Investment group led by pop star turned hospitality entrepreneur acquires London restaurant Meraki and pizza business, looking at another group: The investment group led by pop star turned hospitality entrepreneur Recardo Patrick has acquired a London restaurant and a three-strong pizza business, and told Propel it is currently “looking at another group” too. Dunham Massey Investment Group, of which Patrick is chairman and a shareholder, has acquired Greek restaurant Meraki, which opened in Fitzrovia in 2016. Meraki was opened by Varun Talreja, who was behind the UK debut of US seafood concept Saltie Girl, and Peter Waney, who co-founded London restaurants Roka and Zuma. Patrick told Propel that Dunham Massey will only “fine tune and making small changes” to Meraki – and it will stay open throughout the process. Dunham Massey has also acquired Proove Pizza, which has two sites in Sheffield and one in Manchester, with plans to grow the business “like Rudy’s Neapolitan” and evolve it into a music-led concept. Proove Pizza – which is located at 160 Burton Road in West Didsbury, 261 Fulwood Road in Broomhill and 160-17 Orchard Square in Sheffield – was founded in 2015 by Deepak Jaiswal and Rob Engledow following a trip to Naples, where the co-founders “fell in love with the rich Italian flavours of original Neapolitan pizza and street food”. Meanwhile, Patrick also said Dunham Massey was among the bidders for French brasserie brand Côte before it was sold to the Karali Group in October. “It was disappointing; we were disappointed with the process and ended up wasting £100,000 in legal costs,” Patrick said. Earlier this year, Durham Massey acquired Thyme Café, near Sheffield Hallam University, and the Riva restaurant in Hale, Greater Manchester. Last year, Patrick invested in the luxury £300m AMOK nightclub on the island of Palma De Mallorca, which he said has been “phenomenal” so far, and which he is also developing as a business. Patrick rose to fame in the 1970s as the lead singer of British soul group Sweet Sensation and has also worked with likes of Prince, Micheal Jackson and Whitney Houston. Brandon Elmon, of Genius1 Group, acted on the Meraki deal.

 

St Austell Brewery marketing and communications director Laura Plum among speakers at 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit, open for bookings: Laura Plum, marketing and communications director at St Austell Brewery, will be among the speakers at the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit. Plum 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.

 

Propel’s sector-leading guide to the UK’s 500 largest hospitality companies returns, to be made free to Premium subscribers on day of publication: The Propel 500 – 2026 report will analyse the companies leading the charge in hospitality, reporting on turnover, number of sites, and key staff. The guide will also include exclusive analysis to provide a full understanding of the market’s dynamics. Mark Wingett will delve into the mergers and acquisitions shaping the future of the top 500. Tim Street dissects the UK’s rapidly-developing franchise market and, as the experiential leisure sector becomes a cornerstone of modern hospitality, Katherine Doggrell will assess the rise of deals in the sector, as well as the shifts in the hotel industry. Data expert Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, will look at emerging growth sectors and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova will analyse the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market. Propel 500 – 2026 will be released on Friday, 9 January at 9am and will be available free to Premium Club subscribers. The report will be available to non-Premium Club subscribers for £595 plus VAT. 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.

 

Zonal to host webinar putting late-night safety under the lens: Hospitality technology provider Zonal is hosting a webinar that puts late-night safety under the lens. Featuring Nightcap founder Sarah Willingham, Boxpark chief operating officer Ben McLaughlin, Sylvia Oates, ambassador of safety scheme Ask for Angela, and hosted by industry advisor Ann Elliott, the webinar aims to support operators looking to make customers feel safer. With almost 30% of consumers saying they now go out earlier because it makes them “feel safer”, it is no surprise two-thirds of business leaders (65%) are seeing a year-on-year drop in late-night footfall, according to the latest GO Technology report. The webinar delivers new insight, ideas and advice. These include how the sector can address spiking concerns through proactive measures like spiking kits and welfare officers; the importance of training to spot early warning signs; and how hospitality businesses can collaborate with each other and local authorities to create spaces that feel safer. The webinar will be sent to all Propel subscribers today (Tuesday, 16 December) at 9am.

 

Caffe Nero founder – ‘coffee drinkers should get used to high prices’: Gerry Ford, the founder and chief executive of Caffe Nero, has said coffee drinkers should get used to high prices and that these were unlikely to fall in the foreseeable future – even if bean costs finally begin to drop after two years of unprecedented rises. Ford told The Telegraph: “You typically don’t have [price] cuts. What you have is you don’t have the same inflation, so instead of thinking ‘I’ll put up my prices now six months after the last one’, it might instead be 18 months.” Ford said commodity prices were “exorbitant right now”, but a cup of coffee was unlikely to get cheaper as the price involved more than just the cost of beans. He said: “Let’s say commodity prices in coffee go down, but milk prices go up. It might just mean that you’re not going to put up prices as rapidly because of the commodity prices.” US president Donald Trump’s tariff war has been blamed for forcing prices higher after he slapped tariffs on major coffee-exporting countries including Vietnam. Ford said that “the tariffs and trade wars in general between countries” had led to “a lot of uncertainty on our inbound costs”. He said: “I’m sympathetic as a consumer walking in and paying more. I get it, it feels like, ‘gosh, costs have gone up a lot’, but because the commodity price is so high, I am sympathetic to people who are selling coffee because they’re paying a lot more than they would have in years gone by.” Analysts have warned a £5 coffee may be the limit for people, with consumers choosing not to buy the drinks if prices tip over this level. Ford is conscious of this and said: “Other people tend to push up the prices beyond where we are, so we can see how the consumers react before we ever get there.” However, he said people have been more tolerant of high prices than he had expected, adding: “If you’d asked me this question 28 years ago, it would have had a different lid than now.”

 

Luxury hotels likely to pass on huge business rates rise to customers: A stay in a luxury London hotel is set to become even more expensive when some venues seek to pass on seven-figure increases in their business rates bills from next year. The Times reported changes to how business rates are calculated mean the collective annual bill for four and five-star hotels in the capital will increase by a quarter, from £335m to £416m, in the 2026-27 tax year, according to Savills. In the Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced “permanently lower tax rates for more than 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties” from 2026, which will be funded through a levy on larger properties with a “rateable value” – broadly equal to annual rental value – of £500,000 or more. As a consequence of this, two hotels in London will have their business rates bill increased by more than £1m next year, and another 16 will have it raised by more than £500,000. The annual increases will become “more severe” over time. In the 2027-28 year, Savills estimated the top hotels will have to pay £535m in total, and more than £645m in 2028-29. Hoteliers’ profit margins have already been put under pressure by a combination of increases to the minimum wage and national insurance contributions. Analysts think hotels may respond to the latest cost increase by putting up their nightly room rates. Thomas Emanuel, a director in Savills’ hotels division, said: “With further tax changes ahead, uncertainty persists, and in areas facing the steepest increases, we may see some combination of higher prices, tighter margins, or a gradual shift towards more technology-led and streamlined operations.” Room rates have already risen sharply since the pandemic. Data from CoStar, the real estate analytics provider, showed a five-star hotel in the UK cost, on average, £253.75 a night in October 2019. The average room rate in October 2025 was £357.17, a 41% increase. Emanuel said changes to how business rates are calculated will “impact hotel operators unevenly”. While three quarters of the 3,904 four and five-star hotels will see their annual bill go up, only about half of three-star hotels will see an increase.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a three-strong hospitality group that is seeking a general manager for one of its venues. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role includes managing multiple locations and concepts under one roof. The general manager will be responsible for maintaining trading standards and conducting audits to excel the guidelines. The individual will be apt with events and managing third parties, liaising with the marketing team to promote the venue.” The salary is up to £80,000. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com 

 

Chicken concept Baked Bird lines up two further openings, national and international interest: Baked Bird, the healthy baked chicken concept, has lined up two further opening for next year, amongst interest to take the business to further locations in the UK and international. The concept, which was founded by Vimal Arumugam and Shai Arumugam, opened its first physical location at Boxhall, in London’s Liverpool Street, earlier this year. The company, which is a “family-led business focused on healthier, innovative chicken dishes”, recently opened its first stand-alone site at 11 Goodge Street, Fitzrovia. Propel understands a third site will open in the first quarter of next year, in east London. A fourth site, in an as-yet-revealed location, is set to open next summer. Baked Bird, which is working with food and beverage advisory firm Urban Hospitality on its growth strategy, is also understood to have been approached about taking the concept to locations across the UK and internationally but is currently focused on building its company-owned estate. On the new Fitzrovia site, Baked Bird said: “Why Central London? Because we wanted to bring something different. Yes, there are chicken shops everywhere but are there baked chicken shops? No. We wanted to create something new. The journey hasn't been easy, but we've had support from some amazing people. We’ve had great feedback and we take it all on board. We're adapting, improving and growing every day.”

 

Growth Kitchen co-founder – ‘we could reach 15 to 20 brand partners within three years’, completes Coco di Mama pilot: Tom Gatz, co-founder of Growth Kitchen, the delivery franchising platform that works with The Athenian and Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK), has told Propel that there is no reason why the business wouldn’t be able to reach working with 15-20 restaurant brands within the next two to three years, as the importance of delivery continues to grow. Growth Kitchen, which has a network of 150-plus ‘host kitchens’, currently works with six businesses including Beer + Burger and Coqfighter. Gatz told Propel: “We are having lots of discussions with various brands. We do feel a slight effect from the economic landscape not being the best at the moment, but I wouldn't say it’s significant. It’s more of a long-term strategy for brands because delivery is here to stay. Our goal is primarily partnering with category leading brands from each top cuisine type. I suspect we will be adding more brands next year, and then long term, I don’t see why we wouldn’t be able to reach more than 15 to 20 brand partners within the next two to three years.” The business has recently completed a ten-site pilot with the Azzurri Group-owned Coco di Mama concept, which operates a delivery kitchen network through its ASK Italian and Zizzi brands. Gatz said: “We are now gearing up to scale the brand next year. For Coco di Mama, the partnership is a great way to extend the delivery kitchen strategy that it’s started with ASK Italian.” Growth Kitchen is on track to have 15 sites with GBK by the end of this year, with a target of having 100 sites with the brand within 18 months. Gatz said: “After delivering strong commercial and operational results, the partnership entered a formal scaling phase in October. A key component of the current growth strategy includes replacing delivery coverage in 12 locations recently sold to Honest Burgers, ensuring continuity of service and revenue in those catchments without the need for physical sites. The pilot proved we can replicate its handcrafted standards at scale, and now we’re focused on building one of the largest delivery footprints for any premium burger brand in the UK. This is a blueprint for how category-leading restaurant brands can grow faster, smarter and without the traditional risks.”

 

Black Sheep Coffee signs new franchise partnership for Oxfordshire: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee has signed a new development agreement covering Oxfordshire. The territory has been awarded to Anika Dhamecha and Ishaan Khiroya. Dhamecha is an existing Black Sheep franchisee who operates its St Albans store and has committed to extending this partnership into Oxfordshire. Black Sheep Coffee said the new stores will complement its existing Oxford city centre site. Izzy Childs, EMEA growth director, said: “Anika and Ishaan have already demonstrated their strength as operators, and we’re delighted to be growing our partnership with them. Oxfordshire represents a fantastic opportunity for Black Sheep Coffee, and we look forward to seeing their stores become an integral part of the county’s high streets and communities.” Black Sheep Coffee, which has more than 100 UK locations and four in the UAE and one in France, has in excess of 150 new UK sites now committed under multi-unit deals. The company will also open its new outlet in Norwich today (Tuesday, 16 December), in the former Byron Burger unit in Chantry Place.

 

F1 Arcade to make mainland European debut early next year: F1 Arcade, the Formula 1-licensed experiential brand, has said it will make its debut in mainland Europe, in Madrid, early next year. The business has confirmed it will open a flagship venue in early 2026 in Paseo de la Castellana 103. Spanning 1,500 square metres across two floors, the venue will have a 400-capacity, 71 state-of-the-art motion simulators, two VIP spaces, a 12-metre bar, private event areas and a dedicated social zone “inspired by the atmosphere of race day”. Jonathan Peters, who was named the new chief executive of F1 Arcade earlier this month, said: “We are delighted to bring F1 Arcade to Madrid as our first opening in continental Europe. I can’t think of a better location to launch our unique combination of F1 racing simulators, spectacular food and drink, and – most importantly – an experience that fosters social connection.” Pablo Juantegui, chief executive of Top Entertainment Iberia, which earlier this year took on the master franchising rights for F1 Arcade for the Iberian Peninsula, said: “We’re opening F1 Arcade at Paseo de la Castellana 103, our first venue in Spain, with a clear proposal: competitive and community-driven entertainment. Madrid will have a versatile space to enjoy, compete and celebrate.” In the summer, F1 Arcade 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.

 

Luxury fries brand launched by Dutch Michelin-starred chef makes UK debut: A luxury fries brand launched by a Dutch Michelin-starred chef has made its debut in the UK. Sergio Herman launched Frites Atelier in 2016 following the closure of his triple Michelin-starred restaurant, Oud Sluis, in Sluis, in the Netherlands, in 2013. Frites Atelier, which currently has three sites in Belgium – in Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent – and one in the Netherlands, in Roosendaal, has opened on the former Balans Soho No 34 site at 34 Old Compton Street, in London’s Soho. Earlier this year, Frites Atelier struck a partnership with world-renowned chef and restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi to become its global partner in rolling out the brand in select cities. Giraudi has brought the international culinary scene brands such as Beefbar Global, Le Petit Beefbar, Rumore, Anahi and Zeffirino 1939, among many others. Samuel Nassimi, commercial property consultant at CDG Leisure, acted on the Soho deal.

 

Team behind Lazeez Tapas in London’s Mayfair’s launches fundraise for new QSR startup: The team behind fine Lebanese cuisine restaurant Lazeez Tapas in London’s Mayfair is seeking to raise up to £2m to fund the opening of a flagship site in the capital for Tahina, its new grab-and-go concept using artificial intelligence. The concept, which combines autonomous retail with fresh, healthy meals, said it is working towards a £1.5m to £2m investment round (SEIS/EIS approved) to open its flagship London store and scale its cashier-less technology. Emilio Malik and Javier Troitino-Ramos, who are behind Tahina, plan to open ten locations over the next three years and expand its presence through Tahina Capsules – modular, autonomous food units for offices, universities, hospitals and event venues. The company said its aim is to reach £10m in revenue and disrupt the £980bn global fast-food market. Troitino-Ramos said: “The traditional fast-food model is under pressure. Costs are rising, and customers expect much more. Tahina is providing a clear way forward with our technology driven approach.” Malik said: “With our technology and production model, we’re confident in our ability to grow into a £100m-plus brand over the next decade. People want fresh, sustainable meals without the premium price tag or long wait times – that’s exactly where we thrive.” Lazeez Tapas has been a fixture of Mayfair’s Duke Street for 16 years. Malik and Troitino-Ramos have decades of experience in the food industry, working for brands including Aubaine, EAT, Mitchells & Butlers and YO!

 

Mark Crowther joins Walcot Group as non-executive chairman: Mark Crowther, who is currently chairman of Portobello Starboard and Midlands pub company Pub People, has joined the board of Bath-based hospitality business Walcot Group as its new non-executive chairman to support the next stage of its growth. Last October, Crowther, the former chief executive of the Liberation Group, was named as chair of the Isle of Man-based Heron & Brearley. Walcot Group said Crowther’s appointment comes at an exciting time for the business, with several major capex schemes underway, adding rooms to its freehold pub estate while closing in on second sites for its Solina fresh pasta restaurant and Green Street butcher and sandwich shop. The business, which is owned and operated by James Still and his parents, Martin and Debbie Still, currently operates Green Street Butchers, Mother & Wild in Corsham, Little Walcot in Frome, Solina Pasta in Bath and flagship Walcot House, which is a restaurant, bar and events business. Earlier this year, the company submitted plans for a major refurbishment of The White Hart pub in Widcombe. Crowther said: “I have known and admired the Still family for many years as leading hospitality operators in the Bath area. I am delighted to now be supporting the wider business with its strong growth plans.” James Still said: “We are excited to have Mark join the Walcot Group team bringing his strong experience of growing many businesses at such an exciting time.”

 

Greggs opens third site for smaller shop format as trial continues: Food-to-go retailer Greggs has opened a third site for its smaller shop format – Bitesize Greggs – as it continues its trial. The company launched the format last month, in Sevenoaks railway station in Kent, with the second following in another Kent train station, in Dartford. A third site has now opened at the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet. Operating with a smaller footprint, Bitesize Greggs will be opened alongside more traditional, larger Greggs shops in line with the company’s growth plans and in response to “continued strong consumer demand”, averaging around four new shop openings per week. Greggs’ property director Tony Rowson said: “This busy shopping destination at Cheshire Oaks is a great location to continue to trial our new format to reach more customers on the go from compact units, while still offering a selection of our best-selling products. We have a number of other Bitesize Greggs openings planned, initially on a trial basis, and we look forward to announcing these in due course.”

 

Wingstop UK opens trio of new sites: Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has opened a trio of new sites – in Nottingham, Leicester and Glasgow. The brand has launched in the former McDonald’s premises in St Peter’s Square in Nottingham. Spanning 3,950 square foot, the site hosts 61 covers and is Wingstop’s second restaurant in the city, having opened a venue in the Cornerhouse leisure complex. Wingstop has opened its third Glasgow outlet, at the Silverburn shopping centre. The 3,509 square-foot site hosts 90 covers and adds to a restaurant in the St Enoch centre and a delivery kitchen in the city. Wingstop has also made its debut in Leicester, launching a 3,705 square-foot, 92-cover, restaurant at the Highcross shopping centre. The openings bring Wingstop UK’s total number of sites to 85, employing more than 3,000 people, with plans grow to as many as 200 sites within the next five years. Chris Sherriff, chief executive of Wingstop UK & Ireland, said: “With our Cornerhouse spot always busy, we’re excited to open our second spot in the heart of Nottingham. With our central St Enoch location thriving and already serving Glasgow city centre, Silverburn is the perfect place for our next restaurant. We’re also excited to finally open our first Wingstop in Leicester – it’s been our most requested city for a long time.” Last week, Wingstop UK opened its debut site in Ireland, at the Liffey Valley shopping centre in Dublin.

 

State of Play Hospitality opens tenth US Flight Club and brand’s 30th site overall: State of Play Hospitality, the international experiential leisure operator, has opened its tenth Flight Club site in the US, in Cincinnati, which is the brand’s 30th site globally. The Toby Harris-led State of Play Hospitality operates Flight Club, which is owned by Red Engine, under licence in the US. Flight Club made its US debut, in Chicago, in 2018. State of Play Hospitality recently added Minneapolis to its 2026 opening pipeline for Flight Club. Set to open in the North Loop in late 2026, Flight Club Minneapolis will be the 14th site under the brand in the US. State of Play Hospitality also has openings lined up in New York, Dallas and Seattle before mid-2026. Harris said: “Flight Club Cincinnati is our tenth in the US and the brand’s 30th globally – both significant milestones and a testament to Red Engine’s vision when it launched the concept in London ten years ago. Like all journeys there have been plenty of ups and downs, but to get to number ten nearly eight years after we opened our first Flight Club in Chicago is a moment to savour and be thankful. Bring on the next ten.”

 

Welsh Burger King franchisee returns to profit: Welsh Burger King franchisee UnionBurger returned to profit in the year to 30 March 2025. The company, led by Chris Baker, saw a pre-tax loss of £702,364 in 2024 turn into a profit of £1,073,843. Turnover rose to £21,339,290 from £19,195,841 the previous year. UnionBurger ended the financial year with 17 stores, and post year end, opened a new store in Caerphilly’s Castle Court shopping centre. Baker said: “The company delivered strong growth during the period. This performance was supported by a full year of trading from three stores that had opened part way through the previous financial year, contributing positively to revenue and operational momentum. In line with its strategic objectives, the company made significant investments throughout 2024-25 to support future expansion. These investments included two additional stores, one of which opened at the beginning of the 2025-26 financial year, with the second scheduled to open in the foreseeable future. Despite a challenging economic backdrop, the company achieved a profit before taxation of £1.07m. This result reflects the resilience of the business model and the effectiveness of its growth strategy, reinforcing confidence in the long-term profitability of the company. The group continues to monitor its portfolio of restaurants. Additionally, the group is always striving to embrace and adapt to changes in customer buying habits. This is evidenced by the group’s commitment to installing self-service kiosks at all restaurants and continuing with delivery services.” On opening the new site, Baker told the Caerphilly Observer: “I’ve been in the game for 40 years now and have been looking for sites in south Wales for the past few years. We usually go for drive-thru type ones, but this one will be more of a takeaway style.” Dividends of £280,000 were paid (2024: £350,000).

 

Market Place opens flagship site in London’s West End: Food hall concept Market Place has opened its new flagship site in the heart of London’s West End. Market Place Leicester Square has taken over a five-storey building beside the Odeon cinema, bringing “one of the largest and most ambitious food hall experiences the UK has seen”. The new venue features 16 independent kitchens, three stand-alone bars, and a dedicated events room, which features a huge screen showing the biggest sports games and major cultural moments. The weekly programme also includes comedy nights, live music and DJ sets. Among the traders, as reported by Propel last month, are independent bakery and baking school business Bread Ahead, London chicken sandwich concept Butchies and Club Mexicana, the vegan restaurant concept that offers Mexican and Californian-inspired street food. Market Place founder Blake Henderson said: “We started Market Place with one neighbourhood site in Peckham and in a few short years it has grown across the city. Leicester Square is the biggest leap forward yet. It is one of the most famous squares in the world and we are proud to bring our biggest Market Place yet right to the heart of the West End. This flagship is everything Market Place stands for – incredible food, great drinks, live entertainment and a space where Londoners and visitors can celebrate together.”

 

Hertfordshire McDonald’s franchisee opens sixth store: Hertfordshire McDonald’s franchisee Lansia has opened its sixth store. The company, founded in 2018 by former IT director Hubs Bakshi, has opened in Rickmansworth High Street – joining its sites in Potters Bar, Barnet, Bushey, Borehamwood and Stanmore. Bakshi said: “Delighted to announce the opening of our newest restaurant in Rickmansworth, serving the heart of the High Street and wider Three Rivers community. Today also marks a personal milestone of seven years since taking on my very first restaurant in Barnet High Street. From Barnet to Rickmansworth, the growth has been shaped entirely by the people around me: teams that show up, leaders that push forward and communities that welcome us in. This opening marks fresh investment into the town, new local roles, and a strengthened commitment to being an active community partner.” It comes after the then four-strong Lansia reported it made a loss in the year to 31 December 2024. A pre-tax profit of £411,142 in 2023 turned into a loss of £3,727 as turnover dropped from £21,683,679 to £20,875,502. Dividends of £43,000 were paid (2023: £4,000).

 

Joe Blake’s secures sixth London site: Speciality coffee and artisan bakehouse concept Joe Blake’s has secured its sixth site in London, near Charing Cross station. The business, which was founded by Sam Fry in 2020, is set to open at 2 Villiers Street. The business has taken a new five-year lease at the property, situated below Clermont Hotel Group. Joe Blake’s currently operates sites in Canary Wharf, Holborn, Westfield Stratford, Bond Street, and Ealing Broadway station. Callum Mortimer, of Four & Co, acted on the Villiers Street deal.

 

Mowchi opens in London’s Camden, Wembley site to follow: Bubble tea concept Mowchi, part of City Restaurant Group, has opened its sixth site, with a seventh set to open before Christmas. The new Camden site is located beneath the hub by Premier Inn, which sits at 115-119 Camden High Street. Mowchi, founded in 2022 by Afrikana brand and marketing director Syeda Kayanath, first launched in Birmingham’s Ladypool Road, in a site that has now closed. Mowchi has since added locations in Bradford, Lakeside in Essex and Mile End and East Ham in London, as well as securing a site in Canterbury in Kent. Mowchi will open a further site next week at the London Designer Outlet in Wembley, north London. Earlier this year, Mowchi signed a ten-year lease for a 1,385 square-foot space at the scheme. The business is understood to have further sites lined up in Aldgate in London, Nottingham and Leicester.

 

Whitbread opens new Premier Inn hotel in Hastings, further south coast expansion in the pipeline: Whitbread has opened a new Premier Inn hotel in Hastings. The company has transformed a former car park in Cornwallis Street into an 84-bedroom hotel, 3,000 square-metre hotel. The second Premier Inn in the East Sussex town, the hotel also features a ground-floor restaurant called The Social. Jordan Tomkinson, construction project manager at Whitbread, said: “Premier Inn Hastings town centre is a true regeneration story. We’ve transformed an under-utilised car park into a gleaming new Premier Inn hotel, investing in the local economy during construction and creating 25 permanent, good quality hospitality jobs.” Premier Inn, which operates around 850 hotels in the UK and Ireland, has further projects on the south coast in its pipeline. It will open a new hotel on Bognor Regis seafront next spring next year and has started clearing the site of a new 130-bedroom site in Littlehampton town centre. The company is also searching for a suitable location for the brand in Rye as part of a strategic growth programme in the southern Home Counties.

 

North east operator Apartment Group secures £2.4m funding package to refurbish and extend County Durham wedding venue: North east operator Apartment Group has secured a £2.4m funding package to refurbish and extend one of its wedding venues, in County Durham. The company acquired Whitworth Hall in 2020, amid plans to transform it into a boutique hotel. Based close to Spennymoor, the grade II-listed property has a new chapel and function suite capable of hosting 125 guests, alongside a complete refresh of the estate’s existing facilities. Work has included refurbishment of all 34 bedrooms. The funding has been provided by Now Develop North, the investment company managed by Newcastle fund management Tier One Capital. Apartment Group chief executive Stuart Bailey said: “With Develop North’s backing, we’ve created something really special that will offer a beautiful and memorable experience for couples and their guests.” Apartment Group also owns Northumberland venues Newton Hall and Le Petit Chateau, Runa Farm and Lartington Hall, which are both in Barnard Castle, and Grand Villa Heights in Ravenscar. The group also owns Newcastle bars ChachaBuchi, Howlers and The Social Club, and As You Like It in Jesmond. The company recently sold Nancy Bordello’s to new owners, and its Quayside venue The Cooperage is on the market.

 

Immersive production company to launch interactive Peppa Pig experience in the spring: Immersive production company Immersive Everywhere will launch “Peppa Pig: Surprise Party”, at the Metrocentre in Gateshead, in the spring. The experience – developed under licence from Hasbro and which will transport visitors into the world of Peppa Pig – has been put back after originally being billed to open this year. The multimillion-pound project marks a significant milestone for Immersive Everywhere as it embarks on its first partnership with a shopping centre. The venture builds on launches such as “The Traitors: Live Experience”, “Peaky Blinders: The Rise”, “Doctor Who: Time Fracture” and “The Great Gatsby”. The Gateshead venue will span more than 19,000 square feet and is designed for children aged one to six years. The experience will take them on a series of adventures as they interact with their favourite characters before ending with a surprise party. In the run-up to the launch, the Metrocentre has launched a Peppa Pig Market.

 

Cotswolds hospitality group to open fourth pub: Cotswolds hospitality group The Potted Goose Group will open its fourth pub in January. The team behind The Kingham Plough in Kingham, The Crown Inn in Enstone and The Hare in Milton-under-Wychwood will open The Norman Knight, a new country pub with rooms in the village of Whichford, near Shipston-on-Stour. Run by Matt and Katie Beamish, The Norman Knight represents the team’s largest and most complex opening to date. The venue brings together a full-scale pub and dining operation with overnight accommodation, including four bedrooms within the main building and five outdoor cabins. Set within a restored 17th-century former bakery overlooking the village green, the site has been extensively renovated to support a year-round operation. The pub will include seating for up to 80 covers, a central bar and two private dining spaces. Head chef Ray Pullen will lead a menu focused on seasonal British produce and elevated pub classics. Matt Beamish said: “The Norman Knight is our most ambitious project yet, but it stays true to what we do best – creating pubs that work for locals and visitors alike. Whichford is a special village, and our focus is on delivering something that becomes part of the community while offering the quality our guests expect.”

 

Middle Eastern restaurant business Voug to open new all-day concept: Voug, the Middle Eastern restaurant operator, is to open a new all-day dining concept in London’s Fitzrovia. The business, which already operates a site in Edgware Road, has secured the former Starbucks site at 77 Tottenham Court Road. Sanjeev Patel, managing director of real estate investment firm PPP Capital, the landlord of the Tottenham Court Road site, said: “Even as the market typically slows in the run-up to Christmas, activity around this prime building has been exceptionally strong. The property received multiple competing offers from food, leisure and retail operators, ultimately achieving a record-breaking rent for this stretch of Tottenham Court Road. The unit was vacant for only a few weeks before terms were agreed – a clear indication of the strong demand we continue to see in this part of the West End. Voug’s compact-format, all-day dining model is an excellent fit for the location and reflects the growing appetite for high-quality, efficient venues in busy urban environments.” Richard Wassell, of Twenty Retail, acted on the deal. 

 

Team behind Globe nightclub in London’s Notting Hill opens second site for Japanese-inspired sandwich shop concept: The team behind the Globe nightclub in London’s Notting Hill has opened a second site in the capital for its Japanese-inspired sandwich shop concept, The Secret Sandwich. The Secret Sandwich made its debut in 2021, opening in Talbot Road. Now, the concept has launched inside Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, on the store’s lower ground floor, reports Hot Dinners. The sandwiches are based on the Japanese “Wanpaku sando” with varieties such as the Egg Salad Sando and The Hungry Dane, all tucked into Japanese Shokupan bread. The Harvey Nichols site offers an LA-inspired matcha menu alongside Japanese-influenced cocktails.

 

Experienced duo launch new restaurant concept in London’s King’s Road: Alessandro Verdenelli and Daniele Pampagnin, who have worked at restaurants, hotels, and private clubs in London and internationally, including KX private members’ club in Chelsea, have launched a new restaurant concept. The duo have opened Beef & Bass at 356-360 King’s Road in Chelsea. The 4,512 square-foot restaurant specialises in premium cuts of beef and wild sea bass. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed into a 14-cover speakeasy bar. The main restaurant will feature an open kitchen and a charcoal grill, as well as a discreet private dining room, where chefs will prepare signature dishes over live fire, complemented by a curated selection of house specialities. A refined cocktail list and a selection of wine will accompany the menu. Pampagnin said: “Launching Beef & Bass on the King’s Road felt like a natural fit. We’re thrilled to bring our vision to life here.”