Monday 26/10/15
Propelinfonews.com: Cambridge-based multi-site operators acquire new site in city: Cambridge-based multi-site operators Jethro and Terri Scotcher-Littlechild have acquired their latest pub in the city – The Royal Standard. The couple have taken a free-of-tie lease on the Mill Road site having been saved as a pub by Beechwood Estates, which has made a “substantial investment” in the building. Previously an Indo Thai restaurant and formerly a charity shop, the property is serving beer again after almost ten years. The Scotcher-Littlechilds operate a number of pubs in Cambridge and also own The Cambridge Blue. Agent Everard Cole undertook the letting on behalf of the landlord.
Propelinfonews.com: The future of a Nottingham hotel has been secured after being acquired by new owners: The 73 bedroom Westminster Hotel on Mansfield Road has been bought by Al Malik, owner of Remarkable Hotels. The deal was brokered by Bruton Knowles associate Sam Spencer, who advised its former owner Anil Khanna when he bought the venue in 2002. Spencer said: “The Westminster is a well-loved, historic hotel in Nottingham situated just over a mile from the city centre. It has served visitors to the city with affordable but high quality accommodation for many years and I am delighted that Bruton Knowles has helped to secure the hotel’s future with this sale to Mr Malik.” The Westminster is a Best Western branded three-star hotel with a bar, restaurant, conference and function facilities. It will retain its Best Western brand under new ownership. Malik added: “We are pleased to be taking the helm at the Westminster Hotel, our second property in Nottingham.”
Tuesday 27/10/15
Propelinfonews.com: JD Wetherspoon extends roof garden strategy with plan for Boston site: JD Wetherspoon is extending its strategy of adding rooftop areas to existing pubs with a plans to build a new roof garden with an open balcony overhanging the River Haven at its site in Boston, Lincolnshire. The company, which is believed to have “bought-in” the freehold of the site two years ago, has submitted plans to create a first floor garden overlooking the river at its Moon Under Water pub in the town centre. The pub, which runs along the side of the river, is also planning a new customer area at first floor level, new toilets and staff facilities at second floor level and other refurbishment works as well as the new roof garden with balcony. JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “The Moon Under Water is well established in Boston and continues to be popular with a wide range of customers. We are always keen to offer our customers the best possible pub and as a result are looking to make improvements which we believe will enhance the existing outlet.” The plans have been submitted to Boston Borough Council’s planning committee, which will debate on the matter in December.
Wednesday 28/10/15
Morningadvertiser: Pub chefs must do more to tackle food waste: SRA
By Nicholas Robinson+, 28-Oct-2015
Tackling food waste must be given more focus by pub chefs to help save their businesses money and benefit the environment, a spokesman from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) has urged. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: Coaching Inn Group named Pub Company of the Year: Coaching inn operator The Coaching Inn Group has been named Pub Company of the Year in the Eat Out Awards 2015. It operates ten properties across seven counties. Following its announced £20 million investment in an expansion programme that will see its estate double over the next three years, the group has already acquired three landmark coaching inns in recent months. Coaching Inn Group managing director Kevin Charity said: “We’re delighted to have been named Pub Company of the Year at The Eat Out Awards. It is a real reflection of the work we’ve been doing in recent years to revitalise the coaching inn sector and is testimony to the hard work and commitment of our whole team.”
Propelinfonews.com: Nightclub entrepreneur to open third site, this time in Boston, Lincolnshire: Nightclub entrepreneur Paul Turner, who operates sites in Cambridge and King’s Lynn, is to open a site in Boston, Lincolnshire. He has acquired the former Studio site in Craythorne Lane, formerly known as After Dark nightclub, which closed in September 2014. After buying the building in July, Turner lodged an application to revive the premises’ licences for alcohol, late-night refreshment, entertainment, and extended opening hours. Turner said: “We’ve got a lot of investment that we’re looking to put into it, around £150,000, we’re going for a really luxurious feel. We’ve done a lot of market research in Boston – it’s a very nice market town, and we’ve done similar in Cambridge and King’s Lynn and they have both gone very well.”
Thursday 29/10/15
Propelinfonews.com: Oakham Ales expands team ahead of brewery expansion: Oakham Ales, the brewery based in Peterborough, has expanded its head office team to 44 people following several high profile awards for its beers. Planning permission has also recently been granted to expand the brewery, with a plan in place to double the current annual brewing capacity to 100,000 hectolitres. The head-office team has grown over three-fold during the past five years, reflecting year-on-year growth of about 25% throughout this period. Adrian Posnett, managing director, Oakham Ales, said: “With the continuing success of our core range and plans to expand our keg line-up for 2016, we wanted to ensure that all areas of the business had the additional support necessary to ensure that we are able to continue to deliver the high level of service that our customers have come to expect from us. Despite tough competition with new breweries launching every week, I’m delighted to report that Oakham Ales has maintained steady growth in all areas and I’m confident that the new appointees will help us to continue to build on that success.”
Barmagazine.co.uk: ALMR reveals winning bar and club operators in Late Night Awards: Some of the best-known names in the bar and club sector were among winners in the 2015 Late Night Awards announced last night by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR). Revolution Bars Group received the award for best late-night drinks while The Deltic Group, which operates 57 nightclubs around the UK, won for best late-night entertainment. The Columbo Group picked up the title of best late-night food for The Blues Kitchen, which expanded to a third site in London after opening in Brixton this month. Intertain, which operates Walkabout bars around the UK, won the award for best marketing and promotion while Beds and Bars, which owns Belushi’s bars, triumphed in the service and team development category. Novus Leisure took the title of best late-night venue for The Forge (pictured), the bar and restaurant it opened in the City of London last year. The Icon award was won by world-leading London club Ministry of Sound which this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The winners were announced at the ALMR’s Dusk ‘til Dawn event at London’s Cafe de Paris last night. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: Tortilla opens first of two new sites in Nottingham: Tortilla, the largest fast-casual burrito restaurant company in the UK, has launched the first of two new sites in Nottingham. The company has opened in Clumber Street on the former site of collapsed mobile phone retailer Phones 4U. Marketing manager Hannah Bewhay told the Nottingham Post: “This is our 26th restaurant and part of our expansion plan. We have got another ten restaurants opening next year.” Tortilla will open its second Nottingham outlet at the Victoria Centre in December.
Morningadvertiser: No receipt, no review: call for fair play on online reviews
By Emily Sutherland, 29-Oct-2015
Bad reviews posted online are a headache for many pubs. Most licensees accept that even with top-notch staff and a slick operation, things do occasionally go wrong and some customers will never be happy. But it can be particularly blood-boiling when bad reviews are posted by people who didn’t actually eat or drink at the pub, by competitors or even by disgruntled former employees. Read More
Friday 30/10/15
Bighospitality: Brits spend £1.1b per month at independent restaurants
By Liam Garrahan, 29-Oct-2015
The British public is spending over £1b per month on dining out at independent restaurants, according to a new report. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: Loungers to open first Suffolk site: Bristol-based cafe bar group Loungers is to open a new site in Bury St Edmunds – its first in Suffolk. The company is investing £600,000 in transforming the former Officers Club unit at the top of St John’s Street, which is planned to open on Wednesday, 16 December. The site, which will be over two floors, will create 25 jobs and be called Edmundo Lounge. It will be “a retro home from home, where dramatic art work will sit next to oversized vintage sofas and statement light fittings,” the company said. Loungers operations manager Craig Williams told the Ipswich Star: “Bury St Edmunds is the perfect location for our Lounge concept. There’s already a thriving and vibrant community and we’re really looking forward to playing our part in the foodie scene here.” Ourburystedmunds Business Improvement District group chief executive Mark Cordell added: “I’m really pleased that a long-term vacant unit in such a prominent position will now have a vibrant new business that’s chosen to open it’s first restaurant in Suffolk in Bury St Edmunds.”
Morningadvertiser: The art of ‘nudging’ and menu engineering to boost sales
By Oli Gross, 30-Oct-2015
Pub customers these days are looking for an experience they can’t replicate at home, but also something that’s not too complicated. The answer, say the experts, is simple cocktails that staff can easily be trained to make and to which they can then ‘nudge’ consumers into trying. Read More
Saturday 31/10/15
HeraldScotland.com: Sustainable seafood sales soar as ethical choices of TV chefs go mainstream: SALES of sustainable seafood have soared nearly one-third in just two years, campaigners claim, with the popularity of celebrity chef cookbooks a major factor. The latest figures show shoppers spent an estimated £403 million on certified sustainable products in the year to April as public awareness and the range on offer increases. Chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have been credited with the rise in popularity of ‘alternative’ fish types such as mackerel, pollack, coley, pouting and whiting. According to figures from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the global non-profit organisation looking to conserve the oceans, the value of sustainable seafood rose 16 per cent on the previous 12 months and 30 per cent over the two years. The MSC said that in that time its list of certified products, which stretch to health supplements, pet food and baby food, had reached over 1,100, more than twice the number of those on offer in 2012. The number of MSC certified fish and chip restaurants in the UK has also doubled this year, while students at 21 UK universities and more than 3,500 schools can choose certified seafood in their canteens. It comes on the back of research from the Environment Department at the University of York, which found that “a chef’s ethical leanings may influence the behaviour of consumers”. Read More