Leon opened a second restaurant in Manchester on Monday, outside Piccadilly station. It comes two months after Leon’s debut in the city at the Intu Trafford centre, and is Leon’s 49th location in all. Chief executive John Vincent said: “We’ve been blown away by the big warm welcome given to us by Mancunians, who told us they want us in the city centre. So that’s where we’re off to.”
The Fulham Shore group has launched restaurants for both The Real Greek and Franco Manca has opened at the Riverside part of the Oracle centre in Reading. The Real Greek restaurant is within the Debenhams store there.
Italian concept Buca di Pizza and US-style operation FirePit Smokehouse and Sports Bar have both signed up to open at the Flemingate development in Beverley in the next couple of months. FirePit will launch in a 7,670- square feet unit—a second site for the concept from the Burning High Group which made its debut in Bingley. Buca di Pizza will meanwhile have a 3,200 square feet unit, its fourth location in all. The brands have been signed to Flemingate by the Wykeland Group, whose property director David Donkin said: “Both budding brands are clear examples of the fast-paced growth of independent business in Yorkshire and we are delighted they have chosen Flemingate as destination to continue this momentum.”
Five Guys is opening two more restaurants in Edinburgh—on Frederick Street this week and Dundee Street on 7 July. It is also lining up an opening at the White Rose shopping centre in Leeds on 4 July—a third restaurant in the city.
The Imbiba-backed Albion & East group has acquired a second café, bar and restaurant in the Department Store development on Ferndale Road in Brixton. The 4,600 square feet venue will open in September, and joins Albion & East’s first opening, an all-day operation at the Martello Hall in Hackney. Shelley Sandzer acted in the deal for Squire & Partners, the architects behind the Department Store project.
Vietnamese restaurant group Pho has submitted a licensing application to open at Highcross in Leicester, the Leicester Mercury reports. The brand currently has 23 restaurants in the UK.
SOHO Coffee Company opened in Austin Friars in the City on Monday (19 June). It is the brand’s fifth site in London, coming three weeks after a launch at the O2 centre on Finchley Road. It is also the fifth of 11 new openings planned for this year.
Healthy eating café, bakery and restaurant operator Filmore & Union this week opened within the John Lewis store at the Vangarde Retail Park in York. It is the brand’s first concession opening and its 14th in all, including three others in York.
YO! Sushi will open its latest new restaurant on West George Street in Glasgow next Thursday (29 June). It has taken over a unit previously occupied by Pizza Hut.
The Tasty Group’s Wildwood brand will open on Market Place in Kettering in the next few weeks.
Wagamama, Zizzi and Patisserie Valerie have all been added to the line-up for the Rushden Lakes development in Northamptonshire.
Canadian coffeeshop brand Tim Hortons is continuing its move into the UK market with an opening at the Silverburn shopping centre in Glasgow later in the summer. It follows Tim Hortons’ debut on Argyle Street at the start of June. The 220 square metre site will be in the Wintergarden at Silverburn. Sarah Fox, head of restaurants and leisure at Hammerson, said: “Tim Hortons is a fantastic addition to Silverburn’s line-up of leading brands and the comprehensive day-out offer that the centre provides. The company’s decision to begin their national expansion plans at Silverburn is also testament to the centre’s strong position in the market.”
Street food sandwich operator Sub Cult is opening a pop-up shipping container operation on White Cross Place just off Finsbury Avenue Square in the City. It will launch on 5 July and stay open for 18 months. Sub Cult has previously served at markets including Maltby Street, Leather Lane and Brockley. It will open from 7am to 4pm from Monday to Friday, and is being backed by CODE Hospitality.
D&D London has launched Issho, its major new rooftop restaurant and bar at the top of the Victoria Gate development in Leeds. It is a 7,800 square feet space, joining two other D&D venues in the city—Angelica and Crafthouse.
The Brasserie Blanc group launches at the Marriott Bournemouth Highcliff next Monday (26 June)—its first restaurant within a hotel. It will be a 108-cover operation with extra space at a bar and on a terrace, plus a private dining room. The opening also marks the milestone of 20 locations for the Brasserie Blanc concept.
The Ivy restaurant group is opening a new Brasserie on Milsom Street in Bath. It is a conversion of an old bank there, and continues an expansion for the Ivy Brasserie brand. The Ivy is also opening an Ivy Café at Berkeley’s One Tower Bridge development in late July.
The Revolution Bars group has applied to open at a former pub in Durham, according to local media.
Thai brand Giggling Squid will open in Beaconsfield in early autumn. It will be a 200-cover restaurant.
JD Wetherspoon will open its major new pub in Ramsgate on 28 August, local media report. It will follow a £4m redevelopment of the Grade II listed Royal Victoria Pavilion in the town, giving it 11,000 square feet of space including a terrace.
Anglian Country Inns will reopen the Farmhouse at Redcoats restaurant and hotel near Hitchin in early July after making it its eighth property.
Hollywood Bowl has reopened its Wolverhampton venue after a £300,000 refurb, including a new Hollywood Diner restaurant.
