M&B CEO – ‘trade was quite volatile week to week during the quarter’, Vintage Inns and Nicholson’s among strongest brands: Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers, the Toby Carvery, All Bar One and Harvester operator, has told Propel that trade in the three months to 20 September 2025 “was quite volatile week to week” and its strongest brands for the year include Nicholson’s and Sizzling Pubs. The business reported like-for-like sales were up 4.2% for the 51 weeks ending 20 September 2025 with like-for-like sales for the fourth quarter up 3.1% compared with last year. Urban said: “Our strongest brands for the year have been Vintage Inns, Nicholson’s, Sizzling Pubs and Ember. The fourth quarter has been a little weaker but summer didn’t really happen, so our big summer sites had ok trading but not great, as we’d hoped for and expected. Our London focused brands have done relatively well, and have traded at the same level or slightly ahead of London-focused peers, but again slightly below where we had hoped. We think there are a number of other factors at play too, from foreign holidays (now largely done), and speculation over the impending Budget. However, trade was quite volatile week to week during the quarter, and we expect things to settle back to where we had been tracking. Crucially, our gap to the market has remained and may have even strengthened slightly over the period, so we know it is market/macro factors driving fluctuations. As we start our new financial year, we see no reason to do anything differently, but as always will be looking to go quicker and better, but that has always been our philosophy. We have a full capital programme planned that is already underway, and in Ignite, a whole range of initiatives in various stages of deployment that will move the business forward.” Urban said its Ego concept is now almost fully integrated and the integration of Pesto, which it acquired in May last year, will follow on. He said: “This is a market segment we see a lot of opportunity in, but pleasingly, we don’t have any ‘burning platforms’ so conversion will be steady, with priority given to integration and refreshing the existing businesses. That is the same for Orleans (Smokehouse) in that pace for expansion will be slow for now. Next year has large food cost increases to overcome, and the uncertainty of the chancellor’s Budget just means we think stability right now is the best route forward.” 

Boxpark CEO Matt Snell to speak at final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, open for bookings: Matt Snell, chief executive of Boxpark, will be among the speakers at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, which is open for bookings. Snell will talk about moving from casual dining into becoming an all-day, multi-brand, multi-purpose operator, the evolution of the business and how it chooses who to work with. The all-day conference takes place on Wednesday, 5 November, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London’s Kensington. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium subscribers who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,457 operators and ten new companies today: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database today (Friday, 26 September), at 12pm. The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,457 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 1,001 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 800 (23%) pub and bar operators, 603 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 487 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 283 (8%) hotel operators, 229 (7%) experiential leisure operators and 54 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes ten new companies. New additions to the experiential leisure sector include north west padel operator Ignite Padel and BAM Karaoke Box, the Asian-style karaoke concept. 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 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 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. In this week’s Propel Premium, Simon Anderson, food hall consultant at Ideas Food Consultancy, and ex-chief operating officer at Market Halls, argues that pubs are a key part of the country’s social infrastructure and why they must be central to town and city regeneration plans. Meanwhile, Wingett looks at the week’s news, including the group rebrand of Prezzo Italian and its plans to become a multi-brand platform. 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.

Stonegate CEO – ‘I don’t think there’s an existential threat to pubs in the UK’: Stonegate Group chief executive David McDowall has said he doesn’t think there’s an existential threat to pubs in the UK and that suburban pubs have been “one of the strongest and most consistent” parts of the business in recent years. Speaking at the National Restaurant & Pub Show 2025 about the fracturing of communities, McDowall said: “Pubs are the answer to that; we were the original social media. They’re places where people genuinely, genuinely connect. One of the strongest and most consistent parts of our business over the last few years has been, in particular, suburban pubs. What I think has happened is people are realising more and more just how important these community assets are. We take that responsibility very, very seriously – it’s our job to make sure that they remain these great community assets. Personally I think, even though it has been challenging, there’s a real strength in pubs in our country, and I think they will continue to evolve. It’s part of our job to do that, and I don’t think there’s an existential threat to pubs in the UK.” In terms of further scaling the 4,300-strong business, McDowall said: “I don’t think about scale, because as a business scales, to just focus on that is incredibly dangerous. The success of Stonegate is built on individual pubs, and if we think too much about scale, there’s a real danger of getting lost in the averages. We’d rather look at the individual strength of every single pub. We are halfway through a three-year strategy to build Stonegate for the future and really build this partnership-led pub portfolio that we think is something to be really proud if. So that is the focus, and the vast majority of those pubs, whether they’re ours or someone else’s, will still be thriving as we leave them in better shape than we find them in.” McDowall also said the vast majority of the estate is intentionally left unbranded, “to try to ensure that the great operators, managers and publicans can thrive without the occasional restrictions of a brand”. He added: “The word brand is banned in Stonegate for very good reasons. The diversity of the business is our superpower, and at times, when we were very focused on this pub sits in that format and so on, we were kind of strangling the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the operator. What we want to do is create formats and structures so that within that, operators can really thrive and be the captain of their own ship.”

Pret A Manger CEO – ‘one of the key challenges is not what to do, it's what not to do’: Pret A Manger chief executive Pano Christou has said that one of the key challenges for the brand as it continues to grow is “not what to do, it's what not to do” with the simplicity of its offer remaining one of its key strengths, and warned against companies not staying close to the core of their business. Speaking at the Lunch! Show 2025, Christou said: “I could probably sit here for an hour talking about the challenges and the headwinds that the sector has faced over the past few years. But while businesses need to evolve and change, they need to make sure they don’t move away from what made them brilliant. It’s trying to stay close to the core of the business. I remember, in a conversation with one of our founders, Sinclair Beecham, a number of years ago, I asked him what was the most important thing when he started Pret, and he said it was always about the taste of the product, the quality of the ingredients. He said that's how consumers will vote on whether they come back or not. Even through covid, what we didn't do was reduce the quality of our ingredients or reduce the portion sizes. You hear about the shrink inflation narrative that's out there, but I think staying true to our product is key. That would be my advice for anyone running a business within the industry when you're going through those challenges, because I think it can be quick and easy to change things, to reformulate, to adjust specifications, but I would say do that with absolute caution, because more often than not it can take you down the wrong path.” Christou said that brands are built on consistency, and “it's all about having the right standards, processes and checkpoints to ensure you adhere to that consistency”. He said: “As an example, most brands are franchisors. They will charge a royalty, say 6%. We charge a royalty, as others do, but we have a ratchet, so the better you perform on customer experience operational standards, the lower your royalty. The worse you perform, the higher they are. So, we're trying to positively incentivise our franchisees. Five years ago, Pret didn't do franchising, whereas today, about 40% of our sales come from our franchise partners. So, that's about being obsessed about those checks and balances. But there's a fine line between checks and balances and hindering your teams from executing in a simple way. Pret is a simple business, but the biggest challenge for Pret is keeping it simple.”

Mojo Bars sees complaints upheld over Manchester venue advertising: Voodoo Doll, the company behind the Mojo Bars business, has had two complaints about advertising by its Manchester venue upheld by advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). A paid-for Meta advert for Mojo Manchester, seen in May 2025, featured a caption that stated, “T-wrecked”. The advert featured an image of Barney the Dinosaur and text that stated: “One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor – Barney.” The ASA challenged whether the advert was irresponsible because it was likely to have particular appeal to people under 18 years of age, and encouraged excessive consumption of alcohol. Voodoo Doll said its social media audience was restricted by Meta to over 18-year-olds and it provided data that showed the post’s audience demographic. The company also said it could not control whether people were circumventing Meta’s policies and protocols but, given that its operational licences would be at risk if it was to engage in the sale of alcohol to under-18s, there would be no benefit in seeking to promote to them. Voodoo Doll said the character “Barney” was from the 1980s and 1990s and would resonate with its target audience of over-18s and no attempt was made to influence any under-18s. In reference to the encouragement of excessive consumption of alcohol, Voodoo Doll said at no point did any element of the advert seek to incentivise or promote the excess consumption of alcohol. The construction of the post was to be an amusing cautionary tale, hence the use of the character Barney and the phrase “T-wrecked”. The company said it had attempted to engage with adult guests in an amusing way that prompted comment and discussion, not consumption. Both issues were upheld by the ASA which said, on the first count, it considered under-18s had not been entirely excluded from the audience and, on the second count, it encouraged excessive drinking and therefore breached the code. The ASA ruled the advert must not appear again in the form complained of.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with an independent restaurant in London’s Chelsea that is seeking a head chef. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The head chef of this Michelin Guide-listed venue, closed on Sundays and Mondays, will have full responsibility for the kitchen and the opportunity to shape the culinary direction of a highly regarded local favourite.” The salary is up to £65,000. For further details, email olly@corecruitment.com 

Starbucks to close ‘some’ UK stores as part of global portfolio review: Starbucks is to close “some” of its circa 520 UK company-owned stores following a review of its global coffee shops. The company confirmed it has launched a consultation over the proposed closure of a number of company-owned UK stores, putting workers at the sites at risk, However, the company did not disclose how many stores will be affected and where these are located. Starbucks runs around 520 company-owned stores in the UK, as well as franchise-owned coffee shops. It came as the group revealed it will reduce its portfolio of stores in North America by 1% this year and will cut around 900 North American head office jobs. The company had 18,734 North American locations at the end of June, and the company said it will end September with 18,300 stores. The company plans to spend $1bn on the cuts, which it aims to complete by the end of this month. The company cut 1,100 corporate positions in February. In a statement, Starbucks said: “As outlined in a letter shared by Brian Niccol (chief executive), we have conducted a review of our coffee house portfolio in North America and certain stores have been identified for closure where it has not been possible to create the physical environment customers and partners (employees) want, and where there isn’t a path to financial performance. While the EMEA business is on track to meet its commitment to open 80 new stores in the UK and 150 across EMEA this financial year, some stores in the UK, Switzerland and Austria will close as a result of this portfolio review.” Starbucks was founded in 1971 and today has more than 40,000 stores worldwide.

Permanently Unique Group reports strong financial performance with site Ebitda pushing £10m, plans to triple size of estate: Permanently Unique Group has reported a strong financial performance for the year ending 31 December 2024, with sales climbing from £29,341,081 to £36,737,249, as it gears up to make its international debut and sets its sights on tripling the size of its estate over the next five years. The group, which includes the Tattu, Fenix, and Louis concepts, saw site Ebitda increase to a record £9.8m from its six existing restaurants and launch of Italian American brand Louis last October. Pre-tax profit was up to £3,937,080 from £2,865,118 the year before. The company, which has entered its tenth year in operation, said trading remains strong. The group is currently forecasting significant growth in both turnover and Ebitda in 2025 with group profit expected to pass £11m following a full year's operation of Louis and exceptional like-for-like performance from the company's London flagship Tattu restaurant at the top of the Outernet building. This month also marks the group's first international outing with Tattu Dubai launching at the Ciel Tower, the world’s tallest hotel, located at the edge of Dubai Marina. The site spans 25,000 square feet over three levels and includes a restaurant, sky lounge and the world’s highest sky pool. Founder Adam Jones said: “2025 has been an important year for our business as we pass the ten-year milestone and expand our operations overseas. We have been quietly building some of the most popular restaurant brands in the UK despite the well-publicised economic headwinds. The business has more than tripled in size since we emerged from covid, now employing close to 1,000 across the UK and UAE. The first ten years have been somewhat of a whirlwind, but we have worked tirelessly on building the foundations for successful growth. I cannot wait to see what heights the brands can reach in the next ten.” Permanently Unique said it has ambitions to become “one of the most celebrated restaurant groups in the world” with a growth plan to triple the number of locations over the next five years. With a location for Fenix in Mayfair at 80 Piccadilly launching in February, a second London location for Tattu set to launch by summer and both Louis and Fenix Dubai launching before the end of next year, the business said it was “making strides to reach that target”.

Comptoir Group CEO – ‘we took a strategic step back to refocus on the fundamentals that make Comptoir an exciting, memorable, and relevant brand’: Chaker Hanna, who returned as chief executive of Comptoir Group earlier this year, has told Propel that the business had to take a “strategic step back to refocus on the fundamentals that make Comptoir an exciting, memorable, and relevant brand, as it was when we first launched”. It comes after the Comptoir Libanais and Shawa brands owner, which owns and operates 20 sites, with an additional six franchise locations, reported “robust” trading for the six months ending 29 June 2025 as revenue increased 0.6% to £16.0m (2024: £15.9m), a 1.6% increase on a like-for-like basis. Asked about what measures the business had implemented to underpin performance, Hanna, who left the business in 2022 after 12 years as chief executive, said: “The key element was to enhance the value-for-money proposition – not just in terms of pricing, but across the entire guest experience. We have improved operational efficiency, elevated our digital presence through IT upgrades and social media engagement, and most importantly, re-energised our team to consistently deliver high standards of service.” Hanna said the business was actively reviewing all costs including third-party contracts to identify cost-saving opportunities that “do not compromise the guest experience or our value-for-money offering”. He said: “This includes renegotiating terms and streamlining services to ensure operational excellence while maintaining brand integrity. We are actively looking for opportunities to grow all segments of our offerings.” He said the business was currently building “a strategic pipeline” for its quick service restaurant format Shawa. He added: “We are working closely with property agents to identify high-footfall, high-visibility locations that align with our brand. Target areas include high streets, market halls, and selected shopping centres, among others. These locations offer the right demographic and energy to support Shawa's growth ambitions.” On how much more price the sector could take, Hanna said: “While the sector is under immense pressure from rising costs coupled with consumers facing reduced disposable income, we must tread carefully. Pushing prices too far risks reducing footfall, which would be counterproductive. The key focus will remain on delivering value for money, maintaining customer loyalty, and ensuring long-term sustainability rather than short-term gains.”

Thesleff Group secures US debut site in California: Thesleff Group, which operates Central London restaurants including Los Mochis, Sale e Pepe, and Juno Omakase, is to make its US debut after signing an agreement to take space at the 200,000 square-foot retail and dining development – One Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. Spanning 12,103 square foot (including 10,000 square-foot internal and 2,000 square foot external), Los Mochis Beverly Hills will be set within the ten acres of botanical gardens and open space. The company said the space will offer guests a “dining experience immersed in nature, reinforcing One Beverly Hills' vision of blending world-class hospitality with a uniquely Californian landscape”. Construction began on One Beverly Hills – a $10bn development on the triangular corridor at Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Merv Griffin Way, and the Los Angeles Country Club – in February 2024. The development is slated for a phased completion beginning in 2027. Upscale Miami Italian restaurant and private club, Casa Tua Cucina, has also signed to take space at the scheme. Markus Thesleff, founder and chief executive of Thesleff Group, said: “This is a defining moment for our group. To open our first US site as part of one of the most talked-about developments in the country is both a privilege and a major opportunity.” Brent Habeck, executive vice-president of commercial leasing at Cain International, said: “We are proud to welcome Los Mochis to One Beverly Hills. One Beverly Hills is a once-in-a-lifetime project, thoughtfully designed to bring world-class offerings into a botanical setting unlike anything else in Los Angeles. Los Mochis is an ideal addition and embodies the distinctive experiences that One Beverly Hills will provide to residents, the local community, and visitors from around the globe.”

Gourmet doughnut concept Longboys shutters sites on back of spiralling costs: Longboys, the gourmet doughnut concept from Graham Hornigold, former head pastry chef at the Lanesborough Hotel and the Hakkasan group, has closed its three sites in London, citing rising inflation and spiralling costs for its decision. Longboys has closed its sites in Liverpool Street, Coal Drops Yard and Market Halls in Canary Wharf. Hornigold said: “You’ve probably noticed we’ve been a little quieter than usual. The truth is, with rising inflation, changes to national insurance, and product costs spiralling, the past few months have been incredibly tough. Like so many small independents across the UK hospitality industry, we’ve felt the impact hard. You may have seen that we made the difficult decision to close all Longboys sites in the hope of reopening. Sadly, we won’t be able to bring them back. But this isn’t the end – it’s a redirection. I want to thank everyone who has supported Longboys over the past six years – from our amazing customers to the brilliant people who made it all happen behind the scenes. A special thank you goes to our management team, our fantastic front of house crew, our PR and socials team, and of course, our exceptionally talented bakers. As ever, we’ll dust ourselves off and go again.”

Wagamama to open new Liverpool site next month: Wagamama, The Restaurant Group-owned brand, is to open a new site in Liverpool next month. The restaurant at Liverpool Shopping Park in Edge Lane will launch on Monday, 27 October. creating 45 jobs. The venue will seat 134 guests inside, with an additional 22 seats outdoors and bring Wagamama’s total to 168 restaurants across the UK. Guests will be able to sample bowls from the restaurant’s new menu that lands in the coming weeks, and will include a revamped bao bun selection and a refreshed kids’ offering. The restaurant will offer two of the brand’s latest initiatives, with students able to get 20% off Sunday to Thursday when they sign up to the platform Student Beans, and emergency service workers able to obtain a discount through the Blue Light Card programme. The restaurant follows the launch of Wagamama’s new brand platform, “Food Is Life”, which celebrates food’s emotional power and cultural importance.

Coffee#1 opens new site in Leicestershire: Coffee#1, the Nero Group-owned business, has opened a new site in Leicestershire for its 129th site. The 80-cover cafe, which also has 28 seats outside, is located in The Crescent in Hinckley. Area manager Beata Grabowska said: “We’re thrilled to open our next location in Hinckley. It’s a bustling location with a warm community vibe, and we’re confident Coffee#1 will fit right in. The new store’s interior is designed with warmth and vibrancy in mind featuring a living-room feel, shelves filled with books and unique illustrations showcasing local history, folklore and figures from the area.”

Wingstop UK secures second Nottingham site: Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has secured its second Nottingham site. The brand has acquired the former McDonald’s premises in St Peter’s Square to add to its restaurant in the Cornerhouse leisure complex in the city, in a deal brokered by Box Property. Wingstop operates 73 sites across the UK and has said it has “an extensive pipeline well into 2026”. Earlier this week, Wingstop strengthened its operational team with two new hires – Diego Martinho as head of delivery and Nathan Smith as senior construction manager.

Amorino secures Oxford location: Italian gelato brand Amorino has secured the site for an opening in Oxford. Work is under way to transform the former Burger King restaurant at 24 Cornmarket Street in the city centre. Amorino UK owner Hubert Attali said: “We're thrilled to announce that Amorino has secured a prime location in Cornmarket Street in Oxford. This marks our 41st store in the UK (Bromley, Newcastle and Wembley will open in October/November), and we're looking forward to bringing our signature Italian gelato to the city. We're aiming to open our doors before Christmas, so stay tuned for updates on our opening date. Get ready to indulge in our delicious gelato and experience the authentic taste of Italy in the heart of Oxford. A huge thank you to our team and partners for their dedicated hard work. We've had an exciting start to 2025, and we're not done yet – we're looking forward to opening more shops.” Propel revealed last month that Amorino also has locations in Bristol, Henley, London’s Fulham Road, Cheltenham and Chelmsford in the pipeline.

Yummy Collection to launch new restaurant pop-up called Above: Yummy Collection, the Anthony Pender-led business, is to open a new restaurant pop-up above its site in London’s Mile End, as the company gears up to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The business, which operates the Faber concept, will launch the new venture called Above, above its The Victoria pub. Pender said: “Next year marks 20 years of founding our own business and starting the journey of running and finding incredible venues, but above all else working with inspiring people. Thousands of people have worked in our Yummy Collection over the two decades with many going on to bigger things including starting their own adventures, running and starting their own businesses. To celebrate 20 years, I'm chuffed to announce we are opening a small restaurant 'Above' in east London. It's an intimate space brimming with colour and we promise surprises and delights as well as some of our favourite recipes from the last 20 years. No theme, no concept other than to do what we enjoy and love.”

Norfolk McDonald’s franchisee to open town’s first branch for his 15th site in December: Norfolk McDonald’s franchisee Kevin Foley will open the brand’s first branch in Fakenham in December for his 15th site. He will open a new drive-thru restaurant in Holt Road after twice gaining planning permission from Norfolk District Council. An application was first given the green light in March but it was brought back before the planning committee after complaints that the proximity of the site to several schools had not been appropriately considered by council officials. The application was approved for a second time in May, with council officials determining all four schools in the town were a suitable distance away. “Extremely happy and proud to have been offered the franchise of the new McDonald's in Fakenham,” Foley said. “This will bring us up to operating 15 sites across Norfolk. Currently under construction, with a potential opening date of 10 December. This means around 100 jobs offered to the community, with promotion of 13 management positions. We will be looking for people with great customer focus and the ability to work within a motivated team. This includes the promotion of a new business manager within our group. Already looking at ways to support the community in the area.” Foley is McDonald’s first UK-based second-generation franchisee. His portfolio includes a restaurant in Wroxham previously owned by his father, Terry, who was the first UK McDonald’s employee to be granted a franchise, in 1974.

Brasserie Blanc reveals refreshed brand identity alongside autumn menu launch: Brasserie Blanc, the French restaurant group founded by Raymond Blanc that is part of Heartwood Collection, has revealed a refreshed brand identity alongside the launch of its autumn menu. Nearly 30 years since opening its first brasserie, the group is returning to its roots “with a renewed celebration of its heritage as the UK’s leading French brasserie on the high street”. The group said the new look – spanning logo, menus, website and guest communications – embodies the convivial spirit of France with a contemporary warmth, while staying true to the brand’s core values of seasonality, sustainability and authentic French cooking. As part of the refresh, the team travelled across France to capture inspiration, building an extensive archive of photography and film that now weaves through the brand identity. This season’s menu celebrates the best produce of autumn, drawing inspiration from the regions of France and showcasing the skills of Brasserie Blanc’s chefs. The menu includes classic dishes such as soufflé au fromage, lapin à la moutarde, and île flottante, alongside a refreshed wine list featuring regional producers who champion biodiversity and organic viticulture. Richard Ferrier, chief executive of Heartwood Collection, said: “This rebrand marks an exciting new chapter for Brasserie Blanc. We’ve been part of the UK high street for nearly three decades and this is just the beginning of what promises to be a landmark year. By returning to our roots, we are ensuring Brasserie Blanc remains a favourite with our loyal guests while also welcoming a new generation of diners.” Blanc will continue as chef patron, guiding the creative direction of the menus. The rebrand also coincides with the launch of Brasserie Blanc’s new guest reward scheme on Wednesday (1 October), following the rollout of the “Treats” app at sister brand Heartwood Inns earlier this month. There are 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK.

Liverpool operators launch city’s first ‘pasta lab’: Liverpool operators, Paolo and Donato Cillo, have launched the city’s first “pasta lab”– Farina. Formerly known as Hey Farina when it first opened in 2023, the Richmond Street venue has been reimagined to develop the city’s first pasta lab where more than 15 varieties are freshly made onsite each day. Farina is also home to its signature crispy pizza Romana as well as focaccia sandwiches with the bread being provided by Paolo and Donato’s brother Carmine, who has his own bakery and bakes fresh every day. Guests can cutomise their pasta dish and pair it with their favourite sauce or choose from the menu, which includes Genovese sauce made up of beef with onions, paired with paccheri pasta. Donato’s son Antonio, who is also part of the venture, said: “Farina was born out of our family’s love of pasta and we’ve worked so hard to develop the menu so that we’re able to create a huge variety on site every day and with an open kitchen so guests can see the pasta being handcrafted by our team. Being Liverpool’s first and only pasta lab is very exciting and we’re delighted to bring a new concept to the city that’s built on our family history and culture.” The Cillos are also behind the four-strong Italian coffee shop concept Gran Caffè, Il Forno in Duke Street, Crust in Bold Street, the Italian Quarter’s Antonietta, Brunchin’ and Botanico in Woolton Village and the Panoramic 34 restaurant on the 34th floor of the city’s West Tower.

Scottish Oakberry franchisee eyeing further openings: Açai brand Oakberry’s franchisee in Scotland is eyeing further openings after opening the brand’s debut site in the country. Zulaica and Tania Yusaf opened the outlet at 20 Leith Street in Edinburgh, as part of the St James Quarter, at the end of July. This was a tenth UK location for Oakberry, which also has six London sites plus regional outposts in Bristol, Birmingham and Brighton. Zulaica said: “We officially launched Oakberry Edinburgh, the very first Oakberry location in Scotland, and the response has blown us away. From the moment we opened our doors, this city showed up for us – 200 people queued on launch day, and we've had lines out the door since. Over the summer, we’ve had the privilege of becoming part of Edinburgh’s vibrant wellness community, but we’re just getting started and we’re so excited for what’s to come.” Oakberry was founded in Brazil in 2016 and has grown to 600 locations in 35 countries. In November 2024, the company said it sees potential to open 50 sites across London over the next five years.

Open Restaurant Group to open new casual dining restaurant in Chester next week: Open Restaurant Group (ORG), owned by Andrew Sheridan with business partners Sam and Emma Morgan, will open its new casual dining restaurant in Chester next week. Noted in Bridge Street will welcome its first customers on Wednesday (1 October). The restaurant, formerly the site of Michelin-rated Da Noi, will serve dishes including the Noted sealed burger with truffle butter, green Thai fish curry with sticky rice and cashew, and chocolate mousse with olive oil and Maldon salt. Sheridan, who trained at Michael Caines' fine-dining restaurant in ABode Hotel in the city, said: “I am excited about the opening of Noted and look forward to showcasing the great food, service, and warm hospitality, ORG has become so well known for.” With the addition of Noted, ORG will operate a total of eight sites which includes Sheridan's flagship 3AA Rosette Restaurant 8 by Andrew Sheridan in Liverpool, Sow in rural Worcestershire, OXA in the Wirral, and Dishes in Prestatyn. Other sites include The Bracebridge in Sutton Coldfield, and Black & Green, and Cofton on the Green in Barnt Green, Worcestershire.

KoKoDoo gearing up to launch flagship London location: KoKoDoo, the Korean fried chicken concept founded as a restaurant by Joe and Mary Yoon in 2006 before evolving into a street food operation, is gearing up to launch a new flagship London location. Propel revealed at the end of 2024 that KoKoDoo was lining up a new store in the capital, at the same time as relaunching its franchise programme. KoKoDoo is now putting the finish touches to the site, in Fulham Broadway, ahead of opening. Joe Yoon said: “After several months of unexpected delays, it's great to finally announce our arrival to the Fulham Broadway neighbourhood. Transforming a former beauty salon into a fully-fledged quick service restaurant hasn't been without its twists and turns, from unforeseen additional conversion costs to council planning permissions. We’re now very excited to see the space come to life in the weeks ahead. A minimal, contemporary design, focusing on simplicity as our key concept. Behind the scenes, our culinary team has been refining a new updated menu that we know will establish KoKoDoo as a key player in the growing Korean food market. It’s been 18 months in the making, and we can’t wait to open our doors and finally share what we’ve been building.” KoKoDoo currently operates four London locations – in Shoreditch, Camberwell, Harrow and Chiswick – plus a regional outpost in Bristol, while a Swansea site remains temporarily closed. While these are run by franchisees, the new Fulham site will be company owned. Joe Yoon told Propel in April that KoKoDoo it is set to kickstart its expansion plans and is looking to “scale rapidly”. He said: “We haven’t yet had the chance to open a company-owned location, so this launch is a key milestone for us, after which we’ll fully resume our franchise expansion plans. This site will set the standard moving forward and we intend to use it as the blueprint for future franchise locations.”

Peak District operator put its three food and beverage-led properties on market as it refocuses strategy: Peak District operator Peak Venues has put its three food and beverage-led properties on the market as it focuses exclusively on its accommodation and property management business. Founded in 2006, Peak Venues has built a property portfolio of more than 100 venues specialising in large group accommodation, farmhouses, holiday cottages, wedding venues, converted pubs and luxury apartments. The freehold sites being marketed are The Royal Oak pub in Hurdlow for a guide price of £1,500,000, The Yondermann Café in Wardlow Mires for a guide price of £600,000 and The Bull I’th Thorn pub with rooms in Buxton for a guide price £1,000,000. Each property is available individually or as a portfolio. Justin Heslop, director of Peak Venues, said: “After 40 years in the industry, including two decades operating food and beverage venues in the Peak District, this is the right time for us to step back from the hospitality trade and refocus on Peak Venues. The Royal Oak, the Yondermann and the Bull I’th Thorn are all performing strongly and at the top of their game with a strong team in place. The businesses are perfectly positioned for the next operator to take them forward, while we concentrate on expanding our property agency and accommodation portfolio.” Fleurets and Savills are the joint agents.

Norfolk US diner concept opens fifth site: Norfolk US diner concept Zaks has opened its fifth site. The business, which was founded in 1976, has a van operating outside the Bricklayers Arms pub in Ipswich. The van joins Zaks Waterside Diner and Zaks Mousehold Diner in Norwich, Zaks Porringland Diner in Porringland and The Yankee Traveller in Great Yarmouth. Co-owner Chris Carr said: “We have been looking for a site in Ipswich for a while, and we've been working closely with the council to find a town centre pitch. But we thought, while we're waiting for that, let's get down here and get to know the people of Ipswich. We've had a lovely response from the people that live around this area. We also launched Deliveroo last week, so that's starting to gain momentum as well.” Zaks was founded in 1976 by local musician and entrepreneur Harvey Platt, and in 1998, he sold the business to the family-run Blue Sky Leisure. In 2020, Ian Hacon and Carr became the joint owners after acquiring the business from Blue Sky Leisure. Hacon had previously spent 15 years working at Blue Sky Leisure, including nine years as chief executive, while Carr had previously led Zaks for ten years, up to 2016. A further site in Thetford opened in 2015 but closed in 2019.