- The challenges of the casual dining market were thrown back into sharp focus this week with the news that Northern-based restaurant group Gusto Italian was on the verge of collapse. The brand, which celebrates its 20th birthday this year, was subsequently acquired by investment firm Cherry Equity Partners via a pre-pack administration process. Six of the group’s 13 restaurants have closed with immediate effect, resulting in around 190 redundancies, while seven continue to trade. Paul Moran, CEO of Gusto Restaurants, says the deal will ensure the future of the business and provide a platform for fresh expansion.
- London-based food hall operator Arcade is set to add a third location to its estate having taken over the former TGI Fridays in Covent Garden. The group, which already has sites on Tottenham Court Road and in Battersea Power Station, submitted plans to Westminster City Council to update the shopfront of the Grade Two-listed site on Bedford Street. According to a planning statement filed on behalf of Arcade, the concept for the new food hall is still in development and will be a unique experience.
- Heading north of the border, the team behind popular Edinburgh restaurant The Palmerston is joining forces with Newbarns brewery to revive a pub in the Scottish capital. The Cooper’s Rest on Easter Road in Leith will be relaunched early next year having been closed for a decade. The new vision for The Cooper’s Rest is described as being ‘a proper pub serving proper pub food’. Expect a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a menu of contemporary-styled comfort dishes that puts local and seasonal produce front and centre.
- Staying in Scotland, Glasgow-founded restaurant group Six by Nico has said it is aiming to build the largest and most active culinary community in the UK through a new crowdfunded membership. The tasting menu restaurant, which operates 16 sites across the UK as well as an outpost in Dublin, Ireland, is to launch a ‘community-first’ crowdfund campaign next month that will invite customers to become part of a closed circle of investors. It says the strategy will give its customers more control and empower them to influence the company’s future rather than relying on private investors. Immediate plans include the opening of a new flagship location in London’s Covent Garden that’s set to launch in the coming months.
- And finally, a huge congratulations to former Fallow chefs Luke Moody and Layla Morris who have triumphed in restaurant incubator competition Brixton Kitchen, which returned this year after a prolonged hiatus. The pair impressed judges with their Durban Curry House concept, which is described by Brixton Kitchen as an ‘innovative yet authentic take on the Indian-inspired cuisine of Durban, South Africa’. As winners, Moody and Morris will host Durban Curry House as a six-month residency in one of Brixton Village’s units on Market Row. They will also receive mentorship from industry stalwarts covering salient topics for new restaurateurs including financial management, intellectual property, and marketing.