Maki & Ramen – we’ve had investment approaches but focused on organic growth for now: Michael Salvador, chief operating officer of Japanese restaurant concept Maki & Ramen, has told Propel that the fast-growing business has received investment approaches, but at present it is focused on expanding organically. The 17-strong business will open a franchise site on the former Chopstix unit in Peninsula Square at The O2 next Tuesday (17 February). The company, which last week opened at Lakeside in Essex, will follow this up with an opening in Soho on Friday, 6 March. The business also has openings lined up in London’s Old Street, Birmingham and Southampton. On the future make up of its UK estate, Salvador said: “We’re hoping it will be 80% corporate sites and 20% franchised sites. The reaction (from would-be franchisees) has been good thus far; there are plenty of leads, and generally, the franchisees are coming in with a strong business background. We have franchisees that have come from hospitality and wanted their own businesss, and we have some that have come from retail looking to expand their portfolio.” On having investment approaches, he said: “We have, but it is not of interest. Right now, we can expand organically with the help of our managing agents.” The group, which was founded in 2015 by chef Teddy Lee, recently opened its first restaurant site overseas, with an opening at the Mövenpick Hotel, Jumeirah Village Triangle, in Dubai. It followed a pop-up Maki & Ramen ran in Dubai at the end of last year. Salvador said: “We hope for a few more in the Middle East. However, the restaurant has just opened, so we want to take things one step at a time, especially in a new continent. We are looking towards Ireland in 2027, that plan has not changed. Other countries in Europe, in particular Spain, look interesting, but we are more focused on UK expansion at the time being.” The company will open on the former La Bodega Negra site in Old Compton Street, Soho, which will be the first site to incorporate its new hand-roll concept, Maki Nori. Salavdor said: “The Nori concept has great potential and we're hoping that the response from the London market is strong so we can have a few more in London. But again, one step at a time, let’s open Soho first!”

 

Pret CEO Pano Christou to speak at first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2026, open for bookings: Pano Christou, chief executive of Pret A Manger, will be among the speakers at the first Propel Multi-Club Conference of 2026, which is open for bookings. Christou will talk to Propel chief operating officer – editorial, Mark Wingett, about how the business has become a global brand, with £1 in every £4 spent outside the UK, and discusses how it has consistently pushed the sector forward – from pioneering food redistribution at scale to reimagining loyalty through subscription models, to redefining what premium convenience looks like in a post pandemic world. The conference takes place on Wednesday, 25 March, at The Park Plaza, Victoria. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium subscribers who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive latest Turnover & Profits Blue Book and all 49 videos from Restaurant Marketer and Innovator tomorrow: Premium Club subscribers will receive the latest Turnover & Profits Blue Book and all 49 videos from Restaurant Marketer and Innovator tomorrow (Friday, 13 February). The videos will be sent out at 9am, followed by the updated Turnover & Profits Blue Book at 12pm. The database will feature 35 new companies and 154 updated accounts. The database now features a total of 1,227 companies, with 758 in profit and 469 making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings 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 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.

Hospitality bosses urge government to scrap unfair holiday tax: Leading hospitality and leisure chief executives have called on the government to scrap plans for a visitor levy in England. A letter to chancellor Rachel Reeves that has some 200 signatories from accommodation providers including Butlin's, Haven, Hilton, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Merlin Entertainments, Parkdean Resorts, Travelodge and Whitbread, has warned the proposed holiday tax will “hit families hardest, put jobs at risk and drain money from local businesses and communities”. Bosses warn “holidays are for relaxing, not taxing”, with the proposed tax meaning Brits would face an extra £100 or more for a two-week holiday in the UK. The move could force families to shorten trips, skip travel altogether or head overseas, spending their money elsewhere. The letter also said there will be significant damage to local communities across England that rely on tourism for survival, as fewer visitors mean fewer local jobs and lower spending at local businesses. Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “Holidays are for relaxing – not taxing. Whether you enjoy a city break, a rural retreat or building sandcastles on your beach holiday, you’re already paying your fair share of tax. In fact, it’s one of the highest tax rates for visitors in Europe and the holiday tax will only increase that further. We are so lucky to enjoy these wonderful islands, and we should be encouraging people to visit every part of our country – not taxing them for doing so. The government needs to scrap the holiday tax.”

 

Innis & Gunn founder urges government to stop treating pubs ‘like a cash machine’: Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer of Scottish brewer and retailer Innis & Gunn, has called on the government to stop pushing the pub to the brink of extinction and take measures – including cuts to VAT, on-trade duty, and energy bills – to reverse the industry’s decline. Sharp, who started his brewing career at Caledonian Brewery 40 years ago and founded Innis & Gunn in 2003, said he had never known a tougher time for the industry. The brewer currently operates three taprooms in Edinburgh and Glasgow, which employ more than 100 people. Sharp said: “Hundreds of pubs are being forced to close every year across the UK, taking thousands of jobs with them. One of the biggest drivers of this decline is cost. The cost of going out has become absurd and a lot of that is to do with the costs being imposed on hospitality businesses. Soon enough, the £10 pint will be a fixture of pubs across the country. Hospitality in the UK pays full 20% VAT, while many comparable countries back their hospitality industries with a far lower rate on food. Duties on alcohol are among the highest in the world. Then, there’s business rates, which have become a game of political bingo. On top of that, our energy prices are the most expensive in the developed world, and some of the regulation brought in for pubs in recent years has been well-intentioned but a lot is pure bureaucratic theatre. Of course we want to pay staff fairly, but the rising minimum wage combined with employer national insurance contributions adds up at a time when many businesses are already stretched.” He added: “Pubs shouldn’t be treated like a convenient cash machine, but like a national institution. So, here’s the challenge to Westminster and the devolved governments – cut on-trade duty by 50%, cut VAT for hospitality to 8%, cut energy costs 30% by removing net zero charges, and reduce business rates by making the amount payable an affordable percentage of actual turnover. The outcome we’re aiming for is simple, normal, and frankly not revolutionary. Getting pints below £4, making pub food affordable and making pubs full, thriving places again.”

 

Chancellor misled public on pubs tax raid, says watchdog: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been criticised by a watchdog for misleading the public over her tax raid on pubs. The Telegraph reported that the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) said Reeves “should have been clearer” about the true effect of her tax plans when she claimed they would cut business rates to a 35-year low. In last November’s Budget, Reeves pledged to deliver “the lowest rates since 1991” for more than 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure businesses. In reality, thousands of pubs were facing financial ruin because of a record stealth tax raid by the Treasury. At the time of the Budget, the Tories said Reeves’ claims were “statistically misleading” and wrote to the Office for Statistics Regulation, the regulatory arm of the UKSA, to complain. The Treasury dismissed the Tory complaint as “nonsense”. However, the UKSA ruled that there had been “opportunities for improvements to be made to support understanding of the data and avoid the potential for people to be misled”. In a letter to the Tories, the UKSA said the government should have made it clear that it was cutting the multiplier and not business rates as a whole. This prompted accusations that Reeves deliberately misled the public. Sir James Cleverly, the shadow communities secretary, said: “Rachel Reeves and her colleagues have intentionally misled businesses and the public. They said their reforms would result in lower business rates – but they have actually sent bills soaring to eye-watering levels.”

 

Patisserie Valerie fraud trial delayed until 2028: A fraud trial linked to the collapse of Patisserie Valerie has been delayed until 2028, just weeks before proceedings were due to begin. With a court date listed for March 2026, the judge announced the trial was being delayed, with a provisional court date of 4 January 2028. This means that once the case gets to court, it will be ten years since the initial investigation into Patisserie Holdings was launched by the Serious Fraud Office in October 2018 following the collapse of cake and café chain Patisserie Valerie amid allegations of a £40m fraud at the business. The case, brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), involves Christopher Marsh, the former chief financial officer of Patisserie Holdings, his wife, accountant Louise Marsh, former financial controller Pritesh Mistry and financial consultant Nileshkumar Lad. The four had been due to stand trial next month, with proceedings expected to last 13 weeks. The SFO alleges the defendants conspired to conceal a £10m hole in the company’s accounts between 2015 and 2018 by inflating reported cash balances and providing false documentation to the auditor. At its peak, the group operated more than 200 cafés and restaurants across the UK. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty on all charges.

 

Small firms operating under ‘pandemic-style pressures’, say MPs: The small businesses which underpin Britain’s high streets and the economy are under pressures comparable to those of the covid-19 pandemic but without the same support, MPs have warned. The Times reports that findings from the business and trade committee said that without action to address higher tax and energy bills, increasing crime and issues with late payments, the government risked accelerating business closures and “hollowing out” the high street. The MPs are calling for urgent reforms including overhauling business rates, reviewing the VAT threshold, strengthening policing and introducing further support for small and medium-sized enterprises struggling with higher taxes and energy bills. Additional measures include improving transparency on commercial property ownership and increasing local council funding to help with high street regeneration. Liam Byrne, chairman of the committee, said the evidence had been “stark” as he warned the pressures posed a “real risk to business viability, high streets and economic growth”. He said: “High streets do not die by accident. If the government is serious about growth, it must set out a more coherent and ambitious plan for the businesses that make up so much of the UK economy.”

 

Tesco Clubcard offering triple voucher rewards for restaurants: Tesco has made a change to its Clubcard scheme, with the retailer now offering triple voucher rewards at participating restaurant brands. The change means that £10 in Clubcard vouchers can be turned into £30 to spend at chains including ASK Italian, Bella Italia, Frankie & Benny’s, Prezzo Italian and Zizzi. Members can exchange vouchers starting from as little as 50p, converting them into reward codes worth three times their original value. The expansion of the scheme follows PizzaExpress's move to triple voucher value before Christmas. At the same time, Las Iguanas, the Big Table Group-owned brand, has also joined the Tesco Clubcard scheme. Tesco Group membership and loyalty director Shama Wilson said: “The move to triple voucher value at PizzaExpress before Christmas was really popular with our Clubcard members, so we are delighted that five more of our existing reward partners are moving to triple value from today and that our new reward partner, Las Iguanas, is joining us at triple value.”

 

London chicken shop chain Morley’s launches new initiative for late-night safety: Fried chicken brand Morley’s, which has more than 100 locations across the UK, has launched a new initiative to help with late-night safety. Strut Safe, a UK-wide phone line to help people who are walking alone at night, has partnered with Morley’s to launch the world’s first Strut Stops. The first locations are two Morley’s sites in Dalston Junction and Stockwell. The goal of the initiative is to give people in London a clearly signposted and well-lit place to wait safely while arranging a taxi or lift home at night. There will be no expectation to buy anything. Morley’s was chosen for the launch of the initiative because of its “deep roots in local communities”, along with its late-night opening hours. The two branches chosen will stay open until 4am every Wednesday to Sunday. Morley’s co-owner Shan Selvendran said: “From the after-school rush to the late-night crowd, our shops are part of London’s everyday life. Partnering with Strut Safe felt like a natural extension of looking after the communities we serve.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment has partnered with a leading international hospitality business to recruit a tax director. This is a unique opportunity to shape and lead the group’s tax function across multiple jurisdictions, supporting growth, investment activity and governance. This London based opportunity will offer a great, negotiable salary package. For more information on this role, please contactoliwia@corecruitment.com.

 

JD Wetherspoon eyes opening on London’s Shaftesbury Avenue: JD Wetherspoon is planning to open a new pub in London’s West End, Propel has learned. The company has applied to open on the former Coyote Ugly site in Shaftesbury Avenue, which closed last year and had a capacity of 350. If successful with the licensing application, the new pub would open a few doors up from Albert’s Schloss and The Box, and close to The Devonshire. The main entrance of the proposed pub will be on Shaftesbury Avenue, but it will be possible to access the premises from the reception area of The Zedwell Hotel Piccadilly. Last month, JD Wetherspoon reported like-for-like sales were up 6.1% in the last quarter following a strong festive period, but warned that costs have been “higher than anticipated” and its first half profit is expected to dip. In a trading update, the company said in the 25 weeks to 18 January 2026, like-for-like sales were 4.7% higher than the same period a year ago. In the year to date, the company has opened six pubs – at London Bridge station, Merchant Square in Paddington, Kenilworth, Basildon, Wetherby and Beaconsfield. Last week, it opened its first site in mainland Europe, at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez airport in Spain, in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail. The company anticipates opening a total of 15 pubs in its current financial year.

Food platform Wonder makes first restaurant acquisition: Wonder, the US-based delivery-focused company founded by former Walmart executive Marc Lore, has made its first-ever physical restaurant acquisition. The company has acquired New York City-based fast-casual restaurant Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken from Blue Ribbon Restaurants for an undisclosed sum. As part of the agreement, Wonder will acquire the Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken brand, along with its brick-and-mortar restaurant in Manhattan and its current employees. Blue Ribbon will join Wonder’s collection of more than two dozen restaurant brands, which are available for pickup, delivery or dine-in at its brick-and-mortar food halls. “Bringing Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken into Wonder is an exciting step forward,” said Lore. “With an incredibly loyal following already in place, we can now scale this iconic brand across the Wonder platform to reach far more people.” Writing for Propel Premium last November, Simon Anderson, food hall consultant, and ex-chief operating officer at Market Halls, said that Wonder is a “controlled ecosystem that sits between a food hall, a premium delivery platform, and a multi-brand production kitchen”. On the new acquisition, he said: “Buying a brand signals Wonder wants more than partnerships. It wants ownership of IP, consistency margin, and rollout speed across its estate. Wonder’s ‘one order, multiple cuisines, one delivery’ solves a real consumer need.”

 

Heineken to cut up to 6,000 jobs as beer demand declines: Heineken has announced plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs over the next two years, amounting to about 7% of its global headcount, as it struggles with declining demand for beer and "challenging market conditions”. The company said the job cuts will come from brewery closures and consolidation already under way in Europe, as well as merging smaller markets into “clusters” to eliminate costs and centralising back-office operations. Heineken chief financial officer Harold van den Broek said: “We really do this to strengthen our operations and to be able to invest in growth. It really touches all levels in the organisation.” He said that he expected AI to play a role in scaling up the company’s shared services. It comes as the brewer reported that its beer volumes fell 1.2% last year compared with 2024, but net revenue rose 1.6% to €28.9bn, driven by growth in emerging markets, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Vietnam and India. Sales were impacted by declines in Europe and the Americas, where the volume of beer sold fell 3.4% and 2.8%, respectively. Heineken announced last month that chief executive Dolf van den Brink would step down after nearly six years in the role in May, with no replacement yet announced.

 

Italian coffee brand set to launch new premium self-service coffee bar concept: Italian coffee brand Illy is set to launch a new premium self-service coffee bar concept. Illy On The Go will focus on retail, foodservice, leisure, education and convenience locations, with a target to achieve 1,000 placements during the next five years. The UK will be the first market to launch the new concept, which features machines made of 95% recycled products. Marcello Canetti, managing director UK & IE at Illy, said: “We know a growing number of consumers are looking for convenience in their coffee. However, consumers simply aren’t willing to compromise on taste or ethics. At Illy, we’ve spent decades perfecting our premium blend of 100% Arabica beans, and we’re proud to bring our signature taste to a self-serve machine.”

 

Team behind Mayfair-based Aragawa restaurant plans pub opening: The team behind Aragawa, the Tokyo-based steak specialist which opened a site in London’s Mayfair in October 2023, is planning to open a new concept based in a pub, Propel has learned. Billed as one of the world’s most expensive restaurants by Forbes, the Tokyo restaurant first launched in the late 1960s. The first overseas branch of Aragawa launched on Clarges Street in Mayfair. Aragawa’s founder, Kotaro Ogawa, is understood to have set up a new company, J-Pub Holdings, to oversee the new pub venture and is believed to have lined up The Gun in Hackney as the first location. The pub, in Well Street, has been on the market through property agent AG&G.

 

Slim Chickens makes Ireland debut: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) has opened the first site under the Slim Chickens brand, in Ireland. The business, which currently operates circa 75 sites under the US brand, has opened the new site in Pembroke Square, beneath Lane7 in Dundrum Town Centre. BRG told Propel last October that Slim Chickens UK is “primed for rapid growth”, with a pipeline of 50 sites across the UK, Ireland and Europe confirmed for 2026, including three new drive-thrus. It has recently begun work on its first drive-thru in mainland Great Britain, in North Wales. BRG, which opened Slim Chickens’ first drive-thru outside the US, in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, in October 2024, is converting the former Tim Horton’s drive-thru at Broughton Shopping Park, Chester. Dundrum landlord Hammerson said that the scheme has further strengthened its position as a dining and leisure destination. Vice Pizza is launching a new restaurant in Pembroke District and salad bar Sprout & Co is set to open a new outlet. These follow openings from French patisserie Ladurée and plant-based café Nutbutter. 

 

Benugo names Stephen Cox as new commercial and finance director: Benugo, the operator of deli cafes and catering in high-profile venues, has named Stephen Cox as its new commercial and finance director. Cox was previously finance director at Caterlink for nine years, and before that spent six years at Benugo’s parent company, WSH Group. He replaces Paul Bowley, who stepped down as Benugo’s finance director at the end of last year after 12 and a half years in the role. Last week, Benugo announced it had partnered with John Lewis on a programme to transform 32 of the retailer’s in-store restaurants, including all existing Place to Eat locations. Benugo secured the partnership following a two-year competitive process, which builds on more than a decade of collaboration, during which Benugo has operated cafés in ten John Lewis branches. The restaurants will operate under a new name and brand, which will be unveiled as the first sites open this summer.

 

Mission Mars lines up Harrogate and Chester sites for Rudy’s: Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana, the Mission Mars-owned brand, has added sites in Chester and Harrogate to its 2026 opening pipeline, Propel has learned. The pizza brand, which opened its 35th site, in Cambridge, in November, is to take on the former Banyan site in Harrogate’s John Street. The former Arc Inspirations site closed last month. At the same time, Rudy’s has also lined up an opening in Chester’s Foregate Street. Last week, Propel revealed that Rudy’s is set to make its debut in Scotland later this year, with an opening lined up in Glasgow. The business has applied to open on the former Steamer Company unit at 35-39 Gordon Street, near Glasgow Central Station. At the same time, Propel understands that the business is also planning an opening on St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction. The company will open its next site, at 10 Birmingham Road, in Sutton Coldfield, on the ex-Built Unique gym unit, next month.

 

Greek coffee shop concept opens eighth site: Greek coffee shop concept Coffee Rules is to ramp up its presence in the north west with an opening in Chorlton. The concept, which is led by brothers Thomas and Marios Kasaras, will open this weekend in the suburb of Manchester, adding to its other four sites in and around the city. Last month, the business, which opened its first site in 2021, opened in Marsden Road, in Bolton. It has also secured a vacant unit in Liverpool’s Slater Street. It also operates a site each in Sheffield and Athens. Thomas Kasaras said: “We want every store to feel the same wherever you are. We’re building a franchise, and consistency matters, from the design and products to the way customers are treated. We’re trying to bring the hospitality we have in Greece over here. We want a family-friendly atmosphere where people come in because they like the vibe.”

 

Blend Family reveals full line-up for new Birmingham food hall: Blend Family, the team behind Kargo MKT in Salford’s Media City and Tower Bridge Collective in London, has revealed the full line-up at its new food hall in Birmingham. Opening in Digbeth, Alfred Works will see the former Custard Factory site reimagined. Spanning more than 17,500 square foot of indoor space, the venue will feature 15 kitchens, a large outdoor courtyard, social gaming, family-friendly areas and an events space across the River Rea. The operators include Jimmy’s Burgers, which will add to its site in London’s Southbank, a fourth outlet for Greek street food concept That Ziki, and a fifth venue for Korean street food-inspired Clapping Seoul. They will be joined by a second site for Birmingham pan‑Asian concept That Kick, Asian fusion street food Fuku, which is adding to its three outlets in Manchester, and Little Penang, which serves Malaysian Chinese hawker food and currently operates a site at Blend Family’s Cambridge Street Collective in Sheffield. Also joining the line-up are Esmie’s Caribbean Fusion, Italian-inspired Sapore and Tai Wei, which offers Chinese inspired wok cooked and steamed dishes. Completing the savoury offer are already announced partners, Mexican concept Fuego 1987, Palestinian-inspired Baity and House of Habesha, which offers Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine. Milkcake Man will serve sweet treats and drinks, while Blend Family’s Coffee Bar will make its first stand-alone appearance with craft coffee and baked goods.

 

Blacklock confirms April launch for second regional location, in Birmingham: Chophouse group Blacklock has confirmed its second regional location, in Birmingham, will launch in April. The company will open a 100-seat restaurant and bar within St Philip’s House, in St Philip’s Place, in the city. It follows the opening of Blacklock’s first regional location, at Manchester’s Freetrade Exchange Building, in October 2024. The company also operates four London sites, having first opened in Soho in 2015. The Birmingham restaurant will champion British produce reared by long-term partners, family butchers Philip Warren, and cooked simply over charcoal. The menu will centre on chops and steaks that make use of the whole animal, featuring prime cuts dry-aged for up to 55 days alongside lesser-known steaks. The menu will also feature the ‘All In’ a sharing feast of beef, pork and lamb chops served on charred flatbreads, as well as its award-winning Sunday roast, with whole joints slow roasted over open coals, Yorkshire puddings, duck fat roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The drinks menu spans seasonal twists on classic cocktails, wines on tap and beers and ciders, including its very own Blacklock Brews, made in collaboration Birmingham Brewing Company. The Blacklock team is also developing a series of new dishes that will be available exclusively at the Birmingham restaurant. Founder Gordon Ker said: “We’ve long hoped to bring Blacklock to Birmingham and can’t wait to be opening in such a beautiful and iconic building in the heart of the city. We’re really looking forward to becoming part of the rich local community and building a restaurant, we hope, the city will take to its heart.” Ker said last year that Blacklock’s first regional location is trading “beyond expectations” and that the foundations in place to open two restaurants a year.

 

Clip ‘n Climb opens at Gloucester Quays: Family-friendly climbing attraction Clip ‘n Climb has opened a site at Gloucester Quays. The 14,000 square-foot venue has launched on the upper deck of the shopping outlet after Clip ‘n Climb agreed a deal with landlord Peel Retail & Leisure. The new Clip ‘n Climb venue features 19 unique climbing walls including the signature vertical drop slide and stairway to heaven, alongside the tree trunk, designed to simulate climbing a real tree, and the speed climb, for competitive climbers. The venue also includes play den, a four-level soft play area for younger visitors, and a café. The opening of Clip ‘n Climb follows a year of standout growth for Gloucester Quays, with total centre occupancy currently standing at 96% and strong Christmas trading. Danny Hodgson, commercial manager at Clip ‘n Climb, said: “Opening at Gloucester Quays marks an exciting milestone for Clip ‘n Climb, as we continue to expand our presence at key destinations across the UK.” Paul Carter, asset director at Peel Retail & Leisure, added: “Clip ‘n Climb brings something we’ve always wanted at Gloucester Quays. With the padel courts and a gym around the corner, we have brought together three leisure uses that cater to all the fun and fitness needs of our community.”

 

West Yorkshire craft brewery Amity Brew Co launches Italian-American Paninoteca and diner concept: West Yorkshire craft brewery Amity Brew Co has launched La Grassa, an Italian-American Paninoteca and diner concept created by Jimbob Phillips and Brett Lee, co-founders and directors of Stuzzi Leeds. La Grassa will open tomorrow (Friday, February) in Amity’s former brewing area at Sunnybank Mills in Farsley, which has been transformed into a kitchen, while brewery operations have moved to Amity’s new site in Greengates. La Grassa’s menu nods to classic Italian-American comfort food, featuring paninos filled with house-made meats, cheeses and rich sauces, alongside crispy sides and sharable dishes. By day, diners can enjoy hearty sandwiches and light bites, and in the evenings, more substantial plates are served to complement Amity Brew Co’s craft beers. Jimbob Phillips said: “La Grassa is about bringing people together over food that’s indulgent, fun and full of flavour. Working with Amity gives us the perfect space to explore that in a new way.” Verity Clarke, director at Amity Brew Co, added: “While we were brewing on-site at Sunny Bank Mills, it did limit the hospitality experience. We could only open four days a week, and there wasn’t a weekday that went by without mill visitors wanting to pop in for a daytime drink or bite to eat. We’re very excited to have such a high-quality team joining us to really fulfil Amity’s potential.”

  

Workshop Coffee launches ‘academy’ concept: Workshop Coffee, the luxury coffee brand founded by James Dickson, has open its first “academy” concept, in London. The business has launched a barista training venue and a flagship café in Eccleston Street, Belgravia, having previously agreed a deal with landlord Grosvenor. The space brings Workshop’s signature coffee directly to consumers, alongside a rotating seasonal menu of brunch and light lunch dishes and a hand selected assortment of pastries. Meanwhile, The Academy has been designed to train the next generation of coffee professionals within the hospitality industry, while also offering consumer enthusiasts the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and learn how to make the perfect coffee at home. “Our focus extends beyond the cafe. Everything on the menu reflects our values, and we want every guest to leave inspired to recreate the same experience at home,” said Dickson.

 

Freehold of collection of buildings in Hertfordshire home to Gail's and Craft & Cleaver sells off £3.5m guide price: The freehold of a collection of grade II-listed properties in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, which is home to operators including fast-growing bakery brand Gail's and Brooklyn-inspired barbecue restaurant and cocktail bar concept Craft & Cleaver, has been sold to Blue Space Estates off a guide price of £3,500,000. The buildings at 14-15, 16 and 17 Bancroft produces a total contracted commercial rental income of £235,800 per annum. The development is also home to fashion and lifestyle brand White Stuff. Fleurets acted on the deal.

 

Four-star Nottingham Belfry Hotel & Spa ceases to trade: All staff at a four-star hotel in Nottinghamshire have been made redundant after the company entered administration. Previously, the future of the Nottingham Belfry Hotel & Spa, in Mellows Way, was uncertain as the hotel continued trading after administrators were appointed on 7 January 2026. Nottinghamshire Live reports it has now seen an email sent to customers that details that the company ceased trading with immediate effect on 10 January. The company had faced significant financial pressure in recent months due to wider factors in the hospitality industry. The venue comprises 120 guest bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, an event space and a health spa.