Propel Newsletter Archive Page

Better burger business set to double in size this year including eight openings in next nine weeks, in talks on first international stores: Better burger business You Want Beef? has told Propel it is set to double in size this year, including eight openings in the next nine weeks, and is in talks on its first international stores. You Want Beef? was founded by Obaid Khalik just after the covid pandemic and initially operated in a food trailer in an industrial area in Bedfordshire, before opening its first store in 2021, in Luton. Since launching a franchise programme two years ago, the business has expanded to 13 sites – three company owned and ten franchise locations. Its pipeline of openings in the coming weeks include stores in Huddersfield, Dunstable, Letchworth, Hemel Hempstead, Derby and two in Nottingham, and the business has also just signed franchise contracts for Liverpool and Manchester. “With the stores opening in the next few weeks and the 40 licenses sold, we should be closer to 30 by the end of 2025, but right now the target is 20-25,” said Motin Miah, one of five partners who co-own the business. “By design, we are currently not in London, but we have two, potentially three, franchisees who want to open in London, one of who is talking about opening ten stores. The thought process was let’s expand outside of London first and see how people take to us, but now potential franchisees have been to our stores and tried our food, it is the right time. Right now, we’re purely on high streets, but the second phase of our development will be shopping centres and travel hubs. At places like shopping centres and airports, people don’t tend to visit unless you’re a recognised brand, and with the fixed costs of those places being exorbitant, it required us to have brand recognition, which we are building. That will start to get executed through corporate investment when we are at between 30-50 shops. We are very ambitious and want to grow. We have some things in the pipeline in terms of Turkey, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and if all things go well, we could even have one or two international stores by the end of this year.” Miah himself has, in the past, operated several restaurants brands, including growing his Blue Orchid and Bangkok Lounge Thai restaurants respectively before selling the businesses. “This is my first foray into fast food as the pandemic was a game changer for the food game,” he said. “Customer habits changed, and fine dining changed, so joining this venture and helping it expand is perfect.” Having exhibited at the London International Franchise Show in April, it was the first foray for You Want Beef? into external marketing. “Prior to that, all franchisees came through having visited our shops and tried our food,” Miah added.

Industry News:

Chopstix MD Jon Lake to speak at Propel summer conference and party, open for bookings: Jon Lake, managing director of Chopstix, 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. Lake will discuss the fast-growing brand’s three-year strategy. 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.

Next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality to be released to Premium Club subscribers on Friday featuring 61 updated entries and 15 new companies: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will feature 61 updated entries and 15 new companies 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 more than 251,000 words of content. 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.

Candid Hospitality secures £800,000 investment: Candid Hospitality, the anonymous matchmaking platform for hospitality careers, has secured £800,000 of new investment to aid its further growth and “to revolutionise hospitality recruitment”. Founded by Sam Brown, former director of Airship and Toggle, and Nick Holroyd-Doveton, co-founder of Omnifi, Candid launched its pilot scheme in February this year. Now with 3,500 registered candidates and 100-plus brands – including Loungers, Big Table Group, Turtle Bay, Honest Burgers, Punch Pubs, Flight Club and The Alchemist – Candid said it is already delivering more than 700 tailored matches. The raise includes backing from Mercia Ventures, through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II, and Haatch, a business-to-business software as a service specialist fund. Built with direct input from 60-plus operators and 100-plus candidates, Candid removes CVs and focuses on anonymous profiles, matching instead on values, skills and salary expectations. It said more than 40% of users are “passive candidates”, not actively applying for jobs but open to the right move. Holroyd-Doveton said: “We know the pain of hiring and the fear of being found out when job hunting. Candid protects candidates while giving companies better-fit matches without bias.” Jonathan Keeling, partner at Haatch, said: “We’ve backed more than 150 start-ups at Haatch, and it’s rare to see this level of product–market fit so early on. Sam and Nick are proven founders with deep hospitality experience, and Candid is already delivering results for some of the UK’s most respected operators. We believe this business can redefine how hospitality recruitment is done, putting culture and competence at the heart of hiring.”

London mayor – Oxford Street will be pedestrianised as soon as possible: London mayor Sadiq Khan has said he will pedestrianise Oxford Street “as quickly as possible”, after two in three respondents to a public consultation backed plans to ban traffic from London’s central shopping area. The mayor’s office said there was “overwhelming public and business support” for the proposals to regenerate the street. More than 6,600 businesses, individuals and groups responded to the formal consultation on plans announced last year that included full pedestrianisation of a 0.7-mile strip west from Great Portland Street, improving the area and allowing street cafes and outdoor events. Khan said: “Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation’s high street a new lease of life. It’s clear the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans, so I’m pleased to confirm we will now be moving ahead as quickly as possible. We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue. This will help to attract more international visitors, and act as a magnet for new investment and job creation, driving growth and economic prosperity for decades to come.” The Labour government has said it will approve a mayoral development corporation (MDC) to push through plans, after previous attempts to pedestrianise the street were knocked back by Westminster City Council. An MDC could now be established in early 2026, including representation from the council, which even now under Labour control has opposed the scheme.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a soft drink brand that is looking to hire a national account manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will involve managing relationships with national buying groups such as Unitas and Sugro. The position will be responsible for the commercial management of these accounts, managing joint business plans, site visits and developing the relationships further to allow for growth in the business. The ideal national account manager will have experience managing leading buying groups in the food and drink fast moving consumer goods sector, along with a track record in working for drinks businesses.” The salary is up to £60,000 and the position is based in Birmingham. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com.

Company News:

Exclusive – Jane Holbrook steps down as chair of Cote: Jane Holbrook has stepped down as chair of Cote, the French brasserie brand backed by the Partners Group, after almost five years in the role, Propel has learned. Holbrook, the former chief executive of Wagamama, joined Cote in September 2020. She spent five years at Wagamama, including two years as chief executive, and oversaw its sale to The Restaurant Group. Previously in her career, Holbrook worked with Richard Caring and Nick Jones at the Soho House Group and The Ivy-owner Caprice Holdings. She is currently a non-executive director at global nursery brand Busy Bees Nurseries, and an ambassador for Children in Need. Holbrook told Propel: “I leave Côte with a heavy heart, having made the decision in May for personal reasons. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved, and of the amazing people across the business. I wish everyone involved all the very best.” In March, Cote told Propel that the refurbishments it had carried out in the last 12 months have proved a “massive hit with our guests” and led to it making some strategic decisions on some of its other sites. The circa 70-strong company had refurbished eight sites over the past 12 months and will look to build on this over the next 12 months and beyond. At the same time, it closed “a small number” of sites that are “no longer in the right location for our growth plan”. In the spring, the company hired Emma Dinnis as its new chief executive. Dinnis joined Côte after three years as managing director of the DFS-owned Sofology. Previous to that, she spent two years as chief customer officer at M&Co and 12-and-a-half years at Topshop/Topman, including three years as its global retail director. She has also worked at Ikea and Marks & Spencer.

Debbie Husband steps down as MD of Big Table Group’s leisure division: Debbie Husband has stepped down as managing director of Big Table Group’s leisure division after 18 months in the role to pursue “new opportunities”. Husband, formerly of Rank Group and Travelodge, joined the Alan Morgan-led Big Table Group in October 2023 just before the company’s acquisition of The Restaurant Group’s (TRG) 76-strong leisure division, which included the Frankie & Benny’s and Chiquito brands. Morgan told Propel: “Debbie joined our senior team in October 2023, just three weeks before the acquisition of 76 restaurants from TRG. Her primary objectives were clear: stabilise the team, integrate the brands into our main estate and bring the leisure division into profitability. Within months of the acquisition, Debbie was successfully delivering against all three goals, and by the end of our first trading year, we saw significant profitability improvements – progress that has continued into this year. Thanks to Debbie's leadership, the division is in a strong position moving forward. From the outset, Debbie was clear that a long-term role would not be part of her journey, and after 18 months of dedication, she has decided to take a well-earned break at home before embarking on her next adventure. I would like to personally thank Debbie for her invaluable support during the acquisition, her unwavering drive for profitability and her commitment to strengthening Frankie & Benny's as a credible player in the casual dining sector.” For the foreseeable future, the company’s leisure division will move under the leadership of John Baker, managing director of Bella Italia.

Chaiiwala set to launch kiosk concept: Indian street food franchise Chaiiwala is set to launch a new kiosk concept. The new design, built out of a shipping container, was teased on social media by Sohail Ali, who co-founded the business in Leicester in 2015 with Muhummed Ibrahim. They have since grown the brand to circa 125 sites globally, including around 100 in the UK. “Our design team headed by my partner Mustafa Ismail have done a fabulous job with this compact store made from a shipping container for a secret project we are preparing to launch,” Ali said. “I think this type of set up is great for busy areas with limited space.” Chaiiwala made history in 2023 by launching the UK’s first Indian street food drive-thru. Last year, the brand followed this by launching its first airport and university campus locations. It is also gearing up for US expansion – having already launched in Canada and the Middle East – and told Propel last month it sees the potential for more than 1,000 stores there, “complemented with a fully-fledged UK potential of 400-plus stores”.

Wagamama hires interim marketing director, confirms Cotswolds site: Wagamama, The Restaurant Group owned brand, has hired Nadine Singler, formerly of Krispy Kreme and Ferrero, as its interim marketing director. Singler joins the business after the departure of Emily Weston, who recently joined Mowgli, the Nisha Katona-led, TriSpan-backed company, as its new marketing director. Singler spent just over two years at Krispy Kreme UK & Ireland, as its director of marketing and sustainability. She spent six and a half years at Ferrero, including 18 months as marketing director for Nutella. She will report into Emma Colquhoun, who joined Wagamama from Krispy Kreme earlier this year, as its chief marketing and commercial officer. It comes as Wagamama confirmed it will open a site at the new Cotswolds Designer Outlet in Tewkesbury next month. The restaurant – which opens on Wednesday, 16 July – will have 150 internal covers and 56 external covers. The venue will create 50 jobs and bring Wagamama’s total to 166 restaurants across the UK. Earlier this month, Wagamama launched a new campaign “Food is Life”, in what the brand said was its most powerful and expansive launch since it was founded in 1992.

Heartwood Collection opens sixth pub with rooms: Heartwood Collection, the Alchemy Partners-backed business, has opened its sixth pub with rooms – The Ragged Robin in Godalming in Surrey, continuing its ambitious plans to grow its offering to more than 400 rooms by 2027. Formerly known as The Manor Inn, the pub traded under the Beefeater and Premier Inn brands but has now been renamed The Ragged Robin as a nod to the varied flora and fauna that can be found in the meadows surrounding the pub. Located on the outskirts of Godalming and backing on to the River Wey, The Ragged Robin, which has 213 covers internally, has undergone a “sympathetic multimillion-pound refurbishment”. The pub has 19 boutique bedrooms that have been extensively refurbished. The opening takes the group’s room offering to more than 190 bedrooms across six locations. Richard Ferrier, chief executive of Heartwood Collection, said: "We are delighted to be opening The Ragged Robin and to have brought this beautiful building back to life. We have been huge admirers of Godalming for many years and to have this beautiful ‘pub with rooms’ now open is incredibly satisfying.” The business now operates 31 pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants. Its next opening will be the George & Dragon in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, next month.

London Italian café concept stretching fundraising target to £1m after securing third site, aiming to launch five new locations by end of 2025: London Italian café concept Amaro Dolce is stretching its fundraising target to £1m after securing a third site, and is aiming to launch five new locations by the end of 2025. Amaro Dolce was founded in 2023 by home baking enthusiast Yuliya Bliss – starting out by supplying other cafes before launching its first own café, in York Road, Battersea, in January 2024. The company initially launched an £800,000 campaign on crowdfunding platform Republic Europe in April, to help it open a new site in Canary Wharf. Amaro Dolce this week reached its target and has stretched that target by a further £200,000, having acquired the Canary Wharf location and signed for a third, in Clapham High Street. Giving an update, Bliss said: “We’re now overfunding with a new £200,000 stretch target to fuel the next phase of Amaro Dolce’s rapid expansion. With this, we’re building real scale – and we’re on track to launch five locations by the end of 2025. Our second flagship location – Café Brera Riverside – is now fully acquired. We’ve already begun day-to-day operations and have integrated its performance into our forecasts. A full rebrand to Amaro Dolce is planned within the next four weeks. Our third physical location is now signed – a profitable, operating Italian restaurant in Clapham High Street with a proven track record – £1.2m turnover in 2024 from evening trade alone. We plan to introduce our central production unit model, providing morning trading for the first time. We’re currently in the due diligence phase and expect to complete the acquisition in July. By introducing our central production unit model and expanding into breakfast, lunch, and brunch, we forecast adding an additional £780,000 in annual revenue, transforming this into a powerful all-day trading hub.” Offering equity of 16.89%, the company has a pre-money valuation of £4m. The company said it achieved positive Ebitda at its York Road café in November 2024, as well as £20,000-plus in gross profit the following month, and reported £30,000-plus gross profit at its central production unit in December 2024. “Amaro Dolce is redefining the café industry with our central production model,” the company said in its pitch. “Our profitable York Road café and business-to-business operations prove the model works – it enables us to launch new sites faster, at lower cost, and achieve positive Ebitda sooner.”

Hong Kong street food brand Mammy Pancake to make UK debut next month: Hong Kong’s street food brand Mammy Pancake will make its UK debut next month. The brand, known for its award-winning bubble waffles and six consecutive years of Michelin street food recognition in Hong Kong, will launch in Portobello Road, Notting Hill, on Friday, 18 July. The business, which was founded in 2009, has more than 20 branches in Asia. As previously reported, the UK launch is led by franchise partners Donald Lai and Brendan Ho. Lai, who previously worked as a consultant on campaigns for brands such as Costa Coffee and Wagamama, left a six-figure role in March 2024 to commit full-time to Mammy Pancake, while Ho was previously in investment banking and has grown up in a family that runs multiple restaurants in Hong Kong and mainland China. Ho told Propel last month that the company plans to open ten-plus sites in the UK over the next three years.

Sourdough Sophia secures fifth site: Sourdough Sophia, the London micro bakery concept, has secured its fifth site in the capital, in Hampstead. The business, which was founded by Sophia Handschuh and Jesse Sutton-Jones in Crouch End, has acquired the former Redemption Roasters site in Perrin’s Court for an opening later this summer. It follows the company’s recent openings in BoxHall Liverpool Street and Swain’s Lane, Highgate. Earlier this year, the company upped its expansion target to having 20 sites open by 2029 after securing a further £600,000 in new funding. The business, which last year opened at 117-119 Essex Road, Islington, secured the additional investment to oversee these new openings. The group, which previously raised £500,000 through a crowdfunding campaign in 2023, raised a further £500,000 through crowdfunding last summer. The business said revenue in FY24 was £1.8m from two stores and one central production unit. Sourdough Sophia plans to have ten stores and two central production units by FY27, with a projected revenue of £8m-plus and a £20m-plus valuation. The expansion will be made up of a mixture of larger sites with indoor seating, and smaller, hatch-style kiosk sites that offer takeaway only. Handschuh told Propel the company’s expansion focus “will be in London and mostly in north London”. Adam Bowers, of onepoint2, acts for Sourdough Sophia, while James Raven, of Raven Green, acted for the outgoing tenant on the Hampstead deal.

Boss Pizza to open in Yorkshire this week: Franchise pizza concept Boss Pizza, founded during the pandemic by Ajmal Mushtaq, will open in Yorkshire this week for its third location in England and fifth overall. Mushtaq, who previously operated acclaimed Indian restaurant Mushtaqs in Hamilton, launched Boss Pizza with two stores in Scotland – in Hamilton and Larkhall. The concept made its English debut last year with a launch in Acton, west London, which has since closed, and in February, the business opened a franchise store in Walsall, in partnership with HLN Group. Boss Pizza last week opened at 132 High Street in Colchester, and on Saturday (21 June) will open at 448 Halifax Road in Bradford. Boss Pizza’s immediate pipeline includes locations in Glasgow, Oldham, Nottingham and Milton Keynes – all due to open by the summer. The company also has a further site in Glasgow secured, along with units in Sheffield, Luton, Clydebank, Rochdale, Bletchley and Hemel Hempstead.

Adam Handling to close Ugly Butterfly in Cornwall: Chef Adam Handling will later this month close his Ugly Butterfly bar and restaurant in St Ives, Cornwall. The venue will shut on Saturday, 28 June after four years in the town’s The Carbis Bay Estate. A spokesman for the Adam Handling Collection said its time at Carbis Bay has been “an incredible chapter” and the team “couldn’t be prouder of everything it has achieved”. He added: “From building one of the country’s most sustainable brands to creating relationships with the local community, farmers and small producers and earning multiple awards and listings among the UK’s best restaurants, Ugly Butterfly’s journey so far has been nothing short of phenomenal.” Handling himself said: “There is nothing but positivity here because when one door closes, another one opens. And what’s behind this next door for Ugly Butterfly and our entire team, only time will tell. Thank you to everyone who’s supported us – we’ll keep you posted on what’s next.” Handling still has The Tartan Fox pub, located between Newquay and Truro in Cornwall, which he opened last summer. Earlier this year, he also opened a Central London boutique chocolate shop. The Adam Handling Chocolate Shop is located at 17 Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, just around the corner from his Michelin-starred restaurant, Frog.

Lucky B’s to make its English debut next month: Glasgow hot chicken concept Lucky B’s is set to make its English debut next month. Propel revealed last year that Lucky B’s had signed up Subway franchisee Ross Fairbairn as a master franchisee for a 15-store deal across Lancashire, with Blackpool lined up for his first site. He will now open at 53 Whitegate Drive in the town on Sunday, 20 July. Fairbairn said: “It’s been a productive and enjoyable first training week with the Lucky B’s team up in Glasgow, learning the craft of what makes Lucky B’s Nashville fried chicken different from the more well-known fried chicken brands across the UK. I can’t wait to open our first store in Blackpool on 20 July.” Lucky B’s, which currently has two stores in Glasgow – with a third on its way – was founded in 2022 by Giancarlo Celino and Tony Dobrenko. Celino also operates three Catch Fish and Chips stores in Glasgow and last month partnered with Hesham Mourad, director for Qatar and special projects at Gulf Franchise Group, to take the brand into the UAE.

New padel concept lining up sites across the UK and drumming up interest in Dubai after launching £600,000 crowdfund: New padel concept Court de Padel has said it is lining up sites across the UK and drumming up interest in Dubai after launching a £600,000 crowdfunding campaign. The business has launched a £600,000 fundraise on Crowdcube and currently has £471,319 raised from 115 investors. The company, which has a pre-money valuation of £6m, said in its pitch that it is “targeting untapped UK cities for padel expansion”. The business has four court sites planned for its initial development phase and said a large investment from companies owned by managing director Alan Forsyth, who is also managing director of property developer Hockley Developments, will allow the first two sites to open. According to local press reports, the first of these initial locations will include an eight-court unit at Whiffer Road in Norwich, following the signing of a long-term lease. Giving an update on how things are progressing since the crowdfund was launched, a company spokesman said: “We are working seven days a week just now, with so many sites being offered to us, many off market through our network of contacts. These are all sites we have been offered, that have passed the first stage of checks with us and our planning consultants: Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Plymouth and North Wales. Locations in these places are all being reviewed and negotiated on just now. We have actually had someone offer us sites in Dubai – which would be great. For now, we have plenty to focus on in the UK, but definitely something to keep an eye on!”

Northern Monk to make Scotland debut with Edinburgh opening: Northern Monk, the Active Partners-backed Leeds brewer, is set to make its debut in Scotland with an opening in Edinburgh. The business, which currently has venues in Leeds and Manchester, will open in Edinburgh’s The Hanging Bat site. Founders Russell Bisset and Brian Dickson both come from families hailing from the Scottish capital. Announcing the news on Facebook, the brewery said: “Northern Monk is heading to Scotland. We’re honoured to be welcoming the legendary The Hanging Bat into the Northern Monk community. Since opening in 2012, The Hanging Bat has stood as one of the UK’s most iconic craft beer bars. It’s a real privilege to be taking on such a celebrated venue. Our founders’ families both hail from Edinburgh. It was home to Granny Bisset, whose £5,000 gift brought Northern Monk to life. The iconic map of breweries that you’ll find at The Hanging Bat was one of the very first sparks of inspiration for Russ and Brian when they were thinking about getting into the industry. So, for us, this feels like things are coming full circle. For the next few months, it’s business as usual at the Bat. We’re working closely with the team to preserve the venue’s story and heritage, and we’ll be bringing a bit of Monk to Edinburgh over time." The company will open its next site, in Bradford’s soon-to-open Darley Street Market food court, next month. The company will follow this with an opening in the Forage building in York’s Little Stonegate. The venue will follow a similar model to the company’s existing Refectory locations in both Leeds and Manchester. Last October, the company exceeded its £1m crowdfunding target as it aimed “to become Europe’s largest craft brewery by 2035”. The company was seeking to raise the funds to invest in three key initiatives – a flagship Northern Monk venue in London, an expansion of its brewery to meet demand and become carbon zero by 2030, and to turn its original brewery site in Leeds into the “best brewery visitor experience in the UK”.

London grilled cheese sandwich concept expands to Newcastle: London grilled cheese sandwich concept Melt has expanded to Newcastle. Melt launched in Old Spitalfields Market in London two years ago and has now opened a second site, at leisure venue operator Stack’s St James’ venue in Newcastle. The offer includes The Eastender (signature cheddar blend, chives and chilli jam served on artisan sourdough bread and served with a tomato and basil soup dunk pot) and The Jimmy (crispy chicken buffalo tenders, signature cheddar mix and pickles, with a ranch dunk pot). Melt founder Tom Pepper said: “We’ve done phenomenally well since we opened in London and at various festivals and pop-up events we’ve done, so we thought it was time we found a second permanent site, and Stack – and the north east – fit the bill perfectly. We think what we offer is perfect for Stack – hearty sandwiches served in a really vibrant environment and somewhere with real character.”

Digbeth Dining Club to bring Birmingham venue to close as it prepares to focus on new projects and expand touring events: Digbeth Dining Club is to bring its Hockley Social Club venue in Birmingham to an end after five years. The company announced the decision as it prepares to focus on new projects and expand its touring events across the Midlands. A spokesperson said: “The natural end to our five-year project in this beautiful warehouse in the ‘wrong part of town’ has arrived. We close the doors to Hockley Social Club on Wednesday, 31 December, and take with us memories of events, nights, meals, and performances that will last a lifetime. Back in 2020, we set out to create an immersive, diverse and inclusive event space for Birmingham. In many ways, we achieved just that. Hockley Social Club has been an incubator for many new and wonderful cultural brands in the past five years. The friends, regulars and staff who have been the lifeblood and energy of the venue are cherished, and we look forward to taking them all with us on our next adventure.” Hockley Social Club started in 2020 as a takeaway service during covid-19 lockdowns, helping Digbeth Dining Club stay afloat after the closure of its original site in Digbeth. Hockley Social Club went on to become a permanent fixture in a repurposed warehouse in the Jewellery Quarter, hosting a rotating line-up of street food traders, live performances, and community events. Over the years, it supported 175 traders, welcomed more than half a million visitors, and staged more than 5,000 events. Although the venue is closing, most staff will remain employed and move to other parts of the business. Digbeth Dining Club will continue to run Herbert’s Yard in Longbridge, and a new site in the Black Country is planned. The company’s summer 2025 tour will also visit up to 40 locations around the region.

East London craft beer brand owners to launch new premium hot dog concept: The team behind East London craft beer brand Kill The Cat is set to launch a new premium hot dog concept. Wes Anson and Phil Curl – who founded the craft beer bar, kitchen and bottle shop in Spitalfields Market in 2016 – have partnered with chef Sebastian Cooke for Lucky Franks – “a reimagining of the classic frankfurter for the modern world” – opening on Wednesday, 2 July. Cooke, formerly of English Restaurant in Spitalfields and pop-up Le Bun, will craft hot dogs made by east London sausage maker, Perry of Perry's Butchers. Toppings will include classic (ketchup, yellow mustard and crispy onions), the pizza dog (replicating the flavours of a pepperoni pizza), hot dang (Nashville hot honey, jalapeño relish and onion rings) and high rolla (truffle mayo, oyster mushrooms and truffle oil).

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