Propel Newsletter Archive Page

B Bagel – 20-site target ‘just the start as we want to be biggest bagel shop business in UK’, exploring expansion outside London: London bagel business B Bagel has told Propel its previously stated target of 20 sites by 2030 is just the start “as we want to be biggest bagel shop business in the UK” – including expansion outside the capital. B Bagel, founded by Alon Kubi and Yoav Baumgarten in 2015, will open its seventh location on Monday, 27 October – in London’s New Oxford Street. “We intend to grow by three or four sites per year, and the next milestone is 20 sites in and around 2030,” Baumgarten said. “Most will be in London, but we will start extending out of London within those 20 sites. We’ll probably look at bigger cities, plus some medium sized ones, but ones with prominent high streets. There are still vast opportunities in London too. The vision is to be the biggest bagel shop business in the UK. The number is not the main goal, but to keep growing in an organic way and to grow consistently. At the same time, growth is very important so there are opportunities for our teams to keep developing. But there’s a fine line between wanting to keep growing but not growing too fast, in order to maintain your integrity. We’re now going to take a break from openings for 12 months so we can keep working on the foundations – to ensure we keep delivering the right product and experience and not compromise on it due to growth.” Baumgarten said B Bagel is “starting to look into travel hubs”, and while most of its sites are central, it is also “doing very well” in neighbourhood areas like Highgate, where it opened last year. “Trading has been good and we’ve seen double-digit growth in delivery, while like-for-likes in the bricks and mortar stores is also positive,” he said. “Two years ago, we saw much more trade Tuesday to Thursday, with Mondays and Fridays a bit quieter. I think Mondays and Fridays are getting back to where they were before covid, and it certainly shows in the numbers. The strongest daypart is morning and lunchtime, and we see afternoons as an opportunity for us, so we’ll keep developing the menu to find the right dishes for the daypart.” Propel reported last week that B Bagel had hired former Wonderfield Group regional director and KellyDeli head of operations and training UK Nicholas Brown to head up its operations. Baumgarten added: “Happy and proud to have him on board – a great operational person and a great operational mind who is here to help us grow to the next stage.”

Industry News:

McDonald’s UK & Ireland vice-president of development Mike Spencer to speak at final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, open for bookings: Mike Spencer, McDonald’s UK & Ireland vice-president of development, will be among the speakers at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, which is open for bookings. Spencer will discuss the brand’s large-scale reimagining programme across its estate, with a target of 200-plus stores refreshed a year, as it looks to unlock capacity to drive future growth. He will also talk about how McDonald’s is looking to open 40 new sites a year, and its approach to the customer journey. 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 new UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database on Friday: Premium Club subscribers will receive the latest Propel Food & Beverage Franchisee Database on Friday (17 October), at 12pm. The database will feature ten new entries, plus updates to existing entries, to take the total number to 270 and more than 109,000 words. The new entries include Surrey-based Amsric, which was previously a successful franchisee with KFC and Starbucks, and which in 2024 opened the first franchise site for Pasta Evangelists. The new entries also include Welsh Domino’s franchisee CRS Pizzas, which was founded in August 2006 and is based in Port Talbot, and has nine Domino’s stores located around South Wales. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the New Openings Database, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor 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.

Weight loss jabs now used by one in 20 adults: More than two million people in the UK are using weight loss jabs, accounting for one in 20 adults, according to new data. Due to a scarcity of free prescriptions available on the NHS, the majority of users are paying to go private, despite some injections costing as much as £389 a month. Sales of Mounjaro and Wegovy reached 2.5 million in July, which is a sevenfold increase from the year before, The Daily Telegraph reported. Just 220,000 people are expected to receive free injections to help them with weight loss over the next three years. The jump in sales may have been partly due to panic buying set off by president Donald Trump. He complained Britain and other countries were “freeloading” on the US by paying too little for weight loss drugs, such as Mounjaro, which is manufactured in America. The drug companies subsequently increased prices, although stopped short of the 170% increases predicted. The stockpiling frenzy forced Lilly, one of the leading US drug companies, to announce it was stopping all sales of Mounjaro for several days. Part of the sales bump is likely to have been caused by this, yet the difference year on year is stark. In July last year, 493,000 packs of Mounjaro and Wegovy were purchased; that jumped to 2.49 million packs this year. Health secretary Wes Streeting had pledged to make the jabs freely available in a mass roll out. He said they could help “finally defeat obesity”. Yet the “millions who can’t afford them” were losing out, he said, and promised to ensure they were “available not just to some, but to all”.

Company News:

Exclusive – Chaiiwala hires former Splendid Hospitality Group MD as new COO: Indian street food and café brand Chaiiwala has hired former Splendid Restaurants managing director Ben Clayton as its new chief operating officer, Propel has learned. Clayton joins after six years with large-scale KFC franchisee Splendid Restaurants – part of Splendid Hospitality Group – where he oversaw its growth to 38 KFC restaurants across the north and north east of England. Prior to this, Clayton spent nearly a decade at TGI Fridays, working across several senior, operational roles including senior director restaurant excellence, where he led people, operations, training and project management across 60 countries. He has also held senior roles at Papa John’s UK and Papa John’s International. At Chaiiwala, he will be responsible for “inspiring franchisees and their teams to deliver operational best practices, maintaining strong and positive relationships with franchisees, and helping franchisees unlock opportunities to deliver profitable growth”. With Chaiiwala having ambitions to scale up to at least 500 locations globally through franchising over the next decade, the group said Clayton will “play a key role in supporting this ambition”. Clayton said: “As more consumers look at the world beyond coffee, pizza and burgers, I see a huge opportunity to continue building Chaiiwala and delivering strong results for our franchise partners.” Muhummed Ibrahim, co-founder and chief executive of Chaiiwala, added: “In Ben, we have someone who brings unrivalled experience on both sides of franchising that can help us continue evolving our internal practices and – ultimately – realise the global potential of our brand. We genuinely believe Chaiiwala can become the global leader in Indian street food, and Ben will help us continue driving forward with even more momentum, ensuring we continue winning with our customers and franchisees as we scale.” Last week, Chaiiwala reported global sales increased 35% to £89.4m in 2024, a year which saw it open 24 sites globally, including 15 in the UK. Chief financial officer Abdul Piranie also told Propel the brand is aiming to open 20-plus UK stores next year and make its US debut, with its growth driven by drive-thru, travel hub and retail park locations.

Beckford Group co-founder – ‘the industry has changed permanently and profitability has been permanently cut in half’: Beckford Group co-founder Dan Brod has told Propel that “the industry has changed permanently, in that profitability has been permanently cut in half”. Brod, who co-founded the group with Charlie Luxton and Matt Greenlees, said earlier this year, ahead of April’s Budget, that the related cost increases had forced them to “question whether this is viable”. Asked what his view was now ahead of the next Budget, at the end of November, Brod told Propel: “I think that viability is still a very real existential worry for everyone in hospitality. It seems clear to us that however much we collectively try to convince government, the reality is that there is simply not going to be any taxation relief. Personally, I think this is misjudged because of the social good we do, as well as the economic output. So, we just have to get on with it rather than getting gloomy. The industry has changed permanently in that profitability has been permanently cut in half (if not more).” The group currently operates four pubs and two restaurants in the south west and will open three new venues in early 2026, including its first hotel and first British brasserie. As previously reported, the group will open British brasserie with rooms Corsham House in February, pub with rooms The Kings Arms in Monkton Farleigh in March, and the Teffont House hotel in Teffont Evias in April. Brod said the group would love to open more hotels and British brasseries, but only after it “gets these sites right” and “without stretching ourselves”. He said following these, there may be one further opening later in 2026 – another pub with rooms – but insisted “we are not going grow beyond our means or to a stage where we do not still feel personally involved with all our sites”. In terms of trading in 2025, Brod said: “It has been pretty good, but our costs, like everyone else, are significantly up. We have seen a bit of a shift at our sites, and others local to us, which is that it is simply much more expensive to eat out, so people are having to spend a bit more and are perhaps going out less often, and more for a special treat or a special occasion.”

Turtle Bay founder – ‘I came back with one goal: to take Turtle Bay back to its roots’: Ajith Jayawickrema, founder of Turtle Bay, who bought back the Caribbean restaurant brand, earlier this year, has said he came back to the business with one goal “to take Turtle Bay back to its roots”. Jayawickrema bought back the 50-strong 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. Last week, the company rolled out an updated food and drinks menu across all 50 of its restaurants that it said marked “the start of a vibrant new era” for the business. In a note to customers, Jayawickrema said: “When we first opened Turtle Bay 15 years ago, the dream was simple — to bring people together over great Caribbean food, rum, and good energy. Over time, like many things, we changed – sometimes for the better, sometimes not so much. After stepping away for a while, I came back with one goal: to take Turtle Bay back to its roots, to bring back its Caribbean soul — the warmth, generosity, and vibrancy that's always been at the heart of what we do. We've created a new food and drink menu inspired by my original trips to the Caribbean. It's vibrant, full of flavour, and served with the kind of genuine hospitality that first made Turtle Bay special — all at a fair price, because good food and good company should always be within reach. We've also made our cocktails two for £13 all day, every day, and our Beach Brunch packages now start from £26 per person.” Jayawickrema also offered “£20 off your next visit” as “a small thank-you for sticking with us”, which could be redeemed via a link sent with the emailed note.

US indoor slide park and family entertainment centre to make UK debut: Slick City Action Park, a US-based indoor slide park and family entertainment centre, is to expand to the UK, with a debut site lined up to open in Nottingham. For its UK launch, Slick City Action Park has teamed up with trampoline park operator Activeon. The two companies have signed a deal to bring the Slick City brand to multiple European markets, with the Nottingham site set to open by the end of 2025. They said this will be followed by additional UK sites, with an expansion into mainland Europe scheduled for early 2026. Founded in 2021, Slick City has more than 95 parks already open or in development across 32 US states. Recent openings include Tulsa, Oklahoma and Arlington, Texas, with 12-14 additional US locations in the immediate pipeline. Bron Launsby, chief executive and founder of Slick City, said: “We’ve had tremendous international interest in Slick City since launching just a few years ago, but we were intentional in making Activeon our first partner outside the US. Its unmatched industry expertise, proven operational excellence and understanding of our slides and technology make it the ideal choice to bring Slick City to Europe. With its scale and reach, we’re confident this partnership will set the standard for what’s possible in indoor family entertainment globally. We anticipate the rollout speed in Europe to reach the same pace as we have seen in the US and look forward to opening more than 50 locations in the next few years.” Petter Haagaas, chief development officer and founder of Activeon, which has 74 trampoline and leisure parks in eight countries, said: “Slick City offers something fresh and dynamic – it’s pure adrenaline indoors. We are thrilled to confirm our first opening in the UK for late 2025, with a large pipeline of projects to follow across the UK, Germany and other European countries shortly after.”

The Hagen Project hires Jason Ross as CFO: The Hagen Project, the Danish espresso bar concept known for its Scandinavian-inspired coffee houses, which operates 17 sites across London, has hired Jason Ross, formerly of The Genuine Dining Co and Oakman Inns, as its new chief financial officer. Ross joins The Hagen Project, which was founded in 2017 by Tim Schroeder, after more than six years as chief financial officer at contract caterer The Genuine Dining Co. He previously spent ten months as interim finance director at Bel and The Dragon, two and a half years as finance director at Oakman Inns, and two years as finance director at Urban and Country Leisure. The Hagen Project recently added a site in Covent Garden to its opening pipeline. The business will open a 300 square-foot café just off the Piazza in Russell Street, designed around its Room 606 concept, for an 18th site in the capital. The company opened sites in Richmond and Wimbledon earlier this year. The Hagen Project also made its international debut, with an opening in Amsterdam, in the Dutch capital’s central district Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen. A second Amsterdam has since opened in the Dutch city’s Middenweg area.

Black Sheep Coffee signs 11-site franchise development deal for Merseyside: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee has signed a new multi-unit development agreement covering 11 sites across Merseyside. Experienced operators Aaron Chetwyn and Axel Dehy will now bring the brand to the region. Izzy Childs, EMEA growth director at Black Sheep Coffee, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Aaron and Axel to the Black Sheep family. Their experience and energy are exactly what we look for in franchise partners. Merseyside is buzzing, and we can’t wait to get more shops open.” Black Sheep Coffee, which has more than 100 UK locations and four in the UAE and one in France, has in excess of 150 new UK sites now committed under multi-unit deals. These include a minimum of five stores across Berkshire over the next five years, a 17-store deal across Surrey and west London and a 31-store agreement covering Essex, Leicestershire and Buckinghamshire. Black Sheep Coffee has also signed a nine-store development deal for Tyne & Wear, two nine-store deals for locations across London, an 11-store franchise deal for Lancashire and has completed its franchise coverage in Scotland. Black Sheep Coffee is also opening in the Grand Central shopping centre in Birmingham, in the former Costa Coffee unit.

Yard Sale Pizza hires Sarah Saxty as new FD: Yard Sale Pizza, the restaurant and delivery business backed by Piper, has hired Sarah Saxty, formerly of Popeyes UK and Wahaca, as its new finance director, Propel has learned. Saxty joins Yard Sale Pizza after two and a half years as head of finance at the TDR Capital-backed Popeyes UK. Previous to that she spent a year as group financial controller at Wahaca. Her appointment comes after Yard Sale Pizza recently opened its 15th site, the former Pizza Hut at 55 Lavender Hill, in Battersea. Earlier this year, Piper said its new investment would help Yard Sale to supercharge its growth across the capital and into new UK cities, with a goal of reaching 40 shops in five years. Piper said a project with CACI identified the potential for more than 500 UK Yard Sale locations in total.

Former Bel and The Dragon owners launch new ‘countryside hangouts’ venture: Joel Cadbury, co-founder of Beaverbrook, the exclusive hotel, spa and golf club in the Surrey Hills near Leatherhead, and the former owner of Bel and The Dragon, has launched a new venture called Mad Swans, which is described as “countryside hangouts for mavericks”. Cadbury, and long-time business partner Ollie Vigor, who sold the then six-strong Bel & The Dragon business to Fuller’s for £18.5m in summer 2018, have launched the new venture, which combines eco-cabin stays, 12-hole golf, padel and pickleball, a driving range, putt patch, darts and restaurant, in the Mendip Hills. Situated on the former Farrington Park Golf Club, the venue houses two restaurants, with menus inspired by multi-Michelin starred chef Ollie Dabbous; The Potting Shed (modern countryside dining with produce-led menus) and The Hangout (casual pizzas, desserts, cocktails, and alcohol-free serves). A second Mad Swans site – Mad Swans in the South Downs – will be located at the former Blacknest Golf & Country Club in Hampshire, which will fully launch next spring.

Thesleff Group hires Mark Sansom as new marketing director: Thesleff Group – which operates Central London restaurants including Los Mochis, Sale e Pepe, and Juno Omakase – has hired Mark Sansom, formerly of Gaucho-owner Rare Restaurants, as its new marketing director, Propel has learned. Sansom joins the Thesleff Group after just over two years as group marketing director at Rare Restaurants. Previous to that he spent more than four and a half years working on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants events, including 19 months as content director. He told Propel: “Thesleff Group already features some of London’s most successful restaurants and bars, with inordinately exciting plans for the early part of next year and into the future. As the business enters a crucial phase of development, I hope to bring fresh ideas and structure to support heavy growth and bring some fun along the way.” Last week, Thesleff Group announced it is to launch a new dining concept inspired by the Italian coast next month at The Langham in Mayfair. The group said Sale e Pepe Mare marks a new chapter in the storied legacy of Sale e Pepe, the Knightsbridge restaurant that has operated in the capital since 1974. The 5,000-square-foot Sale e Pepe Mare restaurant will seat 130 guests and include a private dining room for up to 22. Last month, Thesleff Group revealed it will 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 – to launch Los Mochis Beverly Hills.

Maison Francois founder considering international launch: François O’Neill, co-founder of Maison Francois and Café Francois in London, has hinted that the business is considering opening overseas. Talking to the FT about international expansion, O’Neill, who launched Maison Francois in St James’s with Ed Wyand, said that for the past 18 months, he has quietly taken trips to Dubai. He said: “The UK is not a desirable market to invest in at the moment.” The UAE, he said, “is a hotspot for restaurants”. O’Neill, who opened Café Francois in Borough last year, added: “You need to find the right people to share your DNA. But if you get the opportunity to scale your business in a soft-landing environment, you’ve got to look at it.” He’s also aware of the effort it will take. “I’d be on a plane once a month, which brings stress on my family,” he said. “I want to be a good husband and father. My wife needs to sign off on this.” O’Neill recognises, however, that if he’s going to do it, this is probably the right time. He’s already passed on one site in Dubai’s Marina because, he said, it “just wasn’t right for us”, but he continues looking.

Humble Grape lines up a further site in the City: Humble Group, which operates wine bar and shop concept Humble Grape and South African-inspired Vivat Bacchus in London, is set to open a further site in the City. Propel understands Humble Group, which recently secured its seventh site, in Bow Lane, has lined up an opening at 125 Old Broad Street. Last week, the business told Propel it had experienced a “very strong” third quarter of 2025, and hinted that on the back of the Bow Lane opening it had another location lined up. The new Bow Lane venue, which will open next month in the 11th-century crypt of St Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside, will accommodate 60 guests inside and 40 on the terrace. The wine bar, restaurant and wine shop will serve a curated list of more than 500 bottles alongside a menu of European-inspired sharing plates, steaks and artisan cheese and charcuterie boards. Founded in 2009, Humble Grape directly imports wine from 26 countries, working with independent producers who follow organic, biodynamic and sustainable practices.

HOP linked to opening at development in London’s Fitzrovia: Vietnamese street food concept HOP is set to increase its presence in London, with an opening in Fitzrovia. The five-strong HOP, which currently operates three sites in London and two in Manchester, is understood to be lining up an opening at The Fitzrovia – an 86,000 square-foot mixed-use scheme at 247 Tottenham Court Road. Last October, HOP announced founder Paul Hopper had taken on the role of founder and managing director, with then current managing director Richard Franks stepping down. Franks subsequently joined Shake Shack to head up its UK business. HOP said at the time that it would continue to “refine our offer and learn more about our guests’ needs over the next 12-18 months before we look to ramp up our openings, with a view to opening two or three further locations in 2025”. HOP has previously been linked to an opening in King’s Cross.

Masala Zone owner says business continues to ‘recover steadily’ as pre-tax profit increases: MW Eat – which operates upmarket restaurants Veeraswamy, Chutney Mary and Amaya, and the Masala Zone business – has said that it continues to “recover steadily” from the after-effects of covid-19 in respect of “staff shortages and the work-from-home culture, as well as energy price increases”. It comes as the business, which operates four Masala Zone sites in London, reported turnover increased slightly to £31,789,469 for the year ending 31 March 2025 compared with ££31,372,050 the previous year. Pre-tax profit was up to £4,433,462 from £3,376,685 the year before (2019: profit of £3,955,479). In his report accompanying the accounts, chairman and co-owner Ranjit Mathrani stated: “We are significantly more profitable and cash flow positive than the previous year. and we have sufficient resources available to trade comfortably for the foreseeable future. In the coming year, the group's objectives remain consistent, with particular emphasis on profitability and continuing to grow the prominence of the brands as some of the world's most premium Indian dining establishments.” Earlier this year, Mathrani told The Telegraph that MW Eat would have to cut 5% of its workforce – around 25 jobs – as a result of the increased labour costs arising from last year’s Budget.

Wagamama hires Ciaran McMahon as director of delivery operations: Wagamama, The Restaurant Group (TRG)-owned brand, has hired Ciaran McMahon, formerly of The Big Table Group, as its new director of delivery operations. McMahon joins the circa 160-strong Wagamama after two years as head of delivery at The Big Table Group, the Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Banana Tree operator. Prior to that he spent more than 21 years at TRG, including in excess of six years as its head of delivery. Last month, Wagamama reported like-for-like sales in the six months to 29 June 2025 were down 1.5%, which it said was in line with the market, with the casual dining market impacted by “unseasonably warm weather” in the period, “which benefited pub operators”. The brand reported total sales of £234.8m during the six months, with adjusted Ebitda of £31.5m (2024: £33.5m). Wagamama said that “internal analysis suggests many competitors have taken substantially more price over the last 12 months”.

Doma Hospitality opens second site for Gallio concept: Doma Hospitality – part of BHL Global, which operates The Stafford London hotel and Game Bird restaurant, and Sicilian restaurant Norma London – has opened a second site under its pizza concept Gallio. The company opened the first bricks-and-mortar site under its then delivery-only concept at the start of 2022, in Canary Wharf’s The Atrium Kitchen, on Upper Level 2 of Cabot Place. As previously revealed by Propel, Doma Hospitality has now opened a “multi-level, all-day venue” on the former Where The Pancakes Are/PizzaExpress site in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, for a second Gallio. The business operates Norma London opposite the new Gallio site. James Porter, managing director of Doma Hospitality, said: “Gallio has already proven itself in Canary Wharf, and we’re delighted to bring our philosophy of fresh, seasonal eastern Mediterranean cooking to Charlotte Street. One of the highlights of this new space is the open, low-counter kitchen, it allows guests to see their dishes being prepared right in front of them by our talented chefs. Watching our freshly baked bread and seasonal ingredients come together, with no shortcuts, helps build genuine trust and connection with our guests.” Dan Brown, of Restaurant Property, acted on the Charlotte Street deal. Where The Pancakes Are currently operates sites in the Battersea Power Station development and London Bridge.

Harts Group – ‘we’re well placed to react to take advantage of any business opportunities that may arise’: Harts Group – the London restaurant company that owns Barrafina, El Pastor, Quo Vadis and Parrillan – has said it is “well placed to react quickly to any changes in trading conditions” and to take advantage of “any business opportunities that may arise”. It comes as the business, which is set to take its modern Spanish restaurant concept Barrafina to Dubai as part of its global expansion plans, posted turnover of £23,154,561 for the year ending 31 July 2024 (2023: £23,727,311), with a pre-tax profit of £507,055 and a gross profit margin of 73.8%, compared with a pre-tax profit of £391,443 and gross profit margin 67.2% for the previous year. The business said: “The directors believe the group is well placed to react quickly to any changes in trading conditions and to take advantage of any business opportunities that may arise.” Last month, the company told Propel it is building up a pipeline of international opportunities and is open to taking more of its brands to the Middle East. Harts Group has partnered with Anthem Hospitality Group to bring Barrafina to Dubai, with the first restaurant under the agreement set to launch at the end of this year, and more locations to follow throughout the GCC. Anna Watkins, a director at Harts Group and managing director of the Barrafina brand, which has five locations in London, told Propel: “We are actively exploring a number of markets in the GCC with no limit to the scope and scale of our expansion.” On current trading, she said: “Given the headwinds for hospitality in the UK with increases in national insurance, wages and the new tronc regulations, we have ridden the storms to achieve a successful and profitable 2025 year to date, with a growing Ebitda year on year.”

Bakery business Rodeo heads north to Manchester, plans further sites in city: Bakery business Rodeo is expanding its reach to the north. Rodeo, known for its doughnut creations, is investing £100,000 to open a flagship store in Manchester’s Northern Quarter – and has further sites in the city in the pipeline. The outlet, in Stevenson Square, will open at the end of the month and be Rodeo’s first venture outside London and the south, adding to its existing 13 stores. The business is known for its quirky doughnut names such as Sean Cone-ery and Ice Ice Bae Bae and also offers cookies, takeout coffee and a range of hot and cold drinks. Owner Tom Anderson said Manchester was a natural choice for the northern expansion, reflecting strong demand for the concept’s fun and creative offerings. He told BDaily: “I consider the bakery scene in Manchester to be the best in the UK. The city offers so much, and for a long time, it’s been a place I’ve wanted to open a store. With a bricks and mortar store, location is everything. I wanted the first Manchester store to be in the Northern Quarter and Stevenson Square is a great spot. We have a lot of plans for this Manchester store and initiatives we want to do alongside the people of Manchester – we can’t wait to embed our brand in the community here.” Further stores are also set to open in the city. Anderson said: “We’ve secured a second spot in Manchester and are actively looking at a third. Watch this space.”

London coffee concept Frequency secures first regional site: Frequency, the London coffee shop and roastery business, is set to open its first site outside the capital before the end of the year, in Hertfordshire. The business, which was founded in 2016 by Venezuelan musician Justo Tripier, currently operates five sites in London, through its multi-concept shop format focusing on “specialty coffee, delicious food and flexible spaces” – in Aldgate, King’s Cross, Paddington, Millennium Square and Angel. Frequency has now secured a site in Stevenage Town Square for an opening in December. The company said: “Since the moment we set eyes on this space earlier this year, we completely fell in love with it. A beautiful 330 square-metre concrete site inside a historic mid-century building. We are very much looking forward to this new chapter of Frequency as we expand outside of London and form part of Stevenage’s regeneration project.” Mark Phillips, of Fleurets, acted on the deal.

Popeyes UK set to open London Bridge station site: Popeyes UK, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand backed here by TDR Capital, is set to add to its growing transport hub estate with an opening at London Bridge station. The business, which already operates sites with Network Rail in Waterloo station and in Birmingham’s Grand Central, will open a site in London Bridge station’s Tooley Street exit. The business, which earlier this year opened its debut airport site at Birmingham airport, also has openings lined up in Brighton’s London Road, on the ex-Bella Italia site in Crawley Leisure Park, and on the former Ocean Basket site in Bromley. 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.

Marston’s expands prison training programme: Marston’s has expanded its prison training programme with the launch of its latest hospitality academy, the Crown & Key, at HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire. The initiative, which helps offenders train for careers in pub kitchens as part of their rehabilitation, builds on the Lock Inn scheme at HMP Liverpool and is part of Marston’s wider Excel programme, which supports prison leavers into meaningful jobs and helps reduce reoffending. Developed with Novus Education and New Futures Network, the Crown & Key provides real-world culinary training in a fully refurbished restaurant and pub setting, while allowing prisoners to practise their skills for staff and contractors. Up to 40 men each year will train towards line chef roles, gaining hands-on experience, recognised qualifications, and a pathway to employment with Marston’s upon release. Marston’s is aiming to increase the number of graduates employed across its pubs by 25% this year. Todd Lockley, senior inclusion and communities manager at Marston’s, said: “At Marston’s, we believe in second chances. These academies provide practical skills, qualifications and real job opportunities, helping people rebuild their lives while strengthening our communities and our industry. Offering employment to a prison leaver reduces the chances of reoffending by up to 87% and we are proud to play apart in their rehabilitation.” Marston’s Excel programme has already supported nearly 80 people into employment since 2022.

Company of Cooks to operate two restaurants at new Guinness Brewery: Company of Cooks, the business owned by independent caterer CH&Co, is to oversee the operation of two new restaurants in the upcoming new Guinness at Old Brewers Yard development in London’s Covent Garden. The £73m scheme from Diageo is now scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. The 50,000 square-foot development includes the remodelling of existing buildings at Neal Street, Mercers Lane and Shelton Street. and will deliver event spaces in each building and a central covered courtyard. Propel understands Company of Cooks will operate The Porters Table and Gilroy’s Loft restaurants at the scheme. The company said: “Company of Cooks is teaming up with Guinness to open a spectacular new destination in an iconic Covent Garden setting. Picture this: a beautifully designed courtyard, a dedicated events space, and two incredible restaurants.” The Open Gate Brewery will be the fourth site of its kind in the world – after Dublin, Baltimore and Chicago – and become the Guinness brand’s new home in London. It is hoped the free-to-enter destination over five buildings and a covered courtyard will attract half a million visitors in its first year.

Lane7 hires Rachel Lane as new sales director: Boutique bowling company Lane7 has hired Rachel Lame, formerly of Gaucho and Revolution Bars Group (RBG), as its new sales director. Lane joins the Gavin Hughes-led Lane7 after three and a half years at Gaucho as its sales director. Prior to that she spent nearly 14 years at RBG, including three years as head of sales. Last month Lane7 acquired Platform, the 35,000 square-foot event space that sits in the railway arches underneath Glasgow’s Central railway station, formerly known as The Arches. Lane7 currently operates 20 eponymous sites across the UK and Europe, including long-standing venues in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. The group also owns two Level X sites, including one in Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre, that cater for “next generation” gaming attractions and three family-oriented Gutterball gaming sites in England.

Story of the Day:

Industry News:

Company News: