Pret a Manger is moving into the motorway service station space under a trial partnership with the Welcome Break. Its first location will be at the South Mimms service station by junction 23 of the M25 towards the end of the summer. More openings will follow if it proves successful. Pret A Manger chief executive Clive Schlee said: “This is a new area for the Pret business, and one we’re looking forward to exploring. We’ll obviously have our own kitchen on the premises, allowing us to serve motorway customers with fresh, natural food, handmade throughout the day. I’m sure this natural food, and our organic coffee, will be well-received by motorway customers.” Welcome Break chief executive Rod McKie said: “I am confident that this trial will be successful and lead to a long term partnership with Pret A Manger, and bring this amazing brand alongside our world class portfolio of brands to offer even greater choice to the travelling UK public.”
Pret a Manger continue to also seek new units in London and across the UK, view their property requirements here.
Marco Pierre White’s Black & White Hospitality operation has launched a new casual concept called Bardolino Pizzeria, Bellini and Espresso Bar at the Cadbury House hotel near Bristol. It is an all-day concept, and another opening is scheduled in the Cube in Birmingham in the next few weeks. Restaurants in Manchester and London are also planned.
Nando’s plans to open in Swindon—its second restaurant in the town. It has submitted plans for a site on the Orbital Retail Park previously occupied by Pizza Hut.
Wagamama has signed franchise deals to open restaurants in Italy and France. The first French site will be in Paris later this year.
Caribbean concept Sugar Dumplin says it will open three new restaurants over the next few months—at the Rotunda centre in Kingston in July; the London Designer Outlet at Wembley in late August; and Trinity Kitchen in Leeds in the autumn. The operator currently has two sites, in Princes Square in Glasgow and the Atrium in Camberley. All sites will follow Sugar Dumplin’s Rum Shack style, with features including beach huts. Co-founder Norris Panton said: “In 2015 trade research found Caribbean food was in high demand but under-represented on the UK restaurant scene, and we wanted to change that. We want to make it available to all, at a reasonable price. Inspired by our heritage, love of food and good times we’ve tried to bring the essence of the Caribbean to the UK, creating an honest menu that stays close to our roots. Each restaurant has captured something unique from the history of Caribbean. We’re all about making customers feel special… just like they do when they holiday in the Caribbean.”
Dirty Bones has confirmed a third site on Club Row in Shoreditch. It will join the first two Dirty Bones restaurants in Kensington and Kingly Court.
Giraffe opens its latest branch of its on the go and table service concept for travel hubs, Giraffe Stop, at Heathrow airport’s Terminal 3 today (7 July). Giraffe already has sites for the concept at Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham airports.
Five Guys has set 1 August for the opening of its new restaurant on the high street in Watford. The brand is now nearing 50 restaurants in the UK.
Splendid Restaurants is to open Cha Chaan Teng, a Hong Kong café style operation, in Holborn later this summer. The concept has been modelled on all-day Hong Kong cafes from the 1950s and 1960s, and will be a 170-cover site over 4,000 square feet of basement space. It has taken over from Rocket on Kingsway. The development chef will be TV cook Jeremy Pang. Splendid Restaurants also runs Absurd Bird and Jack & Alice. Operations director Mark Hall said: “We’re delighted to introduce Cha Chaan Teng and the Hong Kong café concept to London. We have always admired Jeremy’s refreshing and authentic cooking style and together we’ve created something unique. We look forward to introducing it to Londoners.”
JD Wetherspoon has opened the Nine Arches pub near Newton-le-Willows in Lancashire after a £2.8m spend. Another opening will follow in Formby next Tuesday (12 July). View their property requirements here.
Patisserie Valerie has opened at the Millgate shopping centre in Bury.
The Handmade Burger Co has acquired a site in the Riverwalk shopping centre in Durham. The centre is currently being redevelopment, and the brand will take up a 3,400 square feet unit when it opens in mid-2018. Click here to view their property requirements.
SOHO Coffee Co has just opened at the Highcross shopping centre in Leicester. It is a new flagship site covering 2,500 square feet and with 95 covers. Managing director Penny Manuel said: “We are very excited to be opening in the heart of Leicester city centre. It’s such a vibrant city and Highcross is such a significant retail and leisure space for the locality. “This is the first store that brings together so many of our latest brand developments; everything from our newest hot food propositions, right through the mix of seating and feature lighting pieces.”
A vegetarian hotdog concept called Not Dogs has secured a permanent site on Link Street in Birmingham. It has previously operated as a street food venture. The venue should open towards the end of the summer.
Hickory’s Smokehouse announced their acquisition plans to open new restaurants in the North and the Midlands. Click here to view their property requirements.
Italian chain Caffe Concerto are targeting new locations across the UK. Check out their target locations here.
Other operators who have released new target locations this week, include Adam Handling, Suda, Benita Bakery & Nusa Kitchen.
The Requirement List is an online platform that connects retailers & restaurants to the property industry. You can add your property requirements here.
