Carluccio’s Restaurant
Carluccio’s will open at the McArthur Glen designer outlet in Cheshire Oaks in May. It has picked up a 3,700 square feet and 104-cover unit. It will be Carluccio’s 96th UK opening and its 117th worldwide.
The Thai Leisure Group has announced an opening for its Thaikhun brand on Friary Street in Guildford—its first launch south of London. It will be a 3,700 square feet unit with 130 covers, and is expected to open on 6 May after a £830,000 refit. The restaurant will be Thaikhun’s eighth in all, and at least five more launches are expected over the rest of the year.
D&D London is to open its first restaurant in Manchester. It has agreed a deal with Allied London to launch a 9,500 square feet restaurant with outdoor terrace at No. 1 Spinningfields, a massive commercial building under construction in the city at the moment. D&D plans to be open there in autumn 2017. Chairman and chief executive Des Gunewardena said: “Expansion in Northern England continues to be a significant part of our group’s growth strategy and this announcement reflects that. Manchester is a fantastic city and we have watched closely over the last few years the resurgence of the restaurant scene in the city and in Spinningfields in particular. We are big fans of Allied London’s development and are very excited to be becoming a part of it.”
Tortilla has signed for its first restaurant in Scotland at the new dining extension at the Silverburn shopping centre in Glasgow. The unit will have 58 covers and will open in the summer.
Belgo has moved outside London for the fist time with a launch at the Lace Market in Nottingham. It took on a La Tasca unit there.
Also opening for the first time beyond London, and also in Nottingham, is Red Dog Saloon. It will start work on a site soon, according to the Nottingham Post.
Harvester has opened in Paignton. It is by the town’s cinema and has been converted from a site previously run by Orchid.
Manchester-based Solita is to open its first restaurant outside of the city in Preston. They have acquired the Olive Press and Heathcote’s Brasserie in the town and will knock them together for its biggest restaurant yet. Solita already operates in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Didsbury and Prestwich.
Fast growing Thai brand Giggling Squid will open in Norwich. It has taken over a venue previously operated by La Tasca.
Frankie & Benny’s and Chiquito are set to open at the leisure and retail development in Bexhill in Sussex, after the Restaurant Group submitted plans to the local council.
Leon opened its latest new site next to Moorgate station in London on Monday (11 April). It is its second new opening of the year and its 35th location in all.
All Bar One has signed to open at the Marischal Square development in Aberdeen, local media report. It has taken a 6,000 square feet unit at the development, which will open in 2017.
Le Bistrot Pierre is to open in Altrincham later in the year. It has taken a 120-cover unit on the high street, and says it will create 30 new jobs. It will be Le Bistrot Pierre’s 17th restaurant in all, and continues a rapid expansion for the brand.
Ed’s Easy Diner has opened at Welcome Break’s motorway service station at South Mimms on the M25. It is its second launch with Welcome Break.
Miller & Carter has applied to open in Chester. It wants to take on a space under the town’s council headquarters.
Prezzo has opened in Newport on the Isle of Wight. It is its first opening on the island.
Bella Italia says it has opened 25 new sites in the last 25 weeks—in its 25th anniversary year. Its latest restaurant, and its 100th in all, is in the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent. The Bluewater site is also its biggest yet, with 300 covers. Managing director Nick White said: “I’m incredibly proud to have bought Bella to two prestigious milestones—its 25th birthday and its 100th site.“
Casual cocktail bar group Be At One has set 12 May for the opening of its latest new venue in Birmingham. It has taken a site on Stephenson Street—its 32nd venue in all.
Marco Pierre White’s Black and White Hospitality group has set up a new casual dining concept called Bardolino Pizzeria Bellini and Espresso, to launch at the Cube in Birmingham and the Club at Cadbury House in Somerset. The launches will be in May and June.
Barbecue concept Hickory’s Smokehouse is to open in Burton Green in the Midlands. It will be its fifth venue in all. Hickory’s already operates in Chester, West Kirby, Rhos-on-Sea and Wall Heath.
Cote has applied for permission to open on the high street in Godalming in Surrey, local media report. It has also put in plans for a Welwyn Garden City launch.
Barbecue concept Smoke opened its third restaurant in Glasgow on Monday (11 April). It already operates from Sheffield and Leeds. The Glasgow site is a 4,500 square feet and 152-cover restaurant on West Regent Street.
Las Iguanas opened in Harrogate on Monday (11 April). Its next launch will be a restaurant in Basingstoke on 25 April. Both openings will be marked by a burrito giveaway and a two-for-one deal on food.
BrewDog’s latest new bar opens on Queen Street in Norwich next week.
The New World Trading Company has confirmed a previously rumoured opening for its bar and restaurant brand the Botanist in York. It is taking on a two-floor Grade II listed building on Stonegate. It will be the tenth Botanist since the brand launched in 2012, joining venues in Manchester, Chester, Alderley Edge, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Marlow, Farnham, Knutsford and, soon, Sheffield.
Drake & Morgan is to open its first airport site at Heathrow. It will be called the Commission, and will be a 4,800 square feet site with 170 covers at Heathrow’s Terminal 4. It will be an all-day bar and restaurant concept with takeaway options too. It will be open sometime in the summer.
JD Wetherspoon will open its Cross Keys pub in the Yorkshire town of Beverley on Tuesday (19 April).
Pizza Express has secured permission to open in Moseley in the Midlands. It has meanwhile opened this week in Liverpool—a third restaurant in the city.
The Marriott Park Lane hotel will open a new rooftop bar called Notch in March. It will offer Japanese street food and cocktails in an industrial-style space. It will be open from 10am to 10pm every day.
Papa John’s has opened in Hatfield.
