Monday 25/7/16

Propelinfonews.com – Meatcure opens Bedford restaurant, fourth site and first outside East Midlands: Gourmet burger restaurant company Meatcure has opened a restaurant in Bedford, its fourth site and first outside the East Midlands. The new venue in High Street is open daily, offering burgers, steaks, salads, sharing plates and desserts, alongside shakes and hard shakes. It also has separate brunch, lunch and children’s menus. Earlier this month the company, led by Paul Rigby and Rob Martyniak, postponed its Seedrs crowdfunding campaign, blaming uncertainty caused in part by Brexit. Meatcure was looking to fund-raise £350,000 to open five new sites in the next two years. However, the company told investors: “We’re still on target to self-fund our growth organically at a rate that ensures successful, efficient and profitable delivery of great restaurants to impressive market towns.” Meatcure’s three other sites are in Market Harborough, Leicester and Leamington Spa. It is set to open a fifth site, in Hinckley, in the autumn.

BigHospitality.co.uk – Star invests £24k to tackle pub chef skills ‘crisis’

By Sophie Witts, 25-Jul-2016

Star Pubs & Bars is spending £24,000 on food training workshops to counter the shortage of skilled kitchen staff in the pub industry. Read More

MorningAdvertiser.co.uk – Licensees start taking MRO: “I’m just surviving, but I’m a fighter”

By Oli Gross, 25-Jul-2016

The first tenants are beginning to take up the market rent only option after the pubs code came into force last week .Read More

Tuesday 26/7/16

Propelinfonews.com – Marston’s opens new-build pub in Boston, Lincolnshire: Marston’s has opened its new-build pub restaurant in Chain Bridge Road in Boston, Lincolnshire. The new venue – The Chain Bridge – offers a two-for-one menu selection that includes specials, while the pub features an interactive pizza station allowing customers to watch their pizza being made and cooked in the ovens. Marston’s area manager Clinton Cooper said: “We’re extremely excited about The Chain Bridge and hope it will build a great reputation locally, offering top quality, value for money pub food and an unrivalled selection of drinks, including cask ales from across the country.” Marston’s is looking to build circa 20 new-build pubs a year, with current plans to build venues in Chatham, Derby and Nantwich, among others. In March, the company opened its first new-build franchised pub site – in the shadow of new housing estates at Teal Farm in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

MorningAdvertiser.com – ‘The legislation sucks’: Parliamentary motion seeks justice for licensees

By Oli Gross, 26-Jul-2016

MP Greg Mulholland has submitted an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for ‘Roadworks justice for local businesses’ in response to The Morning Advertiser’s roadworks campaign – Works Must Pay. Read More

Wednesday 27/7/16

Propelinfonews.com – Turtle Bay to open Norwich restaurant next month, first in Norfolk: Caribbean restaurant Turtle Bay will open a site in Norwich at the end of August – the company’s first in Norfolk. Turtle Bay is currently converting the grade II-listed building – formerly home to Fabric Warehouse on the corner of Bedford Street and Swan Lane – into the venue, creating 50 jobs. The 180-cover restaurant will span two floors, with a bar designed like an island hut, an open street food-style kitchen and a VW camper van transformed into a seating area. A Turtle Bay spokesman told the Eastern Daily Press: “The team have pulled out all the stops for their first restaurant in Norfolk, which will be a beach shack-inspired ray of sunshine. The bold, bright, joyful interior will be designed to transport Norwich guests to sunnier climes, and has been inspired by the independent spirit of its Lanes location.” Turtle Bay, which is backed by Piper Private Equity, was formed by Las Iguanas co-founder Ajith Jaya-Wickrema and has 28 sites across the UK, having opened its first site in Milton Keynes in 2010.

Propelinfonews.com – Lincolnshire Brewing Company acquires first pub: Lincolnshire Brewing Company has acquired its first pub, on the outskirts of Lincoln. The company, founded by Claire and Karl Brown in 2014, has bought The George in Langworth, creating up to five additional jobs. The pub will remain open while it is given a facelift throughout the year and, once work is complete, will host tours, offer tastings, and hold other events. Claire Brown told the Lincolnshire Echo: “We have been looking for premises in Lincoln but they are so extortionate. Work has already begun and will carry on throughout the year and we’ll look at food in October, which will bring us up to Christmas. We have big plans.” Existing staff will remain at the pub and new roles are expected to be available later this year.

Thursday 28/7/16

MorningAdvertiser.co.uk – Why aren’t pubs selling under-18s beer?

By Nikkie Sutton, 28-Jul-2016

Under-18s can legally purchase low and non-alcoholic beer in pubs, however, many pubs will not permit these sales. Read More

Propelinfonews.com – New gourmet burger concept opens in Nottingham, second site already secured: A new gourmet burger concept has opened in Nottingham with its owners already planning expansion having secured a second site. Brothers Tazz and Dan Butt have teamed up with Peter Paprocki to launch the Real Burger Company (RBCO) in Gregory Boulevard in the city’s Hyson Green neighbourhood. The restaurant has capacity for 37 diners with further seating available outside. The decor is purple, except for one wall that is used to record the names of people who successfully complete The Challenge – a burger containing four patties with large fries, gherkin, red-cabbage coleslaw and a milkshake. RBCO said it was the first gourmet burger specialist in Nottingham to use halal meat, with the burgers served on a locally baked brioche bun. Tazz Butt told the Nottingham Post: “We have been in the food industry for four generations, going back to my great-grandfather in Pakistan. We have put a lot of thought into this project – it was a journey of 18 months, but we think it’s an offer that will go down well in Hyson Green.” He said the concept was suitable for expansion and already had planning permission for a second restaurant at an undisclosed location.

Friday 29/7/16

MorningAdvertiser.co.uk – ‘Every pub does it’: Pub loses licence after 8am lock-ins

By Oli Gross, 29-Jul-2016

A distraught publican’s licence has been revoked by the local council after a string of late-night lock-ins at the pub. Read More

BigHospitality.co.uk – British beer sales are rising overall despite on-trade drop, says BBPA

By Hannah Thompson, 28-Jul-2016

Overall British beer sales rose by 1.5 per cent in the last quarter, reversing a long period of decline in the sector, according to figures released today. Read More

Propelinfonews.com – Nottingham-based operator to open new bar and restaurant concept in city: Brown and Brown Industries, the family-run company behind Nottingham restaurants and cafes such as Curious Manor, The Parlour, Cured, and Brown’s Cafe and Bistro, is set to open a new bar and restaurant concept in the city centre. Curious Townhouse, a sister outlet to Curious Manor in Trinity Square, is set to move into the former Loom bar and restaurant in High Pavement in the Lace Market area of the city. A statement on the company’s website said: “We are proud to be creating unique and unusual establishments within the Nottinghamshire area. We also aim to showcase locally sourced fresh products and jolly good food ideas. Our ambition is to be daring and to be that little bit different, occasionally throwing caution to the wind and pushing ourselves to the brink of madness!” A licence for the new Curious Townhouse venue in High Pavement has been secured. The Loom closed after its owners ran out of cash last month. It was opened in October by Vesper TPG, headed by Poseidon Kumar and his father Pradip Kumar. It doubled as an entertainment venue, with live shows on a purpose-built stage so guests could listen to music or watch a show.