- Creative Restaurant Group is relaunching its Mayfair restaurant Humo as IGNI this month with chef Theo Clench at the helm. The new concept will keep Humo’s signature open-fire cooking but shift to a more refined approach, with a set-menu-only format. While the space and fire-based kitchen remain largely unchanged, the dining experience, service style, and menu are being elevated, with Clench aiming to regain a Michelin star for the restaurant. The downstairs 10-seat chef’s table will initially serve as overflow and private dining before relaunching later in the year as a more premium offer, where two chefs will create menus focused on ultra-seasonal ingredients.
- Young’s has agreed to acquire Cubitt House’s west London pubs for around £30m, adding eight existing sites plus a ninth under development to its estate. The deal includes a collection of pubs and pubs with rooms in areas such as Belgravia, Chelsea and Marylebone and is expected to complete on the 22 April. Young’s says it will retain and build on Cubitt House’s strong teams and culture, with the acquisition supporting its strategy to expand in London with premium pubs in prime locations.
- Gareth Ward’s eight-seat restaurant Gwen in Machynlleth will close in early May after three years, with final service following the Machynlleth Comedy Festival. Opened in 2023 with his partner Amelia and led by head chef Corrin Harrison, the eight-seat restaurant offers a 10-course tasting menu and was named after Ward’s mother. Harrison says it felt like the right time to move on and close ‘on our own terms’ after a successful run.
- Vagabond will open a 6,000sq ft flagship wine bar in Soho’s Ganton Street this summer, forming part of a multi-million-pound commitment from Majestic Wine Group backed by Fortress Investment Group. The venue will centre on its self-pour concept, offering more than 120 wines by the glass, including from its Canada Water urban winery, alongside features such as a central bar and private dining room. The opening is part of a wider strategy to expand in high-profile, experience-led locations and attract a younger, digitally engaged audience through app-led and in-bar technology.
- Papa Johns is launching a sourdough pizza range after what it says has been two years of development, responding to growing demand for more ‘hand-crafted’ pizzas. The range includes three pizzas: pepper & pepperoncini; salami & n’duja; and chicken & pesto, made using an aged sourdough culture matured over weeks and fermented for up to 11 days, alongside new sides and dips. The move reflects research from Papa Johns that found that while its Italian-style pizzas remained the top choice among 33% of its UK customers, 27% preferred sourdough or hand stretched bases.