Exclusive – RedCat returns to acquisition trail ahead of ‘exciting expansion plans’, trials new carvery concept: RedCat Hospitality, the recently rebranded operator of Coaching Inn Group and RedCat Independent Pubs, has returned to the expansion trail ahead of “exciting expansion plans”, Propel has learned. The Warwick Arms Hotel in Warwick is the group’s first acquisition since August 2022 and sees RedCat deliver against its strategy of expanding the Coaching Inn Group. With claims to being the oldest hotel in Warwickshire, the 40-room property offers a variety of room types, meeting and event spaces. Richard Lewis, RedCat Hospitality chief executive, said: “The Warwick Arms Hotel marks the start of our exciting expansion plans for the group. We plan to invest over £1m into a refurbishment to bring out the best in the building and give guests the kind of experience they’ve come to expect from our coaching inns.” Adam Charity, Coaching Inn Group chief operating officer, added: “For nearly 30 years, we have built a reputation of bringing old inns back to life in some of the UK’s greatest locations – the Warwick Arms Hotel ticks every box. We are delighted to welcome the site and its team into the wider Coaching Inn Group family.” It comes as RedCat trials a new carvery concept called Castle Carvery, which has been launched at The Clocktower pub in Bowthorpe, Norfolk, following a major refurbishment. Following an overhaul of its food and drinks menus, the pub offers “a value proposition” of which “carvery is king” – alongside desserts such as freshly made doughnuts, ice cream floats and a pick ‘n’ mix station for children. The carvery itself will offer slow-cooked topside beef, leg of lamb and vegan wellington dishes, all served with traditional trimmings like locally sourced vegetables and roast potatoes. New kiosks will enable guests to place orders and pay directly at the screen and receive real-time updates on order status. Castle Carvery will also have its own loyalty scheme, Castle Carvery Club, which allows guests to build up points to win rewards. Kiran Quinn, group marketing director at RedCat Hospitality, said: “Castle Carvery is all about bringing family, friends and good times together. With our refreshed branding and the launch of the Castle Carvery Club, we’re delivering loyalty for customers as well as low pricing, exciting meal deals and regular promotions. Our new look and feel reflects our commitment to fast, friendly service, intuitive layouts and multiple ordering options for carvery.” Richard Lewis, group chief executive of RedCat Hospitality, will be among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference and summer party on Thursday, 4 September, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry. The all-day conference will focus on “moving ahead with evolved thinking” and will be followed in the evening by the summer party, with a barbecue and more than four hours of live music. There are up to two free places per company for operators and Premium operator subscribers can book up to four places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com. A room can also be booked for the evening at an additional cost. For more details, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com. Lewis will talk about building on a transitional year for the business, growing a company-wide culture, how its investment programme is gaining momentum and returning to the expansion trail. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Meanwhile, the evening entertainment includes the return by popular demand of the UK’s top Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow tribute acts as Scott Borley and Daniel Hadfield again join forces. Pure Mercury, the UK’s foremost Freddie Mercury tribute act, will also be performing along with The Greek Street Live House Band, which will be playing guests’ requests. The evening will also feature a music quiz with PubQuiz. 

 

Sponsored message – Candid Hospitality reopen doors to pilot scheme after £800,000 investment to shake-up hospitality hiring: Candid Hospitality, the anonymous matchmaking platform for hospitality careers, announced last week it had secured a significant investment, allowing it to scale its solution, after a successful first phase of its pilot scheme. Already with 100 brands taking part, Candid is now looking for an additional 50 hospitality businesses to add to its pilot scheme in phase two, as registered candidate numbers pass 3,800. Co-founder Sam Brown said: “The last four months have exceeded all expectations. The support from the sector has been incredible, and the appetite for a new approach to hiring in hospitality has been evident right from the start. The anonymity aspect seems to have really resonated with candidates, removing all risk and subconscious bias – we’re on track to reach 10,000 registered candidates by the end of the year, with more than 40% of all candidates so far, setting up ‘passive’ accounts. Phase one was focused on getting the pilot scheme live and testing the concept – while gathering as much feedback as possible. In phase two, we’re rebuilding and relaunching our dashboard – including psychometric snapshots, rolling out our mobile app, activating our applicant tracking system integrations, ramping up our candidate acquisition spend and revealing our artificial intelligence assistant. We’ve got a busy few months ahead!” For any operators or suppliers who would like to take one of the 50 slots and receive a 50% reduction on price for unlimited use of the Candid platform, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,442 operators and 23 new companies on Friday: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database on Friday (27 June), at noon. The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,442 multi-site operators and is now searchable in seven main segments. The database features, 1,004 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 798 (23%) pub and bar operators, 587 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 475 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 283 (8%) hotel operators, 221 (6%) experiential leisure operators and 54 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes 23 new companies. The database includes new companies in the pub and bar sector such as Randall’s, the Jersey-based pub group. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five additional databases: the New Openings Database; the Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor 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 the Operational Excellence Conference in July and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

German Doner Kebab accelerating robotic kitchen rollout: German Doner Kebab (GDK), which is backed by private equity group True, is accelerating a rollout of robotic kitchens in an effort to ease labour costs. The company, which runs almost 150 restaurants across the UK, is trialling robotic meat shavers in a handful of sites, with plans to roll them out within the next year, reports The Telegraph. The chain has also been installing so-called smart kitchens that require fewer staff, while table service has also been axed to make restaurants more efficient. Chief executive Simon Wallis said the company was embracing automation to boost productivity and ease pressures imposed by the chancellor’s employers’ national insurance raid. He added: “We’ve said to our franchisees this year that we want to improve their labour productivity by 20% to get costs down, so we’re doing that by remodelling our kitchens. That means different formats, it means different equipment. It means that they can serve the product more quickly. In our world, it’s quite a skill to shave a skewer – and when you’re doing it at pace on a Friday, Saturday night, there’s an argument that getting a robot to do it can improve the quality.” While supportive of paying staff more, Wallis said higher taxes had meant it was a “tougher economic environment to do business than we’d like”. The company does not expect increased automation to put off the chain’s younger customer base as Wallis said Generation Z customers no longer want to talk to waiters in the same way previous generations did. He said: “We used to carry stuff to the table, but we don’t think we need to do that anymore because we’ve got people ordering via self-service.” Wallis said the chain was proving particularly popular with younger, male customers. “Our primary customer is Generation Z, young males, and we skew a bit more towards Muslim because we’re halal,” he said. “We’ve got some really big stores; I want them full of Generation Z. It’s not just enough to go to the pub and have some pints of lager anymore, because that’s not entertainment. Pubs will have a role to play in the community, but so will anything that offers a great experience.”

 

UKHospitality – industrial strategy ‘a missed opportunity’ that will ‘leave behind’ swathes of Britain: UKHospitality has warned that the government’s industrial strategy is a “missed opportunity” that will “leave behind” swathes of Britain. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has called the strategy “a turning point for Britain's economy” by supporting key industries where there is potential for growth – but a plan for hospitality was not included. In response, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “This is not an industrial strategy that will deliver growth equally across the UK. In fact, by ignoring 70% of the economy it is at odds with the government’s ambition to create jobs and help people into work. Once again, growth will be distributed unevenly and centred around small industrial clusters that have high barriers to access – hardly a recipe for driving social mobility. We were desperate to see a plan for hospitality and the high street, which together employs more than seven million people. How can national renewal be properly delivered if 70% of the economy is excluded from the government’s flagship plan for growth? Critical foundational sectors of the economy, like hospitality, leisure and tourism, are central to creating jobs, yet overlooked. This is the same approach that led to this year’s employers’ national insurance contributions changes hitting part-time, flexible and accessible jobs hardest, while protecting jobs in the industrial strategy. The Social Productivity Index clearly demonstrates that hospitality is the top performing sector providing routes into work, regardless of background, education, or upbringing – qualities the government should be backing.” The strategy also sets out how energy bills will be reduced significantly for certain sectors, but not hospitality. Nicholls said: “Given the government has now accepted that the energy market is a barrier to growth, I hope it moves swiftly to resolve the energy challenges that have plagued hospitality businesses for decades.”

 

Elton Mouna – bullying in our industry could run deeper than we think: Pub sector deep-dive project specialist Elton Mouna has said bullying in the industry “could run deeper than we think”. Mouna, who is also an accredited coach focusing on pub sector middle managers, explored the subject in his column in Propel’s Friday Opinion last Friday (20 June). In the column, Mouna pledged to “speak out about the bullying in our sector” and offered free-of-charge help to anyone in the industry who feels they are being bullied. “I have never had such a large response to one of my Friday Opinion columns,” Mouna said, following the publication of the article. “It seems bullying could run extremely deep in our industry, perhaps deeper than we think. The honesty in some of the feedback I received was touchingly honest and all so incredibly supportive. One person wrote: ‘If you start a campaign against it, I’ll stand firmly by your side.’ This has made me think, now really could be the time to loudly call out bullying behaviour in our sector, to help stamp out bullying behaviour in the future.” Mouna’s column can be read here.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a drinks distributor in Ireland that is seeking a regional business manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will be responsible for the overall commercial and team performance within a designated region, covering both the on-trade and off-trade. The regional business manager will manage a team of sales professionals, drive strategic execution on the ground, and play a key role in developing key customer accounts. This role requires a strong leader with a passion for results, customer relationships and team development – not to mention a strong knowledge of the surrounding areas of southern Ireland.” The salary up to €70,000. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com. 

 

Tokyo Industries – ‘2025 has so far not been easy, expanding into new areas due to behavioural change of younger generation’: Chris Bateson, operations director for multi-venue operator Tokyo Industries, has told Propel that “2025 has so far not been easy” and the group is “expanding into new areas due to behavioural change of the younger generation”. The group, which has predominantly been a bar and nightclub operator since being founded in 1997 by Aaron Mellor, has diversified in recent years into hotels, corporate venues and even a shopping centre. The company has now broken new ground by launching its first theatre, opening The Emerald Theatre in the former Proud Embankment venue in London’s Victoria Embankment. The theatre, which has undergone a £4m refurbishment, is currently showing a two-week preview of Dita Von Teese’s “Diamond X Dust” – described as “a seductive new theatrical world, conjuring a realm of high glamour and bold women”. Tokyo Industries has also acquired bar/club The Social, at 5 Little Portland Street, near Oxford Circus, which the company will operate as part of its 11-strong live music venue arm. Overall, Tokyo Industries now operates 49 venues in the UK and 19 internationally and Bateson told Propel it will continue is diversification this year by launching Zerox Hotel in Newcastle and a new Irish bar concept in Manchester. “2025 has so far not been easy, everyone is working twice as hard and standing still,” he said. “Our core student event focused businesses have seen a huge decline in admits during the week, with students going out less, and when they do, they’re hitting the weekends. Our hotel businesses are having to offer reduced rates to be more enticing to the customer. We have also noticed a shift in our corporate bookings business as big corporations have less disposable income to put behind events such as brand activations or staff gatherings. Given the struggles late-night leisure is facing in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and behavioural change of the younger generation, it’s important the company pivots to meet the demands of the consumer who are all looking for a bit more ‘bang for their buck’. Entering the world of theatre and further expanding our portfolio in the live music sector allows us to do exactly that.” Bateson said the company “has plans in Manchester, Leeds, and Newcastle over the next two years”. He added: “We felt the next step was to delve into the world of theatre, so when the opportunity arose in the capital’s West End, we wanted to jump at this. While we do love nightclubs as it’s where the company started, and we would love to be doing more in this space, the current climate makes it hard to justify spend in this area. But with the right space, in the right location (UK or internationally), who knows what’s on the horizon.”

  

London sushi brand led by former large-scale Papa John’s franchisee aiming to grow to 30 stores by the end of 2025: London sushi brand The Sushi Co, which is led by former large-scale Papa John’s franchisee Raheel Choudhary, is aiming to grow to 30 stores by the end of 2025. Choudhary co-founded The Sushi Co in 2022 with Sama Varanand Reddy, a former Pizza Hut franchisee operations manager, after selling his own 61-strong Papa John’s franchise to Drake Food Service International the previous year. The fast-growing The Sushi Co has since expanded to 21 sites – the majority of which are in London, alongside two regional outposts in Essex, in Brentwood and Colchester. The company is now seeking franchise partners to help it realise its ambition of opening at least nine new stores over the next six months. Choudhary said: “All of our management team has worked in the industry or have previously been franchisees in the food industry for many years. We really understand what franchisees need from a franchisor, and we have invested in a business model designed to support growth.” Haran Thushiharan, head of operations at The Sushi Co, added: “We have expanded rapidly since start-up, sharing our love of sushi with the introduction of our live sushi kitchens throughout London and beyond. Over the past few years, we have perfected our fresh, flavoursome sushi made in minutes for customers to enjoy in one of our sit-down restaurants, on the go or delivered at home. We are now inviting applications from business professionals looking to invest in a proven franchised brand operating in one of the fastest growing sectors in the quick service restaurant industry.” The Sushi Co has hired franchise consultant Anthony Round, a former head of franchise development at both Domino’s and Pizza Hut, to help with its partner search. Round, who is also a former business development manager with Papa John’s and director at German Doner Kebab, said applications for both single and multi-unit franchises are being sought. The Sushi Co’s most recent openings were both in London – at 64 Rosslyn Hill in Hampstead and 403 Green Lane in Haringey.

Vagabond aiming to double its estate over the next three years, confirms St Paul’s launch and reveals Liverpool Street location: Vagabond Wines, which was acquired out of administration by Majestic last year, has said it is aiming to double its estate over the next three years, as the company confirmed its St Paul’s launch and revealed a new Liverpool Street location. Propel revealed last month that the nine-strong Vagabond was looking to get back on the expansion trail and had been linked with an opening in London’s St Paul’s. It has now signed a 15-year lease on a flagship site in Paternoster Square, set to open in August, for its first new location since joining Majestic. A second bar will follow in Liverpool Street in September, as part of the Broadgate Campus development. The St Paul’s site, formerly the filming location of Channel 4’s First Dates, will feature more than 110 wines available by the glass – more than at any of Vagabond’s other nine bars – through its signature self-serve ‘tap and pour’ dispensers, alongside a menu of seasonal small plates. The company said it is aiming to double its estate over the next three years, with a focus on units of approximately 2,000 to 5,000 square feet in prime locations, with substantial footfall and visibility across major UK cities. Managing director Christobell Giles said: “This new space in St Paul’s is welcoming, romantic, social and just a little bit iconic. We’re incredibly proud to be opening in such a special spot and cannot wait to welcome guests in for their first glass. After a brilliant first year with Majestic, this is a really exciting step forward for us at Vagabond.” John Colley, chief executive of Majestic Group and executive chair of Vagabond, added: “Vagabond is a brand with real energy and a unique proposition. Since joining the Majestic family last year, it has shown strong potential to attract new and younger customers who want to engage with wine in a more informal, experiential way. We’re committed to investing in new bar openings to help us reach new customers and provide multiple entry points into our wider business, from retail to subscription and beyond. We’re looking forward to supporting the Vagabond team with its expansion across the UK in the coming years.”

Cornish Bakery set to open three new locations, including biggest yet, with five more in legals: Fast-growing independent brand Cornish Bakery is set to open three new locations, including its biggest yet, with five more in legals. Starting next month, the company will launch new locations in Hereford, Woodbridge and Portsmouth, while also more than doubling the size of its Coney Street shop in York. First to open, on Monday, 21 July, will be a 60-cover site at 9 High Street in Hereford, followed on Monday, 1 August by the launch of a 45-cover store at 37 Thoroughfare in Woodbridge. Later this year, the company will open its largest ever bakery, in the waterfront shopping destination of Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, where it has traded since 2001. Cornish Bakery has now secured a new unit there that spans two storeys and features a balcony terrace, which will trade alongside the existing Cornish Bakery kiosk. The York site, meanwhile, will see its capacity rise from 16 to 66, over two floors, after the company took over the adjacent unit formerly occupied by Krispy Kreme. Cornish Bakery managing director Mat Finch said: “It’s already set to be an incredible year for Cornish Bakery, with us proving our mantra of ‘bakery is the new coffee shop’ right across the country. We’re very excited to bring our beautifully designed spaces, high-quality products and exceptional coffee to even more UK high streets and shopping outlets and expanding some bakeries, while planning the design of our biggest-ever property in Portsmouth.  We have five more locations currently in legals and we’re most certainly motoring on.” Cornish Bakery, which has previously said it now sees scope for a 400-strong estate, currently has 66 locations. 

 

Safestay reports forward bookings at ‘satisfactory level’ as consumer confidence remains under pressure, full-year revenue hits record £23m: Hostel operator Safestay has reported forward bookings are at a “satisfactory level” as consumer confidence remains under pressure, “resulting in a continued competitive pricing environment”. The group said it is looking at “several” expansion opportunities and remains “highly confident” in delivering its medium-term ambitions of doubling the size of its 20-strong portfolio. Safestay stated: “In 2025 to date, we have continued to deliver important strategic initiatives. In April, we were pleased to secure planning permission for our Brighton site, which we are excited to open during 2026. During the first half of 2025, consumer confidence has remained under pressure, resulting in a continued competitive pricing environment. Despite these pressures, forward bookings are running at a satisfactory level. The board remains excited about Safestay's prospects, with several expansion opportunities being appraised. We believe Safestay has a highly relevant customer proposition in a growing market, and as such is well placed to deliver its medium-term ambitions of doubling the size of its portfolio.” It comes as the group reported revenue increased to a record £23.0m for the year ending 31 December 2024 (2023: £22.5m) with adjusted Ebitda of £6.5m (2023: £6.8m). UK sales increased 8% to £9.0m (2023: £8.3m) accounting for 39% (2023: 37%) of total revenue. Overseas sales totalled £14.0m (2023: £14.2m), representing a 1% decrease year-on-year “due to unfavourable movements in the Euro, which had an estimated £300,000 impact on revenue”. Pre-tax losses reduced to £900,000 from £1.4m the previous year. There was a 10% increase in total bed nights to 931,688 (2023: 848,633) and occupancy increased 3.8% to 75.2% (2023: 71.4%) “supported by effective marketing investment”. As previously reported, earlier this month, the group was awarded a covid-19-related business interruption insurance claim of £1.4m. As well as the Brighton site, during the year, the group acquired hostels in Cordoba in Spain and the Hungarian capital Budapest and signed a 20-year term management contract to operate a 120-bed hostel on the Costa Blanca, Spain. Chairman Larry Lipman said: “We have a clear strategy to capitalise on the significant growth opportunities in the international hostel market, including several promising prospects in our expansion pipeline.”

 

Cake Box expects full-year revenue and Ebitda to be ‘slightly ahead of market expectations’ as it postpones results following acquisition: Cake Box, the specialist retailer of fresh cream cakes, has said it expects both revenue and Ebitda for the year ended 30 March 2025 to be “slightly ahead of expectations” as the business continues to trade “strongly”. It comes as Cake Box said it was postponing the release of its full-year results, which were due on Thursday (26 June), because of the acquisition of Ambala Foods, a manufacturer and retailer of Asian sweets, shortly before the year end. The group’s auditor, MHA Audit Services, said it needed a small amount of additional time to complete its standard audit procedures. At the time of the acquisition of Ambala in March, Cake Box said it represents “a significant opportunity to leverage the strengths of both brands to expand our market presence and accelerate our growth”. Ambala currently operates 22 stores, with 19 owned stores and three franchised stores, and has been family-run since inception. Cake Box’s results will now be announced on Tuesday, 15 July.

 

Wingers opens two new stores on the same day, set to launch eight more this year and a further ten in 2026: Buttermilk fried chicken restaurant concept Wingers has opened two new stores on the same day to take its portfolio to 16 sites. The business, founded during the pandemic by Amran, Dylan and Bill Sunner, has opened in Columbus Way in Andover in Hampshire and Olive Lane in Waverley, on the outskirts of Rotherham in South Yorkshire. Wingers has previously targeted a 50-strong estate by 2027, and Amran said the company is on track to open eight more sites this year and a further ten in 2026. “Opening two restaurants on the same day is a first for Wingers – and what a way to celebrate five years in business!” he added. “Since we set up in our dark kitchen during covid to get us through the lockdown period, we have seen the business go from strength to strength. Now, it’s become a multimillion-pound franchised business employing more than 160 people nationwide. We have attracted experienced quick service restaurant franchisees of the highest calibre keen to invest in multi-site operations. This means we will have eight more Wingers open by the end of this year, with a further ten sites secured and scheduled to open in 2026. We are also well on track to meet our strategic goal to open 50 restaurants by the end of 2027.” In April, Wingers launched its first loyalty scheme and reported that like-for-like net sales in the first quarter of 2025 were up 40% compared with last year.

 

Star Pubs to invest £4.5m in enhancing outdoor spaces: Heineken-owned Star Pubs is investing £4.5m in enhancing outdoor spaces at 171 of its pubs in 2025. A total of 88 pubs will benefit from improved gardens – with a quarter of these being themed to Heineken brands – and 83 pub buildings will be revamped on the outside to boost their appeal. The garden makeovers will focus on increasing covers to boost sales. Following trials at Star’s Just Add Talent sites, where possible, new seating will be in south and west facing positions “to maximise afternoon and early evening trade and close to pub entrances to enable customers to easily access indoor facilities and staff to service the area”. The transformations will be tailored in each pub, with changes ranging from new patios, covered pergolas and booth seating to decorative touches such as floral displays, festoon lighting and soft furnishings. With licensees that already have Heineken branded gardens reporting increased sales and customer dwell time, 22 gardens will be branded to either Foster’s, Cruzcampo, Birra Moretti or Inch’s. Costing £17,000 on average, the schemes will “harness the power of Heineken’s brands and turn the gardens into destinations”. Star Pubs property director Chris Moore said: “Pre-pandemic, a great outdoor space was a nice-to-have. Now it’s the norm and customers expect it. With pubs looking to offset the increased cost of doing business with higher sales, every inch of trading space should be developed. Even small unassuming spaces can be converted into attractive outdoor areas, while standard gardens can be transformed with designs that send sales soaring in good weather.”

Kerb to launch new weekly market in east London: Street food collective and hospitality group Kerb is to launch a new weekly market in east London. Kerb is rolling into Leyton’s Francis Road with a Saturday market from 5 July. The market – supported by Waltham Forest Council – will bring a rotating line-up of up to 20 independent street food traders and local produce stalls every week from 10am–4pm. Operators at the first market will include Oshpaz, which has a Regent Street restaurant offering Uzbek plov rice bowls, and Utopia, which offers homestyle Syrian food and was set up by McCain Streets Ahead alumni Hind Danoun. Also part of the line-up are Vietnamese concept Hanoi Cà Phê, Japanese-inspired Banzai Kitchen and Mexican focused MexClub. Since launching as a pop-up in 2012, Kerb has grown into an international operator of food halls, event catering and its own social enterprise. 

Atis launches catering offering: London healthy bowl concept Atis has launched a new catering offering. The company, which will next week (Monday, 30 June) open its 11th London location, in Battersea, has launched catering feasts – designed for groups of five or more. Guests can choose from chicken or veggie feasts, which serve ten to 12 people, which they can start from scratch or top up from a range of atis creations like garlic butter steak and miso orange salmon. They will be available across central London. Atis co-founder Eleanor Warder said: “We’ve seen a growing demand for group ordering and catering from our community, so this launch felt like a natural next step. Catering feasts give customers a new way to experience atis: a way to share, sample, and enjoy the menu together, wherever they are.” Last month, co-founder Phil Honer told Propel the business has seen a “strong” start to 2025 and is closing in on a regional launch. Honer said Atis is exploring opportunities in Bristol, Brighton and Manchester, with initial offers submitted.

 

Scandinavian consortium circling Dalata increases shareholding but yet to make any fresh offer to buy group: A Scandinavian consortium circling Irish hotel operator Dalata, which has a growing presence in the UK, has not made any fresh offer to buy the group after its €1.3bn bid was rejected earlier this month. Oslo-based investment firm Eiendomsspar and Swedish hotel company Pandox, in which it owns an almost 25% stake, bought 1.69 million shares in Dalata at €6.30 on Friday (20 June) – marking a premium to the €6.05-a-share non-binding offer it made for the Irish hotel operator. “Consequently, any firm intention to make an offer for Dalata by the consortium, if made, will be at a price of not less than €6.30 per share,” the Nordic group said. “There can be no certainty that any offer will be made.” In a statement to investors on Monday (23 June), Dalata said it noted the announcement by the consortium. Dalata added: “Since the Pandox possible offer of €6.05 per share approximately three weeks ago, the Pandox consortium has not submitted any further proposal to the board.” The board said it “continues to engage” with parties who are participating in the formal sales process and who have submitted revised non-binding cash proposals to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the group. Eiendomsspar already owned an 8.8% stake in Dalata before it made the bid approach. This latest share buying brings Eiendomsspar’s stake in the Irish hotel group to 9.6%. Dalata rejected the initial offer, saying it “materially undervalues the group and its prospects”.

 

Bakery Twelve Triangles opens ninth site: Edinburgh-based bakery Twelve Triangles has opened its ninth site overall and second in the Scottish borders. The company, launched by Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan in 2015, has opened a café and retail unit in Market Square in Melrose. The company’s original Melrose location, which opened in High Street in 2022, remains open as “Little Melrose”, offering pastries, bread and coffee to take away. The new café offers a larger space for housing a retail range of kitchen essentials and homemade and artisan products, seating for dining in and a dedicated space for children and families. Downstairs, a third room complete with an original antique stove is currently being refurbished and will become a reading room. Dishes include pistachio and walnut granola with natural yoghurt and seasonal compote, sourdough cheese toasties and house baked beans with sourdough toast. A selection of sourdough ciabatta sandwiches, scones and pastries will also be available from the counter. Cuddeford said: “Little Melrose has been open for just over two and a half years now. Within the first year, we noticed that people needed more space to spend time in the shop, to meet others and catch up. We thought it would be beneficial to the community to be able to build a bigger space with more comfortable seating and a dedicated family room. Rachel and I both have children, and we truly appreciate and value being able to go somewhere where you are welcomed. To have a space for you and your children, thoughtfully designed with toys so that you can enjoy some time with a friend for a coffee or a much-needed bite to eat. We wanted the whole community to feel part of the shop and that it was a space made for them.” To celebrate its tenth birthday, all of Twelve Triangles’ other cafes, including seven across Edinburgh, will undergo a refurbishment “to showcase a refreshed identity complete with a new logo”. Cuddeford and Morgan met while working at Edinburgh bakery Lovecrumbs in 2011.

 

Exclusive Collection hires new group director of people and culture: Exclusive Collection, which operates eight luxury hotels and spas across the UK, has hired Sarah Hewitt as group director of people and culture. Reporting to managing director, Danny Pecorelli, the company said Hewitt will play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing its culture. She will also oversee people processes and compliance, as well as reward and recognition across the group. Hewitt joins from International Airlines Group, where she led the development and execution of the people and culture strategy of the global business service operating company. Her remit included talent acquisition, reward, learning and development, engagement, diversity and inclusion, well-being and HR operations. Her career also spans senior HR roles across global organisations in technology, healthcare, banking and manufacturing. Pecorelli said: “Sarah’s is used to fast-paced, multi-site operations. Her inspirational and authentic leadership style, alongside her team and client first approach, mean she is an ideal fit for our leadership team and will help amplify our mission of ‘creating happiness in amazing places.” The company was founded in 1981 and its properties include Fanhams Hall in Ware, Hertfordshire, and Lainston House in Winchester, Hampshire.

 

Cardiff operator formed by ex-Gordon Ramsay and Galvin alumni to open site for Silrues concept, plans to grow it across UK: Cardiff operator A&M Hospitality Group, which is the brainchild of former Gordon Ramsay and Galvin brothers alumni Andrei Maxim and Daf Andrews, is set to open a second site for its Silures concept and plans to grow the brand across the UK. The duo opened high-end restaurant and bar Silures in the former Cameo Club site in Cardiff’s Wellfield Road in 2023, offering European cuisine and a signature cocktail menu. They are now preparing to open a second venue, at Holm House in Penarth, reports Insider Media. Located in Marine Parade, Holm House offers sea views, self-check-in rooms and a private spa and will open on Friday, 11 July. There will be a main restaurant seating up to 50, a bar area with room for 25, a private dining room for up to 22 guests and a garden space that seats 50 or hosts up to 100 standing. Andrews said: “Penarth felt like the natural next step – a vibrant town with a strong sense of community and an appetite for quality hospitality. Holm House is a beautiful building, and the rooms, spa and garden offer something truly special. The private dining space and outdoor areas give us more flexibility to host everything from intimate dinners to events and celebrations, while staying true to the Silures experience.” Maxim and Andrews also opened Italian restaurant Terra Mare last October, in the former Libertine cocktail bar in Cardiff’s High Street.

 

South coast bakery business opens fifth site: South coast bakery business Real Patisserie has opened its fifth site. The company, founded in 1997 by Paris-trained patissier Alastair Gourlay and his wife Annie, has opened its latest store, at Brighton station. The venue joins the business’ other sites in Brighton’s Trafalgar Street, Hove’s Western Road and Church Road and Worthing’s Broadwater. The company – which offers breads baked fresh every morning, sandwiches, savoury tarts, filled croissants and patisserie – also has a central base in Southwick. “We’ve previously supplied the concession at Brighton station and loved being part of the community,” managing director Al Gourlay told The Argus. “Now that we’ve taken ownership, we’re expanding our range and delivering our signature freshness direct from our Trafalgar Street bakery every morning.”

 

Northern Ireland cinema operator returns to profit: Northern Ireland cinema operator Movie House Cinemas returned to profit in the year to 31 May 2024. The company, which operates four cinemas in the country, turned a pre-tax loss of £341,942 in 2023 into a profit of £35,403. The company made an £8,891 profit on disposal of tangible assets (2023: loss of £36,834). Turnover increased from £9,645,193 in 2023 to £10,024,418. Dividends of £70,000 were paid compared with £60,000 in 2023.

 

Peruvian trio bring Nikkei concept to UK: Peruvian trio Romania Parra, Jorge Sasaki and Santiago Wong have brought their Nikkei concept to the UK. The friends have operated Fan in Lima for the past two years, offering either a choice of either an 11-course omakase menu or an à la carte selection. These include dishes like scallops, squash butter, manchego cheese and crispy rice; ebi emperador nigiri with shrimp, nikkei cheese, batayaki, lime and tare; and sweet miso makie with ebi furai, apple furai, cream cheese, miso honey, smashed pecans and walnuts. The company has now opened at 6 Chepstow Road in London’s Notting Hill, reports Hot Dinners.