Sector bosses accuse government of shutting industry by back door as calls for financial support continue to be rejected: Sector bosses have accused the government of closing the industry by the back door as calls for financial support for hospitality in the wake of “Plan B” restrictions continued to be rebuffed. As the UK reported a record number of covid cases on Wednesday (15 December), prime minister Boris Johnson said the government was “taking the right approach” on restrictions. He added: “We’re not cancelling events, parties and telling pubs to close.” But operators are furious at the government’s actions, with the messages coming out of Downing Street leading to a barrage of cancellations. Paul Foster, owner of Michelin-starred Salt in Stratford-upon Avon, tweeted: “This level of cancellations is mental. It’s just like March last year – government scaring the people but not closing us so it’s not accountable.” Tim Foster, co-founder of Yummy Pub Company, tweeted: “Insanity by definition is doing the same thing over and over again. This is insanity.” Bookings and attendances at many live events venues have taken a sharp decline following fears over the spread of the Omicron variant. With face masks now mandatory at many venues, some also now require covid passes for guests to gain entry. Cinema takings were lower than expected last weekend, while Mark Davyd, chief executive of Music Venue Trust, told the BBC audiences dropped by a “catastrophic” 23% in the past week. Davyd said the downturn is costing the 900 grassroots venues his organisation represents £2m a week, a large slice of which is lost bar takings from people with tickets who don’t turn up. He said: “There aren’t the reserves to handle a £2m loss a week across the sector. We cannot take on more debt. We really need the government to act now. We don’t need, this time around, three to six months of debate about what to do.” Nathan Pearce, from theatre ticket agency Seatplan, said: “As soon as Omicron was reported as a serious threat, we saw a 30% drop in sales almost overnight. And when Boris Johnson made his announcement, we saw another 40% drop.” Nick Mills, who runs the 21Soho and 2Northdown comedy clubs in London as well as the TicketText ticketing platform, admitted sales have “fallen off a cliff”. “It’s absolutely decimated attendances,” he added. “Sadly, we've got no option but to trade through. There’s no government support, there's no assistance. It’s squeaky bum time.” Asked why the government was rolling back on ten-day contact isolation when Omicron is rising, Johnson said he doesn’t want another “pingdemic”, as happened earlier this year. “It's important to keep supply chains going to help the economy”, he added.

 

Propel Premium Advent Video Calendar to feature Elliott Shuttleworth: Propel has launched its Premium Advent Video Calendar, giving subscribers access to a great video each day in December from our autumn conference series. Each day in December in the run-up to Christmas, Premium subscribers will be sent a video featuring some of the sector’s leading operators, who will share insights, advice and expertise. The next video – which will be sent at 9am today (Thursday, 16 December) – features Boom Battle Bars chief executive and founder Elliott Shuttleworth, who explains the thinking behind the adventure bar concept from the team behind trampoline park business Flip Out, and its growth plans. Earlier this month, Premium subscribers received the fifth edition of The New Openings Database, which is produced in association with StarStock. The database showed the details of 366 newly announced site openings and upcoming launches. Premium subscribers also receive access to two other databases – the Propel Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate, and the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which is produced in association with Mapal Group. Subscribers also receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and now also have access to a curated video library of the sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out, regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel group editor Mark Wingett. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The regular single subscription rate of £395 plus VAT for operators and £495 plus VAT for suppliers remains the same. To subscribe, email jo.charity@propelinfo.com.

New grant programme Dine Local launches to back Brixton’s independent restaurants: Independent restaurant owners in Brixton can apply for a share of £50,000 as part of the Dine Local programme, launched and run by the International Downtown Association Foundation and Brixton Business Improvement District (BID), and supported by American Express. The scheme is part of American Express’ global “Backing International Small Restaurants” grant programme to support culturally significant, independent restaurants owned by individuals from underrepresented groups in five major cities. The IDA Foundation is working in partnership with Brixton BID to select the grant recipients from within the district boundaries. Ten restaurants will receive £5,000 each to help them recover from the effects of the pandemic and to make critical improvements needed to help boost their business, such as enhancing digital capabilities, building or revitalising their dining spaces, and making other physical improvements. The Dine Local programme aims to highlight the important role these businesses play in their communities and provide them with valuable support to succeed. Restaurants and other hospitality venues with a foodservice offer can apply online until 31 January 2022. Applicants need to explain how they will use the Dine Local grant to drive their business forward. Finalists will then be announced and awarded the funding during spring 2022. 

30 restaurants added to Michelin guide in latest monthly update: Michelin's latest monthly update has seen a further 30 restaurants added to the Great Britain and Ireland guide. The new additions include Bibi in London, which is run by Chet Sharma in partnership with JKS Restaurants; SY23 restaurant in Aberystwyth, operated by chef Nathan Davies; and Heron in Leith, the first permanent restaurant for Tomás Gormley and Sam Yorke, the chefs behind Edinburgh's fine dining delivery brand Bad Seeds. Since August, Michelin has been unveiling new additions to its listings every month. The restaurants appear as recommended on its website and apps highlighted with a “new” symbol. The other restaurants added are Rafters at Riverside House, Ashford in the Water; Rocket Store, Boscastle; Amarillo, Brighton; Mercado Central, Cambridge; Vanderlyle, Cambridge; Double Red Duke, Clanfield; Fox Inn, Corscombe; Big Fan, Dublin; Barley Sheaf, Gorran Churchtown; The Pack Horse, Hayfield; Chapters, Hay-on-Wye; Meadowsweet, Holt; Nathan Marshall Plestor House, Liss; The Blind Bull, Little Hucklow; Republic, Hounslow; Ormer Mayfair, Mayfair; Light Bar, Shoreditch; Humble Chicken, Soho; Bhoomi Kitchen, Oxford; E Street Bar & Grill, Petworth; Tassili, Saint Helier; Lamb Inn, Shipton-under-Wychwood; Glebe House, Southleigh; Bowleys at The Plough, Trottiscliffe; The Hambrough, Ventnor; Emily Scott Food, Watergate Bay; and Terrace, Yarmouth.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a new restaurant opening in west London and assisting the business with hiring a head chef. The site will be opening in early 2022, and will have an open-plan counter kitchen, cooking over live wood fires and serving a produce driven modern European menu. A COREcruitment spokesman said: “This could suit an ambitious senior sous chef with the right experience.” The client is paying between £50,000 and £60,000 per annum plus a performance bonus and potential company equity in time. For more information on this role and to apply, please contact Clive@corecruitment.com

 

Roadchef begins Garden Square Deli rollout, plans further Leon openings: Motorway services operator Roadchef is to open two new sites under its concept Garden Square Deli before the end of the year, Propel has learned. The Mark Fox-led business launched the brand, which focuses on fresh sandwiches, salads and snacks last year, through selected WHSmith and Spar stores last spring. Next week it will open stand-alone sites at Roadchef currently operates eight Leon sites across its estate but plans to at least double that number “over the coming years”. The business also has plans to add more McDonald's drive-thru sites to its estate. It currently only operates one in Durham. Fox told Propel next year will also see trials of new brands and concepts and “a big ramp up of EV charging”. At the start of last month, it was reported Roadchef was about to change hands for up to £1bn. The Mail on Sunday reported: “City sources said its owner – a French infrastructure and private equity firm called Antin – has appointed advisers from Australian investment bank Macquarie to find a buyer for the business.” Roadchef is the third largest motorway service area operator in the UK after Welcome Break and Moto. It runs around 30 service stations across Britain.

Wingstop builds 2022 openings pipeline: Lemon Pepper Holdings, which is rolling out US chicken brand Wingstop across the UK, has begun building its openings pipeline for next year, with sites secured in Brighton and Nottingham. Propel has learned that Lemon Pepper Holdings, which will open the 18th UK site for Wingstop, in Edinburgh this week, has secured the former TSB bank in Brighton’s West Street, and the ex-Pizza Hut in the Cornerhouse in Nottingham. It is also thought to be in advanced talks on a site in Bromley. Wingstop is also set to open a site in Wood Green, north London, in Capital & Regional’s The Mall scheme. The company will also add to its six delivery kitchen sites, with its first Deliveroo Editions unit in Acton. This week’s opening in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter, marks the brand’s debut in Scotland. It also recently opened in Manchester Piccadilly. Last month, Charlie Morrison, chairman and chief executive of Wingstop, said the UK market was generating average unit volumes exceeding $2m (£1.46m) for the chicken brand, “well above the average we see in the US”. In an update to investors on the back of the brand’s third-quarter results, Morrison said: “In the UK, we have opened ten restaurants in the last 18 months alone. This market has only been opened since 2018, which underscores the tremendous long-term potential. As we communicated earlier this year, we made a minority investment in our UK operations. We believe this strategic use of our capital will continue to strengthen the development pipeline, as we look to double the UK footprint in 2022.”

Boojum planning 25-site pipeline, refocusing on ‘premium shopping centres’: Belfast-based burrito chain Boojum has a plan currently in development to open 25 stores in three years and is refocusing its efforts on building a pipeline of new sites in “premium shopping centres”, Propel has learned. The refocusing of its expansion plans comes on the back of a record first week of trading in its latest site, which opened in Dublin. The company reported sales in excess of €70,000 (£59,540) at the site in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Boojum managing director, David Maxwell, told Propel: "We broke our seven-day sales record with our 19th store opening. The benefit of having a second production line and delivery area with a hatch to the rear is paying dividends already. We are also seeing unparalleled demand for click and collect, we think driven in part by a shortage of delivery riders in the area and the accessibility of the site. The Boojum app is currently outperforming all aggregator platforms, which helps us protect our margin." Following the success of this opening, Maxwell said the business is refocusing its efforts on building a pipeline of new stores in premium shopping centres and is now in discussions with multiple landlords on 2022 deals. The shopping centre project will sit alongside the group’s expected entry into the mainland UK market in 2022, which was reported by Propel last month, with a plan to open 25 stores in three years currently in development. The business is believed to be currently exploring eight key markets in which it hopes to expand into, with a focus on the north of England. Leeds is thought to be top of its target list.

Gravity makes first step into Europe with German franchise following €2.5m investment, eyes more deals: Experiential leisure operator Gravity has taken its first steps into European expansion with a franchise deal for a multi-attraction venue in Leipzig. Situated in the German town’s Nova leisure and shopping centre, the 5,300 square-metre space includes wall-to-wall trampolines, a ninja obstacle course, wipe-out, soft play, a themed food and beverage offering and the first state-of-the-art e-karting experience in Europe. The site is operated by new franchisee Rocky Maddex, who has a background in IT and global project implementation and is looking to develop a pipeline of sites across Germany. It was made possible by a €2.5m investment from Gravity, to support the initial build and set-up costs. Maddex said: “Given the impact from covid-19 and the changing high street, the Gravity opportunity came at the perfect time for me. I’d been looking at ways to do something different, complementing my business, home life and young kids. The Gravity model fitted the criteria, and I believe it’s something I can scale in Germany. There is a real opportunity here to reinvigorate shopping centres.” Gravity currently has other franchise offerings in Britain and the Middle East as well as 13 of its own UK sites, the most recent being the 85,000 square-foot multi-attraction Gravity Southside in Wandsworth. It also opened a more traditional trampoline park in Luton in October. Michael Harrison, Gravity co-founder and chief growth officer, added: “Our move into Europe is a significant step in our evolution as a brand and franchisor. Early on, we recognised Europe represented a fantastic opportunity for us to grow the business and the franchise network. Leipzig is the first of those franchises, and we’re confident more will follow.”

Tortilla appoints Stephen Clark as operations director, Matthew Chapman moves to franchise director: Tortilla, the UK’s largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand, has appointed Stephen Clark, previously of Young’s and Costa, as its new operations director. Meanwhile, Matthew Chapman, who has been with the business for almost seven years, moves from being its operations director to become its new franchise director, as it looks to add to its 12-strong franchise estate. Most recently, Clark led retail operations as a director at Young’s, with responsibility for 72 hotels and pubs based in London and the south west of England. There, he led the group’s strategy for driving sales in the accommodation business, successfully led the integrations of several major acquisitions, and was responsible for the divisional capital programme of multiple key projects. Prior to this, he was regional operations director at Costa, where he created a scalable format for drive-thru and delivered a strong pipeline of new store openings. He also worked on the management board for the company’s innovation group, including as operational lead on Pronto, Costa’s fast delivery store concept. He began his career with Corney & Barrow running wine bars in the City. He joins the 62-strong Tortilla, which listed in October, as the business continues its rapid expansion and solidifies its management team for future growth. The company said Clark “will oversee all operational elements of the business’s strategy and help to lead the business on its impressive growth trajectory”. Richard Morris, chief executive of Tortilla, said: “Stephen brings a raft of experience that will be extremely beneficial to Tortilla as we position ourselves strongly to achieve our significant growth potential. Matt’s support will be crucial as we manage this growing part of the business and continue to optimise our sector-leading portfolio.” 

Daniel Batham reports turnover down 40% but remains profitable: Midlands-based brewer and pub operator Daniel Batham has reported turnover dropped 40% to £2.9m for the year ending 30 June 2021, compared with £4.7m the year before. Pre-tax profit fell to £705,000, compared with £986,000 the previous year. Gross profit margin increased to 66.4% from 65.3%, according to accounts filed at Companies House. A dividend of £500,388 was paid. The company operates 12 pubs.

Planet Organic ends year with triple opening: Health-focused retailer Planet Organic has ended the year with three new openings in London. The group opened at Newham’s Yard, the £140m mixed-use development in Bermondsey at the end of September. It has now added further sites in Hampstead High Street and at Broadway Market, Hackney. The latter opened this week, and became the company’s 14th site in total. First launched in 1995, Planet Organic plans to open a further four sites by 2025.

JD Wetherspoon spends £5m on two new pubs, opening today: JD Wetherspoon is opening two new pubs today (Thursday, 16 December) – in Sheffield and Birmingham – following a £5m investment. A total of 150 new jobs have been created by launching the pubs in the King’s Norton area of Birmingham and the Beighton area of Sheffield. The Scarsdale Hundred in Beighton opens on the site of a former restaurant, and The Navigation Inn in King’s Norton opens on the site of a former pub of the same name. Wetherspoon’s chief executive, John Hutson, said: “We are delighted to be opening both pubs and look forward to opening more pubs in 2022 and beyond.”

Cineworld value ‘could be wiped out’ following £700m court ruling: Analysts have warned Cineworld’s entire value could be wiped out after the cinema chain was ordered to pay more than £700m following a court ruling. Cineworld was taken to court last year by Canadian rival Cineplex after it pulled out of a planned takeover deal. It hit back at the claim and launched a counter-suit, arguing Cineplex had breached a number of covenants. But a judge ruled against Cineworld and ordered it to pay C$1.24bn (£728m) in damages to settle the claim. Cineworld said it will appeal the decision, but shares plunged as much as 38%. Berenberg analyst Owen Shirley described the judgement as “dire news” for Cineworld, adding it had “the scope to wipe out all the remaining equity in the business”.

Boom Battle Bar’s biggest site yet opens in London’s The O2, skateboard-themed bar and restaurant to follow next month: Boom Battle Bar, the adventure bar concept from the team behind trampoline park business Flip Out, has opened its largest site yet – in The O2’s Entertainment District. The 16,000 square-foot venue spans two floors and offers activities such as axe throwing, augmented reality darts, shuffleboard, crazy golf and karaoke booths – alongside a street food and cocktail offering. Opening alongside the new Boom Battle Bar in January is Trapdoor, a new skateboard and eclectic art-themed bar and restaurant set over 4,000 square feet, featuring live DJs and an extensive cocktail list. Richard Harpham, chief executive of Boom Battle Bar, said: “This is our biggest Boom Battle Bar yet, and our venue at The O2 will house our most sought-after games, from axe throwing to augmented reality darts. As the Entertainment District at The O2 continues to go from strength-to-strength, we are excited to join the venue as the go-to destination for competitive socialising.” Annabella Zalaf, director of Trapdoor, added: “The Entertainment District at The O2 is the perfect venue for us to bring our restaurant and bar, which embodies the coolness of the Bronx and eclecticism of London. We are confident the destination will continue to outperform, and the location will prove to be hugely important for us as we expand.” Lunson Mitchenall are the leasing agents for food and beverage and leisure at The O2.

San Carlo’s new Knightsbridge Cicchetti site to open in April: San Carlo Restaurant Group, the north west-based operator, will open its latest site under its Cicchetti brand in April next year. The 286 square-metre, two-storey Italian restaurant will open at 6 Hans Road in Knightsbridge, adjacent to Harrods. It follows on from the Distefano family-owned Cicchetti restaurants at Piccadilly and Covent Garden in London, in Manchester and overseas in Doha, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Open daily and offering contemporary Italian dining, the Knightsbridge Cicchetti will serve authentic Italian plates typically served in informal bars in Venice, designed to be shared. The dishes will showcase the “freshest seasonal ingredients”, mostly sourced straight from Italy, and several new plates will be unique to the Knightsbridge site. A wide selection of Italian wine, prosecco, spirits and cocktails will also be available. Managing director Marcello Distefano said: “We are delighted to be opening a third branch of Cicchetti in the capital, and to have secured such a landmark site for the restaurant to call home. Located just a stone’s throw from Harrods and our legendary Knightsbridge restaurant, Signor Sassi, the opening really is the product of the success the brand has had in Piccadilly and Covent Garden, and we know it will be greeted with the same warmth and love we’ve had there.” The latest opening will be the 25th restaurant for the group, with further international openings in Saudi Arabia and Qatar planned. Recent openings include its new Italian brasserie concept, the 220-cover Isola by San Carlo, in Mayfair’s St Christopher’s Place, and a restaurant at Manchester airport’s new “super terminal”.

Doma Hospitality opens debut bricks-and-mortar Gallio site: Doma Hospitality – part of BHL Global, which operates The Stafford London hotel and Game Bird restaurant, Sicilian restaurant Norma London and Michelin-starred Northcote in Lancashire – has launched the first bricks-and-mortar site under its delivery-only pizza concept Gallio. The site, as revealed by Propel in April, is in Canary Wharf’s The Atrium Kitchen, on Upper Level 2 of Cabot Place. The 3,000 square-foot site can accommodate up to 96 covers for lunch and dinner, open from 11am-10.30pm daily, and from Monday, 3 January, Gallio will add breakfast to its offer. The menu specialises in artisanal pizza with a “unique dough blend”, which guests can watch being prepared in a wood-fired oven from behind an open counter. It also features a range of small plates, flatbreads, salads and desserts, plus vegan and gluten-free options. Pizzas start from £7.80, salads from £6.90 and desserts from £3.50. Among the drinks offering is cocktails and spritzes, wine and beer, non-alcoholic “mocktails”, juice and smoothies, specialty tea and Union coffee. The restaurant also offers an ordering app plus click-and-collect and delivery options.

Liverpool-based chef opens fifth restaurant, branches out into ‘fine food’ menu: Turkish chef Bayram Yuce has opened his fifth site – branching out from his traditional steakhouse offering to a fine dining concept. Yuce already operates branches of his Macello Meathouse in Allerton and West Derby, on the outskirts of Liverpool, and the Kassap Meathouse in the city centre. Last month, he opened his first non-Liverpool site, the Beefalo Meat House in Astley Bridge, Bolton, and also has plans in the pipeline for a site in Warrington. Yuce has now returned to Liverpool for Elite 60, located at 60 Hope Street, with room for 44 covers and a cocktail bar downstairs and a room for private dining upstairs. An à la carte menu includes wagyu beef, lobster, quail and a selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes. He said: “Elite 60 is a new and exciting concept that will take our guests on a culinary journey. Showcasing the very best produce, and cooking them with love and attention, we’ll be presenting them perfectly to ensure we deliver the highest quality dishes. We’ll be creating a very welcoming yet luxurious ambiance that’s complete with our cocktail bar downstairs. We’re excited to welcome everyone to experience our fine international cuisine set in what is an iconic building.” 60 Hope Street was previously home to a restaurant of the same name for 22 years before it closed permanently in 2020.

Edyn Group to expand further into Europe with two German openings for Locke brand: Aparthotel operator Edyn Group is to expand further into Europe with two new German openings in 2022 for its Locke brand. The opening of WunderLocke in Munich and Locke at East Side Gallery in Berlin follows six launches in 2021 across London, Cambridge, Dublin and Munich. WunderLocke, which will open in the Sendling district of Munich in May, will feature 360 studio apartments, a large co-working area, meeting and event spaces, workout studio and outdoor heated swimming pool; as well as four food and drink destinations conceived by the founders of local Michelin-starred restaurant, Mural. The new concept – Mural Farmhouse – will include an urban farm that will supply fresh herbs and vegetables to a farm-to-table concept, and rooftop cocktail bar with panoramic views of the Bavarian Alps. Locke at East Side Gallery, which will open in the Friedrichshain district of Berlin in July, will comprise 176 apartments, which come equipped with kitchenettes and living areas, and most also have access to a private balcony with either river or skyline views. The aparthotel will also feature a complimentary co-working area, a third-wave coffee shop, flexible meeting and events space that includes a rooftop terrace, and a 24-hour gym on the eighth floor. The property will also house an audiophile bar and restaurant, which will introduce new immersive ways of experiencing music in the German capital. 

Ukrainian-themed cocktail and tapas bar opens in London’s Fitzrovia: A cocktail and tapas bar that serves a modern take on Ukrainian vodka infusions has opened in central London. Pinch, located in Tottenham Street, is an 80-cover debut venue from husband-and-wife team Yana Galiyeva and Alex Ribalicenko, who have worked in London’s hospitality industry for several years and who served traditional Ukrainian nalivka (vodka infused with herbs, berries or roots) at their wedding last year. Deciding to open their own bar to bring the popular Ukrainian drink to London, they have adapted the recipes for a London audience, with the flavours infused in-house for two months. These include sour cherry, blackcurrant, cranberry, honey, blackberry and horseradish, with prices ranging from £9.50-£10. There is also an extensive cocktail list curated by bar manager Ricardo De Oliveira, alongside a number of ethical wine and spirits. The tapas-style sharing menu features dishes such as sliced bavette steak with garlic butter, pickled red onion, rocket and brioche, and sharing boards with choices such as sliced white pepper and fennel salami, Hartgrove Coppa, wild venison sloe and garlic salami. Special food and drink packages are available, as well as cocktail masterclasses.

Proposals for contactless ‘hands free’ hotel and food hall given go-ahead: Proposals for a contactless “hands free” hotel and food hall in Greater Manchester have been given the go-ahead. Altrincham-based The McGoff Group has been granted permission by Trafford Council for its Market 41 development on the corner of Railway Road and Greenfield Avenue in the centre of Urmston. McGoff Group director Chris McGoff told Business Live: “We are delighted to finally receive approval for Market 41 and are looking forward to getting the business planning and funding discussions underway once more. The last couple of years have presented unforeseen operational challenges across all sectors, including hospitality, forcing us to re-think how Market 41 would function in a post-pandemic world. We are confident the concept has been sufficiently future-proofed to reduce operational risk for all involved and are pleased to back on track with a project that will be of economic value to Urmston and economically viable for all involved whatever the future holds.” The approved plans for Market 41 comprise a three-storey scheme with a food hall and communal dining area. It will also include dedicated areas for flexible working, lifestyle pop-ups, artisan markets, plus private dining and events. The second floor will feature a 32-room contactless “hands free” hotel and rooftop event area. It is hoped construction will start next summer.