Story of the Day:
Domino’s CEO – our aim is to get a second brand this year, focusing on collection to mitigate rising costs: Andrew Rennie, chief executive of Domino’s Pizza Group, has said that the company aims to secure a second brand this year – one that could grow to “500, 800, 1,000 stores” – and has a “few things on the ground at the moment” in terms of what that could be. Domino’s first said in December 2023 that it was prepared to buy a second brand to keep its franchisees investing in the company rather than other brands. Last year, it was one of the final four bidders for Wingstop’s UK franchise, which was subsequently sold to US private equity firm Sixth Street for in excess of £400m. Rennie, speaking after Domino’s reported FY24 like-for-like sales excluding splits and VAT were up 0.7%, said: “It has to be creative food and beverage, franchisable, and we really want to leverage our supply chain network and our IT network. Our aim is to get something this year but we won't be taking our focus off Domino’s – that’s the golden goose. But we’re thinking about the medium to long term; we’re thinking about a brand that can become 500, 800, 1,000 stores. We’re treading very carefully; we’ve got a few things on the ground at the moment which we making sure tick all the boxes. We’re not going to do anything silly, but we feel pretty confident we’ll make the right choice.” Rennie said he is “going after collection in a bigger way this year” partly to mitigate rising costs. The company wants half of the pizzas it sells to be collected by customers in future, rather than delivered. Rennie said: “Collection is very efficient for franchisees. It is a lot lower labour, so it actually brings you more margin.” Just over a third of Domino’s orders are picked up by customers in the UK and Ireland, but Rennie said he wants to emulate the US, where the figure is 55%. He did not put a timeframe on when it might reach the 50% target and said it is “not going to happen straight away”. Rennie said the chain will need to increase prices at some point in 2025 to keep up with the surging cost of employing people. He said: “There’s no doubt, I think later on in the year, there’ll be some need to do that.” But “it’s hard to say” how much they will rise by, he said, pointing to what he sees as unpredictable government policy. Domino’s has already reported a £3m-a-year hit from the rise in national insurance contributions, while the cost of the minimum wage increase will mean a roughly 10% increase in employment costs for franchise operators, or “tens of millions” of pounds. Rennie said: “It depends on what the consumer does. If the national living wage puts more money into consumers’ pockets, and they start spending more, we may not need to do much at all. The trouble is, every morning we wake up, there’s something different being announced. We don’t know what the second half of the year holds.”
Industry News:
Sponsored message – Deliverect launches automation tool designed to eliminate unnoticed downtime on delivery platforms: Deliverect has launched Pulse Sentinel, a new automation tool designed to eliminate unnoticed downtime on delivery platforms, helping restaurants optimise uptime and protect revenue. A spokesperson said: “Deliverect data shows that a restaurant brand with 100 locations will experience downtime an average of 5% of its opening hours and a staggering 322 hours of downtime per week across all stores, costing approximately £50,000 in lost revenue. Pulse Sentinel addresses this issue by sending immediate alerts and offering automatic reopening options, improving uptime across all delivery apps. Burger King UK adopted Pulse Sentinel across its 321 locations, resulting in a significant sales boost and improved uptime, reaching more than 99% within six months. The system actively restores connectivity an average of 4,000 times per month, preventing lost sales. By providing real-time downtime data, Pulse Sentinel allows Burger King UK to act promptly and ensure consistent operations. Pulse Sentinel builds on Deliverect’s Pulse platform, which optimises store health and performance across third-party apps. Pulse Sentinel further enhances this by offering automated solutions to minimise downtime, quantify its financial impact,and provide actionable insights. Deliverect’s solution is giving restaurants greater control over their operations, enabling them to maximise delivery sales and maintain customer satisfaction.” To find out more, click
here.
If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.
Chickpea Group founder Ethan Davids to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings with 20% discount on tickets for Premium Club subscribers: Chickpea Group founder Ethan Davids will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Wednesday, 14 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Davids will discuss balancing growing a wet-led vehicle, Great Boozers, which he founded with TV sandwich chef Max Halley in 2021, and expanding the company’s pubs with room concept. 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 places.
Premium Club subscribers to receive two updated databases this week: Premium Club subscribers will receive two updated databases this week. The latest Propel UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database will be sent today (Wednesday, 12 March), at 12pm. The database will feature 11 new additions plus updates to existing entries, while one which is no longer trading has been removed. The database now has 340 entries and more than 189,000 words of copy. Among the new entries are
PizzaExpress, Scottish better burger brand
Big Licks, and cricket-based competitive socialising concept
Sixes Social Cricket. Premium Club subscribers will then receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (14 March), at 12pm. The database will feature 54 updated accounts and 29 new companies, taking the total to 1,092. A total of 684 companies are making a profit while 408 are making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to four other databases:
the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and
the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including Excellence in Pub Retail (May 2025) and discounts on specialist sector reports such as the International Brands report. 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.
Foodservice price inflation continues to ease but global uncertainties loom: Foodservice price inflation decelerated year-on-year for the 19th consecutive month in January 2025, according to the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index. Monthly inflation in the total basket of items measured by the index stood at 1.8%, while month-on-month inflation was flat at 0.0%. However, significant global economic and political uncertainties may threaten the stability of prices in the months ahead, the index warned. Of the index’s ten categories, only fish recorded year-on-year deflation and just three delivered month-on-month deflation. Beef prices have continued to surge to record levels, driven by projections of strong demand and lower production in 2025. There are some pockets of relief, including the start of a decrease in olive oil prices after record highs in recent years. Other persisting pressures on global commodity markets are likely to impact food and drink prices. Notably, aluminium prices have surged 17.9% over the six months to January 2025, following increased demand from China, rising energy costs, supply chain disruptions and escalating fears of a global trade war. The recent imposition of a 25% US import tariff on aluminium adds further uncertainty. While it remains too early to fully assess the tariff's impact, it has the potential to disrupt global supply chains and create further price volatility, with unpredictable knock-on consequences for the foodservice sector. Crude oil prices also saw a substantial 11.4% month-on-month increase, driven by geopolitical tensions, delays in OPEC+ production increases and heightened demand. Natural gas prices also continued their upward trend, rising 4.7% month-on-month. Shaun Allen, chief executive of Prestige Purchasing said: “While the overall index indicates a continued low level of inflation, the pressure on some key commodities such as beef, energy and crude oil together with the pending cost impacts from the national minimum wage increases and national insurance contribution changes are likely to see inflation rise up again over the coming months.” Reuben Pullan, senior insight consultant at CGA by NIQ, said: “While there are positive signs, the outlook for hospitality remains cautious given the ongoing global trade tensions and rising costs. With other costs like labour and energy rising and many consumers still hesitant about spending, the trading environment will be difficult for some time to come.”
UKHospitality urges chancellor to urgently delay changes to employers’ NIC threshold ahead of spring statement: UKHospitality has urged chancellor Rachel Reeves to urgently delay the changes to the employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) threshold ahead of the spring statement. Reeves will give an update on her plans for the UK economy on Wednesday, 26 March, at a time when hospitality business confidence has plunged to its lowest level in two years. With sector businesses about to be hit by £3.4bn in additional annual costs from April, only 14% of businesses feel optimistic about the hospitality market, according to a recent survey from CGA by NIQ. UKHospitality said the forthcoming changes to the employers’ NICs threshold alone will cost the sector an additional £1bn per year and bring 774,000 hospitality team members – 20% of the sector’s workforce – into the threshold for the first time. The trade body also called for the government’s business rates reform to provide the maximum possible discount to hospitality businesses – aligned with its intention to level the playing field for the high street – and for large hospitality businesses to be exempted from the surcharge. UKHospitality’s other asks of the government include promised reforms to the apprenticeship levy to be brought forward, for hospitality to be included in the first wave of foundation apprenticeships, and the creation of a hospitality growth strategy and action plan. “Hospitality is facing a crisis of confidence like we haven’t seen since we were in a full-blown energy crisis and inflation was running at more than 10%,” said UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls. “The enormity of the cocktail of costs being simultaneously imposed upon venues is unprecedented and, for many, completely unsustainable. It will simply force businesses to cut jobs, freeze recruitment, cancel planned investment, reduce trading hours and, in the worst-case scenario, close for good. At a time when we have seen how hospitality can drive economic growth, as it has done in the past two months, we are urging the chancellor to act swiftly. Delaying the changes to the employers’ NICs threshold will prevent much of this hardship and allow hospitality to continue on a path to growth.” Meanwhile, Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser and chair of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), has called on Reeves to follow the lead of her German counterparts and cut the VAT rate for food and hospitality to 7%. Lord said: “Germany’s decision to slash VAT for hospitality to 7% is a decisive move to protect businesses and jobs and drive economic growth. Meanwhile, we continue to impose one of the highest hospitality VAT rates in Europe, despite Brexit removing the supposed barrier to change. The UK must follow its German counterparts or risk irrecoverable long-term damage to one of its most vital industries.”
McDonald’s creates teams to compete with more specialised restaurant chains: McDonald’s has announced the introduction of a new Restaurant Experience Team, aimed at “moving vision and big ideas to execution with even greater speed”. An evolution of the company’s customer experience team, the new team includes people from operations, supply chain, restaurant design, franchising, delivery and technology. At the same time, the business has established three new global category management teams focused on beef, chicken and beverages/desserts. Jill McDonald, currently president of international operated markets, will serve as chief restaurant experience officer, while Charlie Newburger, vice president of marketing strategy and new business ventures, will head the beverage/desserts team. Leaders of the beef and chicken groups will be announced at a later date. McDonald’s chief executive Chris Kempczinski said: “The thinking behind this is, in so many of our categories, we’re competing against specialists. We’re competing against somebody like a KFC, for example, who is single-mindedly devoted to winning in chicken. So, this category team now allows us to have that same level of focus on, do we have what we need? The winning strategies to win in chicken, to win in beverages, to win in beef?” McDonald’s said it will also use the team to serve as a coordinator for in-restaurant technologies and help general managers determine how to efficiently use them to improve unit economics. Kempczinski added: “It’s just going to make us even better. It’s going to allow us to have an even bigger impact for our customers, an even bigger impact for our restaurant crew, for our franchisees. It means all the ideas and the vision that we’re coming up with, we’re going to see it in the restaurants even faster.” McDonald’s franchisee acquires four London sites – see Company News.
UKHospitality backs planning reforms ‘with sector primed to play a major role in the reinvigoration of town and city centres’: UKHospitality has backed planning reforms being put forward by the government, with the sector “primed to play a major role in the reinvigoration of town and city centres”. Labour has introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which it said will see significant measures introduced to speed up planning decisions. In response, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The decision to reform the statutory consultee system is something UKHospitality has been advocating for. Currently, consultees are taking far too long to comment on applications, worsening delays and adding another layer of bureaucracy to the system. The streamlining of planning committees will help set out which types of applications should be determined by officers, and which should go to committees. While we understand the cost challenges facing local authorities, it’s essential any increases as a result of local councils being able to set their own fees must lead to improvements in the planning system. It’s more crucial than ever that businesses are able to maximise trading opportunities, as cost pressures are set to tighten from April onwards, and these reforms should be part of a package of wider measures, including a dedicated fast-track for minor planning applications and the introduction of a system of presumptive permission if certain criteria are met.”
BBPA – ‘chaotic’ new recycling rules will cost pubs an extra £60m a year: The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has warned that “chaotic” new recycling rules will cost pubs an extra £60m a year – equivalent to 5,000 workers. It said the government’s new extended producer responsibility (EPR) regime means glass packaging sold in pubs will be classed as household waste, despite them already being charged and recycled under commercial waste. These rules mean suppliers will therefore have little choice but to pass on these costs to pubs. New BBPA data estimates that pubs, which pay approximately £1,100 a year each for commercial recycling of their glass bottles, will now be charged an additional £1,400 a year for the same glass bottles under household waste fees. This amounts to an extra £60m bill for the sector at a time when business rates relief is cut, employers’ national insurance rates increase and the threshold at which businesses pay national insurance decreases. BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “The new EPR regime bears no link to reality – it is a series of unfair fees and confusing rules that are being chaotically implemented. Of course we’re committed to a more circular economy, but we cannot understand how pubs paying twice is going to be more sustainable when virtually all glass sold in pubs is already collected and recycled. Government must urgently review these costs and ensure they are fair and sensibly implemented, so the sector can continue to play a critical role for the UK’s economy and employment.”
Security Industry Authority head – macho ‘bouncer’ job title should be shown the door: Heather Baily, head of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), which regulates on behalf of the Home Office, has said the term bouncer should not be used because of its “macho” connotations. Baily told The Times: “I think it brings connotations of a large, muscular man. It’s macho. It goes back to times before regulation, before the SIA. And it doesn’t reflect the professionalism that today’s licensed operatives bring. I’ve asked female licence holders how they feel about that term, and they don’t like it. It’s so outdated.” The SIA provides licences to about 450,000 people working in a private security role, including door supervisors at nightclubs and security guards at private buildings and retail outlets. Just under 11% of the workforce are female, and Baily is on a drive to increase the number of women coming into the industry. She said: “They bring skills of attention to detail. They recognise when people are vulnerable. They manage to defuse conflict, but they also bring skills of empathy and kindness and reassurance. A woman who’s on a night out, and who’s being pestered, is more likely to approach another woman for help. Those kinds of skills, to recognise vulnerability, we are instilling in all of our licence holders. But that’s the skill set that women bring.”
Feed It Back to rebrand to 125 Data & Insights: Guest experience platform Feed It Back is to rebrand to 125 Data & Insights. The new name – taking effect from Thursday, 20 March – comes at a pivotal time for the company as it gears up its investment in people, platform and innovation “to offer the best-in-class customer experience and insight toolkit for UK hospitality operators”. The new name and look will also come with a raft of innovative features, which the company said will ramp up the insight delivered to its users. Olivia FitzGerald, managing director at 125 Data & Insights, said: “The reality is we are no longer ‘simply’ a feedback company, but a data-driven guest insight platform. We are helping operators translate their guest experience into actionable insights to run their businesses by. The team at 125 is driven by a passion for UK hospitality; we see this rebrand as a step-change in our strategy and we can't wait to show the industry everything we're working on.”
London wine bar operator Sunny Hodge to release debut book, venues ‘turning over more than ever’: London wine bar operator Sunny Hodge will release his debut book this month. The Cynic’s Guide to Wine – which is available from Monday, 31 March – aims to change how wine sellers and consumers think about and understand wine – using science. Hodge said: “The book dispels common wine myths using the latest in microbiology, soil science and neuroscience. I’m aiming to make wine understood, and to open up a recruitment pool in the wine industry for those scientifically minded individuals. The book is aimed at hospitality professionals and foodies who want to know wine better.” Hodge launched Diogenes the Dog in 2018, which was Elephant & Castle’s first wine bar. The concept skirted the storytelling route of wine selling and assists guests in understanding wine technically and scientifically, utilising an unknown wine list to guide guests through a learning experience. In 2021, Hodge opened his second wine bar, aspen & Meursault, in Battersea, and launched trade arm, Diogenes the Dog Trade, last year. Hodge told Propel: “The bars are turning over more than ever, but it’s harder to drive a profit – our margins are similar to what we did in year two of trading. The trade arm is and will help the business model hugely. I’m currently squirrelling away profits to enable us to launch a science of wine course in the next year or so, hoping to make it a qualification that will be an alternative to the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. It’s a big setup, but again, will assist in building a stronger recruitment pool in wine and hospitality by targeting a non-traditional route.”
Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a hospitality group in Berlin that is seeking a financial controller to oversee financial operations and drive strategic decision-making. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “Responsibilities will include overseeing financial planning, budgeting and forecasting for the property, ensuring accurate financial reporting in compliance with local and international regulations. They will manage the P&L, cost control and financial performance analysis, leading the finance team, providing guidance on accounting, tax and compliance matters. The group is looking for candidates with proven experience in a senior finance role within the hospitality or hotel industry and with a strong knowledge of German accounting standards, tax regulations and financial reporting.” The salary is up to €90,000. For more information, email clay@corecruitment.com.
Company News:
Mary Brown’s Chicken – UK will be a very, very positive market for us: Canadian quick service restaurant brand Mary Brown’s Chicken, known as MB Chicken internationally, has said the UK “will be a very, very positive market for us”. The brand, which has more than 280 locations in Canada, made its UK debut last spring with the launch of a store in Lisburn Leisure Park in Northern Ireland. The brand followed that with a second Northern Ireland site, within the SSE Arena in Belfast, and then launched in England with an opening in Smithy Lane in Hounslow, west London. The company is gearing up for openings in Preston and Southampton this spring, with additional locations already in development in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey and across England. Speaking to Bloomberg’s Trading Day about launching into the UK, MB Chicken’s vice-president of international development, Dylan Powell, said: “So far, it’s been a very positive response. We’re working with two fabulous partners. We have partners we know will curate our brand and deliver our brand promise to those markets. The most important thing when you go into a new market is how do you translate the success you’ve had in your home market into a new market, and the first step in that is picking the right partners. We’re confident we have the right product and we know the UK market is going to be a very, very positive one for us. It’s a very good product market match, so the last component of that is the partners, and we have wonderful partners who really take to heart our brand promise.” Asked how MB Chicken differentiates from other fried chicken brands, Powell added: “We focus on chicken – we do one thing, and we do it very well. We’re a food business, and if we can continue to deliver consistent quality food, that’s the most important element. Another big differentiator is the way we operate our business. If our franchise partners treat their team well, their team will treat guests well, so the guest experience is one of the major differentiators – and we believe that makes the food taste better.” Last year, Powell told Propel that he saw no reason why the brand can’t be bigger here than in its homeland of Canada.
McDonald’s franchisee acquires four London sites: Smash Operations, a McDonald’s franchisee led by Abel Campos, a former crew member of the fast-food brand, has acquired four London sites for its growing business. The company has taken on McDonald’s sites in Shepherd’s Bush, Notting Hill, Hammersmith and Queensway, bringing its estate to 14 restaurants. Campos said: “On 11 March 1995, I walked through the doors of McDonald’s Leicester Square as a 17-year-old crew member, completely unaware of how profoundly this brand would shape my life. Almost to the day, I take on four more restaurants, bringing my organisation to 14 restaurants. Today, I officially welcome Shepherd’s Bush, Notting Hill, Hammersmith, and Queensway into the group – each a fantastic restaurant with incredible teams, and each marking another step in this incredible journey. What makes this moment even more special is that Notting Hill was the very first restaurant I ran as a business manager in 2001. To now welcome it into my organisation as a franchisee is a true full-circle moment that fills me with immense pride.” Campos has been working for McDonald’s since 1995, first as a crew member and shift manager, then business manager. He became a franchisee consultant for the brand in 2007, a national franchising consultant in 2011, a franchisee relations manager in 2012, a director of franchising in 2013, head of franchising and field services UK and Ireland in 2016, and finally, a franchise owner in 2021. In the year to 31 December 2023, Smash Operations increased its turnover from £16,126,912 to £33,120,396 after opening six new restaurants. Its pre-tax profit grew from £398,811 in 2022 to £1,101,242.
Whistle Punks ceases trading, business to go into liquidation: The four sites operated by axe-throwing operator Whistle Punks have ceased trading and the business is poised to go into liquidation, Propel has learned. Propel revealed last month that best and final offers to acquire the business and assets of Whistle Punks needed to be submitted by 5pm on 19 February. FRP Advisory, which has been lined up as administrator for Whistle Punks, was overseeing an accelerated sale process for the business, which operated sites in Leeds, Bristol, Manchester and London’s Eastcastle Street. Whistle Punks was formed in 2016 by John Nimmons and Jools Whitehorn. The business’ four sites have now ceased trading, with the majority of employees, thought to be circa 60, having been made redundant. Liquidators are expected to be appointed to the business in due course.
Burger & Beyond seeking locations in major cities across the UK as it ramps up plans to expand outside of London: Burger & Beyond, the London concept founded by Tom Stock and Craig Povoas in 2015, is seeking locations in major cities across the UK as it ramps up plans to expand outside of London, Propel has learned. At the end of last year, the business, which operates sites in Soho, Shoreditch and Borough Yards, said it had begun looking for its first regional UK site, as it looks to open up to five new locations in 2025. Burger & Beyond has now appointed property consultant Starka to find suitable locations in cities including Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester – as well as exploring expansion into Wales and Scotland. “Starka is now fully retained to act on behalf of Burger & Beyond and is seeking high profile sites across the major regional cities in the UK,” said Starka co-founder David Bell. “From indulgent burgers to crispy chicken wings and handcrafted cocktails, London’s ultimate burger destination is looking to expand across the UK, and Starka is seeking sites between 1,500-4,000 square-feet in the following priority locations: Manchester, Glasgow, Sheffield, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cardiff and Liverpool.” Burger & Beyond also told Propel last year that it had launched its first international franchise development programme after receiving interest from potential partners in Europe and the Middle East – and is also seeking to expand to America, Asia and Australia “sooner rather than later”.
Pizza Pilgrims hires Beatrice Vears as interim marketing director: Pizza Pilgrims, the pizzeria brand which will open its debut Scottish site next month in Edinburgh, has hired Beatrice Vears, formerly of Prezzo, Sodexo Live! and Whitbread, as interim marketing director. Vears stepped down as chief marketing officer of Prezzo, the Cain International-backed Italian dining group, last November after a year with the business. She joined Prezzo after nearly two years as managing director of HDY Agency – the independent brand, performance and content agency. Prior to that, she spent more than two and a half years as marketing director at Sodexo Live! and five years as head of brand marketing at Whitbread-owned Premier Inn. Pizza Pilgrims will make its debut in Scotland on Monday, 14 April. Propel revealed last October that Pizza Pilgrims had appointed PwC as it looks to embark on its next stage of growth, which will include further expansion in the UK, exploring international opportunities, and the relaunch of a quick service restaurant format.
F1 Arcade adds Atlanta to 2025 US opening pipeline: Kindred Concepts has added a site in Atlanta, Georgia, to the US opening pipeline of F1 Arcade, its Formula 1-licensed experiential brand. Following the launch of the brand’s first two US venues at Boston Seaport in April and Washington DC in October, the company has already lined up openings in Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Denver for this year. The company, which operates two sites in the UK, has now lined up a 15,000 square-foot site within a mixed-use space known as The Interlock in the heart of West Midtown, Atlanta. The venue is planned to open in late 2025. Once open, the entertainment hub will serve handcrafted cocktails, or mocktails for designated drivers, and allow guests to experience Formula 1 simulators. “We are excited to announce our expansion into the south as we bring our adrenaline-packed experience to Atlanta following our success in Boston and Washington DC,” said Liz Norris, launch lead at F1 Arcade. “Known for its rich sports and food scene, Atlanta is a perfect fit for the next phase of F1 Arcade’s growth.” Last year, F1 Arcade announced plans to open 30 locations globally within the next five years, while Propel revealed that F1 Arcade had completed a $130m (£101.2m) growth financing raise to aid its further expansion. Backed by Formula 1 and Liberty Media, F1 Arcade opened its first venue in London in 2022, followed by Birmingham in November 2023.
Atis lines up Mayfair opening: Atis, the London salad concept co-founded by former Noble Rot sommelier Eleanor Warder and Philip Honer, has lined up what will be the first of two openings in Mayfair for the nine-strong business this year. The company, which will open a new flagship site in Covent Garden later this week, has gone on site at a location in Grosvenor Street, for an opening in May. Atis has also got a site in North Audley Street lined up. The company’s tenth site, and first opening of 2025, will be on Friday (14 March), at The Acre, 90 Long Acre, and feature the company’s new spring menu – three days before it launches across all other locations. In January, the business told Propel that 2025 was set to be a “transformational year” as it embarks on its next stage of growth, after securing £8m of new funding. Atis, which was founded in Shoreditch in October 2019, has a target of reaching 20 sites by September, including delivery kitchens and a possible launch outside the capital. Atis is backed by property developer Graham Hedger, who has funded the business from the start.
Roti King plans regional debut with Brighton opening: Malaysian restaurant business Roti King is set to make its regional debut later this year, in Brighton, Propel has learned. Roti King, which is chaired and backed by Ganan Kanagathurai, former chief executive of Itsu, is understood to have secured a site in the city’s Ship Street. Roti King, which was founded by Malaysian chef Sugen Gopal, opened its first permanent eponymous site in London, in Doric Way, near Euston, in 2014, following its original location inside the Oriental City food hall (now Bang Bang Oriental) in Colindale. Roti King subsequently launched sites in Lower Marsh in Waterloo and in the Circus West Village part of the Battersea Power Station development. The company opened a fourth site last year, and its first in the City, in Artillery Lane, just off Bishopsgate. The company also operates the Gopal’s Corner concept. Last year, the company opened its first stand-alone site under the concept, on the former Dirty Vegan site in Westfield London. The company also currently operates three sites under the Gopal’s Corner name in the Market Halls in Victoria, Oxford Street and Canary Wharf, with a further opening to come at the new Market Halls in Paddington.
Former Fat Duck Group director acquires fourth site: Nigel Sutcliffe, former director of the Fat Duck Group, has acquired his fourth site. Sutcliffe has joined forces with Barry Wagner, owner of butchers Gabriel Machin in Henley, to acquire The Three Tuns pub in the Oxfordshire town. The 34-cover pub will undergo a “light” refurbishment before reopening in May. Main dishes will be determined by Wagner’s butcher counter and will include a selection of meat and fish cooked on the robata grill. The menu will sit alongside a burger shed at the back, serving burgers to eat in or take away. The venue will be run by the team from one of Sutcliffe’s other ventures – The Oarsman in Marlow – headed up by executive chef Scott Smith. Sutcliffe, who worked alongside Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck Group from 1996 until 2021, has been a long-standing customer of Wagner’s, and the duo had jokingly discussed their plans for the pub next door for more than 25 years. Sutcliffe said: “Gabriel Machin is such an institution in Henley – and rightly so – selling the highest quality cuts of meat and fish, and Barry is such a well-loved and well-respected figure in the community. I’ve always loved the idea of buying the pub next door, using Barry’s incredible produce combined with Scott’s talents in the kitchen to create something special.” Sutcliffe and business partner James McLean help chefs develop their proposition through their Truffle Hunting Consultancy. They also operate The Crown in Bray and The Mutton in Hazeley Heath, Hampshire.
Emerald Hospitality Group to launch three new dining concepts in London’s Fleet Street: Emerald Hospitality Group (EHG) is set to launch three new dining concepts in London’s Fleet Street. The group, led by twins Arian and Alberto Zandi, has partnered with real estate business Regis Group to transform the former Daily Telegraph building into “a vibrant destination for food enthusiasts and socialites from around the globe”. Opening late in 2025, it will span multiple floors, with each space delivering a distinct dining experience. Located on the ground floor, Casa Como will be a sister concept to EHG’s Italian concept, Como Garden. Inspired by the serenity of Lake Como, it will house a salumeria (Italian deli), a restaurant, a central bar and a 60-seat terrace, offering authentic Italian cuisine crafted in an open kitchen. On the seventh floor will be steakhouse Everything on Fire, a theatrical dining concept centred around open-flame cooking, with each cut prepared on a clay grill in an open kitchen. Spanning the eighth and ninth floors will be Japanese fusion concept Dining on the Clouds, featuring a dedicated sushi counter and an open robata grill. The ninth-floor rooftop terrace will also transform into an exclusive bar and lounge, offering premium cocktails and panoramic views of London. “We are honoured to partner with Regis Group,” said the Zandi twins. “Its global expertise and reputation in luxury real estate will be invaluable as we accelerate our growth strategy. Together, we are redefining what it means to offer unparalleled guest experiences through the expansion of our existing brands and the creation of groundbreaking new concepts.” EHG opened its first venture, Zuaya, in 2018 – followed by Como Garden in 2020, El Norte in 2021 and Riviera in 2023 – all based in London. In November 2023, the twins told Propel they were exploring expansion outside of the capital, with Manchester “of particular interest”.
Team behind north London cafe concept Fink’s launches crowdfund to help open fifth site: The team behind cafe concept Fink’s in north London has launched a £50,000 crowdfund to help open a fifth site. Jess Blackstone and Mat Appleton launched Fink’s Salt & Sweet in Mountgrove Road in 2014 and have since added Fink’s Gillespie in Gillespie Road, Fink’s Chats in Chatsworth Road and Fink’s Pump House in Clissold Park. They are now looking to open a new bakery in a site, at 154 Blackstock Road in Finsbury Park, which they originally had earmarked for a prep kitchen, reports Hot Dinners. They have so far raised almost £8,000 on Crowdfunder, with 21 days to go. The founders said: “Right now, everything we make comes from two small prep kitchens. Our original kitchen at Mountgrove Road was bursting at the seams, so last year we expanded to a second space on Blackstock Road, where the team have been creating all our cakes and sweets in the basement kitchen. Our next big step? Transforming the ground floor of the space into a full-scale bakery. This will allow us to add freshly baked bread and viennoiserie to our offering. We’ll be making all our bread for our sites in house and delivering daily by bike. And we'll also be opening the doors each morning for fresh bread and pastries at the Blackstock Road site. We’ve been running secret butter trials, flour experiments and chocolate taste tests, and we can’t wait to share the results with you. All we need is some big bits of kit! From £10,000 mixers to £20,000 ovens, they aren’t cheap, so we need your help. This isn’t just about upgrading our kitchen, it’s about making the best stuff we can, right here in the neighbourhood.”
Wimpy reopens in Portslade as former franchisee returns: Wimpy has reopened its branch in Portslade – a suburb of Brighton – through its former franchisee, Raj Somasundaram. Somasundaram spent ten years at the restaurant before leaving in 2008, but has stayed within the Wimpy family by operating a Littlehampton branch. Now opening his second Wimpy restaurant, he has made a significant investment in refurbishing and upgrading the 14 Station Road premises. “I am delighted to be back at Wimpy Portslade,” said Somasundaram. “I always say I learnt my trade here, and when the restaurant closed last summer, I was first in the queue to return. I can’t wait to catch up with some familiar faces and meet plenty of new customers too.” Chris Woolfenden, Wimpy UK’s general manager, added: “We are delighted to welcome Raj back to Wimpy Portslade and know that his experience and knowledge of the Wimpy brand will make a big impression on the local community.” The 50-seater restaurant features Wimpy’s new ‘Shift’ design, which blends the brand’s heritage with bright new colours, new seating and Wimpy artwork on the walls. Wimpy operates 63 sites in the UK.
Bitters ‘n’ Twisted Venues to close remaining Bodega Cantina site: Midlands operator Bitters ‘n’ Twisted Venues is to close its remaining Bodega Cantina site in Birmingham on Saturday (15 March), citing unsustainable financial pressures. The site was launched 14 years ago in Bennett’s Hill, with further openings under the Bodega Cantina concept following in Leicester, Leamington Spa and Worcester. All three have closed over the past three years, with Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana, the Mission Mars-owned brand, lining up an opening on the Leamington Spa site. The closure of the Birmingham site leaves Bitters ‘n’ Twisted operating The Victoria in the city’s John Bright Street. On the Bodega Cantina closure, the company said: “It is with sadness that we announce the closure of Bodega Cantina on Saturday, 15 March. Like many others in hospitality, we’ve been significantly affected first by Brexit taking away much of the staffing resources that our industry relies upon and then the various dramas brought about by covid. More recent factors such as the large increase in utility bills, ‘cost-of-living crisis’, double-digit inflation and upcoming increases in minimum wage and national insurance costs have now made the venue financially unsustainable.”
