M&B CEO – ‘success of Vintage Inns giving us time to work on other brands’, remains opportunistic towards acquisitions: Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) – the Toby Carvery, Harvester and All Bar One operator – has told Propel the acquisition of Ego and Pesto has led to Vintage Inns “getting its act together”, allowing the business more time to work on its other brands. Urban was speaking after M&B last week said it had made a “solid” start to the current financial year, with like-for-like sales up 3.8% in the first eight weeks. He told Propel: “We looked at Orleans Smokehouse, Ego, Pesto and also Browns in suburban locations because we were concerned that Miller & Carter had begun to run out of commercial opportunities. And at the time, Vintage Inns, one of our biggest brands, wasn't doing particularly well. One of the nice by-products of buying Ego and then Pesto is the Vintage team has got its act together and is now knocking it out the park. So, the actual need to do anything too quick in terms of expanding those other brands is somewhat diminished. Perhaps Pesto aside, none of them are quite where we want them to be. We haven’t changed our view that all of them have real legs, but what's quite nice is we can take the time to get them right. Sometimes you're on a burning platform and you're under a lot of pressure to try and do some things very, very quickly, and that's when you make mistakes. They are quality offers and we're determined to keep doing what we do in other brands, which is put the offer first and foremost, and then we'll get the financial engineering right. With Browns, we've learned a lot. We've done five or six suburban ones, and some have really worked, but one or two haven’t, and that’s been down to location. Pesto is only a year in. Neil (Gatt) the founder is just about to leave the business now. And with Ego, we are focusing on remodelling the existing estate because one of the things we did with M&B ten years ago was recognise that when you've under-invested in a business for ten years, you start having issues. So, the first thing we'll do with Ego is to get the remodel programme working, and then we'll think about expansion again.” Urban said M&B remained ready to act if the right acquisition opportunity came along, with the business understood to have run the rule over the Oakman Inns’ freehold package that was subsequently acquired by The Restaurant Group earlier this year. He said: “We feel we're in a position to move when the right things come to market, although we are acutely aware that everybody is looking for quality freehold assets. We won't overpay. We don't have to do anything, but we are looking hard every time one of those sorts of packets of businesses come to market.” ‘We’re putting right team in place for next five to ten years of growth’ – see Company News

 

Panel about how well-being is influencing the future of hospitality to be held at 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit, open for bookings: A panel about how well-being is influencing the future of hospitality will be held at the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. Heleri Rande, partner at Think Hospitality, will talk to Chris Miller, founder at White Rabbit Projects, Loui Blake, co-founder at Long Lane, and Nicci Clarke, marketing director at Sodexo Live, to get their insights on designing experiences that go beyond indulgence, creating spaces that nurture connection and how brands are weaving wellness into the heart of socialising. Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit is returning for its eighth edition, and tickets are on sale. The event is a partnership between Propel and Think Hospitality, aiming to build a community, promote the sharing of ideas, recognise talent and define the future of eating out. Bookings are open for the two-day conference as the centrepiece of the January event series, taking place on 20 and 21 January at Hilton Bankside in London. A bigger venue allows for a dual-stage format, meaning more content than ever before. The conference will focus on technology, marcomms strategies, proposition, brand building, the latest market insights, digital developments and diversification of revenue streams. It is designed for customer focused chief executives, senior marketers, technology and innovation teams, as well as investors wanting to better understand the latest marketing, innovation and development opportunities to build market share and grow. For the full speaker schedule, click here. A one-day ticket for operators is £320 plus VAT while a two-day ticket is £575 plus VAT. Supplier tickets are £950 plus VAT for the two days. Propel Premium Club subscribers receive a 20% discount. To book, email: rmi@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 (5 December). The database will show the details of 181 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 11,986-word report on the 181 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 casual dining sector such as Ronnie's New York, offering “modern Mediterranean fare to classic Empire State staples”, contract caterer Elior launching all-day dining restaurant The Board Walk, in Bristol, and New York-inspired pizza concept Vincenzo’s, with an 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.

 

All Our Bars CEO – ‘why does Labour hate hospitality and young people?’: All Our Bars chief executive Paul Wigham has asked – on the back of the Budget – why does the government “hate hospitality, retail and young people?”, and said the sector is “being constantly deterred from employing people”. Wigham told Propel: “Why does Labour hate retail and hospitality? We are major employers of people in the UK – 10% of the workforce are directly employed by hospitality and twice that including support services. We are being constantly deterred from employing people. The cost is escalating and the risks – compounded by the oncoming employment rights Bill and the difficulty in assessing people with artificial intelligence-generated CV's in short time-frames – mean we are assessing risks of employing new staff. It is better to avoid recruitment if you can. Why does the government hate young people? Around 25 % of hospitality jobs are held by under 25's and we are the gateway to a life of employment for many. Labour has removed the incentive to employ or train young people. It is becoming expensive. We would rather fill the roles by expanding hours for existing trained staff where the cost gap is narrowed and the management cost is less. So much is wrong with the Labour approach to everything and the notion of ‘growth in the UK’ looks fanciful. Most of its policies look set to maintain the occupants of the welfare state rather than bring them back into the working society with all its mental health advantages.”

Thorley Taverns director warns Budget will be ‘death knell to the British pub’: Phil Thorley, director of Thorley Taverns, has warned the Budget will be “the death knell to the British pub”, as he said costs across his 18-strong business will rise by £62,000 per year. Thorley said business rates will rise for 17 of his 18 sites, despite chancellor Rachel Reeves promising lower taxes for retail, leisure and hospitality firms. Thorley told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the rateable value at most of his sites had “gone north”. He said: “A further £62,000 worth of costs on to the business, which is absolutely on its knees at the moment.” He said the industry was already under significant pressure following the chancellor's first Budget last October, which pushed up hiring costs with a hike in employers’ national insurance contributions and the minimum wage. Thorley said another minimum wage hike will mean “less employment, less investment, less training in the people that we've got, and less jobs for young people”. And he warned the chancellor's Budget would be “the death knell to the British pub”. 

Campaign for Pubs demands revaluation is scrapped and investigation launched: Publicans in England in Wales have reacted with fury and dismay at the realisation that far from receiving clearly promised help with their business rates, the majority will instead be hit with huge hikes in their new bills, rises they said will close thousands of pubs. The Campaign for Pubs has written to the chancellor Rachel Reeves and the secretary of state for business and trade, Peter Kyle, urging them to scrap the revaluation, investigate how it has happened, when “clearly the values are nonsensical compared with trading conditions and levels of trade for pubs”. The Campaign for Pubs said: “To give just three examples that have been shared with us, from publicans seeking their new rateable values (RV): One pub with current rateable value of £18,000 changes to an RV of £73,500 from April 2026; one pub with current rateable value of £22,000 changes to an RV of £86,000; one pub with current rateable value of £50,000 changes to an RV of £183,000 from April. These are shocking – and wholly unjustified – and will lead to huge hikes in annual business rates, putting many pubs out of business, with not only the loss of income for the publican and their family, but also the loss of all the jobs at the pub and the impact on the local economy and suppliers, including local breweries. The Campaign for Pubs is calling on the government to do three vital things, unless it wants to sound the death knell of our world famous culture, something for that it would never be forgiven: cancel the April revaluation, which is so clearly flawed, unjustifiable and suspicious – and use existing values from 2026-2027; commission an investigation, independent of the Valuation Office Agency, government and the pub sector into how these absurd valuations have been calculated and why; and deliver the genuine reform to pubs business rates from 2027-2028 dropping the discredited and dubious Fair Maintainable Trade system for calculating pub rateable values.”

Accountancy boss wants his staff to work in the pub: Peter Gallanagh, chief executive of accountancy firm Azets, wants his staff to take lessons from the hospitality sector. The Sunday Times reported Gallanagh is looking to work with hotel, pub and restaurant companies to offer secondments to trainee accountants. Azets has 64 offices across the UK and employs more than 4,000 people. “We’ve got some very early conversations ongoing with some national hospitality businesses,” said Gallanagh. “Giving some formal base training to our trainees as they come into our business – the foundation of how they deal with people. Most accountants don’t think that way.” Gallanagh feels that technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) in particular, is changing the nature of his profession, and that as a result, accountants will need to be able to provide more strategic advice. This, he thinks, requires them to improve their “soft skills”. He said: “Historically, the focus was on financial accuracy and compliance. I’m not saying we lose any of that, but that’s now being done by AI and automation. We need to move towards a more front of house, hospitality-type relationship. Many accountants like to be in front of their computer or locked up in a room. They can’t be like that. They need to be front of house.”

Sector Christmas single launched to raise money for charity: “Always Open at Christmas” – a new charity single from The Hospitality Choir – has been launched with all proceeds going directly to Hospitality Action, supporting hospitality workers and their families who are facing difficult times. Available across all major streaming platforms, the single has been written by Chris Fletcher, founder and chief executive of Tech on Toast, and directed by Jeff Black, and brings together voices from across the hospitality sector with support from brands like Bill’s, Boxpark, Soho House, and many more, in “a heartfelt celebration of the people who keep the industry moving during its busiest season”. Formed especially for this project, The Hospitality Choir brings together a mixture of industry leaders from sales, operations and technology, along with members of the wider supplier community. Kate Nicholls, trustee of Hospitality Action and chair of UKHospitality, said: “Always Open at Christmas shines a much-needed light on the importance of the hospitality sector, for not only our communities but for our country. Despite rising costs and rising pressure, hospitality will not let our nation down. Hospitality Action is busier than ever, and this single will raise vital funds for a very important charity.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a drinks business that is seeking a head of sales. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The role will work directly alongside the founders, defining and delivering the go-to-market approach, building relationships with key on and off-trade partners while developing and leading a team.” The salary is up to £70,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com

 

F1 Arcade names Jonathan Peters CEO as it gears-up for accelerated expansion: F1 Arcade, the Formula 1-licensed experiential brand, has said it has taken the next steps in its planned leadership transition naming Jonathan Peters, previously global president, has been named chief executive to drive “ambitious growth plans”. At the same time, founder Adam Breeden and co-founder Diane Jervis will transition to non-executive director roles, as the business scales up and enters new markets. As part of its growth planning, F1 Arcade has strengthened its leadership team. Adam Hughes, formerly European finance director at Soho House, has stepped up to become chief financial officer, while Tom Littlechild, who was head of brand at Formula 1 and marketing and communications director at The O2, has been hired as interim chief marketing officer. In addition, Janene Pretorius joins the business as chief people officer following senior positions at The Wolseley Hospitality Group and The Ivy Collection. The group’s expansion plans include the opening of its 15,000-square-foot venue in Atlanta, as well as its first mainland European location in Madrid – a franchise venue delivered in partnership with Top Racing Iberia, a joint venture between Top Entertainment Iberia and Orca Holdings. This summer, the company debuted its small-format arcade experience, F1 Box, at London’s Westfield Stratford City, ahead of a planned global roll-out. Backed by Formula 1 and Liberty Media, F1 Arcade opened its first venue in London in 2022, followed by Birmingham, and in April 2024 the brand launched its first US site in Boston Seaport. As part of its roll out plan, F1 Arcade has since opened in a further four US locations: Denver, Washington DC, Philadelphia and Las Vegas, with further franchise sites and concepts in development. Breeden said: “F1 Arcade has been an extraordinary journey, seeing the business grow from an idea into a category-leading brand with a clearly defined global roll out has been immensely rewarding. Jonathan and I have been working together since the foundation of the business in 2020 and throughout this time he has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership, commercial clarity and a deep understanding of what it takes to drive the business forward. He is exceptionally well placed to lead the next phase of growth as we capitalise on strong foundations we have built with a clear global expansion strategy.” Peters said: “F1 Arcade is entering a momentous new stage as a scale-up. We have strong investor backing, a proven concept and a well-defined international expansion plan.”

Lucky Voice – ‘there is still immense white space in the UK to exploit’, plans to open five new franchise venues in next three years: Social entertainment brand Lucky Voice has told Propel “there is still immense white space in the UK to exploit” and it plans to open five new franchise venues in the next three years. The karaoke brand was founded 20 years ago and currently has six UK locations across London and Brighton, plus a franchise site in Dubai. Business development director Nick Jones said the brand is in “discussions to launch our first UK franchised venue in 2026”. He said Lucky Voice is also currently working on a brand refresh and a new and improved booking engine, and hopes to launch artificial intelligence integration into its enterprise software in the first half of next year. Speaking at the Propel Franchise Showcase, Jones said: “Within three years, we want to have an interactive end to end customer journey, so we can capture more customer data than ever before, and we want to open five new franchise venues. Via sites in London and Brighton, we’ve tested the brand both in large and provincial cities, but there is still immense white space in the UK to exploit.” The list of target locations includes Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Belfast, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, Cardiff, Oxford, Reading and Bristol. Jones said: “We are looking for a limited number of multi-site partners to operate all these locations with our proven model. We’ve established a franchise venue in Dubai already, but we want to start our regional UK franchising journey first and then look at other territories. We’re interested in leveraging the platform we’ve got in Dubai in the Middle East, and we’re looking at other territories close by there as well.” Jones said Lucky Voice as a whole has seen 39% spend-per-head growth from 2018-2024 and a 30% increase in covers since 2018 at its Brighton venue, “highlighting proven resilience and scalable demand for the concept outside our primary London market”. He said franchises are available in two formats – a full format (3,500-5,000 square feet, 180-250 capacity) and integrated pod and cocktail bar in an existing venue, (1,500-2000 square feet, 80-100 capacity). He added: “When we started 20 years ago, we had to educate a lot of the market about private room karaoke. Now it’s out there in the market and part of the cultural fabric, so there’s been lots of interest from other operators, which is why we created the pod-plus model.” Lucky Voice was one of ten up-and-coming food and beverage franchisors that presented at the Propel Franchisor Showcase. All ten videos from the showcase are being sent to Propel subscribers, with the Lucky Voice video going out at 9am today (Monday, 1 December).

M&B CEO – ‘we’re putting right team in place for next five to ten years of growth’, commercial director to retire: Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) – the Toby Carvery, Harvester and All Bar One operator – has told Propel one of his personal objectives is to put the right team in place to lead to the business for the next five to ten years, following a number of key changes to its management team. In October, the business named Emma Harris, finance director – food at Marks & Spencer, as its next chief financial officer, succeeding Tim Jones. Propel understands Chris Hopkins, who has been with the business for a decade, as commercial director, is also to retire with Martie Smit, who has been with the company for more than 15 years and is currently M&B's food trading director, set to take his place. Over the last 12 months, Martin Nelson has taken over from David Gallacher as the company’s restaurant director, while Anna-Marie Mason replaced Dennis Deare in leading the group's premium segment (Vintage, Miller & Carter, Premium Country Dining). David Briggs took on Mason's pub role after previously being M&B's food trading director. Urban said: “We've done this without making a song and dance out of it. And of course, the business has carried on moving forward, which sort of talks to the fact that our Ways of Working initiative is working well and the depth of management talent that you would expect at M&B, is real. One of my personal objectives is to the team, and evolving one that can drive the business over, not just the next five to ten years, but beyond that.” Urban said while the business rates decision in the Budget was disappointing, he felt overall “it could have been worse”. He said: “Whereas this time last year, we were absolutely caught out by the national insurance contributions, this time around, we forecast the net of everything pretty much in the right ballpark. So, it means everything we've been doing still stands, and we don’t have to do anything knee jerk wise as a result of the Budget.”

Yorkshire KFC franchisee sees turnover pass £140m as it narrows losses: Yorkshire KFC franchisee Fieldrose – part of QFM Group, which also operates Taco Bell, Costa Coffee and Dunkin’ stores – saw its turnover pass £140m in the period from 1 October 2023 to 29 December 2024 as it narrowed its losses. The company, which passed £100m in turnover for the first time in 2023, changed its reporting period to bring it in line with the other brands operated by QFM. Fieldrose reported turnover of £141,047,211 (including £37,433 from discontinued operations). In the previous period, it was £109,606,037 in 2023 (including £228,681 from discontinued operations). Pre-tax losses was £3,969,199 (including £85,902 from discontinued operations). In the previous period, it reported a loss of £7,134,121 in 2023 (including £225,578 from discontinued operations). No dividends were paid (2023: nil). Director Kishan Patel said: “The financial statements cover the period 1 October 2023 to 29 December 2024 in order to bring reporting in line with the brands. Due to this, the figures within the financial statements for the period ended 29 December 2024 are not entirely comparable with the prior financial year to 30 September 2023. Pro-rata turnover increased 2.9% on the prior year. The like-for-like sales growth on stores open throughout the period was 4.8%. The main reason for this is brand-led price increases to counteract the inflation of costs brought about due to the cost-of-living crisis. The group has continued to invest in new stores throughout the period with six (2023: 13) new stores opening across two (2023: four) brands. Purchases, direct costs and labour represented 61.7% of turnover (2023: 64.6%), with labour representing 26.3% (2023: 26.1%) of turnover. Ebitda for the period was £8.3m (2023: pro-rata £2.6m). The directors continue to look at potential options for further development either within existing stores or by identifying new sites.”

Keystone – ‘we’re still brewing’, looking to secure new investment or explore a sale: Keystone Brewing Group, the brewing operation behind Hofmeister, North Brew Co, Four Pure and Magic Rock and backed by investment firm Breal Group, which last week filed an intention to appoint administrators, has said “we’re still brewing” and the filing was a “protective measure that allows us to keep trading as normal while we secure new investment or explore a potential sale”. The notice of intention to appoint FRP Advisory as administrators to Keystone is understood to have been made amid pressure from a number of the company's trade creditors. Industry sources said Keystone had seen a slump in sales this month amid dwindling confidence from key trade customers and consumers ahead of the Budget. However, the business said: “We’re still here. And we are fighting for the future of great beer! You may have seen headlines or rumours suggesting Keystone has gone into administration. Let us be clear: that is not the case. We have filed a notice of intent to appoint an administrator, which is a protective measure that allows us to keep trading as normal while we secure new investment or explore a potential sale. It gives us the breathing space we need to protect our people, our brands, and our customers. As we head into the festive season, our focus remains on what we do best, which is making and supplying exceptional beer, cider, and brands that people love. We’re determined to come through this stronger than ever.” Keystone is run by industry veteran Steve Cox, who joined earlier this year with a brief to hit a £100m annual sales target by 2028. In June, the group announced a £2m investment into the business to support the next phase of its growth, funded by Breal shareholders.

 

Fulham Shore ends Super Club Roma trial: Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator that is backed by Toridoll and Capdesia, has ended the trial of its Super Roma Club concept after what it said was “after a brilliant year of trading”, Propel has learned. Fulham Shore launched the trial site of the crispy Roman-style pizza concept last December at Westfield Stratford. The site has now closed after what the business called a “year of joyful experimentation”. The company told Propel: “After a brilliant year of trading, we're bringing Super Club Roma's adventure at Westfield Stratford City to a close. The project was always designed as a temporary concept: an opportunity to activate a lease, explore new ideas, and test what might come next for our wider brands. What started as a one-year pop-up became a living, breathing experiment. We learned about alternative equipment and new kitchen technology, trialled everything from next-generation ovens and fryers to new dough techniques and hydration levels, and tested innovative suppliers across ingredients, packaging and workflow systems. These insights created genuine breakthroughs in efficiency, flavour and texture. These will now find fertile ground within Franco Manca and The Real Greek.” All the staff at Super Club Roma will transfer to the group’s other sites. Marcel Khan, chief executive of Fulham Shore, told Propel: “When we opened Super Club Roma, we didn't just want another pizza place. We wanted a lab, a party, and a creative playground. The project reminded us that joy and innovation go hand in hand — and that even a temporary restaurant can leave a permanent mark. While the doors at Stratford close, the spirit of Super Club Roma lives on: through the ideas, flavours, and energy that now flow into our core restaurants. And who knows, maybe Super Club Roma will rise again, somewhere, sometime.”

 

Grind founder – ‘lockdown transformed the prospects of the company now valued at £150m’: David Abrahamovitch, founder of coffee shop operator and wholesaler Grind, has said lockdown transformed the prospects of the company, which is now valued at £150m, and had annual revenue of £30m for the 2023-24 year. The first Grind café, opened in 2011, came about after Abrahamovitch inherited his father’s mobile phone shop on London’s Shoreditch roundabout, and on the advice of a friend, he transformed it into a Melbourne-style café. However, real growth came a decade later, when Grind launched online sales of pods and beans during covid. Today, despite having 13 cafés — including its newest branch in Dubai airport — online sales make up the lion’s share of the company’s revenue. Abrahamovitch told The FT: “For the first few years, I couldn’t afford to go full-time at Grind. I stayed working full-time at a Balderton-backed technology start-up. It nearly killed me getting the first one open. Then in January 2014, we raised £1m. At that point, I thought I owed it to the investors to go all in. Plus, by then, we were making £15,000 a week, helped further once we got our late licence and could serve espresso martinis after 5pm. In 2019, after we did a £3.5m crowdfunding raise, we invested in building out a new direct-to-consumer arm. I wanted to make high-quality coffee pods without the sustainability issues, and we launched that in January 2020. I thought maybe the new website could generate one store’s worth of revenue. But by April, during lockdown, we were doing crazy numbers. One minute I was telling all the staff they had to go home. Then my phone was exploding with Shopify notifications. We had £2m in our account earmarked for two sites in Canary Wharf and the South Bank, but ended up putting it all into the direct-to-consumer part of the business. We didn’t even have all the stuff we needed, but I was just like: ‘Do not stop, no one touch that website. I don’t care if we don’t have the stock. We’ll figure it out’. There were moments when I thought we would lose the business completely because of covid. It was crazy to go from that in March 2020 to 18 months later, the business being worth way more.”

Wingers makes its Scotland debut, to see out 2025 with 22 stores: Buttermilk fried chicken restaurant concept Wingers has made its debut in Scotland, and with one more store opening this month, will end 2025 with 22 locations. The company – founded during the covid pandemic by Amran, Dylan and Bill Sunner – has opened at Unit 9, Block 1 in Duloch Park, Dunfermline, for its first location north of the border. It was a second November opening for the brand, following a launch at Trentham Lakes in Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke. A further opening is also lined up for this month, at 251 Birmingham Road in Stratford-upon-Avon. Dylan Sunner said: “November update – two new locations! Store 20, Trentham, Stoke. Store 21, Dunfermline, Scotland. Within the month, we reached two huge milestones – hitting store number 20 and our first store in Scotland, with more to come! Stratford-upon-Avon coming in December, then we are done for the year. On to 2026, another busy one ahead.”

 

Artfarm sees turnover grow to almost £50m after opening four new outlets but losses mount, secures new site in Scotland: Artfarm, the hospitality group behind London's Groucho Club, saw its turnover grow to almost £50m in the year to 31 December 2024 after opening two new venues but its losses mounted. The company, owned by Swiss art gallery investors Iwan and Manuela Wirth, said it saw “remarkable growth in sales year-on-year” during the year and opened the wine bar in Farm Shop Mayfair, Roth Bar in Somerset, Da Costa in Somerset and Manuela New York Artfarm. Turnover grew from £42,283,603 in 2023 to £49,165,581. Of this, £39,552,512 came from the UK (2023: £35,159,500) and £9,613,069 from the US (2023: £7,124,103). Pre-tax loss widened from £11,793,328 to £17,900,745 as costs rose by more than £9m and administrative expenses by more than £2m. The company reported negative Ebitda of £9.5m (2023: negative Ebitda of £2.5m). During the year, in November 2024, the company temporarily closed The Groucho Club after it was served notice of a licence review but was allowed to reopen the following month after meeting certain conditions. Artfarm said it “a year of development” for the club, which in the 11 months it was open delivered revenue of £8.7m (2023: £7.6m) and Ebitda of £1.1m (2023: nil). Director Annabel Emmott said: “The Fife Arms continues to enjoy success, achieving occupancy of 76% (up from 2023’s 73%) and delivering sales up 16% year on year and positive Ebitda of £2m. Overall, Artfarm Group sales increased by 15% to £49m. Strong underlying growth at The Fife Arms and The Audley, together with the opening in January 2024 of the Farm Shop Mayfair, drove the increase. The Ebitda for the year is considered by the directors to be satisfactory given that the group is currently in its development phase.” During the year, the group refinanced – repaying two loans totalling £7,340,000 and agreeing a new facility for the same amount. Post year end, the company completed on the acquisition of a new site in Scotland for £330,697.

 

Boss Pizza reveals next five locations: Franchise pizza concept Boss Pizza, founded during the pandemic by Ajmal Mushtaq, has revealed its next five locations. Boss Pizza, which currently has six stores – three each in Scotland and England – will open next at 54 Kilbowie Road in Clydebank, and then 317 Abbey Hills Road in Oldham. Following that will be openings in the former The Pizza Man unit at 1,255 London Road in Derby, and in the former Dreams unit at 20 Bridge Street in Hemel Hempstead. Boss Pizza will also be taking over the former Brickz Lego Museum unit at 18 Secklow Gate in Milton Keynes, next to the MK1 shopping centre. Mushtaq, while visiting each location in an online video, said: “The next Boss Pizza store (in Clydebank) is a cracking location, very central. I think Oldham’s going to be a good market, the shop’s in a great location. There’s been some issues around planning but hopefully we’re going to overcome those hurdles very quickly. Derby is a busy location, very prominent, and it’s going to be a very exciting project. Secklow Gate is next to one of the biggest shopping centres in the land. It’s a cracking big unit, and we’re going to have 16 seats in there. In the heart of Hemel Hempstead we’ve got Tops Pizza, Domino’s Pizza, Di Capri Pizza, Papa John’s and Pizza GoGo, and we’re looking forward to throwing Boss Pizza into the mix. It’s got an open plan kitchen, and that’s such a great thing as it just inspires confidence.” Boss Pizza’s immediate pipeline also includes locations in Nottingham, Sheffield, Luton and Rochdale. Mushtaq previously operated acclaimed Indian restaurant Mushtaqs in Hamilton.

 

Scottish McDonald’s franchisee returns to profit, has plans for new Dundee restaurant approved: Scottish McDonald’s franchisee Altea 4 Restaurants returned to profit in the year to 31 December 2024 and has had plans for a new Dundee restaurant approved. The company, founded in 2014 by Nick McPartland, currently operates six branches across Dundee, Forfar and Arbroath, employing more than 650 workers. It turned a pre-tax loss of £313,249 in 2023 into a profit of £1,217,624. This despite a £1.5m increase in costs and administrative expenses rising by more than £2m. Turnover grew 23.3% from £19,697,928 in 2023 to £24,287,728 after acquiring two stores in the summer of 2024. Dividends of £75,000 were paid (2023: £4,000). McPartland said: “The lower-than-expected supply chain inflation across 2024 resulted in gross profit margin above plan. This allowed the company to invest the benefit into value driving initiatives to increase guest counts and sales. During November 2023, there was a fire that destroyed a store. Adequate insurance provisions were in place to be able to rebuild the store, which resumed trading in late 2024. Despite the net current liabilities position, the strength of the business remains robust due to the ongoing support from both the franchisor and HSBC providing sufficient overdraft and loan facilities. The growth in sales is predominantly due to the acquisition of two stores during July 2024. The gross profit margin is 60.81% compared with 59.84% in 2023 and is in line with expectations.” Post year end, in November 2025, the company had plans approved for a new restaurant at Dundee Riverside. McPartland added: “We have just completed a £1m refurbishment of our restaurant at Camperdown.”

 

Farmer J set to open new Central London site: Farmer J, the all-day market concept, which is set to make its US debut, is set to open a new Central London site. Propel reported in September that Farmer J was in talks on a new outlet in the capital. The business has now revealed it will launch in Old Broad Street in early December. The opening follows those at 237-238 Tottenham Court Road, on the corner of Bayley Street in Fitzrovia, and in Coleman Street. Farmer J is also set to make its US debut, at 31 West 52nd Street in New York, early next year. Co-founder Jonathan Recanati previously said: “Launching into New York is a big milestone. There’s so much opportunity in the US fast-casual space.” In October, Farmer J secured $23m (£17.5m) of new funding to aid its further growth. The investment, in which existing backer Beringea participated and was joined by a new global hospitality investor, is helping fuel the three London openings, bringing its total to 18 in the UK, as the business transitions from a “City lunchtime staple to a global contender”.

Fatto a Mano to open site in London’s Soho: Fatto a Mano, the independent pizza concept founded in Brighton in 2015 by Rupert Davidson and Dav Sahota, is to further increase its presence in London with a fifth opening in the capital, in Soho. Propel understands Fatto a Mano will open a new site at 95-97 Dean Street. The business opened its fourth site in London earlier this year, on the former Ping Pong site at St Katharine Docks. Fatto a Mano first opened in Brighton in 2015, and currently has seven pizzerias across the two cities. Last summer, Propel revealed Fatto a Mano had secured new investment, including from Middleton Enterprises, which provides growth capital to established and profitable small and medium-sized businesses. Middleton Enterprises, which also backs quick service sushi roll concept SushiDog, said its investment would help Fatto a Mano grow its “commitment to Neapolitan pizza”, including in London. At the same time, Propel understands Gary Mann, former managing director of Honest Burgers and ex-finance director at Gaucho, joined the business as a director this summer.

Pottery and café concept secures fifth site: Bonbon Pottery Café, which was founded in 2021 by Tao Wei and Miao Wang, has lined up its fifth site in London. The concept, which “blends creativity and comfort, bringing together pottery painting and café culture in a calming, family-friendly space”, launched its debut site in Royal Wharf. This summer the business opened a second site, in Battersea Power Station. Propel revealed in July that Bonbon Pottery Café is also set at 64 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill; and at Wembley Park. The company, which is aiming to become the UK’s leading creative café brand, has now secured a site in Kingston-upon-Thames. The concept will open 14-18 Fife Road, directly opposite the entrance to the Bentall Centre. The business is working with Edward Pearse Wheatley at Cafe Ventures on searching for additional sites, with locations such as Richmond, Soho, Shoreditch, and Guildford under consideration. In addition to DIY pottery painting, customers can book a pottery taster class, a Cream Gel DIY session – inspired by cake decorating, adding charms, beads and sweet details to create unique accessories – and private parties.

 

Arc Cinema reports 16% increase in box office sales as losses more than double: Arc Cinema has reported a 16% increase in box office sales for the year to 30 December 2024 as its losses more than doubled. The company operated six cinemas across the UK during the year, and post year end, in the spring of 2025, opened a new location in Preston. Turnover increased from £5,715,914 in 2023 to £6,646,570. Of this, £6,397,571 was cinema income (2023: £5,455,241) while £248,999 came from car parking and advertising (2023: £260,673). Pre-tax losses grew from £420,375 in 2023 to £1,051,625, as administrative expenses rose by almost £1.3m. Government grants of £183,013 were received (2023: £141,022). The net liabilities of the company at 31 December 2024 were £383,803 (2023: £592,042).

 

Whitbread submits plans for a new £12m Premier Inn hotel in Carlisle: Whitbread owner Premier Inn has submitted plans for a new £12m city centre hotel in Carlisle. The proposed 104-bedroom hotel in Victoria Viaduct will complement the existing Premier Inns in the city. In May 2025, the company announced the freehold acquisition of the former Central Plaza site from Cumberland Council for the development. Whitbread is seeking permission for a new five-storey Premier Inn hotel as well as a guest-focused restaurant. Subject to planning, Whitbread is hoping to commence development in 2026 and is targeting to welcome its first customers before the end of 2028. Based on its own in-house data, Whitbread estimates around 30,000 Premier Inn guests will stay at the hotel per annum once it reaches maturity. Jill Anderson, acquisition manager for Whitbread in the north of England, said: “The site is not an easy location to redevelop into a hotel and we’ve had to be flexible to create a design that meets our operational requirements and is economically viable.”

 

Apartment Group sells former bar and nightclub site in Newcastle: North east operator Apartment Group has sold its former Nancy’s Bordello bar and nightclub site in Newcastle. The property in Argyle Street had been on the market with a guide price of £499,000 having shut in 2019 after more than a decade of operation. The multi-level layout including a bar, function room, commercial kitchen, and cellar, spans in excess of 6,300 square feet in total. The unnamed new owners have yet to announce their plans for the site. Apartment Group chief executive Stuart Bailey said: “We continue to grow and focus on our broader hospitality and wedding venue portfolio.” Apartment Group operates 15 venues across the region including The Whitworth Estate in County Durham, Newton Hall in Northumberland and As You Like It bar and restaurant in Newcastle. Christie & Co acted on the Nancy’s Bordello’s deal.

 

Madre team to open Salon Madre site in Leeds this week: Madre, the taco restaurant and bar concept from the founders of Belzan and London’s Breddos Tacos, will open a site under its new sister concept Salon Madre in Leeds on Friday (5 December). The venue in Wellington Street follows openings in Manchester and Liverpool for the concept. Salon Madre in Leeds will host a tequila-led pool hall, taqueria and bar, featuring frozen, classic and flavoured margaritas and Mexican street food. The team is also opening a 100-cover Madre site just around the corner in the new year. Co-founder Sam Grainger said: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve, and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of both Madre and Salon Madre.” The first Salon Madre opened in December last year, next to the group’s Madre site in Manchester’s Chorlton Street. That same month, the team opened the first UK site for Norwegian burger concept Doug’s Hamburgers, in Manchester’s Circle Square.