Heartwood Collection CEO – performance of our pubs with rooms is exceeding expectations, a lot clearer on what we are looking for site wise: Heartwood Collection chief executive Richard Ferrier has told Propel that the performance of the company’s pubs with rooms is exceeding expectations and the market for accommodation is still “massively under-served”. Earlier this month, the company, which operates 31 pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants, opened its sixth pub with rooms – The Ragged Robin in Godalming in Surrey, continuing its ambitious plans to grow its offering to more than 400 rooms by 2027. The opening took the group’s room offering to more than 190 bedrooms. Ferrier said: “It is undeniably tricky in the casual dining space at the moment if you look at the CGA data. Pubs have been more robust and they should be all weather. We haven’t got great gardens everywhere, but the ones where we do tend to compensate for the ones that don't. We are more food dominant than most so the bright sunshine is not quite as positive for us as the wider pub sector, but on the whole, I am really pleased with how we are performing. The pubs with rooms are exceeding expectations. We continue to open sites we acquired at the back end of last year from a stand-alone pub perspective, but I believe the majority of growth will continue to come from pubs with rooms. We are not really looking at any stand-alone pubs, unless something really special came up. Having traded pubs with rooms for more than a year, we're a lot clearer about what we're looking for. So that naturally narrows down the kind of opportunity we would look at. But what's really exciting is it is still a massively under-served marketplace and particularly where you can be thoughtful about adding bedrooms on a plot of land or a building adjacent. Clearly, it’s still a really exciting part of the market, primarily driven by the fact that, generally speaking, everybody finds labour control tough in this market, and rooms are much less labour intensive so it just feels like a more sustainable long-term play. We are fortunate to have the backing to follow this strategy.” In terms of a site sweet spot, Ferrier said the company has set a minimum floor of 20 bedrooms. He said: “Partly because of the resources needed on our side to deliver the projects properly. We've got some pushing on to 60 bedrooms. Those can be exciting, but sometimes the management structure required to deliver that and above requires a step change in the management structure and it's arguably not as profitable or as exciting as that 30 to 50 rooms mark. We are still refining what the ideal site looks like. We were going into it relatively blind last year, so it has been a steep learning curve, but I am really pleased about how we have navigated that. We’ve opened six pubs with rooms in just over 12 months, which I believe is a significant achievement and to operate them as well as we are doing is really gratifying.” 

 

Sponsored message – join the first Meaningful Vision webinar on Ireland’s fast-changing foodservice market: Ireland’s foodservice sector is entering a period of rapid transformation, and understanding where the next wave of growth will come from, and how to capitalise on it, has never been more important. Meaningful Vision is staging its first webinar dedicated to the Irish market. Hosted by chief executive Maria Vanifatova and business development and product director, Jez Fraser-Hook, the session will explore the latest data and emerging trends reshaping competition, pricing, and expansion opportunities in Ireland. Recent data shows that Ireland’s foodservice market grew by 5% in the fourth quarter of 2024, outpacing the UK. Yet key segments like chicken and sandwich remain under-represented – a potential gap for new operators to enter and thrive? Ireland also continues to trail the UK in fast-food brand density, with 27.5 outlets per 100,000 people compared with 28.3 across the UK. While Dublin saw a 2% drop in brand numbers, Cork led regional growth with a 3% rise, signalling shifts in where future opportunities may emerge. This webinar is ideal for brands and operators looking to position themselves smartly in a high-potential market. The session will take place on Thursday, 3 July from 11am to 11.45am. Click here to register and gain a data-led advantage. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Hundreds booked for Operational Excellence Conference: Hundreds of operators have now booked for this year’s Operational Excellence Conference, which is being held in partnership with Purple Story. The conference – which takes place on Wednesday, 9 July at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings – is designed for operations directors, managers, area managers, site managers and chief executives who want to maximise performance. Operating companies attending include The Restaurant Group, Greene King, Marston’s, Mitchells & Butlers, PizzaExpress, Wagamama, Burger King, Subway, Amber Taverns, BrewDog, RedCat Hospitality, Five Guys, McMullens, Bill’s, Joe & the Juice, Parkdean Resorts, Soho Coffee Co, Honest Burgers, The Alchemist Bars & Restaurants, Roadchef, Individual Restaurants, Portobello Pub Co, San Carlo, Bubble CiTea, Mowgli Street Food, Peach Pubs, Pizza Pilgrims, Comptoir Group, Wahaca, Beds & Bars, Arc Inspirations, Marugame Udon, Cosmo Restaurants, Flat Iron, Upham Pubs, Incipio Group, Buns from Home, Insomnia Cookies, Timothy Taylors, Caprinos Pizza, The Beautiful Pubs Collection, Livelyhood, McManus Pubs, Thorley Taverns, Cheshire Pub Co, Tapas Revolution, Berkeley Inns, AIM, Treetop Golf, Temper, Dakota Hotels, Public House Group, Bao London, Brother Marcus, Urban Village Pubs, Little Door and Co, Sandbox VR, Five Points Brewing Co/Whitelocks, Clays, The Cat & Wickets Pub Company, Hasty Tasty, Silk Rd, Lancaster Brewery, Koya London, Arepa & Co, Shiko Group, The Lost Estate, Crate Brewery, Jardines UK, Meet Bros, Siren Craft Brew, Blackbird Bakery and The Moat Wrotham. Propel managing director Paul Charity said: “As labour costs soar, lots of companies have responded to this opportunity as they look to get the best out of their teams and maximise performance. This is the largest operational conference in the UK by attendance.” Propel is also launching “parallel sessions” at this year’s conference, which offer the chance to deep-dive into specialist subjects. There will be a chance for teams attending the conference to break away and absorb the parallel sessions. There will be ten parallel sessions in total, which will run alongside the main conference. For the full speaker schedule and details of the parallel sessions, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £345 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book.

Soho Hospitality founder and CEO Rohit Sachdev added to list of hosts on Propel Bangkok study tour: Soho Hospitality founder and chief executive Rohit Sachdev has been added to the list of hosts on the Propel Bangkok study tour. Bookings are being taken for the tour, which takes place from 13-17 November 2025. Sachdev will share his journey with the team and showcase some of his incredible operations such as Above 11, a Peruvian-Japanese rooftop bar and restaurant; Havana Social, an early 1950s pre revolution Cuban bar concept hidden in a back alley in Bangkok’s bustling nightlife district; Yankii, a fresh take on Japanese fireside grilling serving authentic and unorthodox dishes with plenty of theatre; Charcoal, serving up indigenous Indian kebabs paired with craft cocktails; and Apartment 101, an immersive, multifunctional nightclub that pays homage to the nostalgic lifestyle of fashion icons in 1970s New York City, featuring a clubhouse, pantry and arcade room. Bangkok is a culinary hot-bed of talent and has no less than 34 Michelin-starred restaurants. Other highlights include a tour of the city’s most impressive rooftop bar and restaurant operations; visits to some of the city’s most admired bar and speakeasy operations – some of which are in the world’s top 50; and visits to some of the best hotel operations in Asia. Included are flights, three nights’ accommodation, three hosted dinners, a welcome drinks reception and all tours. The single occupancy price is £3,500 and twin occupancy price is £3,250. The tour will be hosted by Myles Doran, founder and managing director of Hospitality Inc, which is a specialist in delivering irresistible international hospitality tours. For further information, contact Myles at myles@hospitality-inc.co.uk or on 07710 783485.

 

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 casual dining sector such as London restaurant and whisky bar operator Boisdale, Japanese restaurant concept Zumuku Sushi and pizza concept Eco Restaurants. 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.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a supplier to the hospitality and foodservice industry that is looking for a commercial director. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role will be responsible for networking, selling and opening doors for new business within the hospitality sector. Strong knowledge of the sector and experience dealing with c-suite level operators in hospitality is essential.” The salary is up to £80,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mikey@corecruitment.com. 

Jamie Oliver Restaurants launches in Greece: Jamie Oliver Restaurants has launched in Greece. The business last year struck a deal with long-standing franchise partner, PHC Franchised Restaurants Public, which took the rights to launch Oliver’s restaurant brands in the country. The first site has now opened in Greece, in the Golden Hall Mall in Athens. “Our new Jamie Oliver Kitchen is now open in the iconic Golden Hall Mall, marking the 24th country for the Jamie Oliver Restaurants group,” a company spokesman said. “We’ll be bringing the greatest hits from Jamie’s food travels to your plate, jazzed up with local ingredients. Guests can tuck into barrel-aged Cypriot halloumi and Lefkada salami pizza, as well as a cracking line up of Greek wine. This is all-day dining at its best.” The group is also expected to launch in a further new international market in the coming months, in Montenegro. Ed Loftus, global restaurant group director at Jamie Oliver Restaurants, told Propel last month that the business is set to focus on opportunities to launch in the US, and on entering the luxury hotel market, over the coming 12 months. The business currently operates circa 70 sites across 24 countries. Loftus said he expects the group have grown to 87 locations by the end of the year, and that it will exceed 100 sites within 18 months.

 

Greggs launches first eco drive-thru: Food-to-go operator Greggs has launched its first eco drive-thru, fitted with a range of new sustainability initiatives. The site, located in Easton Lane in Winchester in Hampshire, will test new eco-features – including materials used for elements of the build and in-shop operational initiatives – to then be rolled out across other Greggs shops. Sustainable initiatives in the new shop include sun tubes to reduce artificial lighting, low energy light fittings and daylight harvesting technology, and solar panels to power all of its in-store digital signage. There is also a rainwater harvesting unit, which has capacity of 3,000 litres and is expected to reduce water usage by around 13%. Furthermore, heat pump air conditioning and overdoor heater systems will work in conjunction to balance air temperature, with a heat recovery system utilising warm air from refrigeration extraction to warm the air, while a heat pump system uses surrounding air to heat water. The company launched its first eco shop in Northampton in 2022, to trial initiatives including knee-operated sinks, under-counter water heaters, energy efficient ovens and more sustainable refrigerant gas. However, as new technologies developed, the company said a new testbed was required to explore innovative sustainability initiatives. Tony Rowson, property director at Greggs, said: “We’re excited to have launched our first eco drive-thru. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved with our first eco shop, which means we can now test further materials and initiatives in this new unit, bringing us another step closer to reaching our net zero carbon objective.”

McDonald's and Krispy Kreme end partnership: McDonald's and Krispy Kreme have announced that they will end their partnership, effective 2 July, due to cost challenges. The partnership between McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme began with a small-scale test in October 2022. Initially, Krispy Kreme doughnuts were offered at nine McDonald’s locations in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Following positive results, the test expanded in early 2023 to 160 McDonald’s restaurants in Kentucky. Earlier this year, McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme officially announced plans for a phased, nationwide rollout of Krispy Kreme doughnuts at McDonald’s restaurants. The goal was to make fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts available daily at McDonald’s locations across the US, with full nationwide availability targeted by the end of 2026. However, Krispy Kreme chief executive Josh Charlesworth said efforts to bring costs in line with unit demand were unsuccessful, making the partnership unsustainable for the company. To drive future sustainable growth, Krispy Kreme said it is focused on making its fresh doughnuts available in more places, not just to eat but to share, through its two largest opportunities: profitable US expansion through high-volume retail points of distribution and capital-light international franchise growth. “We had strong collaboration with Krispy Kreme and it delivered a great, high-quality product for us, and while the partnership met our expectations for McDonald’s and owner/operators, this needed to be a profitable business model for Krispy Kreme as well,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald’s chief marketing and customer experience officer.

Papa John’s to reopen in Newport tomorrow: Papa John’s will reopen its store in Maindee in Newport, south Wales, tomorrow (Thursday, 26 June). The company said reopening the store at 94 Chepstow Road will bring up to 15 jobs to the area and will offer both collection and delivery options. A Papa John’s spokesperson said: “We’re thrilled to bring Papa John’s back to Maindee and can’t wait to reconnect with the Newport community. Pizza is what we do best, and we’re looking forward to serving up our freshly made favourites to both new and familiar faces.”

Amorino set to make its north east debut, Scotland up next: Italian gelato brand Amorino is set to make its north east debut and will follow that by launching in Scotland. The company has secured a site at 124 Grainger Street in Newcastle for what will be its 37th UK store overall and third in the north. Hubert Attali, who owns the UK master franchise for the brand, said: “We’re delighted to share that Amorino has secured a new lease for our 37th UK store in Newcastle (124 Grainger Street). Following the success of our shops in York and Leeds, we’re excited to bring our authentic Italian gelato to the north east. And the expansion doesn't stop there – Scotland, you’re next!” The company currently has 34 UK locations open and is preparing to open in London’s Tottenham Court Road and Wimbledon’s Queen’s Road this summer. The brand has previously targeted reaching 45 locations by the end of 2025.

 

Rose Pubs and Bodean’s owner pays out £10m in dividends, increases turnover and profit: London pub and restaurant operator Solitaire, which operates Rose Pubs and the barbecue restaurant concept Bodean’s, has paid out £10m in dividends and increased its turnover and profit in the year ending 31 May 2024. The company paid no dividends the previous year. Turnover increased from £45,187,923 in 2023 to £51,319,343. Of this, £43,877,325 came from its pubs (2023: £37,613,275) and £7,442,018 from its restaurants (2023: £7,574,923). Pre-tax profit was up from £8,644,933 in 2023 to £10,019,654. Interest income totalled £32,139 (2023: £22,083) and £2,000 in government grants was received (2023: £12,633). The company operates four Bodean’s restaurants across London, while its northern estate includes YES in Manchester, The Ox Club and Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds and Nightcrawler in Liverpool. The group’s Rose Pubs estate in London is 22-strong and includes Abbey Tavern in Kentish Town Road, Adam & Eve in Homerton High Street, Camden Head in Camden, The Chequers in Walthamstow High Street, Enterprise Hotel in Haverstock Hill, MOTH Club in Hackney and William the Fourth in Leyton. During the year, Solitaire Restaurants partnered with Square One, which provides large-scale bar operations at events such as Highest Point Festival, Creamfields and Parklife, to form a collaboration called Super Serve, to lead the food and beverage offering at new Manchester “cultural space”, Farm International. Post year-end, Gemma Hampton-Stone was promoted from operations director at Rose Pubs to become Bodean’s new managing director.

Individual Restaurants confirms plans for site at London’s Tower Bridge: Individual Restaurants, the Restaurant Bar & Grill and Piccolino operator, has confirmed it is to enhance its presence in London with an opening under the latter brand near Tower Bridge. Propel revealed at the start of this month that the Andrew Garton-led business is to replace the 1751 Distillery Bar & Kitchen site in the Hilton Tower Bridge Hotel, More London. The site was previously a Jamie's Italian before The Restaurant Group Concessions opened the 1751 Distillery Bar & Kitchen there in 2020. The company said the partnership marked a “new chapter of growth” for the brand and will feature Piccolino’s first breakfast offering alongside its regular menu ranging from handmade pasta to caviar. Individual Restaurants said the proposed opening follows a strong 12 months for Piccolino. The company invested £4m into its estate last year and opened new sites in Marlow, Henley-on-Thames and Chichester. Andrew Garton, chief executive of Individual Restaurants, said: “This new opening marks a new chapter of Piccolino. This is the first-time we are bringing our signature Italian hospitality into the hotel sector, and we are doing so with a newly elevated look and feel to represent where the brand is heading. We are evolving Piccolino, rooting ourselves in authentic experiences and this partnership with Hilton is just the beginning.” On the new site, which will open next month, Individual Restaurants said: “Piccolino brings the timeless elegance of Italian dining to one of London’s most iconic addresses. inspired by the rich culinary heritage of Italy’s diverse regions, our menu is a celebration of authenticity – where every ingredient tells a story and every dish is crafted with passion.” The site will be the 23rd opening under the Piccolino brand, which also operates sites in London’s Heddon Street and Broadgate. In April, the business launched its new premium pizza concept, Forbici, in the former Betfred site in Manchester’s Cross Street.

Grind opens in Manchester for regional debut: Grind, the David Abrahamovitch-led business, has opened in Manchester for its regional debut. Propel revealed in December that Grind – which operates five cafés, six coffee shops and three coffee trucks in London – had secured the remaining food and beverage space in Gary Neville’s Relentless Developments’ St Michael’s scheme in the city’s Jackson Row. The site has now opened, offering all the favourite menu items from Grind’s cafes and coffee shops in London, plus a few more added just for Manchester. “It definitely feels like this is a more grown up Grind compared with the others,” Frankie Cooke, brand marketing manager at Grind, told the Manchester Evening News. “For us, it’s a sign that things have evolved – it feels like a nice progression from the sites we already have. It’s a place you can go at any time throughout the day for a coffee or cocktail that isn’t really a coffee shop – it wasn’t something that really existed when Grind first opened. This opportunity came up and it just made sense – it’s a really exciting place to be and it definitely feels like the right time to be here.” In April, Grind added to its presence in London with an opening at the National Theatre. The business opened a site on the north-west corner of the theatre complex. 

Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group plans Edinburgh site for Paesano concept: Scottish operator Di Maggio’s Restaurant Group (DRG) has lined up a first opening outside Glasgow for the Paesano concept it acquired last year. The company has submitted plans to open a new restaurant in the former Cass Art building at 77A George Street in the Scottish capital. The concept currently operates three sites in Glasgow, in the city’s Miller Street, Great Western Road, and Pollokshaws Road. Last year, the group acquired the then two-strong Paesano, and sister business Sugo Pasta, for an eight-figure sum from restaurateur Paul Stevenson – with plans to expand both concepts. A new Paesano opened in DRG’s former Di Maggio’s restaurant in Pollokshaws Road in Glasgow’s Shawlands in May. In February, Propel revealed DRG was planning to make its London debut by opening a site under its Café Andaluz concept in The Gosling, the new mixed-use development in Richmond. The group previously chose the Café Andaluz concept to launch its first English restaurant, which opened in Newcastle in 2021.

Kricket to launch new partnership with Sixes: Indian restaurant group Kricket is to launch a new partnership with Sixes, the cricket-based competitive socialising concept, which will see the former bring its food to the latter’s venues across the UK. Launching on Thursday, 3 July in the Sixes site in London’s Fitzrovia, followed a week later in Fulham, the partnership will see a specially curated Kricket menu introduced across Sixes venues – with a wider rollout planned for later this summer. The companies said: “The obvious name parody aside, Kricket's bold, modern Indian cooking and relaxed, shareable style make it a natural fit for Sixes' high-energy, social setting. The menu highlights include Kricket favourites such as Keralan fried chicken, bhel puri, and a range of regional curries.” Rik Campbell, co-founder of Kricket, which is marking its tenth anniversary, said: “This is the ideal partnership and an opportunity for us to create a powerful story as we approach summer and the cricket season. Kricket will bring a more elevated dine-in experience to Sixes' already unique blend of fun and entertainment.” Calum Mackinnon, co-founder of Sixes, said: “Partnering with Kricket and bringing its incredible menu to our Sixes venues is a dream come true. It felt like a perfect match – not only because we're all about cricket and it’s called Kricket – although, in all honesty, that did help.” Earlier this month, Campbell told Propel he is aiming for the business to be in “multiple international cosmopolitan cities” in ten years’ time as it resurrects its overseas plans.

Cuppa Chai opens first chaii shop in a UK train station: Cuppa Chai has opened what it claims is the first chaii shop in a UK train station. The company has opened at South Western Railway’s Vauxhall station in south London – offering a range of chaii, specialty coffee and juice alongside freshly prepared paninis, parathas, pastries and traditional South Asian snacks. Cuppa Chai has had a presence in Karachu, Pakistan, since 1966, and came to the UK in 2022, opening a flagship location in Wimbledon. The company also has UK sites in Wallington High Street, Bromley High Street and Fallowfield in Manchester. The company has previously stated that it has a target of 100 stores here and has a “healthy pipeline” of locations including Birmingham, Shepherd's Bush, Newcastle, Slough and Edinburgh. “Opening at Vauxhall marks a major turning point,” owner Dawood Bush told whichfranchise. “Transport hubs are ideal for a grab-and-go product like karak chaii, and we’re proud to be pioneering this space.”

The Salad Project lines up second Spaces site: The Salad Project, the all-day dining concept that launched in London in 2021, is to open a second site under its “Spaces” format. The eight-strong company will open its second “digital-only” site in front of the Tate Modern, in Southwark. The business opened its debut site under the Spaces format – “a digital ordering-only, ultra-convenient version of our concept catering to our loyal City customers” – last year in Watling Street in the City. The Southwark opening is one of four stores opening over the next four months. The business, co-founded by Florian De Chezelles and James Dare, is also bringing sites to the Nova development in Victoria, Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill, and Battersea Power Station. James Raven, of Raven Green, acted on the Southwark deal. 

The Salad Kitchen secures site in London’s Marylebone: The Salad Kitchen, the London grab-and-go concept, has secured its seventh site in the capital, in Marylebone. The company, which was founded by Sam Cole and Ross Cannon, has secured 68 Welbeck Street, which will become its second site in the West End after its site in Avery Row, Mayfair. The business opened its first premises in 2014 and has doubled revenue – last year to £5m – and turned a profit each year since 2021. The business aims to open a further six stores by the end of 2026. Samuel Nassimi, of at CDG Leisure, acted on the Marylebone deal.

Edinburgh operator secures former Barburrito premises for second Umi site: Edinburgh operator Kenny Zhong has secured a second site in the city for his Japanese concept Umi. The chef, who also operates the Kenji Sushi and Bentoya restaurants in the Scottish capital, has secured the former Barburrito at 6 Shandwick Place, for an opening later this summer. Zhong already operates a Umi site in Edinburgh’s Chapel Street. The Restaurant Group acquired the then 16-strong Barburrito for £7m in July 2022. The disposal of the Shandwick Place site leaves Barburrito with nine sites. Barry McNeil, of Cornerstone Business Agents, acted on the Shandwick Place deal. 

New doner kebab concept to launch in Manchester, two further sites planned in city ahead of nationwide growth: A new doner kebab concept is launching in Manchester with two more sites lined up in the city ahead of plans for nationwide growth. Great British Doner (GBD) will open its flagship location on Friday (27 June) in Barton Arcade in Deansgate, in the premises previously occupied by Catalan restaurant Lunya. GBD is the brainchild of Mehmet Nezir Korkut, a Turkish-born entrepreneur and restaurateur drawing on more than 25 years of hospitality experience. He began his career in Mardin before operating restaurants in Marmaris, serving British tourists with his signature flavours. He is the former owner of Manchester’s Café Istanbul and franchisee of Sultanahmet Köftecisi. Korkut said: “Great British Doner is about more than just food. It is about culture, connection, and creating something that celebrates tradition while embracing modern British taste. Our mission is simple: serve great doner with quality, integrity, and bold flavour.” The GBD menu will include 100% premium beef doner, layered and hand-seasoned, as well as marinated chicken doner, made with a 60/40 mix of breast and leg. Vegetarian options will include halloumi and falafel wraps, and there will be a vegan doner made using spiced vegetables and hummus. All wraps, burgers and boxes will be served with a fresh combination of salad ingredients and there will be a selection of house sauces. There will also be a dessert offering such as a red velvet cake, and the frozen chocolate doner, which will have chocolate shavings poured on top of a warm pancake. Following its city-centre debut, GBD plans to open two additional sites – at Manchester Arndale and Piccadilly – later this year, with further nationwide growth in the pipeline.

Aldrich Inns secures second London pub: Aldrich Inns, the fledgling pub business from Callum Murphy and Will St John, has secured its second site in London, in Chelsea. Earlier this year the business reopened the Newman Arms in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, after acquiring the freehold. The business has now secured The Goat in Fulham Road, on assignment of the lease from Stonegate Group. It is understood that substantial works are to be undertaken to refit The Goat. Aldrich Inns is on a “mission to breathe life back into heritage-rich pubs that might otherwise fall by the wayside”. Paul Tallentyre acted on both Aldrich Inns deals. 

Hertfordshire pub and restaurant brought to market after operating company goes into administration: A pub and restaurant in Hertfordshire has been brought to market after the operating company went into administration. Shipton Hospitality Group, led by Daniel Shipton, opened its first venue, the Quiet Man pub in Hertford, in 2016, and added the Hertford House hotel and the Hole in the Wall and Anexo restaurants in the town and had previously said it was aiming to open a second The Quiet Man pub, in St Albans. Agent Fleurets has now been instructed to market the Hertford House hotel and The Quiet Man pub, which comprise two interconnected buildings in Fore Street by administrators FRP Advisory. The freehold interest is available at a guide price of £2,200,000 plus VAT. Hertford House hotel occupies the upper floors of both properties, offering 28 en-suite bedrooms. On the ground floor is a reception area and lift lobby, alongside a 60-cover restaurant with an open kitchen and private dining area. The basement houses the Hertford House Bar & Lounge, featuring a full-length bar servery, DJ stage and dance floor. The Quiet Man pub offers a single, open-plan trading area with seating for approximately 40. The space connects to a rear outdoor trading area and shares cellar and upper floor access with the hotel. An external seating area fronts Parliament Square, and to the rear of the property, there is an additional outdoor trading area. 

Beaufort House owners to open new Mediterranean restaurant: The owners of Beaufort House, the Chelsea-based events venue and brasserie, are set to open a new Mediterranean restaurant. Kora will open next month on the ground floor of Beaufort House, at 345 Kings Road. Executive head chef Sasha Ziverts will lead a menu of dishes including dry-aged short loin, Saganaki prawns, whole barbecue turbot and Garnett Farm pork chop — all brought to life over an indoor fire. Beaufort House founders Simon Oldham and Louis Hysa said: “Kora is a modern homage to Mediterranean tradition. We wanted to create something rooted in simplicity, generosity, and warmth, yet shaped by a contemporary rhythm. Every detail, from the olive-toned interiors to the sea-kissed flavours, reflects that balance.” Oldham and Hysa also operate Mexican restaurant concept Azteca, which has sites in Chelsea and Battersea.