JD Wetherspoon still losing £3m a week despite return of beer gardens, Scottish reopening plan ‘meaningless’ given indoor alcohol ban and curfew: The impact of trading restrictions on the sector has been highlighted in both England and Scotland, with JD Wetherspoon founder and chairman revealing opening beer gardens still leaves the company with losses of £3m per week. Meanwhile, the move to allow licensed premises in Scotland to reopen from 26 April, but without being able to serve alcohol indoors and under curfew, has been branded “meaningless” by the Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA). Speaking to Talk Radio, Martin said: “We have been making a loss of about £4m a week during lockdown, by opening beer gardens we hope to reduce it to £3m a week. So that writ large would be the situation in the UK. You are very lucky if you have a pub with a large beer garden that makes a profit, you may make less losses with a small beer garden. So, it is a long way to go.” Asked about the legal challenge to bring forward the reopening of indoor hospitality, Martin said: “It is difficult for the courts to second guess parliament, and parliament by subcontracting the decision to the government. You can imagine the general view at Wetherspoon, 50 million visits and no outbreaks, a good record across the pub industry, generally, and that’s before vaccinations. So now people are vaccinated, I would have thought the chances of catching covid in a pub are vanishingly small as long as you don’t kiss the barman.” Meanwhile, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced hospitality venues should be able to reopen outdoors from 26 April with a 10pm curfew. Operators also look to be set to be able to serve customers indoors too – but this will be restricted to meals and non-alcoholic drinks, and with an 8pm curfew. Under the roadmap, it is expected hospitality premises can stay open until 10.30pm indoors from 17 May, with alcohol permitted, for two-hour time-limited slots. The roadmap then pinpoints “early June” as when hospitality can remain open until 11pm. SBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “We desperately need a return to licensing hours indoors, as well as allowing alcohol to be sold indoors from 26 April. The first minister points to indoor reopening being ahead of England but without alcohol service, it is meaningless to licensed hospitality businesses. While many sectors are allowed to return to near normal at Level 3, retaining a curfew makes trading exceptionally difficult for Scotland’s pubs and bars that feel they are being unfairly targeted by these restrictions. Unfortunately, our sector will have to wait until the government allows us to fully reopen before the recovery truly begins.” Scottish Hospitality Group spokesman Stephen Montgomery said: “This news will be welcomed by many but it doesn’t change anything for the vast majority of hospitality providers. In fact, we’re more confused than ever at a decision that makes no sense. We’ve argued for a sensible relaxing of the alcohol rules for many months now, so it’s ridiculous that this is only being applied to all-day weddings but not other indoor socialising.”

Updated Premium multi-site database boosted by 47 company additions so far in April, operators with big plans lead the way: The updated Propel Premium multi-site database, which will be sent exclusively to subscribers on 30 April at noon, already has an additional 47 companies added to it since its most recent publication at the end of March. Premium subscribers will also receive a report on the additional businesses such as Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand, which has announced plans to enter the UK this year with the goal of opening 350 new restaurants in Britain over the next ten years, and Italian restaurant brand Doppio Malto, which has targeted Glasgow for its first opening in the UK and has plans to open 100 UK sites. The database has the most comprehensive multi-site operator information in the sector – it provides company names, the people in charge, how many sites each firm operates, its trading name and its registered name at Companies House if different, and what each business specialises in. In a new feature this year, there is a synopsis of what the business does and significant news associated with it. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The regular single subscription rate of £395 plus VAT for operators and £495 plus VAT for suppliers remains the same. Premium subscribers already receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and will also receive a curated video library of sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Propel Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel insights editor Mark Wingett. Email anne.steele@propelinfo.com to sign up.

Aggressive wage inflation across sector halted by pandemic and is just 7p higher than national living wage: A period of aggressive wage inflation across the hospitality industry has been halted by the pandemic, according to software provider Fourth. Its research revealed the average hourly wage for hospitality workers over the age of 23 sat at £8.98 during March 2021 – only 7p higher than the new national living wage (NLW) threshold introduced on 1 April. The data, which comes from a cross-section of companies across the restaurant and bar sectors, revealed a significant reduction in the acceleration of the cost of labour, which only increased by 12p from March 2020 (£8.86) to March 2021 (£8.98). Previously this figure has tracked significantly ahead of new legislative NLW increases for the past two years in the top age bracket at 39p higher in 2019 and 51p more in 2018. The government reworked the NLW age brackets by reducing the threshold for the highest paid bracket from 25 to 23 while 16 to 17, 18 to 20 and 21 to 22 age brackets remained the same. Figures showed 16 to 22-year-olds now make up less than a quarter (24%) of the overall hospitality workforce (down from 32% in 2020); while those aged over 23 make up 76% of the workforce (up from 68% in 2020). Workers in the 21 to 22 age bracket make up 12% of the workforce, 18 to 20s make up 11%, and 16 to 17-year-olds make up just 1%. When looking at average pay rates during March 2021, workers aged 16 to 17 earned £6.53 per hour (£1.91 more than their new NLW threshold); those aged 18 to 20 earned £7.38 per hour (82p more than the NLW threshold); and workers aged 21 to 22 earned £8.56 per hour (20p more than the NLW threshold). The gap between hourly paid back-of-house and front-of-house workers has increased with back-of-house workers aged 23 and above earning £9.13 per hour throughout March while front-of-house staff earn £8.79. By sector, the average hourly wage rate for restaurant workers aged 23 and above has seen a slight increase to £9 – up 2p since April 2020 (£8.98). Pub workers aged 23 and above have experienced a small spike, with workers earning on average £9.17 – up 10p from April 2020 (£9.07).

South east most popular region for hospitality visits as outdoor trading resumes: The south east was the most popular region in England for visits to pubs and restaurants following the reopening of outdoor hospitality, according to new track and trace data from hospitality tech platform Airship. Of 17,446 hospitality venue check-ins made via its Trck.to solution on Monday (12 April), one in three were made by people in the south east. This was followed by the north west with 19% of check-ins, and Yorkshire with 13%. Airship chief executive Dan Brookman said: “It was an amazing day despite the snow flurries, and the feedback from operators was that customers were delighted to be back, and it more resembled a Sunday in July than a Monday in April. Consumers know what to expect this time around and there was far less strain on the venue teams than previously, even with more stringent guidelines to follow.” Trck.to is GDPR-compliant and works through the customer scanning a QR code or visiting a URL. The system allows for the recording of an arrival time and expected dwell time, as well as the ability to check-in further guests. Airship has more than 11,000 venues across the UK on the platform. The government has made it mandatory for operators to reintroduce track and trace.

Derwent London collects 87% of total quarterly rents: Real estate company Derwent London has reported it had now received 87% of total quarterly rents, with a further 5% expected later in the period. Derwent said rent-free periods had been granted on 1% of total rents, mainly for retail and hospitality tenants, but stated it had still pulled in a total of £42.2m for the quarter so far. It said 89% of service charges for the quarter had been received so far. Derwent also highlighted rents agreed to be paid later within the December 2020 quarter had continued to be received, with the group now collecting 91% of the December 2020 quarter rents, with another 5% subject to agreed payment plans. For the September 2020 quarter, Derwent has now received 92% of rents, with another 5% subject to payment plans.

 

Wi5 – like-for-like sales up 161% on outdoors reopening day: Like-for-like sales on outdoors reopening day on Monday (12 April) were up 161% for operators versus pre-lockdown in November, according to mobile order and pay company Wi5. Wi5 also recorded a 1,106% increase in transactions across its platform on Monday compared with when restrictions were lifted in July 2020. Chief executive and founder Prask Sutton said: “In February, we released research reporting that nearly a third of consumers said they would return to restaurants as soon as they open their doors – almost double the number from when the restrictions were lifted in July 2020. And this was undoubtedly the case. At Wi5, we saw an enormous 1,106% increase in transactions across our platform on 12 April compared to the July reopening. A sign of both the hospitality operators we work with entrusting the majority of sales to our platform and crucially, consumers accepting and expecting digital ordering as the norm. Compared to the last Monday before lockdown, sales via mobile more than doubled, despite continued restrictions. Even with many operators still yet to reopen, total sales across Wi5 were up 119%, and like-for-like sales (among those operators trading on both days) increased by more than 161% as customers celebrated being able to go out. While it has been challenging, we always had confidence in consumers wanting to get back to supporting their local pubs and restaurants. The usage and sales figures from Monday indicate operators should be prepared for a busy summer, and those looking to open in May can be confident in demand. Record days like Monday, on which our revenue was over 900% more than 4 July 2020, just further cements our belief that mobile order and pay is here to stay as consumers’ payment habits and expectations continue to evolve.”

Job of the day: COREcruitment is supporting a premium quick service restaurant brand that is looking for a head of people and culture. The position is based in London, paying £60,000 to £70,000 plus benefits. The incoming head of people and culture will be a key role to successful growth. The ideal candidate will be a HR generalist that has experience of recruitment, training, learning and development and has proven experience implanting a people culture throughout a business. They will ensure the best talent is attracted, retained and developed to be the best team in the sector. The role would suit an individual who is passionate about creating great culture and loves the hospitality sector. Anyone interested can email Gemma@corecruitment.com

 

Wendy’s lines up first out-of-town site for UK return: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, has lined up its first out-of-town site for its UK return, in Essex, Propel has learned. The company, which plans to open five sites in the UK this year, with a target of eventually operating about 20 company-owned branches in Britain, is understood to be in advanced talks on taking a site at Thurrock Shopping Park. It is thought it could even be the location of its first UK drive-thru. The company plans to enter the UK with company-owned and operated restaurants in 2021 and, in its second phase, will launch in priority areas with multi-unit franchisee operators. It has already secured sites in Reading and Oxford, and is believed to have a strong pipeline of locations in place in the UK, including some drive-thrus. It recently applied for planning to open a site in Croydon, close to East Croydon Station. In March, the company said it plans to open ten sites in the UK next year, and that it had secured multiple locations and was engaged with several potential franchisees. Wendy’s chief executive Todd Penegor said: “We continue to make great progress towards our plan to expand into Europe and remain on track to begin opening restaurants in the UK in the first half of 2021. We’ll continue to build company units into 2022, and supplement that with the franchisees we’re recruiting to grow that market out. And that’s a couple of years of journey to really start to solidify a good beachhead in the UK to really prove out the model for the broader European business. The team is actively recruiting franchisees in other European markets.”

 

Parklife secures two new sites: Parklife, the award-winning cafe operator in London’s green spaces, has secured a further two sites in the capital, Propel has learned. The business, which was founded in December 2013 by Charlie Oppenheim, has secured the Bishops Park Tea House, Fulham, and the former Hoja cafe in Wandsworth. It is thought the former will be used as a production unit, bakery and cafe. The business currently operates three London park cafes, The Skylark Cafe on Wandsworth Common, The Rookery Cafe on Streatham Common and The Stables Cafe at Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham. It also runs The Little Rook kiosk at Streatham Common playground. Marc Rogers at MKR Property acted on the Fulham and Wandsworth deals for Parklife.

 

DSC Group to open fifth The Tapas Room, in Peckham: DSC Group is to open a fifth site for its The Tapas Room concept, in Peckham. The company is launching the site – its largest to date – in Peckham High Street on Tuesday, 18 May. The site, a former pub and hotel, is split into two parts with the upstairs dining area looking over an open-plan kitchen, and the smaller downstairs bar. Part of the new offering in Peckham will be a Spanish-inspired brunch with dishes including The Tapas Room Crumptopus – an octopus crumpet with citrus salsa, and traditional broken eggs with morcilla. The cocktail offering will also showcase Spanish twists on classics including a vermouth spritz and oloroso negroni, alongside Spanish wine. The Tapas Room was founded by Paul Belcher in Tooting in 2017, after a successful stint of his pop-up restaurant Donostia Social Club, which started life as a street food van and evolved into a site at Pop Brixton. The small site in Tooting serves primarily as a wine bar and shop, serving nibbles. The group has continued to grow, with a site in Deptford following in 2019, and the two newest sites – in Brixton and Battersea – launching last year. Belcher said: “We have been eyeing up an opening in Peckham for a while. We know a lot of our customers from the other sites live around the area and we wanted to bring The Tapas Room to a new pocket of London, and one that still has that local feel to it.” The Deptford, Battersea and Brixton sites have reopened their outdoor spaces following the lifting of restrictions. 

 

Colette doubles up with Wimbledon site: Restaurant and deli concept Colette has secured a site in Wimbledon, Propel has learned. Colette has acquired the former Iris fashion store in High Street. Colette was founded by Dimitri and Mira Plaquet in 2019 and opened its debut site in Fulham Road, Chelsea, in January last year. The kitchen is led by former Ritz chef Chris Hill and has a seasonally changing menu. The deli offers more dishes to take away such as beef tartar and homemade Scotch eggs, alongside charcuterie, smoked salmon, caviar, fresh truffles, wine, cheese and chocolates. Propel understands Colette is seeking further sites, with South Kensington, Victoria and Mayfair among its targets. Oliver Serrant, of Stance, acted for Colette while Theo Benedyk, of Lewis Craig, acted for the landlord.

 

The Adil Group to open seventh Scottish Taco Bell with Edinburgh launch: Franchisee The Adil Group is to open a site for Mexican restaurant brand Taco Bell in Edinburgh this month. The Adil Group will launch the outlet in Shandwick Place on Friday, 30 April, for its seventh Taco Bell in Scotland, with further outlets planned. There will be a 68-seat restaurant, six order kiosks, with home delivery also available on Deliveroo, Just Eat and UberEats. The Adil Group chief executive Raja Adil told Edinburgh Evening News: “I am delighted to land another location in Scotland and they don’t come much bigger and better than the nation’s capital. I have been looking for a location here for a long time and it gives me great pride to be able to deliver Taco Bell to the people of Edinburgh.” Taco Bell operates more than 50 sites in the UK. The company has more than 7,500 restaurants across the globe with Glen Bell having opened the first in Downey, California, in 1962.

 

Michael Caines launches debut site for new patisserie concept in partnership with Sylvain Peltier: Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines has launched the debut site for his new patisserie concept with Sylvain Peltier. Cafe Patisserie Glacerie has opened as part of the Exmouth seafront regeneration project in Devon under their joint business venture French Pastries, with other sites planned for the future. Cafe Patisserie Glacerie sits on the new Sideshore development and will be joined by Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant, which Caines is launching next month. Cafe Patisserie Glacerie offers fresh French patisseries, house-made gelato ice-cream, artisan coffee, milkshakes and hot pies, Cornish pasties, sandwiches and salads that will be available for grab and go. Peltier and Caines have worked together over two decades, in former Michael Caines restaurants and cafe bars in Exeter, Bristol, Glasgow, Canterbury, Manchester, Chester, and Abu Dhabi, as well as at Caines’ flagship Lympstone Manor, which holds a Michelin star and at Michael’s two restaurants in Cornwall – The Cove in Maenporth and the Harbourside Refuge in Porthleven. Caines said: “Cafe Patisserie Glacerie is a celebration of Sylvain’s artisan skill, creativity and originality. We are bringing something very special to Exmouth seafront.”

 

Irish chicken and burger concept Coqbull opens second London site: Coqbull, the Irish chicken and burger concept from East London Pub co-founder Patrick Frawley, has opened its second site in the capital. The brand, which operates three sites in Ireland, has taken over the former Blixen restaurant site in Brushfield Street, Spitalfields. Last year, the company took on the former Jamie’s Italian site in Denman Street, for a flagship opening under the brand, which made its London debut earlier in 2020 with a residency at East London Pub Co’s The Lock Tavern in Camden. On that menu was the company’s “chicken wings in buffalo or teriyaki sauce” as well as an “all-day breakfast burger with black pudding, avocado, bacon, fried egg and hollandaise”. Founded in 2015, Coqbull has three restaurants in Cork and Limerick. Sammy Weinbaum, of CDG Leisure, advises Coqbull.

Carver to launch The Cheese Barge at permanent central London canal mooring next month: Mathew Carver, founder of Pick & Cheese and The Cheese Bar, will launch his new restaurant – The Cheese Barge – next month. The Cheese Barge is a double-decker vessel permanently moored on the Grand Union Canal at Paddington Central. It was scheduled to open in spring last year but has spent the past 12 months self-isolating in Somerset. It will now launch on Thursday, 20 May. Carver said: “It feels great to finally launch The Cheese Barge. It was heart-breaking to down tools and not open our doors last year. However, our excitement for this project has never waned, and myself and the team couldn’t be more excited to share this incredible vessel with everyone.” The vessel’s design takes cues from the Electa bookstore in Venice – itself inspired by ship design – with a copper “veil” acting as an awning for the 40-cover lower-deck dining room. Head chef Reagan Ellenbroek and executive chef Ross Keeling have created a menu that uses small cheese producers. Dishes include Windrush Goats’ Curd with lamb scrumpets and pickled walnuts; Cropwell Bishop Stilton “Devils on Horseback” – medjool dates stuffed with Stilton and wrapped in bacon; and Maida Vale, a washed rind cheese from Village Maid, served on treacle soda bread with smoked mackerel and green sauce.

 

Brew by Numbers secures Greenwich site for new taproom and brewery: London-based craft brewer Brew by Numbers is to open a new taproom and brewery in Greenwich as part of the area’s regeneration. Brew by Numbers has agreed a lease with U+I for 6,000 square foot of space in a refurbished warehouse near the Thames, as part of the revamp of the Morden Wharf area. Brew by Numbers currently operates three sites across London, and is now looking to expand its food and retail offer. The company raised more than £560,000 in a crowdfunding campaign last year to support its expansion. Co-founder Tom Hutchings said: “We’ve spent a lot of time looking for the perfect place to deliver our long-term goal of providing one of the best drinking experiences in London. Morden Wharf is a unique site offering us that opportunity while also reflecting the industrial heritage of our current locations in Bermondsey and Peckham. U+I chief executive Richard Upton added: “Brew By Numbers is a perfect tenant for Morden Wharf, enabling us to pay homage to heritage of The Sea Witch pub while kick-starting the regeneration of an industrial site that is positively bristling with opportunity.”

 

Roxy Leisure to reveal super-sized gaming venue: Roxy Leisure is transforming its Roxy Ball Room site in Merrion Street, Leeds, into a super-sized gaming venue. The site will reopen on Monday, 17 May, to reveal a three-floor redesign. The basement level will feature all-new bank shot shuffleboard, duckpin bowling, crazy pool, karaoke, arcade machines and new bar. Beer pong, shuffleboard, ping pong and pool will all return, alongside Roxy’s signature beer, food and cocktail menus. Former sister venue Roxy Arcade has been completely ripped out and refitted as Roxy Ball Room. Ahead of the reopening, Roxy Leisure has joined forces with neighbouring bars including Mojo, Verve and Yard & Coop to create the city’s biggest outdoor hospitality area, in Merrion Street. A roof spanning the full street will ensure guests are kept both safe and sheltered from the elements. Roxy brand development manager Joel Mitchell said: “We are excited about taking our Merrion Street venue to another level. Roxy Ball Room is coming back in a big way to help create memories that can make up for all those special occasions that we’ve all missed out on.”

 

The Beefy Boys to double up with new site in Shropshire: Burger restaurant The Beefy Boys is to double up with a new site opening in Shrewsbury that will create 30 part and full-time jobs. The Beefy Boys, which specialises in burgers and American-style barbecue food, is opening at the former Zizzi’s in the Shropshire town’s High Street. The company opened its first restaurant in Hereford in 2016 where it serves a wide variety of burgers, chicken and vegetarian options, plus beers and cocktails. It also offers nationwide deliveries of its DIY burger boxes so customers can make their own meal at home.

 

Boyzone member to launch Knutsford bar: A member of boy band Boyzone and his stunt driver business partner are developing a bar in Knutsford, Cheshire. Shane Lynch and Nathan Gerhold are behind the project, which concerns the former Corks Out building. Lined up is D13 – an Irish bar named after a Dublin postcode. The venue will serve drinks only, with a date for its launch as yet undecided due to building work still ongoing, reports Insider Media.

 

Recipe box brand The Cookaway reaches £700,000 crowdfunding target: London-based recipe box brand The Cookaway, which counts Ikea and Dyson among its customers, has exceeded its £700,000 fundraising target on Seedrs with 26 days to go. The money raised will be used to expand the brand’s offering, including bringing more chefs and dishes on board. It also plans to use funding to unlock new revenue streams, including memberships, new food-delivery formats and to sell products, such as kitchen equipment and ingredients. The company is offering 11.54% equity with a pre-money valuation of £5.5m. Chief executive and co-founder Sahil Verma said: “Our chefs and products are full of soul and passion, and with them, we create joyful and fun cooking experiences for our customers.”

 

Lincolnshire-based The Wig & Mitre Group sells village pub: Lincolnshire-based The Wig & Mitre Group has sold the Bottle & Glass pub in the village of Harby. The pub will reopen on Thursday (15 April), after James Kirby, who owns development company Stirlin, bought the venue. Kirby has purchased the pub with a friend and business acquaintance after becoming aware of the opportunity through a mutual friend of the previous owner, Valerie Hope. Kirby said: “The acquisition has provided a wonderful opportunity to venture into the hospitality sector as we approach an end to what has been an incredibly challenging period. With cause for optimism, I believe this is exactly the right time to invest into the sector and I am delighted to be able to invest in such an exceptional pub.” An initial refurbishment programme has taken place over the past six weeks, including an improved and enhanced outside area. Hope said: “The Bottle & Glass was the last acquisition of The Wig & Mitre Group and it has brought us much pleasure. We especially enjoyed developing the pub and building the microbrewery. It has been difficult coming to the decision to sell, but we are thrilled and excited for what, we are certain, will be a brilliant refurbishment.” As previously reported, Hope is also selling The Wig & Mitre in Lincoln, which has featured consistently in the Good Pub Guide. 

 

Tejada and Scott to open second permanent residency for Hot 4 U: Eddy Tejada, formerly of St John and Silo, and Matthew Scott, ex-head chef of Cub, are opening a second permanent residency for their zero-waste and “high-grade” produce concept, Hot 4 U. The weekly changing menu will be on offer at The Prince Arthur in Hackney, joining its residency at The Plough in Homerton, which was launched just before Christmas. Taking over The Prince Arthur’s kitchen initially for outdoors dining only currently, the menu includes oysters with hot sauce and fermented potato, and dried dough, smoked ricotta and gooseberry escabeche. At The Plough, Hot 4 U is serving buns and pints for takeaway only. Going forward, The Prince Arthur will be the place for Hot 4 U’s “more refined dishes”, whereas The Plough will have a “more laid-back experience”.

 

Experienced operators take on Stonegate pub in Kent village: Experienced operators Lee Varnham and Gemma O’Brien have taken on a Stonegate Pub Company site in a Kent village. Varnham and O’Brien will run the Black Horse in Pluckley, which features in HE Bates’ classic novel The Darling Buds of May and was the setting for the ITV series of the same name. Varnham and O’Brien, who previously ran The Rose Inn in Wickhambreaux, near Canterbury, have taken on a free-of-tie lease at the Black Horse in a deal brokered by Fleurets. The grade II-listed freehouse and restaurant is believed to date from the 15th century and features a large beer garden and car park as well as bar and dining areas. Varnham and O’Brien said: “The Black Horse is a local landmark and we cannot wait to bring this magnificent building back to life, delivering high-end, home-cooked pub food with a delicate twist on country classics.”

Kent distillery Copper Rivet to open 80-seat restaurant at River Medway: Kent-based Copper Rivet Distillery will open The Pumphouse restaurant next to the River Medway on Friday (16 April). The 80-seat restaurant is housed in the Victorian pumphouse at Chatham, under the arches and on the decking overlooking the river with views of Upnor Castle on the opposite shore. A limited menu will be offered until restrictions are eased. Spirits made at the distillery – such its three gins, vodka, English Grain Spirit and newly released Masthouse single malt whisky – will be used in The Pumphouse’s cocktails. Food will be led by head chef Will Freeman and signature dishes are likely to include bone marrow, chicken crackling, smoked eel, cockles, radish and toast starter; ash-rolled 40-day aged fillet, beef shin ragout, pearl barley, shallot and garlic as a main course; and Granny Smith tart, toffee popcorn with Masthouse whisky custard for dessert.