The Dirty Martini cocktail bar brand will make its first move outside London with a launch in Cardiff, parent group CG Restaurants & Bars has confirmed. It has taken a substantial 10,000 square feet site location on St Mary Street.
Leon reached the milestone of 40 sites with an opening in Brighton on Sunday (25 September). The 55-cover site is Leon’s fifth location outside London as it continues a push into the regions. You can read a Q&A with Beth Emmens, Acquisitions Manager at Leon Restaurants here.
The Kornicis group has launched a new brand called We Are Bar on Bishopsgate in the City. Kornicis already runs the Jamie’s Wine Bar and Smollensky’s brands, and the new site is a conversion of a Jamie’s operation. The company plans to make more conversions as well as acquisitions for new sites for the concept.
Intertain has opened its latest new Walkabout bar in Chelmsford. The launch comes just three weeks after the completion of contracts on the site, which was previously occupied by JD Wetherspoon. Intertain chief executive John Leslie said: “This opening builds on a strong period of growth for Intertain and is a fantastic opportunity for us. The bar is in an excellent location and the space lends itself to our new-style Walkabout brand.” You can view Walkabout’s property requirements here.
Germany-based pizza and pasta operator L’Osteria will make its debut in the UK in December with a major location in Bristol’s Cabot Circus. The 5,400 square feet venue will have 220 covers inside, plus a terrace and private dining area. The UK launch is a joint venture between L’Osteria and a UK franchisee. A second UK branch is planned for Southampton in the spring, and the partnership has ambitions to reach 30 restaurants here in all.
Nando’s is continuing a push into Northern Ireland with an opening at the Abbeycentre in Newtonabbey. It will join four other Northern Ireland restaurants—two in Belfast and another in Londonderry.
Zizzi will meanwhile make its debut in Northern Ireland when it opens in Belfast’s Victoria Square shopping centre in the next few weeks.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Deli brand has opened at the ExCel centre in London. It had previously run a pop-up venture there. It marks a significant expansion for the brand, which has previously been limited to the south west.
Handmade Burger Co will open in Bath in the middle of October, the Bath Chronicle reports. It has taken a unit on Upper Borough Walls that was previously occupied by Central Bar. Handmade Burger Co continue to look for new sites across the UK, click here to view their property requirements.
Carluccio’s is opening at the Intu centre in Derby. The restaurant will adopt the brand’s next-generation look. Carluccio’s chief executive Neil Wickers said: “We are looking forward to opening our first site in Derby. The new restaurant will celebrate and amplify all the small things that have made Carluccio’s one of the country’s most loved restaurant groups.” Carluccio’s have recently published their list of latest target locations that they want to gain representation in. Click here to view.
The Lao Café concept from the Rosa’s group of Thai restaurants is to set up a permanent location on Chandos Place in Covent Garden by the end of the year. The 60-cover site marks an evolution from a pop-up venture in Victoria.
US better burger brand Smashburger has become the latest operator to confirm an opening at the Intu Eldon Square development in Newcastle by the end of the year. Smashburger’s first two UK restaurants have been in Milton Keynes and Brighton, with a fourth planned for Glasgow next year.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Nando’s have both confirmed openings for the new development at Oldham Old Town Hall on 21 October. GBK has taken a 2,500 square feet site and Nando’s a 3,300 square feet one. They will join Loungers, which has already announced an opening there.
The New World Trading Company has signed for an 11th site for its restaurant and bar brand The Botanist in York. It will be a 5,000 square feet site on Stonegate in the city, and will join branches in Alderley Edge, Birmingham, Chester, Farnham, Leeds, Manchester, Marlow, Newcastle and Sheffield.
The Revolution Bars group’s Revolucion de Cuba will open at the Academy shopping centre in Belfast in the next couple of weeks.
Counter Kitchen, a new daytime concept focused on healthy eating, will open on Goswell Road in Clerkenwell on Monday (3 October). It will open from 7.30am to 7pm each day. The team behind the concept want to open more locations in due course.
Mitchells & Butlers is launching a new branch of its All Bar One concept in Chester. It has taken over a site previously occupied by Living Ventures’ Blackhouse Grill. The All Bar One should open early next year.
Mitchells & Butlers will also shortly open a new Miller & Carter steakhouse in Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire. It follows a conversion of a Harvester restaurant there.
The 3Sixty Restaurants group has picked up a fifth location for its Ego restaurant brand, in West Bridgford in Nottinghamshire.
Greene King will launch a new Farmhouse Inns pub and restaurant called Dyce Farm at the ABZ development in Aberdeen over the next couple of weeks. It is a carvery-style concept that has been earmarked by Greene King for expansion over the next few years.
D&D London has reopened its Bluebird restaurant in Chelsea after a major refurbishment.
Krispy Kreme continue to seek new sites across the UK, you can read a Q&A with Ian Callaghan, Property Director at Krispy Kreme UK here.
Zia Lucia, Balans Soho Society & Thai Express have all recently published their target locations for new sites in London.
Redcomb Pubs, Aluna, Gails Bakery and Second Cup have also published their target locations list for new sites across the UK.
