Yorkshire Mexican restaurant concept to launch first franchise sites this year as it eyes UK-wide presence before expanding globally: Yorkshire Mexican restaurant concept Mexi Bean Express is set to launch its first franchise sites this year as it eyes a UK-wide presence before expanding globally. Danielle Best founded the business as a Mexi Bean restaurant in 2020 before growing it into a Mexi Bean Express takeaway concept the following year, currently with five sites across the region. She then launched a franchise programme and has partnered with consultants Platinum Wave for a roll out that Best hopes will take her concept national and then international. “All the current locations are company-owned, and we have more in the pipeline, but at the same time, we have kicked off the process of opening the first franchise units and will launch them later this year,” Best told Propel. “Our growth plan includes launching 11-plus franchises across the UK in the next 12 months, venturing into international franchising in the next two years and having a global presence in five years. We’re looking at expanding across all UK regions, but Yorkshire will always be special – it’s where Mexi Bean started and it’s my home. Our initial locations are a great example of how a Mexi Bean Express can be successful in smaller towns, but we are looking at multi-territory expansion with franchise locations in major UK cities and across towns as our concepts are highly adaptable and scalable.” Best said she had no background in hospitality before launching her business, describing it as a “literally stepping into the unknown”. Not only that, but she launched at a time when the sector was reeling from the effects of covid and lurching from one lockdown to the next. “I had total confidence in my idea and decided I could learn everything on the job and find people along the way to share their skills and knowledge in the areas that were not my forte,” she said. “It was a very steep learning curve, and funding the business myself meant I was risking it all, so failure was not an option, and with three young kids at home, I wanted them to see that if you put your heart and soul into something you believe in, you can achieve anything. You have to be reactive in business and not overthink things. One of my biggest strengths is being able to evaluate the information available to me, make decisions quickly and adapt to whatever is happening. People talk a lot about the pandemic, but the hospitality sector in the UK is constantly facing challenges. That’s why a franchise can be safe-haven in the storm – we are stronger when we work together.” Not content with just rolling out Mexi Bean Express, Best is also working on a franchise for her luxury wellness studio concept, Kalm, and also operates a dessert shop in Brighouse called Charlie’s – named after one of her sons.

 

Propel launches Operational Excellence Conference, Burger King chief executive Alasdair Murdoch to speak, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Propel has launched the Operational Excellence Conference in partnership with Purple Story and is open for bookings. The conference, which takes place on Wednesday, 9 July at One Moorgate Place in London, is designed for operations directors, managers, area managers, site managers and chief executives who wants to maximise performance. Among the speakers will be Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive of Burger King, who will talk about how operational standards are improved and maintained in a company that runs directly managed sites and franchised sites. He will also speak about leading, coaching and developing a high-performance team. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £345 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive next UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database on Friday: Premium Club subscribers will receive the next UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database on Friday (16 May), at 12pm. The new database will feature ten new entries, for a total of 350 companies either franchising in the UK or looking to franchise here. The new entries include Comebuytea, a chain of bubble tea restaurants funded in Taiwan in 2002, which exhibited at last month’s International Franchise Show at London’s ExCel, as it seeks partners with which to expand to the UK. The new entries also include Spud Bros, a London gourmet jacket potato business with roots in 1950s Lancashire, which has partnered with Seeds Consulting to find the right partners to expand with. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, theTurnover & Profits Blue Book, 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 including the Operational Excellence Conference next month 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 will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. 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.

 

UKHospitality urges government to bring forward employment and skills strategy to further drive domestic recruitment: UKHospitality has urged the government to bring forward an employment and skills strategy to further drive domestic recruitment as Downing Street unveiled its plans to reduce migration. The government has set out its immigration white paper, with proposed changes including English tests for all visa applicants and their adult dependants, as well as a longer route to settled status. In response, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “We understand the government’s intention to reduce migration, which comes on the back of additional restraints on hospitality last year. When imposing these restrictions, the government has to bring forward an employment and skills strategy to further drive domestic recruitment. Hospitality recruits more than three-quarters of its workforce from within the UK and measures like apprenticeship levy reform, the introduction of foundational apprenticeships and investment in pre-employment training can allow us to go even further. Against a backdrop of £3bn in additional employment costs hitting hospitality businesses, such a strategy is critical if the government is to achieve its goal of getting more people out of welfare and into work.”

 

Beef prices rise again, poultry market facing ‘significant challenges’: Beef prices have risen again due to supply shortages and rising demand, particularly as summer approaches, according to analysis by catering butcher Birtwistles. GB deadweight cattle prices reached 700p/kg, with a 4p/kg increase in the week ending 19 April, although growth was more muted than in previous weeks. Total beef imports for the year to February are down year-on-year, but Australian beef imports rose by 144%. EU beef prices rose by 7.4% month-over-month, reaching €7,205.21 per metric ton due to cattle shortages. The report said the poultry market is facing “significant challenges” due to ongoing outbreaks of avian bird flu, particularly in Poland, which is affecting pricing and supply. The competition for chicken products has intensified, leading to price increases and supply shortages. Chicken fillet and thigh meat prices increased by 3.33% last week due to high demand. The report said the EU and UK are competing for limited chicken supplies, leading to an “auction-like market environment”, with some suppliers selling to the highest bidders “and loads of orders being cancelled for better offers”. The UK lamb market is “stable” as it awaits the new season, “but quality and availability issues are keeping the price firm”, the report added. UK pork prices have remained stable for the last five months, but due to the record prices in the UK beef and lamb markets, there is higher demand for pork.

 

Michel Roux warns of slew of restaurant closures across UK: Chef Michel Roux has warned of the “dire” situation facing the UK restaurant industry and that it is facing a slew of closures. The chef, who currently owns and operates two restaurants in the Langham hotel in London and four in Scotland, and previously ran Le Gavroche in Mayfair, told The Sun that the situation was “so depressing” – adding that well-known high-end restaurants could be impacted. He warned that “if we lose restaurants on the street corners, Britain will lose its identity”. He said: “Who would want to open a restaurant now?” Roux said operating the two-Michelin starred Le Gavroche had him working 90-hour weeks. Roux closed Le Gavroche so he could “make time for a better work/life balance”. In February, Gordon Ramsay confirmed he had secured a 15-year lease on the former Le Gavroche site, where chef Matt Abé will open his first solo venture later this year.

 

Tom Kerridge – it’s a constant battle of spinning plates and moving money to keep it bubbling along: Chef Tom Kerridge has said it is “a constant battle of spinning plates and moving money to keep it bubbling along” for his business, with one of his sites “losing a lot of money”. Kerridge – who operates the Butcher’s Tap and Grill, The Coach and the Hand & Flowers, all in Marlow, Buckinghamshire – told The Guardian: “We have six sites, and I would say three operate at a very minor profit, two just about break even, and one’s losing a lot of money. It’s a constant battle of spinning plates and moving money to keep it bubbling along.” He said the turbulence in the industry meant it was impossible to predict how each shift would pan out. “I prepare every day like I’m going into war, but that doesn’t mean armies of punters will show up at the gates,” he said. The overall state of the nation, he said, is one of the biggest problems he faces, with staff struggling with the cost of living and rents going up. He added: “Marlow isn’t cheap. We have staff houses to provide spaces for staff to live in. We have gym memberships for everybody. We try to make sure we’re not just feeding them boiled pasta every day. We look after the staff because their world is very, very hard right now.” Kerridge said if he was prime minister, he said he would reduce VAT as it would “encourage growth long term”, have another look at the increase in national insurance contributions and rejoin the EU. “There are no easy answers,” he said. “There’s no cavalry coming over the hill to save us. And to be honest, I’ve never known fear like it. But hospitality is very fluid. You can adapt; you can change. If I wanted to put something on the menu tonight, I could do it. You can use social media and can create a buzz. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past 20 years, it’s that eventually, things will change.”

Sacha Lord – red tape is killing hospitality: Sacha Lord, chair of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), has said that major cities across the country are “strangling their own hospitality sectors” by failing to approve basic pavement licence applications. Lord criticised the “mindless delays and bureaucracy” in cities like Liverpool, Birmingham and the borough of Westminster, warning that thousands of pounds in trade are being lost each day as a result of delays stopping venues from putting out tables and chairs and cashing in on the sunshine. Lord said: “The sun’s out, beer gardens are full, and customers are desperate to sit outside, yet councils are forcing venues to leave space empty because they haven’t rubber-stamped a form. It’s an embarrassment and we’re watching red tape choke our high streets." He pointed out that Liverpool City Council currently has 191 licences still pending, some dating back over a year, while Westminster Council, which includes Soho, is sitting on 84 applications, Birmingham has 60, and Manchester has 33 still awaiting sign-off. The warning follows a study by the Simons Advisory Group which found that cafes and restaurants offering alfresco dining can see an income increase of up to 30%. Lord also pointed to the hypocrisy of fast-tracking licensing permissions for VE Day, football tournaments and during the covid pandemic, yet failing to apply the same urgency to everyday trade. He is calling for immediate fast-tracking of pavement licences and a national commitment to standard two-year licence terms to cut red tape. Lord added: “The UK’s hospitality sector isn’t asking for favours’ we are just asking for the chance to trade. The only thing standing in the way right now is paperwork.”

 

John Lewis – restaurants and cafes are key part of its in-store strategy, opens Jamie Oliver site: Retailer John Lewis has said that restaurants and cafes are a key part of its in-store strategy, with five more set to open this year. The company said that its hospitality sales increased 6% over the past 1 months, with one in five transactions made in a John Lewis store taking place at a cafe or restaurant. John Lewis said that its Place to Eat restaurants were visited by three quarters of a million more customers than the previous year. The retailer said that the five new cafe and restaurant openings planned to take place this year, will increase the total space given to hospitality by 11,000 square feet by the end of the year and the total number of cafes and restaurants in John Lewis shops to 62. John Lewis will extend its Mediterranean-themed Ori Caffè concept to its Liverpool and Solihull branches this year and open a new café in Southampton (it currently operates in eight locations). It comes as the retailer opened the Jamie Oliver Cookery School and Jamie Oliver Cafe at its Oxford Street store in London, with the 4,600 square-foot space containing two classrooms and a 50-seat restaurant overseen by the chef. Katie Papakonstantinou, director of services and hospitality for John Lewis, said: “Whether it’s a chance to ponder a purchase, or an escape from the bustle of the shop floor, having a varied and exciting assortment of hospitality offerings within our stores is vital for our customer experience. It’s why we are continuing to invest in new offerings, and why by the end of the year ,we plan to have over 60 dedicated hospitality spaces across our 36 stores.”

 

WatchHouse names new commercial and finance directors: Specialty coffee business WatchHouse has promoted Josh Brown to the role of commercial director, and James Elliott to finance director, respectively. Brown joined the Caroline Ottoy-led business as head of coffee last October. He previously spent two and a half years at Gail’s, including a year as its head of coffee business development. Brown said: “At WatchHouse, we’ve always been about more than just great coffee. Our vision of modern coffee blends quality, innovation, design and 100% hospitality – creating experiences that enrich and inspire. This next chapter is about continuing to bring that vision to life in new ways and in new territories, with a broader remit across coffee, food and commercial strategy.” Elliott joined the Roland Horne-founded WatchHouse as head of finance last July, from sector advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal, where he had been a director. Last week, Propel revealed that WatchHouse is to further expand its footprint in London after acquiring five former Orée Boulangerie sites, following the latter’s entry into administration. WatchHouse, which already operates 19 sites in the capital, acquired locations in Wellington Street in Covent Garden, Borough Market, Parsons Green, St John’s Wood and Northcote Road in Clapham. The latter site will be the first to open, as WatchHouse Clapham. 

 

New hospitality concept focused on upscale pod-style hostels and led by former Generator Hostels executives secures funding for debut site: A new hospitality concept focused on upscale pod-style hostels and led by former Generator Hostels executive team members is set to open its debut site, in Edinburgh. Tarka will launch the 242-pod hostel and rooftop bar after securing £10.3m funding from OakNorth to fund the acquisition and development of the site, in South St Andrew Street. Tarka is backed by entrepreneur James Scott. The team, including its chief operating officer, Karen Richardson, worked for Generator during the period when it was owned by Patron Capital. Patron purchased the brand in 2007 when it had just two properties, and over the next ten years, as its chief operating officer, Richardson helped Generator grow to become the second largest hostel group in the world. The company was sold in 2017 for €450m. The South St Andrew Street development will transform a six-storey vacant property comprising more than 18,000 square feet into a technology-enabled capsule hostel with a Japanese-themed rooftop bar and restaurant. Upon completion, the property will trade under two new concepts – Tarka (the capsule hotel) and Nana Kai (the rooftop bar and restaurant). The hotel will enable guests to check in and obtain information via a multi-lingual mobile app. The app will also allow guests to book event tickets, make restaurant reservations and arrange dry cleaning. Scott said: “We’re creating a fresh take on the hostel experience – one that blends style, technology and affordability in a way we believe will resonate strongly with our target audience.” Scott was advised by Moxa Hospitality on the financing.

 

Creams Café and Sushi Co set for Basildon scheme: Creams Café, the dessert and café brand, and Sushi Co, the fast-growing Japanese concept, have signed up to open in Basildon, Essex. Creams Café will take 3,100 square feet of space, while Sushi Co will occupy a 2,863 square-foot spot, in the town’s East Square development. The development already features a ten-screen Vue Cinema as well as café bar operator Loungers’ Orleto Lounge and Nando’s. A spokesperson for Basildon Council, said: “Securing Creams Café and SushiCo for East Square is a testament to the development’s appeal and the strength of its tenant mix. These operators are renowned for their quality offerings and will undoubtedly enhance the dining experience for visitors.” Thomas Rose at P-Three, the retail, leisure, and placemaking agency, acted on the Basildon deals.

Lane7 to open eponymous site in Leeds: Boutique bowling company Lane7 is to open a new site under its eponymous core brand in Leeds next year. The group is to open a 23,000 square-foot site in the former Wilko’s unit in Trinity Leeds in the first quarter of 2026. The group recently opened new Lane7 sites in Dublin city centre and in Milton Keynes, with two new sites coming up in Newcastle over June and July – including a brand-new concept, ML7. Meanwhile, sister brand Gutterball is also set to open new locations in Lincoln and Ealing. Last week, the company confirmed it will open a site under its Gutterball concept, in Lincoln, later this year. The company launched the original, more family-focused Gutterball concept in North Shields at the end of 2019. Lane7 has secured the former Boots store in Lincoln High Street for the concept, with an opening planned for the third quarter. The business has also secured a site in the Ealing Broadway shopping centre for the Gutterball format, opening in the third quarter of 2025.

Black Sheep Coffee to open in Luton today: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee will open its latest store today (Tuesday, 13 May), in Luton. The site, in Luton Point shopping centre, will be operated by a local franchisee. The circa 100-strong brand last month signed an 11-store franchise deal for Lancashire, and the previous month, agreed a nine-site deal to further expand across London with franchisees Satar Wahid and Mgdad Alim.

 

Country Creatures to take on former Young’s pub in the Cotswolds: Sam and Georgie Pearman, who are behind the Country Creatures business, are taking on the Wild Duck Inn, near Cirencester, in the Cotswolds, with the site set to reopen next summer. The Wild Duck will be the newest addition to Country Creatures, which includes The Double Red Duke and The Mason’s Arms in Clanfield. The 16th century coaching inn will be “sympathetically restored to a beautiful pub with rooms” and feature 20 new bedrooms. The pub was bought by Superdry founder Julian Dunkerton’s Lucky Onion Group in 2018 – part of a group of sites acquired by Young’s four years later. The Pearmans are also on the board of London-based premium pub operator Cubitt House and founded the Lucky Onion Group in 2006.

 

Burger Boi set to make its London debut this week, on course to reach 25 sites by end of 2025: Premium smashed burger business Burger Boi is set to make its London debut this week and is on course to grow to 25 sites by the end of the year. Burger Boi will open at 9 Kingsland High Street in Dalston on Friday (16 May), for its 15th site. This follows last month’s launch at 72 George Street, Luton, which the company said has seen “record-breaking sales figures” and where “demand soared week after week”. Garth Almendro, operations director at Burger Boi, said: “The success of the Luton site has already opened up new franchise opportunities, underscoring the concept’s appeal and commercial potential. Next on the horizon is Dalston, which will mark Burger Boi’s long-awaited entrance into the capital. With multiple new openings in the pipeline, we are committed to continuing this momentum and are on track to reach 25 locations by the end of the year.”

 

Mayfair House Group secures site in London’s Covent Garden: London wine bar business Mayfair House Group has further enhanced its presence in the capital with the opening of a site in Covent Garden. The group, led by former EasyCoffee chief executive Nathan Lowry, currently operates ten sites in the capital – Shepherd Market Wine House, Traders Wine Bar, Brooks Mews Wine House, Amelia’s Wine House, Cecilia’s Wine House, Clemence Bar, Maltby Street Wine House, Angelique’s Wine House, Voila Wine Bar & Shop and Cherry Tree Yard Cafe & Bar. The group has now added the Courtyard Wine Cellars to its growing portfolio. Located in Covent Garden Market’s courtyard, the 2,500 square-foot venue has 100 covers and hosts a selection of more than 1,000 wines from 100 wine regions and across ten different countries. Lowry said: “We’re pleased to be expanding into the historic heart of Covent Garden, strengthening our Central London portfolio. Courtyard Wine Cellars represents a strategic addition – offering a distinctive venue that combines premium wine, quality coffee, curated gifts and a welcoming atmosphere to drive footfall and customer engagement.” Last September, the business revealed an “ambitious national expansion plan” and told Propel it was seeking a partner for its first franchise site, in Richmond, south west London.

 

French Latin American dining concept set to make UK debut: French Latin American dining concept Tigermilk is set to make its UK debut. The 138-cover restaurant will open at 127 Charing Cross Road on Thursday, 12 June. Founded in Paris in 2019 by Nina and Alexis Melikov, Tigermilk already attracts more than 3,500 guests daily across its ten locations. Offering cuisine “from the coastlines of Peru to the mercados of Mexico”, menu highlights include a chipotle-marinated T-bone bathed for 12 hours in agave before being grilled, and a rocoto-glazed lamb shoulder for sharing. Tigermilk’s drinks list is built from more than 250 bottles of tequila and mezcal, while the wine selection spotlights independent producers from France and South America. Set across two floors, the space includes a large open kitchen and a sweeping bar stretching across the room.

 

Former Revolution Bars MD joins Silverstone as F&B director: Mark Walter, formerly of Revolutions Bars and Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), has joined Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix and MotoGP events, as its new food and beverage director. Walter spent six years at Revolution Bars, including four as managing director, before leaving the business last summer. Previous to that, he spent almost four years at M&B, including just under three years as a retail director at the All Bar One, Nicholson’s and Harvester operator. 

 

Lina Stores to open in Canary Wharf next month: Lina Stores, the deli and restaurant brand backed by White Rabbit Projects, will open its Canary Wharf site next month. Propel revealed in January that the business had secured the former The Breakfast Club site at 1 Crossrail Place for its tenth location. It will now open on Monday, 9 June, with the 100-cover restaurant opening every day for lunch and dinner. The menu, led by head chef Masha Rener, will include 30-egg yolk taglioni with black truffle and Parmigiano Reggiano and casarecce alla calabrese with prawns and Calabrian chilli. The ground floor will house an open-plan delicatessen, open from breakfast through to the evening, offering sandwiches such as pancetta, mozzarella and eggs on Focaccia, and salads including fusilli with artichoke, truffle mushroom and semi-secchi tomatoes and tuna. The adjacent Bar Lina will offer a “selection of traditional serves and creative twists on Italian classics”. The restaurant will be accessed via a staircase in the delicatessen and will feature an open-plan kitchen and a private dining room for ten guests.

 

Padel operator Pure Padel to open debut Midlands site next month: Padel operator Pure Padel will open its debut site in the Midlands next month, in Solihull. The company, co-founded by Sammy Arora, will launch the venue on a parcel of land at Moseley Cricket Club. Pure Padel will operate four padel courts – three covered and one uncovered. Arora told Business Live: “We’re excited to be bringing our fresh approach to padel to Solihull. It’s a well-connected area and one we selected due to its accessibility and energetic community. This is our first foray into the Midlands, and we’re confident the town will benefit from having a Pure Padel club so that people can come and enjoy the game that's taking the nation, and world, by storm.” Pure Padel has ambitions to open 30 clubs across the UK within five years, including ten during 2025. The company currently has venues in Alderley Edge in Cheshire, Manchester, Leeds and Lightwater in Surrey, with sites coming soon in Darlington and Stockport. The business has also lodged plans for venues in Nottingham and Warrington.

 

London restaurant group opens second Dumplings’ Legend site with reimagined technology-led concept: Leong Enterprises, the restaurant group from brothers Geoff and Lucas Leong, has opened a second site for its Dumplings’ Legend concept. The first Dumplings Legend was launched by their father in London’s Chinatown in 2010. Now, the brothers have opened Love Dumplings’ Legend in Chancery Lane. Love Dumplings’ Legend is a reimagining of the original concept, offering a technology-led and fast-casual approach to dim sum and Chinese comfort food, and also opening for breakfast. The menu, which can be customised, also includes a selection of bowls and street food such as Taiwanese slow-cooked pork belly and sweet and sour chicken and mapo tofu. The drinks menu features a range of tea and coffee. The restaurant has a dine-in seating area for up to 27 guests with order screens and pick-up points. Geoff and Lucas said: “We’re excited to embark on the next part of our journey, bringing a decade of knowledge on Chinese cuisine to the city. Love Dumplings Legend will offer continuously handmade dim sum, including Xiao long bao and signature dishes ready and steamed in less than ten minutes.” In December, the brothers told Propel they were looking to expand outside of London. The family business first launched in the UK in 1995, with Japanese restaurant Koi in Kensington, which has now closed. The group’s other sites include Japanese á la carte and omakase concept Ine in Hampstead, Taku in Mayfair, Leong’s in Chinatown, Goldfish x Lan Kwai Fong in Camden and delivery platform Atla Foods.

 

Wing Kingz to open in Shoreditch for London debut: Gourmet wings concept Wing Kingz’s debut London site will be in Shoreditch, Propel has learned. Propel reported last month that the business, which has branches in Milton Keynes, Canterbury, Solihull and Coventry, was lining up its first site in the capital. The site it has secured for this is the former Matchbox cocktail bar site in Shoreditch High Street, Propel understands. The company was founded by Aaron Murrell, Parm Bhangal and Harminder Singh Dhisna, who previously said they have set their sights on “a minimum of 50 stores by 2030” through franchising. Michael Penfold, of AG&G, acted on behalf of the landlord on the Shoreditch deal. 

 

Thornbridge JV set to open Sheffield site this autumn: Thornbridge & Co – the joint venture between Derbyshire’s Thornbridge Brewery and specialist beer importer Pivovar – is set to open its new site in Sheffield this autumn. The Fargate is being developed in the former Yorkshire Bank building in Fargate. The pub will sit over two floors and will feature a large outdoor area for up to 250 guests. Simon Webster, chief executive and co-founder of Thornbridge & Co, said: “This project has been more than two years in the making, and we’re thrilled to be nearing the finish line.” Thornbridge & Co is also set to open its debut London site and previously told Propel it would consider a second venue in the capital in 2026. The company is launching The Wild Swan at 99 Fetter Lane in the City to replace the nearby White Swan, which is making way for new office buildings. Founded in 2018, Thornbridge & Co also operates The Market Cat in York, The Bankers Cat in Leeds and The Colmore in Birmingham.

Daughter of Chris Corbin to move restaurant operations under one roof in London’s Marylebone: Amy Corbin, daughter of Corbin & King co-founder Chris Corbin, is set to move her restaurant operations under one roof in London’s Marylebone. Corbin and husband Patrick Williams will move their Kudu, Kudu Grill and Curious Kudu bars and restaurants in south east London into the former Aubaine restaurant in Marylebone’s Moxon Street, reports Hot Dinners. In an Instagram post, the duo explained the move would “bring our three sites together under one roof, marking an exciting new chapter for our company”. They added: “The site will feature new dishes alongside standout favourites from both Kudu and Kudu Grill, as well as a private dining room and bar area. This dream project has been in the pipeline for a few years now and we still can’t actually believe it’s happening.”

Remaining Steak of Art site acquired out of administration for £22,500, launches series of deals to attract new trade: The remaining restaurant in the Steak of Art business, which is based in Bristol, was acquired out of administration for £22,500, Propel has learned. Propel revealed last month that the parent company of the Steak of Art restaurant concept has been placed into administration, following the recent closure of the company’s site in Churchill Way, Cardiff. The company’s original site in Cathedral Walk, Bristol, continued to trade. Former City worker turned chef Steve Bowen founded the concept based on food served in a gallery that showcases quality affordable art. The first restaurant opened in Bristol, in 2013, with a second following in Cardiff two years later. A Southampton site opened at Admiral’s Quay in Ocean Village in February 2016, but a restructure of the business in spring 2019 led to its closure. BristolCo, a new company set up by Bowen, paid £22,500 to acquire the Bristol site, which will be paid in four instalments. The administrators report said: “The Cardiff restaurant has never made a profit, which created trading difficulties due to reliance being placed on the performance of the Bristol restaurant. Due to ongoing challenging trading conditions in the restaurant sector generally, the continuing losses made by the Cardiff restaurant negatively impacted the business as a whole and reduced cash balances. Trading at the Bristol site was also affected by the presence of scaffolding in 2024-25, which has had a negative impact on trading revenues not just on this business but other businesses in the development due to reduced footfall. By late 2024, it had become apparent that unless there was a dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of the restaurant sector generally and specifically in the revenue generated by the Cardiff restaurant, the company would soon run out of cash.” Bowen has now launched a series of deals in the hope of attracting more business to the Bristol site, reports Bristol Live. The restaurant is also trying to entice people in with a “book for six people and only pay for four” offer during May.

 

Owners of five-star North Wales hotel launch gastropub-with-rooms on estate: The owners of the five-star Palé Hall hotel in Bala, North Wales, have opened a new pub on the estate. The Bryntirion Inn has been brought to life through a £1m refurbishment by Anthony and Donna Cooper-Barney. The restoration has seen the pub restored into a gastropub with rooms, with the property divided into a dining room with 60 covers and a bar area. The kitchen is headed by Tristan Fitt, whose CV includes Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and The Westbury in London’s Mayfair. He has crafted a menu of “elevated pub classics, championing the finest Welsh ingredients” alongside a more casual offer in the bar such as a black pudding sausage roll with homemade brown sauce. The drinks selection includes regional beer and cider on draught, local spirits, wine and a low and no-alcohol range. The pub also features six individually styled bedrooms. Anthony Cooper-Barney said: “We are thrilled to introduce The Bryntirion Inn as the latest part of the Palé Hall Estate. This project is especially close to my heart – it has given me the perfect place to share my classic car memorabilia, while creating a true village pub where locals can feel at home.” Palé Hall is an 18-bedroom country house hotel with an AA three-rosette and Michelin Green Star fine dining restaurant.