In another lively week of expansion news, brands including the Alchemist, Gusto, Côte, Nando’s, Wagamama, Thaikhun, Solita, Rosa’s, Carluccio’s and Prezzo have all lined up new openings.
Living Ventures’ Alchemist bar concept (pictured) and Gusto restaurant are both to open in the Grand Hotel building in Birmingham’s Colmore Row in the summer.
The Deltic group is to open a new PRYZM club in Birmingham. It will replace the Gatecrasher on Broad Street following a £1.4m spend. It should open in the summer, becoming Deltic’s first venue in the city.
Côte opens its latest brasserie in Leamington Spa on Monday (1 February). It is a 142-cover restaurant.
Nando’s has opened its third restaurant in Belfast today (28 January).
Wagamama is close to an opening in Peterborough, the town’s media report. The city council has approved plans to launch at Long Causeway there.
Thaikhun is opening at the Highcross centre in Leicester. It is replacing The Real China restaurant there.
Manchester-based Solita has taken over Montpellier’s in the city’s Northern Quarter. Solita will continue to run it under its current name for now.
Thai café group Rosa’s says it will open three new central London sites this year after agreeing a £1.8m funding facility with Santander. The first will be in Victoria in April, with Shoreditch and Brixton penciled in to follow.
Carluccio’s has agreed an opening at the Arndale shopping centre in Eastbourne. Brands includingNando’s, Wagamama, Byron and Frankie & Benny’s have already been confirmed for the centre’s extension.
Prezzo has confirmed an opening for the high street in Ruislip.
Hall & Woodhouse will reopen the Anvil Inn in Pimperne in Dorset after recently acquiring the pub. A full refurbishment is now underway. Hall & Woodhouse says it is looking for more acquisitions through 2016.
Farmstand, a new all-day concept that takes its name from US roadside stalls selling farm produce, opened on Drury Lane in Covent Garden this week. It is a 30-cover restaurant selling healthy and UK-sourced eat-in and on-the-go options. It has been set up by American Steven Novick.
Joe & the Juice is opening in Marylebone, on the corner of Wigmore Street and Thayer Street. It is the brand’s 16th UK site.
A new concept called Gyoza Bar will launch in Covent Garden in the next few weeks. It will be next to Murakami on St Martin’s Lane selling small dishes of gyoza, ramen and bao buns.
A new restaurant claiming to be London’s first zero-waste organic and vegetarian operation launches today (28 January) on Westbourne Park Road in Notting Hill. The Tiny Leaf concept will use surplus food donated by local suppliers, and have a bistro, fine dining restaurant, juice bar, cocktail bar and event space.
