Evolv Collection CEO – we have enjoyed strong trading and growth throughout the year, looking to create ‘powerhouse brands’: Martin Williams, chief executive of the Evolv Collection, formerly D&D London, has told Propel that the business has enjoyed strong trading and growth throughout the year, and the growth of both its Chophouse and Sartoria concepts will create further “powerhouse brands”. It comes after Bresand Leisure, the Calveton and Breal Capital-backed vehicle that acquired D&D London, updated on trading for the first time since the acquisition, posting turnover of £126,357,000 for the period to 30 September 2024. Williams, who officially joined the business in March, told Propel: “We have enjoyed strong trading and growth throughout the [current financial] year. Profitability has also increased significantly as a result of the successful restructuring led by Simon [Wilkinson, board director and operating partner for Evolv Collection] throughout 2024.” Last month, Propel reported Evolv Collection was joining forces with pan-Asian concept Freak Scene to launch an exclusive pop-up residency at its 100 Wardour Street venue in London. The pop-up with Freak Scene, created by former Nobu head chef Scott Hallsworth, will run at the Soho venue from Tuesday, 22 July until the end of November. The partnership is the first strategic collaboration since Williams took the helm of Evolv Collection, as he looks to modernise the company’s portfolio of brands and appeal to a broader demographic. Williams said: “The opening of Bluebird City, the Bluebird Club and our external events programme, (which finds us catering for invitation only drivers and A listers at Silverstone this coming weekend) has been a success, as have our recent activations at Pont de la Tour, Madison and Orrery. In the months ahead, a partnership with Scott Hallsworth (Freak Scene x 100 Wardour) and growth of both Chophouse and Sartoria will create further ‘powerhouse brands. The calendar year of 2025 is looking strong and exciting.” In May, Williams said he didn’t see why the company wouldn’t have a dozen sites under its Bluebird concept in the UK, or “one in every major city in Europe”. Earlier this spring, Bluebird, the restaurant in London’s Chelsea, opened a sister venue on the ground floor of Evolv’s South Place Hotel in the City.

Premium Club subscribers to receive new searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Friday, videos from Multi_Club Conference on Friday, 11 July: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (4 July), at noon. The database will show the details of 153 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. The database will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club subscribers will also receive a 9,983-word report on the 153 new additions to the database. The database is segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. The database includes new openings in the cafe bakery sector such as Norfolk artisan bakery Bread Source opening in historic country house Wolterton Hall, Margot Green in London’s Clapham by Australian restaurant group Daisy Green Collection, and Cuppa Chai, opening at Vauxhall station in the capital. Premium Club subscribers will also receive all the videos from the Propel Multi-Club Conference – female leaders and entrepreneurs on Friday, 11 July. They include Carol Campbell, managing director of Stonegate Group, talking about her “squiggly journey” of 28 years working across retailers in three continents, and Kate Eastwood, managing director of Lounges, and Lucy Knowles, managing director of Cosy Club, jointly presenting their key learning advice, hacks, and tips to becoming a managing director. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor 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 the Operational Excellence Conference this month and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

UKHospitality fires off costs warning ahead of implementation of Employment Rights Bill: UKHospitality has warned the government about the cost to businesses of the Employment Rights Bill ahead of the start of its implementation next year. The Department for Business and Trade has said from April 2026, there will be changes to statutory sick pay, paternity and parental leave, and trade union recognition. From October 2026, tipping laws will be tightened and employers’ duty to prevent sexual harassment strengthened. And 2027 will see rights to guaranteed hours introduced, alongside existing rights to request flexible working being strengthened, and changes made to an employees’ right to claim unfair dismissal. UKHospitality warned that with some of the first changes to come into force in under a year, which could be a significant cost for businesses, the government must take into consideration the cumulative cost burden already facing the sector. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “There are substantial and expensive changes for businesses in the Bill and it’s right that the government is using the appropriate implementation periods. We have been clear with the government that the changes regarding guaranteed hours and predictability of shifts will be the most complex for hospitality businesses and therefore necessitates a significant implementation period. The government must now use this time to work with businesses on an appropriate policy framework and clear guidance. Businesses are understandably wary about the cost and complexity of the more immediate changes in the Bill, particularly alongside increases to national insurance contributions, employment costs and business rates. Hospitality businesses have absolutely no more capacity to absorb costs and the government must not increase the sector’s cost burden once again.”

 

Delivery platforms to enhance driver identity checks in the UK: Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have agreed to improve identity verification for delivery drivers to address illegal employment in the UK. The commitment comes after ministers convened the three firms for a roundtable at the Home Office this week to discuss what further urgent action can be taken to prevent immigration offending on their platforms. Over the last year, Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have introduced voluntary “right to work” checks on all account holders and registered substitutes. They said these measures have helped stop illegal workers abusing the platform, with action taken on thousands of accounts. However, border security minister Dame Angela Eagle and employment rights minister Justin Madders raised concerns that, despite these welcome steps, there continues to be abuse in the sector where illicit account sharing leads to illegal working. Ministers set out the government’s zero tolerance approach to immigration crime and stressed the importance of tightening checks to crack down on those who flout employment rules. As a result of “productive discussions”, the firms agreed to increase the use of facial verification checks and fraud detection technology to ensure only registered account holders can work off their platforms. This will help stop people with no right to work in the UK from using someone’s name to earn money illegally. The strengthened industry standard – to be rolled out in the next 90 days – will see Deliveroo and Uber Eats increase the quantity and sophistication of verification checks they already do, with Just Eat upping the same checks from monthly to daily. 

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a real estate group that is looking for a senior commercial manager to lead on real estate lease acquisitions for its corporate clients. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will be responsible for developing and executing leasing strategies, managing landlord relationships, negotiating lease agreements and representing the occupier. This role requires a strong understanding of the commercial real estate market, excellent negotiation skills and the ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders including property managers, legal teams and marketing professionals.” The salary is up to £85,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email sheila@corecruitment.com.

 

YO! launches new restaurant design, hires new group marketing director: YO!, the Wonderfield Group-owned brand, has launched a new restaurant design at its site in Manchester’s the Trafford Centre, which it described as a “new chapter” for the business. The restaurant within Selfridges has relaunched with a “bold new design that brings the buzz of Tokyo nightlife to one of the UK’s most iconic shopping centres”. The company said: “With brighter colours, bold design and bigger energy, the redesigned space features neon signage and hanging street-style designs, laying the stage for an exciting dining experience.” It comes as YO! has hired Lauren Crozier as its new group market director. Crozier joins YO! after 13 months as marketing director at mothers2mothers, the African primary health care organisation. Prior to that, she spent almost five years at the English Cricket Board, including three and a half years as its head of female participation and volunteers. She has also worked at BT Group and Sainsbury’s. On the Selfridges site, Crozier said: “We’re thrilled to be reopening our Trafford Centre Selfridges doors with a new look, marking a new chapter for YO! This store introduces our new identity, which will be rolling out across the UK throughout the year.” Last month, Propel revealed Wonderfield Group, formerly Snowfox Group, – the multi-channel and international Japanese food business that owns brands including Panku, Bento and Taiko – was considering options for more than a third of its 53-strong UK restaurant estate. Propel understands that Wonderfield – which was acquired by Zensho, the leading Japanese food group, in summer 2023, in a deal valued at $621m (£494.5m) – is assessing the future of up to 20 YO! restaurant sites across England and Scotland, including sites in Brighton, Guildford, Leeds, Edinburgh, Cheltenham and Manchester. All the sites continue to trade. It comes as Wonderfield told Propel it is planning to open new sites at Heathrow next month (in T4 and T2B) and its “significant multimillion-pound refurbishment programme” is ongoing. Wonderfield said on the back of successful refurbishments at Bluewater, Meadowhall and Heathrow T2 and T3 last year, YO! will refurbish at least five more restaurants in 2025.

European indoor playground brand secures debut UK site, aims to become household name across Britain: European indoor playground brand Monkey Town, operated by Dutch leisure group 24 Indoor, has secured its UK debut site. The company has acquired Rascals Party & Play Centre in Preston. Monkey Town said the deal marks the start of a bold expansion plan aimed at making the brand a household name for families across Britain. With more than 75 indoor playgrounds across the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland and set to arrive in Spain later this year, Monkey Town is Europe’s largest and fastest-growing soft play operator. It offers immersive themed environments, food and beverage as well as play experiences such as laser tag, toddler zones, Valo Jump and mini bowling. Rascals features a large three-tier play structure with slides, trampolines and tunnels alongside a dedicated toddler zone and a baby area with sensory play. In 2022, the centre underwent a refurbishment, adding modern electronic interactive games. Rascals also has a large café. “This acquisition is a major milestone in our UK rollout,” said 24 Indoor chief executive Peter van Wijk. “Rascals has strong local roots and a loyal customer base, which makes it the perfect launchpad for our brand. Our ambition is to combine the best of what’s already there with the operational excellence and innovation that 24 Indoor is known for.” 24 Indoor plans further UK openings for 2025 and 2026, focusing on both new site development and further acquisitions in key regional hubs. The Preston location will remain open under the Rascals name during a transition phase, with rebranding expected in 2026. The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel's exhaustive report on the fast-growing experiential leisure market, will be published on Friday, 1 August at 9am. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It includes opinion from leading players Juliette Keyte, marketing director at Red Engine, Richard Beese, co-founder of We Do Play, and investor Lisa Boden, partner at investor Edition Capital, and provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since last year's study, with 3,700 sites. The report is available for £595 plus VAT to pre-order now. Existing Premium Club subscribers can receive it on Friday, 1 August for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium subscribers on Wednesday, 10 September at 9am. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to order a copy.

Afrikana seeking airport locations as part of plans to expand across the UK: African restaurant concept Afrikana is seeking airport locations as part of its plans to expand across the UK. Afrikana, part of City Restaurant Group (CRG), currently has 18 UK locations and earlier this year opened its largest site yet, in the London Designer Outlet at Wembley Park in north London. The company has previously said it is targeting 11 new openings this year – with sites in Holloway, Wembley, East Ham, Hounslow, Watford, Ipswich and Uxbridge in its pipeline. Franchise consultant Anish Naik said several more locations are “coming soon” too – including Ealing, Edinburgh, a second Glasgow site, Leeds, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, Birmingham Star City, Walsall and Wolverhampton. “We’re on the lookout for ambitious partners to join one of the UK’s most exciting restaurant brands,” Naik said. “The Afrikana journey is growing fast and we’re now opening select territories for franchise development. New franchise opportunities available in major cities like Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield; southern hotspots like Southampton, Bournemouth and Brighton; growth zones like Wolverhampton, Reading and Ealing; high footfall sites in Manchester and Edinburgh; plus airport locations across the UK.” In February, Propel revealed that CRG had acquired London-based Detroit pizza concept Crave and plans to expand the concept, which has locations in Brick Lane and in Ilford’s Ley Street in the capital, through franchising. CRG is also behind Mowchi, the four-strong matcha cafe concept founded by Afrikana brand and marketing director Syeda Kayanath, and French taco brand Tacosmash, which it launched into the UK last year – so far opening two sites here.

 

Burger King UK reshuffles operations team: Burger King UK has reshuffled its operations team, with Lisa Aspinall promoted to head of operations development and Melih Duru to operations excellence manager. Aspinall has been with Burger King UK for seven and a half years, with her previous roles including head of new restaurant openings and new openings lead manager. She previously spent six and a half years in various roles with Casual Dining Group, including two years as its international development manager. Aspinall started out at Pizza Hut, where she spent 13 years as a general manager and area manager. Duru has been with Burger King UK for seven years and was previously head of operations and franchise business lead. He also spent almost 14 years with Starbucks in various roles including district manager and store manager.

 

The Restaurant Group Concessions opens new Italian restaurant concept: The Restaurant Group (TRG) Concessions has opened a new Italian restaurant concept. Primo Volo has launched at Glasgow airport’s departure lounge. The pasta and spritz bar serves up classic Italian pasta dishes, breakfast options and Italian cocktails,. A terrace will open later in the summer. The opening is the latest in TRG Concessions strong pipeline of developments and follows the launch of another concept last week with The Fletton, a new landside pub at Luton airport.

Flight Club lines up fifth site in Australia: Red Engine, the Flight Club and Electric Shuffle operator, has lined up a fifth site for its darts-based concept in Australia, and second in Sydney. The company’s Australian Flight Club franchise partner opened two more venues, one in Sydney and one in Melbourne. The group’s franchisee in the country, NightOwl Entertainment, has secured the former Sandringham Hotel site in King Street, in the Newtown suburb of Sydney. NightOwl Entertainment also operates sites in Freemantle, Melbourne and Perth. David Heatin, chairman of NightOwl Entertainment, said: “We’ll be opening the doors to Flight Club Australia Newtown towards the end of this year. This marks another key milestone in NightOwl Entertainment journey as we continue to scale across Australia, creating venues where people connect through shared experiences – with a drink in one hand and a dart in the other. Our growth isn’t just about opening more venues. It’s about redefining what hospitality means for the next generation.” Last month, Red Engine opened a new Electric Shuffle site in London’s King’s Cross. Located close to Coal Drops Yard, the venue is the third Electric Shuffle to open in London, the fifth in the UK and the ninth globally. The launch of Electric Shuffle King’s Cross took the number of Red Engine-owned venues to 23, increasing to 24 by year-end. Combined with franchise partner-owned and operated Flight Club venues, the total number will stand at 40. Beyond 2025, Red Engine has ambitious growth plans. With its franchise partners, it aims to open close to ten new venues per year. Based on this trajectory of growth, by the end of 2030, the total global Electric Shuffle and Flight Club estate will sit at 80-plus venues.

 

Splendid Hospitality Group acquires one York site and eyes another: Privately-owned Splendid Hospitality Group – which employs more than 2,500 people across its hotels, restaurants and care homes –has acquired one site on York and is eyeing another. The group has bought York’s 37 Tanner Row and is primed to seal a deal for the city’s 98 Walmgate, reports BDaily. It said the grade II-listed Tanner Row property could be converted into “luxury hotel suites”, with 98 Walmgate earmarked for an “accommodation and food and beverage offering”. It follows a major refurbishment of the company’s ibis Styles York centre property, which has added 16 bedrooms to the site, and “substantial” upgrades to The Grand, which will include a renovation of the site’s spa and rooms. The company is also assessing plans to add further bedrooms to its Holiday Inn Express York base. Nadeem Boghani, Splendid Hospitality Group executive chair, said: “Our investment isn’t just financial, it’s a commitment to creating a positive impact for the next generation. As a family-owned business, we are focused on creating lasting impact through regeneration, entrepreneurialism, high-quality hospitality and meaningful job creation.” The group operates 38 KFC restaurants across the Midlands and north east and 24 hotels across the UK. Last month, the company made three senior hires – with Emma Yearwood joining as group people director, Austen Bushrod as director of procurement and Jon Newton as central finance director. 

 

LPM Restaurant & Bar secures three new international locations: LPM Restaurant & Bar – which was founded in London in 2007 and opened its first La Petite Maison site in the capital before expanding overseas – has secured three new international locations. The brand will make its debut in Kuwait in November, followed by a flagship launch in Marbella’s Golden Mile in early 2026, and then a further new location, in the Maldives, in 2027. The Kuwait restaurant, situated in Arabian Gulf Street, will offer a main dining room, an open-air terrace, a private dining room and a bar showcasing signature mocktails. The Marbella restaurant marks LPM’s first foray into Spain, with the 800-square-metre venue located within the Boho Club with space for up to 160 guests. The Maldives, restaurant, located within the Rosewood Resort Ranfaru, will also be a new market for the group – offering a 33-cover indoor dining room and a 38-cover outdoor lounge and private dining room. Nicolas Budzynski, chief executive of La Petite Maison, said: “Fourteen years after establishing our Middle East presence in Dubai, expanding to Kuwait is a natural and exciting progression for LPM. Eighteen years after our London debut, Marbella’s international appeal and year-round energy make it a perfect location to deepen our Mediterranean footprint.” In January, LPM said it is set to open two new US locations – in Boston and New York – with plans to add five more there over the next five years.

Market Place to make regional debut with Manchester opening: Food hall concept Market Place is to make its regional debut in Manchester after signing a 15-year lease to operate out of the ground floor of AM Alpha’s former Debenhams in the city’s Market Street. Market Place will occupy 14,000 square feet of the 300,000 square-foot office Rylands scheme. It will become the group’s sixth food hall and first outside London when it opens in the second quarter of 2027. The Blake Henderson-led company currently operates sites in Harrow, St Paul’s, Vauxhall, Baker Street and Peckham. Henderson said: “Rylands represents the perfect location for Market Place to open the doors to its first northern food hall. At the heart and hub of the city, it blends tradition and culture with the changing tastes of food, with socialising at the core. We’re excited to start work and welcome our first customers through the door.” Paul Hodgkiss, senior project manager at AM Alpha, added: “Market Place chose to commit to Rylands nearly two years ahead of completion, which is a strong signal and a clear vote of confidence in the quality and ambition of our vision. Securing such a lease at this early stage of the refurbishment underscores the appeal of the scheme and demonstrates that we are setting a new benchmark for mixed-use urban developments, not only in Manchester but across the UK.” In April, Henderson told Propel that growth for Market Place in the UK over the next few years means “thoughtful expansion and entering the right locations at the right time”, while the international opportunity for the business was “huge”. Launched in 2020, Market Place opened a new 6,834 square-foot flagship venue in St Paul’s in May. Propel understands Market Place is also lining up an opening in Baker Street in the capital. 

Fundamental Hospitality’s Shanghai Me to open in London later this month: Dubai hospitality group Fundamental Hospitality’s Shanghai Me brand will launch at London Hilton later this month, replacing the closed Galvin Brothers restaurant at the Park Lane hotel. Already established in Dubai and Doha, and soon to open in Monaco, the London opening, on Monday, 21 July, will be a UK debut for the brand. Guests can expect “classic oriental dishes crafted with fine ingredients, alongside a cocktail list infused with exotic botanicals, all served in an atmosphere that evokes a cultural journey across south east Asia”. The restaurant will seat approximately 120 guests, with two private dining rooms offering uninterrupted views of the city. Guests can book a table at its lounge bar, Bund, to enjoy signature cocktails and snacks while resident DJs play throughout the night. Evgeny Kuzin, chairman and founder of Fundamental Hospitality, said: “We are thrilled to officially open Shanghai Me and Bund at London Hilton in Park Lane. It’s the perfect location to base our restaurant and share our interpretation of pan-Asian dining and luxury hospitality, and we can’t wait to greet guests this summer.” Established in 2011, Fundamental Hospitality is also behind brands such as Gaia, Alaya, La Maison Ani, Piatti, Adaline, Sirene Beach by Gaia and Ina, as well as international franchises Scalini Dubai, Cipriani Dubai and Cipriani Dolci UAE.

Family entertainment centre operator reports strong trading, turnover and profit in line with last year: Family entertainment centre company Big Apple Entertainments has reported strong trading, with its turnover and profit in line with last year. The company operates Superbowl sites in Ryde, Woking and Wokingham, Strikes venues in Dereham and King’s Lynn and a Riverside Bowl location in Wallasey. Turnover rose from £3,757,882 in 2023 to £3,774,553 while pre-tax profit was up from £1,408,734 to £1,412,814. Dividends of £650,357 were paid (2023: £464,541). The company reported interest income of £12,486 (2023: nil). Director Duncan Moss said: “The directors are happy with the performance of the group. The group generated a profit for the year due to continued strong trading across all of its sites, resulting in an earnings per share of 41p for the year (2023: 51p). The group has invested substantial capital expenditure totalling £326,440, across its sites in order to enhance the quality of its facilities and help maintain a high-quality facility for its patrons.”

Italian restaurant concept Pranzo planning fifth site, reports 30% increase in turnover in latest financial year: Pranzo, the Italian restaurant concept, is planning a fifth location and has reported a 30% increase in turnover in its latest financial year. The company – which currently has sites in Harrogate, Horsforth and Ilkley – is set to open its fourth location in the coming weeks, in York’s Church Street. Chef-owner Marco Greco opened the first Pranzo seven years ago and said he is already thinking beyond the forthcoming fourth site. “I’m so proud of how far we’ve come,” he said. “In 2018, when we opened, it was me and my dad cooking together in the kitchen. I wasn’t sure how our homemade pasta would be received. Now we’ve got four great locations across Yorkshire. We’re resilient and we’ve stuck to doing the fundamentals well. Plans are in the pipeline, and we’re hoping to open our fifth restaurant in the next 12 months. This will take our employment tally over 200 people, plus we’ll enter a new region, and more people will get a taste of the Pranzo experience.” Chief operating officer Stephen Peace said a focus on quality and guest experience has helped towards a 30% increase in turnover in the last financial year – as well as a drive to automation. “As Pranzo has grown, we’ve brought in good systems to streamline operations,” he added. “Working closely with industry leading suppliers, these new systems automate the analytical processes we were doing manually before. This has freed up time, meaning we now have more space to make informed decisions over manual data entry or reporting.”

Ham Restaurants opens fifth London site: Dominic Hamdy – founder of Crispin in Spitalfields, Bistro Freddie in Shoreditch, Bar Crispin in Soho and Crispin at Studio Voltaire – has opened his fifth London site. His Ham Restaurants group has launched Canal – a ground-floor, all-day restaurant, as part of the Mason & Fifth hotel in Westbourne Grove. Featuring a waterside terrace overlooking the Grand Union Canal, the restaurant also offers an indoor dining room for up to 70 guests. Dishes include ricotta agnolotti with cavolo nero and pecorino, and red mullet with bouillabaisse, mussels and Mangalitza sausage; plus sharing options like Cornish John dory with lemon dill butter and monksbeard, and Jersey sirloin with brown butter jus, béarnaise and potatoes. There are cocktails on tap, while the wine list showcases classic regions and progressive producers. Hamdy said: “With Canal, we’ve set out to create a place that is rooted in generous hospitality with an urban Riviera feel.” Ham Restaurants started out as a scotch egg business trading from Borough Market in 2014. London co-living and guesthouse business Mason & Fifth opened its Westbourne Park location – its third site and largest yet – earlier this month. Launching in the former headquarters of the London Taxi Drivers’ Association, it joins the business’ other locations in Bermondsey and Primrose Hill.

Nottinghamshire bar operators planning fourth site: Nottinghamshire bar operators Alex Fuge, Kalpesh Patel and Steve Williams are set to open a fourth site. The trio have applied to Nottingham Council for a licence to open a venue called Dubliner at 6-10 Carrington Street, on the site of the long-closed King John pub, reports The Business Desk. The application outlines plans for the Dubliner to open from 9am until 2am on Sunday to Thursday and 9am until 3am on Friday and Saturday. Fuge, Patel and Williams are also behind the Cured bar concept, which has venues in Nottingham and Bingley, and Industry in Nottingham.

Brad Carter and Tom Brown open surf and turf restaurant in London’s King's Cross: Chefs Brad Carter and Tom Brown have opened a new surf and turf restaurant in London’s King’s Cross. The 90-cover restaurant has opened inside the Chandelier Room at Mare Street Market in Lewis Cubitt Square. The restaurant is “a traditional steakhouse with a coastal twist”, with a cocktail bar on a mezzanine floor above the dining room offering a snacks menu. After closing Carters of Moseley in Birmingham in 2023, where he held a Michelin star for eight years, Carter was due to launch Undercroft under a church in Mayfair, but the venture fell through. Brown, previously of Michelin-starred Cornerstone in Hackney, earlier this year launched Tom Brown at The Capital, at 22-24 Basil Street in Knightsbridge.

  

London matcha café concept set to open second site: London matcha café concept How Matcha! is set to open its second site this summer. Founder Rashique Siddique opened the first How Matcha! in 2024 at 47 Blandford Street, between Baker Street and Bond Street. The new site will open in August at 52 Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, spanning three floors and offering 30 covers, including a garden room with a courtyard. Menu items will include the wasabi matcha shot and the dirty matcha, alongside new Notting Hill exclusives such as matcha noir (made with black sesame, roasted chestnut, activated charcoal and matcha) and the sunburst (with matcha, strawberry jam, peach puree banana and turmeric milk and matcha). There will also be a new soft serve, in partnership with Wild Oats – available in unsweetened iced oat matcha latte and dirty matcha flavours. The site will be led by Callum Doherty, who said: “Bringing people together and providing a space for belonging is the heart of what we do at How Matcha! People don’t just drop in, guests often spend four to five hours here each day, feeling truly at home. It’s so important to us to champion smaller suppliers, support independent businesses, and celebrate their growth as our shared success too.” The company will also launch the Notting Hill How Matcha! Run Club will on Sunday, 3 August, where runners will begin at the Marylebone location and run to the new Notting Hill site.

  

Former Barrafina GM to open new wine bar, bottle shop and restaurant concept in London’s Bermondsey next week: Jay Patel, former general manager at Koya and Barrafina, is set to open a new wine bar, bottle shop and restaurant concept in London’s Bermondsey next week. Patel, who partnered with former Trullo chef Matt Beardsmore for Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian restaurant Legare at Shad Thames in 2019, will open Luna on the same riverside street on Tuesday, 8 July. Luna will come under the umbrella of Patel’s Ninth Collective group, with Beardsmore becoming executive chef across the portfolio. Opening opposite Legare, Luna will offer 28 covers inside, including a counter dining bar, and a further six to eight outside on a Thames-facing terrace. Taking its name from the moon’s role in biodynamic wine making, Luna will take over the space previously occupied by D&D’s Le Pont de la Tour food store, which closed in 2023. Luna’s wine list will focus on old world producers that use ethical farming practices and biodynamic and organic principles. Menu items include gilt-head bream, kaffir, serrano Chile and arbequina; spring lamb cutlets, Greek yoghurt and charred onion; and steamed turbot and spiced saffron bisque, reports Hot Dinners.

 

Inland surfing business gets new owners: Inland surfing business The Wave – which has a site in Bristol and is planning a location in London – is under new ownership as part of a financial restructure. Julian Topham, founder of the Boardmasters festival and chair of Surfing England, is the new chief executive. The Bristol location, close to junction 17 of the M5 motorway, shut suddenly last week, but work is underway in a bid to get the site reopened, reports Insider Media. A social media post said The Wave has new owners and Topham had been asked to step into the role of chief executive by the investors behind the restructure. “I have known about The Wave since it was just an idea and have surfed it many times since it opened in 2019,” said Topham. “The Wave is an extremely important part of the UK surf community, and I want to ensure it stays that way, and thrives, for the long term. There will be a short period of transition as a company changes hands and we get up to speed, but we are doing everything we can to make this as smooth and as fast as possible, and get The Wave open again.” The Wave Group is backed by Sullivan Street Partners, an inland surf park operator. It is not yet known how the changes will affect plans for a The Wave location at Lee Valley leisure complex in Enfield, north London. The site was first consulted on in 2022, and further consultations had been scheduled for the year ahead of a planning application being submitted.

 

West Sussex restaurant that sources 100% of its ingredients from the British Isles launches crowdfunder to help open new home: A West Sussex restaurant that sources 100% of its ingredients, wine and spirits from within the British Isles, has launched a £65,000 crowdfunder to help it open its new home. Chef Johnny Stanford opened Tern in Worthing’s Marine Parade in 2023, offering hyper-seasonal menus, and has already been awarded two AA Rosettes and won a place in the Michelin Guide. Stanford is now seeking to move to a new home in the town’s Warwick Street, offering more space and featuring an open kitchen and cocktail bar. The team has already raised £65,000 itself and is hoping the campaign will match that. With 60 days left, it is currently closing in on the £40,000 mark, with donations from more than 80 supporters. “Anyone who’s watched Clarkson’s Farm knows just how hard it is to farm well in this country,” said Stanford. “But if restaurants don’t support our farmers now, there may not be any left to support. This isn’t a fad. If we want an ecological future that actually works, it starts with soil – that’s the root of everything. We’re not chasing scale – we’re chasing substance. Small farms, short distances, full-flavoured food – that’s the model. It’s simple, but not easy, and that’s the point. We’ll never be rich doing it this way, but we’ll sleep well.”