Darts bar concept Flight Club has confirmed an opening on Park Row in Leeds in June. It will have a capacity for 350 people, and 13 darts boards for hire. It will be a fourth venue for the brand, after London, Manchester and Birmingham.
Loungers opens its new Lago Lounge at the Rushden Lakes centre in Northamptonshire on Wednesday (26 February). The opening was delayed by a week following storm damage to the retail and leisure development. Loungers has meanwhile submitted plans to open a Cosy Club bar and restaurant in the Meadows shopping centre in Chelmsford, local media report.
Mitchells & Butlers’ Nicholson’s pub division has opened The Observatory pub and restaurant at the O2 centre in London. It replaces a branch of Harvester there.
Six by Nico is promising to “never serve the same menu twice” at the former Zizzi restaurant site at 33-41 Charlotte Street, when it opens in April. Past treats from Scottish-Italian chef, Nico Simeone’s six-course tasting menu have included deep-fried Mars bar served with caramelia chocolate mousse, orange Sorbet and cocoa nib.
Seafood specialists Wright Brothers has signed to open its latest new restaurant at the Mercers’ Company’s 1 Frederick’s Place development in the City in the summer. It will take a 6,000 square feet unit with ground and basement floor space. The site will be a sixth location for Wright Brothers, after Battersea, Borough Market, Soho, South Kensington and Spitalfields.
Happy Bar & Grill, a Bulgaria-based casual dining restaurant chain, is opening shortly on Coventry Street near London’s Piccadilly Circus. It has taken on the unit previously occupied by TGI Friday’s. Happy has 22 sites in Bulgaria and two in Barcelona.
Italian on-the-go brand Coco di Mama has opened on Kingsway. It is a conversion of one of the Pod units that parent group Azzurri acquired last year. Coco di Mama now has 30 sites in all.
Neighbourhood restaurant, bar and deli brand Megan’s has opened an eighth site in London—in the Islington Square development. Megan’s has seven other locations in Balham, Battersea, Clapham, Fulham, Kensington, Parsons Green and Wimbledon.
Brazilian churrascaria concept Rodizio Rico has just opened a fourth restaurant in Coventry. The other three Rodizio Ricos are in Birmingham and the 02 and Islington in London.
Marston’s has had plans approved for a new-build 150-capacity pub in Bishop’s Cleeve in Gloucestershire.
The Patate, a street food operator that has sold beef bourguignon buns from venues including Camden Town Market and Kerb, this week opened a first permanent restaurant on Kentish Town Road.
L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele this week opened a second restaurant on Old Compton Street in Soho. The original pizzeria is on Baker Street in Marylebone.
Thai street food operator Satay Street launched its first permanent restaurant on Goulston Street in Spitalfields on Friday (21 February). The opening of Satay Street Café comes 11 years after it started out as a mobile business at various markets.
Camden Town Brewery is opening a new restaurant, taproom and shop at a renovated brewery on Wilkins Street Mews in London. The brewery will run a pop-up bar operation while the site is being renovated.
The Great Northern Group is about to launch the Waterside Bar & Kitchen at the new Waterside Apartment complex by the River Trent in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham. It replaces a bar called Southbank there. Great Northern Group also runs six other venues in and around Nottingham.
Italian street food trade Sugo and Fitzrovia restaurant Bobo Social are both opening on Elephant Park’s Sayer Street this month. Bob Social has taken a 1,740 square feet unit and Sugo a 360 square feet space—its first bricks and mortar site. Other recent arrivals at Elephant Park have included Caribbean takeaway operator Tasty Jerk and pan-Asian brand Pot & Rice. Guy Thomas, head of retail at Lendlease, said: “The recent openings and announcements for Bobo Social, Sugo, Tasty Jerk and Pot & Rice add to the offer for the local community and highlight our commitment to building a sustainable and balanced offer of independent operators within Elephant Park.”
