RedCat Hospitality CEO – we have an opportunity to consolidate a fragmented coaching inn market: Richard Lewis, chief executive of RedCat Hospitality, the operator of Coaching Inn Group (CIG) and RedCat Independent Pubs, has told Propel that the business has an opportunity to consolidate a fragmented coaching inn market. However, he said currently, “the expectations of people selling their businesses versus their performance and the investment required to fix them is still a little bit out of line”. He told Propel: “Our focus is very much on targeted acquisitions for the CIG. We’ve identified a good pipeline of assets that are under review. We’ve a proven track record here. We’ve doubled CIG in four years, and we have an opportunity to consolidate what is a pretty fragmented coaching inn market. We’re pretty clear what we want, but we’re also very clear what we don’t want, and that’s really come from the lessons we’ve had from the sites we’ve acquired in the last four years. But the price has to be right. I think it’s fair to say, at the moment, the expectations of people selling their businesses versus their performance and the investment required to fix them is still a little bit out of line, but we expect that probably to change in the next 12 months, as costs start to bite further. We’re ambitious for growth, but we have very good financial discipline. We know when to walk away, and we have when some of the deals haven’t worked over the last 12 months. We’ve also got a really good investment model. I think compared to some of our competitors, our spend per room is exceptional and helps to get a good return. We’ve also learned to be patient on our returns. What we found is that by investing in the rooms, they don’t get the speed of returns you get through food and beverage investments, they can take two to three years to mature.” Lewis said the company’s recent acquisition of the Warwick Arms Hotel in Warwick, its first in three years, “hit the sweet spot” for the type of opportunity the company is looking for. He said: “More than 30 rooms, large food and beverage space which has been reconfigured, and a high footfall town near a tourist attraction. This site closes in a couple of weeks’ time for a £1.5m investment, and we expect this site to deliver over £500,000 Ebitda in the next two to three years.”

 

Sponsored message: Tronc and holiday pay – clearing the confusion before it costs you: Recent headlines have called the impact of holiday pay on tronc “nuclear” for hospitality. TiPJAR chief commercial officer Dan Hawkie said: “Confusion is spreading fast, with some operators mistakenly believing tronc must now be paid to staff while on holiday. That isn’t the case. The real risk is subtler, and potentially far costlier. If your tronc is processed through your company payroll, tribunals may view it as wages. Once that happens, your holiday pay exposure can soar, with employers’ national insurance contributions added on top. To illustrate: a 50-site casual dining group could face £800,000-plus extra per year. A 100-site national operator? Nearly £1.5m annually. Legal experts agree: the safest path is to separate tronc from payroll. Independence removes the risk, ensures compliance with the Allocation of Tips Act and protects operators from backdated claims. At TiPJAR, independence has always been built in. For our clients, the latest headlines aren’t a crisis — they’re proof of why they chose us. Read our full breakdown and practical guidance here.” If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

Industry veteran David Page to speak at final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, open for bookings: Industry veteran David Page – the former chairman of Franco Manca, owner of Fulham Shore, ex-chief executive of PizzaExpress and chair of Wildwood operator Bow Street Group – will be among the speakers at the final Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2025, which is open for bookings. Page will talk to Propel group editor Mark Wingett about his return to the sector, why now and what he makes of the current landscape and opportunities for growth. The all-day conference takes place on Wednesday, 5 November, at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London’s Kensington. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium subscribers who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive new searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Friday: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (3 October). The database will show the details of 152 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 10,029-word report on the 152 new additions to the database. It 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 pubs and bars sector such as London wine bar Passione Vino, opening in Clerkenwell, and The Hart, from Public House Group, opening in London. 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 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 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.

 

Exclusive – hospitality staff turnover drops 8% in past year as promoting from within leads to lower churn: Hospitality staff turnover has dropped 8% in past year, according to new data seen exclusively by Propel. The sector has seen a significant reduction in team turnover over the period, from 75% to 67%, according to the insight from hospitality people data specialist Pineapple and AI-native workforce management software provider Sona. The study, which analyses raw data from more than 35,000 employees across the sector, also reveals a significant link between promoting managers from within and achieving lower staff churn. Key findings include a rise in the rate of internal promotions for key on-site leadership roles, with head chef promotions seeing the largest jump, from 44% to 51%. Furthermore, it was found that persistent gaps in management teams drive overall team turnover, with a strong correlation between vacancies for head chefs, general managers and sous chefs and higher churn rates across all departments. And while retention is improving, cost pressures have coincided with a drop in overall employee net promoter scores, from 53.77 to 50.12. But whereas sub-sectors like quick service restaurants (-14.17) and competitive socialising (-21.45) saw sharp declines in morale, the restaurant sector (+2.03) saw an increase. Philip Eeles, co-founder of Pineapple and co-founder of Honest Burgers and Breadstall Pizza, said: “The data tells a clear and compelling story: stability starts at the top. For years, the industry has battled high turnover as an accepted cost of doing business. The message for leaders is that your next great manager is likely already in your building.” Ben Dixon, co-founder of Sona, added: “For a long time, hospitality operators have been managing their most critical asset – their people – by relying on gut feel, historical averages and disconnected spreadsheets. In an industry where every percentage point matters, where people are one of your biggest assets, teams need much deeper insight and reliable numbers to avoid overstaffing that eats into profits or, more damagingly, under-staffing that burns out your best employees and disappoints guests.”

 

Further tax rises expected as chancellor warns of hard choices ahead: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned that Britain faces “harsh global headwinds” as she signalled that further tax rises could be on the way. Addressing the Labour Party conference, Reeves admitted that international instability, coupled with what she described as the “long-term damage” inflicted on the economy, meant her decisions had become “harder”. Ahead of her keynote speech in Liverpool, she warned that “the world has changed” since she promised business chiefs she would not repeat the tax raid of her first budget. “I think everyone can see in the last year that the world has changed, and we’re not immune to that change,” the chancellor told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “Whether it is wars in Europe and the Middle East, whether it is increased barriers to trade because of tariffs coming from the United States, whether it is the global cost of borrowing – we’re not immune to any of those things. It’s very important that we maintain those commitments to economic stability because we rely on people to buy government debt to be able to finance the things that we’re doing as a country. I wish it wasn’t so, but I am chancellor in the world as it is, not the world that I might wish it to be.”

 

BII – further tax pressures will result in 35% of pub operators having to close their doors: The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has said 35% of pub operators will be forced to close their business if the government doesn’t reduce the tax burden on the sector at the autumn Budget. The BII’s latest member survey showed that despite a strong summer of trading for many, with 60% seeing turnovers equal to or greater than the same period in 2024, huge tax rises have already forced many owners to take drastic measures to make ends meet. The survey also revealed that a significant reduction in the tax burden would trigger investment in their pub business for more than 70%, with nearly 50% saying that they would grow their teams. BII chief executive Steve Alton said: “Our members and the wider pub sector are being pushed to breaking point by unfair and unsustainable tax burdens. If the chancellor doesn’t recognise the devastating impact last autumn’s Budget has already had on our sector, not even six months since it came into force, and remove some of the pressure on our pubs, the consequences will be dire. Our members have been clear on their priorities for support from government – a cut in VAT on all pub sales in line with other European countries, a full reform of the business rates system that leads to permanently lower rates bills than they currently pay, and a reversal of the national insurance contributions increases. Without a reduction in the tax burden, we will lose a huge number of viable businesses and jobs, providing immeasurable support and connection in every community.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a rapidly expanding hospitality group in Dubai that is looking for a chief HR officer. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This newly created position will be a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for developing and executing HR strategies that align with the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organisation. This will include talent management, succession planning, organisational development, performance management, compensation, benefits, diversity, equity and inclusion and employee engagement. The ideal chief HR officer will hold a bachelor’s degree in HR, business administration, or a related field (master’s preferred), and will have more than ten years of progressive HR experience, including at least five years in a senior HR leadership role within the GCC region, preferably in the UAE hospitality sector, and have demonstrated expertise in leading organisational transformation and scaling HR operations.” The salary is up to £17,000 per month (tax free). For more information, email michelle@corecruitment.com

 

Parkdean Resorts – 2025 has seen the staycation market strengthen, 2024 full-year Ebitda up 2.4%: Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s largest holiday park operator, has told Propel it has seen the staycation market strengthen in 2025, as it delivered record trading over the summer peak trading months and said it was increasing its capex investment over the coming year to circa £50m. It comes as the Steve Richards-led business, which operates 65 sites across the UK, saw revenue for the year ending 31 December 2024 increase by £13m (2.6%) to £520m, with adjusted Ebitda up 2.4% to £72m. A spokesperson for Parkdean Resorts said: “Encouragingly, 2025 has seen the staycation market strengthen, and Parkdean’s well-invested parks, in holiday hotspots, have been able to capitalise on this. We’ve delivered record trading over the peak summer months, with 98% occupancy and record on-park spend. In response, we are looking ahead with confidence by increasing our capex investment over the coming year to circa £50m to further enhance our accommodation and facilities, expand leisure activities and grow our footprint. This will create over 300 full-time roles across the UK, and with this momentum, the business is well-placed to strengthen its position in the UK staycation market.” Of the 12 months to 31 December 2024, the company said: “Overall, the business delivered an increase in both revenues and adjusted Ebitda. Consumer confidence improved marginally (albeit still at low levels), and interest rates remained at 5% or more until November 2024. Our customer feedback, from both owners and guests, continued to show improvement, with a full year TripAdvisor score for the group as a whole of 4.2. The group delivered significant growth in sales volumes, revenues and profit contribution from holiday home sales. By repositioning our product offering and inventory towards lower-priced used caravans and lodges, we were able to meet prevailing demand and grew market share. We continue to see resilience in our on-park income following years of significant investment in our retail offer including upgrading our facilities and kitchens and extending both our F&B and paid-for activities. Against the backdrop of a high inflationary environment and the necessity to pass some of those costs on to customers, we continue to see high demand which delivered record sales and profit contribution for the business.” Earlier this month, it was reported that Parkdean was lining up an American investment firm Centerbridge Partners to inject around £250m of funding as it eyes opportunities to consolidate the market.

 

Jollibee UK plans to ‘significantly increase its number of UK stores’ by end of 2028: Jollibee, the Philippines fast food group, has said it plans to “significantly increase its number of UK stores by the end of 2028”, with “modest increases in revenue” forecast for this year. The company, which operates 12 sites across the UK, saw its revenue increase from £24.9m in 2023 to £32.6m last year, “reflecting growth in sales volumes”. The company reported operating losses of £3.8m for the year (2023: loss of £4.5m), while its pre-tax loss stood at £4.57m (2023: loss of £5.3). It reported an Ebitda loss of £1.9m for the period compared to loss of £2.6m in the previous year. The company said it is financially supported by its parent company group, which had provided loans and other funding amounting to £23.9m at 31 December 2024. The company said: “The parent company, Jollibee Worldwide Pte Limited (part of the Jollibee Foods Corporation group of companies), has undertaken to provide the company with sufficient additional financial support to enable Bee World UK Limited to continue trading as a going concern, sufficient to cover its operating losses and to discharge its debts and liabilities as they fall due for the foreseeable future. A further net operating loss is expected for 2025 and 2026, partly as a result of inflation, higher than expected food cost increases and a significant increase in the national minimum wage. Modest increases in revenue are forecast for 2025, and then more substantial increases are planned from 2026 as the company intends to significantly increase its number of UK stores by the end of 2028. This is expected to lead to further economies of scale and a profitable trading performance.” Jollibee made its UK debut in 2018 and operates about 1,200 sites worldwide.

  

Heriots Patisserie – ‘we’re in talks to secure investment that would deliver the next three years of growth’: Heriots Patisserie, the London café/cake shop concept, has told Propel it has begun talks on securing investment that would deliver its next three years of growth, as its targets expanding to 50 sites over the next three years. The business, which was acquired by Deena Atie in 2016, currently operates five sites across London. Earlier this spring, it hired Peter Davies, formerly of Oakberry, Starbucks and Harris + Hoole, as its new managing director. Atie told Propel: “2026 will see me stepping back from the day-to-day operations at Heriots to focus on other projects I’m passionate about, including the Muslim trade forum. I have served Heriots with the skill set and knowledge that I have, and I look forward to its growth under the leadership of our new managing director. Peter joined our business six months ago, and in this time, he’s consolidated the business and prepared the groundwork for a funding round that would deliver the next three years of growth. He brings a strong background of strategic leadership and business transformation, and he’s already had a tangible impact on how we operate. His experience in building high performing teams, streamlining operations and forging strategic partnerships makes him the right leader for this next chapter. With Peter on board, we are getting ready for a new phase of growth, and we plan to open 50 sites throughout London and surrounding cities over the next three years. We are speaking to investors at this stage to enable us to do that. We are looking at some larger sites in London, but also at cities such as Birmingham and Manchester.”

 

Nando’s hires Carol Sommerville as new chief people officer: Nando’s has hired Carol Sommerville, formerly of Compass Group UK & Ireland and Watchfinder, as its new chief people officer, Propel has learned. The company said that with over 25 years of experience in people-first businesses – including Compass, Yoox Net-a-Porter, Watchfinder and BT – Sommerville brings “a wealth of knowledge and heart to the role”. Sommerville replaces Maria Horn, who has been with Nando’s for 11 years, holding a number of senior roles, including the past two and a half years as chief people officer. Propel understands that although Horn is stepping back from a full-time executive role, she will remain with the business in a part-time advisory capacity. The company said this transition has been part of a “long-term, planned succession”. Mark Standish, Nando’s UK & Ireland chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Carol Sommerville as our new chief people officer for the UK and Ireland. She’s passionate about helping people from all backgrounds thrive, which shines through in her work with the government's Social Mobility Commission.  We’re proud she’ll continue that important role alongside her work with us.” Sommerville will join Nando’s tomorrow (Wednesday, 1 October).

 

PureGym targets up to 60 openings in 2025 as it launches five new sites in a single day: PureGym, Britain’s biggest health and fitness club operator, has targeted up to 60 openings in 2025 as it launches five new sites in a single day. Last Friday (26 September), four new gyms opened simultaneously across the UK – at Bury Woodfields Retail Park, Exmouth, Hazel Grove and Whitehaven – alongside an overseas site in Martigny, Switzerland. In the year to date, PureGym has opened 34 gyms in the UK and has plans to open 55-60 in total. The opening in Martigny also marks the start of PureGym's renewed expansion across the country, with up to 15 openings planned over the next 15 months. Rebecca Passmore, group chief operating officer at Leeds-headquartered PureGym Group, said: “Opening five gyms in a single day is a remarkable moment for PureGym and reflects sustained demand for our offering. Our ambition has always been to make affordable fitness as accessible as possible, and these five new sites show how we are delivering on that. We remain on track to open more than 60 gyms globally in 2025 and believe there is still plenty of opportunity to accelerate our expansion in the years ahead.”

 

Pret A Manger hires Matthew Bresnahan as new CMO: Pret A Manger has hired Matthew Bresnahan, formerly of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), as its new chief marketing officer. Bresnahan joins from RBI, where he has held several senior international marketing roles spanning a 12-year career at the company. His prior positions spanned marketing competencies, from leading global brand management to building regional sales strategies for RBI’s biggest brands, Burger King and Tim Horton’s. He will have responsibility for Pret’s global and localised marketing functions, while also overseeing product innovation, loyalty programs, customer insights, public relations and delivery channels. His appointment comes as the brand continues to expand in the UK and US, with an enhanced focus on food and coffee innovation and value for money initiatives for customers. Pano Christou, chief executive of Pret, said: “Matt brings deep expertise in building global food brands and a strong track record of driving growth through insight-led marketing. I look forward to working with him to deepen our relationship with customers and bring Pret to more people.” Bresnahan added: “Pret is unlike any other brand, with its unique combination of high-quality food and coffee and a hyper-convenient to-go format. Our UK guests already have such a strong connection with Pret, and I’m hoping to take that further, creating more reasons to love this iconic brand and introducing it to new customers around the world.”

 

Pig Hotels parent company see turnover pass £50m despite ‘softening’ market: The parent company of Pig Hotels, the rural boutique hotels group, saw its turnover top the £50m mark in the year to the end of 2024, driven by new openings, as it said the softness in the hospitality market post covid had continued. Home Grown Hotels, which operates nine Pig hotels and one pub, saw turnover in 2024 increase to £50,611,108 (2023: £49,850,136), while it fell to a pre-tax loss of £8,594,689) versus a pre-tax profit of £2,291,834 the year before. Ebitda net of non-trading costs for the year stood at £4.9m (2023: £4.7m). The business said that the increase in revenue and improvement of revenue metrics year-on-year were mainly driven by the opening of the Village Pub and The Pig in the Cotswolds, in June 2024 and September 2024 respectively. The lower occupancy levels seen in 2024 were offset by an increase seen in average daily rate (ADR) achieved. The company said: “Even though we saw a growth in revenue, our new operations are still stabilising resulting in higher administrative expenses and a slightly higher Ebitda. Since 2022, we have seen continued softness in the UK hospitality market post the significant uplift experienced due to covid restrictions on foreign travel and the general pent-up demand for leisure experiences post UK restrictions being lifted. This softness has continued through 2024, along with the cost-of-living crisis still being felt by consumers. As a company we have an average occupancy of 77% (2023: 82%) but saw an uplift in ADR achieved with average daily restaurant covers increasing to 1,291 (2023: 1,283) for the year to 31 December 2024. A valuation was undertaken of our hotel portfolio after the year-end. This saw an updated valuation of £138.4m for the hotels.” The group was founded by Robin Hutson in 2011 and has been majority-owned by private equity firm KSL Capital Partners since 2022. Hutson stepped back as chairman at the end of 2024. Kevin Styles, formerly of Jamie Oliver Group and Honest Burgers, joined the business as its new chief executive earlier this year.

 

XP Factory independent non-executive chairman to step down: XP Factory, which operates the Escape Hunt and Boom Battle Bar brands, has announced independent non-executive chairman Richard Rose is to step down. May 2026 will mark Rose’s ninth anniversary as non-executive chairman and his decision to stand down is in line with best practice under the QCA Corporate Governance Code. Rose intends to continue in the role while the company appoints his successor. Earlier this month, chief executive Richard Harpham said “now is not the right time” to consider adding further brands to its portfolio. It came after the group said it was “starting to see evidence of market consolidation” as it reported revenue for the 12 months to 31 March 2025 increased 19% to £57.8m (2024: £48.6m).

 

Freemans Event Partners secures long-term festive season contract with RG Live: Freemans Event Partners has secured a long-term deal with experiential events specialist RG Live to deliver food and beverage across its nationwide Hallowe'en and Christmas light trails. The partnership covers 13 venues across the UK, with ten sites operating Christmas trails and six transforming for Halloween. These include Kenwood House in London, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, Leeds Castle and Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire. Freemans will oversee the complete food and drink operation, from product development to onsite delivery. Matt Luscombe, Freemans Event Partners’ chief executive, said: “Our focus is on delivering an experiential food and beverage offer that excites visitors, builds spend per head and strengthens the overall profitability of these trails. RG Live has established a powerful seasonal events portfolio, and we are proud to be their long-term partner in driving growth.” Matthew Findlay, live experience director at RG Live, added: “Our trails are designed to captivate audiences and create lasting memories, and partnering with Freemans allows us to match that creativity with an exceptional food and drink experience. This collaboration not only enhances the visitor journey but also strengthens the long-term growth of our seasonal portfolio.”

 

London-based Aussie coffee concept set to launch fundraise as it looks to ‘scale selectively across the UK’: London-based Aussie coffee concept Roasting Party is set to launch a fundraise as it looks to “scale selectively across the UK”. The company, which has coffee shops in Chelsea and Moorgate alongside a wholesale operation, was founded in 2013 by Australian entrepreneurs Kirby Sinclair, Wesley Cusick and Ed Cutcliffe. Launched initially as a specialty coffee roaster and wholesale business operating from a garage in Winchester, its Chelsea store opened in 2017, followed by Moorgate a year later. The fundraise, on Republic Europe, is yet to go live, but a statement on its page reads: “The UK and European market offers a multibillion-pound opportunity for a proven, high-margin, retail format like Roasting Party Retail. Led by industry experts with 40-plus years' combined expertise, our team has built successful cafés and roasteries, combining operational know-how with customer-first hospitality. Our London flagships are driving record sales, proving the model. With loyal customers, an optimised playbook and scalable structure, we’re ready for targeted expansion across the UK and Europe.”

Buzzworks hires JP McKeown as its new operations director: Scottish independent restaurant and bar operator Buzzworks Holdings has hired JP McKeown, formerly of Stonegate Group, as its new operations director. With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, McKeown joins Buzzworks after almost a decade at Stonegate, where as an operations director for the past three years he was responsible for a £160m portfolio of 150 pubs. He takes over the operations director role from Alison Blair, who will move into an advisory role at Buzzworks. Kenny Blair, managing director at Buzzworks, said: “JP brings a rare blend of operational expertise, strategic vision and passion for people. His experience leading large, complex portfolios will be invaluable as we set our sights on doubling the size of the business.” Buzzworks currently operates 22 bars and restaurants across Scotland and has said it is aiming to be turning over £100m-plus within five years – almost three times its 2024 revenue. The group is also hoping to open its first accommodation venue this year and is planning expansion into England. McKeown said: “The introduction of rooms marks an exciting milestone in Buzzworks’ journey and I’m thrilled to play a part in its continued growth. As the company expands, I’m passionate about ensuring our people grow with it, with opportunities for development at every stage of their careers. Delivering outstanding guest experiences is at the heart of Buzzworks and I’m committed to building on the strong foundations laid by Alison and the team.”

 

Travelodge acquires two hotels as part of UK growth strategy: Travelodge has completed the acquisition of two additional hotels as part of its UK growth strategy focused on rebrand opportunities. The group – which operates more than 600 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain – has added the properties in Burton and Cumbernauld in Scotland to its portfolio. Travelodge has agreed 25-year leases for both properties, which had been trading under the Go2 brand. As part of Travelodge’s multimillion-pound refit upgrade programme, these sites are currently being refurbished. Tony O’Brien, UK development director at Travelodge, said: “These acquisitions reflect the continued momentum behind our rebrand-led strategy, which is enabling us to deliver high-quality, great-value hotels for our customers more quickly and sustainably than new builds. While we already operate more than 600 Travelodges throughout the UK, we continue to see significant opportunities to acquire and convert other brands’ hotels, and we are actively looking for more.” The Burton hotel is located adjacent to the railway station and provides 68 rooms and an 85 Bar Café. The Cumbernauld hotel has 57 rooms and is situated just off the M80 junction with the A73.

 

Paris Society relaunches its debut UK site to include new Japanese izakaya restaurant and cocktail bar: Paris Society, the French restaurant group led by Laurent de Gourcuff, has relaunched its debut UK site to include a new Japanese izakaya restaurant and cocktail bar. The company, which is behind Parisian eateries Perruche, Loulou and Girafe, opened Louie in the former L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon site at 13-15 West Street in London’s Covent Garden in September 2020. The location has now become House of Louie, a new “hospitality collective” which, as well as the Louie restaurant, houses “elevated Japanese izakaya destination” Wani Tzuki and “hideaway with perfectly crafted cocktails” The Alligator Bar. Paris Society said House of Louie offers “memorable experiences across three distinct but interconnected floors” and has seen the four-storey building has “re-envisioned to become home to three distinct restaurant-bar concepts”. Wani Tzuki will see Japanese dining “reinterpreted through the lens of French-trained chefs”, while The Alligator Bar and terrace will “buzz with live entertainment and DJ sets”. It comes after Paris Society, which has a portfolio of circa 50 venues globally, earlier this month opened its second UK venue. The group opened a restaurant under its Italian brand Il Bambini Club on the ground floor of The Hoxton in Shoreditch, in the space previously occupied by Hoxton Grill.

 

Greggs opens 40th Outlet shop: Food-to-go operator Greggs has opened its 40th Outlet shop, in Glenalmond Place in Edinburgh. Launched in 1974, Outlet shops redistribute surplus food at a discount, with a share of profits given to local charities via The Greggs Foundation. Outlets form an integral part of the Greggs Pledge to build stronger, healthier communities. By selling surplus food products, usually for around 50% of the price in a Greggs shop, families are able to stretch budgets while still having access to food. Reducing food waste is a key priority for Greggs and the Outlet shops are one of its flagship initiatives to support food redistribution across the UK. In 2024, Outlet customers bought 2.8 million sweet products, 2.7 million sandwiches and 2.4 million savoury products, representing a 17% increase on 2023, with 45% of surplus stock redistributed. Greggs chief executive Roisin Currie said: “Opening our 40th Outlet shop in Edinburgh reaffirms our commitments set out in the Greggs Pledge to reduce waste and support communities. By selling surplus fresh products at great value and reinvesting a share of the profits through The Greggs Foundation, we are able to help families and local charities across the country.”

 

The Coffee House to open in Rochdale next month: North west independent coffee shop The Coffee House will open next month open in Rochdale for its 37th site. It will open in the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre in the Greater Manchester town – offering premium coffee alongside other hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, cakes, salads and toasties. A The Coffee House spokesman said: “We will be opening our 37th store in Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre in October, just in time to bring our seasonal favourites to town. The growth this year for The Coffee House has been fantastic, and there is more to develop as we turn the year and leap into 2026.” The Coffee House was founded in 2011 by brothers Chris and Stephen Shelmerdine. Chris Shelmerdine told Propel last year that The Coffee House is eyeing an estate of more than 80 sites after securing a £4m cash injection from the founder of investment platform AJ Bell, Andy Bell.

 

Snowflake Gelato opens fifth Manchester site and makes Essex debut: London premium gelato brand Snowflake has opened its fifth site in Manchester and made its Essex debut. The company, whose Manchester estate includes three separate locations within The Trafford Centre, has opened a kiosk within The Arndale Centre. Founder Asad Khan said: “Last week, we launched our fifth site in Manchester, making this wonderful city our second home. This is our 17th store opening and the third by our franchise partner, Faisal Butt of Skyview Brands Group. If you are in Manchester and want to visit this beautiful kiosk you can find it in the Manchester Arndale shopping centre on the ground floor.” It has also opened within the Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock Way, Grays. Khan added: “The only way is Essex. No, I am not talking about TV show, I am announcing our latest exciting new opening, at Lakeside Shopping Centre, especially for all you Essex girls and guys. Now you don't have to cross Dartford Bridge to get a Snowflake (at Bluewater), we have come to your county! This is another opening by our franchisee Faisal Butt of Skyview Brands Group.” Snowflake also has five London sites plus locations in Sheffield, Oxford and Newcastle in the UK. It also has two overseas units, in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

 

Mexican restaurant concept Mucho Picante to open fifth site: Mexican restaurant concept Mucho Picante will next month open its fifth site, in Nottingham. Brothers Mo and Kamran Rashid will open in the former Chicko’s site in Alfreton Road on Wednesday, 15 October, for both eat-in and takeaway. Mucho Picante already has two branches in Leicester and one each in Derby and Coventry, offering tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos and churros as well as putting a Mexican twist on burgers and pizza. The new menu will feature signature birria tacos, made with fall-apart beef, chicken or lamb, where the meat is braised for hours in a broth infused with chillies and spices, then served on a corn tortilla and topped with melted mozzarella, onions, coriander and pickled red onions, and accompanied by a spicy stew for dunking.

Liverpool operator acquires boutique hotel in city out of administration: Liverpool operator Golding Group, which has a growing portfolio in the city, has acquired a purpose-built boutique hotel out of administration for an undisclosed sum. The company has bought The Duke Street Boutique Hotel, which had an asking price of £2,250,000. The hotel, located close to Liverpool’s Chinatown, has 30 en-suite rooms, three of which have access to a courtyard area. Christie & Co acted on the deal and said nine offers were received for the property.