Imbiba-backed operator Albion & East will open a third site in October—an Italian café and bar concept called Cattivo, on a site previously occupied by Cabana in Brixton. It will have Italian-inspired cocktails and small plates, plus entertainment. Albion & East already runs Martello Hall in Hackney and Canova Hall in Brixton. Managing director Sarah Weir said: “We’re super excited to introduce Cattivo to the vibrant Brixton neighbourhood. It complements our sister bar Canova Hall but offers something different.” Albion & East is due to launch another venue, Serata Hall in Old Street, early next year.
Whitbread has opened two sites under the Cookhouse And Pub brand: in Saint Columb in Cornwall and Northwich in Cheshire. They are both conversions of Brewers Fayre pubs. Whitbread’s head of strategy and innovation Sarah Tinsley said: “These sites represent fantastic opportunities for us to introduce this exciting brand to the local market. We continue to invest in our estate and Cookhouse And Pub will further expand across our portfolio this year.
Brewhouse & Kitchen has signed for a new pub in Southsea in Hampshire. It will be a 22nd brewpub for the brand. Co-founders Kris Gumbrell and Simon Bunn said: “We are delighted to have acquired this excellent pub, one which is in an amazing location with a to die for garden.”
BrewDog has announced plans to open in Canary Wharf in October, on the site of Jamie’s Italian on Churchill Place. It will be a tenth London bar and a 37th venue in all for BrewDog. Announcing the plans, it said: “We are psyched to open a BrewDog bar in this part of London.”
Nando’s and Five Guys have both been confirmed for openings at the Rushmere Shopping Centre in County Armagh in Northern Ireland in October. It is a second restaurant in Northern Ireland for Five Guys, and a sixth for Nando’s.
Greek and Mediterranean restaurant brand Olive Tree Brasserie will open a fifth site in Lytham in Lancashire shortly. It will join four other Olive Trees in Stockton Heath, Preston, St Annes and Chester, and follows the refurbishment of a former bank building in the town. Founder Dean Wilson said: “We’ve been waiting for the right site to come along for us to set up in Lytham and we beat stiff competition from some fantastic restaurant groups to secure this spot.”
Bowling, pool, ping pong, restaurant and bar operator Lane7 is opening a major new venue at The Cube in Birmingham next Friday (3 August). The brand already operates in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Aberdeen, and is planning more launches into big UK cities including Sheffield, Liverpool and Glasgow.
Thwaites will reopen The Beverley Arms pub in Yorkshire next week, following a major £6m refurbishment. It has given the venue new bedrooms plus fresh restaurant, bar and private dining spaces.
Five Guys is also opening a restaurant in Chester, according to local media. It will replace a unit occupied by YO! Sushi in the city.
Local media report that Marston’s is opening a new-build pub in Workington in Cumbria.
Thai brand Giggling Squid has just opened on Montpelier Street in Cheltenham. It has taken over a former Strada site in the town.
Growing pizza specialist Proove is to open a new restaurant at the Valley Centertainment complex in Sheffield in the next few weeks, taking over a unit previously occupied by Prezzo. Proove already has a site elsewhere in Sheffield and another in West Didsbury, plus delivery-only locations in Manchester and Leeds.
The team behind the Homegrown café in Brixton will launch The Belrose neighbourhood restaurant and brew-pub on Haverstock Hill next week. It will have an all-day Italian menu including pizza and small plates, plus its own beers.
Hawksmoor says it will open on Park Avenue South and East 22nd Street in New York in 2019. It had previously announced plans to open at the Three World Trade Center, but backed out of that arrangement. The new site will provide a 180-cover restaurant with a 50-cover bar. It said: “We have found what we believe is the perfect Hawksmoor restaurant space in New York: a beautiful National Historic Landmark built as The United Charities Building in 1893 with an incredible 10m-ceilinged assembly hall that will form the main room of the restaurant.
Barbecue and burger brand Smoky Boys is to open at Boxpark Wembley in the autumn. The concept already operates in Amersham, Hounslow and Watford.
A new 10,000 square feet restaurant pavilion is to open at the International Quarter London. It will include two restaurants and a café as well as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park visitor centre and terrace space.
