New openings round-up

Drake & Morgan has announced another round of site acquisitions that will take its estate of restaurants and bars to 14. The first launch will be under its Refinery brand at the Cotton Building on Spinningfields in Manchester in the autumn—a 5,800 square feet and 185-cover site. The next two, previously announced, will be the Commission at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 in the summer and the Refinery on St Andrew’s Square in Edinburgh in November. Spring 2017 will then bring both a huge 13,000 square feet and 400-cover venue in a new mixed-use development in West India Quay; and a 6,000 square feet, 185-cover site on One St Peter’s Square in Manchester. Drake & Morgan’s managing director Jillian MacLean said: “We are delighted to be bringing our bars and restaurants to Edinburgh and Manchester and to be expanding in our heartland in central London.”

Franco Manca has reached 20 restaurants with an opening in Guildford. It says it will also open in Brighton in May, in Tooting Market, Muswell Hill Broadway and Bromley in June, and on Kilburn High Road in July. It has also signed for units on Putney High Street and at the Nova Victoria development, meaning it is on course to reach 27 restaurants by the end of the summer.

Thaikhun, TGI Friday’s and YO! Sushi have all signed up to open at an extension to the intu shopping centre in Watford. They join brands already confirmed for openings there, including Cabana, Las Iguanas and Byron. Once completed, the extension will have ten restaurants, 16 shops and a nine-screen cinema.

Piccolino has opened its major new flagship restaurant called Piccolino Caffe Grande in Albert Square in Manchester today (21 April). Twice the size of its previous incarnation, it has space for 200 diners and features including a pizza oven, oyster and caviar bar, terrace, deli, ice cream bar, wine shop and juice bar operated by the Juice.

Wagamama will open in St Peter’s Square in Manchester next spring, the city’s Evening News reports.

Bella Italia opens on Bridge Street in Cambridge this week—its fourth restaurant in the city.

Turtle Bay has secured permission to open on Swan Lane in Norwich. It has also applied for permission to open on Cheltenham Road in Bristol—a second restaurant in the city.

Ceviche founder Martin Morales is to launch a new restaurant called Casita Andina on Great Windmill Street in Soho. It will be inspired by home or farm-based picanterias from the Andes in Peru, with 58 covers across two small floors, plus a takeaway area and a pisco bar. It is scheduled to launch on 28 July, Peruvian Independence Day.

The Original Bowling Company has reopened its Hollywood Bowl in Ashton Leisure Park after a £350,000 refurb. It has given the venue an enhanced drinks offer including cocktails.

The Bath Pub Company has secured its fourth site in the city—the Locksbrook Inn. It is an Enterprise lease and was previously known as the Dolphin Inn. The new venue will open next month.

The Deltic Group has just opened its new restaurant and club concept Bar & Beyond at the leisure park in Stevenage. It is a revamp of a venue previously run as Chicago’s, and has two elements: bar food from the early evening and a club-style offer late at night.

Wahaca has just opened in Brighton—its 21st restaurant in all.

Nando’s opens in Bolton tomorrow (22 April). Its site is in the Market Place centre’s Victorian Vaults. Gourmet Burger Kitchen is among the other brands to launch at the Vaults development soon.

Le Comptoir Libanais has been confirmed for an opening at the new dining quarter at the Guildhall shopping centre in Exeter. It joins brands previously announced there, including Turtle Bay, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and The Stable.

A new British barbecue restaurant and bar called MeatUp will launch on Old York Road in Wandsworth in June. The concept has been set up by Sachin Kanna, previously of Raffles and Libertine, and will have British steaks, lobster, shellfish, ribs, burgers and chicken, plus a late-night bar. It will have a 50-cover dining room, 37-cover bar and a small outside space.

JD Wetherspoon has opened in Beverley in Yorkshire. It has also proposed plans to open in a derelict pub on Gloucester Road in Bristol, according to media in the city, and will hold a local consultation next week.

Red Door, the neighbourhood bar concept developed by a group including Living Ventures founder Tim Bacon, is to open beneath the Botanist on Deansgate in Manchester, on a site once occupied by JW Johnsons. Red Door will be a 2,800 square feet site with a capacity of 250, and will open from 8pm to 2am seven days a week. It is expected to open in June after a £350,000 refit. Bacon has worked with entrepreneur Dave Hinds and Living Ventures’ Lee Lynch on the concept, which already operates in Chester and Liverpool.

New York-based Dominique Ansel is launching an eponymous bakery in London in late summer or early autumn. Dominique Ansel Bakery will sell pastries and other items including New York bestsellers like the cronut and Cookie Shot.

Carluccio’s is the latest brand to head to the intu Metrocentre in Gateshead. It has now received a licence for a venue in the centre’s Platinum Mall. It will be a second restaurant in the north east for Carluccio’s, having already opened in Newcastle.

Prezzo opened at the Feethams complex in Darlington late last week.

JAN, a new Caspian and Middle Eastern restaurant, will open on Northcote Road in Clapham in June. It will have 53 covers with a bar area and outdoor seating.

The Genuine Dining Co, backed by Luke Johnson, is to operate a new coffee house on the ground floor of the Colmore Building in Birmingham. It will be called &More Coffee House and will be an all-day operation over 1,000 square feet and an outdoor terrace.

Papa John’s is opening in Southport as it continues its rapid franchised roll-out in the UK.

C’Alice, a new Italian restaurant and wine bar, will open on Munster Road in Fulham in the next few weeks. It has been set up by Alice Ravelli and Giovanni Di Stefano, and has the strapline ‘Wine, Food, Talk’.

The Restaurant Group has submitted plans to open a branch of its Joe’s Kitchen brand in York. It would replace a Café Rouge there.

Starbucks is opening off the A27 in Emsworth in Sussex after a franchisee acquired the Little Chef site there.