Leon has just opened Tuk Shop, its Thai fast food concept, at its branch on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Wardour Street in London. The venture has been developed with Thai cooking expert David Thompson and his Aylmer Aaharn group. Leon intends to roll out the brand further afield if it proves successful.
US brand Shake Shack is to open its first restaurant in the City—at the 45 Cannon Street development. It will be the brand’s eighth location in all in the UK. Black Sheep Coffee, Pali Kitchen and Canadian healthy eating brand Freshii have also signed deals with Savills for openings there.
Wahlburgers, the US burger concept co-founded by actor Mark Wahlberg, has picked up its first site in the UK—on James Street in Covent Garden. It will launch in September. Wahlburgers has ambitions for up to 50 restaurants in the UK, to join sites in 22 cities around the US.
JKS Restaurants has set 6 June for the opening of its new Brigadiers restaurant in the Bloomberg Arcade in the City. The Indian barbecue concept will have two bars called Blighters and The Tap Room, serving craft beer and with fast-pour, self-serve taps, plus a whisky vending machine, on-tap cocktails and Champagne and punch fountains. It will screen live sport and have a terrace and private dining room as well as the eating and drinking spaces over seven themed rooms.
US fast-food chicken wing concept Wingstop has submitted an application for a licence for a first UK restaurant opening on Shaftesbury Avenue in London. It has previously set out ambitions to open around 100 sites in the UK under franchise over the next decade. Wingstop has around 1,000 restaurants around the world.
Coco di Mama, Huckster and Lords of Poké have all signed up to open at the Paddington Central development in London. It will be a 21st location for the Italian all-day on-the-go brand Coco di Mama, while Huckster is a major new street food collective with food from various mobile operators, spread over 4,700 square feet. For Lords of Poké, it will be the second restaurant after Peckham Levels. The signings have been made by British Land, and join other restaurant operators at Paddington Central including London Shell Co and Darcie & May Green. British Land’s head of campus Tim Haddon said: “This is an exciting moment for Paddington Central as we focus on providing a diverse range of food and beverage options… the lettings are testament to our investment in curating a vibrant canal-side destination for the local community, workers and visitors.”
Vietnamese group Pho and new Korean barbecue concept Soju have both agreed deals to open at the new Village development in Reading town centre. Pho and Soju have taken 4,100 and 1,900 square feet units respectively. The deals were brokered by Savills.
The Restaurant Group has opened a Frankie & Benny’s at the West Point development in St Helen’s. It follows a move for the brand from a previous location at the Ravenhead retail park.
Fuller’s has acquired four new venues in the City of London from the We Are Bar group. They include three Jamie’s bars on Creechurch Lane, Fleet Place and London Bridge Street, and the Saint in Paternoster Square. Fuller’s Inns managing director Jonathon Swaine said: “The four bars are all in the heart of the City and are a great fit with our existing sites and strategy.”
Brakspear is relaunching its Frogmill pub near Cheltenham in the Cotswolds as part of its growing managed estate. It will become Brakspear’s biggest managed pub when it reopens in July, with a 100-cover restaurant, bar, 28 rooms and event facilities for up to 150 people. It will be Brakspear’s 12th managed pub.
JD Wetherspoon is recruiting for a new opening in Midsomer Norton in Somerset, local media report. It is due to open there in early September.
Lucy and Tiffany Watson, daughters of City Pub Company founder Clive Watson, have added a vegan restaurant called Tell Your Friends to the group. It launched this week in Parsons Green, on the site of a former Strada. City Pub Company plans to open more vegan pubs and restaurants to its collection.
South Africa based seafood and grill restaurant operator Jimmy’s Killer Prawns is opening in Leicester shortly. The brand has restaurants in the Middle East and Cyprus as well as South Africa.
Five Guys says it will open in Chelmsford in mid-August, local media report. The opening had originally been scheduled for last autumn.
Bath tapas bar and restaurant Pintxo will open a second site on Whiteladies Road in Bristol next week. It has taken on a unit on the road that was previously occupied by Polpo.
Coffee shop brand Harris + Hoole has been granted permission to open in Chichester.
