Evolution of Britain’s late-night economy being jeopardised by rising costs: The evolution of Britain’s late-night economy is being jeopardised by rising costs, the latest Night Time Economy Market Monitor has revealed. The quarterly monitor – produced by CGA by NIQ and the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) – shows while the number of late-night bars, nightclubs, casinos and other venues has fallen by 25.1% in the five years since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, it increased by 2.0% over the 12 months to end of March 2025. The research indicated particular resilience in bars, where numbers have risen by 7.6% since March 2024 – equivalent to nearly seven net new openings per week. Growth has been powered by competitive socialising and themed bars and some of these have succeeded nightclubs, whose numbers have dropped 33.8% since March 2020. The night-time economy has also been boosted by an increase in “cultural” licensed venues including cinemas, theatres and arenas, where numbers have increased 4.5% in the last 12 months. However, the sector’s evolution is being compromised by additional costs from April, including increases in national minimum and living wages and national insurance contributions. A recent survey of more than 500 nightlife businesses by the NTIA found 40% expect to close within the next six months without urgent financial support. The monitor showed the relative resilience of operators in the south and south east of England compared with regions including the east, south west and Wales. Late-night venues in capital cities have also been more robust than those in towns, with London, Edinburgh and Cardiff all increasing their share of their countries’ sites in the last five years, by four, three and five percentage points respectively. Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “These numbers show businesses have adapted very well to consumers’ changing leisure needs and are shaping a new and dynamic night-time economy. However, extra costs and ongoing inflation, alongside hesitant consumers spending, mean many businesses’ cash reserves are rapidly being depleted.” NTIA chief executive Michael Kill said: “While our sector is remarkably resilient, modest figures of growth should not be mistaken for recovery. What we are seeing is the barest flicker of life after five years of near-collapse.”

Panel about what operating standards and metrics that investors seek to be held at Operational Excellence Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: A panel looking at the operating standards and metrics that investors are seeking will be held at Propel’s Operational Excellence Conference, which is being held in partnership with Purple Story. The conference – which takes place on Wednesday, 9 July at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings – is designed for operations directors, managers, area managers, site managers and chief executives who want to maximise performance. The panel, hosted by Propel group editor Mark Wingett, will feature Robin Rowland, operating partner at TriSpan, investor in Mowgli, Rosa's Thai, Thunderbird Kitchen and Pho; Lizzie Ryan, partner at Imbiba, investor in Pizza Pilgrims, Farmer J and Clays; and Chris Miller, of White Rabbit Fund, investor in Lina Stores and Kricket. 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 two updated databases this week: Premium Club subscribers will receive two updated databases this week. The latest Propel Food & Beverage Franchisee Database will be sent on Wednesday (11 June), at 12pm. The database will feature ten new entries to take the total number to 250 and more than 102,000 words. The new entries include McDonald’s franchisees Beech Restaurants, Jaam Restaurants and Restaurant One20. Premium Club subscribers will then receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (13 June), at 12pm. The database will feature 64 updated accounts and 17 new companies, taking the total to 1,125. A total of 712 companies are making a profit while 413 are making a loss. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to four other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the New Openings 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.

WH Pubs owner – price rise loop is ‘becoming very toxic’ and £10 pint ‘inevitable’: Brian Whiting, the owner of the four-strong WH Pubs in Kent, has said the loop of price rises is “becoming very toxic” as he warned the £10 pint is “inevitable”. Operators have been forced to repeatedly raise their prices in recent years after sharp increases in costs despite the risk of driving away cash-strapped customers. “It’s becoming very toxic,” Whiting told The Sunday Telegraph. “You’re so frightened, you’ve got to put prices up, but you’ve got no choice but to do it. I worry that people think that landlords and publicans are just creaming it and making money. We work on tiny margins and we’re trying to survive . No one wants to charge those prices. I’m not sitting on a yacht anywhere.” Whiting said a “cooking lager” now costs the mid-£6, but anything premium “is going more than £7 for us”. He warned the pint “price doom loop” is pushing customers out of pubs and into supermarkets, where alcohol is significantly cheaper. Even though pint prices are typically much higher in London, the situation is worse outside the capital and other cities, Whiting believes. “A lot of people go into a pub in a city and don’t even know what they’re paying,” he said. “They tap with their card, and off they go. In a village, everybody wants to know how much the cost of a pint is.” As many search for a stay of execution, one thing is certain – further price rises for customers. “We’re knocking on the door of the £10 pint,” said Whiting. “It’s inevitable.”

Fallow co-founder – what the government has done to business has absolutely killed us: James Robson, co-founder of the company behind Fallow in London’s Haymarket’s and Roe in Canary Wharf, has said what the government has done to business “has absolutely killed us”. Talking to City AM , he said: “Let’s face it, this government has got rid of just about every international person with money. I can’t say I’m anti-Labour because I didn’t vote for the Conservatives last time around but I am anti the chancellor. What the government’s done to business has absolutely killed us. It has scared the international wealth out of London. They’re the ones who are spending a lot of money in our restaurants – and they’ve gone. I speak to friends in Milan, Switzerland, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and they’re cleaning up because everyone has gone running out there because they’re not anti-business. For every £100 I create, I’m lucky if I get £30 of it, while also paying the highest PAYE and rates in the world. It’s a bit grim. But I love London, I’m pro London. We have a saying in this company: ‘Find a way’ – and we’ll find a way.” In terms of what would help the sector, Robson said “wiping out” rates and reducing VAT on food and beverage. On the group’s future plans, he said: “We think Fallow is probably strong enough now to go to New York, but again it’s hard. As much as America is more pro-business than we are, it’s still got huge union issues, and building out there is even harder than it is in the UK. Fowl is not quite ready to roll out yet but it’s getting close – another year of tweaking and understanding the product and the customer base and it might be ready to be scaled. Personally, I would like another big restaurant in west London.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment has been retained by a restaurant and bar operator that is opening a new site in south west London and is looking for a general manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The general manager will have the support of a highly experienced operations director and a solid senior team already in place. This venue is forecast to turn over around £6m annually and will attract an affluent, discerning crowd. This is more than just managing shifts – it’s about building a true destination. The general manager will bring style, substance and serious hospitality know-how. They’ll be confident on the floor, hands-on with the team, and focused on guest experience. As this is an independent, privately-owned business, the general manager will have freedom and influence – but also full accountability. They will be expected to think like an owner, make commercial decisions, and bring solutions.” The salary is up to £80,000. For more information, email kate@corecruitment.com.

Exclusive – company behind Gino D’Acampo branded restaurants went into administration after swathe of negative press led to necessary investment being pulled: The company behind the six remaining Gino D’Acampo branded restaurants went into administration after a swathe of negative press about the chef led to necessary investment being pulled, Propel has learned. As previously reported, Upmarket Leisure – which operates six Gino D’Acampo branded restaurants within hotels in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and London – was acquired out of administration for circa £5m by a related party with all 400 jobs saved after a winding up petition had been issued by HM Revenue & Customs. But a statement of administrator’s proposal by administrators Dean Watson and Paul Stanley, of Begbies Traynor, has now revealed the circumstances that led to the administration. Upmarket Leisure’s directors said the financial year 2024-25 was forecasted to be “significantly better than the actual performance” compounded by increasing operating costs. More than £2m was invested into new sites or development of existing sites including its first international location in Malta with partner Melia, which was delayed more than 12 months. As a result of the “poor” performance, costs were cut, most notably central/head office costs by 50%. In addition, it was agreed D'Acampo would waive the brand fees for a period of 12 months and its largest loan note holder agreed to roll up interest payments on his loan. Payment plans were also agreed with trade creditors and landlords. The report stated: “In January 2025, the company was awaiting £2.4m of funding via a second investor that included an initial £500,000 cash injection by the end of that month. In early February 2025, there was a swathe of negative national and local press around Gino D'Acampo relating to his TV career, which lasted for many weeks and begun to negatively impact the sales of the restaurants. A prospective new hotel partner paused on a new site in Bath. This was due to the above-mentioned negative press. This company owns 162 hotels across Europe (approximately 40 in the UK) and represented a significant opportunity. In late February, the necessary investment fell through. The reasons given were mostly due to personal circumstances and not related to the business. However, the ongoing negative press also played a factor. This outcome along with continuing difficult trading periods forced the directors to take formal insolvency advice.” Latest accounts available for Upmarket Leisure show in the year to 31 March 2023 the business owed creditors £5,776,276. The company posted Ebitda, after exceptional items, of £251,265 compared with a loss of £97,654 the previous year. D’Acampo stepped down as a director of the company in July 2021.

Exclusive – Randall's hires Clive Watson as chairman: Randall’s, the Jersey-based pub group, has hired Clive Watson, the co-founder of Capital Pub Company and City Pub Company, as its new chairman to help accelerate its next phase of growth, Propel has learned. Randall’s said Watson, who sold the City Pub Group to Young's last year for £162m, will initially focus on driving organic sales across its managed house, tenanted, and wholesale divisions. The business currently operates 22 managed pubs, 22 tenancies, and a substantial wholesale operation. Randall's has been trading in Jersey for more than 200 years and was acquired by the Greenall family in 1964. The family has a rich brewing heritage, having set up its first brewery in 1762 until selling its pub and restaurant chain in the UK to Scottish & Newcastle in 1999. Watson said: “I am delighted to join the board of Randall's as its independent chairman. Jersey is a fantastic island, and the Randall's estate includes a wide range of high-quality pubs. I'm excited to help deliver the company's growth plans, focusing on enhancing the existing estate and driving sales through targeted marketing, innovative use of data, and entrepreneurial pub retailing.” Thomas Greenall, main board director and deputy chairman, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Clive to the team. His extensive experience in growing successful pub businesses will be invaluable as Randall's continues its growth journey.”

Kricket co-founder – we’re aiming to be in ‘multiple international cosmopolitan cities’ in ten years’ time, planning New York pop-up as it resurrects overseas plans: Rik Campbell, co-founder of Indian restaurant group Kricket, which is marking its tenth anniversary, has told Propel he is aiming for the business to be in “multiple international cosmopolitan cities” in ten years’ time as it resurrects its overseas plans. Kricket is looking to kick things off with a pop-up in New York that would be a precursor to ambitions to open a permanent site in the city towards the end of next year. Campbell, who founded the business with Will Bowlby in 2015 with a pop-up at Pop Brixton, has previously spoken of plans to take Kricket international and in 2022 was in negotiations on a site in Amsterdam – just before Russia invaded Ukraine and “everything went south”. Now the four-strong business, which is backed by White Rabbit Projects, is getting the ball rolling again. “We think the likes of New York, the Middle East and Amsterdam would really suit our brand, but it’s about making sure we find the right site with the right partner,” Campbell said. “We’re looking to do a pop-up in New York with the view to hopefully open there towards the end of next year. I’d love in ten years’ time for us to have established ourselves regionally in the UK and internationally in multiple international cosmopolitan cities. Right now we’re doubling down on marketing and telling our story to help us get there.” For now, London remains the focus for the group, which will open a site in Covent Garden later this year. “We think there’s another three or four sites we can open in Central London – those zone one and two locations,” Campbell said. “We like the look of Borough and King’s Cross. We always have one eye on Manchester, where I’ve got family and quite a number of London brands have had immediate success. We’ve had opportunities to take Soma [the company’s speakeasy concept] there but ideally we do Kricket at the same time.” Earlier this year, Kricket launched a new all-day “kafe” concept when it opened in Shoreditch. Given the area, Campbell said the business saw an opportunity to trade outside its core evening daypart. He added: “Weekends are pretty strong and on weekdays we’re still building trade. We think the all day model will work well in our new Covent Garden site.” Campbell said 2025 was “materialising into a tougher than expected year” and the business has just launched a new menu “to help stretch dayparts and spend”. “The cost increases from April have stripped 4% to 5% from the bottom line,” he added. “The changes to national insurance and minimum wage increased our staff costs by 10% overnight. We’ve got an ambitious budget. We’ve added a 600g monkfish to the menu for £45 while at the other end we’ve also got more £2-£3 snacks. It’s about stretching the menu so we capture those who can afford, and want to, spend more.”

Yolk to target London neighbourhoods next, still keen on travel hubs once right launch site is found: Fast-growing “quality fast food” business Yolk has told Propel it is targeting London’s neighbourhoods next, while remaining keen on travel hubs once the right launch site has been found. The Nick Philpot-led business recently opened its tenth Central London site, at 90 High Holborn, and has previously said it is targeting 50 UK sites in the medium term and 100 in the long term. Yolk also launched a new £2m fundraising round and said it has international ambitions. Philpot told Propel: “We really believe in our scalability – it's an offering with broad appeal. We’re looking at 2027 as the first year to go outside of London. This year and next are about continuing to expand in Central London, while starting to look at London neighbourhood locations. We think the offering will resonate there – sandwiches, breakfast, great coffee. In terms of the immediate pipeline, we’re looking at ‘office-plus’ locations – areas with a strong office base, but also a mix of shoppers, tourists and residents. Victoria is a great example: it’s office-heavy, but also open daily, trades into the evenings, and has people in throughout the day.” Yolk said in 2023 that it was in discussions over launching into travel hubs, and Philpot said this is still on the table. “We’ve looked at a number of options, but nothing has been quite right yet – we’re optimistic that something will land in the next 12 months or so,” he said. “We think Yolk will work brilliantly in a transport setting, but we want to make sure the first one is a flying success – so we’re waiting for the right site.” Philpot also said that BrewClub, Yolk’s coffee subscription launched in January, is “achieving what we want it to” and “really driving coffee sales”; though there are still “a few sites where it hasn’t caught on as strongly yet, so there’s more work to do”. In terms of trading patterns, he added: “London is a far more settled place now. Tuesdays to Thursdays are busier than they were pre-covid, while Monday and Friday continue to creep up – after covid they were dead. Breakfast is on the rise too – people seem to be coming in earlier again.” 

Doner Shack further expands in US with New Jersey multi-unit franchise deal: Doner Shack, the Berlin fast casual kebab brand, has further added to its series of recent franchise signings across key US markets by penning a new multi-unit agreement for New Jersey. The agreement, with entrepreneur Tony Umit Kellegoz, follows recent multi-unit signings in Boston, Dallas, Las Vegas and Tallahassee. “Having grown up in Turkey and lived in Berlin, I know what makes a great doner,” said Kellegoz. “When I moved to the US, I noticed a real gap in the market. There was nothing quite like what I experienced back home. I initially considered opening my own kebab concept, but after reading about Doner Shack and following the brand closely for six months, I knew this was the one. I’ve tried more than 100 doner spots in the US and nothing compares with Doner Shack.” Doner Shack’s growth in North and South America, as well as Europe, is being led by Steele Advisory Group. Jason Steele, Steele Advisory Group chief executive, added: “There is a clear demand for a high-quality Mediterranean quick service restaurant concept across the US and we are actively reviewing applications for additional territories in new regions.” Doner Shack also signed a franchise deal for Mumbai, India, last month, and in April, the company kickstarted its UK expansion with a similar agreement for Glasgow.

Young’s CEO – key occasions are the bellwethers for the sector, Guinea Grill site exceeded £300,000 of revenue in one week over festive season: Simon Dodd, chief executive of Young’s, has told Propel that key occasions, such as Mother’s Day and the Six Nations, are “the bellwethers for the sector”. Last week, Young’s reported like-for-like revenue growth of 5.7% for the 52 weeks ended 31 March 2025, and said it had made a “fast start” to its new financial year. Dodd told Propel: “If you have a key date, be it Christmas, the Six Nations, or the Euros, if customers don’t come out, you know there's probably a bit of a downturn, but they have all been records for us. With the recent Six Nations, we were 12% up on a like-for-like basis, in five weeks of Christmas trading, we were 11.6% up, and the Euros drove around £2.8m of incremental sales. So, people are coming out for the big occasions and when the sun comes out people still flock to pubs.” One of those records broken over the Christmas period, included the company’s Guinea Grill site in London’s Mayfair exceeding £300,000 of revenue in one week. At the same time, over the festive period, the group sold 2.5 million pints, with Guinness, Peroni and Estrella the drinks of choice, served 121,000 set menus – generating £5m of sales, and served 375,000 cocktails. During the year, the company opened two new pubs that were both in Surrey – The Tattenham Corner in Epsom, and the Tellers Arms in Farnham. Dodd told Propel last year that Tattenham Corner will turn out to be “our biggest taking pub outside of London” – especially with a number of rooms set to be added. Propel understands the site currently generates average weekly turnover (AWT) of around £100,000, with the Tellers Arms generating £51,000 AWT. Dodd reiterated to Propel that after the £162m acquisition of the circa 50-strong City Pubs business the company’s focus is on getting the best out of that estate and acquisitions would be off the table for the next 12-18 months. It comes as Brendan Brammer has stepped down as acquisitions manager at Young’s, after 11 years in the role. Dodd told Propel: “City accelerated our growth by about five years on the top and the bottom line and now is the time to consolidate and integrate City, which has 17 pubs in London, 70% freehold. There's so much we can do with it, so we just want to put our foot on the ball with further acquisitions. If a rare site comes up in London, we will, of course, look at it. But we really want to get City motoring.”

Hooters shuts more than 30 US sites as part of plans to reposition business under franchise model: US sports bar and grill brand Hooters has closed more than 30 locations across the US – about two months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy – as part of plans to reposition the business under a franchise model. The closures come about a year after the brand shuttered approximately 40 restaurants around the US. A spokesperson told Nation’s Restaurant News: “After careful consideration of what is needed to best position our company for the future, Hooters made the difficult decision to close certain company-owned locations. Importantly, Hooters is here to stay, and by optimising our business in support of our long-term goals, Hooters will be well-positioned to continue our iconic legacy under a pure franchise business model.” The closures leave Hooters with around 220 locations across the US, with the company’s footprint declining throughout the past 20 years, having had 354 locations at the end of 2004. Hooters intends to sell more than 100 company-owned restaurants to a buyer’s group that consists of current franchisees, including the brand’s co-founders, which collectively own and operate about 30% of the domestic system, including 14 of the 30 highest volume restaurants. Both parties still expect approximately 200 US Hooters restaurants and 60 international restaurants to remain open when the deal completes, which is expected to be in August, representing approximately $700m in systemwide sales. Hooters Brand Management, an entity owned by the buyer’s group and other parties, will provide a majority of the franchise support functions on behalf of Hooters of America once the deal is finalised. Hooters will also be relaunched as a family-friendly brand with “less revealing” uniforms and modernised restaurants. Hooters operates two sites in the UK – in Liverpool and Nottingham – that are run by different franchisees.

Loungers strengthens Devon presence with Tavistock opening: Café bar operator Loungers has strengthened its presence in Devon with an opening in Tavistock. Granito Lounge is the company’s 255th Lounge and 13th site in the county. The two-floor venue in the former M&Co premises in Brook Street includes a roof terrace. In March, Alex Reilley, chairman of Loungers, told Propel that the business was more confident about its Lounge business being a brand and was looking at ways to leverage that, including hiring the company’s first chief marketing officer. That will see Sarah Lake join at the end of the month after 13 years with Dyson. Loungers, which is backed by Fortress Investment Group, also operates Cosy Club and Brightside.

Fireaway set to make Spanish debut: The fast-growing pizza brand Fireaway is to make its debut in Spain, in Barcelona, next month. Propel understands Fireaway’s first site in the country will open at the end of July in the Sant Gervasi area of Barcelona. The venue will have seating for 16 people and offer takeaway and home delivery. Last year, the brand, which operates circa 165 sites in the UK, made its debuts in Turkey and Portugal. Fireaway also operates sites in the Netherlands and Northern Ireland. Talking earlier this year, founder Mario Aleppo said his ambition is to expand the business to 400 sites in the UK and to sign further agreements abroad. Franchise rights have been sold in Australia, India, France, Spain and the Cayman Islands.

Mission Mars opens first London neighbourhood restaurant for Rudy’s: Mission Mars, which is backed by the Business Growth Fund, has opened its first Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana site in a London neighbourhood. The restaurant has taken over the former The Dairy space at 15 The Pavement, beside Clapham Common. The venue marks the brand’s 34th opening across the UK. It comes after Mission Mars last month confirmed it will open a Rudy’s in the former Royal Bank of Scotland site in Bristol’s Baldwin Street, marking its debut in the south west. Also last month, Mission Mars said it had ten more Rudy’s opening or in legals, with further Albert’s Schloss sites also under negotiation.

Flat Iron secures Brighton site: Flat Iron, the Piper-backed affordable steak concept, is to add to its regional estate with an opening in Brighton. Propel understands that the 18-strong business has secured the former Brown’s site in Brighton’s Ship Street, for an opening later this year. Flat iron recently added to its London estate with an opening on the ex-Canteen site at Royal Festival Hall, on the Southbank. The 220-cover restaurant, which is believed to be trading ahead of expectations, became the business’ 15th site in the capital – and 18th overall. The company is understood to have a well-developed pipeline for 2025, both in London and the regions, where it has opened sites in Cambridge, Leeds and Manchester. Flat Iron is planning to further enhance its regional presence with an opening in Bristol. The Tom Byng-led business has applied to open on the Four Wise Monkeys restaurant site in the city’s Clare Street. Propel revealed last month that McWin Capital Partners, the backers of Gail’s, Big Mamma and Sticks’n’ Sushi, and TriSpan, the backers of Pho, Mowgli and Rosa’s Thai, were in advanced talks to invest in Flat Iron. Propel revealed last October that Flat Iron had appointed Houlihan Lokey to assess its options, which are understood to include third-party investment or a possible sale of the business. Flat Iron, which was founded by entrepreneur Charlie Carroll, started life in 2012 as a pop-up above the Owl & Pussycat pub in Shoreditch, east London, and opened its first restaurant later that year in Beak Street in Soho.

Scottish peri peri chicken franchise opens for delivery in London ahead of first permanent site in the capital: Scottish peri peri chicken franchise Black Rooster has opened for delivery in London ahead of launching its first permanent site in the capital. Propel revealed in April that Black Rooster – which was founded by Mick Kennedy and Kevin Bell in 2017 and has grown to 18 locations across Scotland – had secured its first three London locations. It would roll out two dark kitchens in the capital alongside a brick-and-mortar site in Angel’s Chapel Market, ahead of planned expansion to other major UK cities. Giving an update on the plans, Bell said: “Huge moment for Black Rooster – we’re now live in London. What started with our first shop in Duke Street in Glasgow has grown into a business that is ready to challenge in the London market. We take the next step by launching delivery across south east London. If you’re in Bermondsey, Peckham, Camberwell, New Cross or nearby, you can now get Black Rooster delivered straight to your door. We’ve taken Scotland by storm, but this is a new chapter. A new market, a new challenge, and a big chance to show London what Black Rooster is all about.”

Big Mamma makes north west debut: Big Mamma Group, which is backed by McWin, has made its north west debut by opening its second Circolo Popolare in the UK. The company has opened the two-floor trattoria, inspired by an alfresco festa in Sicily, at St Mary’s Parsonage in Manchester. Downstairs is a space designed for “lively gatherings” while upstairs offers “a more intimate vibe”, with cosy alcoves and an open kitchen. Head chef Alfonso Esposito leads a new menu created exclusively for Manchester, with highlights including ravioli filled with zesty lemon ricotta and aubergine parmigiana; slow-cooked lamb and San Marzano tomato DOP ragù with thick spaghettoni and minty salsa verde; and giant rosé veal escalope coated in crunchy breadcrumbs.

Live music ticketing app Dice FM acquired by US rival after narrowly avoiding administration: Live music ticketing app Dice FM has been acquired by US firm Fever after narrowly avoiding administration. Dice FM – which sells tickets to concerts, nightclubs and other cultural events – was bought less than a day after filing an official notice that it intended to appoint administrators, reports The Telegraph. Dice FM sells tickets as QR codes, which can be exchanged or returned through the app. Users can sync their Spotify and Apple Music accounts to the app to receive recommendations and alerts for when acts are touring. Dice FM, which was founded in 2014, has raised nearly $200m (£147m) from investors in recent years. The company’s backers have included investment firm Softbank, French billionaire telecommunications mogul Xavier Niel and Tony Fadell, the American engineer and businessman who became known as the “father of the iPod” when he was a senior executive at Apple. Details of the deal have not been revealed. Dice FM’s accounts for the year to 31 December 2023 have been overdue for almost a year. In 2023, the company enacted a round of lay-offs, saying at the time it had “made the difficult decision to restructure parts of our business to ensure we can focus on our most important initiatives”. Last year, it was first reported Dice FM was exploring a potential sale with Softbank looking to sell its stake. Fever was founded in New York in 2014 and offers ticketing services in 200 cities across the world. Phil Hutcheon, founder and chief executive of Dice FM, said the deal would allow the company “to scale even faster” and expand into new cities. The company said there would be no change to how people use the app.

North east McDonald’s franchisee grows his estate after acquiring two restaurants from retiring colleague: North east McDonald’s franchisee Dean Fitzmaurice has grown his estate after acquiring two restaurants from a retiring colleague. Former military man Fitzmaurice founded Mavas Foods in 2019 and operated three restaurants in Middlesbrough before his latest acquisitions. He has bought two restaurants from long-serving franchisee Paul Buckingham, who with partner Yvonne Buckingham has been operating McDonald’s locations in the north east since 1993. Buckingham’s overall career with the company stretches back even further. Fitzmaurice said: “After 43 incredible years with McDonald’s, my friend and mentor Paul is officially hanging up his apron! As Paul steps into this well-earned next chapter, I’m honoured that we’ve been entrusted to carry forward a part of his legacy. We’ve officially acquired two of his restaurants, bringing our group up to five. We’re humbled, excited, and ready to keep growing, with the same commitment to excellence and people-first values that Mavas Foods is known for. We will do our best to make Paul proud, as we continue to learn and grow.” Fitzmaurice started out as a combat medical technician for the British Army before performing a variety of roles around military training and international security, which saw him based in Baghdad, Basra and the UAE for more than a decade. His Mavas Foods company turned a pre-tax loss of £58,626 in 2022 into a profit of £157,441 in the year to 31 December 2023, off turnover of £7,767,833 (2022: £7,583,773). Buckingham’s Mooi Foods company, which operated four restaurants, is still listed as active with Companies House. In the year to 31 December 2023, turnover grew from £16,706,389 to £18,440,766, while pre-tax losses rose from £309,262 to £334,746. 

Julian Reilly returns to KFC as interim acquisitions manager: Julian Reilly has returned to KFC as interim acquisitions manager for London and the south east. Reilly initially spent six years with KFC, between 2000 and 2006, as acquisitions manager for Wales the West Midlands and north west – opening the first two restaurants of a new KFC concept in the UK market and delivering 34 successfully trading restaurants ahead of target. His next roles included a year and a half as development manager for Asda and two years as group acquisitions manager for The Gondola Group, including an active role in opening restaurants across the north, Ireland and Scotland for PizzaExpress, ASK, Zizzi and Milano. Most recently, Reilly spent three and a half years as property and franchise director at dessert franchise Creams, where he led the opening of 24 new stores “Back at the bucket!” Reilly posted to social media. “I’ve recently joined KFC UK & Ireland as interim acquisition manager for London and the south east, supporting the property team during a key period of transition and growth. It’s great to be back with a brand I know well, helping drive forward a truly acquisitive expansion agenda.” KFC last month said it plans to invest £1.49bn towards growing its 1,000-strong estate and upgrading many of its existing restaurants. The company will spend £466m on expanding the number of restaurants it operates in the UK and Ireland by a further 500 over the next decade and invest in upgrading more than 200 existing restaurants, which make up 20% of its estate. KFC estimates that the investment will contribute a gross value-added boost of £169m to the UK economy over the next five years.

Merkur plans 24-hour bingo, slots and gaming venue in Bolton: German company Merkur Slots is planning to open a 24-hour bingo and slot machine venue in Bolton town centre. The Manchester Evening News reported that Merkur has applied to Bolton Council to open the venue in Newport Street. The venue would occupy the currently vacant shop unit that for several years housed the town’s Bonmarche store. Merkur said should change of use planning permission be granted, the business would employ up to 12 full time staff. Supporting documents for the proposal claimed the venue, which provides electronic bingo tablets for players, would provide benefits to the town’s high street. An information brochure said: “More than 90% of new Merkur Slots venues occupy former vacant units and provide investment from £100,000 to £250,000 in long-standing empty venues. It would provide increased footfall to the high street and we provide an important natural surveillance, particularly late into the evenings.”

Caledonian Leisure acquires fifth hotel: Travel and events company Caledonian Leisure has acquired the Dreadnought Hotel in Callander, Falkirk, for its fifth hotel. The 63-bedroom hotel is set to be rebranded The Caledonian Thistle Hotel to reflect the company’s ambition to further establish a presence in key Scottish tourism hotspots. A significant investment programme is now underway that will include upgraded bedrooms, refreshed communal areas and improvements to the entertainment facilities. The hotel will be ready to welcome guests again from the end of July. David McDonald, finance director at Caledonian Leisure, said: “Callander is a wonderful base for customers looking to explore, with so many outstanding and beautiful areas within easy reach of this delightful Scottish town. The locally renowned Macnab’s Bar will remain open for everyone, and in a nod to the traditions of the hotel, we’ll be renaming the restaurant The Dreadnought Restaurant.” Caledonian Leisure also operates The Caledonian New Southlands Hotel in Scarborough, the Caledonian Claymore Hotel in Arrochar, the Caledonian Tower in Blackpool and the Caledonian Torbay in Torquay.