Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
Rick Stein’s celebration menu, the closure of Kora, and movements in the burger world were among this week’s most read stories.
News
Duck and Rice to double up with Battersea Power Station location
Chinese gastropub Duck and Rice is celebrating its tenth birthday with the opening of a second site this year.
Chick-fil-A to return to UK with double opening in Northern Ireland
US fried chicken giant Chick-fil-A will mark its return to the UK market later this month with the first of two openings in Northern Ireland.
Future of Pizza Hut Restaurants secure as Heart With Smart acquired in pre-pack administration
Pizza Hut’s UK restaurant franchisee has been sold in a pre-pack administration that’s set to preserve more than 3,000 jobs.
Tossed turns to franchising as it plots nationwide expansion
Salad bar brand Tossed is seeking franchise partners under plans to grow its footprint nationwide.
People on the move: January 2025
New senior chef roles at The Landmark London and Jamie Oliver Catherine St, as well as leadership appointments at Various Eateries and McWin are among this month’s key personnel changes.
Loungers shareholder dismisses increased offer as ‘not good enough’
A Loungers shareholder has voiced its intention to still vote against Fortress Investment Group’s acquisition of the all-day café and restaurant group, despite the US-based investment firm increasing its offer.
Sixco tees up further expansion amid record financial results
The group behind tasting menu restaurant Six by Nico has reported record financial results for 2024 with turnover up 42% following a significant period of expansion.
Spitalfields market welcomes two new vendors
Japanese soufflé pancakes brand Fuwa Fuwa and Italian street food vendor Indegno have joined the food line up at east London’s Spitalfields market.
Fortress puts forward increased offer to acquire Loungers
US-based investment firm Fortress has put forward an ‘increased and final cash offer’ for Loungers of 325p per share, a premium of approximately 4.8% on its previous proposal of 310p.
“We’re sad to say arrivederci”: Café Britaly closes after just eight months
Richard Crampton-Platt and Alex Purdie have closed their Peckham restaurant Café Britaly after only eight months.
Rockwell Bistro & Wine Bar opens in Trafalgar Square
All-day restaurant Rockwell Bistro & Wine Bar has opened within London’s Trafalgar St James hotel as part of a £6m renovation plan.
SushiSamba swings into profit
SushiSamba Group saw its turnover rise by 12% in 2023 as it moved into profit.
Boxpark develops competitive socialising concept for its Croydon site
Food hall operator Boxpark will launch a new competitive socialising concept at its Croydon site next month.
Carl’s Jr. to make UK debut in Cardiff
Californian burger brand Carl’s Jr. is to open its first UK restaurant this April in Cardiff.
Tony Page’s Island Grill moves to a larger location
Fine dining kosher restaurant Tony Page’s Island Grill is relocating from Bayswater Road at the Royal Lancaster to a larger venue in Marylebone.
Pizza Hut Restaurants owner ‘closing in on rescue deal’
Pizza Hut’s biggest UK franchisee is closing in on a rescue deal that could come as early as Wednesday (15 January).
The Crazy Bear secures its future with a buy-out
The Crazy Bear hotel group has announce the successful buy-out of the business, saying it has secured long-term capital to fuel its ambitious growth plans.
Extra_Ordinary restaurant to open in Glasgow on former Nico Simeone site
Australian chef Tobias Fiegel is teaming up with restaurateur Nico Simeone to open a pan-Asian restaurant in Glasgow’s Finnieston later this month.
Beach House Group to open clifftop venue in Falmouth
The Beach House Group will open a second Beach House, in Falmouth, Cornwall, next month.
The Hand & Flowers marks 20 years with special menu
The Hand & Flowers is launching a commemorative ‘Classics’ menu this month as part of its year-long celebrations to mark its 20th anniversary.
Fresh rail strikes could cost hospitality sector £1bn
Planned rail strikes between London and the Midlands and the north of England could cost the hospitality sector £1bn in lost revenue, it has been warned.
Sourdough Sophia heads to Highgate for third London bakery
London-based ‘micro bakery’ Sourdough Sophia is to open its third site in the capital.
Kora by Tom Kitchin to close
Tom Kitchin has announced he is to close his Kora restaurant in Edinburgh’s Bruntsfield neighbourhood at the end of the month after two and a half years trading.
Doh’hut shutters both London sites
Doughnut brand Doh’hut has closed its two London outposts, bringing an end to its presence in the capital less than two years after launching its first site in the city.
Hackney takeaway The Great Indian opens Indian gastropub
Popular Hackney-based Indian takeaway The Great Indian has opened an Indian gastropub in Archway, north London.
Shellfish soup for 50p: Rick Stein to roll back prices to 1975 to celebrate 50 years in business
Rick Stein is celebrating 50 years since he opened The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow by rolling the prices back to 1975 when it first opened.
Friday five: the week’s top restaurant stories
The first full week of 2025 saw big closures including London’s Locanda Locatelli and Gary Usher’s Burnt Truffle, while the Ainsworths added to their portfolio with Cornwall’s St Enodoc Hotel.
Lilac ‘returns to original ethos’ as it swaps small plates for set menu
Lilac, the Lyme Regis-based wine bar and restaurant led by Harriet Mansell, is to move away from serving small plates and instead offer both a set menu and tasting menu.
The Wolseley Hospitality Group reports strong sales but greater losses
The Wolseley Hospitality Group has reported strong sales and record EBITDA but also a loss in its latest financial accounts.
JKS considering employee share scheme as turnover tops £73m
London-based restaurant group JKS has said it is considering the introduction of an employee share scheme to ‘further encourage the involvement of its team members in its financial performance’.
Greggs' sales pass £2bn as it announces further price rises
Greggs has passed the £2bn sales mark for the first time, with total sales for 2024 up 11.3% on the previous year.
Hero Brands ‘entering exciting period of growth’ as it returns to profit
Hero Brands is back in the black and plotting further expansion with a focus on growing its German Doner Kebab (GDK) and Sides brands ‘significantly’ in the next five years.
Tamila heads to King’s Cross for second site
The team behind popular south Indian restaurant Tamila have revealed that King’s Cross will be the location for the second restaurant under the brand.
Restaurant at-home sales jump 6.2% in November
Britain’s leading restaurant groups achieved like-for-like growth in delivery and takeaway sales for the 18th month in a row in November, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.
Groucho Club CEO steps down
Elli Jafari has stepped down from her role as chief executive of The Groucho in London’s Soho ahead of its planned relaunch tomorrow (10 January).
“I’ve never been able to make it work here”: Gary Usher closes Burnt Truffle
Gary Usher has closed his Burnt Truffle restaurant in Heswall after 10 years of trading.
“We were too big for our boots”: The Breakfast Club closes its three-storey Canary Wharf venue
The Breakfast Club has closed its Canary Wharf site after a decade or trading.
Paul and Emma Ainsworth take on Cornwall’s The St Enodoc Hotel
Paul and Emma Ainsworth have announced that they have bought The St Enodoc Hotel in Rock, Cornwall.
Ayo Adeyemi named consultant chef at new modern West African restaurant Shakara
Former Akoko executive chef Ayo Adeyemi has developed the launch menu for modern West African restaurant Shakara, which will open in London’s Marylebone at the end of the month.
Brendan Fyldes named executive chef at The Beaumont Mayfair ahead of new dining concepts at the hotel
The Beaumont Mayfair has appointed Brendan Fyldes as its new executive chef.
Hundreds of McDonald’s workers join legal action over harassment allegations
More than 700 McDonald’s junior crew members have joined a legal action against the fast food giant following allegations of widespread harassment across its UK estate.
Clean Kitchen Club forced to close Battersea site after trading agreement terminated
Vegan focused fast food brand Clean Kitchen Club appears to have ceased trading having been forced to close its restaurant within London’s Battersea Power Station late last year.
Chipotle shutters Watford site
Chipotle has closed its Watford restaurant after two and a half years of trading.
Rare Restaurants ‘positive’ for future despite widening losses
Gaucho and M operator Rare Restaurants has said it is ‘continuing to outperform market measures’ with turnover rising above £75m in its latest financial results.
Liverpool tapas bar El Gato Negro to relocate
Liverpool tapas restaurant El Gato Negro is to move from its current home on Exchange Flags to a new location on Castle Street this spring.
Tony Parkin departs Cliff House Hotel
Tony Parkin has left his role as chef patron at the Michelin-starred House Restaurant at the Cliff House Hotel in Waterford, Ireland.
Future of Covent Garden restaurants The Petersham and La Goccia in doubt amid rent dispute
The Petersham and La Goccia in central London face the threat of closure amid a row between the restaurants’ owner and their landlord.
Shereen Ritchie steps down as Buns From Home CEO
Buns From Home CEO Shereen Ritchie has announced she is stepping down from the London-based bakery chain after two years.
Locanda Locatelli closes after 23 years
Husband and wife Giorgio and Plaxy Locatelli have announced the sudden closure of their well-known Marylebone Italian restaurant.