Fuller’s CEO – our low level of debt gives us plenty of firepower to add further ‘high quality’ assets, increases prices to help offset £8m in labour costs: Simon Emeny, chief executive of Fuller’s, has told Propel that the company’s low level of debt gives it plenty of firepower to add further “high-quality” assets to its portfolio. Speaking following the group’s full-year results, where Fuller’s reported revenue increased 4.8% to £376.3m for the 52 weeks to 29 March 2025 and adjusted profit before tax was up 32% to £27.0m, Emeny said: “You’d be surprised at what we’ve looked at in the last couple of years, but we will continue to be very selective with what we buy. We’ve got a high-quality estate and we will work to enhance it. Finding those opportunities is not easy but I enjoy a challenge.” With the business being hit by an additional £8m in labour costs from the increases in national minimum wage and employers’ national insurance contributions, Emeny said the company put up prices in March by about 15p. He said the increase would not be enough on its own to offset the extra costs and added: “We need to have a strong year and grow our sales and we’re investing in our sites and staff to help us do that. We’re encouraged by the start we have seen to the new financial year and we’re hopeful that will generate into sales and volume growth.” Emeny said the investment Fuller’s has made in both its estate and acquisitions – including the seven-strong Lovely Pubs and The White Swan in Twickenham, south west London – has set the business up for the next five years. Fuller’s has spent £28m in its existing estate, including investment in about 30% of its 1,100 bedrooms, and projects such as The Drayton Court in Ealing, west London, and The Head of the River in Oxford – now a fully electric hotel. “Accommodation has been a really important part of our business for 20 years, and it continues to be,” he said. Emeny will move to the role of executive chair and continue to lead the team after the company’s annual general meeting next month following the retirement of Michael Turner after 18 years, with Fred Turner being promoted to chief operating officer. “Fred has driven sales across our managed pubs and hotels and we’re looking forward to him bringing that right across the business,” Emeny said.

Sponsored message – join Meaningful Vision’s webinar to gain insight into foodservice promotions activity: In a foodservice market marked by slowing growth, rising prices, and intensifying competition, launching the right promotions has never been more critical. In the data-driven webinar “Maximising the Impact of Promotions in Foodservice in the UK” from Meaningful Vision, Maria Vanifatova, chief executive and co-founder, and Jez Fraser-Hook, business development and product director, uncover insights into how to use data to inform running smarter promotions. With foodservice traffic down 2% year-on-year and promotional offers up 25% in 2024, nearly doubling on delivery platforms in 2025, it’s clear that promotions are evolving rapidly. But not all tactics are equally effective. Vanifatova and Fraser-Hook will dive into actionable insights from Meaningful Vision’s Promo Intelligence platform, showing which formats, channels, and offers are most utilised and how trends are changing. Discover the prevalence of free products in loyalty programmes, how gamified offers are reshaping app engagement, and what a £24 customer spend actually returns in value. The webinar will allow participants to make informed decisions powered by data whether they’re navigating inflation, expanding loyalty programmes, or launching their next limited time offer. To register for the webinar – which takes place on Tuesday, 24 June – click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Propel to release Experiential Leisure Report 2025, with 43,000 words, on Friday, 1 August – pre-order now: The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel’s exhaustive report on the fast-growing experiential leisure market, will be published on Friday, 1 August at 9am. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It includes opinion from leading players Juliette Keyte, marketing director at Red Engine, Richard Beese, co-founder of We Do Play, and investor Lisa Boden, partner at investor Edition Capital, and provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since last year’s study, with 3,700 sites. Katherine Doggrell, Propel’s editorial advisor and the report’s author, said: “The experiential leisure sector is a major growth driver of the hospitality sector, with the market maturing into overseas expansion and franchising as it continues to build and inspire the rest of the market. With trends such as padel keeping the segment fresh, this report hears from operators and investors as they try to anticipate the next innovations. This report delivers an exhaustive overview to all those interested in this influential sector.” The report will be released on Friday, 1 August at 9am and is available for £595 plus VAT to pre-order now. Existing Premium Club subscribers can receive it on Friday, 1 August for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium subscribers on Wednesday, 10 September at 9am. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to order a copy.

Restaurateur and entrepreneur Matthew Kirby to speak at Operational Excellence Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Restaurateur and entrepreneur Matthew Kirby will be among the speakers 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. Kirby, who oversaw the sale of quick service business Chozen Noodle to Chopstix and who operates US foodservice businesses, 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 Turnover & Profits Blue Book tomorrow: Premium Club subscribers will receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book tomorrow (Friday, 13 June), at noon. 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. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings 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 the Operational Excellence Conference next month 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.

UKHospitality – encouraging signs in government’s spending review but sector being held back by current tax burden: UKHospitality has said while there were encouraging signs in the government’s spending review, the sector is still being held back by its current tax burden. Chancellor Rachel Reeves yesterday (Wednesday, 11 June) set out her budgets for the government’s departments, outlining how much they will get over the next three years, and how much investment each department will get between now and 2030. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Thriving high streets and hospitality are absolutely essential to the government’s mission of renewing Britain, and there were some announcements in the spending review that can contribute to that ambition. Significant investment into skills, development and apprenticeships should be accessible to hospitality businesses, and we’re encouraged by the potential for improvements to regional transport to benefit venues, consumers and workers alike. However, it remains the case that the overwhelming challenge holding back hospitality from meeting its potential is the current tax burden imposed upon it. As we look towards the Budget and the rest of the parliament, it must be a priority to bring down the cost of doing business. The business rates reform being finalised this autumn will be a critical element of that, and there needs to be the maximum level of discount applied to hospitality businesses.” Stephen Montgomery, director of the Scottish Hospitality Group, said: “This statement does absolutely nothing to support the hospitality sector in Scotland or across the UK. To help the economy to grow, you need business to grow, so we yet again see the sector let down by Rachel Reeves. The crippling increase in employers’ national insurance contributions handed down in April is now one of the biggest strains on hospitality, along with the high VAT rate. I guess asking the government to U-turn twice in a week [after the winter fuel payments] would have been too much to ask.”

Contract caterers' sales surge 9.5% in first quarter of 2025: Britain’s leading contract caterers achieved near-double-digit sales growth in the first three months of 2025, according to the new Contract Catering Tracker from CGA by NIQ, Bidfood and UKHospitality. The year-on-year increase of 9.5% between January and March means caterers’ sales have now risen in every quarter since mid-2021, when venues were reopening after covid-19 restrictions. It builds on growth of between 7% and 12% in each of the four quarters of 2024. The latest figure takes groups’ moving annual total growth – for sales over the last 12 months compared to the previous 12 months, including new contracts – to 7.7%, well above the UK’s level of inflation in that period. The first quarter of 2025 also extended a steady increase in the number of venues managed by contract caterers, which rose by 2.8% in the year to end-March. Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “Contract catering has been a standout performer in the out-of-home food and drink sector ever since the end of the pandemic, and its momentum has continued into 2025. Above-inflation growth and an upward trajectory in the client base are particularly impressive given a tough economic environment in which business and consumer confidence are fragile. While cost pressures remain high, we can be confident about further real-terms growth over the rest of the year.” Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “Of course, these figures are before the significant cost increases that hit the sector in April. I hope the resilience the sector has shown over the past four years persists, in face of these challenging circumstances.”

Sona – Agentic AI won’t take your jobs but will get people back to doing the things they are really good at in hospitality: Ben Dixon, co-founder of next generation workforce management solution business Sona, has said Agentic AI won’t take people’s jobs but will instead get them back to doing the things they are really good at in hospitality. Agentic AI moves artificial intelligence on from the ChatGPT model to focus on autonomous systems capable of making decisions and performing tasks without human intervention. Sona has started rolling Agentic AI out to its sector partners over the last few months and expects to start seeing efficiency cases over the next three to six months. Speaking about the potential of Agentic AI for hospitality at a roundtable discussion ahead of the UKHospitality Summer Conference 2025, Dixon said: “There’s a lot of fear I think over people bring replaced by AI agents, but I would say they’re not replacing their jobs – it’s just a giant lever which can take all those bits of your job that take up a lot of your time and get in the way of the stuff that matters – they can do it for you or make you better at it. They don’t replace people, they create huge leverage so people can do more and do better. Nobody got into hospitality to use computers, they got into hospitality to provide great experiences. Technology has done some great things over the last ten years, but it feels like it’s pulled people away from providing those experiences. The opportunity for Agentic AI is it as well as making businesses more efficient, helping manage costs and driving sales, it can get people back to doing the things people are really good at in hospitality and providing memorable experiences. We’ve spent ten years instrumenting hospitality and putting technology that gathers data everywhere – in the next ten years, we can actually do something with that data and get something out of it.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a Michelin Guide-listed bistro that is seeking a head chef. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a venue where French flair meets British seasonal produce. The head chef will run a seven-strong kitchen team, craft weekly changing menus with full creative control, and shape one of London’s most acclaimed 50-cover dining spots. The venue is closed on Sundays, has structured service, and is backed by a supportive executive chef.” The salary is up to £55,000. For more information, email olly@corecruitment.com

Spanish vegan concept Plant Shack targets 20-strong UK estate: Spanish vegan concept Plant Shack, which will make its UK debut later this month in London’s Shoreditch, has told Propel it expects to add 20 locations in the UK within three to four years. The fast casual business, which last year signed its first international agreement to launch in the UK, will make its debut in London, at 52 Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch. The plant-based business, which was founded by Sarah and Lee Brogden in 2019, operated six sites in Spain by the end of 2024. Plant Shack, which has partnered with Michael Vosc – an experienced entrepreneur, marketer and investor – to open the first Plant Shack in London, will have doubled to 12 sites with new franchise openings in Palma City, Denia, Shoreditch, Javea, and a corporate-owned flagship in Valencia, by the end of this summer. Whitney Cyrus, chief executive of Franchise Growth & Development, which is supporting the brand’s global expansion, told Propel: “We’re on track to end 2025 with 20 locations, adding franchise locations in Marbella, Alicante, and Barcelona, and entering a new market with our first franchise in Malta. The pipeline for Spain, the UK, and international markets is robust and growing fast. Looking ahead, we are targeting 30-plus locations by the end of next year and more than 50 locations globally by the end of 2027. The key markets for this growth will be Spain and the UK. My expectation is we could add 20 locations in the UK within three to four years based on the positioning of the brand.” Plant Shack said its first London location will include the brand’s signature cold-pressed juice bar along with its menu, featuring superfood smoothies, açaí bowls, wraps and sandwiches and specialty coffee. Vosc said: “Consumers in the UK are showing a growing demand for plant-based options and deserve access to an experience that combines sustainability, health, and fast-casual healthy dining.” 

Pret UK and Europe MD – working from home is impacting where we open sites: Clare Clough, managing director of Pret A Manger UK and Europe, has said the move to working from home and hybrid office policies post-pandemic are having an impact on where the business is considering opening new stores. Clough told City AM said the result will be the brand looking to launch stores “where people live as much as areas where people work, especially in London”. Clough said: “We operate hybrid working at our own office and I definitely don’t think it’s for us to set the policy on where people should be working. I think it’s for us to adapt our business to kind of suit the needs of consumers and now we do. We are very much living in a world where hybrid working exists and will continue to do so. That’s why you’ve seen us open more shops in areas where people live as much as areas where people work, especially in London, say the outer areas of Greater London. I think we believe that we’re relevant to people for their breakfast and lunch, whether they’re working in the office or whether they’re working from home. We’ll continue to grow everywhere actually – there’s still plenty of opportunity, believe it or not. We’ve got loads of different formats now that we operate – tiny little kiosks to the big shops with seating areas. Even in London I think there's an opportunity to continue to grow and we’ve got some really interesting sites that will come forward in the next year.” It comes after Pret announced earlier this week that it is launching new-format stores with made-to-order food and more dining space as part of efforts to accelerate its regional expansion across the UK. The new stores are designed to encourage customers to dine in and take their time, as it also adapts to increased remote working. Pret is trialling the new format in Broughty Ferry near Dundee and Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Maki & Ramen outlines plans to scale to 50 sites in five years: Japanese restaurant concept Maki & Ramen has outlined plans to grow to 50 restaurants within five years. The nine-strong business, which was founded by Teddy Lee in 2015 and is led by Michael Salvador, told Propel at the end of last year, it planned to open seven new sites in 2025, including its first franchise locations, while an opening in London was on its radar for 2026. The group said it planned to open five company-owned sites in 2025 – in Birmingham, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leicester and Sheffield’s Meadowhall. Additionally, Maki & Ramen has launched a franchise arm, with the first site opening in Glasgow in March, at 130 Byres Road. Another franchise site is set to open in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Building on that Lee told Insider Media that Maki & Ramen is set to have 30 sites in three years’ time, scaling to 50 in five. He added: “The ramen we are making is a proper ramen from Japan. It is cooked for long hours, with steaming pork on the bone.” Salvador said the business has just implemented a price lock for the year, adding: “We don't believe the impact of the UK government should be taken out on our customers.”

Pizza Pilgrims lines up Birmingham opening: Pizza Pilgrims, the pizzeria brand, is set to further enhance its regional presence, with an opening in Birmingham. Propel understands that the Gavin Smith-led business has lined up an opening on the former Tapas Revolution site in the city’s Grand Central scheme. The opening will mean a transport hub debut of sorts for the brand, with the scheme being part of the city’s New Street station. Last month, Propel revealed Pizza Pilgrims, which opened its debut Scottish site in Edinburgh in April, had lined up an opening in Manchester, as part of up to five new openings over the next 12 months. The 26-strong business, which recently opened a site in London’s Brick Lane, has agreed to take on the La Vina site in Manchester's Deansgate. The Manchester site will be spread over two floors and like the group’s Canary Wharf site house a Masterclass kitchen. At the same time, the company will further enhance its presence in the capital with an opening in King’s Cross – on the Rush site in Pentonville Road. Propel understands Pizza Pilgrims is also in talks on a new central location in Oxford, after previously operating a site in the city’s Westgate scheme. Propel revealed last October that Pizza Pilgrims had appointed PwC as it looks to embark on its next stage of growth, which will include further expansion in the UK and exploring international opportunities.

Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant empire sees losses widen after enduring ‘a year of tough economic conditions’: Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant empire saw pre-tax loss widen to £2,075,010 in the year to 26 May 2024, from a loss of £1,377,368 the year before, after its parent company said it had endured “a year of tough economic conditions”. SL6, the parent company for Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred Fat Duck and Hind’s Head restaurants, reported turnover for the year of £8,935,755 (2023: £9,529,648). Of the 2024 turnover, £8,561,285 came from restaurant and pub operations (2023: £8,286,813), £49,921 from services (2023: £631,509) and £324,549 from royalties (2023: £611,326). A total of £8,919,291 came from UK operations (2023: £9,046,599) and £16,464 came from the rest of the world (2023: £483,049). The company said: “The business has endured a year of tough economic conditions with inflation in all elements of the supply chain and recruitment challenges and particularly wage inflation. We invested in our customers by not passing the entire inflation burden on to them, while understanding this would affect our profitability. The company is well placed to consolidate the businesses and ready to navigate future challenges. The company will concentrate on strengthening its brands by focusing on delighting our customers and while driving efficiencies throughout the group. The business expects the operating conditions to remain difficult with recruitment and changes in national minimum wage to be especially challenging. The businesses will continue to innovate, manage costs, develop new businesses, and develop talent and improve organisational capability. We remain leaders in the sphere of culinary development.” Late last year, The Fat Duck Group confirmed Simon King had rejoined the business, where he was once an operations manager, as its new managing director. James “Jocky” Petrie, who has been with the business for 24 years, was also promoted to global culinary director.

Franco Manca co-founder to open Eco site in south London: Sami Wasif, co-founder of Michelin-starred Hakkasan, Franco Manca, and creator of Eco Restaurants, is to open a further site under the latter concept later this year, in south London. Propel understands that Wasif has secured the former Wildwood site in Cheam for an opening under the pizza concept. Late last year, the business relocated its sole Eco site in Clapham from the high street to the pedestrianised Venn Street in the heart of Clapham Old Town. The new, larger restaurant has additional indoor and alfresco seating but retains many of the original site’s features. Eco was opened in 1993 and takes its name from the Umberto Eco novel-turned-film that was playing at the nearby Clapham PictureHouse. Wasif was among the first to bring authentic sourdough pizza to the UK, and Eco continues to use the same recipe he first witnessed more than half a century ago in his native Egypt.

German Doner Kebab set to open tenth location in Scotland: German Doner Kebab (GDK), which is backed by private equity group True, is set to open its tenth location in Scotland. The new restaurant, at 14 St Maurices Gate in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, will open in July. Simon Wallis, chief executive at GDK, said: “As we continue growing, openings like Cumbernauld are testament to the driving force behind the GDK brand. Huge congratulations to our new franchise partner on his first GDK – we wish him the very best of luck on this exciting journey and look forward to introducing Cumbernauld to kebabs done right.” The new location will feature new additions such as the GDK Doner Rice Bowl – a mix of its signature doner meat, crisp salad and fragrant rice.

Flat Iron confirms Brighton and Bristol sites: Flat Iron, the Piper-backed affordable steak concept, has confirmed it will add to its regional estate with openings in Bristol and Brighton. As previously revealed by Propel, the 18-strong business has secured the former Brown’s site in Brighton’s Ship Street, for an opening later this autumn. This will be followed by an opening on the Four Wise Monkeys restaurant site in Bristol's Clare Street early next year. Flat Iron’s head of beef, Fred Smith, said: “At Flat Iron, we pride ourselves on serving delicious, carefully sourced, remarkable steak. In our mission to make this accessible to a wider audience, we are excited to announce we are bringing this to Bristol and Brighton, two cities we have always wanted to be part of.” Flat iron recently added to its London estate with an opening on the ex-Canteen site at Royal Festival Hall, on the Southbank. 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. 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.

ChicKing franchisee plans first UK drive-thru site for brand: Dubai-headquartered fast chicken brand ChicKing is set to open its first drive-thru site in the UK, in Scotland. Franchisee Foodfixx has applied to open a drive-thru unit on the corner of Munro Road in Stirling. Since securing the master franchise for ChicKing last summer, Foodfixx has expanded from nine to 17 locations across England and Ireland and is moving into Scotland with this store in Stirling. The two companies signed a franchise agreement to open up to 30 sites in Scotland over the next three years under the brand. Founded by AK Mansoor in the UAE in 2000, ChicKing has since grown to in excess of 300 sites in more than 35 countries. It made its UK debut in 2017 with a couple of sites in west London – in Acton and Marylebone – before making its regional debut the following year with a launch in Wednesbury, in the West Midlands. Last May, Propel revealed ChicKing was looking to ramp up its UK expansion as it targets 500-plus sites globally over the next five years. It is part of the Al Bayan group of companies, which has grown from a Dubai-based enterprise to spread across the Middle East, Asian subcontinent and Far East, while its franchise division is BFI Management DMCC.

UK debut site from US chef Nancy Silverton and Margot in London’s Covent Garden’s among latest restaurants to close: The UK debut site from US chef Nancy Silverton – Pizzeria Mozza – which opened as part of Treehouse Hotel London, and the Covent Garden-based Italian restaurant Margot, have become two of the latest restaurants to close in the capital, with the latter blaming “national insurance cost increases”. Silverton opened Pizzeria Mozza as part of the Marylebone-based Treehouse Hotel London’s food and beverage portfolio in 2021, alongside Madera, The Nest in Treehouse and Backyard. Silverton said at the time: “Opening at the Treehouse in Marylebone is like a homecoming for me. In 1977, I was a student at London's Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, and now I am back with my Pizzeria Mozza. It just feels right and I am determined to make my alma mater proud of their former student.” At the same time, Margot has said it will close on Saturday, 28 June. Margot said: “After much reflection, and as a result of the substantial business rate and national insurance costs imposed on us in this year's Budget, we have made the decision to close Margot. Though this chapter is ending, we have proud of what we have built and we'll carry these memories with us always."

Investment manager puts 11 UK hotels on market for £175m: Investment manager Ares Management has put 11 UK hotels on the market, targeting offers around £175m just a year after acquiring them as part of a wider £400m portfolio from Landsec. The properties – which span cities including London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Southampton – were part of a 21-asset package Ares bought in May 2024 alongside operating partner EQ Group. The deal included Ibis and Novotel brands, fully let and collectively generating £28.4m in income last year. Now, Ares is selectively marketing just over half the portfolio through JLL. The 11 hotels offered, off-market, include Ibis locations in Southampton, Luton airport, Birmingham New Street, Glasgow city centre, and Barking in east London, along with Novotel properties in Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Southampton, Leeds, and Greenwich in south east London. Together, the hotels provide around 1,540 beds. The portfolio is being marketed at an 8% yield. However, Ares is open to splitting the group into smaller sub-portfolios or individual asset sales depending on buyer interest. Ares intends to retain ten other hotels from the original portfolio, including the Novotel London Tower Bridge.

Your Place adds two new sites to growing portfolio: Independent boutique accommodation collection Your Place has introduced two new properties to its growing portfolio. In London's Pimlico, Bower House joins the established Georgian House Hotel and the newly launched Chinnery House Apartments – alongside Rothay Garth in the Lake District. The company said that extensive renovations are now underway to reimagine both locations, in London and the Lakes, with the interior design and project management led by Gabe von der Heyde – his fourth substantial renovation, for the Your Place Collection, in just 18 months. Bower House is set to launch in March 2026, offering a ten-room “affordable” boutique hotel. Rothay Garth, located in Ambleside in the Lake District, is undergoing a significant renovation that is set to conclude in April 2026 – “transforming the B&B guest experience with improved operations and an elevated service”. The 15-bedroom property is being modernised throughout. Your Place founder, Serena von der Heyde, said: “Each property in our collection is chosen not only for its aesthetics and amenities, but for the story it tells and the experience it offers. We're thrilled to introduce these two exciting additions, enabling our guest's greater choice and something truly special. As a family-run independent business our focus remains to champion exceptional service, high standards and engaging opportunities for our team to flourish.”

Independent bakery and café Cotton to expand to the Midlands: Independent bakery and café Cotton is to expand into the Midlands. The company is set to open at Goods Yard, a canalside development in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, led by developer Capital&Centric. The Cotton counter will open on Monday, 23 June, serving coffee, juice, pastries, and cakes daily. A lunch menu will be introduced from July. Cotton operates two sites in Manchester – in the Halle St Peters building in Ancoats and at Neptune Mill in Chapeltown Street in the city centre, the latter of which was also developed by Capital&Centric. Cotton is also set to open in the newly completed town centre development in Farnworth Green in Bolton. Chris Griffith, founder of Cotton said: “We’ve been part of the Capital&Centric community for a while now, and when we saw what was happening at Goods Yard, we knew we had to be a part of it. There’s a real buzz already and we’re excited to bring our coffee and bakes to Stoke-on-Trent – it’s all about quality, community and a bit of fun.” Goods Yard comprises 174 rental homes, alongside commercial spaces aimed at independent businesses such as bars, eateries, shops, and creative studios. Residents have access to amenities including a gym, lounge, co-working areas, and a mini cinema.

London pizzeria concept Base Face to open new flagship site in Richmond next week: London pizzeria concept Base Face Pizza is set to open a new flagship site on Tuesday (17 June), in Richmond. Base Face Pizza, founded during lockdown in 2020 by jazz bass player Tim Thornton when he could no longer tour the globe, opened its debut site, in King Street in Hammersmith in June 2021, with Barnes following in January 2023 and Putney in February 2024. Due to its success, Base Face Pizza outgrew the Hammersmith site and the search for a bigger flagship venue began. With Hammersmith now closed, Base Face Pizza will transfer its central operations to its new site in Kew Road in Richmond, which will seat up to 30 diners, with eight seats outside. The concept offers a menu of 12 pizzas, available in a 12-inch and 18-inch proportion. 

Coach House Inns sells two village pubs to concentrate on core estate: Pub operator Coach House Inns has sold The Bateman Arms in the village of Shobdon and the Fox & Hounds in the Welsh village of Llancarfan as it concentrates on its core sites. The Bateman Arms has been bought by Vannessa Lewis and Simon Jones, who grew up in tShobdon, off an asking price of £420,000. Meanwhile, the Fox & Hounds has been sold to an unnamed “experienced” operator. Both deals were brokered by Christie & Co. Coach House Inns has sold the pubs to focus its investment and attention on its other sites – The Longs in Steeple Ashton in Wiltshire, The Manor in Abberley in Worcestershire and The Riverside in Aymestrey in Herefordshire. Coach House Inns said of the Fox & Hounds: “We are delighted the pub has been bought by an experienced local operator, who can give the pub the focus and investment it needs to re-establish itself. Being distant from the location meant this would be a difficult prospect for our core business.” Meanwhile, Lewis and Jones plan to reopen The Bateman Arms with a refreshed offering. They said: “We are excited to bring our vision of a traditional British pub to life and create a warm and welcoming space where the community can come together to enjoy hearty, quality food in a lively and friendly atmosphere.”

Scottish government calls in Flamingo Land’s plans for £40m Loch Lomond site: The Scottish government has called in plans by theme park operator Flamingo Land to build a £40m resort in Loch Lomond, reversing a previous decision. Through the firm Lomond Banks, Flamingo Land planned to build two hotels, more than 100 lodges, a waterpark and monorail on the site at Balloch, West Dunbartonshire. In a long-running saga, plans were initially scrapped in 2019 following substantial opposition. Revised plans were later unanimously rejected by the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority, but an appeal by Lomond Banks was granted by a Scottish government reporter, who placed 49 conditions on the developer and forced it to reach an agreement with the authority before construction could start. Despite urging from MSPs, public finance minister Ivan McKee had resisted calls for ministers to intervene in the decision to allow the plans to go forward, but the decision has now been called in. Flamingo Land has insisting its proposal would be a “major step away” from its other resort, which comprises a theme park, zoo and holiday village in North Yorkshire.

IHG Hotels & Resorts opens Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell: IHG Hotels & Resorts has opened a new four-star boutique venue, Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell. Located at 2 Clerkenwell Road, Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell is owned by the Davies family and operated by Axiom Hospitality. The hotel features 143 guest rooms, including nine suites. Dining options include Wilderness Kitchen, an all-day Mediterranean-influenced restaurant centred on seasonal British produce; Sabini Bar, inspired by 1920s Clerkenwell and offering a curated selection of cocktails, wine and artisan brews; and Hat and Feathers, a grade II-listed Victorian pub serving traditional British dishes and an ever-evolving selection of ale. The hotel also features two meeting and event rooms, located above Hat and Feathers, which can host up to 60 guests. Keith Davies, owner of Hotel Indigo London Clerkenwell, said: “As a family-owned business, opening this hotel is a proud milestone. We’ve embedded our values throughout the property – from the guest experience to our service philosophy – creating a place where business travellers can feel productive, comfortable and connected.” IHG Hotels & Resorts encompasses Regent Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants.