UKHospitality CEO – we need a delay to the business rates revaluations for the sector, we need to give the government a solution: Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKHospitality, has told Propel that the trade body is going to call on the government to delay the business rates revaluations for the hospitality sector until end of this revaluation term for the industry. Speaking on a special Budget webinar earlier today, Simpson said the sector needed to keep the spotlight on the business rates issue and get “political journalists to focus on the actual content of the Budget, rather than the political mechanisms to get there”. He said: “We are now in a position where we are shipping jobs, we are stopping investment and we are reducing the contribution we can make to growth because of tax policy. Before the budget last year, we were growing at 6% year on year, the fastest in the economy. This is a story of socially regressive policy and anti-growth policy. We are going to be asking members and non-members to write to their MP to make the case. We will be briefing MPs in advance of the Finance Bill. We’re going to see if we can get a debate in the House. We’re working with Labour and opposition MPs to make sure that people who understand this impact have the data that they need to be effective. Equally, we need to give the government a way out. We need to give them solutions which are affordable and can solve this. To my mind, the solution is to delay the business rates revaluations until the end of this revaluation term for the hospitality sector only, as this has a unique impact on us. We were lumped in with retail, but retail’s bills are going up 4% for supermarkets, and hotels, which are, if you like, the equivalent to supermarkets, are going up 115%. So, this is a uniquely hospitality problem, and what should be affordable is a specific easement for hospitality in the way I’ve described. We will be working hard to have a conversation with the chancellor about how she can fix it, because it has to be fixed. We need to stick together.” In terms of ongoing engagement with the government, Simpson said that the sector has to “go back and argue from first principles about why our sector matters”. He said: “If it isn’t about raw economic productivity, we need to articulate for the government why it matters. Jaguar Land Rover got themselves into all sorts of difficulty because their IT security wasn’t good enough. The result of that was a £1.6bn loan from the government. They employ 36,000 people. McDonald’s employ 150,000 people in the UK. I would be fascinated to know whether or not they’d be given an interest free loan in the event that they get into trouble? I’m guessing not.”

 

Sponsored message – the hidden digital revenue black holes costing operators millions: A recurring pattern is emerging across pubs, hotels and multi-site operators: significant volumes of guest intent never make it through the digital journey, and much of it goes completely unmeasured. Recent sector analysis has highlighted four critical “digital black holes” where operators consistently lose visibility – and revenue – without realising it. These include incomplete tracking at key journey stages, missing remarketing signals, disconnected systems that break the flow of data and booking funnels that function adequately but are far from optimised. What has become clear is that most operators only see a portion of the demand they actually generate. While top-of-journey metrics often appear healthy, large numbers of potential guests drop out long before enquiry or booking stages, creating a commercial blind spot that compounds over time. A new insight article explores these digital black holes in depth, why they persist across the sector and how operators can regain full visibility of guest behaviour from discovery through to confirmation. Read the full analysis here. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

St Austell marketing and communications director Laura McKay among speakers at 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit, open for bookings: Laura McKay, marketing and communications director at St Austell Brewery, will be among the speakers at the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. McKay will reveal the process behind reimagining a heritage brand. She will share how the new identity is being rolled out across the pub estate and how the balance between tradition and modern relevance is helping connect with today’s audiences. 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 (QSR) – making it even easier for users to search. The database includes new openings in the QSR sector such as KoKoDoo, the Korean fried chicken concept opening in London’s Fulham Broadway, Vietnamese street food concept HOP, opening in London’s King’s Cross, and fast chicken brand ChicKing, opening in Bournemouth. 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.

 

St Austell Brewery CEO – Budget undermines economic growth and further erodes confidence for businesses across our region: St Austell Brewery chief executive Kevin Georgel has written an open letter following the Budget, which delivers a stark warning about the damaging impact of the government’s decisions on the pub sector. He urges the government to recognise the implications and “reconsider policies that threaten jobs, communities, investment and the future of the Great British pub”. Georgel said: “After most budgets, there is a tendency for industry leaders to respond in the immediate aftermath. This time, I felt compelled to stand back, analyse the detail – particularly the long overdue changes announced to the business rates system – and respond today with a greater degree of reflection. We had initially approached this budget with a degree of optimism – hoping the government would finally grasp the seriousness of the pressures facing Great British pubs and honour its own manifesto commitment to support our sector. But weeks of damaging speculation drained that optimism, replacing it with fear about what the chancellor would announce. And now, after taking time to absorb the detail, the conclusion is stark. This budget heaps yet more cost and pain on a sector that simply cannot bear it.” Georgel said transitional relief “will not soften the blow either, as the government claims”. He said: “This is misleading. It will merely delay it, draining any recovery in confidence as support tapers away and huge increases bite. Publicans, here in the south west and across the country, will therefore see any potential recovery in their profitability eaten up over the next three years. As a sixth-generation family business approaching its 175th year, we plan for the long term and are fortunate to have supportive shareholders who back the investments we are making across our business. Yet even a business like ours – with financial stability and supportive shareholders – will be forced to significantly scale back our investment plans. This budget undermines economic growth – once again contradicting the government's own stated priorities – and further erodes confidence for businesses across our region.”

 

Savills – ‘competitive socialising operators will need to look to smaller towns as larger cities approach saturation for certain concepts’: Competitive socialising operators will need to look to smaller towns as larger cities, which were the focus of the initial boom, are now approaching saturation for certain concepts, according to new research from Savills. According to the company’s Competitive Socialising Brand Tracker, the sector has grown at “unparalleled” levels over the past seven years – with the total market now exceeding 800 sites nationwide, up 58% since 2018. Multi-site operators now account for more than 500 venues, an 84% increase since 2018, whereas independents have fallen from 50% to under 40% of the market. Looking ahead, the research forecasts the market will reach 1,100 sites by 2030, with multi-site brands making up 75% of the sector. With larger cities now approaching saturation for certain concepts, Savills said operators will need to rethink their space requirements – from large-format venues of 30,000 square feet for multi-activity concepts to smaller footprints in high-rent locations. Tom Whittington, director in commercial research at Savills, said: “As the sector matures, the challenge is no longer just finding space, it’s finding the right space.” Propel’s 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, an exhaustive report on the market, is now available. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location. It also provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, with 3,700 sites. The report is available for free to existing Premium subscribers and £595 plus VAT for non-Premium subscribers. 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 or order the report.

 

OakNorth – casual dining segment will see selective growth through consolidation: Challenger bank OakNorth has said it expects to see selective growth through consolidation across the UK’s casual dining sector over the next six months, led by established brands acquiring smaller operators in regional markets. In its latest Sector Pulse report, the bank forecasts menu rationalisation, waste control and artificial intelligence-driven scheduling will underpin margin preservation. OakNorth said: “Consumer spending on dining-out is also expected to remain irregular, focused on occasions and experience rather than frequency, favouring brands that deliver high perceived value. Furthermore, we anticipate consolidation momentum to accelerate as strong operators seek opportunistic acquisitions of distressed independents through 2026.” OakNorth said the hospitality sector enters the winter months on a “cautious footing”. Oaknorth expects community and destination pubs to enjoy a “solid” festive period, boosted by major sporting events, such as the men’s cricket Ashes in Australia and annual Christmas social gatherings. OakNorth said: “However, energy and excise duty inflation will continue to pressure profits, and the sector’s ‘margin ceiling’ is unlikely to lift materially. Urban pubs may benefit from partial return-to-office mandates heading into 2026, while late-night bars face ongoing demand fragility. Furthermore, operators are likely to pursue premiumisation within value frameworks, focusing on local provenance, craft beverages and experience-led offers rather than across-the-board price rises.” The bank also said gradual monetary easing and improved lender appetite may prompt mild yield compression at the prime end. OakNorth said: “Secondary venues and late-night operators are expected to face continued valuation pressure until fiscal clarity improves. Overall, investors are likely to remain selective over the next six months, focusing on long-term fundamentals rather than short-term volatility.”

 

Inception Group co-founder – ‘for too many businesses, business rates decision feels like a final nail in the coffin’: Charlie Gilkes, chief executive and co-founder at Inception Group, the London hospitality group known for its immersive venues, has said that the huge rise in business rates over the next three years spells disaster for the hospitality industry and must be urgently reconsidered by the government. Writing in The Standard, he said: “We nervously searched the valuations agency website for each of our 15 London-based sites and were utterly dismayed by our findings. One of our Mr Fogg’s venues in Mayfair has seen its rateable value increase 76% to £180,000, and another in Soho rose by 56% to £293,000. These are huge increases. As a company, in aggregate, we are facing a rates bill that is set to rise by over 20%. Staggeringly, though, UKHospitality has shown that by 2028-29, the average pub’s business rates will have increased by 76%, the same as our Mayfair Mr Fogg’s, and an average hotel’s by 115%. It feels mad to say that a group rise of 20% appears to be well below the average. To meet these demands, drinks‑led businesses like ours will have to work incredibly hard to adjust and absorb this added tax burden. We’re making our plans now. But for many food‑led, independent pubs and restaurants already operating on razor-thin margins, these increases will sadly force closures and jobs will be lost. I have spoken to several desperate restaurateurs and publicans who had been expecting a much-needed reduction to their business rates but are now fighting for their survival on the back of their rates bills doubling or tripling. Transitional relief will spread the pain over three years, but that is little comfort when the direction of travel is clear and steep. This isn’t the support the high street needed. It isn’t the revival that was promised. For too many businesses, it feels like a final nail in the coffin. Once again, the gulf between political rhetoric and reality grows ever wider. The government must reconsider its position and immediately offer hospitality the 20p multiplier relief, or I fear a bloodbath. Going to your local? It may soon become a thing of the past here in London and beyond.”

 

Chef Carlo Scotto – communal dining ‘quietly finding its way back into restaurants’: Carlo Scotto, who was part of the team behind Amethyst in Mayfair, has said communal dining is “quietly finding its way back into restaurants”. Scotto, who opened Bear by Carlo Scotto at Crazy Bear Group’s hotel in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, in October, said: “In a world of technology, people are seeking meaningful connection, so communal dining is quietly finding its way back into restaurants.” Scotto, along with other top chefs, was sharing his food and drink trend predictions for 2026. Benjamin Ferra Y Castell, executive chef at Michelin-starred Pavyllon London, said: “Late-night dining is making a comeback, opening up the city’s after-dark scene, with some incredible offerings and special menus post 9pm.” Brian Hennessy head chef at Winter Garden Restaurant at The Landmark London, said: “French-inspired dishes and ingredients are firmly on the menu – pâté en croûte is seeing a revival, while classic offal dishes like pig’s trotter, calves’ liver and tripe are being reimagined with finesse.” Tim Dela Cruz, head chef at Smiths of Smithfield, said: “South east Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines will continue to increase in popularity, with ingredients like ube, pandan and tamarind showing up on menus.” Luca Mastrantoni, head chef at Eskedt at the Yard, said: “We’ll continue to see a focus on slow, hands-on cooking methods, especially those using open flames and ancient techniques that involve curing and preserving.” Keith Gumbs, chef de cuisine at Fenchurch, said: “I think street food will step up as diners increasingly crave theatre and craft from their casual dining.” Robert Pearce executive head chef of Down Hall Spa & Estate, said: “Next year, people will focus on eating with intention, with a big focus on protein-rich plates that fuel the body.” Vivek Singh, founder and executive chef of The Cinnamon Collection, said: “We will see more examples of dishes using every part of an ingredient and reducing waste – with chefs using offcuts to make preserves, pickles and ferments.” Natalie Coleman, head chef at The Garrison, said: “Zero-waste cooking is growing in UK restaurants, and from a cost-of-living perspective, it’s a smart move too, as using every part of an ingredient helps boost margins while supporting sustainability.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is seeking an experienced senior general manager with multi-site experience to lead a flagship pub in Warwickshire and oversee four smaller sites, working closely with the founders. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a hands-on role, managing a mix of wet and dry sales across multiple sites. The key site has weekly sales of £45,000–£65,000, with a balanced mix of wet and dry sales.” The salary is up to £80,000. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com

 

Paris Baguette lines up next three London openings as it targets ten stores here by end of 2026, to use UK as testing ground for European expansion: South Korean bakery café brand Paris Baguette has lined up its next three London openings as it targets ten stores here by end of 2026 and told Propel it will use the UK as a testing ground for future European expansion. The company, which has more than 4,000 stores worldwide and made its UK debut in 2022, opened its fourth store here on Friday (28 November), at Westfield White City. It was also a second UK franchise site for the brand, in partnership with BH Property Brothers, which also operates the brand’s Canary Wharf store. Speaking at the Propel Franchisor Showcase, Nico Gaillot, the chief operating officer of Paris Baguette UK, said: “We set ourselves up for a nice challenge, opening on Black Friday in Westfield, a good way to stress test the business! We have Notting Hill Gate opening the week beginning 8 December; we have secured a site in Waterloo for mid-February; and we will then be moving on to Richmond in around May or June. We also have a franchisee for Ireland and we’re looking for a site over there. By the end of next year, we should be on about ten stores if everything goes well. The UK was chosen as we see it as a springboard for the rest of Europe, and I think the company feels if the UK works, we’re looking at the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Scandinavia. I think it’s a good market to test things for us. When I see the transaction for a new brand – 3,800 guests per week in a store – that’s strong for something that nobody knew about before.” Gaillot said Paris Baguette is “looking at national opportunities” in the UK and Ireland – both in single site and multi-site opportunities – in high football areas, shopping centres, travel hubs and affluent urban areas. With models ranging from full format stores to open kiosks, units are between 1,000-1,5000 square feet in size – although the new Westfield location is more 500-600 square feet – and no extraction is required. “It’s likely to be just the two company stores and the rest franchised,” he said. “In the US, where we have 250 stores, we started with 50 corporate and now we’re down to 20 as we have sold a load to franchisees. In Korea, it’s predominantly franchised too, so that is the model. However, if there’s an opportunity where the landlord will only consider a corporate store, we would look at it. In the US and Korea, there is quite a lot of self-serve. That’s something we’re a bit nervous about trying in the UK as we’re not sure the market is ready for that. But we may look at it a bit further down the line as it works very well in those other markets.” Paris Baguette was one of ten up-and-coming food and beverage franchisors which presented at the Propel Franchisor Showcase. All ten videos from the Showcase are being sent to Propel subscribers, with the Paris Baguette video going out at 9am today (Tuesday, 2 December).

 

M&B CEO – ‘we will be as brave on price as we can be’, wet-led brands leading performance: Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) – the Toby Carvery, Harvester and All Bar One operator – has told Propel with rising meat costs, the company will be “as brave on price as it can be” with Miller & Carter, but “accept the fact we’ve got to take up the strain elsewhere”. Urban said: “We have the remaining £12m of the employers’ national insurance contributions as an incremental cost to absorb, and a 30% rise in the cost of steak and beef that, when you run one of the nation’s biggest steakhouse brands, is a disproportionate challenge for us. However, this will be a one-year impact. The steak prices won’t move up by another 30% next year, and in truth, should show some deflation, whereupon I would expect the business to move forward strongly. Next year, we will be as brave as we can on price with Miller & Carter but accept the fact we’ve got to take up the strain elsewhere, which is one of the benefits of having such a diverse portfolio of brands.” Last week, M&B reported a 4.3% increase in like-for-like sales in the year to 27 September 2025 in “another year of strong trading ahead of the market”. The business said 81% of the population live within five miles of an M&B business, and average weekly turnover across its estate now stands at £31,000 with Ebitda of £385,000 per site. In terms of the performance of the group’s brands, it was the wet-led businesses that led the way, with Vintage Inns, Nicholsons, Sizzling Pubs, Ember Inns and Castle Pubs finishing at the top of the group’s scorecard. Urban told Propel: “For Nicholson’s, that’s probably the third or fourth year running that it has finished near the top of the pile. However, once again, we were pleased with progress across the board.” 

 

Which Wich to ramp up its UK rollout as it partners with Seeds Consulting to onboard experienced multi-unit franchise partners: US hot customisable sandwich brand Which Wich is set to ramp up its UK rollout as it partners with Seeds Consulting to onboard experienced multi-unit franchise partners. Seeds will act as the brand’s exclusive franchise development partner in the UK, supporting its strategic rollout across key regions nationwide. Seeds said it will support Which Wich in building a robust national presence by identifying and onboarding experienced multi-unit franchise partners capable of developing regional clusters in major metropolitan areas including London, Manchester, Birmingham and other key UK cities. Chris Palmer, franchise consultant at Seeds Consulting, said: “The brand’s energy, customisable menu and efficient operational model align perfectly with what today’s operators and consumers are looking for.” As previously reported, as part of the market entry strategy, Which Wich has secured a multi-unit agreement with Breaking Brands Management, which also holds the UK master franchise for US bar brand Coyote Ugly – starting with two locations in Cardiff and further sites planned in other territories. Which Wich has also secured new franchise partners to launch in both Edinburgh and Glasgow. Founded in Dallas in 2003, Which Wich has grown to more than 400 sites globally.

 

German Doner Kebab makes its Irish debut: German Doner Kebab (GDK) – which is backed by private equity group True – has made its Irish debut. The brand, which last month opened its 150th UK site, has opened at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Dublin. The opening is in partnership with franchisee Strava Group, which is also a franchisee for Costa Coffee and Domino’s Pizza. A Strava Group spokesman said: “Strava Group is absolutely buzzing to announce that we have officially opened the very first Irish store for German Doner Kebab in the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin, starting today. As the master franchise holders for GDK here in Ireland, we are committed to bringing a game-changing kebab experience to the Irish market. Get ready, Dublin, because we’re redefining what a kebab can be! Come visit us at Liffey Valley, taste the difference, and join the kebab revolution!”

 

Star Pubs expands managed operator estate with biggest refurbishment of 2025: Heineken-owned Star Pubs has expanded its estate of managed operator pubs to 220 sites with the addition of The Horse & Jockey in the Lincolnshire village of Waddington. The company has invested £750,000 in the pub – its biggest Just Add Talent (JAT) refurbishment of the year. The pub, which had been closed since 2018, was part of Star Pubs’ leased and tenanted estate and has been transformed it into a “family friendly local specialising in sports and entertainment with affordable food”. The project is the fourth major JAT makeover that Star Pubs has undertaken in the final quarter of 2025. It follows a total spend of £1.59m on converting Gibsons in York, The New Pin in Chellaston in Derbyshire and The Canterbury Tales in Canterbury into managed operator pubs. Three of the four schemes reopened long-term closed pubs. In all, Star Pubs has added 32 new JAT pubs to its estate in 2025, at a typical refurbishment cost of £255,000 per site, creating an estimated 200 jobs. Star Pubs operations director, Mick Howard said: “We’ve had tremendous success with our JAT revamps this year. Customers love the combination of a great looking pub that offers something for everyone, and our new sites are flying. The low-cost, low-risk, high support JAT model is proving attractive with would-be pub operators in the current market, and there has been particularly high demand for our investment sites.”

 

Ma Pub Group acquires Café Tabac from Baa Bar: Ma Pub Group — the independent Liverpool hospitality operator behind Ma Boyle’s Alehouse and Eatery, Tempest on Tithebarn, Nova Scotia and Newington Temple – has added to its portfolio in the city with the acquisition of Café Tabac, from the Baa Bar company. Café Tabac was opened in Bold Street in the 1970s by Rita Lawrence and run as an independent family business. All staff will be retained with the transition and Tabac will continue to trade with the same name when it officially changes hand tomorrow (Wednesday, 3 December). Baa Bar chief executive Elaine Clarke said: “My own working life has been tied to Tabac for 33 years. I started in hospitality in Café Tabac at 14, and this place has been part of every chapter since. Saying goodbye is deeply personal, but I also know that every great institution evolves, and this is the right moment for its next chapter. Ma Pub Group has built a strong reputation for looking after their venues and their teams, and I know Iain (Hoskins, Ma Pub Group director) will protect this place with the same heart, integrity and pride that have sustained it for half a century.” Hoskins said: “Being entrusted with Café Tabac is an honour. It has been at the heart of Liverpool’s cultural landscape for decades and holds a huge place in the city’s memory. Tabac is one of the last living reminders of a Liverpool that shaped generations of creativity and character. To become its next custodian is a privilege I do not take lightly. We are proud to continue its legacy and carry this iconic venue into its next era.”

 

Holiday park operator Harrison Leisure expands Scottish portfolio: Holiday park operator Harrison Leisure has expanded its Scottish portfolio with the backing of a seven-figure funding package from HSBC UK. The group has used £7m of HSBC UK funding to acquire the Ardlui hotel, marina and holiday park, situated on the northern shore of Loch Lomond. This follows the retirement of the previous owners of the site. Set across 11 acres, the estate comprises a 12-bedroom hotel, a marina and a caravan park licensed for 96 units. Following the acquisition, Harrison Leisure is undertaking a refurbishment of the hotel and surrounding grounds. Plans include redesigning the food and beverage areas, additional lodge and pod accommodation for holiday rentals and refurbish two existing houses to operate as luxury holiday lets. The expansion is set to increase Harrison Leisure’s turnover by 8%. For the year ending 31 December 2024, Harrison Leisure saw turnover drop to £30,829,904 from £35,088,941 the previous year. The company posted a pre-tax loss of £153,401 compared with a profit of £3,929,192 the year before. William Harrison, director at Harrison Leisure, said: “As a family-run business we are always strategic with growth and expansion plans. This investment into such a unique holiday park marks an exciting step forward, creating new opportunities for our business and delivering benefits to both holidaymakers and community members alike.” Established in 1974, Harrison Leisure owns and operates ten other holiday parks across the UK.

 

Merlin Entertainments to open first Harry Potter-themed attraction: Merlin Entertainments is to open its first Harry Potter-themed attraction, at its Legoland resort in Germany. The company has extended its partnership with Warner Bros Discovery Global Experiences for the new land, which will include the first Harry Potter-themed guest accommodation. The partnership marks Merlin’s largest single investment into an existing site, which it said reflected its strategy to prioritise locations with the greatest growth potential. Merlin chief executive Fiona Eastwood said: “Partnering with Warner Bros Discovery Global Experiences is the ultimate showcase of what we do best – transforming the world’s most iconic brands into memorable, immersive experiences for millions of guests. Our longstanding partnership with the Lego Group has already delivered joyful moments of play for families, and now, by bringing the wizarding world to life in brick form at Legoland, we’re raising the bar for creativity and innovation.” Peter van Roden, European vice-president Warner Bros Discovery Global Experiences, said: “We are always looking for new ways for the millions of Harry Potter fans around the world to extend the magic and further connect with the iconic films. This new destination will allow fans to step into in the familiar Lego Harry Potter aesthetic they have been constructing for years and physically experience the wizarding world like never before.”

 

Whitbread acquires new Central London site for hub by Premier Inn brand: Whitbread has acquired a new Central London site for its hub by Premier Inn brand. In line with the company’s strategy of expanding its network of budget hotels in London, Whitbread has secured the freehold of Victory House at 30-34 Kingsway from a private overseas investor for an undisclosed sum. The company intends to convert the 45,000 square-foot, eight-storey, office building, which is currently occupied until spring 2026, into a hub by Premier Inn hotel of around 200-bedrooms, subject to planning from Camden Council. The off-market purchase of Victory House rounds off an active year for Whitbread in central and inner London, where the business is investing heavily. Since February, the company has acquired four former office buildings to convert into Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels – investments totalling more than £100m. Currently, 19% of Whitbread’s 85,000 bedrooms are in London. Jonathan Langdon, senior acquisition manager for Whitbread, said: “Kingsway is one of those stand-out locations. Investing here matches our network plan and complements our trading and pipeline hotels.” Launched in 2014, hub by Premier Inn the brand now offers 18 hotels and more than 3,000 bedrooms in locations across Central London and Edinburgh – with four further London locations currently under construction or in the advanced stages of planning. 

 

Wingstop opens new west London location: Wingstop UK, which is backed here by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has opened a new location in west London. Located on Queensway in the Bayswater area, the new 4,316 square-foot site hosts 85 covers. It is Wingstop’s 81st UK location, with plans grow to as many as 200 sites within the next five years. Wingstop UKI chief executive Chris Sherriff said: “Queensway is one of West London’s most vibrant areas, centred around a lively high street attracting a mix of customers. Its proximity to some of London’s most iconic destinations and vibrant atmosphere make it the ideal spot to fuel our fast-paced growth.”

 

Brunning & Price opens Hampshire site, operating ex-Oakman estate under Acorn Pubs vehicle: Brunning & Price, The Restaurant Group (TRG)-owned pub company, has opened its latest site, The Barn Owl in Blacknest, Hampshire. The now 80-strong Brunning & Price acquired the site in Binsted Road, formerly the Jolly Farmer, earlier this year. The pub had been closed for almost two years. Mary Willcock, chief executive for Brunning & Price, said: “Following a relatively quiet 2024 in terms of acquisitions, we are delighted to have opened a new pub, and even more delighted to have been able to do so before Christmas, meaning the locals of Blacknest now have a village pub back at the heart of their festivities. The Barn Owl will be a fabulous little country pub and sits in a strong location for us. Next up for renovation, the Mallard in Tidbury Green, near Solihull. This is a complex acquisition project that we’ve been working on for several years in terms of getting the planning and build costs right, but we now expect to be opening in early Autumn 2026 and starting on site in a matter of weeks.” In May, Propel revealed Oakman Group had sold ten of its freehold pubs to TRG, which said it would run the sites alongside Brunning & Price before integrating them into its estate, in a deal valued at circa £50m-£55m. Currently, the ten pubs, six with bedrooms, sit alongside Brunning & Price and are called Acorn Pubs. The business said: “They primarily sit within the home counties and could be described as ‘modern pubs’, offering an extensive range of draft beers, wines and cocktails with a great menu of freshly cooked Mediterranean-inspired food.”

 

Flat Iron confirms Liverpool launch: Flat Iron, the affordable steak concept that is backed by McWin Capital Partners and TriSpan, has confirmed it will launch in Liverpool next year. Propel revealed in October that the 19-strong business, which is led by Tom Byng, had secured the former Point Blank site in the city’s Castle Street. It will now open a 100-cover restaurant in the grade II-listed former Royal Liver Assurance building next summer, offering a rotating board of specials, including Wagyu daily specials and a green chilli cheeseburger made using beef from the Flat Iron herd in Thirsk. Sides will include Flat Iron’s beef dripping chips, creamed spinach, truffled macaroni cheese and crispy bone marrow garlic mash. A curated selection of wines will make up the drinks list, including Flat Iron’s very own Malbec, blended using grapes grown in the Limoux area of the Languedoc in southern France – plus a selection of draft beers and signature cocktails. Flat Iron’s head of beef, Fred Smith, said: “Our mission has always been simple: to offer remarkable, carefully sourced steak at an affordable price. Liverpool has been on our wish list for a long time and we’re excited to finally bring Flat Iron to the city and join its incredible food scene.” Flat Iron’s most recent opening was in Brighton’s Ship Street, in October, and in the spring, it will open in Denman Street in London’s Soho. 

 

MB Chicken closes Preston site, set to be taken on by Phat Buns: Canadian quick service restaurant brand Mary Brown’s Chicken, known as MB Chicken internationally, has closed its site in Preston, just six months after it first opened. The brand, which has more than 280 locations in Canada, made its UK debut last year with the launch of a store in Lisburn Leisure Park in Northern Ireland. The brand followed that with a second Northern Ireland site, within the SSE Arena in Belfast, and then launched in England with an opening in Smithy Lane in Hounslow, west London. The brand then opened at 5-6 Miller Arcade in Church Street, Preston, in June, with the restaurant being operated by franchisees Pritpal Dhillon and Sohail Munwar. The brand’s next opening was due to be in the former Bangerz ‘n’ Burgerz unit in Above Bar Street in Southampton, but that, as yet, hasn’t materialised. Dylan Powell, MB Chicken’s vice-president of international development, told Propel in March 2024 that in the long term, the business sees “no reason why it can’t be bigger here than in Canada”. Better burger business Phat Buns, which was founded in 2019 by Hussein Sacranie and Ahtesham Moosa, and which currently operates 18 sites across the UK, is set to take on the Preston site.

 

Model Market to return to London’s Lewisham: Landsec has announced that Model Market will return to Lewisham Shopping Centre next spring. It said that the relaunched destination will provide a platform for independent hospitality operators, creative businesses and local traders – with applications now open. The landlord said: “The relaunch will take inspiration from its original 1950s market style to create a buzzing communal atmosphere. Capturing everything that made the market a local favourite – including great food and good music – it will also introduce fresh new concepts, establishing a hub for independent kitchens, local makers and creative spaces. Each space will offer a unique micro-dining or retail experience, from street food favourites to innovative emerging vendors. The Market will also serve as a social hub, delivering DJ sets and genre-spanning music alongside a host of events, pop-ups and cultural programming blending food, music and art.” Landsec said that applications are particularly welcome from traders based in Lewisham and neighbouring areas. A spokesperson for Model Market, said: “Model Market is about bringing people together and celebrating the energy, creativity and spirit of the local community. We’re incredibly excited to revive the Model Market at Lewisham and give it a fresh new chapter. We want to champion local talent, and whether you’re running a kitchen concept, a small shop or planning community events, we'd love to hear from brands who want to help shape Lewisham’s next great social space."

 

PizzaExpress enters loyalty partnership with Avios: PizzaExpress has entered a new partnership with IAG Loyalty, the company behind the global reward currency Avios. The partnership marks the first-time customers can both collect and redeem Avios at UK restaurants. Customers dining at PizzaExpress restaurants can now collect three Avios per £1 spent, when using a pre-registered credit or debit card. Available to members of The British Airways Club, customers can simply register their payment cards at the Avios website prior to dining, and then pay as usual via their server or through the PizzaExpress Club app. Those looking to redeem their Avios at PizzaExpress can convert them into a voucher to be redeemed for in-store dining, starting at 1,000 Avios for a £5 voucher. Chris Holmes, PizzaExpress chief commercial officer, said: “As two British icons, one of the high street and one of the skies, we’re thrilled to allow members of The British Airways Club, and proper pizza fans, the chance to earn Avios while they enjoy all their favourites. To be the first and only restaurant brand to allow members of The British Airways Club to collect and spend Avios, marks an incredibly exciting moment for us both.”

 

Brazilian dining concept opens third site: Brazilian dining concept Beleza Rodizio has opened its third site, at the Touchwood shopping centre in Solihull. Beleza Rodizio has invested £1.25m in the 6,000 square-foot restaurant on the ground floor of the complex. The venue has seating for up to 147 guests, plus a heated outdoor terrace for 50 and dedicated private dining areas. The menu includes a variety of flame-grilled meat, including premium cuts of wagyu carved at the table, accompanied by freshly prepared sides, salads and Brazilian specialities. Beleza, which translates to “beauty” in Portuguese, also offers a Brazilian-inspired signature cocktail menu. The company, which also has restaurants in Hull and Stratford-upon-Avon, has previously said it plans to open an additional two restaurants across the UK in the coming years. Founder Nico Jamil said: “We are thrilled to have opened in Solihull and to share the authentic spirit of Brazilian rodizio dining with the community here. After the success of our restaurants in Hull and Stratford-upon-Avon, Solihull is the perfect next step for the Beleza Rodizio journey.”

 

Another Hand co-founder to launch ‘UK’s first Champagne boutique’: Julian Pizer, co-founder of Michelin Guide-listed Manchester neighbourhood bistro Another Hand, is to launch what he claims to be “the UK’s first Champagne boutique”. Pizer has partnered with Cameron Foster, founder of Deux Six, which specialise in providing unique and exclusive grower Champagnes to the UK trade, for Portfolio, at 67 Bridge Street inn the city. Bringing together more than 250 Champagnes, rare grower bottles, vintage prestige cuvées and an immersive wine experience – the venue will open on Tuesday, 9 December, with the “full restaurant experience” launching in February. The menu will feature plenty of accessible bottles and ten Champagnes available by the glass, with top class grower Champagne starting from £12.50. Alongside well-known names, guests will be able to enjoy rare and highly sought after cuvées, including Jacques Selosse, Ulysse Collin, Jérôme Prévost, Cédric Bouchard, Larmandier Bernier and Egly Ouriet. There will also be vintage prestige cuvées from Cristal, Philipponnat, Pommery, Jacquesson, Pierre Peters and Bollinger, some dating back to the 1990s. There will be a Champagne wall of 100 bottles, all available for retail takeaway, and the Champagne will be served in exclusive Lehmann glassware imported from Reims. An open chef’s pass and sommelier station and bar seating will give a front row view of the action, while a working Champagne cellar will act as a private dining room for rare tastings, winemaker dinners and private dining. An initial bar food offering featuring Welsh charcuterie, British cheeses and accoutrements will be joined in February by a full restaurant offer. Foster said: “We want to strip back the snobbery of Champagne and make it a wine for everyone, whether that’s a quick glass after work, a special celebration, or discovering grower champagne for the first time.” Pizer opened Another Hand, in Deansgate, in 2022, with the team behind the former 3 Hands deli located next door.

 

Former The Camberwell Arms GM and Public House Group executive chef partner to open neighbourhood restaurant and bar: Callum Ross, previously general manager at The Camberwell Arms and Forza Wine at the National Theatre in London, and Ed Baillieu, former executive chef at Public House Group’s The Hero, have joined forces to open a neighbourhood restaurant and bar in the capital. Ruth's is launching in Putney, reports Hot Dinners. The food is described as “bistro-style” and centred around British food and ingredients. Dishes will include beef fillet with pickled onion rings and a cheese and onion pie. The drinks list will feature wine, cocktails and lager. The restaurant, in Lower Richmond Road, which takes over the space that was Blades, will be split across two rooms, accommodating around 40 people. Ross said: “We’re inspired by those incredible local spots filled with both regulars and newcomers. We love the atmosphere and buzz that great neighbourhoods create.”