 through the Kickstarter platform to help with structural adjustments, interior décor and kitchen set-up. The plan is for the site, at 419 Bethnal Green Road, to offer slices to take away during the day before morphing into a sit-down pizzeria in the evening. In their pitch on Kickstarter, the founders said: “This past year has been tougher than expected – legal costs, agency fees and some serious works that needs doing to make our dream pizzeria a reality. Everything has been going up in price including ingredients, staff wages, national insurance contributions etc. But we’re not giving up. We’ve come too far, and now, we need you to help us take Bad Boy Pizza Society to the next level.” Leo Marmion, of onepoint2, acted on the deal.