Exclusive – Byron raises new equity to ‘continue to rebuild and grow’: Better burger brand Byron has staved off a further restructuring after raising additional equity to continue to “rebuild and grow”, Propel has learned. Propel revealed in August that Tristar Foods had filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators and was believed to be working with advisory firm KR8 Advisory on its options for the brand, which operates seven sites – in Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Liverpool and York as well as Covent Garden, South Kensington and Tottenham Court Road in London. Last month, the business filed a second notice of intention to appoint administrators, giving it a further ten days to find new investment or a buyer for the business. A spokesman for the business told Propel: “In a tough trading environment, Byron/Tristar Foods has raised additional equity to continue to rebuild and grow the brand.” At the start of 2023, Propel revealed the majority of the Famously Proper business, which operated the Byron and Mother Clucker brands, was acquired out of administration for a total consideration of £856,000 by Tristar Foods. This was a new company owned by Sandeep Vyas, co-founder of Calveton, which previously backed Famously Proper. The deal saw 12 of Byron’s 21 sites acquired as part of a pre-pack administration process. In July 2020, Byron closed 31 of its then 51 sites as part of a pre-pack administration process and sale to Calveton. Byron was founded in 2007 by Tom Byng, with backing from Gondola Group. In 2013, the then 34-strong business was acquired by private equity firm Hutton Collins for £100m. Byron grew to an £80m-turnover, 70-strong business before Byng’s departure at the start of 2017.

 

Sponsored message – Candid Hospitality publishes impact on subconscious bias in hiring six months into pilot scheme: Candid Hospitality, the anonymous matchmaking platform built to remove subconscious bias from recruitment, has released new data revealing its early impact on diversity and fairness in hospitality hiring. The results show removing personal identifiers such as age, gender and ethnicity from the hiring process is helping to level the playing field for candidates across all backgrounds, allowing operators to connect with the best candidates based purely on skills and values. Co-founder Sam Brown said: “Research shows subconscious bias still plays a significant role in UK recruitment. Women are 30% less likely to be invited to interview than men with identical CVs, and 12% further if they’re perceived to be of ‘childbearing age’. Candidates with non-English sounding names receive 48% fewer interview invites, and those perceived to be over-50 are invited to an incredible 25 times fewer interviews within hospitality.” Since launching its pilot six months ago, Candid has facilitated more than 2,000 anonymous conversations between candidates and companies. Of those who progressed to interview: 47% were women, 62% listed their ethnicity as an option other than ‘white-British’ and age had no measurable impact on progression at all. Incredibly, that means if you’re a candidate in your 50s, you’re 25 times more likely to secure an interview via Candid than through traditional routes.” Operators can still join Candid’s live pilot scheme To find out more, click here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Investment market panel to be held at final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, open for bookings: An investment market panel will be held at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, which is open for bookings. Andrew Ball, senior hospitality partner at haysmacintyre, will talk to Harry Goss, partner at McWin, Luke Johnson, co-founder and partner of Risk Capital Partners, Yasha Estraikh, associate partner at Piper Private Equity, Lizzie Ryan, managing partner at Imbiba, and David Roberts, partner at CMS McKenna, about the current investment market, where the buyer activity is centred and what the current investment criteria is in a volatile market. 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 Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday featuring 17 new companies and 81 updated accounts: Premium Club subscribers will receive the updated Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (10 October), at noon. The database will feature 17 new companies and 81 updated accounts. The database now features a total of 1,177 companies, with 743 in profit and 434 making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the New Openings Database, the Multi-Site Database, 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. 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.

 

Crunchtime – UK operators’ site growth plans remain in place despite economic concerns: UK operators’ site growth plans remain in place, despite economic concerns, according to new research from Crunchtime, the provider of operations management solutions to the restaurant industry. The company’s first research study, drawing on insights from 100 multi-site restaurant operators across the UK, looked at the momentum driving expansion and the operational challenges threatening to slow it down. The research found UK operators plan to open 20% more new locations on average in the next two years than they did in the past two, despite 78% feeling concerned about economic uncertainty. The operators said their sales forecasts are, on average, only 62% accurate, even though 82% are using some form of technology-based forecasting tools. The vast majority (89%) said real-time visibility into daily operational task completion is important, but only 31% of these have complete real-time visibility. Furthermore, 86% strive to partner with vendors who can support their growth, but 90% who opened new locations experienced vendor-related challenges during growth, including cost increases, poor support, and lack of integration.

 

Hospitality Innovation Lab launches ‘technology stack’ tool: The Hospitality Innovation Lab, the new initiative launched by the Hospitality Sector Council, in partnership with corporate innovation business L Marks and the Department for Business and Trade, is developing a “technology stack” tool, which it said will “address one of the key barriers to innovation in hospitality”. The tool will rate and review the different technology/products available to the industry – all based on hospitality business feedback. A spokesperson said: “Think of it like a hospitality specific ‘Which?’ that will help operators identify the right product/solutions for their business when they might lack the time and confidence to evaluate all the different options on their own. To ensure we get the right feedback, we have put together a hospitality ‘technology stack’ survey here. We’re keen to have as many operators fill this in as possible to get a true picture across the sector.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a business that is seeking an employee engagement lead. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will be responsible for designing and delivering initiatives that strengthen engagement, belonging and well-being, while partnering with leadership to develop programmes that align with the company’s values and business goals. The individual will bring proven experience in employee engagement, HR or internal communications within a service-focused business.” The salary is up to £50,000 and the role is based in Kent. For more information, email gemma@corecruitment.com.

 

Noble Hospitality Group ‘pursuing national and international expansion’, to open Chotto Matte Manchester this week: Noble Hospitality Group – the group behind Japanese brand Chotto Matte, Angus Steakhouse and Steak and Company – has said it is “pursuing national and international expansion” and expects “improved profitability” in 2026. The company reported a pre-tax profit of £772,000 for the year to 27 April 2025. The group said this was not comparable with the year before as, due to a change in reporting date, its previous restated pre-tax profit of £1,231,000 was for the 18 months to 30 April 2024. The company’s latest turnover was £36,919,000. The company’s restated turnover for the 18 months to 30 April 2024 was £54,215,000. The previous period also included £27,000 in government grants and £206,000 in lease surrender premium. In its latest year, the company also paid out £371,000 in legal, restructuring and pre-opening costs, while in the 18 months before, it gained £250,000 in an impairment release. Post year end, in September 2025, the group completed the sale of its Angus Steakhouse restaurant in London’s Piccadilly to US fried chicken brand Raising Canes for its UK debut, “as part of a strategic portfolio realignment”. Noble Hospitality Group director Phillip Blain said: “The business is pursuing national and international expansion, targeting growth markets while improving the efficiency of existing operations. Investment in customer experience, brand development and digital engagement will remain central to the company's strategy, and the directors expect these measures to support sustainable growth and improved profitability in 2026 and beyond.” Meanwhile, the group will open its Chotto Matte site in Manchester on Friday (10 October). The restaurant, in Gary Neville’s landmark St Michael’s development, will marks the brand’s first launch in the north of England. Located at the top of No.1 St Michael’s, the 20,000 square-foot space will debut an exclusive new concept, Claude’s, a Mexican-inspired skyview bar with an extensive mezcal and tequila offering. Chotto Matte founder Kurt Zdesar said: “We have created a space that combines bold design, immersive art, live music and, of course, our signature Nikkei flavours – all elevated by a stunning rooftop location overlooking Manchester. We have also introduced our new Mexican concept, Claude’s, to Manchester for the first time, offering something unique within this venue. We have loved working alongside Gary and the Relentless Developments team to create a space that we can all be truly proud of.” 

 

Fresh pasta concept Pastino planning fundraise, international launch and UK franchising: Fresh pasta concept Pastino, whose backers include Nabil Mankarious, the co-founder and former managing director of Fulham Shore, is set to launch a new fundraising round as it eyes further openings in the UK and an international launch. The concept, which is the brainchild of Franco Manca alumnus Ahmos Wasif, launched at the end of last year on the former Greggs site at 92 Tottenham Court Road. Pastino is described as a “fast-food meets fresh pasta operation” with orders placed at kiosks and prices starting at £4. The pasta is made fresh daily in-house and cooked to order for dine in or takeaway, with three pastas to choose from – rigatoni, spaghetti or casarecce. Pastino plans to launch three more company-owned sites in the UK before launching a franchise opportunity to aid further growth across the country. At the same time, the business is set to make its overseas debut, with openings lined up in Zimbabwe and Kenya initially. Pastino is going to open two international sites before the end of the year, with a plan to have five open by the end of next April. The business is also in advanced talks on sites in Dubai and Egypt. Furthermore, the business, which raised circa £1m to fund its launch last year, is set to launch another EIS funding round, with a target of raising circa £1.5m.

 

Wendy’s – ‘the UK represents a dynamic and strategic growth market’, ‘proud of the progress we have made’: Wendy’s, the second-largest quick service restaurant brand in the US, which made its return to these shores in 2021, has said the UK represents “a dynamic and strategic growth market” for the business, which is on track to have 50 stores opened here by the end of 2025. The brand currently operates 45 sites and has a further three restaurants opening, in Plymouth, Nottingham and Basildon, later this year. The new Plymouth restaurant will be the first Wendy’s in south west England, located in the Drake Circus shopping centre. Michael Clarke, Wendy’s managing director for Europe, said: “The UK represents a dynamic and strategic growth market for Wendy’s, and we are proud of the progress we have made to bring our signature menu to more consumers across the country. Our expansion is fuelled by strong demand for high-quality, freshly prepared food and exceptional hospitality. With a robust pipeline of new restaurants, we are firmly focused on establishing Wendy’s as a leading player in the UK quick-service restaurant sector.” It comes as the company has launched a new menu in the UK complete with a free toy. Wendy’s is now selling Frosty Frights kids’ meals here, which cost £3.99 each and feature a children’s meal and toy, with six different ones to collect. Chicken tenders are also joining the menu, available in three or five pieces and served with a range of sauces such as buttermilk ranch, honey barbecue or sweet chilli. Earlier this week, Propel revealed Wendy’s UK reported a £2m turnover boost in the year to 31 December 2024 after adding to its company-owned estate. The company’s turnover increased from £31,916,991 in 2023 to £33,962,708. Of this, £21,102,739 came from restaurant sales (2023: £19,582,543), £11,428,903 from management fees for UK restaurants (2023: £11,418,726) and £1,237,945 from advertising income (2023: £830,187).

 

Boston Tea Party – seeing strong like-for-like growth in 2025, back looking for new sites: All-day dining casual cafe brand Boston Tea Party (BTP) has told Propel that it is “back looking for new sites” and like-for-like growth has continued to be strong this year. Founded in 1995 and opening its first location in Bristol’s Park Street, the brand has since grown to 22 locations across the south west and Midlands. Sam Roberts, co-founder and chief executive of BTP, told Propel: “We’re continuing to see strong like-for-like growth this year – we’re currently on a 12-week run of positive like-for-like sales with our full-year ending on 22 October – and some exceptional work by the team has seen us negate national insurance and cost headwinds effectively, while delivering even better guest metrics. We’re also back looking for new sites, particularly in suburban Bristol and Birmingham, so an exciting year ahead.” It comes as the company, which closed its site in Bristol’s Stokes Croft in January, posted turnover of £21,090,151 for the year ending 16 October 2024 (2023: £21,662,372), with a pre-tax loss of £489,266 (2023: loss of £803,475). The business said it saw a 40% year-on-year uplift in Ebitda to £809,000. The company said: “The business continues to confidently navigate sector headwinds and remains optimistic about future growth. Annualised turnover was 60%, with stability at 58%, clear evidence that our ‘Good Eggs’ approach is working by bringing in values-led hires who stay and grow with us. We achieved a 77% participation rate on our happiness survey with an employee net promoter score (NPS) of 31%, a nine-point uplift on the previous year. Review scores for the year averaged 4.75 and 4.82 out of five on Google and TripAdvisor respectively, and by end of year ,were sitting at an average across both platforms of 4.85. Internal customer scores outperformed all day dining establishments, including achieving an NPS of 67. A full menu reset in early 2024 contributed to food and drink scores of 4.67 and 4.73 out of five, reflecting the consistent delivery of relevant, high-quality dishes to the customer. We continue to invest in our cafe estate, with full refurbishments of our two cafes in Bath, as well as our cafe in Cheswick, Bristol. Through menu simplification, tighter forecasting and a wholesale review of our team sheets, the business was able to mitigate significant increases in the national living wage and improve total labour from 41.7% to 41.2% year on year.”

 

Sharon Singh to step down from Marston’s: Sharon Singh is to step down as a director of operational excellence and guests at Marston’s at the end of this year, to pursue new opportunities. Singh, who has been a member of the company’s executive committee since summer 2020, has spent the past 13 months in the director of operational excellence and guest role. Previous to that, she was operations director for the company’s managed division for more than four years. She has spent more than 16 years at Marston’s across three separate periods, and also spent almost three years at Greene King, working on its Hungry Horse brand. After her departure, her team will report into Marston’s chief operating officer, Neil Campbell. A spokesperson for Marston's told Propel: “We would like to thank Sharon for her significant contribution and commitment to Marston’s over the past seven years. We wish her every happiness and success for the future.”

 

Gail’s hires Adam Truelove as head of people: Gail’s, the fast-growing bakery cafe business that operates circa 175 sites, has hired Adam Truelove, formerly of Megan’s, Cote and Patisserie Valerie, as its new head of people. Truelove spent 13 months as people director at cafe and deli brand Megan’s after eight months with French brasserie Cote. Prior to that, he spent a year and a half as group people and culture director at Patisserie Valerie and its sister brand, Bakers + Baristas. Truelove has also worked with Wagamama, brewer and retailer Greene King and Stonegate. Last month, Gail’s opened its first airport site, at London Gatwick’s South Terminal. The launch follows on from transport hub openings in London train stations, including St Pancras International, London Bridge and Liverpool Street, over the last 12 months. 

 

Hawksmoor to open restaurant and standalone bar in London’s St Pancras hotel: Award-winning steak restaurant business Hawksmoor is to open a new restaurant and standalone bar in the Midland Grand hotel in London’s St Pancras. The 13-strong business, which was founded by Huw Gott and Will Beckett, is set to take over the former site of Victor Garvey within the hotel, with the opening later this year of a 95-cover restaurant. It will also feature a private dining room and chef’s table. Alongside the restaurant, Hawksmoor will also take on the building’s high-ceilinged bar, with an outdoor terrace and DJ stage, named The Martini Bar. “There are very few buildings that Huw and I have always spoken about as dream Hawksmoors, and this is one,” said Beckett. "As we approach the 20th anniversary of our first Hawksmoor restaurant, it feels perfect to be able to bring everything we’ve learned in London and beyond back to one of the most dramatic and gorgeous buildings in our home city.” Gott added: “I’ve always loved working with incredible architectural heritage, and there are no finer buildings around. We’re loving thinking about what will go on the menu and drinks lists.” Last month, Hawksmoor reported turnover for the year to the end of 2024 broke the £100m mark, as it told Propel it was close to agreeing one or two new sites for the next 12 months. The company reported turnover of £100,385,000 in 2024 (2023: £80,782,000) with adjusted Ebitda of £9,883,000 (2023: £9,194,000). Pre-tax loss for the year, in which it opened its second site in the US, stood at £3,237,000 (2023: loss of £855,000). The company told Propel that 2025 will be another year of record turnover and profit (including margins).

 

Portobello Pubs & Bars to reopen first of acquired Darwin & Wallace sites as part of rolling programme of upgrades: Portobello Pubs & Bars, which is backed by private equity firm Zetland Capital, will reopen No35 Mackenzie Walk, overlooking Eden Dock in London’s Canary Wharf, tomorrow (Thursday, 9 October), following a £350,000 refurbishment. Following Portobello Pubs & Bars’ acquisition of London neighbourhood bar-restaurant business Darwin & Wallace group in 2024, the relaunch of No35 marks the first in a rolling programme of upgrades across the collection of premium bar venues over the coming months, with No32 The Old Town in Clapham Common set to be refurbished in November. No35 will debut Monte Carlo Beer in Canary Wharf. The brand, born in Monaco, made its exclusive UK debut this summer through a strategic partnership with Molson Coors Beverage Company. Jamie Meakes, operations director at Portobello Pubs & Bars, said: “We are excited to be relaunching No35 Mackenzie Walk, with a beautifully enlarged interior and upgraded terrace featuring extended heating and lighting for year-round waterside enjoyment.” Portobello, which operates circa 30 sites, is led by managing director Richard Stringer and chief financial officer Mayuri Vachhani.

 

Prezzo Italian secures site in London’s Kingston-upon-Thames: Prezzo Italian, the Brava Hospitality Group-operated brand, has secured a new site in London’s Kingston-upon-Thames for an opening next month. The James Brown-led, circa 95-strong business returned to the expansion trail this summer with an opening in Edinburgh, with a site in Rugby opening this week. Propel understands Prezzo Italian has now secured the Las Iguanas site in Kingston High Street from Big Table Group. Brown told Propel last month: “We will potentially do four new sites in total this year. We may or may not get a Central London site away this year. We’ve got the location and we’re pretty chuffed with it. We’re looking at a few and we’ve got a second one to be secured in London as well.” Last month, the business rebranded as Brava Hospitality Group, to reflect its transition from a single-brand operator to a broader platform designed to manage and grow multiple brands across the UK. At the Propel Multi-Club Conference last month, Brown said the business was working on a second brand that “you will probably see next year” and was again exploring a quick service restaurant format. Richard Negus, of AG&G, acted on the Kingston deal.

 

Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons reports loss ahead of 18-month closure: Raymond Blanc’s Michelin-starred hotel restaurant Le Manoiraux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire has reported a loss ahead of its 18-month closure. The venue, near Great Milton, will undergo a redevelopment throughout next year, closing in January 2026 and reopening in summer 2027. In documents just filed with Companies House, the company reported a pre-tax loss of £280,000 for the year to 31 December 2024, compared with a profit of £2,215,000 in 2023, as administrative expenses rose by more than £2m. Turnover was up from £19,853,000 in 2023 to £20,238,000. Of this, £10,650,000 came from the restaurant (2023: £10,283,000), £8,508,000 from rooms (2023: £8,482,000) and £575,000 from the cooking school (2023: £629,000). Occupancy was 70.3% compared with 71.1% in 2023, with 8,228 rooms sold (2023: 8,120). Average room rate was £1,034 compared with £1,045 in 2023, with revpar of £726 (2023: £742). No dividend was paid (2023: nil).

 

Popeyes opens in Swansea for fourth Welsh restaurant: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, has opened its first restaurant in Swansea. The restaurant, in the city’s Oxford Street, marks Popeyes’ fourth location in Wales. The opening follows its existing Welsh sites in Cardiff and Newport and is the 37th this year in the UK. Tom Crowley, Popeyes UK chief executive, said: “Wales has once again shown us how much love there is for Popeyes, and this opening marks another exciting step in our growth journey. The energy in Swansea has been incredible, and we’re really happy to have successfully brought the spirit of New Orleans to a new city.” Popeyes launched in the UK in November 2021 and has grown to circa 100 sites. In 2024, the business opened 33 new sites and plans to open 45-plus new restaurants in 2025. Last month, Popeyes UK reported turnover grew to £118,857,000 for the year ending 31 December 2024 compared with £58,123,000 in 2023. The company narrowed its pre-tax loss from £10,422,000 in 2023 to £2,353,000.

 

Turtle Bay to start ‘new era’ with updated menu roll out: Turtle Bay, the Caribbean restaurant brand, which was bought back by its founder Ajith Jayawickrema earlier this year, is to roll out an updated food and drinks menu across all 50 of its restaurants tomorrow (Thursday, 9 October) that it said marked “the start of a vibrant new era” for the business. The company said: “This isn’t just about new dishes. It’s about going back to the roots of Turtle Bay’s story – fresh Caribbean flavours, handcrafted rum cocktails and the unmistakable rhythm of island life. Developed by Turtle Bay’s team of chefs, including MasterChef winner Kezia Dior, the new menu celebrates flavour, warmth and the joy of sharing food together.” Marketing director Ben Hibbard said: “This is a new era for Turtle Bay. Our new menu celebrates Caribbean soul, bold flavours, premium cocktails and true Caribbean hospitality.” Jayawickrema bought back the Caribbean restaurant brand from Piper, the private equity firm which had backed the business since 2013. Turtle Bay was founded in 2010 by Jayawickrema and Crispin Tweddell, who remains a shareholder.

 

Which Wich reveals Welsh debut site to open in Cardiff’s St David’s shopping centre: US hot customisable sandwich brand Which Wich has revealed its Welsh debut site will open at the St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff. The launch is part of the multi-unit franchise agreement signed in July with Breaking Brands Management, led by experienced operator Steve Lewis, and which also holds the UK master franchise for US bar brand Coyote Ugly. The Cardiff Which Wich site is expected to open in time for the festive season. “This opening at St David’s is an exciting milestone for us,” said Rami Awada, UK master franchisee of Which Wich. “It’s one of Cardiff’s busiest destinations, and the perfect place to introduce our brand to the city. With Breaking Brands as our trusted partner, we’re confident this store will set the tone for further growth in Cardiff and across Wales.” Lewis added: “We’re excited to be bringing Which Wich to Cardiff. This is a brand with huge potential, and we believe it’s on its way to becoming a household name on high streets across the UK. St David’s is just the beginning of what promises to be a very exciting journey.” Following successful brand adaptation and the launch of corporate stores in Central London, Which Wich is now expanding its UK presence through franchising. The brand is seeking experienced single and multi-unit operators to drive growth across major cities. Founded in Dallas in 2003, Which Wich has grown to more than 400 sites globally, and last month, Which Wich said it had signed with franchise partners who will help it expand into Scotland.

 

Nobu launches ‘at home’ delivery service from its restaurant in London’s Mayfair: Nobu Hospitality has launched an “at home” delivery service from its restaurant in London’s Mayfair. Nobu At Home allows diners to order Nobu’s most-loved dishes – “freshly prepared with stunning presentation in premium packaging” – including black cod miso and yellowtail jalapeño, sushi and sashimi platters and Wagyu beef specialities. The service operates within a three-mile delivery radius from Nobu Old Park Lane, with expansion across London to follow, and is available for collection directly from the restaurant, with a minimum spend of £500. Diners can place their orders now, with a minimum of 48 hours’ notice, via the Nobu Old Park Lane or by phone. Nobu was founded in 1994 by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Taper, and also operates a hotel with restaurants in London’s Marylebone, among a global portfolio of circa 60 restaurants and hotels. Earlier this year, Nobu Hospitality unveiled plans for a hotel, restaurant and luxury homes in Manchester. The 160-room Nobu Hotel Manchester, which will include its signature Nobu restaurant and bar and event spaces, will be located in Viadux-2, a 76-storey building that is under construction. The hotel and restaurant will be Nobu’s first in the UK outside London and will also feature 452 apartments. Nobu reported turnover of £9,847,583 from its Mayfair operations for the year to 31 December 2024, down from £10,507,847 in 2023. Pre-tax profit was down from £1,038,896 in 2023 to £585,526. No dividends were paid compared with £1m in 2023. Capital expenditure was £188,048 (2023: £453,060), and post year end, the group committed an additional £62,900 (2023: £53,000) for updating its restaurant furnishings. 

 

Pure Padel to open biggest site to date for Scottish debut: Padel operator Pure Padel is to make its Scottish debut in January. The club will be Pure Padel’s largest to date and will be located in the 40,000 square-foot former Cineworld at The Forge Retail Park in Glasgow. The venue will feature ten indoor padel courts, including a competition court. The club will also include food and beverage spaces, social areas, and fully equipped changing rooms. Sammy Arora, founder and managing director of Pure Padel, said: “We’re thrilled to be opening our biggest club yet, in Glasgow. To open our first venue in Scotland – and in the fourth biggest city in the UK – is a statement of intent for where we are headed. Glasgow has a strong history of racket sports, and we’re excited to bring padel to the city and serve the huge demand we’ve witnessed across Scotland. This is a landmark project for Pure Padel.” The club is part of Pure Padel’s ambitious expansion across the UK, which currently includes five operational clubs and ten more planned across Scotland, England and the Midlands. Since opening its first club in Alderley Park in Cheshire in October 2023, the company has added sites in Manchester city centre, Darlington, Stockport and Leeds. The company will open in Nottingham this month, Birmingham in January and Lightwater in Surrey in February. Further to this, planning is also approved for additional clubs in Solihull, Gosforth and York. The business has plans to build another 30 padel clubs in the UK over the next five years. 

 

Faucet Inn founder sells Buckinghamshire pub: Steve Cox, the founder of Faucet Inn and the craft beer portfolio business In Good Company, has sold The Dog & Badger in the Buckinghamshire village of Medmenham, near Marlow, to experienced hospitality operator Lentia Veliai, of Amarone Bar and Restaurant. Propel revealed at the start of the year that Cox had placed the site on the market through Christie & Co. Cox acquired the site in 2019 and is believed to have paid circa £2m for the pub, which was privately owned. The pub comprises a 20-cover bar, 60-cover restaurant, 12-cover private dining room and 50-cover enclosed front terrace. The pub is currently closed for trading. Veliai, who has added The Dog and Badger to a growing portfolio of restaurants, said: “The Dog and Badger is a beautiful site in a fantastic location, and I am excited to bring a fresh, authentic approach to the business. I’m particularly looking forward to working with the local community to ensure the pub continues to thrive as a welcoming and vibrant part of village life.” The sale was handled by Tim Widdows, associate director at Christie & Co.

 

Friska founders’ Double Puc Café achieves B Corp Certification: Independent café and catering business Double Puc has achieved B Corp certification. Founded in 2021 by Griff Holland and Ed Brown, previously co-founders of the ethical café business Friska, Double Puc operates a portfolio of venues across Bristol. These include its high-street café The Eye, workplace cafés at The Crescent and the in-house café at OVO Energy. The business also runs café and event operations at We The Curious, Bristol’s science and education attraction, and at Wake The Tiger, the city’s immersive amazement park. Double Puc achieved an overall B impact score of 86.5, reflecting high performance in the environmental, governance and worker impact sections of the assessment. “We’ve always believed that you can build a successful business while doing the right thing for your people, your community and the planet,” said Holland. “Becoming a B Corp is a proud milestone for us and a reflection of the purpose that’s been part of Double Puc from day one.” The team said it now plans to build on the certification by continuing to invest in sustainability, local supply chains and inclusive employment practices. Last month, the business received a six figure-funding boost to its accelerate growth from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund. Double Puc said the new working capital boost is enabling it to meet growing demand and increase its capacity to secure further new contracts.

Australian hotel company to make UK debut with Cambridge launch next month: Australian hotel company TFE Hotels will make its UK debut next month with a launch in Cambridge under its Adina Apartment Hotels brand. Cambridge’s historic Hobson House, in St Andrew’s Street, will become The Hobson Cambridge by Adina on Monday, 10 November, offering an apartment-style concept with 56 rooms. The building was once the stables of 17th century businessman Thomas Hobson, whose name gave rise to the phrase “Hobson’s Choice”, and was later also home to the city’s police and fire station. Historic features such as the building’s façade, timber beams, vaulted ceilings and period detailing have been preserved and complemented by apartments offering guests stylish layouts, modern kitchenettes and open-plan living spaces. There will also be public spaces and meeting rooms, alongside a restaurant concept, Oz & Isle, with a “drinks-led offering and a high-quality sharing menu”. Moritz Klein, TFE’s head of operations EU & UK, said: “The opening of The Hobson Cambridge by Adina represents a significant milestone for TFE as we establish a presence in the UK.” Ray Goertz, TFE’s regional general manager, added: “We chose Cambridge not only for its heritage but also because it is one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities.” TFE was created as part of a joint venture between Australia’s Toga Hotels and Singapore’s Far East Orchard. TFE’s hotels are located in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Austria and Hungary. The company created Adina Apartment Hotels in 1998 as part of its expansion into Europe, opening the first hotel under the brand in Budapest.