State of Play Hospitality CEO – Flight Club has great momentum in the US, 90% of group revenue over next year will come from stateside operations: Toby Harris, chief executive of State of Play Hospitality, the international experiential leisure operator, has told Propel that Flight Club has got “great momentum in the US” and that 90% of the group’s revenue over the next year will come from its operations stateside. The business operates Flight Club, which is owned by Red Engine, under licence in the US. Last month, it opened Flight Club Cincinnati, State of Play’s tenth Flight Club in the US and the brand’s 30th globally. Harris said: “When you look ahead to the next 12 months, probably over 90% of our revenues will be in the US. Flight Club is a phenomenal concept and we’ve got great momentum. We opened four sites in 2025 and we’re opening another four this year – Seattle, which will be in March, New York in April/May, and then Dallas and Minneapolis towards the back end of the year. Those are all locked and loaded. And then when we go into 2027, we’ve got one close to being signed, which we expect to open early next year. I think we’ll do three in 2027. We’ve gone about it perhaps a little differently to some others. We’ve been very thoughtful and we are very disciplined with our site selection. Everyone knows how expensive Flight Clubs or any of these concepts are to build, so we don’t want to get any of them wrong. The market has softened out here, and that’s one of the reasons we’re so pleased with the Flight Club momentum. Post-covid, there was a rising tide, and I think everyone was doing well, but we still remain in positive same-store sales territory despite a softening of the market. What that is doing is giving us even more opportunity on the real estate side. So, it’s not that the pipeline has become easy, but it certainly feels a lot easier now Flight Club is better established as a concept and is better known. When I think about my conversation with landlords, developers and brokers five to seven years ago, you would say darts and that would raise eyebrows. People wouldn’t understand the concept. But when I was talking to someone about the opening of Flight Club in New York, they had actually been to one, and that makes those conversations so much easier. The biggest challenge out here is to build consistency and quality on a national basis.” The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel’s 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 and future trends. It also provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since 2024’s study, with 3,700 sites. The report is available free to Premium Club 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.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,518 operators and 31 new companies on Friday: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database on Friday (30 January), at midday. The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,518 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 1,019 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 803 (23%) pub and bar operators, 617 (18%) cafe bakery operators, 496 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 289 (8%) hotel operators, 237 (7%) experiential leisure operators and 55 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes 31 new companies. The database includes new companies in the cafe bakery sector such as speciality coffee and artisan bakehouse concept Joe Blake’s, London patisserie and café concept Le Choux and Ukrainian coffee concept Kava. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five additional databases: the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, 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 chief operating officer – editorial, 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.

The Access Group sees turnover increase to £1.16bn as hospitality software companies make ‘meaningful progress’, paid £365.5m to acquire Paytronix: Software company The Access Group, the parent company of ResDiary, Wireless Social and Guestline, has reported revenue increased 15% to £1,161,095,000 for the year ending 30 June 2025 compared with £1,007,961,000 the previous year. Adjusted Ebitda grew to £452,389,000 from £412,483,000 the year before. The company made an operating loss of £1,505,000 compared with a loss of £26,627,000 the previous year, which reflected the higher amortisation charge of £389m due to intangibles generated on acquisitions. The Access Group made ten acquisitions in the period, including three in the hospitality sector. The accounts revealed The Access Group paid £365.5m to acquire Paytronix in October 2024, in what was “one of the group’s most significant acquisitions in its 30-plus-year history that gave us a major step forward in expanding our offering in the United States”. For the period since the acquisition to 30 June 2025, Paytronix reported turnover of £41.4m and a loss of £0.8m. The company paid £29.7m to acquire QikServe in September 2024. For the period since the acquisition to 30 June 2025, QikServe reported turnover of £6.9m and a profit of £0.1m. Access Group also acquired New Zealand-based Staah in December 2024 for £29.5m – its first APAC headquartered hospitality business. Staah reported turnover of £4.2m, with a profit of £0.5m. Chief financial officer Rob Binns said: “Our hospitality software companies have made meaningful progress supported by targeted investment and a renewed focus on innovation. Access Accommodation achieved £71m revenue in FY25 (FY24: £63m) and 18% order intake growth, reinforcing the core value proposition behind our M&A strategy in this division. With 93% of our revenue recurring and adjusted Ebitda of £452m, Access continues to be a highly resilient, financially robust business. This year we cemented our financial position further by securing additional lending facilities of £900m, and also reaffirming our interest rate hedging strategy, providing greater certainty around future cash flows in a volatile economic environment.” The business works with sector companies including Stonegate Group, Itsu, Young’s and Mowgli.

The Avocado Show co-founder – ‘there’s always something about hospitality that brings you back’: The co-founder of restaurant franchise The Avocado Show has said “there’s always something about hospitality that brings you back”, as he prepares to launch several new concepts. Julian Zaal co-founded the healthy food franchise with Ron Simpson in The Netherlands in 2020, growing it to six sites in continental Europe before making its UK debut in 2021, in Princes Street, near Oxford Circus in London. Zaal sold the business in 2022, and the following year, The Avocado Show opened its second UK location, on the ex-Benito’s Hat site in London’s Covent Garden. There was talk of further UK expansion – into cities such as Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, Guildford and Brighton – but these never materialised and both UK sites have now shut. The company’s website currently lists just one location – in Hamburg, Germany. Zaal said: “I never expected to return to hospitality. After selling The Avocado Show in 2022, the spark was gone. The fun had faded, and for a while, I truly believed that chapter of my life had closed. But there’s always something about hospitality that brings you back. Four years later, I’m back with renewed energy and a fresh perspective. I’ve built three new concepts, each one reconnecting me with what I love most about this industry: the creativity, the chaos, and the people. Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing more about these concepts and the realities of building hospitality concepts from scratch alongside an incredible team.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a London group that is looking for a senior finance leader. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This is a six-month maternity cover role with potential for extension, ideal for an experienced qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA). The position will take ownership of group-wide financial control, reporting and compliance.” The salary is up to £90,000. For more information, email oliwia@corecruitment.com

 

Yard Sale Pizza CEO – sales up 3% driven by an increase in orders, regional site 12-18 months away, no interest in franchising at present: Stephen Hollis, chief executive of Yard Sale Pizza, the London restaurant and delivery business backed by Piper, has told Propel that the company’s sales for its financial year are ahead by 3%, driven by an increase in sales and not by price, and that exploring a regional launch for the brand was 12-18 months away. Hollis, formerly of Soul Foods Group and Nando’s, joined the 15-strong business as its new chief executive last October. The business, which was co-founded by Johnnie Tate and Nick Buckland in 2014, will open its 16th site next month, in East Finchley, as it looks to grow to 40 sites over the next five years. Hollis told Propel: “Trading is really good. We had a pretty decent Christmas. Year to date, our sales are up just over 3%, and that’s not driven by price, because the last time we took price was April last year. We’re seeing our orders going up, and that's driving sales, rather than sales being driven by price. We’ve got a really good pricing structure. After East Finchley, we have exchanged on another site, which is probably going to open late spring/early summer, and Luc (de Blaquière, property director) is building the pipeline up really well. I’ll never use the word rollout or scale; it’s just growing the company at a pace that’s appropriate for the business.” On a regional launch, Hollis said: “I reckon within the next 12-18, months, we’d like to have identified where we’re going. We’ve got to find the right city or the right town and the right strategy, because, we would like to do lots of individual sites. Within the next 12 to 18 months, we’ll have a better steer on where we’re going, if not, ready to move forward on that. There’s no panic, because we know London’s our heartland and there is plenty more opportunity here.” Hollis said that franchising is not in the brand’s immediate future, adding: “Never, say never. I’m sure it could happen eventually, but it’s not on my radar at the moment.”

 

Neos Hospitality to launch dual concept at former Tiger Tiger site: Neos Hospitality, the Russell Quelch-led business, will open its first-ever venue combining the company’s Bonnie Rogues and Barbara’s Bier Haus brands, at the former Tiger Tiger site in London’s Haymarket. Propel revealed earlier this month, that Neos was to make its debut in central London after acquiring the former Tiger Tiger site in London’s West End. The landmark West End location will undergo a multi-million-pound redevelopment, which will bring two concepts together under one roof for the first time. Opening this summer, the redevelopment will completely rebuild the landmark building from the ground up, creating a venue designed for all-day trading, from daytime drinks and dining through to late-night entertainment. Neos said: “Bonnie Rogues will bring its modern, rebellious take on the British pub, featuring bold flavours, live entertainment and sing-along moments. Barbara’s Bier Haus will deliver its signature après ski party atmosphere, with dancing bartenders in lederhosen, ski shots, three feet beer towers, a gondola photo booth and immersive themed music and décor.” Quelch, chief executive of Neos, said: “London is the natural next step for our brands. We’ve seen incredible success across the UK with both Bonnie Rogues and Barbara’s Bier Haus, and the capital offers a unique opportunity to bring our concepts to a wider, more diverse audience. Acquiring the Haymarket site allows us to deliver a flagship venue that reflects everything Neos stands for in one of the city’s most iconic nightlife locations. We’ve been working closely with the landlord, Criterion Capital, for over a year to create something truly special. This isn’t just a bar, it’s a destination.” Quelch said that the Haymarket redevelopment represents a “strategic move to establish the group’s presence in the capital”. More details, including the official opening date, will be announced in the coming months.

 

Esquires Coffee owner to expand to UAE after signing agreement with multi-site franchisee in south east of England: Esquires Coffee owner Cooks Coffee Company has signed a master franchise agreement for the UAE with one of its unnamed multi-site franchisees in the south east of England. Cooks Coffee Company stated: “The UAE is one of the fastest growing markets for speciality coffee outlets globally with the growth projected to be 10%-12% per annum driven by expanding tourism and high expat population growth fuelling demand. This is a ten-year agreement, with a right of renewal and provides for the opening of a minimum of 50 Esquires Coffee outlets in the UAE over the term of the agreement. The parties to the agreement are successful operators in the UK with multiple stores in the south east of England. This agreement represents a further step in the group's international expansion strategy and supports the continued growth of the Esquires Coffee brand in key global markets. Further announcements will be made as appropriate.” In November, Cooks Coffee Company reported its Esquires brand had reached the 100-site mark in the UK and Ireland following the opening of its first site in partnership with Tesco in Ireland, in Tullamore. Cooks Coffee Company also said group revenue for the six months ending 30 September 2025 grew 111% to NZ$5.77m (£2.49m) compared with NZ$2.74m (£1.18m) the year before. Total store sales in the UK increased 26.7% to NZ$33.2m (£14.34m) while like-for-like sales in the UK were up 3.5%. Group Ebitda for the period was NZ$0.61m (£263,471) compared with NZ$0.81m (£349,855) the year before.

  

Star Pubs to roll out 35 new managed operator Just Add Talent sites in 2026: Heineken-owned Star Pubs is to roll out 35 new managed operator Just Add Talent (JAT) sites in 2026. The first of these is The Earl of Beaconsfield in Cambridge city centre, which reopened at the weekend following a 15-month closure. The expansion will bring the number of JAT sites in the Star Pubs estate to more than 250 by the end of the year. The £330,000 upgrade of The Earl of Beaconsfield, once a wet-led pub, has transformed the pub into a wet-led local offering sports, music and entertainment. The exterior now features a courtyard garden seating 40, complete with a 26-capacity open garden room with a TV. The interior incorporates a bar, a lounge and a games room. The Earl of Beaconsfield also hosts regular karaoke and live acts. Star Pubs operations director Mick Howard said: “Reopening a closed pub and returning it to the community is a great way to start the year. Cambridge city centre has a wide range of hospitality venues but in the pub’s vicinity there’s a gap in the market for a premium wet-led local with a great sports offer.”

  

Wells & Co brings managed house business together under single leadership: Brewer and retailer Wells & Co has brought its managed house business in the UK and France together under a single leadership. Rob Calderbank, who joined Wells & Co in November 2024, has been named operations director for the UK and France. A spokesperson for Wells & Co told Propel: “Following the recent success in our UK managed house business, we’re delighted Rob Calderbank has expanded his remit to lead Wells & Co’s managed house business across both the UK and France. Bringing our managed houses together under one leadership allows us to operate as a single, aligned estate, strengthening collaboration, sharing best practice and building consistency across our pubs in both markets. This joined-up approach supports our teams and ensures guests enjoy the same high-quality experience wherever they visit.” Under his new role, Calderbank, who previously worked for Greene King, continues to report to retail director Benjamin Smith, who retains oversight across the full pub estate. Wells & Co has circa 25 managed houses in the UK and 19 in France, and around 200 in total. In October, chief executive Peter Wells told Propel the company could “easily” double the size of its French estate. Wells & Co, which last year marked 30 years since opening its first pub in France, now operates pubs across Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Montpellier, Lyon, Lille, La Rochelle, Strasbourg and Reims. “I think we could comfortably get to 40 through the development of more pubs in the cities we have, and then by starting to roll out elsewhere,” he said.

 

Iro Sushi reports like-for-like sales increase 19% in 2025, with total system sales up 29%: Sushi brand Iro Sushi has reported like-for-like sales increased 19% in the 52 weeks ended 31 December 2025, with total system sales up 29% to £18.5m. The group opened five new stores in the period – in Canterbury, Newbury, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and West Hampstead – to reach 30 UK locations, while the total number of customers served was up 55% to 1.1m. It sold more than 2.6 million portions of chicken katsu curry, nearly 100,000 portions of chicken gyozas and nearly 150,000 portions of its salmon selection box. Further locations are due to open, in Woking and Tunbridge Wells, at the end of January, and with an immediate a pipeline of eight other locations, the group expects to open at least ten sites in 2026. Founded in 2014 by trained sushi chef Chhong Sherpa, Iro Sushi has previously said it is aiming to sign its first international market in 2026 and is looking to scale to 100 locations globally by 2030. Sherpa said: “It’s been a fantastic 12 months. We’ve worked tirelessly to bring new dishes to market, open new stores in locations where we didn’t have an existing presence and executed high-impact campaigns to drive new customer acquisition and repeat visits. This has culminated in very strong performance, with near-20% like-for-like revenue growth. Consumers across the UK are increasingly demanding high-protein, healthy and authentic meals for lunch and dinner. Too often, they are let down by inferior products or supermarket-quality, but at Iro Sushi, we’re on a mission to change that. We have two new sites set to open in towns that we see as having huge potential – and a long-list of locations, and franchisees that we are in active discussions with.”

 

Chick-fil-A gears up for London debut: US brand Chick-fil-A, which made its return to England last year with an opening in Leeds, is gearing up to make its debut in London. Propel revealed in April 2024 that Chick-fil-A had secured a site in Kingston-upon-Thames in south west London, as it started building its opening pipeline here, acquiring the freehold of the HSBC site in Eden Street/Clarence Street. The business has now begun work on the site and is looking for staff, with an opening date believed to be scheduled for the end of next month/start of March. Last year, Chick-fil-A entered a new licensing partnership for Northern Ireland with service station operator Applegreen, and locations subsequently opened at Applegreen’s Lisburn South motorway service area on the M1, and at Applegreen Templepatrick on the M2. Last autumn, Propel revealed that the brand had submitted plans to open a site in Liverpool’s Lord Street. The openings are part of the company’s commitment to open five restaurants in the UK in the next two years and invest $100m in the market throughout the next ten years.

 

Smash burger brand to open ten new UK stores in 2026, begun talks on further international opportunities: Smash burger brand Smacks has said it will open ten new UK stores in 2026 and has begun talks on further international opportunities. Propel first revealed in 2024 that the then ten-strong business, founded in 2021 by Kaysor Ali, was targeting 100 UK locations and was lining up an international debut. It has since grown to 15 UK sites as well as launching in Dubai, and earlier this month said it was focusing international expansion on the Middle East after signing with franchise consultancy Presman & Colard – with a US launch also on the cards. Giving up update on those plans, Ali said: “We plan to open ten new primary location sites this year, to take us to 25 stores. This will give us an even stronger foundation from which we can really accelerate our growth and move closer to our aim of reaching 100 stores over the next four years. Presman & Colard have already received interest for franchises in some of the highly affluent GCC countries and are connecting us with prospective partners who can match our ambition for scaling Smacks. We expect to begin roll-out across the Middle East this year. It’s too early to mention store numbers at this stage, but the region has huge potential for us. Our store in Motor City has performed incredibly well. We believe Smacks has significant international appeal with a scalable and relevant offer that will work in nearly all markets, and the success we have seen to date in Motor City reinforces that thinking. As well as the Middle East, we have seen demand for our brand from other international markets such as the US, Canada and Europe. There are long-term opportunities for us, and we've already begun talks and early-stage planning in these areas. Our immediate focus for 2026 is to scale the UK and the Middle East, but we are open to discussions with master franchise experts in other areas of the globe.”

 

Dave’s Hot Chicken to launch Leicester site next month: US brand Dave’s Hot Chicken, which is being rolled out in the UK by the Azzurri Group, is to open a site in Leicester next month, as it moves closer to having 15 sites in the UK by the end of June. The brand, which made its UK debut in autumn 2024, in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue, will open on the former Pret A Manger site at 25–27 Gallowtree Gate, in the city. Jim Attwood, managing director of Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, said: “Leicester has a strong food identity and a real appreciation for big, confident flavours, so it’s a city we’ve had our eye on for some time. We’re excited to finally be opening our doors and introducing more people to what Dave’s Hot Chicken is all about. This opening is an important part of our UK growth, but it’s also about becoming part of the local community. We’re looking forward to welcoming Leicester locals and sharing our take on Nashville-style hot chicken with them.” Propel revealed last week that the brand is set to make its debut in the south west, with an opening in Bristol. Propel understands that the brand, which currently operates seven sites here, has lined up an opening in the Glass Walk part of the Cabot Circus retail scheme. It also has an opening lined up in Sheffield, while further launches in 2026 will include debut sites in Wales and Ireland, with openings in Cardiff and Dublin.

 

Zuma signs multi-year deal with Mercedes F1 to curate global hospitality programme: Zuma, the Japanese restaurant brand with more than 25 locations worldwide that is owned by Azumi, has signed a multi-year commercial partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team, becoming its exclusive lifestyle and dining curator. The deal includes activations at selected Grand Prixes, including Monaco, Silverstone, Madrid and Abu Dhabi, alongside a presence at the team’s Miami and Las Vegas clubs. Additional locations and events are expected to be announced. Sven Koch, chief executive of Azumi, said: “Our multi-year partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team marks a defining moment not only for Zuma, but for the hospitality industry as a whole. This collaboration moves us beyond traditional dining and into true cultural curation, shaping how people connect, celebrate, and experience excellence at the highest level.” Mercedes team principal and chief executive, Toto Wolff, said the partnership would enhance the team’s off-track offering. He added: “Working with Zuma, a globally recognised leader in lifestyle and dining, enables us to elevate our world-leading hospitality offering even further and unlock the full potential of our spaces around the world.” Founded in 2002 by Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney, Zuma operates restaurants across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, including sites in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, Las Vegas, Madrid and Riyadh, as well as a series of seasonal pop-ups in high-end resort locations. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

 

Marston’s launches new induction programme for aspiring pub partners: Marston’s has launched a new pub partner induction programme. Marston’s said as the first major pub company to introduce a partnership model in 2008, it continues to invest in the “tools, skills and support that help partners build thriving pubs at the heart of their communities”. Following a successful pilot phase, Marston’s said the new induction provides a tailored experience built around the needs, experience levels and ambitions of each incoming partner. Each pathway includes a structured two-day induction at Marston’s pub support centre; access to a 12‑week onboarding plan; a blend of face-to-face learning, online modules and self-guided development; clear expectations and business readiness activities; and ongoing performance reviews. Neil Campbell, chief operating officer at Marston’s, said: “Partnerships have always been at the heart of our business. This new induction reflects our commitment to supporting talented, ambitious operators with the structure, insight and hands-on guidance they need to succeed. Whether someone is new to the industry or stepping into their next chapter as an experienced operator, we want them to feel confident, capable and ready to make an impact from day one.”

 

XP Factory closes Essex Boom Battle Bar location following ‘disappointing footfall’: XP Factory has closed one of its Boom Battle Bar locations in Essex following “disappointing footfall” at the site. The group has closed the Boom Battle Bar in Southend’s The Victoria shopping centre just two years after opening it. The group’s other two Essex sites, in Chelmsford and at the Lakeside shopping centre, remain open. A Boom Battle Bar spokesperson said: “XP Factory took the difficult decision to permanently close the Boom Battle Bar Southend-on-Sea venue as that location was impacted by local economic challenges and disappointing footfall. We’d very much like to thank our team and guests for all the support shown during our time in the city.” The closure leaves XP Factory, which also operates the Escape Hunt brand, with 19 UK Boom Battle Bar locations, plus one in Dubai. In December, XP Factory reported a 15% increase in adjusted Ebitda for the 26 weeks to 28 September 2025 to £1.7m, with group revenue up 13.1% to £28.2m. The group said Escape Hunt owner-operated site revenue increased 12.7% to £7.3m, while Boom Battle Bar owner-operated revenue increased 16.0% to £20.4m during the period. Site level Ebitda increased 8% to £6.1m. Escape Hunt reported UK like-for-like growth up 1.8% in the period, while Boom saw UK like-for-like sales fall 6.8%.

 

Ollie’s House team plans new neighbourhood diner/deli concept: The team behind the pan-Asian, all-day concept Ollie’s House is working on a neighbourhood diner/deli concept called The Daily Tray, Propel has learned. The concept’s offer is described as being inspired by “classic NYC diners, old-school city delis and much-loved UK greasy-spoons” and that by night, “the space shifts into a NYC and Detroit-style pizza spot”. It is thought that a site in East Dulwich is under consideration for the first opening under the concept. Last spring, the team behind Ollie’s House launched a new pizza venue in London’s Clapham Common. The team opened Common Pizza on the former Megan’s Terrace site and traded it over the summer before closing it for the winter. The venue is set to reopen this spring. Ollie’s House, which is the brainchild of Oliver Norcliffe, a former operations manager at bakery and café concept Gail’s, launched in the former Cote site in Fulham Road, Chelsea, in 2022. A year later, the Ollie’s House team opened a second site, on the ex-Megan’s site in Parsons Green. Ollie’s House is described as being inspired by “Bali resorts with a pan-Asian menu featuring noodles, curries and more”.

 

IHG to bring Ruby Hotels brand to US: IHG Hotels & Resorts is to bring its Ruby Hotels brand to the US with an opening in downtown Chicago. Ruby Group will develop and operate the hotel under a 30-year franchise agreement with IHG, overseeing the comprehensive renovation and repositioning of the historic Inn of Chicago building. Work on the 22-storey hotel with 412 rooms and bar is expected to begin in the latter half of 2026. Ruby Group is developing the project together with Orange County-based Berk Properties. Jolyon Bulley, chief executive, Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “We’re excited to bring our first US Ruby Hotel to Chicago, an iconic city with a deep architectural and cultural legacy. This flagship signing underscores the brand’s strong growth potential and momentum in key locations across the Americas and around the world.” Michael Struck, founder and chief executive of Ruby Group, said: “This project marks a significant milestone for Ruby Group and its international growth.” The introduction of Ruby Hotels to the US comes less than a year after IHG’s acquisition of the brand, and just four months after its US development availability, as it aims to grow the brand to more than 120 global hotels during the next decade and more than 250 during the next 20 years. Founded in Germany in 2013, Ruby’s expanding presence includes 35 open and pipeline hotels across major European cities.

 

Lancaster Brewery Company to open new bar in Carlisle station next month for sixth site: Brewery and pub operator, Lancaster Brewery Company, will open a new bar in Carlisle station next month for its sixth site. The company operates Lancaster Brewery and its taproom, The Sun in Lancaster, The Duke of Edinburgh in Barrow-in-Furness, the Mill in Ulverston and The Tite & Locke – its first station bar – at Lancaster station. The company will next month open Scott & Hussey at Carlisle station, inside the former waiting room that previously housed the 301 Miles from London bar. The grade II-listed room on platform four will be transformed into a heritage-inspired bar with a new mezzanine floor and two beer gardens. The bar is expected to offer eight cask ales and eight keg beers on the front bar, with a further 12 keg taps planned on the back bar. The venue is also expected to stock around 30 to 40 gins, around 20 vodkas, and several whiskies. Access is planned not only from the platform entrance, but also via a new external entrance from Court Square, aimed at drawing in city centre customers as well as rail travellers. The company said Carlisle was the natural choice for its second venue in a rail setting after its first “proved such a success”, reports the News & Star.

 

Pub Invest Group set to open new Irish bar in site of former Liverpool nightclub: Liverpool operator Pub Invest Group is set to open a new Irish bar in the site of its former nightclub in the city. The company, which operates more than 40 sites across the city centre, will open McNasty’s in Liverpool's Ropeworks Quarter next month, in the company’s former Zanzibar building. McNasty’s will focus on live music and sport and aims to build on the building's long-standing musical heritage. A traditional pub, it will include fixed booths and seating, fireplaces, TV screens and two bars set across two floors. A spokesperson told Insider Media: “One of the venue’s standout features will be its rooftop beer garden. Seel Street has long been a popular nightlife area of Liverpool and it's exciting to see the area evolve into what could be considered the city’s Irish Quarter, with several well-established Irish bars in close proximity. McNasty’s is proud to join this growing community of venues, bringing its own take on the Irish pub experience.”

 

Blackpool hotel operator reports record turnover but profit dips: Alf Seddon Hotels, which operates two sites in Blackpool, reported record turnover of £8,652,789 for the year to 30 April 2025 but saw its profit dip. The company, which operates the Elgin and Sheraton hotels in the town, saw turnover rise from £8,406,209 in 2024 to £8,652,789. Pre-tax profit dropped from £728,834 to £523,983 as administrative expenses rose by almost £400,000. Dividends of £370,000 were paid (2024: £425,000). Director Nigel Seddon said: “The current economic effects of high inflation, cost-of-living crisis and rising supply costs mainly in the energy sector has had a damaging impact on the whole industry. The group’s results remained strong in light of this.”

 

Liverpool operators acquire city centre bar: Liverpool operators Chris Carline and Paul Egan have acquired a bar in the city centre. The duo have acquired Zenn in Victoria Street, keeping on all 30-plus members of staff, reports Insider Media. The site spans 10,000 square feet across three floors and includes a ground-floor restaurant, mezzanine lounge, temple-themed garden and rooftop terrace. Carline said: “We like what it does, and it does it well. That’s why we bought it. It’s a plush, premium business. But with any venue, you can always see gaps and ways to do things even better. We want to maintain what it offers already and drive it forward.” New offerings to be introduced include a Sunday roast and an à la carte menu, alongside a revamping of its bottomless brunch concept. Carline, the grandson of former Liverpool FC manager Bill Shankly, also co-owns the White Star Line Hotel, which he bought and launched with Brian Gamble in summer 2025. He also created and founded The Shankly Hotel, which he ran for more than ten years. He added: “When I was at The Shankly, we were forever being asked by guests where they could go for a great night out, and we frequently said Zenn. It’s already right up there as Liverpool’s premium late-night location; it’s already part of the conversation – and we want to make it the definitive answer to the question.”

South west hotel operator reports profit and revenue boost: South west hotel operator Latona Leisure has reported a profit and revenue boost for the year to 31 January 2025. The company, which runs four hotels in Somerset and Wiltshire, saw its pre-tax profit climb from £521,018 in 2024 to £731,340. Its turnover was up from £7,721,607 to £7,884,092. Dividends of £45,000 were paid (2024: £60,000). Director Nicholas Gray said: “Despite the challenging economic conditions, the directors believe the hotels are well positioned to continue trading positively, and they are satisfied with the trading performance of the company.”

London dim sum and Cantonese duck concept to open second site: London dim sum and Cantonese duck concept Dim Sum Duck is to open a second site. The first Dim Sum Duck opened in 2020 at 124 King’s Cross Road. The concept is now preparing to next month open at 180-186 Pentonville Road, taking over the former Meat House site. It will serve the same menu as the nearby original location, namely a full all-day dim sum selection and roasted Cantonese duck, reports Hot Dinners.