The Coconut Tree placed into administration: Sri Lankan street food operator The Coconut Tree, which this summer was set to be wound up after defaulting on its company voluntary arrangement (CVA) over an unpaid £1.6m tax bill, has been placed into administration, Propel has learned. It is thought that Forvis Mazars have been appointed administrators to the seven-strong The Coconut Tree, which continues to trade from sites in Cheltenham, Bournemouth, Bath, Reading, Oxford and two in Bristol. In June, a notice from joint supervisors Mark Boughey and Michal Field, of Forvis Mazars, showed the The Coconut Tree owed HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) 1,360,837 in VAT and £239,799 in PAYE and national insurance contributions. HMRC has been paid £207,115 in relation to its secondary preferential claim, which was agreed in the amount of £1,600,636. Unsecured creditors, who are owed an estimated £1,357,555, will receive nothing as a result of the CVA default. The notice showed that in February this year, The Coconut Tree failed to make payments relating to outstanding VAT and other tax, therefore breaching the terms of the arrangement. In March, the company requested a payment holiday for one month to enable recovery from missed sales projections for the months of January and February 2025. The holiday was granted, and the company was granted an additional month to rectify the breach. However, even with the extension, the company was unable to pay the arrears of VAT and other tax, which amounted to £510,323, and it was therefore considered the company was in default. The Coconut Tree was founded in 2016 by five Sri Lankan friends living in Cheltenham – Mithra Fernando, Rashinthe Rodrigo, Dhanushka Fernando, Praveen Thangiah and Shamil Fernando.

 

Family-owned bakery brand Wenzel’s among businesses presenting at inaugural Propel Franchisor Showcase, free places for operators and investors only: Family-owned bakery brand Wenzel’s will be among the businesses presenting at the inaugural Propel Franchisor Showcase this month. The Propel Franchisor Showcase, sponsored by Seeds Consulting, will showcase ten of the most exciting and investable franchises in hospitality. The event will be held on Tuesday, 25 November at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Wenzel’s has more than 100 bakery stores in southern England and the Midlands and has launched a franchise programme for the first time in its 50-year history, as it looks to expand further across the UK. Director Dean Russell will discuss what was behind the company’s decision to try franchising after half a century, what it is hoping for from the move, what parts of the UK it is hoping to grow into, how it is competing against brands like Greggs and Gail’s, and what kind of franchisee it is seeking. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Free places for operators and investors only are available by emailing kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium Club members to receive two updated databases this week: Premium Club subscribers will receive two updated databases this week. The latest Propel UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database will be sent today (Wednesday, 13 November) at 12pm. The database will feature ten new additions plus updates to existing entries. The database now has 380 entries and more than 224,000 words of copy. Among the new entries are US chicken brand Wingstop, which first entered the UK in 2018 and now has circa 77 sites here; Chuck E Cheese, the US entertainment restaurant brand; and Irish customisable toastie concept Griolladh. Premium Club subscribers will then receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (15 November), at 12pm. The database will feature 115 updated accounts and six new companies. A total of 737 companies are making a profit while 445 are 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 Turnover & Profits Blue Book, 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.

Hospitality job crisis deepens ahead of Budget: The sector’s job crisis has deepened ahead of this month’s Budget, UKHospitality has said, as it again called for urgent government action. The trade body said 13 consecutive months of falling employment “underline the devastating and lasting impact of last year’s Budget on hospitality and the wider economy”. UKHospitality said the latest Office for National Statistics data shows 170,000 fewer people are on payroll compared with the period before the Budget, with 64,000 jobs lost in the past two months alone, and that hospitality has accounted for more than half of all job losses across the economy over that period. The consequences extend beyond employment, UKHospitality said, with businesses reducing hours, cancelling investment, raising prices and, in many cases, closing their doors altogether. Furthermore, it said last year’s Budget measures – particularly changes to employers’ national insurance contribution thresholds – have hit those in part-time and flexible work the hardest, further undermining the sector. To reverse the damage and restore confidence, UKHospitality is urging the government to lower business rates, fix national insurance contributions and cut VAT. Chair Kate Nicholls said: “Thirteen months of falling employment and 170,000 fewer people on payroll is a shocking indictment of the damage caused by last year’s Budget. Hospitality has borne the brunt of these changes, with more than half of all job losses coming from our sector. If the government wants to get more people back into work and revitalise high streets, it needs hospitality firing on all cylinders, but right now, we’re being taxed out. We urgently need action at the upcoming Budget and are calling on the government to lower business rates, fix national insurance contributions and cut VAT. These measures will help reverse some of the damage, protect jobs and allow hospitality to grow and prosper again.” Meanwhile, Steve Alton, chief executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping, has written to the chancellor calling for urgent action to support UK pubs and the vital role they play in communities and the economy. He called for the government to permanently reduce VAT on pub sales to 10%, deliver permanent, real-terms reductions in business rates bills, reverse the NICs changes and introduce financial incentives for pubs hiring under-25s and those returning to work. He said: “Since the covid pandemic, the government has recognised the huge value of our pubs. This recognition must now be matched with urgent action at the Budget. Without it, many simply will not survive.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a company that is seeking a commercial manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The position will oversee and manage all commercial aspects of operations across a national portfolio. This role is pivotal in ensuring the delivery of the facility management operations and providing accurate reporting to support strategic decision-making. The position will be central to financial governance, budgeting, forecasting and management of suppliers and contracts.” The salary is up to £60,000 and the position is based in Luton, Bedfordshire. For more information, email fabian@corecruitment.com

 

Thwaites – ‘our trading performance is holding up, tax burden on community pubs has reached its limit’: North west brewer and retailer Daniel Thwaites has said its current trading performance is “holding up” but the tax burden on community pubs has “reached its limit” – particularly for landlords running smaller tenanted community pubs. It comes as the business reported turnover for the six months to 30 September 2025 was up 5% to £66.7m (2024: £63.5m). Operating profit grew to £10.1m (2024: £9.4m), with the increase largely due to the combined performance of Langdale Chase Hotel in Windermere, returns on recent investments in its properties and price increases, which it said it has tried to keep to a minimum. Pre-tax profit was up to £8.3m (2024: £7.6m). The business said it has “comfortable headroom” against total banking facilities of £82m and is trading “well within its banking covenants”. Thwaites said: “The inns performed strongly due to the acquisition of The Buck Inn in Malham in March 2025 and significant refurbishments at the Bulls Head, Earlswood; Royal Oak, Keswick; and Toll House, Lancaster. Sales were up 8% on last year, and with the benefit of a clear focus on cost control, profit increased 15%. The hotels performance benefited from further growth in sales at Langdale Chase, which reopened in November 2023 after a full refurbishment, and sales for the period were up 30% on last year. Total sales for the hotels increased by 7% year on year.” The company made no acquisitions during the period but subsequently acquired the Blue Bell Cider House in Earlswood. Thwaites invested £6.2m across its estate in the period and sold four pubs. Total proceeds were £1.8m, making a profit of £0.1m on disposal. Chairman Richard Bailey said: “We have faced into the additional national insurance rates and higher national minimum wage by restructuring teams in the managed properties, implementing operational changes and selectively increasing prices while mindful of value. The tax burden on community pubs has reached its limit, particularly for landlords running smaller tenanted community pubs. Our trading performance is holding up, although it is patchy and unpredictable across the different parts of the business. We are benefiting from the diversification of the business as well as the strategy pursued in recent years to position ourselves into more premium, experiential and health orientated markets. We have a well invested, well positioned business with opportunities to invest, grow and create new employment. However, we can only have confidence to do this if we have a stable and trustworthy fiscal and political framework to work with.”

 

Yolk undergoes CVA, ‘stronger and more focused than ever’: “Good bites only” business Yolk has told Propel that it is “stronger and more focused than ever” after undergoing a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) with 98% creditor approval, which has led to the closure of three of its sites in London. The business has closed its sites in High Holborn, New Oxford Street and The Strand, with founder Nick Philpot telling Propel that the now seven-strong company had learned some valuable lessons about site selection through the restructuring process. Philpot, who founded the business in 2014, told Propel: “After a tough but necessary reset, Yolk is stronger and more focused than ever; with seven high-performing sites, double-digit growth and a profitable, resilient business. We made hard choices, and losing some brilliant teammates was painful, their contributions have set us up for lasting success and I'm hugely grateful to them. The CVA puts us in control of our future, protecting what makes Yolk special and fuelling the next chapter of growth.” Yolk now has sites in London’s Canary Wharf, Victoria, Broadgate, London Bridge, London Wall, New Street Square and Soho. Philpott told Propel this summer that it is targeting London’s neighbourhoods next while remaining keen on travel hubs once the right launch site has been found. The company also launched a new £2m fundraising round and said it has international ambitions, as well as eyeing a 50-strong UK estate.

 

Azzurri Group – QSR concepts expected to contribute 25% of revenue, catering driving Coco di Mama growth: Azzurri Group – the hospitality investment platform that operates ASK Italian, Zizzi, Coco di Mama, Boojum and Dave’s Hot Chicken UK – expects its quick service restaurant (QSR) concepts to contribute 25% by the end of its current financial year. Earlier this week, Steve Holmes, chief executive of Azzurri, told Propel the pace of openings for US brand Dave’s Hot Chicken in the UK had increased to one every three weeks, with the debut site in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue currently the brand’s second highest grossing site in the world. Propel revealed last July that the US brand had signed a franchise agreement with Azzurri to open 60 locations across the UK and Ireland. The group’s QSRs now account for circa 16% of Azzurri’s revenue and this is expected to grow to 25% by the end of the current financial year. In the longer term, the company hopes that figure could rise to 50%. Holmes told The Times: “We now have multiple cuisines, multiple brands for multiple occasions and multiple price points. The sector ebbs and flows depending on the mood of the nation, and that diversification gives us the ability to ride those ups and downs.” It comes as Holmes said Coco Di Mama has a retail sales value of more than £50m at the moment and is close to selling ten million sandwiches a year. Coco Di Mama operates 14 sites in London, alongside roadside sites with Roadchef and Motor Fuel Group, and retail ranges in Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Holmes told Propel: “The reality is Coco was probably the most challenged of all of our businesses when we came out of covid, because the business was set up to serve hungry City workers. Suddenly, you’ve lost your Friday lunch and your Monday breakfast occasions. It forced us to think about other channels and opportunities. It is no longer a QSR pasta brand in isolation in the City. The stores are doing very well, and that’s now driven by catering. There has been a big move in the last 12 month, around this as we have seen more people coming back to work. It does benefit Coco in the stores in the City but we’ve also seen a rapid rise of catering. People are ordering office platters, lunches, and that market is coming back quite strongly.”

 

Captain D’s – UK debut site marks ‘major step in brand’s international expansion’: US fast-casual seafood brand Captain D’s has said the group’s debut site in the UK, which recently opened in Broadstairs in Kent, marks a major step in the brand’s international expansion and is just the beginning of its “journey across Europe and the globe”. The brand, which was founded in Tennessee in 1969 and has grown to some 530 restaurants across the US, has opened in the Westwood Cross scheme. Propel revealed in January that Captain D’s was preparing to enter the UK market after signing a 20-store multi-unit franchise agreement with CD’s UK Holdings. Daryl Stutchbury, chief executive of Captain D's UK, said: “This grand opening is a proud and emotional moment for us. The overwhelming response from the public has exceeded all expectations. We were delighted to serve more than 1,500 fish and chips meals on opening day alone.” Hair Parra, the brand’s senior vice-president of international operations and development, added: “The success of our UK debut highlights the global appetite for great seafood and a welcoming, family-friendly experience. This is just the beginning of Captain D’s journey across Europe and the globe.” Further sites in Sussex and Hampshire are already in development. Captain D’s previously said it is currently looking for more multi-unit franchisees to open additional locations in the UK. Captain D’s serves a variety of seafood that includes the company’s signature batter dipped fish. The restaurants also offer grilled items such as shrimp, tilapia and salmon, as well as desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea.

 

RJ Group launches Nando’s-inspired casual dining format, ‘strong’ pipeline across all concepts for 2026: RJ Group – the team behind concepts such as Punjabi-style Shimlas, NYK Krispy Fried Chicken, and Phat Spuds Deli – has launched a new Nando’s-inspired casual dining concept. Originating in Bradford in West Yorkshire, Peri Pariando “celebrates bold flavours and fresh cooking”. The menu features peri-peri grilled chicken, Detroit-style pizzas, loaded burgers, and handcrafted wraps, “designed to bring together the best of flame-grilled street food and modern casual dining”. RJ Group told Propel since it opened, Peri Pariando has quickly gained attention for its “vibrant food offering and commitment to quality ingredients”. The group said this has paved the way for expansion, with five franchise locations already sold across the West Midlands, north east, and London, which it said showed a “strong national appetite for this fresh and flavour-driven concept”. The launch of Peri Pariando marks the latest milestone for the RJ Group, which over the past decade has grown multiple restaurant concepts “by combining authentic flavours, operational excellence, and a community-first approach” – in cities such as Bradford, Leeds, and Manchester. “Peri Pariando is more than just another peri chicken brand – it’s a Nando’s-inspired concept that captures the energy and diversity of modern British food culture,” said Rahat Javid, owner and group director of RJ Group. “We wanted to create something that feels fresh, vibrant, and inclusive – a place where families, students, and food lovers can enjoy bold flavours and great value in a lively, modern setting. Bradford is where it all began for us, and we’re proud to launch another concept that puts Yorkshire at the heart of food innovation.” RJ Group is also growing its other concepts. An eighth Shimlas is opening, in Blackburn, while two more NYK Krispy Fried Chicken outlets are launching – in Birmingham and Liverpool. The three-strong Phat Spuds is also doubling in size with openings in Blackburn, Sheffield and Leeds. The group said it has “massive” expansion plans for 2026 with a strong pipeline across all concepts. The group added trading has been “excellent” in 2025 with delivery increasing 33% year-on-year, group revenue up 25% and profit growing 8% and “expects to close the year on a high with the peak season ahead”. 

 

Chocolate shop and cafe concept Chococo gears up for UK and global growth in 2026: Chocolate shop and cafe concept Chococo is gearing up for UK and global growth in 2026, Propel has learned. Founded in Swanage, Dorset, in 2002 by Claire and Andy Burnet, Chococo has grown from a small coastal start-up to operate four “chocolate houses” in southern England and is set to make its London debut. Chococo also has a growing nationwide online business, plus premium retail and corporate partnerships including John Lewis, Selfridges and Firmdale Hotel Group. Chococo’s ethos is rooted in sourcing sustainable, slave-free, single-origin chocolate through direct trade relationships with partners in Colombia, Ecuador and Madagascar. All Chococo’s products are crafted in-house at its dedicated chocolate factory near Poole in Dorset. The chocolate houses, each around 1,500 square feet, combine retail with immersive chocolate cafés, “offering guests the chance to experience chocolate in all its forms”. Chococo is now entering a new chapter of expansion as it rolls out new chocolate houses across London, beginning with Dulwich this month and followed by Clapham and Westfield Stratford in early 2026. Alongside its domestic growth, Chococo is preparing for international expansion in 2026, with plans to open stores in San Marino and two in New York. Chococo, which has won 138 national and international fine food awards to date, is looking for more sites and has exclusively retained Taylor Gershon, of TCPW, on all opportunities globally. Claire and Andy Burnet said: “Chococo’s mission remains unchanged: to craft a range of exceptional chocolate-inspired products and experiences that are ‘choc’ full of soul – brings joy, respects people and the planet, and celebrates the very best of sustainable British creativity.”

 

One Vision Management plans Noodle Inn roll out, secures second site, 200 Degrees co-founder advising: One Vision Management –  the vehicle led by Alex Xu, which operates the Happy Lemon bubble tea business and Taiwanese dessert parlour Meet Fresh – has secured a second site in London for Noodle Inn, its hand-pulled noodles concept, with plans for a further roll out, Propel understands. One Vision Management, which operates 20 sites under a number of concepts across five cities, launched Noodle Inn last September in Soho’s Old Compton Street. A second site will open next Tuesday (18 November), at 100 Middlesex Street, near Spitalfields. The business said: “Our little restaurant in Soho, London, is growing! Earlier this year, we promised to open a bigger branch in Central London, and it’s finally happening, bringing you even more of the best hand-pulled noodles in London. It’s a bigger venue with a large open kitchen. We’re also adding new dishes to the menu, and we will be having 100% halal-friendly chicken, and zero pork will be served in the new site.” Propel understands One Vision Management is looking to further roll out the concept inside and outside the capital, with a future opening in Battersea thought to be under consideration, while regional location targets include Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol. At the same time, Propel understands Tom Vincent, co-founder of 200 Degrees, which was acquired by Caffe Nero last year, is working with Noodle Inn, advising the business on strategy and operations. Xu also operates Chinese burger concept Xu at 104 Shaftesbury Avenue in London and the Kung Fu Noodle restaurant on the same street. He currently operates eight sites across the country under his bubble tea concept Happy Lemon.

 

Stonegate Group to reopen flagship Be At One site with new look and 90s bar prices: Stonegate Group is to reopen its flagship Be At One site in London’s Piccadilly tomorrow (Thursday, 13 November) with a new look plus 1990s bar prices. The company, which operates 39 sites under the cocktail bar concept, said the Soho site has undergone a “stand-out exterior transformation and stylish interior makeover”. It said: “Table service and cocktail-friendly bar bites unlock new experiences for guests, while playful touches like daiquiri-scented bubble guns, bumps of passion fruit caviar and ice well tables that come stocked with Magnum ice creams ensure that Be At One’s playful, vibrant energy remains. Even the toilets have been given a shimmering glitterball makeover and, at the press of a button, can now be transformed by guests into a high energy mini disco. This investment, and the new era it ushers in, now means that Be At One is a flexible and stylish, social space for a variety of occasions that can be enjoyed by early birds, night owls and everyone in between.” David McDowall, Stonegate’s chief executive, added: “We are delighted to enter into a new Be At One era with the awesome new look Be At One in Piccadilly. Our team haven’t just transformed the space, they’ve created a wonderful new cocktail menu, introduced delicious bar food and installed new draught beer taps.” 

 

Aldrich Inns adds two more London pubs to estate, further site in pipeline: Aldrich Inns, the fledgling, London pub business backed by Kevin Doyle – founder of Scottish pub, hotel and leisure operator Caledonian Heritable – has added two more sites to its estate, with a further site in its openings pipeline, Propel has learned. Aldrich Inns, which was founded and is led by Callum Murphy and Will St John, has reopened the Lock & Lantern in Notting Hill and the former Simmons Bar in Bloomsbury as The Jeremy Bentham, to take its estate to five pubs. Propel understands that Aldrich Inns has also secured The Salthouse in St Johns Wood for a further opening. This summer, Propel revealed Aldrich Inns had secured its third site in London this year, in Covent Garden, and said it was looking to make “further opportunistic” acquisitions in the capital. The company acquired the Freemasons Arms in Long Acre, which was previously owned by brewer and pub operator Shepherd Neame. The pub was refurbished and reopened under the new name The Bull and The Egret. Aldrich Inns also operates The Goat in Fulham Road and the Newman Arms in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, owning the freehold of the latter. Aldrich Inns said it is on a “mission to breathe life back into heritage-rich pubs that might otherwise fall by the wayside”. Caledonian Heritable, founded in 1981, operates several pubs and bars and a golf resort alongside haulage, plant hire and property interests, in Scotland.

 

Grosvenor Casinos owner hires new chairman: Rank Group, which owns Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos, has hired John Ott, a business consultant with more than 40 years of experience, as its new chair, with effect from Monday (17 November). Ott is currently a senior advisory partner at Bain & Company UK, having joined the company in 2006, alongside being a founder, investor and board member for two private businesses, a data and technology services business and a global fractional ownership business. He started his career in the financial services sector in the US before joining McKinsey & Company in 1989. Ott moved to the UK in 2003 to join Barclays Bank as group strategy and M&A director before joining Bain & Company UK. He will succeed Karen Whitworth, who has served as the interim chair of Rank since 15 October 2025. Whitworth will resume her role as both senior independent director and audit chair. Whitworth said: “During a rigorous and wide-ranging selection process, John emerged as the stand-out candidate to become Rank’s chair. His wealth of experience in highly regulated industries, and advising and working with boards across the globe, will provide the group with the expertise and leadership that it requires as we embark on the next phase of our strategic journey.” 

 

Ten pin bowling supplier to launch restaurant and bar venture, plans national rollout following proof of concept: Ten pin bowling supplier Bowling Vision is to launch a new restaurant and bar venture, in Kettering, and has plans to roll it out nationally. Bowling Vision – the UK distributors for Brunswick, the bowling brand used by businesses including Center Parcs and Gravity Max – is behind a new leisure company called Accelerated Play. The new company’s first flagship venue will be Lucky Chuck’s, a “retro playground of pizza, cocktails and games” – opening in the former Mister Ray’s department store in Kettering’s Market Place in the new year. The team behind Accelerated Play said the venue will double up as a testbed for rolling out the concept nationally. The “late-1970s-inspired mash-up of arcade bar, pizza joint and gaming den” will be spread across two floors and create 30 jobs. As well as serving pizza by the slice, alongside cocktails and craft beer, the venue will offer augmented reality darts, interactive shuffleboard, computerised mini-golf, neon beer pong and American pool. Heading up the food and beverage will be Benny Peverelli, who was natural fast food brand Leon’s first head of food,who will be joined by head chef Jonno Page, who has previously worked for Jamie Oliver at Fifteen and at River Cottage.

 

Midlands pizza business to launch sister concept next year, to open four more stores before end of 2025: Midlands pizza business Aladdin’s Pizza has said it is to launch a new sister concept next year. The company, which was founded in 2012 and has 11 locations in the region, has not yet revealed details of the new concept but said the business is “preparing for its next evolution”. Aladdin’s told whichfranchise: “The team is currently developing a new food concept under a different name, set to launch in 2026. This upcoming concept will build upon Aladdin’s operational excellence while exploring new culinary directions, emerging dining trends, and modern branding to appeal to a broader audience.” The company last month opened its 11th store, in Handsacre, and said it is due to open four more stores beyond the end of the year. The company started 2025 with just four stores, and its rapid growth is being led by Roman Aslamzada, former head of franchise for dessert brand Amorino in the UK, who joined as head of operations and franchising in March. He said in September that Aladdin’s is on track to open another ten stores by next summer, and the company is in the process of moving its central warehouse to a larger unit, “built to accommodate the needs of up to 100 stores”.

 

Chopstix strengthens its position in Yorkshire, averaging a site opening every two weeks: Fast-growing, quick service restaurant brand Chopstix has strengthened its position in Yorkshire with an opening in Doncaster. The circa 150-strong brand has opened in the Frenchgate shopping centre, which is the latest site in a flurry of store openings for Chopstix in the wider region – identified as a significant opportunity for growth for the business. Following site openings in Castleford’s Junction 32 shopping centre last month, alongside investment in York, Sheffield and Leeds this year, the Doncaster site launch further strengthens Chopstix in a region where the brand said it had previously been under-represented. Chopstix said it was averaging a site opening every two weeks since it secured new investment from European quick service restaurant operator, QSRP, last October. Jon Lake, Chopstix managing director, said: “We’re thrilled to strengthen our position in Yorkshire with a further opening in the region. We recognised a significant opportunity to grow our store footprint across Yorkshire and the early success of recent stores in Castleford, York and Leeds gives us real confidence in this new site in Doncaster. We continue to grow at pace and we’re feeling really positive as we head into the busiest time of year for hospitality.”

 

Honest Burgers to triple Bristol presence with new GBK conversions: Honest Burgers, the Active Partners-backed business that acquired 12 Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) sites from Boparan Restaurant Group in September, is to convert two sites in Bristol to its eponymous brand. Honest Burgers, which began the conversion process to its core brand with a site opening in Wimbledon last month, will open a 60-cover site in Bristol’s Cabot Circus scheme on Friday, 21 November – the brand’s first restaurant opening in a retail space. The company, which already operates a site in Clare Street in the city centre, will also open a site in the Cribbs Causeway scheme on the outskirts of the city. Tom Barton, co-founder of Honest Burgers, said: “When we started Honest, we wanted to do one thing really well: serve simple, quality British burgers and chips that people would love. We’re proud to be expanding within the south west.” The conversion of the 12 GBK sites will take Honest’s restaurant portfolio to 51 locations across the UK, including three new regions and further sites in London and Bristol. Propel understands that Honest Burgers paid circa £3.7m for the 12 sites, which strengthens the brand’s footprint in London and broadens its geographical reach into the Midlands, the south east and East Anglia – including sites in Norwich and Leamington Spa.

 

Megan’s hires Jay James as marketing and sales director: Megan’s, the all-day, neighbourhood restaurant concept, has hired Jay James, formerly of Rosa’s Thai and Prezzo, as its new marketing and sales director. James joins the 21-strong Megan’s after a four-month contract stint as marketing director at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants. Previous to that, she spent two years as marketing director at Rosa’s Thai. She also spent three years at Prezzo, as its director of marketing and communications. She was also at Pret A Manger for three years, including three years as its head of communications. Earlier this month, Propel reported that Megan’s is planning to add to its regional estate with an opening on the former The Real Greek site at 24-26 George Street in Oxford. Megan’s already has openings lined up in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire and Windsor in Berkshire.

 

Hawksmoor to open restaurant and stand-alone bar in London’s St Pancras hotel this month: Award-winning steak restaurant business Hawksmoor will open its new restaurant and stand-alone bar in the Midland Grand hotel in London’s St Pancras this month. The 13-strong business, which was founded by Huw Gott and Will Beckett, is taking over the former site of Victor Garvey within the hotel. The 95-cover restaurant, which will also feature a private dining room and chef’s table, will open on Saturday, 22 November. The venue will offer Hawksmoor’s new seafood platter, with Scotch bonnet oysters, dressed Dorset crab, scallop crudo, crevettes and pickled cockles. Another newcomer to the menu is the prime rib roast – a full rib seared over charcoal, then slow-roasted, carved thick and served with a slow-cooked rib bone, a giant Yorkshire pudding, bone-marrow gravy and creamed horseradish. 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. This will showcase “new and classic cocktail favourites” alongside a new bar menu, including beef-dripping hash browns with malt vinegar mayo, Exmoor caviar with crème fraiche, and mini-Yorkshire puddings with slow-cooked minced beef and horseradish cream.

 

Inamo to open eighth location for sister brand Inamo Sukoshi: London tech-restaurant group Inamo has told Propel it will be opening an eighth location for its sushi and fusion street food sister-brand Inamo Sukoshi, at Market Place Leicester Square in the capital, in December. The launch marks Inamo Sukoshi’s sixth opening in 2025 alone, following new venues at Kargo MKT Manchester, Cutlery Works Sheffield, and BoxHall Liverpool Street, Tower Bridge Collective and Hackney Bridge in London. Created for use in food hall operations, Inamo Sukoshi brings Inamo’s award-winning pan-Asian cuisine to a wider audience, offering signature dishes such as dragon rolls, bao buns and chicken katsu curry. Noel Hunwick, co-founder and marketing director of Inamo, told Propel: “We’re delighted to be bringing Inamo Sukoshi to Leicester Square with Market Place. It’s a fantastic box office location that aligns perfectly with our mission to make our fresh, fusion-style food accessible to even more guests. It’s been an incredible year of growth for the brand, and we’re excited to continue expanding in 2026.”

 

Hampshire pub group led by ex-Neos Hospitality general manager acquires fifth site: A Hampshire pub group led by ex-Neos Hospitality general manager Daniel Swan has acquired the lease of a former Wildwood site in Chichester, West Sussex, for its fifth site. Hampshire Pub Co has taken on a 15-year lease at the three-storey, grade II-listed building at 30 Southgate, in a deal brokered by Flude Property Consultants. The Wildwood restaurant shut in April 2024 – one of 13 closed at the time by owner Tasty, now Bow Street Group. Swan, who was previously general manager at venues such as Tiger Tiger and Eden in Portsmouth, has owned Hampshire Pub Co since 2021, along with his brother Calvin and dad Gary. They operate four other venues in Hampshire – Rapscallions sites in Southsea and Port Solent, as well as Ripper & Co in Southsea and the Bird in Hand in Lovedean – and previously operated The Red Lion in Southwick.

 

Leeds operator opens new digital-first coffee house concept: Leeds operator Alex Galantino has opened a new digital-first coffee house concept. Galantino, who is also behind three La Bottega Milanese coffee shops in the city, has opened Habitum, which he said is “redefining the café experience with a technology-led approach designed for today’s fast-paced, digital-first consumers”. The micro-store by the Aire Park development in Hunslet Road offers a self-service model where customers place and manage their own orders via digital kiosks, while staff focus on crafting drinks and pastries behind the scenes. Galatino told BDaily: “Habitum comes from an idea I first toyed with during covid, when stores were closing left, right and centre. Essentially, I was imagining what a coffee shop would have to look like in order to perform in a post-pandemic era. This, alongside the cost-of-living challenges we face today, then moulded into the shape of the current model. All the components that form our setup are present in everyday life. We use smart screens all the time, self-service is becoming more and more common in retail and supermarkets, and specialty coffee is still as popular as ever. So, I like to think that we’ve basically taken all of these components and brought them together to create this USP for the store, which we believe will pleasantly surprise people.”

 

K&G Hospitality to open second Amazing Grace venue tomorrow: K&G Hospitality will open the second venue for its live music bar and restaurant concept Amazing Grace this week. The venue – part of Imbiba’s new 65,000 square-foot hotel, restaurant and music venue at 12 Bank Street in London’s Canary Wharf – will tomorrow (Thursday, 13 November). The site will be a fourth for K&G Hospitality, adding to its original Amazing Grace location in London Bridge and street food destination Pop Brixton. The company, founded in 2020 by Ricardo Guimarães and Vineet Kalra, also this month opened sports bar and microbrewery The Dial in Greenwich – a three-floor destination with a large outdoor terrace and the rooftop 360° Bar. Amazing Grace Canary Wharf will offer more than 450 covers, including a waterfront terrace overlooking Eden Dock and a semi-private mezzanine. Guimarães said: “Canary Wharf is the perfect home for our next chapter. This launch represents the energy and creativity that define Amazing Grace – a space where live music, food and culture come together to create truly memorable nights.”

 

Scottish Sri Lankan street food concept to open first stand-alone restaurant: Scottish Sri Lankan street food concept Kochchi is to open its first standalone restaurant. Kochchi has been operating at Bonnie & Wild – the Edinburgh food hall concept from the founders of Scottish restaurant brand Mac & Wild – since 2022. Now, Kochchi is heading to Glasgow, where the concept will launch in the former The Hanoi Bike Shop in Ruthven Lane. The £500,000 investment into the Glasgow location will build on its Bonnie & Wild concession with an expanded menu of regional curries, grilled seafood, street-style snacks and flame-fired plates along with a dedicated bar. The drinks list will feature Sri Lankan-inspired cocktails, craft beer and tropical softs. The restaurant will have capacity for 80 covers spanning two floors plus an external seating area. Founders Shehan Fernando and Suki Jayaratne grew up in different parts of Sri Lanka, but it was Colombo – the country’s capital – that united their culinary vision. Jayaratne said: “Shehan’s childhood was spent among his family’s hotels in Nuwara Eliya before discovering Colombo’s kitchens and streets, where food was rhythm and theatre. I grew up in Kandy’s gardens and coastal markets but found in Colombo the energy of a city where every influence collided – from black pork curry and seafood fried rice to lunch boxes filled with dosas, sambols, and biryani. Kochchi is our way of bringing that story to life.”

 

Calloh Callay operations manager to open Italian restaurant: Simone Crepaldi, operations manager at Calloh Callay – the award-winning cocktail bar in London’s Dalston founded by entrepreneur Richard Wynne– is to open a new Italian restaurant in the area. He and wife Lidia, a general manager at TriSpan-backed Vietnamese restaurant group Pho, will next month open the 30-cover Hoax in the former Chick ‘n’ Sours unit at 390 Kingsland Road, also in Dalston. Dishes will include steak tartare with Robiola cheese andhazelnut, slow-cooked beef cheek in red wine broth and chicken withblack truffle and pan brioche. There will also be a 24-cover ‘secret’ cocktail bar downstairs called The Devil You Know, offering cocktails such as a white chocolate and strawberry negroni, a truffle martini and a tiramasu espresso martini. Simone said: “Hoax is born from Italian roots, yet with East London energy! This project has been almost ten years in the making for me and Lidia, and it’s a bit of a pinch me moment to see everything coming together at our new home on Kingsland Road. The area is seeing a bit of a food and drink renaissance right now, and we are so happy to be a part of it.”