Foodservice prices again on the rise amid supply chain and climate pressures: Foodservice prices were on the rise again in April amid supply chain and climate pressures, according to the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index. The price of the index’s overall basket of goods rose by 2.3% year-on-year and by 0.6% month-on-month. The report indicates a combination of global commodity market volatility, persistent supply chain disruptions, escalating energy costs and the significant impact of adverse weather conditions are the primary drivers of these sustained price hikes. Several categories experienced significant increases, with the meat and poultry category seeing rises affected by strong demand for beef and ongoing challenges in poultry production. The oils and fats category is also rising, influenced by high demand for soy and rapeseed oil, while the mineral water, soft drinks and juice sector also saw higher levels of year-on-year inflation. The fish category, while showing a modest year-on-year increase of 0.4%, recorded a sharp 2.0% rise month-on-month. This is largely attributed to severe declines in hake stocks and significant quota reductions for cod in key fishing grounds, which are expected to lead to sustained high prices and a shift towards alternative white fish species. Furthermore, the driest spring in a century has begun to impact root vegetable yields, indicating potential price increases later in the season for this category, which saw a 0.6% annual increase. Prestige Purchasing chief executive Shaun Allen said: “While we've seen some seasonal variations, the underlying inflationary drivers remain firmly in place. While inflation has remained relatively low over the past 12 months, we are now seeing upward pressure coming through in a number of categories.” Reuben Pullan, senior insight consultant at CGA by NIQ, added: “News of an uptick in key food and beverage costs in April is another unwelcome development for hospitality operators and their suppliers. Alongside a sharp increase in labour costs from April, it ratchets up the pressure on both profit margins and menu prices for consumers.”

Sponsored message – breathe freshness into larger spaces with OurFresh 2.0 from Robert Scott’s P-Wave brand: Robert Scott’s leading fragrance and air-freshening brand P-Wave has added OurFresh 2.0 to its active air freshener range. “Say goodbye to leaks and lazy mist bursts with our new professional 30-day battery-operated air freshener, designed to keep larger spaces invigoratingly fresh.” said P-Wave brand manager Mark Wintle at Robert Scott. “With no aerosols, propellants, or solvents – just fragrance – OurFresh 2.0 delivers a consistent, sophisticated scent for 30 days straight.” Ideal for use in offices, bars, care homes or reception/waiting rooms, the refills for OurFresh 2.0 are available in three premium fragrances – cotton blossom, coconut and vanilla and summer sunshine. Wintle said OurFresh 2.0 packs three to five times more fragrance than average supermarket dispensers, offering superior freshness that spans wider areas, up to 50 square metres. Freestanding – with no need for screws or tape, or wall-mounted – and available in black or white, the battery-operated OurFresh 2.0 is designed with convenience in mind. Smart chip technology runs the fan intermittently, turning for longer progressively over the 30-day duration. “OurFresh 2.0 completes our active air-freshener range, which includes: Easy Fresh; MyFresh; and OurFresh-e,” said Wintle. “In addition, OurFresh 2.0 uses the same premium dry fragrance refills as our fan-favourite OurFresh-e plug-in. The fragrance refills are made from up to 15% recycled material and are recyclable – so that’s two great dispensers, and one epic refill.” To find out more, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Soho House UK MD Yishay Malkov to speak at Propel summer conference and party, open for bookings: Yishay Malkov, managing director of Soho House UK, will be among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference and summer party on Thursday, 4 September, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry. The all-day conference will focus on “moving ahead with evolved thinking” and will be followed in the evening by the summer party, with a barbecue and more than four hours of live music. There are up to two free places per company for operators and Premium subscribers can have up to four places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com. A room can also be booked for the evening at an additional cost. For more details, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com. Malkov will talk about how the members’ club business is attracting new members and also retaining its existing ones, the role food and beverage plays and plans for further growth here. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Meanwhile, the evening entertainment includes the return by popular demand of the UK’s top Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow tribute acts as Scott Borley and Daniel Hadfield again join forces. Pure Mercury, the UK’s foremost Freddie Mercury tribute act, will also be performing along with The Greek Street Live House Band, which will be playing guests’ requests. The evening will also feature a music quiz with The Quiz Team. 

 

Propel Franchisor Showcase launches, already fully subscribed: Propel has broken new ground by launching the Propel Franchisor Showcase, which will put the spotlight on 11 up-and-coming food and beverage franchisors. The event went to market last week and is already fully subscribed for franchisors taking part. The inaugural event will be held on Tuesday, 25 November at One Moorgate Place in London and will feature 11 presentations from within the UK food and beverage franchisor community. Propel founder Paul Charity said: “This really important and fast-emerging part of the UK food and beverage landscape deserves a bigger stage. For that reason, Propel, in partnership with Seeds Consulting, is proud to present this showcase. To be fully subscribed within a week of going to market shows just how strong this developing part of the market is. Propel has been charting this important part of the sector for the almost two years. We produce a database of franchisors in the marketplace, updated every two months, and now numbering 350 companies. We also produce a database charting franchisees, which is also updated every two months and contains 250 large franchisees.” Both databases are available exclusively to Premium subscribers. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality to be released to Premium Club subscribers on Friday featuring more than 251,000 words of content: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will feature more than 251,000 words of content when it is released to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (20 June) at midday. The database now features 936 companies, and this month’s edition includes 15 new additions and 61 updated entries. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent results reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. 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 Franchisor Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. 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.

UKHospitality secures EPR commitments from government: Following significant campaigning from UKHospitality, the government has agreed to explore an alternative approach to its extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme. Due to poorly drafted rules that classify some packaging sold in hospitality – like bottles of beer and wine or cardboard packaging in quick service restaurants – as household waste, many venues are being forced to pay twice for recycling. They are being passed on an EPR fee via their suppliers and are having to pay to recycle their waste commercially. At a roundtable with Mary Creagh MP, the minister responsible, it was agreed that the department would work with the sector to explore a solution to this issue. UKHospitality said it is hopeful this solution can be brought forward for the second year of the scheme. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “I’m pleased that Defra is finally properly engaging with this issue and acting on our concerns. UKHospitality has been campaigning on this issue for over a year and warning of the unfair and costly impact it will have on hospitality businesses. We have put forward clear proposals that can solve this issue, which include an exemption for closed loop hospitality businesses, and I hope that we can work at pace with the government to put something in place for the second year of the scheme. Of course, this is not an ideal timeline for businesses affected this year. In light of the government acknowledging that there is a problem that needs solving, I urge hospitality suppliers to recognise this and not pass additional EPR costs through to operators.”

 

Deliveroo shareholders back £2.9bn sale to DoorDash: Shareholders of Deliveroo have backed the company’s £2.9bn sale to DoorDash. Last month, DoorDash, the $77bn US food delivery business, agreed to buy Deliveroo for 180p per share. Shareholders have backed the deal, with 99.96% voting in favour. The acquisition values the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Deliveroo at approximately £2.9bn on a fully diluted basis, and represents a premium of approximately: 44% to the closing price of 125p per Deliveroo share on 4 April 2025 (being the last business day prior to DoorDash’s offer letter to Deliveroo in respect of the acquisition); 29% to the closing price of 140p per Deliveroo share on 24 April 2025 (being the last business day prior to the commencement of the offer period); and 40% to 129p, being the three month volume weighted average price to 24 April 2025 (being the last business day prior to the commencement of the offer period). The terms of the acquisition imply an enterprise value of Deliveroo of approximately £2.4bn. The terms of the acquisition imply an EV/Ebitda multiple of approximately 13.4 times based on the mid-point of Deliveroo's full-year 2025 adjusted Ebitda guidance range, which remains £170m-£190m. Deliveroo said it expects the deal to complete in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Consumers ‘continue to regard visiting the on-trade as an important part of their day-to-day lives’: Consumers “continue to regard visiting the on-trade as an important part of their day-to-day lives”, a new report has claimed. The report from DesignMyNight, a hospitality discovery platform with up to 3.9 million monthly users, also suggests there is a notable difference between what consumers consider fair and what venues charge for drinks. It said consumers feel the price of a pint of lager to be fair at £5.15, while operators believe an average of £6.12 to be acceptable. When it comes to adding value for customers, the report highlights opportunities for pubs and bars to diversify their offerings beyond food and drink by providing in-venue entertainment. Despite 83% of consumers finding live performances appealing, only 60% of venues hosted them in the past year. A further 60% of consumers find events appealing, and 66% of venues have already run at least one live event in the past 12 months, and a further 33% plan to increase the frequency of such events. Katie Houghton, head of brand at DesignMyNight said: “It’s clear that there is an opportunity here for venues to align with evolving consumer desires, particularly in areas like live entertainment and interactive experiences. Hospitality is extremely agile but there is still plenty that can be nurtured and capitalised on.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a leisure group that is looking to hire a senior commercial manager to drive profitability, optimise return on investment, and accelerate sustainable growth. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role will sit at the heart of the leadership team alongside the chief executive. The senior commercial manager’s focus will be on delivering commercial performance across the entire business. The role will oversee the finance and commercial teams with a clear mandate: to monitor performance, eliminate inefficiencies and push every area of the business toward stronger margins and greater returns.” The salary is up to £90,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com.

 

London Sushi concept targets 50-plus stores by 2027 as it looks to expand across the UK and abroad: London Sushi concept Iso Sushi has targeted 50-plus stores by 2027 as it looks to expand across the UK and overseas. Iro Sushi was founded in 2014 by Chhong Sherpa and has since grown to 30 stores across the capital. It is now looking to expand further through franchising, with its growth being led by director of operations Sultan Thakur, a former operations manager at Papa John’s. “After over nine amazing years with Papa John’s managing operations, I felt it was time to take my career to the next level and open my own business,” he said. “During my search for the right opportunity, I came across a small but promising brand, Iro Sushi, which had 12 branches at the time and big plans to grow across London. I connected with Chhong online, and after our first meeting, he saw potential in my experience and offered me the chance to lead operations and expansion – along with the incredible opportunity to become a franchisee owner of my first branch. With Chhong’s support and vision, I opened my first Iro Sushi branch – a proud moment, marking the start of my journey as a business owner, and now I have three stores of Iro Sushi. From 2023 to 2025, we’ve grown from 12 to 30 branches across London. Now, our sights are set even higher – with a goal to open 50-plus stores across the UK and Europe by 2027.” Sherpa himself grew up in Nepal and came to London as a student in 2009 without little to his name. The following year, he secured a job as a sushi chef, and while managing two jobs, he also pursued his studies at Maritime Greenwich College. He eventually transferred to South London College, switching his major to Business Management, and started the sushi business while completing his postgraduate studies in Hospitality Management at Westminster College. Sherpa told London World that he now employs more than 200 workers and that his sushi shops generate a turnover of £1.5m per month, amounting to approximately £18m annually. With a goal of opening ten branches a year, Sherpa said he is determined to expand Iro Sushi to all four countries of the UK. Starting this year, he also plans to expand Iro Sushi into America and Europe. “The US is a huge market, and this will be a real test for me,” he added. 

Richard Caring set to acquire ex-Tuttons site: Serial sector investor Richard Caring is set to acquire the former Tuttons British Brasserie in London’s Covent Garden, Propel has learned. It is thought that Caring will convert the site and the neighbouring Dirty Martini unit into his Harry’s bar and restaurant brand. Harry’s recently opened its fourth site in London’s King’s Cross. In the summer of 2023, Nightcap – the owner of The Cocktail Club, the Adventure Bar Group and the Barrio Familia group of bars – acquired the ten-strong Dirty Martini business, plus Tuttons British Brasserie, for a consideration of up to £4.65m. Tuttons was one of the most famous and long-standing restaurants in London’s West End. It comes as Caring is in advanced talks to sell a significant portion of his UK hospitality empire to an entity controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan. According to the Financial Times, the deal between Caring and Sheikh Tahnoon's holding company, IHC, could exceed £1bn.

 

Carl’s Jr lines up six UK sites as part of plans to open 100 within next five years: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) plans to open six sites under California-born restaurant brand Carl’s Jr this year, as part of plans to open 100 sites within the next five years. Propel revealed last year that BRG, which launched Carl’s Jnr in the UK at the start of April, had signed a master licence agreement with CKE Restaurants Holdings and that it had secured a site at the St David’s shopping scheme in Cardiff for the first location. Propel revealed earlier this month that BRG is set to open a Carl’s Jr on the former TGI Fridays site within The City Gates leisure scheme in Swansea. At the same time, BRG has lined up an opening in the Westquay scheme in Southampton. BRG has told The Sun that it also plans to open in Bristol, Manchester, York and Leeds this year, as part of plans to open up 100 restaurants across the UK within the next five years. All the new locations will include a breakfast menu and be available on Uber Eats for delivery. The brand is also set to launch a new burger at the end of the month as part of its summer menu. At the end of April, Rodrigo de la Torre, interim president of CKE International, said the brand’s debut UK site was “one of our most successful openings in Europe to-date”. CKE said the UK debut location saw more than 200 transactions within the first hour of opening. “We’re very excited about the expansion of Carl’s Jr into the UK and Republic of Ireland,” said De la Torre. “This was one of our most successful openings in Europe to date and we look forward to seeing Boparan’s continued success.” Carl’s Jr currently operates more than 1,100 international restaurants in more than 35 countries around the world, including circa 100 sites across Europe.

 

Exclusive – Permanently Unique Group secures London site for Fenix concept: Permanently Unique Group, the independent restaurant business formerly known as Tattu, has secured a debut London site for Fenix, its contemporary Greek-Mediterranean dining concept. Propel has learned Permanently Unique Group will open the new site at 80 Piccadilly this winter. It follows the success of the original Fenix site, which opened in Manchester in 2023. The company told Propel: “The new site will offer a sharing-concept menu led by executive head chef, Ippokratis Anagnostelis and head chef Zisis Giannouras, focusing on innovative plates inspired by Greek traditions and Mediterranean flavours. The Mayfair location will combine the striking interior design and high-quality cuisine Fenix is renowned for, with live cooking from a central charcoal grill, promising an engaging and immersive dining experience. More details on the official opening date will be announced soon.” Earlier this year, Permanently Unique Group promoted Dan Purnell to chief executive as it prepares for its first international opening in Dubai. The group also confirmed it had hired Andrew Jobes as its new chief operating officer. Last September, Permanently Unique Group secured a new £15m revolving credit facility to fund its future expansion and said it had new London locations planned for its Fenix and Louis concepts, as well as its Dubai venture. Tattu Dubai will open at the end of the summer across the top three floors of Ciel Tower, the world’s tallest hotel, located at the edge of Dubai Marina.

 

London operator Night Group moves into all-day trading with Hackney acquisition and set for further growth, revenue up 18% year to date: Night Group, the independent collective behind some of London’s most loved music-led venues, has acquired Hackney rooftop venue Netil360 and is set for further growth, Propel has learned. The deal signals a new chapter for Night Group, which is behind venues including Night Tales and NT’s Loft, as it makes the move into all-day trading. “This is a site we’ve long admired,” said co-founder Louis Hyams. “Netil360 has been part of the east London fabric for more than a decade. It aligns with our values, our community focus and our ambition to keep building sustainable spaces where culture and connection thrive. The message is clear, people still want to dance, and Night Group is building the spaces for them to do it.” The group said it plans to evolve the offering while honouring the venue’s community roots. The refreshed menu will include Napoli-style pizza alongside local beer, natural wine and independent drink brands. The rooftop marks the group’s latest investment as it continues to scale independently. A major new venue is set to be announced in the coming months. Hyams told Propel that Night Group has performed strongly this year. He said: “Revenue is up 18% year to date compared with 2024, driving a 70% increase in Ebitda year on year. With our highly skilled and experienced head office team in place, we anticipate further Ebitda improvements from additional acquisitions planned in the near future.” Night Group brings more than 15 years of experience delivering large-scale activations across London, including a six-year partnership with John Lewis for “Willows on the Roof” – a seasonal rooftop concept that has welcomed residencies from the likes of Professor Green, Gizzi Erskine and Tinie Tempah.

 

Black Sheep Coffee set to make North Wales debut: Speciality coffee operator Black Sheep Coffee is set to open its first site in North Wales. It will open at Unit 14A1 Broughton Shopping Park in Broughton, Chester, on Tuesday, 26 June. It is also a third site overall in Wales for the brand, joining its two Cardiff locations. Alan Pruden-Barker, centre manager at Broughton, said: “We know Black Sheep Coffee already has a strong following across the UK, so it’s exciting to be able to bring the brand to our visitors across North Wales for the first time. It’s a great addition to our line-up and we’re pleased to offer another space for our shoppers to catch up with friends and family or simply take a moment for themselves to relax with a coffee.” It will be operated by a local franchise partner.

 

Trust Inns adds Sunderland pub to portfolio: Trust Inns, which is owned by a discretionary trust for the benefit of family members of the late Trevor Hemmings, has acquired a site in Sunderland. The company, which owns more than 350 leased and tenanted pubs across the UK, has added The Avenue in the Roker area of the city to its portfolio. An open day will be held at the pub in Zetland Street next month as the group seeks a tenant.

 

23.5 Degrees opens four stores in eight days: 23.5 Degrees, which was Starbucks’ largest UK franchisee before being acquired by its parent company last year, has opened four new stores in the space of eight days. The stores have opened in a former Taco Bell in Thorne Retail Park in Doncaster, in the former Four Alls pub in York, in Sheffield’s Saville Street and in Rotherham’s Riverside Way. The openings brought the 23.5 Degrees portfolio to 124 stores. 23.5 Degrees, which was founded by Mark Hepburn and opened its first licensed store in Liphook, Hampshire, in 2013, was acquired by Starbucks in October 2024 – at which point it had 113 locations. In April, Propel revealed that 23.5 Degrees grew its turnover to £93m and almost tripled its profit before being acquired, and said following the sale, it is focusing on opening drive-thrus “in the coming years”. Accounts for the year ending 31 August 2024 show 23.5 Degrees grew its revenue from £83,539,389 to £93,081,875. The company also grew its pre-tax profit from £1,024,771 in 2023 to £2,805,750.

 

Sunset Hospitality Group to open second UK venue for its Café Kitsune brand next week: Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG), the UAE-based hospitality group, will open a second UK venue for its Café Kitsune brand next week. The company will open the venue at 55 Monmouth Street in London’s Covent Garden on Wednesday, 25 June, having previously agreed a deal with landlord Shaftesbury Capital. The site will join the brand’s venue in Belgravia. The Covent Garden café will cover 530 square feet, with seating for 15 inside and eight outside, offering a selection of pastries, cakes and sandwiches inspired by French and Japanese cuisine. Johanna Lellouche, general director at Café Kitsuné, said: “The concept behind Café Kitsuné is to create and operate a space that marries the simplistic beauty of the small and intimate coffee shops with the style and cool of everything that Café Kitsuné undertakes – we felt this new Covent Garden location was the perfect destination to match this.” SHG, which operates more than 100 venues across 25 countries including 35 under the Café Kitsuné brand, also operates Japanese restaurant The Aubrey in Knightsbridge. At the end of last year, the company also opened cocktail bar Luum, restaurant Amelie and Japan-inspired restaurant Sachi in Belgravia and Knightsbridge.

 

Dobbies hires Richard Herbert as restaurant director: Garden centre company Dobbies has hired Richard Herbert, formerly of Bourne Leisure and PizzaExpress, as its new restaurant director. Herbert joins Dobbies from Bourne Leisure, where he led its national food and beverage offering for more than four years. Prior to that, he spent nearly 12 years at PizzaExpress, latterly as its central operations and programme director. He said: “There is huge potential with the restaurants at Dobbies and I’m really excited to be joining the team. It’s been great to see the programme of investment with new menus, new coffee shops and coffee counters. I’m looking forward to leading our team to deliver the best possible experience in our restaurants.” Last year, Dobbies appointed Robert Cook, the former Hostmore chief executive, as a board advisor to support the development of its restaurant business. Cook – who also previously headed up Virgin Active, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin – stepped down as chief executive of Hostmore – the parent company of Fridays, 63rd+1st and Fridays and Go – at the start of 2023 after three years in the role. He also sits on the advisory board of sector investor Imbiba. Dobbies currently operates circa 75 stores across the UK.

 

Travis Fish steps down as group operations director at Comptoir: Travis Fish has stepped down as group operations director at Comptoir Group, the owner of the Comptoir Libanais and Shawa brands, after 15 months in the role. Fish joined the business last April. He was previously managing director of Ballie Ballerson, the ball-pit cocktail bar operator, and was a co-founder of Middle Eastern quick service restaurant brand BabaBoom. He was also a former Nando’s regional managing director and an operations manager at Mitchells & Butlers. He has left Comptoir to set up his own business Ops Lab – “helping founder-led and private equity-backed businesses navigate the transition from start-up to scale-up”. Earlier this year, Comptoir Group rehired Chaker Hanna as its chief executive, with Richard Kleiner also returning as chairman. Last month, the business said that on the back of those management changes, a detailed review of the company’s overall strategy was ongoing and that a “prudent approach to capital management is key” over the next 12 months to position it for growth beyond 2025. It comes after the company said its first-quarter 2025 trading performance has been in line with expectations, as it reported 2% like-for-like sales growth in the year to 29 December 2024.

 

Joule’s to open newly acquired Birmingham city centre pub this week: Shropshire brewer and retailer Joule’s will open its newly acquired Birmingham city centre pub on Friday (20 June). The canalside pub, the Waterside Tap in Gas Street, is its third in the city, adding to the Red Lion in the Jewellery Quarter and the New Inn in Harborne, both of which the company acquired in 2024. For now, the pub will remain as it is, with Joule’s beer on the bar, with future plans to “restore and reimagine” the site as a Joule’s Taphouse. It will offer the “quintessential pub experience of real fires, great pub food, live music, proper cask ale, good dogs and even better conversation”. The pub will be operated by the landlords of the New Inn – Adrian Walsh and Bernadette Quigley. In March, Propel revealed Joule’s had secured a new bank loan to fund future acquisitions and is seeking to dispose of village locations where its taphouse model works less well. The operator of 38 taphouses across Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Wales has previously said it now focusing on suburban and town centre locations.

 

Heriots Patisserie hires Peter Davies as MD: Heriots Patisserie, the London café/cake shop concept, has hired Peter Davies as its new managing director. Davies joins the five-strong Heriots Patisserie after 13 months as director of operations at Oakberry UK. Previous to that, he spent 16 months as managing director of retail at Change Please. He also spent more than two years as national retail operations director at Starbucks, and more than two years as chief operating officer at Harris + Hoole. Deena Atie, who acquired Heriots Patisserie in 2016, said: “I am proud to announce that Peter Davies has joined the Heriots Patisserie team as managing director. With his extensive leadership experience and passion for innovation, Peter will drive the next phase of growth and success for our company. His vision and expertise will be instrumental as we continue to deliver exceptional products and experiences to our customers. We are excited to welcome him aboard and look forward to the exciting journey ahead.”

Chef Masayoshi Takayama to bring his three-star sushi concept to London: Masayoshi “Masa” Takayama, one of the most influential chefs in modern Japanese cuisine, is to open his first stand-alone restaurant in London. Tobi Masa will launch at the Chancery Rosewood hotel in September, where Masa will bring his famous sushi, snacks and small plates to the new Mayfair hotel. The restaurant will be a continuation of Masa’s self-titled restaurant in New York, which, with encouragement from American chef Thomas Keller, he opened in 2004 and that has held three Michelin stars since 2009. The venue was credited with “changing the sushi game” by the New York Times. The move marks Masa’s second foray into London. The chef is also behind Sushi by Masa, a more casual, less high-profile sushi experience at Harrods department store. “I’m so proud to be partnering with a creative and innovative brand like Rosewood,” said Takayama. “We are excited to embark on this new adventure together, and especially in such a historic landmark building in the middle of Mayfair.” The long-awaited Chancery Rosewood is due to finally open on Monday, 1 September, four years after plans were first announced. The hotel is set within the former US embassy building and will feature 144 suites and eight bars and restaurants, including the European debut of New York restaurant Carbone.

 

Asda to invest £10m to modernise in-store cafés: Asda is to launch a £10m refresh programme in more than 180 of its in-store cafes. The project, led by partner Compass, will begin this month and is expected to be completed by the end of October. The cafés, which are managed by Compass, will be upgraded to have a new look and feel that will include the introduction of digital ordering screens and table ordering service, alongside a manned till.  The new menu will include old favourites such as full English breakfast, fish and chips, lasagne, jacket potatoes and burger and chips, plus new dishes such as smashed avocado on toast, katsu chicken curry, topped salad bowls, wraps and a new sharing range that includes nachos and loaded fries. Asda’s pizzas will also become part of the new instore café menu with customers able to choose a full 12-inch pizza or purchase individual slices, including margherita, pepperoni, American sizzler, spicy chicken, meat feast, ham and mushroom and veggie supreme. The company said that the new look and feel brings a “more relaxed coffee shop vibe to the cafés”. Ian McEvans, vice-president of commercial food at Asda, said: “Cafés are an important part of the shopping experience for many of our customers, and this significant investment alongside allows us to bring a new look and feel, as well as making improvements to the service and a refresh of the menu. We have continued to demonstrate our commitment to our cafés over the years with popular deals like the winter warmer and kids eat for £1 meal deals, and this investment marks another exciting milestone moment for us on our journey and underpins our continued commitment to ensuring Asda is set up for long term success at the heart of communities.”  

 

Tom Kerridge Group replaces The Butchers Tap in London with new gastropub concept: The Tom Kerridge Group has replaced its The Butchers Tap pub in London’s Chelsea with new gastropub concept. Propel reported last month that Tom Kerridge Group would close the Tryon Street venue. It has now reopened as The Chalk Freehouse, which is led by Tom De Keyser, who has worked alongside Tom Kerridge for 12 years and most recently was head chef at his The Hand and Flowers pub in Marlow – the first pub in the world to be awarded two Michelin stars. The Chalk Freehouse offers a three-course menu, available for lunch and dinner, with mains including pork chop schnitzel with smoked bacon cabbage and a fried duck egg. For those dining at lunchtime, a set menu is also available, offering two courses for £18.50 or three for £25. The wine list focuses on both old-world traditions and new world regions, alongside lager, IPA, stout, cider and non-alcoholics drinks. There is a custom-built bar in the garden area, plus a 60-cover dining room, including a ten-seater private room. Kerridge previously said he took the “difficult decision” to close The Butcher’s Tap due to “the challenging climate hospitality businesses now face”.

Whitbread to open fourth Edinburgh site for hub by Premier Inn brand: Whitbread is set to open a fourth Edinburgh site for its hub by Premier Inn brand in Edinburgh. Artisan Real Estate has submitted a planning application to the city council to transform Albany House into a 102-bedroom hotel. The current occupiers of the property at 58 Albany Street are relocating to new offices in the city centre later this year. Artisan has agreed terms with Whitbread to operate the completed hotel in the five-storey building under its hub by Premier Inn brand. Jill Anderson, acquisitions manager for Whitbread, told The Herald: “Premier Inn has been part of Edinburgh’s hospitality scene for more than 30 years. We’re proud to have built a network of popular, good-value hotels across the city, and we see great potential for further investment given that budget hotels like Premier Inn account for just 20% of the city’s bedroom stock. Albany House is an excellent location for us.” Whitbread operates three hub by Premier Inn sites in Edinburgh and 15 in London.

Yorkshire hotel and events group acquires third site: Yorkshire hotel and events group The Crown Bawtry Collection has acquired a third site. The group, which owns the Crown Hotel and Bawtry Hall – both in Bawtry, near Doncaster – has added Rossington Hall, also near Doncaster, to its portfolio. The 19th-century mansion is a luxury weddings and events and will be promoted as an exclusive hire venue for staycations, private parties, corporate events and weddings. Managing director Craig Dowie said: “We're incredibly proud to take the reins at Rossington Hall. This is a venue with extraordinary charm and potential, and we're excited to enhance its offering for our guests and the local community.” Following the acquisition, a new executive board has been formed to oversee the expanding collection. Led by Dowie and chairman Jason Cooper, the board will also feature Sheriden Knight as group finance executive director, Tori Gunputrao as group events and sales executive director and Sarah Dunn as group operations executive director. The group has also hired Lindsey Fraser as group corporate accounts manager and Charlotte Lister as corporate social responsibility and partnerships lead, while Chloe Blackburn has been promoted to group reservations co-ordinator.

ScandiKitchen opens London site: ScandiKitchen, the café and shop concept, has opened its second site in London, 18 years after it made its debut in the capital. Propel revealed in January that the business, which was founded in 2006 by Bronte Aurell – a Danish entrepreneur, restaurateur and cook – together with her Swedish husband, Jonas, had secured a site at 42 Buckingham Palace Road, in Victoria, for its second site. The new venue offers both takeaway and dine-in options within “an informal cafe style”. The couple opened their original site, in Great Titchfield Street, near Oxford Street, in 2007. ScandiKitchen has since become “the UK’s leading Scandinavian food distributor, providing food and groceries”. Samuel Nassimi, of CDG Leisure, acted on the Buckingham Palace Road deal.