Dutch better burger brand sees runway to 200 UK sites with aim to open first in 2024: Dutch better burger brand Fat Phill’s has told Propel it sees a runway to an eventual UK estate of 200 sites, with the aim of opening the first in 2024. Founded by Armin Vahabian in 2019 following a road trip in the US, Fat Phill’s has since grown to 13 locations in the Netherlands, offering American-style gourmet burgers alongside a hip hop culture and street art. It is now ready to take its blend of smash burgers, chicken, fries, smoothies and cocktails overseas, with its initial focus on the UK. “Currently, we are focusing on the UK, and our goal is to open our first Fat Phill’s in London in early 2024,” marketing manager Nikita Hussainali told Propel. “We see a lot of potential in the British market, especially since the food and beverages sector aligns well with what Fat Phill’s has to offer. We believe there is room for approximately 200 Fat Phill’s restaurants in the UK. In addition to the UK, we are also experiencing steady growth in the Netherlands, where we open eight to ten new locations annually. Another market that we are interested in is Germany, where we also have a long-term vision of having 200 restaurants. Our mission is to become Europe’s favourite fast-casual American restaurant, delivering a premium offline and online experience to our customers, and our vision is to expand the business internationally via the franchise model with the best partners in each market. Localisation has been key to our success as we always tailor our brand to local markets, refining our identity and interior environments accordingly. We’re a friendly brand that has a playful and entertaining personality. We ensure we are approachable and guarantee our customers always feel welcome and a part of the Fat Phill’s family.” The brand’s main targets are young professionals and students, with a broader demographic of shoppers, tourists and commuters. It values include quality food and service; “good vibes” in every Fat Phill’s experience from restaurants to delivery and head office; agility as it grows; and personal development of its people. Its restaurants offer a simplified operation, built for high volume and quick service, and feature open kitchens and 100% digital orders.

Premium subscribers to receive two databases and access to videos from Propel Talent and Training Conference this week: Propel Premium subscribers are to receive two databases this week. The updated Propel Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate, will be released on Friday (27 October), at midday. It will include 46 new multi-site companies. Before that, the updated UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database will be sent to Premium subscribers at midday tomorrow (Wednesday, 25 September). Ten new companies have been added, taking the total to 110 businesses featured. Premium subscribers are also to receive access to all the videos from this month’s Propel Talent and Training Conference. They will be sent 13 videos on Friday at 9am. Premium subscribers also receive access to four other databases: the New Openings Database; the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the Who’s Who of UK Food & Beverage; and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel group editor Mark Wingett.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance – reform business rates to save our high streets: The TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) is calling for business rates to exempt the value of buildings and improvements, and instead focus solely on land value. The TPA has called for a “simple but fundamental change” to business rates as business closures continue. In 2022, more than 17,000 shops shut, with 150,000 jobs lost from high streets and out-of-town shopping centres. The current business rates system taxes not just the value of the land on which a commercial premises is located but also the value of the buildings and any other improvements made to the land. The TPA argues that this, on top of VAT, represents a double tax on commercial use property, and prompts landowners to shift property towards residential use. The campaign group is calling for business rates to exempt the value of improvements and buildings and focus only on the value of the land. A new report by the TPA into options for business rates reform is backed by business, industry and think tanks. Morgan Schondelmeier, policy manager, tax and trade, British Beer & Pub Association, said: “Business rates are a major outlay of pubs across the country. Their urgent reform is needed to accurately reflect the value of and pressures faced by the pub industry.” John O'Connell, chief executive of the TPA, added: “It’s clear business rates reforms are long overdue. The current system punishes businesses that bolster high streets and add value to their local areas. Ministers can give bricks and mortar enterprises a much-needed boost by reforming rates to take the pressure off Britain's vital businesses and allow high streets to thrive once again.”

Crosstown co-founder – It feels the sector is coming to an inflection point on digital channels: JP Then, founder of e-commerce provider Slerp, has argued it feels like the hospitality sector is coming to an inflection point, “where establishing a digital direct channel to sit in parallel with the marketplaces, is becoming a necessary step to sustainable growth”. Then, who is also the co-founder of Crosstown, the artisan doughnut and speciality coffee concept, said: “Last week, Deliveroo and Just Eat Takeaway both linked their 5% quarterly growth to seeing an increased demand for online ordering, with positive predictions for the future of delivery. Direct to consumer ordering and delivery for the sector continues to also gather pace. At Slerp, we’ve seen quarter-on-quarter growth of 30%, and year-on-year growth of almost three times. From the multiple conversations we are having, it feels the sector is coming to an inflection point, where establishing a digital direct channel to sit in parallel with the marketplaces, is becoming a necessary step to sustainable growth. The sector realises it needs real diversification in revenue streams in order to thrive, and delivery remains a bright spot for the future. With all the challenges faced in the hospitality industry over the last few years, delivery is continuing to show its resilience.”

The Alchemist – It’s been great to just rip up the rulebook when launching in Berlin, planning second site: Hannah Plumb, talent and culture director at bar and restaurant brand The Alchemist, has said the business had to “rip up the rulebook” when it came to launching its debut international site, in Germany, “embracing the positivity of diversity” in the process. The 21-strong business, which will open a site in London’s Victoria in February, made its international debut earlier this year, with an opening in the Potsdamer Platz. Plumb told this month’s Propel Talent & Training Conference: “We wanted to make sure we keep a really strong brand identity. We also knew we would need to be open minded and receptive to change. We immersed ourselves in the Berlin hospitality scene. We reached out to recruitment training practices service styles, quickly realising that Berlin was going to be a really great fit for us and we're going to find some great people. Despite that, recruitment was slow. In my opinion, Germany is still probably a year behind the UK with recovery from covid. There's still a lot of people jumping ship for a higher wage over there, an issue that we feel has settled down a lot here for us. Despite having a very diverse team in the UK, it's certainly been apparent a strong brand presence has allowed us to firmly mandate a training strategy in the UK, whereas in Berlin, we're basically independent, which none of us are used to. So, we've got to be really flexible, and we've made a lot of changes. It’s been a really good learning process for all of us. We've taken servers, bartenders and chefs from England and it’s created this sort of organic culture of storytelling between the teams, and not just senior people going over all the time. It's really worked. There was an initial culture shock and probably the biggest learning is we have needed to hold their hands a little more. We've certainly recovered and we're heading into hopefully opening a second site in Berlin next year. Our learnings have been being open minded and receptive to change. I think we've been quite strict on our training plans for the ten years we've rolled out The Alchemist. It’s actually been great to just rip up the rulebook and start again in Berlin – and really embrace the positivity of diversity that’s complemented the brand over there and made it a completely different brand to what it is here.” Plumb’s presentation will be among those from the Propel Talent & Training Conference sent to Premium subscribers at 9am on Friday (27 October). Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. 

Slim Chickens signs up Starbucks franchisee to aid UK expansion: US brand Slim Chickens, which is being rolled out in the UK by Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), has signed up Norwich-based Starbucks franchisee KBeverage to aid its expansion here, Propel has learned. KBeverage, which is owned by Alok and Kavina Yadav, has set up a new company KChicken to oversee the new venture, which has recently opened Slim Chickens sites in Bury St Edmunds and York. In the summer, KBeverage acquired the nine-strong GK Coffee Group business, in a deal that saw it expand its Starbucks estate into south east and east London for the first time. The company used a seven-figure funding package from HSBC UK to purchase GK Coffee Group and take over the franchisee’s nine Starbucks stores, increasing KBeverage’s total number of sites to 44. The new stores – located in Lewisham, Ilford, Epping, South Woodford, Chatham, Sittingbourne, Deal and Hornchurch – supported KBeverage’s ambition to expand into areas outside of its east England base and own 100 stores by 2026. After arriving in the UK from India at age 19 in 2007, Alok Yadav started his career at Domino’s, where he worked his way up from a cleaner who spoke no English to Manager of the Year within five years. He then became the youngest franchisee to open a Pizza Hut. Three years later, he became the youngest franchisee to open a Starbucks. BRG currently operates circa 40 sites under the Slim Chickens brand in the UK, including under its The Restaurant Hubs format with Sainsbury's. Last week, it opened its latest UK site, at the Swindon Designer Outlet. KBeverage features in the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database, the next edition of which will be sent to Premium subscribers tomorrow (Wednesday, 25 October). Ten new companies have been added, taking the total to 110 businesses featured. The database, which is sent bi-monthly, is the first time that profiles of the top food and beverage franchisees have been available in one place in the UK. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

Dinosaur-themed restaurant chain Jurassic Grill placed on market: Jurassic Grill, the four-strong, dinosaur-themed restaurant concept, has been put up for sale by its owners. Property advisors Blacks Business Brokers has been instructed to market Jurassic Alive, the chain’s parent company, with a guide price of £1.3m. The business was founded in 2019 by Jozef Mordawska and Natalie Matts, in Kettering. It subsequently expanded with restaurants at Rushden Lakes in Northamptonshire; Whiteley, near Fareham in Hampshire; and Loch Lomond in the Scottish Highlands. The Loch Lomond venue also includes the UK’s “first Ice Age-themed cocktail and dessert bar”. The owners, who wish to exit from the business due to a change in personal circumstances, do not work in the business on a day-to-day basis. Jurassic Alive posted turnover of £1.59m, and gross profit of £1.05m in its latest financial year. Projected turnover for the financial year ending 30 November 2023 is £3.2m. The business said it has recently received approaches regarding the possibility of expanding both nationally and globally by franchising the Jurassic Grill concept. Callum Pollard, associate director at Blacks Business Brokers, said: “Over a period of just four years our clients have built a really significant business. It has a unique theme, great locations, and superb reviews online. The Jurassic Grill concept is just getting started and has already sparked interest that could lead to international expansion, so there is amazing potential here for a new owner, whether that be an existing hospitality group, an entrepreneur or an investor, to take these foundations and build the next big thing in casual dining. On a day-to-day basis the staff and managers are delivering an offering that is proving incredibly popular, so the opportunity here really is massive.”

Electric Shuffle – launching in New York City is a pivotal moment for our brand: Gene Ball, chief executive of Electric Shuffle US, has said that launching the Red Engine-owned concept in New York City is a “pivotal moment for our brand”. The brand’s third US location – and sixth worldwide – will open in the heart of New York City in the spring. It will occupy 10,000 square foot on the second floor on the corner of 30th and Broadway next to the new Virgin Hotel in NoMad. Bell said: “Launching Electric Shuffle in New York City is a pivotal moment for our brand. We've always been about merging the classic with the contemporary, offering a space where friends can gather, compete, and create memorable experiences. New York, with its dynamic energy and world-class hospitality scene, is the perfect backdrop for our next chapter.” The brand currently operates sites in Austin, Dallas; London; and Leeds. A site in Manchester’s Deansgate has also been secured. Last month, Red Engine, which is also behind Flight Club, said it had seen “strong trading” across its venues in 2023 and expects group revenue to exceed £68m this year. The business said there are “exciting years ahead” but “need to balance our short-term growth plans with market sentiment”. 

Fenwick has ‘big plans’ nationally for Fuego restaurant concept as it launches in Kingston for fourth site: Family-owned department store Fenwick has opened the fourth site under its Mediterranean-inspired tapas restaurant concept Fuego – and said it has big plans nationally. The venue has opened at its store in Kingston, south west London. The restaurant offers a selection of all-day tapas, sharing charcuterie, cheese boards, traditional tortillas and stone-baked Napoli-style, sourdough pizza. The restaurant also features a sit-up champagne and cocktail bar and an extensive wine list with all bottles listed available to buy in the store's Wine Room. Fenwick director of restaurants, Piero Sardano, said: “We are delighted to open Fuego in Kingston and are already starting to see repeat customers, who recognise quality ingredients and innovative cooking, eager to work their way through the menu. Fuego has always been celebrated as the go-to tapas restaurant for those in the know but we’re now ready to lift the lid on this well-kept secret and start shouting about it in line with our Quiet No More campaign. This opening is just the beginning. We have big plans for Fuego nationally and are excited by the buzz we are already seeing in Kingston where we want to become a mainstay of the local food scene.” Fuego was launched at the Fenwick store in Newcastle in 2015 and has since opened at its sites in London’s Brent Cross and Bracknell.

The Real Greek builds openings pipeline: The Real Greek, the Fulham Shore-owned brand, has lined up two new openings, in Braintree and Sheffield. The brand, which currently operates 26 restaurants across the UK, will open a site on the opposite corner to Tasty brand Wildwood at the Freeport Outlet Village in Braintree. At the same time, The Real Greek is set to take on the former Handmade Burger Co site in the Oasis dining quarter of Meadowhall shopping centre, in Sheffield. The Real Greek has also been linked with an opening in the Liverpool ONE scheme. Fulham Shore, the Toridoll and Capdesia-backed business, is also set to move its The Real Greek site at Westfield Stratford near the end of this year/start of 2024, to a new site “two doors nearer the shopping centre”.

F1 Arcade debut site revenues reach £6.48m: Kindred Concepts, the parent company of F1 Arcade, has said revenue at its debut site in London’s One New Change scheme reached £6.48m for the seven months to July 2023, with around 200,000 consumers visiting the venue. The directors said they were “delighted” by the trading of the site. The company said: “Summer trading has been very strong with families and tourists visiting in significant numbers, partially offsetting the expected seasonal reduction in corporate business.” In the summer, Kindred Concepts secured £30m of new funding to fuel the next phase of international growth for F1 Arcade. The funding will support its international expansion plans, primarily in the US, with plans to open 30 locations globally by the end of 2027, including openings in the US, the UK, Australia and the Middle East. The company said securing the funding underlined “the success of the London venue during its initial months of trading and is testament to the excellent customer service consistently displayed by our incredible team”. The debut site opened at the One New Change scheme in St Paul’s last November and a second UK site will occupy an 11,000 square-foot unit at Two Chamberlain Square at Paradise Birmingham. The business is to open its first US site, in Boston’s Seaport district in March 2024 and it is targeting more than 20 permanent sites in the US in the next five years. Last month, it secured a second site in the US, in Washington DC, for its Formula 1-licenced experiential concept. The site will open next summer in the city’s Union Market District.

Flour Pot Bakery secures Hove site: Brighton and Hove artisan bakehouse Flour Pot Bakery has lined up an 11th opening on the south coast. The Oli Hyde-led business will open its latest site in Hangleton Road, Hove, under its eponymous concept, on Sunday, 12 November. It also operates The Milk Shed Roastery in Brighton. Hyde told Propel: “My main focus in the last 18 months has been to strengthen our balance sheet and drive an ever-decreasing margin – both of which have inevitably made us a better business. We currently employ 180 people and with Hangleton on stream we will be pushing 200 staff.” Hyde told Propel last year that the business was keen to continue expanding into areas it feels its “hub” bakery can realistically service without prohibitive costs. 

Wagamama appoints Vicky Hall as new people and culture director: Wagamama, The Restaurant Group-owned business, has appointed Vicky Hall as its new people and culture director, Propel has learned. Hall joined Wagamama 18 months ago as its new head of people, after almost 11 years at Nando’s, which included five years as its head of talent. She previously spent five and a half years at Mitchells & Butlers. Hall’s appointment comes as Matt Hudson is leaving Wagamama, after more than five years with the brand, including the past three years as people director. Wagamama, which expects to end its current financial year with circa 160 sites, opened a site at Northampton’s Sixfields Leisure, last week, creating 70 jobs. Over the weekend, Wagamama launched the “UK’s first swim up restaurant with a pop-up Beach Hut dining experience”, in Brighton, to celebrate the brand’s partnership with Mental Health Swims. The new Dive In campaign, which launched this month, “explores the connection between body and mind and draws an unexpected and compelling parallel between the rejuvenating feeling of open water swimming and the soul warming first slurp of a steaming bowl of ramen”. Wagamama’s partnership with Mental Health Swims included a donation to the charity and support with a series of swim events across the country, designed to provide a free, safe space for communities to come together and connect with each other with a focus on “dips, not distance”. 

Ukrainian-born Spanish concept Boca a Boca to make UK debut: Ukrainian-born Spanish concept Boca a Boca is to make its UK debut. Boca a Boca – a Spanish idiom meaning “word of mouth” – is the brainchild of Ukrainian entrepreneur Andrii Nikonov, with the first restaurant opening in Kyiv in February 2022. Nikonov identified a gap in the country’s Mediterranean food offer, and sought to introduce his love of Spanish cuisine and culture to its capital. Having partnered with Ben Floyd, founder of London-based hospitality consultancy Lumiere, Boca a Boca is taking its first step into the UK, with an opening in London’s Fitzrovia. Boca a Boca has agreed a deal with Shaftesbury Capital to open a 1,500 square-foot restaurant at 18 Charlotte Street. It will comprise a dining room for up to 66 covers, alongside a bar, retail element, and jamoneria. A private events space will also feature. The wine menu will be exclusively Spanish, including a rotating “wine of the month” selection to highlight new regional options, while the all-day food menu will focus on an array of tapas and small plates – from montaditos, to pinchos, to charcuterie – and takes on familiar items such as paella. Nikonov said: “Fitzrovia is brilliantly connected and very popular – we see our target customers here every time we visit the neighbourhood. Boca a Boca takes inspiration from Spain, but our business has Ukrainian hospitality at its heart, so it’s exciting to be able to show Londoners a combination they won’t have come across before.” Boca a Boca has taken the site at 18 Charlotte Street following the decision by the founders of Ampeli – the restaurant that has occupied the unit since early 2020 – to explore a new opportunity in Greece.

East and West Yorkshire McDonald’s franchisee sees profit fall as turnover increases to £85m: McDonald’s franchisee Premium Restaurants, which operates a portfolio of restaurants across east and West Yorkshire, has reported turnover increased to £85,109,843 for the year ending 31 December 2022 compared with £82,084,180 the previous year. Pre-tax profit was down to £6,528,977 from £10,232,742 with the business disposing of two sites and facing increased costs. Post year end, a further site was sold. Gross margin in the period decreased from 69.8% to 65.6%, primarily as a result of increased inflation. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “We expect 2023 to be another profitable period of trading, although affected by inflation, interest rates and energy costs, and the company remains in a good position, both operationally and financially.” The company received government grants of £104,571 (2021: £956,055). No dividend was paid (2021: £10,414,647). Premium Restaurants is led by Pritpal Singh, who was an operations manager for McDonald’s for 11 years before becoming a franchisee in 1994 when he opened his first restaurant in Halifax.

Gaucho owner teams up with UK’s largest nursery chain to boost employee benefit package: Rare Restaurants, the Gaucho and M Restaurants owner, has teamed up with Busy Bees, the UK’s largest childcare provider, to provide a discounted childcare solution for its employees as part of its benefits package. As part of the new link up, employees at Rare Restaurants will be entitled to a 10% discount on childcare fees at any of Busy Bees’ 350 nursery settings across the UK. The Martin Williams-led Rare Restaurants operates 14 restaurants in London and eight regionally in Leeds, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Julie Wilby, head of people at Rare Restaurants, said: “At Rare Restaurants we are passionate about harnessing a values-led culture and understand that our company-wide success is driven by the passion and talent of our people. With a third of our 1,300-strong workforce telling us they have caring responsibilities we considered it essential that we offered them a benefit that would truly impact both their family lives and finances. Offering discounted childcare with the help of Busy Bees is just one of the many benefits we offer our employees. We are delighted to be working with Busy Bees whose nurseries are located across the UK and within the same cities that our restaurants are based, making it easy and convenient for our teams to take advantage of this childcare solution.”

ASK Italian to open restaurant at Merry Hill shopping centre: Azzurri Group-owned ASK Italian is to open a site at the Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley. The company has agreed a deal with Sovereign Centros for a 3,350 square-foot space within the leisure quarter. The restaurant will open next month. Corinne Prior, marketing director at ASK Italian, said: “In such a milestone year for ASK Italian where we’re celebrating 30 years strong, our new restaurant in Merry Hill will build on our incredible family of restaurants, each serving their own unique community. We’re excited to join the new leisure hub, where we can continue to bring people together over great Italian meals.” Since opening its first restaurant in 1993, ASK Italian has since grown to a family of more than 65 sites across the UK. JLL and Time Retail Partners represent Merry Hill. ASK Italian dealt direct.

 

Asian street food concept Chi opens in Derby for tenth site: Asian street food concept Chi, which previously said it has plans to grow to 20 sites by 2025, has opened in Derby for its tenth site. The concept, which is the brainchild of Aidan Tjinakiet and Lamen Reddy, has launched the grab-and-go site on level two of the Derbion shopping centre. The company operates four sites under its larger restaurant format – in Bournemouth, Huntingdon, Rushden Lakes and London’s New Oxford Street. It also operates five other sites under its smaller grab-and-go format – in Basingstoke, Cambridge, Eastbourne, Norwich and Watford. Chi was launched at The Grafton shopping centre in Cambridge in March 2019. The concept offers “Asian street food with a modern twist served on a base of bao, banh mi, noodles or rice with a wide range of snacks and sides”.

Liverpool independent tea shop and events operator Leaf believes expansion ‘lies ahead in the suburbs’: Liverpool independent tea shop and events operator Leaf has said it believes expansion for the business “lies ahead in the suburbs”. The company, owned by siblings Natalie and Graham Haywood, celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and employs about 180 people across a number of venues in and around the city. The pair are also behind the Oh Me Oh My and One Fine Day event venues. Natalie told Insider Media: “We have always tried to go after quality and never competed in areas like price and we found a unique spot in the market that has helped us to get through some of the challenging times. We are very much a hybrid business. Predominantly we are a tea shop but we also cross over into being a bar, a restaurant and event space and a cultural/community hotspot.” Leaf came about after Natalie saw a gap in the market and was of the opinion that nobody was serving loose leaf tea and doing it properly. She wanted to reinvent the old-fashioned tea shop and do that in dramatic spaces where the team could express their creativity. “Much of our expansion over the years has been a reflection of where I am in my life,” she said. “We started in a city centre location where it was lively and, I suppose, younger. As I've got older and got a family, we’ve started looking at suburban sites because maybe people don't go in to town as much, so we’re looking at more family driven sites.” Event spaces Oh Me Oh My and One Fine Day were introduced in 2013 and 2018. Natalie said: “Oh Me Oh My and One Fine Day are examples of where we've fallen in love with the space and asked what can we do with this? We then tried to bring the values we had from Leaf, including creativity, value for money and originality, and apply them to the other concepts.”

South west hotel operator continues to build momentum as FY turnover nears £8m: South west hotel operator Latona Leisure said it continued to build momentum post the pandemic, as turnover for the year to 31 January 2023, neared the £8m mark. The company, which runs four hotels in Somerset, Wiltshire and Avon, reported turnover of £7,875,301 (2022: £6,258,605), with pre-tax profit of £970,071 (2022: £952,071). It said hotel gross profit margin was 81% in the year (2022: 81%), while hotel net profit margin was 12% (2022: 16%). The company said: “The directors are not aware of any planned openings in the near future and consider that their units are as well placed as any to withstand any potential economic downturn in the hotel and leisure industry.”

Owner of Leeds Japanese restaurant to launch £3m luxury Chinese venture and karaoke venue next week: The owner of Japanese restaurant Blue Sakura, based at the Merrion Centre in Leeds, is to open a luxury Chinese restaurant and karaoke venue at the scheme next week. About £3m has been invested in Blue Pavilion, which will open in the building at 82-90 Merrion Street next Monday (30 October), creating up to 50 jobs. The restaurant will occupy more than 7,100 square foot of space over the ground and first floor. Guests at the restaurant, which will include three private dining rooms, will enjoy oriental fine dining alongside live entertainment. In addition, there will be an adjoining first floor karaoke venue, K Kube. Chiu Tong Huang, director at Blue Pavilion, said: “Our team has worked tirelessly to create a unique dining and entertainment experience that showcases the rich flavours of Chinese cuisine and the joy of karaoke.”

Welsh luxury holiday park reports 30% increase in FY turnover: Welsh luxury holiday park business Bluestone Resorts reported a 30% increase in turnover to £32,835,000 (2022: £25,325,000) in the year to 5 January 2023, as it said business returned to “relatively normal trade” following two years of the coronavirus pandemic, as demand for UK holidays continued to grow. Ebitda reduced to £7,911,000 (2022: £10,445,000), which it said was due to a successful insurance claim and remediation income that related to the compensation paid in order to “reinstate a temporary field hospital back to a soft play facility”. Pre-tax profit for the year was £3.72m (2022: £7.51m). Guest numbers increased by 38% compared with the prior financial period. Occupancy rates also increased to 97%, which compared with 71 % in 2022. The company said: “Recruitment and retention challenges have eased in early 2023, however directors are still prioritising strategies to mitigate this risk such as regular market pay reviews, additional employee engagement initiatives, funded work transport and additional focus on the employee consultive group.” In May, Bluestone Resorts said it had invested £30m in several projects including the launch of 80 new platinum lodges and transformation of a disused 19th century mill into a restaurant. The lodges alone are estimated to increase visitor spend by £1m a year at the Pembrokeshire resort, and 100 jobs will be created in addition to the 800 people it currently employs.

New neighbourhood restaurant Sune to open in Broadway Market: Sommelier Honey Spencer and partner Charlie Sims, a former restaurant manager at Noma, will open Sune, a neighbourhood restaurant at London’s Broadway Market, this autumn. Perched on the canal in Pritchard’s Road, Sune – opening in late November – is designed to transform throughout the day, from a “sun-filled spot for weekday lunch, and weekend brunch, to an intimate, candlelit dinner destination”. It will seat 36 in the main restaurant, with an additional 20 on its terrace. The business said: “As a duo, Spencer and Sims’ careers have taken them across the globe, from London to Sydney, Mexico and Copenhagen. Back in London, their CVs boast positions at some of the UK’s most celebrated restaurants including Michelin-starred Lyle’s, Mãos and Evelyn’s Table, and neighbourhood restaurant Brawn. With 35 years’ combined hospitality experience, Charlie and Honey plan to create a neighbourhood destination that brings people together any time, for any occasion. The kitchen is helmed by chef Michael Robins, who previously spent two years as head chef at acclaimed restaurant Pidgin.” Sune – derived from the Old Nordic word for “son”, and the name of Spencer’s wine mentor Sune Rosforth in Copenhagen – places an “equal emphasis on both food and incredible hospitality”. Sims said: “The most fundamental quality of a neighbourhood restaurant is that it’s somewhere you want to always go back to and feel like it’s yours. We’re looking forward to welcoming guests for all moments. Dishes will be striking and beautiful on the eye, but more importantly, comforting, delicious and deeply satisfying to eat.”

Caravan opens largest site to date: London restaurant, bar and coffee-roasting concept Caravan has opened its largest site to date, in London’s Covent Garden. The Active Partners-backed business has opened in the new workspace Grainhouse in Drury Lane. Spanning two floors, the opening, the group’s eighth in total, features terrace dining, a lower ground floor for all-day bar and dining and the Green Room, the group’s largest private hire and events space to date. Last month, Laura Harper-Hinton, co-founder of Caravan, said she was excited at the restaurant, bar and coffee-roasting concept’s expansion plans outside of London, and was looking at what the next stage of investment might look like. “We’re about to do something outside of London for the first time, which is really big for us as a business,” Harper-Hinton told Casual Dining 2023. “It’s going to be in a fantastic city rich in music and sport history that doesn’t begin with ‘L’. We’ve chosen a city that reminds us of Wellington, back in New Zealand. It’s a growing part of the city, which is riskier than going into a more established place, but we’re excited to be part of its growth. I’m really excited at the prospect of getting outside London, but not on a massive roll out or to scale up.” Propel understands that Caravan is in talks to open a site in Manchester. Last week, the business launched a retail range of compostable coffee pods and premium coffee. Its first supermarket listing is now available in Waitrose stores across the country and online at Waitrose’s website.

UK’s first brandy distillery launches new bar: The UK’s first brandy distillery, Burnt Faith in London’s Walthamstow, has launched a new bar aimed at “unlocking the real potential of brandy”. Burnt Faith was opened this summer at 57 Sutherland Road by Simon Wright, founder of BrewDog-owned cider brand Hawkes, master distiller Oliver Kitson and Jean-Dominique Andreu. It has now opened the Brandy House Bar, offering flights of brandy and cocktails with a nip of Burnt Faith brandy, with future plans for masterclasses and events. Drinks include Burnt Faith Triple Sec, Honey Man Daiquiri and Plum Margarita, reports Hot Dinners.

The Goodwood Estate – trading has bounced back quickly and exceeded pre-covid levels: The Goodwood Estate, operator of the Festival of Speed, has reported trading has “bounced back quickly”. The company, which delivers three of the major sporting events of the English summer – the Festival of Speed, the Qatar Goodwood Festival and the Goodwood Revival meeting – said that its flagship motorsports events both exceeded expectations. The business, which also operates a hotel, leisure club, two golf courses and traditional estate operations including one of the UK's largest independent downland organic farms, said: “Festival of Speed had a record year with both corporate and consumer sales exceeding all prior years and admissions selling out earlier than previous years. Goodwood Revival attendance also exceeded prior levels. The racecourse held all 19 race days and achieved record turnover levels with media revenue significantly higher, and in club and hotel companies, turnover also exceeded previous levels. The group also launched its new event 'Goodwoof' celebrating everything about the dog. This inaugural event was a great success and the group will be looking at ways to drive its commercial success in the coming years. Group revenue was £128.3m, which is a 33% increase from 2021 (£96.4m) and 20.5% than 2019, which was the last full year of trading. The hotel and club both achieved revenue growth of £5m, mainly due to a full year of trading but revenue was also increased on pre-pandemic levels. Cost of sales at £97.4m were 25% higher than 2021 (£77.9m), as a percentage of revenue they were 76% (81% in 2021), which is a good improvement and represents a concerted effort to control direct costs across the group.” From a financing perspective, the group facilities in 2022 were a seven-year £18m rolling credit facility and a £5m overdraft facility. In addition, the group started the year with a £10m Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan, which was fully drawn down in May 2021 and was repaid in March 2022. It said: “At this time, all businesses are trading well and we have just concluded the Festival of Speed, which has exceeded budgeted expectations.”

 

Clover Group adds to Belfast portfolio with £3m opening: Clover Group has reopened an historic pub in Belfast following a £3m rebrand. The Post House, formerly known as the Eglantine Inn, was purchased by the Clover Group in 2022. The new design concept of the Malone Road venue, which dates to 1898 and is located close to Queen’s University, is based on the building’s history as a Victorian Posthouse. Director of Clover Group, Mark Beirne, said: “I am proud of the Clover team and our partners who have worked so hard over the last year to restore this important and stunning bar. The Post House has a rich and long standing history in the south of the city and as the current custodians I am confident that we have creatively restored the bar, breathing new life into the area and providing a superb venue for an eclectic clientele.” The new bar builds on the Clover Group’s growing footprint in Belfast. The firm’s existing portfolio includes White’s Tavern and Beer Hall, White’s Garden, Henry’s and the Jailhouse, Fountain Lane, Pug Ugly’s, and the Bone Yard.