Drake & Morgan has lined up two new concepts that will be the result of conversions of Corney & Barrow bars. The Otherist will launch on Old Broad Street in late November, taking over a 3,700 square feet space with 120 covers. The Pagination will be a 4,400 square feet venue on Cabot Square, with 84 and 60 covers inside and out, and will open in early December. They will trade from Monday to Friday and Saturday respectively. Drake & Morgan is also preparing to open two branches of its Refinery concept in late November—on Manchester’s Spinningfields and Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square.
Franco Manca parent Fulham Shore has also announced plans to open branches of its Real Greek concept at Boxpark Croydon shortly, with a Southampton opening to follow in December.
Franco Manca opened last week at the Westfield shopping centre in London—the brand’s 28th restaurant in all. It has also announced it will open in Southampton in December and Reading early next year, as it continues an expansion outside London. Two more sites in the capital are meanwhile lined up for spring, in Richmond and Putney.
The Casual Dining Group has signed its first UK franchise deal, for an opening of a Belgo brand restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bloomsbury, formerly a Holiday Inn. It will launch n December. The deal is with Firoka group, which already franchises with the InterContinental Hotels Group. The restaurant will be the seventh Belgo restaurant in all, and the alliance with Firoka joins three international franchise agreements. Mark Nelson, managing director of concessions and international franchising at CDG, said: “This is a very exciting development for CDG and Belgo; it’s both our first UK franchise and an initial step into the dynamic food and beverage hotel market. Whilst we’ve opened franchised sites abroad, this is our first on home soil and demonstrates that we’re exploring different channels and models when it comes to new openings.”
Le Bistrot Pierre has set 2 December for the opening of its new restaurant in Altrincham. The 170-cover restaurant will be the group’s 17th in all.
The Tasty Group has applied to open a branch of its Wildwood restaurant format on New Street in Birmingham, local media report.
Soho Coffee Co has opened a new store on Union Street in Bath. It is modeled on the operator’s new format, which includes organic, fairtrade and single-estate coffee and a deli counter with hot filled sourdoughs, tacos and salads. Managing director Penny Manuel said: “We are continuing to develop our brand, and Bath is the first store that includes our new coffee menu, guest coffee station, and deli salad counter, which we can’t wait for our customers to experience.” You can view Soho Coffee Co’s property requirements here.
Five Guys has submitted plans to open at the Arndale centre in Manchester. To view Five Guy’s property requirements, click here.
Healthy on the go brand Vital Ingredient will soon reach 20 stores with an opening on Petty France in the City. Vital Ingredient are actively looking for further sites throughout London, click here to view their property requirements.
Bakery and café concept Paul is opening a site in Earls Court in December. It will be a 1,400 square feet site with 48 covers, located opposite Earls Court tube station. The opening will bring Paul’s total UK estate to 36.
Geronimo Inns has reopened three London pubs after refurbishments: The Builders Arms and The Chelsea Ram in Chelsea, and The Phoenix in Victoria. They have 63, 85 and 85 covers respectively. Geronimo Inns continue to seek new sites, click here to view their requirements.
Fuller’s has reopened its Cat and Canary pub in Canary Wharf as The Tea Merchant after a major refurbishment. It has an 80-cover heated outside area as well as the inside dining area. Fuller’s head of premium dining Kara Alderin said: “The opening of The Tea Merchant has marked a new chapter in the site’s history. Together with a complete transformation and of course a new name, this business has an exciting new lease of life. It brings to the area the best in pub dining, with high quality wines, craft beers and some exceptional freshly prepared gin infusions to tempt even the hardiest tea drinker.”
Byron has just opened on the site of an old cinema at New Street in Birmingham.
Las Iguanas will open in Chelmsford on Monday (31 October). It will form part of the new Bond Street retail and leisure development in the town.
A new all-day concept called Burdock has opened on the ground floor of the Montcalm Royal London House Hotel on Finsbury Square in the City. It is open seven days a week from 6.30am to midnight. A clutch of restaurant and café concepts are being lined up for an extension to the Princes Quay development in Hull. The seven names will be part of a new 18,000 square feet waterfront dining quarter at the centre.
Pub operator Time Well Spent has taken on the lease of the Punchbowl Inn in Ockley in Surrey.
US-based Tex Mex operator Taco Bell is to open in Southampton city centre next month. It will be the brand’s 13th opening in the UK.
A new modern European restaurant, bar and roof terrace called Bokan will open at the top of the Novotel hotel in Canary Wharf in January. It will be a 65-cover all-day restaurant operation alongside a 110-cover bar.
Miller & Carter has just opened in Poulton-le-Fylde. It is the result of a conversion of a former Harvester restaurant.
Frankies Burgers have released a number of target locations that they are looking to open across the UK, targets include Manchester, Leeds & Bradford. To view their requirements in full, click here.
The following occupiers have all announced that they are targeting new openings in London; Black Sheep Coffee, The Watch House, Baygo, Le Bun, Kazu & Claw. Click here to view their property requirements.
