New West End variety venue Wonderville to open on ex-Planet Hollywood site: Wonderville, a new entertainment concept, will open in the heart of London’s West End this summer, dedicated to presenting magic and illusions shows alongside an all-day cafe and bar. The “purpose-built intimate, immersive and cabaret table seated venue” has secured the former Planet Hollywood site at 57-60 Haymarket near Piccadilly, with an opening set for 9 August. The new venue is described as “the perfect hang out space in the day, but when night falls, prepare for surprises and marvel at any time when you are in the world of Wonderville.” It will be open as a café bar from noon to midnight, with performances from Tuesday to Sunday at 8pm and weekend matinees at 3pm. The space is being designed by Justin Williams, who worked on the West End show Wonderville: Magic & Illusion. The magic consultant is Chris Cox, whose mind reading act was also part of that production, and the creative director is Laura Corcoran, aka Frisky from Frisky & Mannish (La Soiree). The opening season will feature acts seen on Britain’s Got Talent, The Sidemen Show and more, including Chastity Belt, Desmond O’Connor, Mysti Vine, Billy Kidd, Matricks, Pixie Le Knot and Snookie Mono. More acts will be revealed on the Wonderville social media channels, including many from the Wonderville: Magic & Illusion show. Corcoran said: “Expect the weirdest, wildest, most wonderful acts of the London variety scene entertaining you from every corner of Wonderville. You cannot be anything but utterly wowed by these hilarious and stunning talents. It will be a night of true wonderment, and anything could happen!” Rob Meadows at DCL and Matt Ashman at Cushman & Wakefield advised the landlord on the deal, while Theo Benedyk at Lewis Craig advised the tenant.

 

Sponsored message – North Shore Golf Club in Skegness supports Hospitality Rising, invest today: North Shore Golf Club in Skegness is supporting Hospitality Rising, but will you? The initiative aims to unite the industry by asking it to invest in and back its plan to change the perception of hospitality for the better, in the biggest sector recruitment advertising campaign the UK has seen. William Mitchell, managing director of North Shore Golf Club, said: “There is no doubt hospitality is facing one of its toughest challenges to date, and that is the shortage of people wanting to work in our industry. It is a great industry to work in. Who would not want to work in a place that is all about people and creating a comfortable and fun environment? The initiative from Hospitality Rising could be just the platform we need to change peoples’ perception of what it’s like to work in hospitality. Let’s let everyone know what a great industry it is to work in. Together for just £10 per employee, we can turn around peoples’ perceptions. Collectively, we can achieve something that will serve the industry well for years to come. It’s time to join together, let’s make it a success. I’ve chipped my bit in.” Invest in Hospitality Rising now from just £10 per employee here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

Cluster of London pub openings to feature in next edition of The New Openings Database, 19,100-word report included: A cluster of London pub openings will feature in the next edition of The New Openings Database, which is produced in association with StarStock. The database will show the details of 371 newly announced site openings and upcoming launches for Premium subscribers when it is published on Friday (8 July), at midday. The database shows the details of which company has opened a site, or its plans to open one in the future. It will have details on what type of site it is and its location. There will also be a website link to the businesses so you can find out more about them. It is published on a monthly basis. The next edition features Artfarm, a hospitality company owned by Iwan and Manuela Wirth, which will relaunch The Audley in Mayfair this autumn, offering its guests three distinct experiences. Independent Surrey brewer Big Smoke Brew Co and Airport Retail Enterprises (ARE), who have launched The Oceanic in Terminal 3 and The Globe in Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport, will also be featured. In addition, independent south London pub group Livelyhood, owned by Sarah Wall, which is set to launch its eighth site this summer with The Rosy Hue in Elephant & Castle, is included. Premium subscribers will also receive a 19,100-word report on the new additions to the database. Premium subscribers also receive access to three other databases. The latest Propel Multi-Site Database, which is produced in association with Virgate, was sent to Premium subscribers last Friday (1 July). The database contained 50 new companies, bringing the total number of businesses listed up to 2,531. The 323 sites run by those 50 new additions means the entire database of sites has reached 65,803 sites. Premium subscribers also received a 4,500-word report on the new businesses added. The go-to database provides company names, the people in charge, how many sites each firm operates, its trading name and its registered name at Companies House if different. In a new feature this year, there is a synopsis of what the business does and significant news associated with it. Premium subscribers also receive the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which is produced in association with Mapal Group. The Blue Book, which is also updated every month, provides an insight into UK operator turnover and profitability over five years, profit conversion and directors’ earnings. Premium subscribers have also been given exclusive access to the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, which is an exhaustive guide to the companies offering a food and beverage franchise in the UK and will be updated every two months. The second edition featured 120 companies and almost 47,000 words of content, providing insight on the offer, locations, cost, business background, contacts and other key details. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £445 plus VAT for operators and £545 plus VAT for suppliers. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. Subscribers also receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and now also have access to a curated video library of the sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel group editor Mark Wingett. 

Entertainment programme for Propel Multi-Club Conference and summer party to be ‘taken to next level’, two free places each for operators: The entertainment programme for the summer party following the next Propel Multi-Club Conference is being “taken to the next level”. The all-day conference takes place on Wednesday, 31 August, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry. It will be followed by the summer party, which will include an appearance from the house band for live music venue group The Piano Works. The six-piece band – consisting of two piano vocalists, drums, bass, guitar and horns – will be playing for three hours. There will also be a barbecue and more. Propel managing director Paul Charity said: “We’re taking our entertainment programme at the party to the next level this year and look forward to everyone joining us for what will be a wonderful evening to round off a fantastic day with an incredible speaker line-up.” Speakers at the conference will include Jonny Jones, CGA managing director UK and Ireland; Olivia FitzGerald, chief sales and marketing officer for Zonal; Garrett FitzGerald, founder of Butchies; Steve Magnall, co-founder of Two Magpies Bakery; Johnnie Tate, founder of Yard Sale Pizza; Ben Hedley, co-founder of Neyba; Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive of Burger King UK; Will Beckett, co-founder of Hawksmoor; Richard Colclough, managing director of Parogon Group; Ed Devenport, co-founder of Incipio Group; David McDowall, president and chief operating officer at BrewDog; and Andrew Andrea, chief executive of Marston’s. There will also be a panel session on the future of delivery hosted by Fleet Street Communications managing director Mark Stretton, featuring Just Eat; Rosa’s Thai chief executive Gavin Adair; Fireaway Pizza founder Mario Aleppo; and Nathan Wall, chief operating officer at Tiny Cloud Kitchens. Operators can claim up to two free places each by emailing jo.charity@propelinfo.com. A room can also be booked for the evening for £120.

Sector leaders told cutting carbon levels will make their businesses more attractive to investors and customers: Sectors leaders have been told cutting their carbon levels will reduce costs, increase sales and de-risk supply chains, helping them battle against the cost-of-living crisis as well as protecting the planet. Company bosses got together recently as the Zero Carbon Forum to review the sector’s collective progress to net zero, discuss ways to remove the barriers to the pace of the net zero journey and agree priorities for collaborative action. The forum is also expanding to include suppliers, while three action groups have been set up to help prioritise specific areas. Mark Chapman, chief executive and founder of the Zero Carbon Forum, told members actions taken now to reduce emissions over the next three years will help business cut costs in the long run and attract customers. He told Propel: “This is right at the top of consumers’ agendas and something they expect companies, not governments, to lead. Companies that are doing their bit will be more attractive to investors and prospective staff – people are looking to work for and invest in purpose-led organisations. Leaders in our sector are recognising this and realising they need to be leading on the issue.” The three action groups are centred around dairy, where cheese has a large carbon footprint; engaging franchisees and tenants to get involved; and low carbon equipment and technology. Chapman said more than 160 operators had used the forum’s carbon calculator since its launch in April, and this had amounted to more than 350,000 tonnes of carbon being measured. “We’re certainly making progress, but there’s still a long way to go,” said Chapman, who was the recipient of the special achievement award at the Footprint Awards, with the Zero Carbon Forum also picking up the stakeholder engagement award. “Forum members including Stonegate, Burger King and Greene King are now pushing the carbon calculator out to their tenants and franchisees, which will help us reach more operators.” 

McDonald’s warning items could be taken off the menu due to supply chain problems: McDonald’s could be forced to pull several items from its menu due to supply chain problems. The Sun reports that signs in stores across the UK warn customers their favourite dishes may be “temporarily unavailable” amid the crisis, while others could be served with ingredients missing. One poster pinned to the wall and on the counter in the Kings Road branch in Chelsea, west London, read: “Due to supply chain issues, some menu items may be served with some ingredients missing and others may be temporarily unavailable. We apologise in advance to any customers impacted and thank you for your patience.” The same sign was pinned up in another outlet, believed to be in Cambridgeshire, on 24 June, and in an Edinburgh branch on 30 June. The fast-food giant confirmed it was experiencing UK-wide supply “pressures” but declined to confirm which foods or stores could be impacted. It added that the signs were “precautionary”, and it has not yet pulled anything from the menu on a large scale. A McDonald’s spokesperson told The Sun: “Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing pressures across our supply chain which, at times, may impact a small number of our menu items at certain restaurants. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank our customers for their patience. We are working hard to resolve the issues as quickly as possible.”

SNP to crackdown on junk food: Supermarket meal deals are set to be banned and new price restrictions could be imposed on everyday items such as pasta, pies and bread under a Scottish National Party (SNP) crackdown on junk food. In a new consultation, the Scottish government has suggested a far tougher scheme for improving diets than has been proposed in England, and also opened the door to axing temporary discounts on unhealthy items. Retailers said that while they backed some of the proposals, any move to curtail time-limited price offers would be “regressive and irresponsible”, with many families already struggling to make ends meet due to soaring costs and inflation. Unlimited refills of sugary drinks, common in some restaurants, would come to an end under the proposals, alongside new restrictions on where items can be displayed in shops. The SNP said it was “seeking views” on whether temporary price reductions, such as half price deals, should end, although it has not yet made a final decision. The government is also consulting on what items should be caught by the new restrictions. Under the most extreme option, this would go significantly beyond the rest of the UK by including items such as garlic bread, savoury biscuits and some pasta, rice, noodle and egg dishes.

 

Burger & Sauce reveals plans for 300-plus UK estate, aims for double-digit store openings by end of year: Burger franchise concept Burger & Sauce has revealed plans to establish a 300-plus estate across the UK and is aiming for double-digit store openings across Britain by the end of 2022.  Burger & Sauce currently operates four sites, all in Birmingham, with seven more “coming soon”, according to its website, including launches in Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham. The business is set for further immediate growth, with franchisee Subhan Munir agreeing to open four more restaurants within the next two years. Munir opened his first store in 2020, and within a year it was turning over £1.5m. Anthony Round, franchise director at Burger & Sauce, said: “Our goal as a franchise is to establish 300-plus stores across the UK and become the household name for fresh burgers. Therefore, we are now recruiting for new franchisees, aiming for double-digit store openings in locations across the nation by the end of 2022. For the past two years, our experienced team have successfully piloted and run four franchised stores in some of the most challenging trading conditions we’ve ever experienced in the quick-service restaurant market.” Exclusive Burger & Sauce territories are available throughout the UK, and multi-site development licences are also available for approved franchisees. Burger & Sauce will be included in the next edition of Propel’s UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, which is available exclusively to Propel Premium subscribers. The database is an exhaustive guide to the companies offering a food and beverage franchise in the UK. The third edition will be published this month – providing insight on the offer, locations, cost, business background, contacts and other key details. It will be updated and sent out again every two months. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £445 plus VAT for operators and £545 plus VAT for suppliers. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.

Staycity to make Portugal debut, reports like-for-likes back to 2019 levels: Aparthotel operator Staycity Group is set to make its Portugal debut and has reported like-for-like sales are back to 2019 levels. The company is set to open sites in Porto and Lisbon under its Wilde concept. With 80 self-catering apartments in Porto and 95 in Lisbon, both Portuguese additions are scheduled to open towards the end of 2024, offering studio and one-bedroom apartments with kitchen facilities, dining and sitting areas, a coffee shop and gym alongside 24-hour reception and guest laundry room. Staycity has opened a record number of properties over the past 12 months including Bordeaux, Heidelberg, Dublin Mark Street, London Aldgate and London Paddington. This year, Staycity has opened properties in Dublin, Frankfurt, Manchester and Paris, with another site in Dublin still to open, taking the company to a total of 6,000 apartments across 32 locations. Staycity chief executive Tom Walsh said: “We’re delighted to be opening in these popular Portuguese destinations and taking our Wilde brand into another of our European target regions. Careful forecasting and refinancing meant we emerged from the pandemic ready to crack on with our expansion. This year, our like-for-like sales are back up to 2019 levels, so recovery has happened more quickly than we anticipated. Leisure stays have come back and we are seeing signs of corporate business returning, although challenges do still remain such as supply issues, labour shortages and the impact of the war in the Ukraine.” The company recently opened a sixth Staycity aparthotel in France, in La Défense, in the north west of Paris. The new-build property is Staycity’s third in the French capital, with another scheduled to open next year at Roissy airport.

SSP Group secures ten-year contract for F&B operations at Darwin and Alice Springs airports: UK-based transport hub foodservice specialist SSP Group has signed a ten-year partnership agreement with Airport Development Group and SSP to bring new food and beverage offerings to Darwin International airport and Alice Springs airport in Australia. The new partnership will see a staged transformation of the terminal food and beverage outlets and a range of new offerings. SSP already runs the food and beverage offering at several Australian airports – including Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne and Perth – providing a range of national and international brands as well as bespoke concepts. SSP will progressively open several new brands and concepts in the existing tenancies across both Darwin and Alice Springs. Over the coming months, seven of these sites will be fully redeveloped as part of the terminal redevelopments. This will see national favourites Roll’d and Red Rooster in new locations, joined by bespoke SSP brands such as Pronto, Soul + Grain, The Gliding Goose and The Northern Common. In Alice Springs, the existing café will be transformed to Discovered Cafe and Bar. This will be complemented by a new, smaller landside offering called The Blue Bilby Cafe. Shane Bayer, chief operating officer of SSP APAC, said: “This new venture will be our first business in the important Northern Territory of Australia. Developed in close partnership with our colleagues at the airport, the mix offered will appeal to all passengers, catering for all day parts late into the evening.”

Brunning & Price opens new Bath pub: Brunning & Price, the pub operator owned by The Restaurant Group (TRG), has opened its new Bath pub, The Architect. The Architect sits within the ground floor of the old Empire Hotel in Orange Grove Close that has been restored to its former glory. A large bar sits at the heart of the site, and at the back of the main dining room is a private dining area that seats 14 guests. There is also a terrace at the front and an orangery. The Architect is the 84th in the Brunning & Price estate and is managed by Hannah Liquorish, who previously ran the nearby Huntsman and Hare and Hounds pubs.

Beds and Bars retains IIP platinum status for third year: Bed and Bars, the pan-European hostel operator led by Keith Knowles, has retained its Investors in People (IIP) platinum status for a third year. The company received a 100% positive response from its teams, who were asked if they would you recommend Beds and Bars as a place to work. People director Mark Vaughan said: “Every member of our team strives to work with ethics, work with integrity, work with pride and work with value. This exemplifies our company standards and values, and we are so proud of each and every person working alongside us. Maintaining Platinum status showcases we are a people first business, and to maintain this throughout the last two years particularly has been of utmost importance.” Retaining platinum status has been a significant milestone for the company as it continues the legacy of Knowles’ late wife, Franca, who steered Beds and Bars through the first IIP process and to the company's first IIP award.

Various Eateries eyes Wales debut for Coppa Club: Various Eateries, the listed operator of the Coppa Club, Tavolino and Noci concepts, is lining up an opening in Wales, Propel has learned. The company is understood to have lined up a site at The Hayes scheme in Cardiff for its Coppa Club brand. It is thought to be looking at taking part of the former David Morgan department store in the Grade II-listed property. Speaking to Propel last month, Yishay Malkov, chief executive of Various Eateries, said the business has seen an “uncorking of opportunities” for expansion over the past few weeks, and that it was well positioned to take advantage. Speaking as part of the Propel Friday Wrap series, Malkov said: “In the last couple of months, without a doubt, there’s been an uncorking of what our chairman Andy Bassadone has called the constipation in the property market. It’s been quite closed up because everybody has been thinking, where are all those retail opportunities? Where are the 10,000 licensed premises that are closed now? I think just now it’s starting to come up. We’ve definitely seen a change in that perspective, and there is a lot more to choose from today. We have different concepts – Coppa, Tavolino, Nico – and because we have different size needs for them, we can have a lot of options to choose from.”

Browns plans Cardiff return: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) plans to open a new site under its Browns Brasserie & Bar brand in Cardiff, seven years after it left the city. Propel understands M&B has applied to open a Browns on the ground floor of the Marriott Hotel in the city’s Mill Lane. The company used to have a site operating under the brand at The Friary in the city centre until it closed in 2015. Next month (25 August), M&B will open a new site under the Browns brand in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. As previously revealed by Propel, the company, which currently operates 23 sites across the country under the brand, is converting its Vintage Inns site, The White Hart, into a Browns. It will be the first opening under the brand in a market town location. Last November, Phil Urban, chief executive at M&B, told Propel that Browns had been one of the group’s star performers over the previous few months and was looking at opportunities to grow the brand.

 

Turtle Bay adds to openings pipeline with Romford site: Turtle Bay, the Caribbean restaurant brand backed by Piper, has added a further site to its openings pipeline after securing a site in Romford, Propel has learned. The Nick Crossley-led, 44-strong business has secured the Party Delights site at the town’s Brewery Development, with an opening scheduled for November. Crossley told Propel: “We are delighted to be pressing on with our expansion plans.” Propel revealed last month that Turtle Bay had secured two new sites and plans to open a further four by the end of its financial year. The group secured the ex-Real China site in Salford Quays, due to open in August, and a site in Brindleyplace, Birmingham, scheduled to open in early autumn. The company is also understood to be in talks on two openings in London, including a site in Camden. Earlier this year, Propel revealed that Turtle Bay had appointed advisors as it seeks a new investment partner to help drive its further growth ambitions, with Rothschild & Co to overseeing the process. 

Popeyes plans drive-thru in Dorset: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, the US fried chicken quick-service brand, is set to open a drive-thru site in Dorset, its first opening in the south west. According to a planning application submitted by Godwin Developments, the US brand will open on an undeveloped site, based on North Street near to the Townsend roundabout that connects the A35 and A31, in Bere Regis. The application shows that McDonald’s wish to occupy a drive-thru north of the land, along with Starbucks and Popeyes drive-thru restaurants measuring 1,840 square feet and 2,480 square feet respectively. Popeyes, which made its debut in the UK last November, recently announced a swathe of new sites as it looks to build a national presence here. The business, which recently opened its second permanent UK site, in Chelmsford, has secured sites in Metrocentre (Gateshead), Reading (Broad Street), Nottingham (Burger King, opposite the Victoria Centre), Brighton (Tui unit in North Street), Ealing Broadway (Next store), and Oxford (Queen Street). All these sites are set to open this year. The company is also understood to be in talks on sites in Glasgow and Cambridge. The brand, which launched its first UK restaurant at Westfield Stratford, has also secured a site in Romford and hopes to have its first drive-thru, understood to be based in Essex, open by the end of the year or the start of 2023.

PureGym opens in Northallerton: PureGym, Britain’s biggest health and fitness club operator, has opened a new venue in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Located in the former Carpet Right site off Yafforth Road, it is the company’s 310th site in the UK. The gym is spread over 8,800 square feet and is open round the clock. A spokesman for PureGym said: “We have seen sustained demand for our affordable fitness facilities across the country, with more people recognising the incredible benefits of exercise for their mental and physical health.” In December, PureGym announced a £300m investment from private equity firm KKR to support expansion.

Irish hospitality operator Prem Group acquires Edinburgh site: Irish hospitality operator Prem Group has acquired a site in Edinburgh to add to its portfolio. The property, currently known as Fountain Court, will become the 16th “Premier Suites” location for the Prem Group. In December 2021, Prem Group secured a major investment from funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, and this is the first acquisition by the group following the investment. Prem Group envisages a complete renovation and transformation of the property, with “the very latest in green technology” being incorporated, and the first phase should be completed by January 2023. Following the renovation, the property will join the group’s premium Premier Suites portfolio, comprising 1,300 rooms across the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Jim Murphy, chief executive of the Prem Group, said: “We are excited to add Edinburgh to our growing portfolio of Premier Suites properties and are committed to growing and strengthening the Premier Suites brand in Europe.”

Rose Thirteen to begin expansion of House of Fu with Manchester launch: Leeds-based operator Rose Thirteen is planning to start expansion of its ramen restaurant and bar concept, House of Fu. The concept is heading to Manchester with an opening in Portland Street, in the site formerly occupied by tearoom Leaf. It will feature a late-night bar, a “secret” outdoor terrace and karaoke rooms. The restaurant has been inspired not only by trips to New York, Portland and Los Angeles, but mostly by chef Ben Iley’s ten-year stint as a chef in Tokyo. “I think when we opened House of Fu in Leeds, we always had an eye on Manchester straight away,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “We always saw this thing as going to more than one city, and we’ve been scouting in Manchester for quite some time.” Charlotte Wild, head of retail and leisure for Bruntwood Works, which owns the building, said: “The team behind the concept has a strong track record in Leeds and we’re excited it is finding a home for its first House of Fu in Manchester at one of our most established and historic buildings.” Rose Thirteen is also behind Leeds venues Belgrave Music Hall, Headrow House, Ox Club and the Beck & Call pub.

Dean Banks opens neighbourhood bar and restaurant with seafood focus in Edinburgh: MasterChef the Professionals finalist Dean Banks has opened a new neighbourhood bar and restaurant with a focus on seafood in Edinburgh. Banks, who was a finalist in the BBC show in 2018, has launched Dulse in Queensferry Street. The downstairs cocktail and wine bar element of the venue is now open, with the more formal upstairs restaurant opening at the end of July. The bar offers a drinks list of old-world wine, cocktails and spirits and a food menu of small plates, including oysters, langoustines, and “same day boat squid from Scotland tempura-style”. Banks told the Scotsman: “Dulse is my neighbourhood-friendly restaurant in Edinburgh. I am offering hero Scottish seafood, doing classic takes on dishes and modernising them in my style of Eastern fusion with Mediterranean influences.” Banks also operates The Pompadour in Edinburgh and Haar in St Andrews.

Surrey restaurateurs open new distillery and bar following £500,000 community fundraise: Surrey restaurateurs Sam and Alex Berry have opened a new distillery and bar following £500,000 community fundraise. The duo already operate No.97, Cento Uno and The Hideaway in Surbiton and One Four in Teddington, as well as The Good Life Gin Company. Their new concept, Bone Idyll, is a new distillery, bar and debut spirit and cocktail collection, located in Water Lane, Kingston, where guests can create their own cocktails. It will also hold masterclasses, tastings and private bookings in the back of the venue, while guests can order from a cheese and charcuterie selection too. The idea came about during lockdown, but instead of approaching crowdfunding platforms, the pair decided to reach out to their community and customers. “We emailed 200 of our customers that visited the most across our four sites and said we were thinking about a new project,” Sam told the Surrey Comet. “The best thing about this is the 50 investors all live between Surbiton and Teddington. We have a great team around us, nice people and a nice community.”