Sponsored message – Asahi UK and Greene King pubs partner with THINK! to encourage responsible driving choices with complimentary Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% for drivers this December: Asahi UK has teamed up with Greene King pubs to encourage drivers to stay safe this festive season by giving away thousands of free serves of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% across more than 800 pubs nationwide. Running throughout December, the campaign is supported by THINK! 0%, a nationwide initiative from the UK government’s THINK! campaign, which encourages drivers to always choose 0% when getting behind the wheel. Around one in four young males said they would drive after drinking, if they thought it was safe. Encouragingly, THINK! data shows that two thirds of young men would choose a non-alcoholic drink if driving. This joint offer involving a 0.0% beer option encourages all customers driving to a Greene King pub to enjoy the festive spirit responsibly by rewarding them with a premium alcohol-free alternative. To claim a complimentary Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, drivers simply need to show their car keys at the bar of participating Greene King pubs. To support the festive push across all on-trade venues, Peroni Nastro Azzurro will also be backing its stockists with a wider Christmas campaign and prize giveaway via the brand’s Club Peroni loyalty scheme. If you have a sponsored story you would like to see featured in this newsletter position, email paul.charity@propelinfo.com.

 

SetList founder Tom Kidd among speakers at 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit, open for bookings: Tom Kidd, founder of SetList, will be among the speakers at the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. Kidd will talk to Anthony Knight about creating a riverside bar that is more than a venue – it is a platform for collaboration. He will share how four trailblazing female chefs came together in one kitchen at Somerset House and how hospitality spaces can be activated through culture, community and creativity. 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 tomorrow: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers tomorrow (Friday, 5 December). The database will show the details of 182 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 182 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 experiential leisure sector such as padel operator Pure Padel with an opening in Nottingham, football entertainment concept Crossbar opening its debut site, in Liverpool, and Guinness World Records opening its first permanent entertainment venue, at London’s The O2. 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.

Harden’s – London sees sharp jump in number of restaurants charging £250-plus per head, quality of openings ‘better than ever’: London has seen a sharp jump in the number of restaurants charging £250-plus per head, the new Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2026 has revealed. Published today (Thursday, 4 December), the guide said the increase from 14 to 24 establishments probably reflected “the relative robustness of the power to spend in the capital compared with elsewhere in the country”. The guide also noted the high number of new openings going straight into the top 100, which it said suggested the quality of restaurant openings is “better than ever”. Harden’s co-founder Peter Harden said: “Our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade: our number of entries remains very steady and strong newcomers are emerging in each area of a quality that is probably better than ever. What is challenging for suppliers can be good for consumers. Customer expectations are so high now, restaurants have to work ever-harder to cut through and we’re seeing a number of new openings from across the UK going straight into the top 100. This really is testament to the rigorous standards, hard work and innovation being put in by front and back-of-house teams throughout the nation who are impressively determined to find a way in difficult circumstances and continue to raise the bar to bring diners high quality experiences.” The new guide also names Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in Aughton, Lancashire, as the UK’s best restaurant in its annual poll, rising from last year’s position of 74 and pipping Simon Rogan’s 2024 winner L’Enclume and Alain Roux’s Waterside Inn Bray to the top spot. The north west has 149 venues in the guide, 12 of which are in the top 100. Cumbria cemented its place as the county with the most top 100 listings outside of London (38), with seven placements in total compared with last year’s five. A total of 30,000 reports were submitted from a survey of 2,500 diners. Restaurants at all price levels are included: from street food vendors to the country’s most ambitious dining rooms, with 2,800 restaurants listed in total.

 

Chef Clare Smyth – ‘the government doesn’t recognise what a huge employer hospitality is’: Chef Clare Smyth, who opened her latest restaurant this week in London’s Chelsea, has said she has “very low expectations of our current government” as it “doesn’t recognise what a huge employer hospitality is”. Smyth has opened Corenucopia at 18-22 Holbein Place. The chef has invested £2m in the site, which she describes as a luxury bistro. Next year, Smyth, chef patron of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Core by Clare Smyth in London’s Notting Hill, will open fine dining venue Coreus at the Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch. The two new restaurants will employ more than 100 people, including, Smyth told The Telegraph, 16-year-olds on apprenticeships “who are earning while they are learning and not ending up in debt”. But she expresses her exasperation at what she sees as Labour’s lack of respect for the restaurant trade. She said: “I have very low expectations of our current government. It doesn’t recognise what a huge employer hospitality is.” The increases in national insurance and corporation tax have hit particularly hard, and Smyth said although her revenue is up, profitability isn’t. She said: “And the only reason for that is tax. I’m always happy to pay my fair share, but it stifles the economy when you keep bleeding the ones who just keep working harder and harder. I’ve asked myself whether I really want to take on more staff when it’s so costly to hire people.” With Corenucopia, Smyth wants to give her own team the same chance to flourish. Both the new restaurant’s manager, Lynn van Logtestijn, and head chef, Gary Mundi, have worked with her for six years, while day-to-day running is be overseen by Smyth’s trio of Core lieutenants: restaurant director Rob Rose, head chef Jonny Bone and sommelier Gareth Ferreira. “It’s not my dream to have 20 restaurants,” Smyth said. “But if we don’t provide opportunities for the team to grow, we’ll lose them. This feels like an organic expansion.”

 

A third of Generation Z workers believe mental health days should be a standard workplace benefit: A third of Generation Z believe mental health days should be a standard workplace benefit, as polling revealed they worry more about human interaction than artificial intelligence (AI). Working with unknown people, having to make small talk, anxiety about using the phone and having to get up early every morning were the biggest sources of anxiety for young employees, the poll found. The survey of more than 1,500 people aged 16 to 29 across the UK, was conducted by Trinity College London, reports The Times. The survey found 21% had or were dreading entering the workplace for the first time, while 33% of those in employment said it was challenging. Topping the list of anxieties are working with people (42%), having to make small talk (38%) and anxiety about using the phone (30%). Having to present work (25%) and accept criticism (22%) were other concerns, while 22% were worried about AI replacing them. Furthermore, 30% feared the prospect of sticking up for themselves, and 28% said the idea of early mornings and having to be on time filled them with dread. Some 68% wished they could work from home while 59% said they struggled to work with colleagues from older generations. Asked what changes they would make to the workplace if they could, 32% cited mental health days as standard, while 28% would drop the 9am to 5pm working day and replace it with flexible hours.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a historic venue with multiple food and beverage outlets in Surrey that is seeking an experienced general manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role involves building and motivating a high-performing team, overseeing catering, bar services and events to ensure a profitable and high-quality operation, and taking full accountability for financial controls, budgets and reporting. The ideal candidate will have a proven background managing large-scale or multifaceted venues and strong experience in food-led operations.” The salary is up to £80,000. For more information, email marlene@corecruitment.com

 

Fairgame has interest from ‘multiple overseas markets’, set to roll out in US ‘very quickly’: Competitive socialising concept Fairgame has interest from “multiple overseas markets” and is set to roll out in the US “very quickly” following its acquisition by Ten Entertainment Group, Propel has learned. Propel revealed last week that Fairgame, which reimagines the traditional outdoor fairground in an indoor venue by combining proprietary technology-enabled fairground games with a distinctive food and beverage programme, had been acquired by Ten Entertainment Group in a circa £40m deal. Fairgame was founded by Richard Hilton, the founder of Gymbox, and sector investor Paul Campbell in 2019 and currently operates two sites in London. Propel understands Fairgame will remain as a separate business, with Hilton working as a consultant on the roll out plans. In August, Hilton said he planned to secure further funding for US expansion. He said he hoped Fairgame would operate directly in big US cities such as New York and, potentially, Las Vegas, Chicago and Boston. A source told Propel: “Those cities are on the radar and there are plans to roll out in the US very quickly. But the plans go beyond the US and there is already interest from multiple overseas markets. Further UK sites are also possible if the right location is available.” Fairgame opened its second site in the summer, a 24,500 square-foot venue at One New Change in London. The concept made its debut in Canary Wharf in October 2022. That site welcomes about 330,000 guests a year and made an adjusted profit of £4.2m last year, having turned over £12m in revenue. The launch of the business was backed with £5m of growth capital from a combination of the Business Growth Fund and a consortium of private investors. Hilton said: “Partnering with Tenpin opens the door to rapid, ambitious growth. The team and I are excited for this next chapter in the Fairgame story.” Propel revealed last September that Fairgame was working with Tamweel Capital on its funding options following the “phenomenal success” of its maiden site. Last February, US private equity firm Trive completed its circa £300m deal for Ten Entertainment Group. It saw the group, which operates 58 venues, taken private after six years as a listed business.

Urban Baristas – ‘there’s a huge opportunity outside of London’, currently working on a 15-store pipeline: Aussie-inspired coffee concept Urban Baristas has told Propel that having built an estate of more than 20 stores in the capital over the last decade, “there’s a huge opportunity outside of London”. The company currently has 21 locations, including nine franchised, and is aiming to end the year on 23 – and with 29 franchisee territories sold, is working through a 15-store pipeline. Early next year, as revealed by Propel last week, Urban Baristas will make its regional debut with a launch in Liverpool’s Bold Street. “London’s coffee scene has developed a lot, but regional towns mirror that demand, and there’s a huge opportunity outside of London,” said co-founder Huw Wardrope, speaking at the Propel Franchisor Showcase. “We’re opening in Liverpool in the first quarter of next year – I was up there with our franchise partner, and one of the things that really surprised me was the price of the coffee up in Liverpool and some of the regions, and how it related directly to London coffee prices. It was about £4 for a flat white, and down here it’s about £4.10 or £4.20. Store economics outside of London are really attractive too, with a lot less risk for franchisees too. I’m quite excited about being outside of London, especially the affluent market towns, where our brand sits well. We’re in discussions about area development deals outside of London now too. I’m quite comfortable going up against some of the big high street in these regional towns as I believe our product is better.” Further growth in London is also planned. Urban Baristas has eight franchise stores in legals – in Bow, Old Street, Hounslow, Southgate, Fleet Street, Elephant & Castle, Greenwich and Marsh Wall. A further six equity stories are either in legals (Bermondsey, Bermondsey Street and Hackney) or already in fit-out (Fulham, Shoreditch and Greenford). Wardrope added: “We’ve got a couple of partners on their second store, and we’re very passionate about having less franchise partners doing more units. Our aim is to do four to six corporate stores a year and franchises on top of that. International expansion is in the back of my mind, and we’ve had discussions about the US and UAE, but we don’t want to overstretch ourselves and we have big demand in the UK at the moment. We want to make sure our systems and processes are in place, and that will allow for international growth when the time is right.” Urban Baristas 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 Urban Baristas video going out at 9am today (Thursday, 4 December).

 

Brighton Pier Group seeks to divest Paradise Island Adventure Golf business: Brighton Pier Group, the Luke Johnson-chaired company, is seeking a buyer for its Paradise Island Adventure Golf business, a group of seven indoor mini-golf venues located in England and Scotland. The company has placed the business on the market as part of its strategic review of assets. It acquired the then six-strong Paradise Island Adventure Golf business at the end of 2017 in a £10.5m deal. The sites are all located in prominent mixed-use retail and leisure schemes – in Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Derby, Cheshire, Plymouth and Rushden Lakes. The venues range from 8,000 to 24,000 square feet and include two 18-hole courses with creative themes such as tropical islands, ancient ruins and exotic jungles. The business is being marketed by Colliers. Last month, Propel reported Brighton Pier Group, which delisted from the London stock market earlier this year, was actively exploring opportunities for the potential sale of some or all of its remaining assets, including its eponymous seaside tourist attraction. At the time, the group said the golf division had generated revenue of £4.1m for the nine months to end of September 2025, down £400,000 versus the previous year. The business also owns five premium bars nationwide (of which three have been disposed), and the Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park, which is also on the market. The company said it was uncertain whether there would be “sufficient cash resources” to repay its debts, meaning selling off some of its assets was almost inevitable.

 

Traditional Greek cuisine concept signs franchise deal to expand to India: Traditional Greek cuisine concept The Souvlaki has signed a franchise deal to expand to India. Founders Valentinos Varelas and Sandy Tsagdi started the concept as a street food stall in the summer of 2015, at Kingston Ancient Market in south west London, before opening its first restaurant, in Kingston-upon-Thames, in 2018. The Souvlaki has since grown to nine locations – four in Greater London and one each in Nottingham, Margate, Derby, Wilmslow and Didsbury. The Souvlaki has now signed a master franchise agreement with Franchise India Brand, which it said marks the first entry of a Greek quick service restaurant (QSR) brand into India. Franchise India Brand said the partnership “aims to introduce Greek street food to India’s growing urban consumer base, particularly millennials and Generation Z, who are increasingly exploring international cuisines”. It said the QSR segment in the country is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate exceeding 12% by 2030, driven by rising incomes, rapid urbanisation and evolving food preferences. Gaurav Marya, chairman and founder of Franchise India Brands, said: “Franchise India is always on the lookout for global brands that resonate with Indian consumers and have the potential to bring exciting new cuisines to the market. The Souvlaki’s authentic Greek fast food and impeccable reputation in London make it an ideal brand to introduce in India’s thriving QSR sector.” Varelas and Tsagdi added: “Our entry into India through Franchise India marks a landmark in The Souvlaki’s journey and a proud moment for our brand. With our multi award-winning souvlaki and gyros, we are committed to delivering the authentic taste of Greece in every bite, introducing freshness, flavour and innovation that will set new benchmarks and redefine India’s fast-food experience.” The brand’s India rollout will focus on large metropolitan and tier one cities, where demand is strong for international fast-food concepts – with “multiple” franchise outlets planned as part of the strategy.

 

Sourdough Sophia plans £1.5m fundraise, eyes four openings in 2026: Sourdough Sophia, the London micro bakery concept, is to undergo a new round of fundraising as it targets opening four news sites next year. The business, which was founded by Sophia Handschuh and Jesse Sutton-Jones in Crouch End, opened its fourth standalone site this summer, on the former Redemption Roasters site in Perrin’s Court, Hampstead. Handschuh told Propel that the business was set to begin a £1.5m fundraise to aid the next stage of its expansion. She said the business hoped to open four further sites next year and was in talks on sites in Primrose Hill, near London Bridge, and South Molton Street in Mayfair. The company, which previously operated a kitchen in BoxHall Liverpool Street, set a target of having 20 sites open by 2029 after securing a further £600,000 in new funding earlier this year. The business, which last year opened at 117-119 Essex Road, Islington, secured the additional investment to oversee these new openings. The group, which previously raised £500,000 through a crowdfunding campaign in 2023, raised a further £500,000 through crowdfunding last summer. The business said revenue in FY24 was £1.8m from two stores and one central production unit. Sourdough Sophia plans to have ten stores and two central production units by FY27, with a projected revenue of £8m-plus and a £20m-plus valuation. Adam Bowers, of onepoint2, acts for Sourdough Sophia.

 

Team behind The Pizza Room and The Coffee Room concepts to open first combined site: The team behind The Pizza Room and The Coffee Room concepts is to open its first combined site, Propel has learned. The Pizza Room operates four venues in London – in Mile End, Poplar, New Cross and Hackney, while sister concept The Coffee Room has sites in Mile End and Deptford. The team has now acquired the lease of 108-110 New Kings Road in Fulham. As well as being its debut site in west London, it will also be the first to house both concepts together. Will Gage, of Restaurant Property, acted on behalf of the seller.

 

Whitbread set to open new hub by Premier Inn hotel in Edinburgh: Whitbread is set to open a new hub by Premier Inn hotel in Edinburgh. Artisan Real Estate has been given the go-ahead by City of Edinburgh Council to redevelop Albany House, located at 58 Albany Street on the corner of Broughton Street, into a 102-bedroom hotel. Artisan has agreed terms with Whitbread to operate the completed hotel under its hub by Premier Inn brand. The five-storey Albany House was constructed in the 1980s, and the current occupiers are relocating to new offices in the city centre. Whitbread currently welcomes close to a million visitors to its established network of 14 Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels within the City of Edinburgh Council area. Jill Anderson, acquisitions manager for Whitbread, said: “Premier Inn has been part of Edinburgh’s hospitality scene for more than 30 years. We’re proud to have built a network of popular, good-value hotels across the city, and we see great potential for further investment driven by our own high occupancy in the city, and the fact budget hotels like Premier Inn account for just 20% of the city’s bedroom stock.” Launched in 2014, hub by Premier Inn offers 18 hotels and more than 3,000 bedrooms in locations across Central London and Edinburgh – with five further London locations under construction or in the advanced stages of planning.

 

Rocco Forte Hotels secures further Italian location: Rocco Forte Hotels, which owns 15 upmarket hotels including Brown’s in London and the Balmoral in Edinburgh, has secured a further Italian location. The company, which last month opened its tenth hotel in the country, will now open its second hotel in Puglia, Masseria del Cardinale, in 2028. Masseria del Cardinale will offer 86 bedrooms and suites and feature restaurants, a bar, event and meeting spaces, an Irene Forte Spa and a large swimming pool. Charles Forte, director of development at Rocco Forte Hotels, said: “With four new openings planned over the next three years – Sardinia, Sicily, Naples, and now Puglia – the signing of Masseria del Cardinale is a clear indication of Italy’s continuing importance to the brand’s growth.”

 

Maguro Group to open first Bunsik location in west London: Maguro Group is set to open the first site in west London for its Korean street food concept, Bunsik. The 1,100 square-foot site, at 62 Uxbridge Road in Shepherd’s Bush, will offer 30 covers and will be Bunsik’s ninth location in all. It follows the opening, in September, of Bunsik’s first franchise site, and first outside of London, in Bristol’s Cabot Circus. The new site will also offer Bunsik’s new menu upgrades, with edamame and carrots added to the new Bunsik cup bap base sauce “for a deeper, more satisfying flavour and texture”. Founder Jae Cho said: “Shepherd’s Bush is constantly bustling with high foot traffic, especially near Westfield London. We are very keen to open in this vibrant area and look forward to meeting many new customers here.” Last month, Maguro Group opened the UK’s largest Korean barbecue restaurant, in Manchester Piccadilly. The group opened a 165-cover site under its premium Korean barbecue concept Bullgogi, at 6a Piccadilly Plaza. The restaurant was a second Bullgogi location for the group, which also operates Maguro Sushi in Maida Vale, Gogi in Edgware Road and Powcha Grill in Chinatown, plus another Bullgogi, in Notting Hill Gate.

 

London-based South American street food concept opens its tenth site, three further franchise sites under development: London-based South American street food concept Assenheims56 has opened its tenth site, with three further franchise sites under development. The company, led by Matthew Ashley, has opened at 71 Kingsway in Central London. The outlet joins the business’ locations in Queen Victoria Street, Wormwood Street, Great Tower Street, Smithfield Street, Canary Wharf, Ludgate Hill, Holborn, London Bridge and Shoreditch. Charlie Mander, group chief operating officer at Presman & Colard, said: “This is the first opening since the rebrand and it looks awesome. With three further sites under development with franchisees, the first quarter of 2026 is looking to be exciting.”

 

Noble Hospitality Group confirms fourth site for pizza concept: Noble Hospitality Group – the group behind Japanese brand Chotto Matte, Angus Steakhouse and Steak and Company – has confirmed it has secured a fourth site for its Alley Cats pizza concept. The company launched the concept, which focuses on New York City-style pizza, at the start of last year in London, at 22 Paddington Street, just off Baker Street. The venue was followed by the opening of a second site, at 342 King’s Road in Chelsea, and a third site this summer, in Westbourne Grove. As Propel revealed last month, Noble Hospitality Group has acquired a site at 233 Portobello Road. Opening next February, the new two-floor restaurant will feature a walk-up slice hatch serving 18-inch slices to-go. The company said: “The Portobello Road restaurant marks a new chapter for Alley Cats, with the new dual-level space offering two distinct experiences. Upstairs, a first-floor dining room provides a more relaxed setting with full table service, while a hidden outdoor terrace offers additional seating tucked away from the street.” Noble Hospitality Group is also thought to be in talks on a site in Soho for the pizza concept. The company previously told Propel it has targeted 15 sites by 2029 for Alley Cats and was also looking at international opportunities.

 

Greene King reports positive financial and environmental impacts sustainability drive: Brewer and retailer Greene King has said a drive to reuse, refurbish, repurpose or recycle pub kitchen equipment has resulted in positive financial and environmental impacts. Its property and maintenance team is trialling a circular economy solution for surplus kitchen equipment, which is cleaned, tested and repaired as necessary. One trial processed and repurposed just over 7,000kg of redundant pub kitchen equipment. There have also been savings of more than £418,000 through the reuse of cooking, refrigeration and wash ware items compared with the costs of buying new equipment, with in excess of £54,000 saved in October alone. Greene King property services director, Paul Garland, said: “With improved processes such as asset tagging, reporting and certified disposal routes, it is improving our waste diversion rates, improving traceability and supporting our net zero journey. It’s making good business sense both financially and environmentally.”

Freemans Event Partners secures contract with The Royal International Air Tattoo: Freemans Event Partners has secured a contract with The Royal International Air Tattoo to provide catering at the aviation showcase. Freemans Event Partners now supports more than 650 event days each year, while the Royal International Air Tattoo recently celebrated a record attendance of more than 178,000 visitors. Tickets for RIAT26 are currently 20% ahead of this time last year. Freemans Events Partners executive chairman, Stephen Freeman, said: “The Air Tattoo is an event our family have a long association with, starting with my family selling fish and chips at RAF Fairford in the 1970s. To be working with the Royal International Air Tattoo all these years later is fantastic and we are looking forward to elevating the customer experience with exciting new food and drink concepts.”

Family-owned hotel group acquires two new venues: Family-owned Ashley Hotels has acquired two new hotels. In the company’s accounts for the year to 31 December 2024, director Zamir Hirji said: “During the year, the group acquired hotels in London and Liverpool. During the year, the trade in both Ashley Hotels Rockingham and Zasz ceased. There are no prospects of future trade, and the companies are expected to remain dormant unless alternative use is identified. The group continues to seek to grow by the continued investment in the hotels. The cost-of-living crisis and high interest rates is causing wider economic disruption in the UK. The directors are monitoring this and potential consequences on the group.” It comes as the group reported turnover of £8,946,642 for the year, including £1,066,809 from discontinued operations. This compares to £8,150,589 in 2023, including £1,557,424 from discontinued operations. The company’s pre-tax profit was £849,341, including £42,712 from discontinued operations. This compares to 1,098,007 in 2023, including £218,366 from discontinued operations. Dividends of £290,158 were paid (2023: £1,254,803).

 

Wirral operator set to open second site for all-day cafe bar concept, aiming to open further venues across region: Wirral operator Mustafa Ciftci is set to open a second site for his all-day cafe bar concept Muzzy's – and aims to open further venues across the region. Ciftci is in the “early stages” of bringing the concept to Heswall and is seeking to operate Muzzy’s at the former NatWest in the town at the junction of Pensby Road and Telegraph Road. Ciftci is also behind the Broadway Steak & Wine restaurants, which started life in Bebington. Last year, the company launched Broadway Meat House in Heswall, while Ciftci also operates a Muzzy’s in Birkenhead. A spokesperson told Insider Media: “Our journey with Muzzy’s began in 2019, when we opened our first site in Bebington. Like many small businesses, we went through extremely challenging periods – from the pandemic to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, rising supply costs, and the general pressures of running a business in today’s economy. Despite all of this, the local community continued to stand by us. We have always focused on serving fresh, good-quality food at affordable prices, and we believe that honesty and consistency are what earned the trust of our customers. That trust is what gave us the strength and confidence to expand. Opening in Heswall is a big step for us. Our hope is simple: to become one of the community's favourite places to eat, working alongside the amazing local businesses already in town. And if everything goes well, our long-term plan is to open more Muzzy's sites across the Wirral.”

 

Manchester operator opens first kiosk site and first location outside city for Detroit pizza concept: Manchester operator Samir Makin has opened the first kiosk site – and first location outside of the city – for his Detroit pizza concept Dough Club. Makin founded Dough Club in 2024 and has grown it to three locations within Greater Manchester. He has now expanded the concept with a launch inside The Broadway shopping centre in Bradford. Makin said: “Store four: our first Dough Club kiosk. Now open inside The Broadway, Bradford. This marks a new chapter for Dough Club: a fully self-contained quick service restaurant (QSR) concession model designed for shopping centres, retail parks and transport hubs. Compact footprint, fast service, same signature Detroit flavour. It’s been a big year of learning, building and adapting, and this new format feels like the next step in where QSR is heading for us.” Makin is also behind gourmet burger concept Shakedown, which also has three Greater Manchester locations plus two in Edinburgh. The latest location opened last month, in the former Sam’s Fry fish and chip shop in the Scottish capital’s Milton Road West.

 

Midlands holiday park working to ‘reverse a decline experienced largely due to changing market conditions’: Midlands holiday park business Avon Estates has said it is working to “reverse a decline experienced largely due to changing market conditions”. The company, which operates eight holiday parks with a total of 800 pitches, saw its turnover fall from £13,948,708 in 2023 to £10,565,312 in the year to 31 December 2024. Its pre-tax profit dropped from £2,288,683 to £898,112 despite its costs falling by more than £2m. Director Nick Allen said: “With the company being at the heart of a growing tourist town in Stratford-upon-Avon, it previously enjoyed healthy growth, particularly in the sale of holiday and residential park homes. However, in recent years, the business has experienced a decline, largely due to changing market conditions due to financial uncertainty. Management remains focused on reversing this trend and are looking to capitalise on the continued interest of UK residents in owning a holiday or residential home within the UK. The housing market remained slow throughout the year, which significantly impacted sales across our residential parks. Additionally, increased financial pressure on households contributed to a downturn in the holiday home market. Despite these challenges, touring and holiday hire operations remained buoyant, showing resilience in the face of broader economic challenges.” Dividends of £100,000 were paid (2023: £250,000).

Essex Bangladeshi and Indian restaurant concept opens third site in as many years: Essex Bangladeshi and Indian restaurant concept Kaani Kaana has opened a third site in as many years. The company, which has locations in Chelmsford and Upminster, has now opened at 58 Queen’s Road in Buckhurst Hill. Founded in 2022 by Sadiq Ahmed, Kaani Kaana was last month named National Takeaway of the Year at The Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards. The company shared on Facebook: “Our third branch in just three years – and honestly, we couldn’t have done it without your support, encouragement and patience along the way. Buckhurst Hill was always part of the vision, and as we’ve worked on this site, we’ve made sure to respect the character and history of the building so the space still feels like part of the community. This one feels special.”

 

Cardiff brewery expands to Kent for third taproom: Cardiff’s Mad Dog Brewery has expanded to Kent for its third taproom. The business, acquired by the Waters family in 2021, has opened in the cellar of what was what was once The Gloster Tavern – Tunbridge Wells’ very first hotel – on the Lower Pantiles. The site join’s Mad Dog’s other taprooms in Cardiff and Brighton and offers craft beer, wine and cocktails, as well as pizza and bar snacks. Tim Waters, founder of Mad Dog Brewery, said: “Our range of drinks is designed to appeal to everyone, making beer more accessible while also ensuring those who prefer wine or spirits are well catered for. We look forward to becoming a part of the Tunbridge Wells community.”

 

Kent operators to open new pub in Margate tomorrow: Kent operators Billy Stock and Ellie Topham will tomorrow (Friday, 5 December) open a new pub in Margate. The couple will launch The Wellington on a historic site in Margate’s Old Town, at 1 Duke Street, serving classic pub dishes with a French influence. The pub has been through many incarnations since first opening as The Duke of Wellington in 1849, and its latest one will see it divided into separate pub and dining rooms sections. The pub will serve draught beers including Meteor, Guinness and local guest IPAs on rotation, alongside Anglo-French snacks such as duck sausage roll, Welsh rarebit, chips with Hollandaise and carottes râpées. The dining room, meanwhile, will offer dishes such as Longland Farm roast duck, duck-neck sausage, liver parfait and duck fat fried bread, plus pies for two in flavours including chicken, leek and girolle, and beef cheek and snail suet pudding. Stock worked in London restaurants St John, Rochelle Canteen and The Marksman, before moving to Kent to open award-winning pub and dining room The Rose in Wickhambreaux. Topham started her hospitality career with Living Ventures in Manchester and has also worked in London for Soho House, Grind and Kym’s by A Wong, as well as Barletta and Updown Farmhouse in Kent. While the duo have previously partnered for Nashville Hot Fried Chicken and Chixtock pop-ups and residencies in Kent and London, The Wellington will be their first permanent, bricks-and-mortar venture. Stock and Topham said” “We’re over the moon to be giving The Wellington a new lease of life as a proper pub and dining room. We will champion the best produce Kent has to offer, with some influences from across the Channel. We love Margate, so it’s an honour to be the new custodians of this historic site, taking it back to its roots as a public house.”