Deltic boss – ‘Revolution merger would create robust business that is good for sector as well as shareholders’: The Deltic Group chief executive Peter Marks has told Propel he believes a merger with Revolution Bars Group would create a “robust business” on the stock market that would be “good for the sector as well as shareholders”. Deltic Group, the UK’s largest operator of premium late-night bars and clubs with 57 venues across the UK, revealed on Tuesday (15 August) it had approached Revolution about a possible deal. It came after Stonegate Pub Company made an offer to buy the 68-strong Revolution Bars Group last month at a price of 200p a share, which Marks believed undervalued the company. He said: “Until Stonegate came in with its offer, we were happy with what we were doing and it was not on our mind to do anything. But we felt the price seemed to undervalue the shares and if we could put the two companies together it would attract a better return for shareholders and a better business for customers.” Revolution responded by saying there was “no merit” in progressing the talks because the board had concerns over both “the value and deliverability of the combination”. However Marks said: “We haven’t had any discussions over value and in terms of deliverability we’ve not started due diligence – we just believe the shares are undervalued at £2. In my view, the fund managers might as well have gone down the garden and dug a hole and put there £2 shares in and come back two years later and dug them up again. At the end of the day the people who will make the decision are the shareholders of Revolution. They have to decide if they want more money with an enlarged group or take the offer that is already on the table. I want to see all companies in our sector doing well beside us. We think this merger would be good for the sector and should be further explored. It’s a soft market at the moment and we believe the deal would create a robust business on the stock market that can then go on and grow.” Marks said if the merger did not go ahead then Deltic would not look at any other deals in the short term and said the company needed to be of a “bigger scale” before considering a listing of its own. He added: “This is a window – if it doesn’t happen we will just carry on what we are doing now. We will look to grow our business, refurbish our existing estate and acquire some more clubs. I think we’ve got to be bigger before looking at the stock market and I’m not really talking about site numbers. I think you’ve got to have Ebitda of £20m or north of that with a clear direction going forward.”

Chris Muller Multi-site Management Masterclass open for bookings: Propel will host Professor Chris Muller, the leading thinker, teacher and author on multi-site foodservice management in the US, at its next Multi-site Management Masterclass. It takes place on Friday, 29 September at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Leading UK businesses such as Mitchells & Butlers and TGI Friday’s have sent staff to be taught by Professor Muller at Boston University’s School of Hospitality – now Professor Muller is returning to the UK to lead this bespoke day. The event will provide valuable insights for founders and area managers of small and medium-sized multi-site companies and area managers of large companies. The sessions will include building the case for strategic growth, developing multi-unit managers from players to coaches and a discussion on the importance transition plays in the practice of management and leadership. Mastering Multi-Units founder Lee Sheldon will also talk about how to successfully drive profitable growth for your business. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for Propel Premium members, £345 plus VAT for operators and £445 plus VAT for suppliers. To book tickets, email Anne Steele at anne.steele@propelinfo.com

Ryanair calls for alcohol controls at UK airports: Ryanair has urged UK airports to take steps to prevent excessive alcohol consumption, with the company saying it is “unfair” that profit can be made from such sales while the airlines are left to deal with the consequences. Citing a Civil Aviation Authority study that reportedly stated there was a 600% increase in disruptive passenger incidents in the UK between 2012 and 2016 – with most involving alcohol – Ryanair has itself taken measures to prevent such behaviour. For example, customers flying from Glasgow Prestwick and Manchester to Alicante and Ibiza are no longer permitted to bring duty free alcohol on board the aircraft, and those who have purchased duty free alcohol will be asked to put it into the hold or leave their purchases behind. On the back of this, Ryanair has called on airports to ban the sale of all alcohol in bars and restaurants before 10am, introduce the mandatory use of boarding cards when purchasing alcoholic drinks in bars and restaurants, limiting the number of drinks per boarding pass to a maximum of two, and controlling the sale of alcohol in bars and restaurants to passengers during flight delays. Kenny Jacobs, chief marketing officer at Ryanair, said: “It’s completely unfair airports can profit from the unlimited sale of alcohol to passengers and leave the airlines to deal with the safety consequences. This is an issue the airports must now address and we are calling for significant changes to prohibit the sale of alcohol at airports, particularly with early morning flights and when flights are delayed. Given all our flights are short-haul, very little alcohol is actually sold on board, so it’s incumbent on the airports to introduce these preventative measures to curb excessive drinking and the problems it creates, rather than allowing passengers to drink to excess before their flights.”

Fourth – 85% of customer would rather leave a positive review than a negative one: A survey from Fourth, the software partner to the hospitality sector, has found 85% of customers would be more inclined to leave a positive dining review than a negative one. The survey, which was conducted across a nationally representative panel of 1,500 consumers, revealed customers left on average 3.4 reviews a year and the core drivers behind leaving a positive review were quality food (87%), attentive staff (69.4%), and quick service (46.7%). The findings also highlighted younger consumers (16 to 29-year-olds) were twice as likely to leave a negative review as their older counterparts (45 to 59-year-olds). The younger age cohort was twice as likely to leave a negative review because of incorrect website information than the middle age cohort (30 to 44-year-olds); and more than eight times as likely than the older age cohort. When asked what factors influenced leaving a negative review, the top results were poor quality food (78.8%), rude staff (68.6%), and waiting time for food (61.9%). The survey also revealed operators had the best chance of mitigating a negative review if the food wasn’t up to scratch, if they provided a discounted bill (58.2%), great service throughout the meal (46.2%) or the offer of a complimentary return visit (39.2%). Catherine Marshall, communications director at Fourth, said: “Customer-driven online review platforms, such as TripAdvisor, have become very influential drivers in generating footfall. It is clear the younger, tech-savvy generations are more critical than the older generations when it comes to leaving negative feedback and therefore forward-thinking operators seeking to future proof their business are tracking, analysing and acting upon customer sentiment."

Cardlytics research shows football fans love of high-end restaurants: New data based on the spending habits of British football fans has revealed the typical football supporter to be a far cry from its traditional working-class image. According to the anonymous card data of nearly half a million bank customers, Brits who spend at football clubs were twice as likely to invest their money in many premium fashion brands and treat themselves to more frequent high-end restaurant meals than the average shopper. According to Cardlytics’ purchase intelligence, those who follow football also have broader interests, as their spend extends beyond a single sport into events and culture. Spending on Ticketmaster and See Tickets for this group is twice as high as the average shopper. Duncan Smith, commercial director at Cardlytics, said: “Football fans have become a huge consumer group, but the anatomy of an average football fan seems to be changing. This serves to show how audiences change with time, even the most established. The lesson for brands is to stay on top of consumer spending habits to ensure they understand their target audience and how it’s evolving.”

New app to allow queue jumping and VIP treatment is launched in Manchester: Three friends from Manchester have designed a mobile phone app that allows customers to jump the queue at their favourite pubs and clubs. The idea came after Craig Gidley, Craig Davies and Stephen Powell, who are all aged 31, were turned away from a bar in Spinningfields in the city centre. The app, Viper, allows people to buy drinks or secure VIP entry into a bar in real-time from their mobile phone with the first edition being launched in Manchester. So far Epernay, Bijoux, Cocktail bar brand Be At One and Living Room have signed up. Davies said: “We feel there is nothing coming close to what we are offering and our links to the best bars in Manchester will ensure users have unrivalled access to exclusive upgrades during their night out. Whether you need to find the best bars, have drinks ready on arrival, find which bars have VIP booths available or simply need a queue jump, Viper will let you do this from the palm of your hand. Although Viper is predominantly an app to allow people to find the best bars, we see it evolving into a very social app.” Belvie Maxwell, sales manager at Be At One in Deansgate, said: “We will be using the app to promote our featured nights, offer exclusive deals and make sure all our customers get the most from their Be At One experience. The Manchester nightlife industry is incredibly competitive and we feel being part of Viper app network is a great way of us being able to market our bar to our target audience.”

‘Temporary Brexit custom union’ is a positive sign views of business are being heard, says ALMR: The Association of Multiple Retailers has said the government’s proposed “temporary Brexit custom union” is a positive sign the views of businesses are being heard and acted upon. Chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Should such a transition prove achievable, it would deliver a more stable, extended period during which hospitality and other businesses can address the changes caused by Brexit. It is vital the government continues to engage with businesses though – foodservice price inflation is at about 9%, so additional tariffs on food and drink from the EU would be disastrous for hospitality. A dialogue with businesses will be crucial in developing the right free trade deals to take us out of a transitional period. The apparent unity of the government behind this proposal will hopefully generate stronger confidence that UK negotiators will have a clear set of objectives to pursue. In all, the paper may be the move away from the cliff edge that would benefit the eating and drinking out sector, the UK and the EU. I hope there is more positive news in the other imminent government papers, hopefully including more detail on overseas workers, who are so crucial to UK hospitality.”

Tourist websites agree to pubs link: Visit Britain and Visit England have now placed links on their website to Stay in a Pub, to promote British pubs. The action was taken after research by Stay in a Pub showed one of the top three places inbound tourists wished to visit was a British pub. A total of 13% of all enquiries to the Stay in a Pub website come from abroad, covering each month 100 different countries. Visit Wales has now also agreed to create the link and a meeting is planned with Visit Scotland. Stay in a Pub director Paul Nunny said: “Visit Britain has gone even further and promised to use its 22 overseas hubs to promote pub accommodation.” Stay in a Pub has also been invited to partner in two grant applications to Visit England, covering the promotion of England’s Greatest Walking Trails and also the Gourmet Garden Trails of England (Explore, Eat, Drink & Stay). Stay in a Pub is working with the British Beer & Pub Association on both applications.

Seafood Pub Company reports turnover and Ebitda boost: The opening of three new sites has helped boost turnover by 37% at Seafood Pub Company in the year it secured a private equity investment. Seafood Pub Company Holdings posted turnover of £8,025.817 for the 2016 calendar year compared with £5,844,326 the year before. Ebitda increased by 104% to £863,732 from £422,594 the previous year. Pre-tax losses narrowed by 77% to £70,175 over the same period. It made an operating profit of £133,365 compared with an operating loss of £101,348 the year prior. During the year the company opened Roosters Bistro in Higham, the Alma Inn in Laneshawbridge, and Forest in the village of Fence, near Burnley. It also launched The Fleece in Addingham in May and is on the verge of opening the doors to The Inn in the village of South Stainley as part of its expansion into Yorkshire. Penta Capital, which has helped grow La Tasca and EAT, bought a majority stake in Seafood Pub Company in July 2016. The private equity firm arranged an £18m funding package to acquire a majority stake in the business and provide funds for expansion. In their report accompanying the accounts, signed by managing director Joycelyn Neve, the directors said the group has traded well during 2016 with sites increasing both revenues and profits compared with the previous year. Neve founded Seafood Pub Company in 2010.

Gusto lines up Chislehurst opening: Premium casual dining restaurant brand Gusto, which recently opened in York, is opening this month in Chislehurst, south east London, its 18th site. Managing director Sue Crimes said: “2017 has been incredibly exciting for Gusto and we are thrilled to be extending our brand to new areas. We’ve been overwhelmed with the positive response to our restaurants to date and can’t wait to hear the reception for our Chislehurst venue. It’s a great location for our clientele and at the heart of a growing food and drink scene in the area.” Gusto has invested almost £2m in the two venues to open this summer, creating more than 100 jobs in total. Crimes added: “We want to position our restaurant-bars as the ‘third place’ in our guests’ lives. First is home, second is work and the ‘third place’ is somewhere you go to unwind and socialise. We believe our venues achieve this, as our relaxed environment enables guests to enjoy a variety of social situations, from daytime with the family right through to date night with a partner.”

Middlesbrough site let to Premier Inn acquired for £6.2m: A site in Middlesbrough that will home to a Whitbread-owned Premier Inn has been acquired by property investment company LXi Reit for £6.2m. LXi Reit has exchanged contracts to forward purchase the site in Wilson Street, of which practical completion is scheduled for December. The purchase price reflects a net initial yield of 5.1% and the acquisition is being funded from the company’s Scottish Widows debt facility. The property, which has been fully pre-let to Premier Inn, is being purpose-built for the tenant and will comprise 83 bedrooms across six storeys. Premier Inn’s lease will run for a term of 25 years, with a one-off tenant break right at the end of year 20. The rent is subject to five-yearly upward-only reviews, index-linked to the Consumer Prices Index. LXi Reit partner Simon Lee said: “We are pleased to be forward purchasing this new and well-located Premier Inn hotel, which will provide the company with a long, inflation-linked income fully underpinned by the strong Whitbread and Premier Inn covenants.”

Wasabi reports Ebitda boost as turnover nears £90m: London-based sushi and bento business Wasabi, which also operates Korean casual dining brand Kimchee, has reported turnover increased 21.4% to £88,241,267 for the year ending 31 December 2016 compared with £72,659,539 the previous year. The company said this was driven by strong like-for-like sales growth and the continuation of its opening programme. Ebitda rose 7% to £5,121,000 compared with £4,787,000 the year before, according to accounts filed at Companies House, mainly driven by decreases in pre-opening costs and a review of its price structures. Pre-tax profit was up to £2,471,345 compared with £2,392,755 the previous year. The company stated: “The business continued to grow in 2016, opening a further five branches during the period, this included one branch outside of London. By the end of the period, the company had 50 branches in total, 44 branches in the London area and six outside of London. The director believes the company has a strong platform for future domestic expansion, as the imminent introduction of our new central production unit will provide cost efficiencies and sustained quality in our bento production range. The company’s innovative and fresh approach to food has helped to establish a strong brand that continues to grow in popularity. The company continues to research and evaluate opportunities to expand the company’s portfolio within the UK and overseas to maintain its competitive position in the fast food sector. The company has plans to open branches in the UK and New York during 2017 and remains confident these will be successful and it is able to improve the level of performance of its existing portfolio at the same time. Funding for these developments comprise a mix of internally generated cash and available loan facilities. Further expansion will follow a similar funding model, including the assessment of the company’s ability to afford new loan facilities from third parties.”

Restaurant magazine and MCA publisher reports turnover and profit growth: Publisher of Restaurant magazine and MCA, William Reed, has reported underlying turnover growth of 6% to £48.8m for the year ended 31 March 2017 with growth in digital and face-to-face income offsetting a modest decline in magazine income. Underling Ebitda of £8.3m (2016: £8.1m) grew by 2% and underlying Ebitda margin fell by 1% to 17%. Included within asset amortisation of £22.3m (2016: £3.1m) is goodwill amortisation of £1.7m (2016: £2.5m) relating to its retail research consultancy Him! Net cash grew by £2.5m to £26.9m. Profit before tax was £6,856,000 compared with £3,481,000 the year before. A dividend of £356,000 was paid in the year (2016: £356,000). Magazine turnover was £11,428,000 (2016: £12,018,000), digital income was £13,812,000 (2016: £12,661,000), face-to-face income was £20,161,000 (2016: £14,855,000), insight income was £5,066,000 (2016: £4,856,000) and licensing produced turnover of £303,000 (2016: £258,000). In terms of turnover by geographical market, the UK produced £36,248,000 (2016: £32,488,000), Europe produced turnover of £5,685,000 (2016: £4,958,000), the US saw turnover of £5,214,000 (2016: £4,184,000) and the rest of the world produced turnover of £3,623,000 (2016: £3,018,000). The highest paid director earned £500,000 with bonuses, down from £549,000 the year before. Subsidiary company Him! saw turnover of £3,360,000 (2016: £3,343,000) and pre-tax profit of £799,000 (2016: £983,000). The Morning Advertiser magazine, in which the Licensed Trade Charity owns a 25% stake, reported turnover of £3,756,000 (2016: £3,986,000) and pre-tax profit of £535,000 (2016: £584,000).

Seren Collection strengthens management team: The Seren Collection, operator of luxury hospitality venues in south west Wales, has strengthened its management team. The company has promoted Alice Bussi to group food and beverage manager and Oliver Crittenden to group human resources manager after creating the new roles. Managing director Neil Kedward said: “As a business we love change and people developing and so it comes as no surprise that our teams keep evolving. This is a big step for the group strengthening our ability to support our businesses from the centre while significantly bolstering the management teams in each of our businesses.” Seren Collection operates boutique hotel Grove of Narberth and restaurants Coast Saundersfoot, Kiosk and Beach House Oxwich.

Ivy Collection to open first Kent site after acquiring former Jamie’s Italian outlet in Tunbridge Wells: The Ivy Collection is to open its first site in Kent after acquiring the former Jamie’s Italian outlet in Tunbridge Wells. The company is opening the restaurant in High Street in November following the closure of Jamie’s Italian earlier this year. The Ivy Tunbridge Wells will include space for 105 covers, a bar and a Parisian-style alfresco seating area. An Ivy Collection spokesman told Kent Live: “Tunbridge Wells, with its rich historical heritage, is the perfect setting for the newest addition to The Ivy Collection, which is continuing to grow regionally with a number of sites outside of London, where it was originally established.” The Ivy Collection has continued its regional expansion by recently opening brasserie sites in Cobham in Surrey and Marlow in Buckinghamshire. It has also signed a 25-year lease to open its first site in Scotland, in Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square, and is opening a venue in Harrogate in the autumn.

Hotel Chocolat to debut in Ireland: Hotel Chocolat is to open its first cafe store in Ireland at a 1,100 square foot site in Dundrum town centre. Due to open in October, it will trade next to Zara and Hugo Boss. Simon Betty, director of retail for Ireland at Hammerson, said: “The centre is Ireland’s leading retail and leisure destination, making it the ideal venue for the brand to launch in the growing Irish market. Since taking ownership of the site in Dundrum last year, we have worked to leverage our relationships with domestic and international brands in order to ensure an exciting and fresh retail mix, and this latest debut is testament to the success of that strategy.” Peter Harris, co-founder of Hotel Chocolat, added: “We are hugely excited to be expanding into Ireland. It took us a while to find the perfect location for our first cafe here but we feel confident we have found it in Dundrum. We want our new cafe and store to offer a real sense of escapism the moment you step inside.”

Cider subscription service closes crowdfunding campaign after raising £150,000: Cider subscription service Crafty Nectar, which supplies cider from independent producers to bars and restaurants, has closed its fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube after raising £150,000. The company, founded by Ed Calvert, was offering a 14.29% equity stake as it looked to raise £100,000 to expand its trade division. It has now closed the campaign with 321 investors pledging £150,000. The largest investment was £50,000. The pitch stated: “We aim to provide the UK’s largest list of craft ciders to our trade customers at a cheaper price than buying from national distributors, with no minimum order. Crafty Nectar’s revenue is generated from the sale of monthly subscriptions, encouraging new customers to sign up with a welcome offer. On renewal, we aim to make roughly 30% margin on each box sold. Crafty Nectar Trade charges a commission on all sales. By delivering straight from producers we don’t need a warehouse and the stock doesn’t go out of date, which allows for a large product inventory. Therefore, we aim to provide cheaper prices than other wholesalers. We forecast £85,777 total revenue for year-ending November 2017, and £376,984 for year-ending November 2018. With investment, we aim to develop our trade portal, increase marketing spend, and hire additional staff to accelerate growth on the trade side.”

Inglett steps down at Center Parcs: Paul Inglett, finance director of Center Parcs Group, has stepped down. Center Parcs said Inglett had decided to take a career break to spend more time with his family after seven years with the group. Inglett worked for six months after tendering his resignation to ensure an orderly handover to his successor. Martin Dalby, chief executive of Center Parcs Group, said: “After seven years at Center Parcs, Paul has decided to take a career break to spend more time with his family. As finance director, Paul has overseen a period of strong financial results and played a major role in delivering some very complex projects such as the refinancing of our entire business, securing the necessary funding for Woburn Forest and, most recently, the sale of the business by Blackstone to Brookfield. Paul has made a massive contribution to the Center Parcs business and we wish him well for the future.” Tui UK finance director Colin McKinlay is to join Center Parcs as Inglett’s replacement.

Essex-based restaurateur to open third site for Turkish concept, in Brentwood this month: Essex-based restaurateur Tony Manconi is to open the third site for his Turkish concept Pivaz, in Brentwood this month. Manconi is opening the venue on Friday, 25 August in High Street on the site of the former Blockbusters shop, reports Essex Live. Pivaz is described as a “fragrant and romantic dining experience complemented by an extensive menu and delectable wine list”. Heavily influenced by Manconi’s homeland tradition, the food comprises hot and cold mezze options for lighter lunches, and fish and meat for mains along with an array of vegetarian dishes. Manconi launched the concept in Epping in July last year and also has a site in Hackney.

JD Wetherspoon closes Great Yarmouth pub for £3.5m refurbishment that includes hotel: JD Wetherspoon has closed the Troll Cart in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, for a £3.5m refurbishment that will see a hotel added. The pub, near Market Gates bus station, will be shut for four months while the work takes place. The investment will see a neighbouring building demolished and an extensive new beer garden built, as well as a 22-bedroom hotel added in the empty three-storey space above the pub. It is due to reopen on Tuesday, 5 December, reports the Great Yarmouth Mercury.

Bath-based small plates restaurant and wine bar concept opens second site in city: Bath-based small plates restaurant and wine bar concept Corkage has opened its second site in the city. Owners Marty Grant and Richard Knighting, who launched Corkage in Walcot Street nearly two years ago, have opened the new venue in Chapel Row. It accommodates 78 diners, including seating for 30 outside. The bar area is flanked by hundreds of wine bottles with a fireside seating area by the window and vintage wine posters line the walls. Grant said: “We soon realised it was time to develop the Corkage brand and when the site in Chapel Row became available we knew it was too good an opportunity to miss. The additional space means we can cater for more guests and create dishes with a bit more theatre.”

Redwings Lodge Group adds Oldbury site: An expanding hotel group has acquired another venue in the Black Country with the purchase of the Ramada in Oldbury. Redwings Lodge Group already operates five sites under its own name, including one in Wolverhampton city centre. It has now added the 76-bedroom Ramada, buying it from Gurjit Mahal for an undisclosed sum. Mahal bought the hotel out of administration in 2012. Redwings is planning to add bedrooms and more restaurant space at the hotel, which is ten years old next year. It is also looking for other hotel opportunities in the West Midlands to add to its portfolio. Charles Jones, from agents Christie & Co, said: “The Ramada opened in 2008 and also includes a restaurant and four function rooms that are extensively used for conferences, events and weddings so we knew it would generate a lot of interest once on the market.”

Belfast-based chef and street food trader to open permanent site for gourmet burger concept: Belfast-based chef and street food trader Paul Catterson is to open a permanent site for his gourmet burger concept. Catterson will launch Tribal Burger in Botanic Avenue next month. As well as burgers, which will be made on site daily and cooked to order, the restaurant will offer a grown-up twist on the milkshake – one with vodka and one with whiskey – and craft beers. The restaurant will feature communal seating and a 26-foot long wall mural. Catterson has worked as a chef at some of the city’s top restaurants including Shu, and run his own ventures in outdoor catering and street food, bringing mobile gourmet burgers to festivals with his Burger Republic outfit. Catterson told Belfast Live: “It’s simple, but it’s about consistency, it’s about people coming in for a burger and a good beer. It’s fun dining not fine dining, but there’s definitely a gap here for really good quality burgers.”

BaxterStorey wins Winchester Cathedral contract: Contract catering company BaxterStorey has been awarded a contract by Winchester Cathedral to relaunch its historic Refectory. BaxterStorey has introduced a new menu providing visitors with “locally sourced quality food and drink” featuring The Cathedral Breakfast and a new cake table. BaxterStorey regional managing director Sarah Miller said: “Winchester is certainly a foodie-paradise and we are delighted to bring residents and visitors a taste of something completely new. Alongside the seasonal menu at the Cathedral Refectory, our pop-up street food stalls will be located throughout the cathedral grounds.” The Refectory relaunch also includes a new corporate and events offering, with bespoke menus tailored for individual requirements. Canon Annabelle Boyes, receiver general at Winchester Cathedral, added: “The new menu, look and feel really reflects the local heritage of our location, offering guests a complete and memorable experience.”