Casual Dining

Grape expectations: how new wave wine bars are creating a fresh venue format

10-Oct-2024 By Tony Naylor (additional reporting by Joe Lutrario)

The rise of the modern wine bar is changing not just how Britain drinks and thinks about wine, but how it eats.

US brand Velvet Taco to launch first UK site in London next year

10-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

US-founded Tex-Mex brand Velvet Taco is to make its UK debut in spring next year having secured a site in London’s Piccadilly Circus.

Boxcar heads to Connaught Village for third venue

10-Oct-2024 By Restaurant

Neighbourhood restaurant and artisan bakery group Boxcar will launch its third venue in the capital this month.

Michael Caines closes his Devon seaside restaurants

10-Oct-2024 By Restaurant

Michael Caines has closed his Devon restaurants Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant and Café Patisserie Glacerie after three years.

St Pancras Bar & Brasserie relaunches with new executive chef Thomas Piat

10-Oct-2024 By Joe Lutrario

St Pancras Bar & Brasserie will relaunch later this month with a new menu created by newly-appointed executive chef Thomas Piat that ‘pays tribute to the classic French brasserie’.

Oxfordshire’s The Bat and Ball acquired by newly-launched pub group

09-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

The Bat and Ball pub in Cuddesdon, Oxfordshire, is to relaunch next month having been acquired by newly launched pub group The Montgomery Group.

Loungers ‘continues to outperform market’ as it closes in on 300 sites

08-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Loungers says it is ‘continuing to outperform the broader UK hospitality market’ having delivered like-for-like (LFL) sales growth of 4.7% in the 24 weeks ended 6 October 2024.

Latest opening: The Barbary Notting Hill

08-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Hitherto Soho-based operators Zoë and Layo Paskin have gone West and opened a new flagship The Barbary restaurant in London’s Notting Hill.

TGI Fridays sale to Breal Capital and Calveton confirmed

07-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

TGI Fridays’ UK franchise has been acquired by Breal Capital and Calveton in a deal that will save at least 51 of the American bar and restaurant brand’s sites.

Inception Group plots regional expansion as it toasts ‘record growth’

07-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

London-based immersive bar operator Inception Group is looking to expand beyond the capital with both regional and international growth on the cards.

Big Table owner acquires Amber Taverns

07-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

The owner of casual dining operator The Big Table Group has acquired the Amber Taverns pubco for an undisclosed sum.

TGI Fridays rescue deal ‘being finalised’

07-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

A deal by D&D London owners Breal Capital and Calveton to acquire TGI Fridays’ UK franchise following the collapse of its parent company is ‘on the verge of being finalised’.

Permanently Unique to bring Fenix and Louis restaurants to London

04-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Permanently Unique is planning to bring its Greek-Mediterranean inspired concept Fenix and Italian-American brand Louis to London next year following the success of both restaurants in Manchester.

New World Trading Company to shutter three sites and undergo CVA

03-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

New World Trading Company (NWTC) is to close three sites as part of the restructuring plan that will also see the group aim to launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

Cin Cin to close London outpost as it plans for ‘next chapter’

03-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Brighton and Hove-based Italian group Cin Cin is to close its only London restaurant after three and a half years trading as the business looks to focus on new projects.

Somewhere by Nico to stop serving food as Sixco group looks to refocus cocktail concept

03-Oct-2024 By James McAllister

Nico Simeone has announced that his immersive cocktail bar concept Somewhere by Nico will stop serving food after admitting that the proposition had become ‘unclear’.

Sam and Georgie Pearman to open Cotswolds pub

30-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Sam and Georgie Pearman, the duo behind The Double Red Duke and restaurants and hotel group Country Creatures, will open The Mason’s Arms in the Cotswolds.

Dishoom shakes up its menu with biggest overhaul to date

30-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Indian restaurant group Dishoom has introduced its most significant overhaul to its menu since its launch in 2010.

Hard Rock Cafe sees losses narrow as sales rise

30-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Hard Rock Cafe’s UK business has reduced its losses from £9m in 2022 to £0.9m in 2023, according to its latest financial results.

Samyukta Nair to open casual Italian Mayfair restaurant

30-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Samyukta Nair is adding to her Mayfair restaurant portfolio this winter with the opening of an Italian restaurant.

Smoke + Ash doubles in size to meet high demand

26-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Edgbaston-based pizzeria Smoke + Ash has doubled in size after extending into its neighbouring site.

'Strictly landlubbing, for now...' London Shell Co to close its two barge restaurants

26-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

London Shell Co is closing its two barge restaurants in London’s Paddington citing rising costs.

Ottolenghi starts international push with Swiss restaurant

25-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Yotam Ottolenghi will open his first restaurant outside of the UK, in Switzerland.

Comment

Can TGI Fridays be saved?

25-Sep-2024 By Stefan Chomka

The US chain was once a much-loved fixture of the UK restaurant scene, but its demise tells a different story today.

Coco di Mama co-founder launches restaurant and bakery

25-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

The co-founder of fast casual Italian brand Coco di Mama is to open a restaurant and bakery in London this winter.

Dishoom gains B Corp accreditation, reports a rise in revenue and profits

24-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Dishoom has become the latest restaurant group in the UK to be certified as B Corp, joining brands including Hawksmoor, Pizza Pilgrims and Blacklock.

Five Guys sees sales rise across Europe, including the UK

24-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Five Guys has reported an increased in revenue across the European arm of the business, including in the UK.

D&D London owners in talks to save TGI Fridays

24-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

The owners of D&D London is understood to be in advanced negotiations to take on TGI Fridays’ UK franchise.

Another US burger brand is opening in the capital

20-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

New York burger brand Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer will open its inaugural site in the UK this autumn.

Latest opening: Leydi

20-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Selin Kiazim has joined forces with hotel giant Ennismore to launch a new Turkish restaurant in London's Farringdon that’s inspired by the dining culture of Istanbul.

Greene King to launch entertainment focused brand

19-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Greene King is launching an experience-led, even more family-friendly dining brand which its says provides that ‘Friday feeling day in, day out’.

Halisco team join forces with chef Ian Swainson for new Brighton restaurant

19-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

The team behind Brighton restaurants Halisco and Anakuma have partnered with chef Ian Swainson to launch a new Spanish restaurant in the seaside city.

August completes 'modest summer' for hospitality groups as sales rise 1.3%

19-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved modest year-on-year sales growth of 1.3% in August 2024, the latest edition of the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals

What’s behind the casual French restaurant renaissance?

19-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Casual French restaurants championing rustic, all-day dining are opening up across the country. What's behind the trend?

TGI Fridays owner Hostmore files for administration

18-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Hostmore, the owner of the TGI Fridays UK franchise, has filed for administration and suspended its listing on the London Stock Exchange.

Preston's Fell Bistro to transform into a pizzeria from next month

18-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Matt Willdigg, Alex Blamire, and Oli Martin are transforming their Longridge bistro in Preston into a pizza restaurant.

Simon Rimmer closes final Greens restaurant

18-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Simon Rimmer’s Greens restaurant in Sale, Manchester, has closed its doors little more than two years after its launch.

Karen’s Diner ceases trading as owner ‘forced into liquidation’

17-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

The UK arm of Karen’s Diner, the Australia-founded restaurant group known for its rude service and staff with attitude, has gone into liquidation amid ‘mounting financial pressure’.

Administrators ‘on standby’ as Hostmore scrambles to sell UK restaurants

17-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

TGI Fridays’ future in the UK is in doubt as Hostmore, the UK franchise owner, scrambles to sell its 87-strong estate after abandoning plans to acquire its US counterpart.

How Café François is bringing the spirit of a classic French canteen to Borough Yards

13-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Maison François founders François O’Neill and Ed Wyand have opened a second London restaurant that combines their vision for a modern-day French canteen with their love of merch.

Nick and Julia Nairn close Bridge of Allan restaurant a year after relaunch

13-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

High-profile Scottish chef Nick Nairn has closed his eponymous Nairn’s restaurant in the Bridge of Allan little more than a year after he relaunched the site following a devastating fire.

Turnover drops at Salt Bae’s London outpost

12-Sep-2024 By Shwetali Sapte

Salt Bae’s London restaurant Nusr-Et Steakhouse has recorded a drop in turnover of over £4m from £13.6m in 2022 to £9.3m in 2023.

Burger chain Fat Hippo rolls out breakfast menu

11-Sep-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Burger brand Fat Hippo is hoping to take a bite out of the breakfast market with a new menu that’s focused on breakfast burgers and pancake stacks.

Felix Shore and Anna Roseblade-Shore open Cheshire bistro 209

09-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Husband and wife Felix Shore and Anna Roseblade have opened their new bistro in Farndon, Cheshire.

Shortlist revealed for R200 Awards 2024

09-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Restaurant groups including Burgerism, Kricket, Fat Hippo, Hawksmoor, JKS Restaurants, LSL Capital and Dishoom have been shortlisted in this year's R200 Awards.

Hostmore abandons acquisition of TGI Fridays’ US business

09-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Hostmore has abandoned its all-share acquisition of TGI Fridays in the US with the brand’s UK operations set to continue under new ownership.

Luke Johnson joins Revolution Bars Group board

09-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Luke Johnson has been appointed non-executive chairman of Revolution Bars Group following the retirement of Keith Edelman.

Richard Caring ‘on the brink’ of signing £1bn Ivy deal

06-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Richard Caring is ‘on the brink’ of signing a deal that’ll see him sell close to all of his stake in The Ivy and its sister restaurants.

Sales rise and losses narrow for TRG following ‘transformational year’

06-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

The Restaurant Group (TRG) says it ‘remains confident’ in the potential for growing its estate following a ‘genuinely transformational year’ for the business.

Pizza Pilgrims to hit Chelsea's King’s Road

06-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Pizza Pilgrims has signed for its latest site on Chelsea's King’s Road.