Oodles Wok to enter second international market later this year after signing 50-store agreement in Canada: Indo-Chinese brand Oodles Wok is set to enter its second international market later this year after signing a 50-store agreement in Canada. The business, founded in Leicester in 2010 by Mohammed and Ismail Umar, has grown to circa 50 UK sites and has plans to grow its estate here to 100 locations while expanding overseas. Its first international site opened in October, in Dubai’s Motor City, and the brand has now set its sights on the other side of the world. “We are thrilled to announce that Oodles Wok has signed a master licence for Canada, with a development plan of 50 stores,” a company spokesman said. “After our continued success in the UK and our exciting international expansion into the UAE in 2024, we are now set to bring our fresh, made-to-order Indo-Chinese flavours to Canada. Our first store in Toronto will open later this year, with two more already in the pipeline. Our team flew to Canada earlier this year to finalise the first site, and we are excited to share that the build-out has already started! We would like to take this moment to thank and welcome our Canadian master franchise partners for putting their trust in our award-winning brand.” Last week, the company, which rebranded from Oodles to Oodles Wok at the end of last year, said it was seeking prime high-footfall locations in Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham. Oodles Wok is looking for sites of between 600–1,300 square feet in the cities, as it continues its northern expansion. The brand also made its Welsh debut in December, with an opening at 240 City Road in Cardiff, and last year launched its first loyalty app. Oodles Wok features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database, the next edition of which has 340 entries and will be sent to Premium Club subscribers at 12pm on Wednesday (12 March). 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. 

 

Sponsored message – cider worth £2bn to UK pubs, bars and restaurants for first time: Cider is worth £2bn to UK pubs, bars and restaurants for the first time, according to the new Heineken Cider Report 2025: Cider Public House Rules. The new report delivers data, advice and expert tips to help the on-trade make the most of the cider opportunity – from eye-tracking insight to inform ranging decisions, to key cider drinking occasions, to the top performing brands, and the roles different ciders play on the bar and in the fridge. Will Rice, on trade director from Heineken UK, said: “The Cider Public House Rules report reaffirms that there should be huge optimism for the category. Cider remains a staple for the vast majority of pubs and bars in the UK and consumers view it as a key part of the quintessential pub and bar experience. What we have clearly seen in this report is that for the operators that invest in their cider range, either by increasing the number of packaged products or adding an additional line to the bar, are being really rewarded with increased money in the till.” The Heineken Cider Report 2025: Cider Public House Rules is available free to all operators by clicking here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

M&B divisional director Anna-Marie Mason to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Anna-Marie Mason, divisional director of Mitchells & Butlers’ premium division, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Wednesday, 14 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Marie-Mason will discuss the evolution of the group’s Vintage Inns, Premium Country Pubs and Miller & Carter brands, with a special focus on the resurgence of the latter’s steakhouse concept. 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 places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive two updated databases this week: Premium Club subscribers will receive two updated databases this week. The latest Propel UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database will be sent tomorrow (Wednesday, 12 March), at 12pm. The database will feature 11 new additions plus updates to existing entries, while one which is no longer trading has been removed. The database now has 340 entries and more than 189,000 words of copy. Among the new entries are international cuisine concepts Mexi Bean Express, Assenheim’s56, Maki & Ramen and Sushi Shop. Premium Club subscribers will then receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (14 March), at 12pm. The database will feature 54 updated accounts and 29 new companies, taking the total to 1,092. A total of 684 companies are making a profit while 408 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 four other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings 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 Excellence in Pub Retail (May 2025) and discounts on specialist sector reports such as the International Brands report. 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. 

 

Loungers chairman – the depressing thing is there is a feeling now of why would you want to start a business: Alex Reilley, chairman of café bar operator Loungers, has said there is a feeling of why would you want to start a business in the current environment, particularly because the government is “making it significantly harder for people to want to set up something on their own”. Asked on Propel’s new podcast series, In Conversation, whether himself and fellow Loungers co-founders Jake Bishop and Dave Reid would have started the business in this current environment, Reilley said: “No is the short answer.” Reilley, Bishop and Reid launched Loungers in Bristol in 2002 after raising £30,000 between them. The now 287-strong business was recently acquired by US private equity firm Fortress for £354.4m. Reilley said: “We first thought about this during the pandemic – whether if that had happened to us 15 years earlier, would we have survived? It would have been very touch and go, given how the government was very supportive initially, but then turned off the support tap, eventually to a point where it became very challenging for businesses to continue to survive. And I think since then, there's a degree of, almost, why would you want to (start a business)? I mean, that’s the really depressing thing. In an environment where you would hope the risk takers and entrepreneurs and people that are willing to put everything they’ve got on the line should be encouraged, what the chancellor announced in October is almost designed to have the opposite effect. It is as if it wants to almost crush people’s ambitions, because it’s making it significantly harder for people to want to set up something on their own. We’re opening 35 new sites a year, which creates roughly 1,000 jobs a year, which we’re unbelievably proud of. The cost of that from April has increased by £300,000 just in creating those jobs. To my mind, people who create jobs should be encouraged and incentivised to do that, not penalised, but that’s ultimately what the national insurance threshold drop has done. It’s a penalty to people that employ people. I don’t know what £30,000 works out to be if you adjust it from an inflation perspective, but I dare say you need four or five times that sum of money adjusted with inflation to be able to stand any chance of setting up anything now, because the cost of everything has gone through the roof. So, it would be very difficult to imagine that we’d be in a position to get that kind of money together, and then whether we would have the appetite to do it.” In Conversation is a new series of fortnightly podcasts, exclusive for Propel Premium Club subscribers featuring industry leaders and sector players talking about their businesses and issues impacting the UK’s hospitality market. 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. 

 

Hawksmoor’s Ceri Gott – it’s time for hospitality to take the lead in creating safe, inclusive workplaces: Ceri Gott, chief growth and culture officer at Hawksmoor, has said it is time for hospitality to take the lead in creating safe, inclusive workplaces. She said while International Women’s Day, which was celebrated at the weekend, is about saluting achievements, “it's also recognising what still needs to happen to accelerate change in our industry”. Writing for Propel Premium, Gott said: “Around a third of respondents, of all races, in Be Inclusive Hospitality’s third annual report said they had witnessed or experienced racism or discriminatory behaviour in their workplaces. It’s time for hospitality to take the lead in creating safe, inclusive workplaces – we pride ourselves on creating warm, welcoming environments and looking after people. We want everyone to want to join our industry and enjoy being part of it. Not only is it important for people, it’s paramount for business and essential for our industry. Almost 100% of people who work at Hawksmoor say it’s important for them to work somewhere that takes diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging seriously; to attract, retain and motivate people, we need to create the inclusive workplaces they want to be part of. It’s one of the challenges that is in our control. At Hawksmoor, we’ve worked hard to create a positive culture. In our latest survey, 97% of people agreed that Hawksmoor welcomes everyone and 96% said that they felt comfortable being themselves. Importantly, those responses are the same when we look at the data by gender or race. It might be one of the reasons 50,000 people applied to work at Hawksmoor in the 12 months after the covid lockdown – one of ways it benefits the business too.” She added: “International Women’s Day is about celebrating achievements, but it's also recognising what still needs to happen to accelerate change in our industry. Hospitality is ‘the act of making people feel welcome and cared for’ – we can do this better than anyone, and we can start with our teams. Women need more allies who choose to listen, see and act. Challenging ‘banter’ that crosses the line. Noticing when a female colleague is interrupted and making space for her to share her point of view. Making women feel heard if they share something that makes them uncomfortable. Looking around your workplace and asking who isn't in the room, and why? Because change doesn't just happen. It's created by those who choose to open their eyes, their ears and their minds. To accelerate change, we all need to be those people.” 

  

Operators raising steak prices as restaurants battle cattle shortage: Steak prices are soaring across Britain as a cattle shortage pushes the cost of beef to record highs. Restaurant owners and butchers have warned of significant price increases because of a supply crisis amid growing demand for red meat. Amir Batito, co-founder of Epicurus and The Black Cow restaurants in London, told The Telegraph he is preparing to raise steak prices by as much as 40% and is charging an extra £2 for a beef burger, up from £13. He said: “The price of the steaks increased; the price of labour increased – everything has increased.” It comes after the average deadweight price of a cow – the price paid once it has been slaughtered – has risen by 15% since the start of the year to hit record highs, according to the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board. This has been fuelled by cattle shortages across Europe and the UK, as farmers struggle with higher costs. Will Beckett, co-founder of Hawksmoor, said: “We’re making less beef in this country than ever, but demand is higher than ever. Guess what those two things do to pricing? You don’t need a PhD in economics to know the answer.” He said Hawksmoor, which runs ten restaurants in the UK, had “gently” increased its prices by around 4%. Jeremy Godfrey, the managing director of 120-year-old butcher Godfrey’s, said he is now paying up to 30% for some cuts of beef. He said: “We can’t absorb that. We have to pass that on.”

 

UKHospitality – Scotland’s apprenticeship reform welcome, urges development of sector-based scheme: UKHospitality has welcomed a reform of Scotland’s apprenticeship scheme but urged the development of a sector-based scheme. Scottish Labour’s Skills for Scotland plan outlined how the party would spend all of Scotland’s share of the apprenticeship levy funding on skills development, create an industry board for skills and establish a new programme to join up schools and workplaces. Leon Thompson, executive director of UKHospitality Scotland, said reforming the skills system is critical to developing a strong talent pipeline for hospitality businesses. “Better utilising apprenticeship levy funds for Scottish businesses and the development of an industry skills board are both positive and much-needed measures,” he added. “Facilitating greater connections between workplaces and schools is a very worthwhile ambition, particularly as we have already seen the good work of Hospitality Connect in providing hospitality work experience for school pupils in Edinburgh and Glasgow. I would also urge the Scottish government and all political parties to look toward developing a hospitality Sector Work Academy Programme, which is being rolled out by the UK government, as a successful model to help bring people back into work and help venues with recruitment.”

 

Birmingham to re-investigate whether to introduce ‘tourist tax’: Birmingham is to re-investigate whether to introduce a “tourist tax” on overnight visitors to help maintain and fund museums, art galleries and culture venues. Council leader John Cotton confirmed the idea was currently being explored by the city council. He spoke in response to a fresh call for a “hotel levy” to help fund landmark venues, reports Birmingham Live. Cllr Deborah Harries, ward councillor for Yardley East, highlighted the reduced opening hours of civic museums and landmark buildings and the shocking condition of some of them as she called for a levy of “£1 to £2 a night” per room to prop them up. The call was part of an “alternative Budget” suggested by her Liberal Democrats political group. The council has previously discussed and dismissed the idea of a tourist tax. It was planned as a move to capitalise on Commonwealth Games spending in 2022 but was never implemented. “A small levy on Birmingham hotel rooms, which is very common in European cities, should be taken forward,” Cllr Harries urged members. Cllr Cotton assured her the idea was going to be actively explored.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a global hospitality company that is seeking an experienced auditor. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The position will be responsible for overseeing financial, operational, and risk management reviews across multiple properties in the UK and EMEA region. This role will report to the head of group internal audit and focus on conducting end-to-end audits, tracking the resolution of audit issues, validating control effectiveness post-remediation, and continuously monitoring the risk landscape.” The salary is up to £85,000 and the position is based in west London, with hybrid working – three days in the office/property. For more information, email fabian@corecruitment.com.

 

Ann Elliott joins Prezzo as a non-executive director: Prezzo, the Cain International-backed Italian dining group, has appointed Ann Elliott, who has worked at board level for companies including Pizza Hut, Beefeater and Gusto, as a non-executive director, Propel has learned. She is currently chair of Family Adventures Group and a non-executive director for Hall & Woodhouse, Tipjar and Tossed. Prezzo said with more than 20 years of experience running her own marketing agency and serving as a non-executive director for multiple businesses, Elliott’s “insights and expertise will be instrumental as Prezzo continues to grow and evolve”. The 96-strong Prezzo said: “She is also a passionate advocate for mentoring and supporting women in the industry, aligning closely with Prezzo’s values and ambitions.” James Brown, chief executive of Prezzo, said: “Ann’s deep understanding of the hospitality sector, strategic mindset and marketing expertise will be invaluable as we strengthen Prezzo’s brand and customer offering. We look forward to welcoming her to the team as we build on the business’s strong momentum.” Elliott said: “Prezzo has a 25-year brand history and holds a special place in the hearts of UK consumers. I’m excited to join the board at such a pivotal time, as we focus on rejuvenating the brand and returning it to its peak.” Prezzo said Elliott’s appointment comes at an exciting time for the brand as it “continues its journey of transformation, focusing on quality, guest experience and long-term sustainable growth”. Prezzo has been building its management team under Brown, who joined the business from BrewDog, where he was most recently chief executive of its bars division. In January, Propel revealed that Prezzo had hired Adam Lindop, formerly of ASK Italian and Caffe Nero, as its new operations director, while last November, the company hired Mark McCulloch, formerly of Pret A Manger and YO!, as its new chief marketing officer on a fractional basis, to “lead brand growth”.

 

Nightcap promotes Sarah Miller to chief operating officer: Nightcap – the owner of The Cocktail Club, the Adventure Bar Group and the Barrio Familia group of bars – has promoted Sarah Miller to chief operating officer. Miller joined the 46-strong Nightcap last summer as its group director of business operations after five years with Stonegate Group, including two years as business unit director for its late-night division including Be At One, Slug and Lettuce and Popworld. Previous to that, she was operations director for Novus, the private bar, club and restaurant operator. Sarah Willingham, co-founder and chief executive of Nightcap, said: “Sarah has been an integral force in driving our operations forward, and this well-deserved promotion reflects both her outstanding leadership and the pivotal role she plays in shaping Nightcap's future. Her passion, expertise and commitment to our values continue to elevate our business, and we have no doubt she'll make an even greater impact in this new role.” Miller added: “I’m really pleased to be stepping into this new role, and the faith that Sarah has put in me to take the business further. Nightcap is an exciting business to be a part of, and I am thrilled to be part of this journey.” Earlier this year, Nightcap acquired Brighton’s i360 Tower, which closed last December, out of administration, and the attraction reopened at the weekend. Last month, Propel revealed that Dawn Donohue had stepped down as group managing director of Nightcap and “moved on to new adventures”.

 

Historic Lancashire bakery Oddie’s agrees deal to sell seven sites to Waterfield’s: Historic Lancashire bakery Oddie’s has agreed a deal to sell seven of its stores to north west bakery and retailer Waterfield’s. Oddie’s closed its 13 shops in January, but the company has remained hopeful of finding a buyer for some parts of the business, with advisers Azets acting for the family on a deal. A spokesperson said: “Oddie’s is working on a handover of seven sites to Waterfields. While the process is still ongoing, the deal looks to secure the future of Oddie’s locations at Leeds Road (Nelson), Market Street (Colne), and in Burnley at St James Street, Coal Clough Lane, Padham Road, Brownside Road, and The Mall. We aim to have all stores open by early April, pending the completion of legal agreements, with St James Street in Burnley being the first scheduled to reopen today (Tuesday, 11 March).” Oddie’s is a fourth-generation family business that was started in 1905 by William Henry Oddie. The main bakehouse in Nelson served 13 shops across east Lancashire with baked bread and pies. Lara Oddie, director at Oddie’s, blamed the energy crisis quadrupling costs and declining footfall on the high streets as the factors behind a decision to sell, but that an eleventh-hour withdrawal by a potential buyer led to the closures. Waterfield’s has itself been through a restructure and is now led by former Typhoo Tea chief executive Mike Brehme, who was appointed as a director in January. Latest available accounts show Waterfield’s turnover increased to a record £13,588,428 for the year ending 5 April 2023 compared with £12,404,298 the previous year. The company, which completed its company voluntary arrangement in June 2022, saw pre-tax profit fall to £52,340 from £301,611 the year before. It operates circa 40 sites.

 

London live sushi kitchen business opens 20th store, aiming for 30 by end of 2025: London live sushi kitchen business, Sushi Co, has opened its 20th store and is aiming for 30 by the end of 2025, Propel has learned. Sushi Co, founded in 2022 and with locations across the capital, has just opened at 403 Green Lane in Haringey. The company is also looking to expand outside of the capital, with sites in Redhill (46 High Street), East Grinstead (4 King Street) and Brighton (65 Western Road) among those in its pipeline.

 

Pizza Pilgrims to make Scottish debut next month: Pizza Pilgrims, the pizzeria brand, will open its debut Scottish site next month. Propel revealed in August that the 25-strong, Imbiba-backed business had lined up an opening at 7-15 Rose Street in Edinburgh. Now Pizza Pilgrims has confirmed the restaurant will launch on Monday, 14 April. The two-storey venue, spanning 4,349 square feet, will have 191 covers in total, including a 45-seat outdoor terrace. Founders Thom and James Elliot said: “We are excited to finally bring Pizza Pilgrims to Edinburgh. Rose Street is packed with incredible bars and restaurants, and we’re looking forward to becoming part of such a buzzing hospitality scene. This is our largest opening outside of London with a space that can do it all.” Propel revealed in October that Pizza Pilgrims has appointed PwC as it looks to embark on its next stage of growth, which will include further expansion in the UK, exploring international opportunities, and the relaunch of its quick service restaurant format.

Chicken Shop founder working on new QSR concept: Chicken Shop founder Carl Clarke is working on a new QSR concept, Propel has learned. Although further details have not yet been revealed, Clarke is working on launching his new vehicle alongside growing Chicken Shop, which is lining up openings in Hammersmith and Canary Wharf. The Sir Charles Dunstone-backed business already has six locations in London. It comes as Chick’N’Sours, the fried chicken concept Clarke co-founded with David Wolanski, prepares to open its third site, at the new Corner Corner food hall and live music venue in Canada Water. Clarke stepped away from operations with Chick’N’Sours four years ago. Wolanski co-founded two sites with Clarke in 2017, when the business was known as Chik’n. Wolanski is no longer involved with Chicken Shop, while Clarke remains involved at Chick’N’Sours only as a shareholder.

Club 3000 Bingo reports turnover and profit boost but trading conditions remain ‘challenging’, to open in Leeds this summer for 25th club: Club 3000 Bingo has reported a turnover and profit boost for the year ending 31 March 2024 but said trading conditions remain “challenging”. The company saw turnover rise from £58,485,203 in 2023 to £74,043,660. Of this, £63,595,076 was gaming income (2023: £50,832,131) and £10,240,623 from food and drink (2023: £7,236,518). Pre-tax profit was up from £12,179,122 in 2023 to £13,305,474. No grants were received (2023: £15,643). Employee numbers rose from 667 to 794. No dividends were paid (2023: £3m). Post year-end, the company has opened a new £6m club within Ocean Terminal in Edinburgh, replacing its former Manderston Street location in the Scottish capital. This summer, the brand will open in Leeds for its 25th location – in the former Mecca Bingo Hall in Balm Road, Hunslet. Director Brian Fraser said: “Turnover has increased during the year, helped by the opening of new clubs and organic growth within existing clubs. Trading conditions remain challenging across the sector, with inflationary pressures impacting both costs and consumer disposable income. A total of £8.4m was invested in the year, which is in addition to £4.3m in 2022-2023 and £4.2m in 2021-2022, meaning a total investment of £16.9m over the last three financial years on refurbishments and new club acquisitions.” Club 3000 Bingo was founded by Fraser in 2006 and is now the UK’s third-largest bingo brand, and largest independent operator. He has been in the industry for four decades, having started out as a trainee manager at Mecca Bingo and later setting up Riva in 1997 before selling the six-club business in 2004. In November 2022, Fraser’s son, Oliver, became general manager of the brand’s Kilmarnock club – breaking the record for the UK’s youngest bingo club general manager (at the age of 22) previously held by Fraser himself (at the age of 23). 

 

Afrikana seeking locations in Liverpool, Leeds, Luton and Milton Keynes as it looks to expand its UK footprint: African restaurant concept Afrikana is seeking locations in Liverpool, Leeds, Luton and Milton Keynes as it looks to expand its UK footprint. The brand currently has 19 UK locations and previously said it is targeting 11 new openings this year – with sites in Holloway, Wembley, East Ham, Hounslow, Watford, Ipswich and Uxbridge in its pipeline. It is now “seeking property opportunities” further afield, with a further London site also being targeted, according to Wasim Riley, director at parent company, City Restaurant Group (CRG). “We’re thrilled to announce that Afrikana is on the move, and we are actively looking to expand our footprint across the UK,” he said. “We are currently seeking property opportunities to open our next Afrikana in the following locations: Milton Keynes, Luton, Southall (London), Liverpool and Leeds. If you own, manage, or know of any suitable spaces (preferably high-footfall locations, city centres, or prime high streets) that could accommodate our vibrant and unique dining experience, I would love to hear from you! Afrikana is a rapidly growing African inspired restaurant brand, and we’re passionate about bringing our delicious food and vibrant culture to new communities.” Last month, Propel revealed that CRG, based in Birmingham, had acquired London-based Detroit pizza concept Crave. CRG has plans to expand Crave, which has locations in London’s Brick Lane and in Ilford’s Ley Street, through franchising. CRG is also behind Mowchi, the four-strong matcha cafe concept founded by Afrikana brand and marketing director Syeda Kayanath, and French taco brand Tacosmash, which it launched into the UK last year – so far opening two sites here.

 

Wingers signs four new franchisees as it works towards doubling its estate in 2025: Buttermilk fried chicken restaurant concept Wingers has signed up four new franchisees as it works towards its target of doubling its 14-strong estate in 2025. Brothers Amran and Dylan Sunner set up Wingers during the covid pandemic with their dad, Bill, out of a kitchen in Birmingham. Wingers’ most recent opening was last month, in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Bill Sunner said: “We currently have 14 Wingers restaurants open and successfully trading. With a further eight new sites already secured plus four new franchisees signed up and looking for locations, it’s certainly going to be a busy year. We have attracted some really high quality, experienced quick service restaurant (QSR) professionals excited to invest in their own Wingers franchise. Several are already looking to grow multi-site operations too. At Wingers we provide a full training plus turnkey restaurant opening for set up and launch. Our franchisees’ success is our success, so we are also currently boosting our senior team by recruiting an operations manager to ensure franchisees continue to be supported as we continue to grow. We are inviting applications for more experienced QSR professionals in all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland, to join us on our expansion journey.”

 

Grind confirms it will make its regional debut in Manchester: Grind, the David Abrahamovitch-led business, has confirmed it will make its regional debut with the opening of a site in Manchester later this summer. Propel revealed in December that Grind, which operates five cafés, six coffee shops and three coffee trucks in London, had secured the remaining food and beverage space in Gary Neville’s Relentless Developments’ St Michael’s scheme in the city’s Jackson Row. Abrahamovitch said: “We’ve always said that if we were to do a big site outside of London, the first place we would go would be Manchester. My wife is Mancunian and her whole family lives in Manchester, so I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years and I’ve always thought that a Grind would work well. We’ve looked at various locations over the years, but thanks to Gary [Neville] and the team at Relentless, we think we’ve finally found the perfect home for Grind.” Neville said: “The ambition for St Michael’s was to create a landmark that will become an economic driver for Manchester and bring together major names in a world-class, sustainable development. Attracting brands like Grind, who have yet to set foot outside the capital, is a massive achievement and testament to how hard we’ve been working to deliver our vision.” Last month, Grind reported it was back to trading above pre-covid levels as it revealed it had completed a further £10m fundraise to support its growth. Distrkt acted on the Manchester deal.

 

Three Joes left with one site after Sheffield closure: Three Joes, the Sourdough South-owned pizza concept, has closed its site in Sheffield’s Meadowhall scheme due to “ever increasing costs”. The closure of the venue, which opened in 2019 and was located in the upper Oasis Dining Quarter at the scheme, leaves Three Joes with just a site in Winchester, Hampshire. Last September, Propel reported that Sourdough South saw its losses widen in the year before closing most of its Three Joes estate. This came six months after the company confirmed the closure of half of its then six-strong Three Joes business, followed by a fourth closure – its site in Lincoln in June – leaving it with sites in Winchester and Sheffield. On the Sheffield site closure, the company said: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of our Three Joes restaurant at Meadowhall, effective as from this week. This has been an incredibly difficult decision for us, but after careful consideration, we’ve come to the conclusion that, like many restaurants in the current climate, we are facing ever increasing costs that have made it exceptionally difficult.” Last month, Sourdough South returned to the expansion trail with a tenth site for its The Stable concept, in Padstow, Cornwall. The 120-cover restaurant in Mill Square was the first of The Stable sites to serve an exclusive new menu offering with “larger, thinner, crispier pizza bases, alongside additions such as smashed burgers and fish and chips”. The Padstow venue also debuted The Stable’s first breakfast.

 

Chef Stevie Parle to open site in London’s Covent Garden this spring: Chef Stevie Parle has confirmed plans to open a new restaurant this spring. Parle first announced plans for a new venue in London's West End at the end of 2023. He is understood to be working with Street Feast founder Jonathan Downey on the new project, with the site of the new restaurant believed to be close to the Caravan site in Drury Lane. Writing on Instagram, Parle said the new as-yet-unnamed restaurant would be “an ambitious modern London grill of sorts with a next level approach to sourcing via agricultural partnerships, careful elevated common-sense cooking and truly great hospitality”. Parle, who currently operates Pastaio in London’s Soho, previously operated pop-up restaurant Joy at Portobello Dock, and pre-pandemic, ran Craft London in Greenwich, Palatino in Clerkenwell, Sardine in Hoxton and Rotorino in Dalston, with the latter backed by Downey. 

 

The Glee Club confirms sixth site to open this month: Comic Enterprises, which operates The Glee Club live entertainment venues and is owned by founder Mark Tughan, has confirmed its sixth Glee site will open this month. Launching at Albion Street in Leeds on Friday, 28 March, the opening weekend performers will include BAFTA award-winning comedian Tom Davis; star of Live at the Apollo, Brennan Reece; star of Black Books, Dylan Moran; host of Fin vs The Internet, Fin Taylor; and actress, comedian and presenter Michelle De Swarte. There will also be an extensive food and drink offer, including cocktail pitchers, beer buckets and a selection of wine, while weekly food deals, a pre-order service and custom-made packages will also be available. Tughan said: “We’re also excited to launch our regular weekend comedy shows and we will have some big act announcements to make over the next few months. The finishing touches are now being made to our new Leeds home as we prepare to welcome customers in just a few weeks’ time.” The Glee opened its first venue in 1994 and now has locations in Birmingham, Cardiff, Nottingham, Glasgow and Oxford.

 

The Beefy Boys opens in Bath for fourth site: The Beefy Boys, the better burger business, has opened in Bath for its fourth site. The company has opened in the former The Milson restaurant unit, which was also previously a Loch Fyne restaurant, at 24 Milsom Street, on the corner with George Street. The Beefy Boys, founded in 2011 between four childhood friends – Anthony Murphy, Daniel Mayo-Evans, Christian Williams and Lee Symonds – already has restaurants in Hereford, Shrewsbury and Cheltenham. Murphy told Propel in November that the business is focusing on growing sustainably and “focusing on locations that aren’t saturated with burger offers, such as Bath”. The company, which is also exploring an opening in Cardiff, said at the same time that Simon Blagden, the former Jamie’s Italian chief executive, is working with it in a chairman/advisory role.

 

Owner of London Sri Lankan casual dining concept set to open second restaurant in Sri Lanka: Dom Fernando, founder and creative director of Sri Lankan casual dining concept Paradise in London’s Soho, is set to open a second restaurant in Sri Lanka. Fernando, who opened Mexican restaurant Frida in Ahangama, on Sri Lanka’s south coast, in January, will follow that by launching immersive chef’s table experience, Open Door Policy, in the capital city of Colombo later this spring. He will operate all three restaurants under the umbrella of a new vehicle, Night_Day, a “concept studio of creative collectives” that looks to “cultivate a deeper connection with his native Sri Lanka”. Fernando and the collective will “develop a roster of unique concepts”, with each opening representing “the coming together of cultures” and “paying homage to global cuisine”. Born in London to Sri Lankan parents, Fernando said his vision has been shaped by memories of his grandmother and of visits to Sri Lanka. He opened Paradise in 2019.

Kent Turkish restaurant opens second site, to launch Istanbul-inspired live music night: Award-winning Kent Turkish restaurant Alim-Et has doubled up with a second, bigger venue with the promise of live music nights inspired by Istanbul’s Meyhane culture. Alim-Et has opened at Middle Row, Maidstone, following its first site, in London Road, Larkfield. The owners have purchased the whole four-storey building but told Kent Live only the ground floor and basement will be used for the food venue and bar, while the other three floors will remain as office space. Co-owner Mezlana Carbcabuk said: “There are going to be Turkish pastries and cakes during the day and there is going to be a more extensive menu than what we have in Larkfield, offering more Turkish oven and traditional dishes. It’s going to be bigger – we are trying to introduce the real Turkish kitchen. Whenever you ask someone in England ‘what’s Turkish food?’ they just say kebab, but there’s a lot more than that.” Most recently home to the Bar 6 sports bar, the Maidstone building was originally built as a regional head office for Barclays in 1960, until the bank left the premises in the 1990s. Since then, the ground floor has been home to a succession of bars including Bar Coast, V Bar, Breeze Bar, Players Coyotes, Bar Delicious and Oxygen. Alim-Et in Larkfield was established in 2017 and was named best takeaway in the regional category of the British Kebab Awards for two years running, in 2019 and 2020.