Jeremy King – ‘the restaurant sector is becoming homogenised’, ‘we’re losing confidence in intuition’: Restaurateur Jeremy King has said the sector is becoming increasingly “homogenised”, with operators relying too heavily on data and losing confidence in intuition. Speaking at the Propel Multi-Club Conference, King – who runs the London-based The Park, Arlington and Simpson’s in the Strand – argued the best hospitality businesses are built on instinct, clarity of vision and self-belief. He said that “within reason, there’s not really a bad location”, but many projects fail because people lose their nerve. He recalled chef John Torode opening a restaurant in Ladbroke Grove years ago, when the area was still considered risky. “Everybody had something to tell him – and the trouble was, he listened,” King said. For him, the essential discipline when opening a restaurant is knowing exactly what you want to do and being able to summarise it in a single sentence. That clarity becomes the anchor for every decision. King said he believed the industry has drifted toward a culture where “everything relies on statistics”, with proof‑of‑concept models overshadowing creativity. “We’re not allowed to have intuition or instinct, even though that’s where the most successful and original businesses come from,” he said. He pointed to countless examples across industries of people succeeding simply because they believed they could do something different. He recalled pitching his first hotel idea to Deloitte, where one consultant questioned his ability to run a hotel because he had “served a few plates of food”. King warned him not to underestimate people, noting someone once said something similar to a “scruffy, bearded man” who had sold a few records before launching an airline. The real problem, he argued, is innovation is often stifled. He said: “Disruptive thinkers are frequently acquired by large corporations that then dilute the very qualities that made them successful.” His message to operators was “trust your instincts, resist doing things out of obligation, and pursue only what you genuinely want to create”. King was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. All the videos are available free to Premium subscribers or for a one-off fee of £195 plus VAT to non-Premium subscribers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com for details.

 

Propel to publish bigger report on International Brands trading in the UK: This year’s highly anticipated International Brands report, launching in May, will feature the 100 leading international brands in UK hospitality, plus, new for this year, more than 60 smaller brands planning an entrance or trading in the UK market. This expanded report explores the company histories, leadership structures, site numbers and, where available, turnover figures – an essential tool for industry figures navigating the UK hospitality market. The top 100 and incoming hot concepts include brands from markets including the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia, cementing the UK’s position as an essential growth target. The guide will be sent out as two files; a PDF featuring deep dives into international brands from Propel’s writers and extended team of industry experts, and a fully searchable PDF for easy access to key data. The analysis includes AlixPartners’ Graeme Smith on the role the UK plays in brands’ international expansion and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova examining the UK market for quick service restaurant operators and, for the first time, while Propel editorial advisor Katherine Doggrell will investigate the success of global hotel brands, as they look to feed their loyalty programmes with ever-growing pipelines and sweep away the independent hotel sector. The International Brands report is available for £450 plus VAT with existing Premium Club subscribers receiving it free. The report will be published on Friday 22 May at 9am. Order your copy today or sign up to Premium by emailing kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

 

Upham Inns director Ian Dunstall to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings: Ian Dunstall, director at Upham Inns, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 19 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Dunstall will talk about the southern England premium pubs operator’s evolution, the success of its Harpers Steakhouse concept in suburban locations and the integration of the 14 ex-Oakman Group sites. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £345 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers while Premium Unlimited Plus subscribers receive four free tickets to the conference. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive two updated databases this week: Premium Club subscribers will receive two updated databases this week. The latest Propel UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database will be sent tomorrow (Wednesday, 15 April), at 12pm. The database will feature ten new additions plus updates to existing entries. The database now has 300 entries and more than 122,000 words of copy. Among the new entries are fast food franchisees Bhullar Group of Companies (Papa John’s), Jake Restaurants and Nucleus GB (both McDonald’s) and NNA (KFC). Premium Club subscribers will then receive the next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality on Friday (17 April), at 12pm. Another 42 companies have been added to the database, which now features 1,533 companies. This month’s edition also includes 145 updated entries. Premium subscribers also receive access to four other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database. 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 chief operating officer – editorial, 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 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. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Punch Pubs – the average pub contributes up to £1.3m in economic and social value to its local community: New research from Punch Pubs & Co, the Fortress-backed operator of circa 1,250 community pubs, shows that the average pub contributes up to £1.3m in economic and social value to its local community. The report – The Public’s House: The True Economic & Social Value of Pubs – in partnership with Northumbria University, reveals that the Punch’s own estate delivers £1.7bn in total economic and social value to the UK economy each year. It also reveals that a Punch pub, on average, is estimated to spend as much as £56,000 on local suppliers – meaning as a whole, the business injects up to £70m into the wider economy. Across its 1,250-strong estate, the business said it generates £4m in charitable contributions. Punch Pubs puts £350,000 in wages per pub back into the economy and each Punch pub spends up to £266,945 on goods and services. The research found that the entire pub sector contributes at least £142m in social value per annum, based on each Punch pub generating an estimated £3,200 every year in charitable contributions. Chief executive Andy Spencer said: “Our report highlights an important factor in the sector’s ongoing success and resilience: pubs with strong community engagement tend to be more commercially successful, whilst also building lasting guest loyalty that supports repeat visits, recommendation and long term growth. We also know the hospitality industry doesn't just create value through its own activity; it also has a ripple effect on the wider economy. The value of the pub to society is undeniable, protecting and supporting the sector isn’t just about safeguarding businesses; it’s about strengthening our communities.” Punch Pubs hires Matt Ward as new CFO, Steve Dando becomes chief financial strategist – see Company News.

 

Entegra acquires Prestige Purchasing: Entegra, a subsidiary of catering company Sodexo, has acquired procurement specialist Prestige Purchasing. Entegra said the deal “marks a significant milestone” in its growth strategy in the UK and “reinforces Entegra’s offer and presence, especially in the restaurants, pubs and leisure segments”. Entegra said Prestige Purchasing’s core offerings – including procurement, outsourcing consultative supply chain solutions and data and insight services – align closely with its own. Stephen Beech, chief executive of Entegra UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted to welcome Prestige Purchasing to the Entegra family. Our food and beverage solutions, category expertise and market insight will be enhanced by this acquisition.” Shaun Allen, chief executive of Prestige Purchasing, added: “It was clear from the outset that our companies share the same values and ways of working. Being part of Entegra is a positive step not just for the business and our team, but it also opens additional opportunities to deliver further value for our clients.”

 

Google deploys AI agents for UK restaurant bookings: Google is rolling out what it calls “agentic capabilities” to its artificial intelligence (AI) mode in its search capabilities across the UK, letting users book restaurant tables without leaving the search results page. The company said that this marks one of the first consumer-facing deployments of AI agents that completes “tasks on your behalf, not just suggest options”. It said the new functionality allows users to ask Google’s AI to handle the entire reservation process, including identifying suitable restaurants, checking availability and confirming bookings. Instead of navigating multiple links or interacting with third-party reservation platforms, users can rely on the AI to manage the workflow from start to finish. Google said this represents a “meaningful evolution from earlier stages of search”, where results were limited to lists of links or, more recently, summarised answers.

Zero Carbon Company partners with Mondra to help operators more easily reduce emissions and build resilience: Zero Carbon Company – made up of the Zero Carbon Forum (ZCF) and climate tech company Zero Carbon Services (ZCS) – has partnered with sustainability intelligence platform Mondra to help operators more easily reduce emissions and build resilience. For the Zero Carbon Forum, the partnership enables quantifiable reporting of collective industry action. It said when members implement supply-chain interventions, such as those developed through the Forum’s Beef or Dairy Action Groups, Mondra’s data will now help track and evidence the resulting carbon reductions. “Our members and clients want greater clarity to ensure the decisions they make will genuinely reduce carbon emissions and build climate resilience,” said Mark Chapman, chief executive and founder of ZCF and ZCS. “This partnership delivers exactly that. Forum members can now measure the true impact of our collective supply-chain interventions. With Mondra’s digital-twin technology, we can also model the impact of changes before they’re made.”

 

Glasgow restaurateurs jailed for large-scale VAT fraud: Two Glasgow restaurateurs have been jailed after they and their accountant admitted involvement in a large-scale VAT fraud. Antonio Carbajosa, 41, Kevin Campbell, 44 and Khalid Javid, 67, were caught after a HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) investigation. Carbajosa and Campbell ran a group of venues in Glasgow including Cranside Kitchen, Pickled Ginger and Halloumi, reports The Herald. Carbajosa and Campbell admitted to fraudulent evasion of VAT totalling £682,882 between November 2011 and October 2016. Khalid, meanwhile, admitted recklessly making a statement that was false in that he submitted VAT returns for two companies. Carbajosa and Campbell were sentenced to three years each. The court heard Carbajosa and Campbell “supressed” the true value of sales for their limited companies that were registered. The firms between them included Cyprus Leisure, Rotunda Leisure, Lookoil, Catering 58, Beachfront, Seaside 41, South Promenade and La Reguera. The accountants, KA Javid & Co, were instructed by Carbajosa and Campbell. The offending came to light to HMRC investigators due to initial discrepancies in returns from two of the businesses. This resulted in Operation Keyholder, and a forensic accounting report was prepared between August 2012 and October 2016. Prosecutor Wojciech Jajdelski said: “Carbajosa and Campbell did not comply with the VAT requirements in order to profit, in the longer term, from their restaurant businesses by not accounting for all of the VAT due to HMRC. The Crown accepts for present purposes that the total sum to which the fraudulent evasion of tax by the two men amounted was £682,882.” Furthermore, three of the companies were not registered for VAT and did not pay tax on sales generated by them. Jajdelski said: “This was done personally or through Khalid Javid and/or his staff on VAT returns submitted to HMRC.” The court heard HMRC made a total loss of £136,576 from Javid’s actions. Sentence was deferred on Javid pending background reports until next month at the High Court in Glasgow.

  

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with an up-and-coming beer brand that is seeking a head of off trade. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This position will play a pivotal role in developing the off-trade strategy across major multiple groups (Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose) along with developing relationships, managing P&L and supporting the founders in their export expansion. Experience in drinks fast moving consumer goods, along with work across the top four grocers, is essential, and a background in export would also be preferred.” The salary is up to £80,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com.

 

Burger King UK CEO – ‘current trading is positive’, ‘90% of openings will be drive-thrus’: Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive of Burger King UK, which is backed by Bridgepoint, has told Propel that current trading is “positive in terms of like-for-like sales” and the company expects 90% of its openings this year to be drive-thrus. Earlier this week, the company said it is to open more than 30 new stores in 2026. It came after the circa 600-strong business reported revenue increased 10% to £448.7m in the year to 31 December 2025 (2024: £408.3m), with like-for-like sales growth of 6.8% to £379.9m (2024: £355.8). Murdoch said: “Current trading is positive in terms of like-for-like sales. We have refocused on both value – for example our out-of-home campaign £3.99 offer of melts and fries (burger or chicken) – and at the gourmet end with the relaunch of Wagyu for Easter and a new iteration via a ‘Wellington Wagyu’, which is excellent. More than 90% of what we are opening this year will be drive-thrus (that’s our own restaurant openings), and a similar pipeline looking forward. We have been in this market now for eight years and have a very strong acquisitions team and chief development officer in Marc Balding, who has an outstanding pedigree.” On whether the business would explore adding a new brand or business to its existing portfolio, Murdoch said: “No formal plans yet, but we have a great platform from which to grow, a really strong leadership team combining significant experience with real agility, best in class operations, award-winning brand marketing (look at the brand metrics now versus seven years ago – Katie Evans as chief marketing officer has done an amazing job), rock solid processes and critically a strong pipeline of sites and drive-thrus going forwards.” Earlier this week, the business struck an agreement with Metro Bank and OakNorth to lend it £30m each, with the £60m of additional debt being used to fund new restaurant openings and other growth-related initiatives. 

 

Smacks to open first transport hub site this summer, planning second fundraising round: Smashburger brand Smacks will open its first transport hub site this summer and is also planning a second fundraising round, Propel has learned. The transport hub store will open at Morden station in south London – one of 25 sites it is aiming to open over the next 18 months. This will be followed by further openings in London neighbourhoods – in Bromley and Kingston – while the brand is looking to go into more “university towns”. Founder Kaysor Ali told Propel: “Morden will be right at the entrance of the tube station. It’s a very busy location with high commuter footfall, and I’m excited to see how we perform there, especially with the early morning commuters – we just introduced a breakfast menu at our Cardiff site that we think will work excellently in Morden. We’ve also had a lot of success in Glasgow, so we’re looking at Edinburgh, and we're targeting busy university locations like Nottingham and Bristol after the success we have had in other university cities.” The company last week launched a £3.2m fundraise to aid its expansion, the majority of which it hopes will come from institutional investors, plus £200,000 through a crowdfund on Republic. The crowdfund is currently open for pre-registration and will open to the public on Thursday (16 April). Ali added: “For the £3m, 15% equity is being offered. For the crowdfund, it will depend on what we raise. We’ve had strong interest so far, which has been really reassuring. Upon completion, it could value the business at £20m. We’ve been through due diligence with highly experienced business analysts and institutional investors, and they’ve all said they agree with our valuation. It shows we’re being realistic as well as ambitious and gives us great confidence in our strategy moving forward. Once this raise is completed, we have already planned for a second round in a year to 18 months’ time of a further £2m, which will give us the capital we need to reach 100 stores globally.” Smacks currently has 14 locations, including a single overseas site in Dubai’s Motor City.

 

Parisian-American cookie brand to make UK debut: Laura Todd, the iconic Parisian-American cookie brand, is to open its first site in the UK, in London’s Kensington. As first reported by Hot Dinners, the brand, which was founded in the US in the late 1920s, is to open a site in Gloucester Road tube station later this year. It is thought the company is looking to expand further in the capital off the back of a successful debut opening. Known for using high-quality, often organic ingredients, the company later expanded to Paris, France, where it has operated, selling fresh-baked cookies, since 1985. The business, which is backed by M Capital Partners, currently operates circa 30 sites in France and three in Belgium.

 

Punch Pubs hires Matt Ward as new CFO, Steve Dando becomes chief financial strategist: Punch Pubs & Co, the Fortress-backed operator of circa 1,300 community pubs, has hired Matt Ward, formerly of Village Hotels, Greene King and Hawthorn Leisure, as its new chief financial officer. Ward, who will join Punch next month, joined Village Hotels as its chief financial officer last February. He left Greene King at the end of 2024 after two and a half years, which included time as the company’s group M&A director and finance director of its partnerships and ventures division. Before that, he spent just under six years as chief financial officer of Hawthorn Leisure. He has also held a number of senior finance and leadership roles at the Co-op across a range of customer-facing businesses. Punch said Ward brings a “strong background in finance, strategy and transformational leadership”, which will support the company’s ongoing growth and investment. Ward succeeds Steve Dando, who has been chief financial officer for Punch for almost 15 years. He will move into the newly created role of chief financial strategist. Chief executive Andy Spencer added: “Matt’s knowledge, strategic capability and sector understanding will be invaluable as we continue to invest in our pubs, develop our operating models and strive toward becoming the UK’s five-star pub company.” In addition, Ed Bashforth, Punch’s commercial projects director, will leave the business on Friday, 19 June, having joined in 2007.

 

Yorkshire operator The Potions Cauldron Group acquired in pre-pack by one of its founders: Yorkshire operator The Potions Cauldron Group, which previously featured on Dragon’s Den and declined an investment offer from Peter Jones, has been acquired in a pre-pack deal by one of its founders. The company operated ten sites across the north of England and Scotland trading as The Potions Cauldron, The Potions Academy, The Potions Express and the five-strong Hole In Wand mini golf concept. The company also offered potion making experiences alongside a growing range of licensed drinks products. The sale of the business, encompassing its operational assets and trading locations in England, was completed on 10 April 2026 following the appointment of joint administrators and licensed insolvency practitioners Asher Miller and Stephen Katz, partners from BTG. After several years of rising costs amidst challenging trading conditions left The Potions Cauldron Group in a distressed position, the directors approached BTG’s restructuring team for advice. Following a broad accelerated marketing exercise, it was determined that a pre-packed administration sale would maximise value while saving The Potions Cauldron Group and as many jobs as possible. The purchaser was The Potions Group, a connected company by way of one of its founders, Ben Fry. The sale includes the business and its Hole in Wand sites in York, Leeds, Chester, Blackpool and Seaham. Fry and Phil Pinder initially sold drinks under its magic-themed branding, offering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails that glitter, sparkle and bubble when served. The group was impacted by the covid-19 pandemic, losing the entirety of its wholesale arm, and so sought to diversify through the mini golf concept.

 

Rod McKie steps down as chairman of Megan’s: Rod McKie has stepped down as non-executive chairman of Megan’s, the all-day neighbourhood restaurant business, after more than six years in the role. McKie, the former chief executive of Welcome Break and ex-group chief executive of Sticks‘n’Sushi, joined the then seven-strong Megan’s at the end of 2019. Last spring, he stepped down as chairman of New World Trading Company after three years in the role. McKie, who was also previously managing director of Coffee Republic and an operations director at Pret A Manger, is currently chairman of ONroute, the Canadian motorway services operator, and holiday park operator Verdant Leisure. In February, the 21-strong Megan’s opened its latest site, in Windsor and has also exchanged on sites in Oxford and Cambridge. This came after Megan’s announced a reshuffle of its senior leadership team, with Bridget Lambert promoted to managing director.

 

JW Lees acquires historic Glossop pub, focused on adding to pub partner and retail operator estates: North west brewer and retailer JW Lees has bought the Royal Oak in Glossop, Derbyshire – a historic pub built in 1818 – as it focuses on adding to its pub partner and retail operator estates. With 90 internal covers and 40 external covers, the pub has been closed for several years but JW Lees said it will be making a £500,000-plus investment to transform the site into a “modern fit-for-purpose family dining pub”. Sitting within the company’s pub partner trading division, the pub is planned to re-open later in the summer. Managing director William Lees-Jones said: “Glossop has been on our radar for quite some time, and we’ve been impressed with the success of the Market Hall since it opened. We like The Royal Oak and think that it will quickly establish itself with locals and walkers. It’s good to be buying new pubs again, and we are focused on adding to our pub partner and retail operator estates rather than managed houses. Individual pubs like the Royal Oak are hard to come by, but we are confident that this will be first of many, as we scale up our investment programme.”

 

Zambrero UK appoints development agents in the West Midlands and south west: Zambrero, Australia’s largest Mexican quick-service franchise, has appointed development agents, James Fleck, Michelle Jelfs and Sarah Preston, to spearhead its expansion in the West Midlands and south west territories. The team will be responsible for franchise partner recruitment in the two regions, with plans to open more than 20 restaurants within the next three years, creating around 300 jobs. Development will focus on larger towns and cities, with initial efforts to secure locations in high footfall areas on high streets, large shopping centres, retail parks and roadside destinations. Target areas in the West Midlands will include Birmingham, Cheltenham, Coventry, Solihull and Worcester, while target areas in the south west include Bath, Bournemouth, Bristol, Exeter and Taunton. Zambrero said the trio bring more than 50 years of combined franchising expertise, having worked together to drive growth in the West Midlands region for one of the world’s leading quick-service restaurant brands. Together, they have recruited more than 100 franchise partners and opened more than 120 restaurants. The new appointments support Zambrero’s plans to open 100 restaurants nationwide by 2030 through strategic franchise partnerships. Zambrero, which was founded in Australia in 2005 by Dr Sam Prince and has grown to more than 300 locations globally, launched in the UK in 2021 and now has 13 locations here.

 

Nashville hot chicken concept Hotville to make London debut as it opens first site in a shopping centre, sees ‘great’ first quarter trading: Nashville hot chicken concept Hotville is to make its London debut as it opens its first outlet within a shopping centre, and told Propel it saw “great” trading in the first quarter of 2026. Hotville will launch at The Chimes in Uxbridge in May, with the site run by new franchisee Gohar Zaidi. Usman Ganny, franchisor and co-founder of Hotville, said: “As well as our first London site, Uxbridge is also our first store within a shopping centre, which is an exciting step for us. Launching in such a prestigious location alongside many household names will significantly raise Hotville’s profile and pave the way for further franchised expansion.” In terms of trading, director Ali Rajani told Propel: “We achieved record results at the end of last year and this has carried on, with a great first quarter. The January ‘diet’ blues just don’t seem to have hit us! For example, in Leicester, we had a great January and a fair February, then in March we saw a 26% rise on the previous month, which was incredible. I think it comes down to the fact that we welcome and cater for everyone – all ages and demographics.” The Uxbridge launch will bring Hotville’s UK franchise portfolio to seven locations, as the company continues its ambition to become a national brand, with a further five sites set to open this year. Hotville is now welcoming applications from potential franchisees in strategic locations across the UK. It said franchisees will receive full training, support with site sourcing, store fit out and turn-key opening of stores in addition to professional marketing, with a return on investment of between 16 and 24 months.

 

Soho House opens first Japanese outpost: Soho House has opened its first outpost in Japan. Soho House Tokyo is based in Minami-Aoyama, near Omotesando, and spans four floors. The 75,000 square-foot club has a rooftop pool and terrace, a wellness studio overlooking Aoyama-dori, and a dedicated event space for live performances, parties and screenings. There are also 42 bedrooms, many of which have balconies. Soho House now operates 49 houses across 20 countries. In February, a $2.7bn deal to take the company private was completed by a consortium led by hotels giant MCR.

 

JD Wetherspoon to open third Heathrow site later this summer: JD Wetherspoon will open its third pub at Heathrow airport, in Terminal 2, this summer. The company will open the Sir Frank Whittle – named after a British RAC officer who co-created the turbojet engine – on Tuesday, 14 July. The pub will join the company’s two other sites at the airport, located in Terminal 4 and Terminal 5. Next month, the company will add to its university estate with the opening of Joe’s at Birmingham University, in Edgbaston Park Road. The business will operate Joe’s as part of a new partnership, but the site will continue to be run and managed by the Guild of Students. Wetherspoon will also open a new pub called The Sir Ronald Wates at Wates House, Surrey University, on Tuesday, 7 July. The pub will be owned by the university but franchised by Wetherspoon. As previously reported, there will also be two new Wetherspoon pubs opening at Barcelona airport. The first will be at Terminal 1, opening by September 2026, followed by a second at Terminal 2, by January 2027. The openings come as part of wider plans for the company to open 15 new managed pubs by the end of its current financial year.

 

Bootlegger Bars promotes Faye March to sales and marketing director: Bootlegger Bars – the prohibition era-themed pub concept from former New York bar owner Lee Miller – has promoted Faye March to sales and marketing director, effective immediately.  Since joining Bootlegger Bars as a consultant in June 2025, the company said March has played a pivotal role, helping drive business growth and shape marketing strategy. March has also held the role of head of marketing at Dirty Martini and as head of sales and digital marketing at CG Restaurants & Bars. Scott Matthews, managing director for Bootlegger Bars, said the appointment will help support the next stage of growth of rolling out the business, which has venues in Bath, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, London’s Richmond and Leeds.

 

Chaiyo Restaurants to launch Plaza Khao Gaeng in London’s Covent Garden next month: Chaiyo Restaurants, the Thai restaurant group from JKS Restaurants and chef Luke Farrell, is to launch southern Thai restaurant concept Plaza Khao Gaeng in London’s Covent Garden next month, marking the company’s third site. The new 75-cover site will open next to the upcoming Arcade Food Hall in Bedford Street and join the original Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Plaza Khao Gaeng in Tottenham Court Road and a site in Borough Yards, which opened last November. It will be the most recent addition from Chaiyo Restaurants, the Thai restaurant group from JKS Restaurants and Farrell. The group also includes Speedboat Bar, with two sites in Soho and Notting Hill. Farrell said: “Southern Thai cuisine in London has come a long way since we opened the city’s first. Each iteration of Plaza has brought something new, and at Covent Garden, this is the grill. Like the rural roadside spots of Southern Thailand, guests at Covent Garden may begin with a couple of sticks before moving into our deepest southern menu yet. We began this journey four years ago with gleeful trepidation, and it has been a joy to see it embraced so fully while sharing the depth and variety of this regional cuisine.”

 

Côte launches £10 ‘Dish of the Day’ menu: Côte, the French brasserie brand, has launched a “Dish of the Day” menu featuring French classics for £10 each. Available Monday to Friday on designated days, the line-up includes plates such as steak frites, moules marinière and confit pork belly, alongside the return of the Breton fish stew. Following the introduction of the beef bourguignon burger as a special for National Butcher’s Week, the dish now takes a permanent place in the weekly rotation. Vegetarian and vegan options include pistou gnocchi, the vegan fable burger with truffle mayo and caramelised onions, and grilled tempeh with free-flowing frites. Guests can also elevate their dining experience with a three-course set for £10 extra. Executive chef Steve Allen said: “French classics should be for everyone – some of the best moments in life are shared over simple and comforting dishes. Our dish of the day menu makes those moments even easier to enjoy – French classics, cooked with care, at a price everyone can feel good about.”

 

Scottish hospitality group – new acquisition expected to significantly boost profit and turnover: Scottish hospitality group Turas Hotels, formerly J&R Group, has said its new acquisition is expected to significantly boost its profit and turnover in future years. The group acquired the 32-room Cairngorm Hotel in Aviemore from WKW Partnership last year for an undisclosed sum. In the company’s accounts for the year to 31 March 2025, director Richard Drummond said: “The directors anticipate that group sales revenues will rise substantially in 2025/26 and subsequent years with the inclusion of the trading results of Cairngorm Hotel from April 2025, with group profit expected to increase significantly as the group brings Cairngorm Hotel’s operating processes in line with the rest of the group and drives efficiencies as a result of this integration.” It comes as the group – which includes the Boat Country Inn in Boat of Garten, Glen Mhor Hotel and Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery in Inverness, the Seaforth Restaurant in Ullapool and McKays Hotel in Pitlochry in its portfolio – saw its turnover grow from £5,785,699 to £6,086,697 in the year to 31 March 2026. Its pre-tax profit also increased from £420,161 to £492,354. Dividends of £250,000 were paid (2024: £200,000). Drummond added: “Similar to almost all similar businesses in the hospitality sector, increased costs have compelled the group to seek to pass on cost increases to customers through increased prices as well as seeking ways in which to improve efficiencies by controlling costs, in order to sustain and grow profitability. While these cost inflation and interest cost challenges are real and have an impact on the group's potential profitability and cashflow, the directors consider that the additional sales income flowing from the increased accommodation capacity should ensure that the group continues to grow its sales, and trade profitably over the full year, and generate positive cashflow.”

 

The Beautiful Pubs Collective reopens Leicester site after £1m investment: The Beautiful Pubs Collective, the independent pub operator led by Sam Hagger, has reopened The Old Horse in Leicester following the completion of a £1m joint investment with brewer and retailer Everards. The redevelopment, which has been 18 months in planning and delivery, sees the pub reimagined and repositioned as a major all-day destination, marking a “significant step” in The Beautiful Pubs Collective’s strategy to evolve its Leicestershire estate through “premium, clearly differentiated concepts”. The company, which operates four pubs in Leicestershire, said the redesign includes a reworked main bar alongside the introduction of an open pizza kitchen. The pub’s extensive garden has seen the addition of a Germanic-inspired beer garden kitchen and a whipped Jersey-style ice cream kiosk. Hagger said: “This project represents one of our most ambitious redevelopments to date. We began planning the reimagining of The Old Horse 18 months ago, working closely with Everards to strike the right balance between the heritage of this much-loved pub and the operational standards and guest experience expected today.”

 

Madre team to open second Leeds site in as many months: Madre, the taco restaurant and bar concept from the founders of Belzan and London’s Breddos Tacos, is to open its second site in Leeds in as many months. Madre Salon opened in the city’s Wellington Street in February – joining the concept's sites in Manchester and Liverpool. A second site for Madre will now open in Leeds’ Wellington Place on Friday (17 April), joining its debut site in Manchester. By day, the new Madre will be a “laid-back space designed for relaxed lunches and long afternoons”, and by night, it will transform into a restaurant serving a menu that “celebrates the breadth of Mexican cuisine – from rich Oaxacan-inspired moles and salsas to Baja-style mariscos and Sonoran grilled meat”. A midweek lunch combo menu is priced at £15 per person, where guests can enjoy tacos (served in pairs), a side and a drink. Co-founder Sam Grainger said: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve, and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of Madre.”

 

Northern Ireland hotel group that will open Hilton’s first Tempo branded hotel outside US sees turnover rise but profit drops: Northern Ireland hotel group Loughview Leisure, which will open Hilton’s first Tempo branded hotel outside the US, has reported turnover increased to £11,248,946 for the year ending 30 June 2025 compared with £10,127,844 the previous year. Pre-tax profit dropped to £74,747 from £1,694,527 the year before as administration expenses jumped to £4,252,371 from £1,885,585 the previous year. In March 2025, Loughview signed a franchise agreement to operate the 56-strong Tempo brand's international debut, with the launch of the 144-room Tempo by Hilton Belfast City Centre in a vacant office building. The hotel, which will be situated adjacent to the Cathedral Quarter, is expected to open towards the end of 2026. Loughview also owns the DoubleTree by Hilton Belfast Templepatrick and DoubleTree by Hilton Belfast City Ten Square, which saw a rebrand of its Ten Square hotel in Central Belfast. Loughview, which is part of Paddy Kearney’s Kilmona Group, is also behind the Kingfisher Country Estate. The company’s Chimney Corner Hotel in Newtownabbey is subject to a long-term government contract to house asylum seekers. No dividend was paid (2024: nil). 

 

Welsh-Ghanaian entrepreneur to launch new West African restaurant/café venture: Welsh-Ghanaian entrepreneur Adisa Amanor-Wilks is to launch a new West African restaurant/café venture. Baobab Cymru will open at The College Inn in the village of Llandybie, Carmarthenshire. The venue will offer a range of West African dishes such as jollof rice with chicken, goat, fish or vegan options. There will also be a black-eyed bean stew with fried plantains and a selection of traditional soups, available for takeaway and sit-in. Opening on Friday (17 April), the venue will also feature a gallery showcasing African and Welsh artwork. “This is about bringing two cultures I love together in one space,” said Amanor-Wilks. “West African food, Welsh hospitality, and a place where people can gather, eat well and feel welcome. African roots. Welsh home.” Baobab Cymru takes its name from the iconic African baobab tree, “a symbol of community, resilience and nourishment”.