Whitbread’s Bar + Block steakhouse brand opened in Portsmouth on Monday (9 March). The 165-cover restaurant is Whitbread’s 14th Bar + Block in all.
A major new bar, restaurant and mini-golf venue called Par 59 is to open in the Capitol shopping centre in Cardiff. It will have two large bar and dining rooms, with food from fried chicken brand Dirty Bird and local Japanese trader Sushi Life, plus two mini golf courses. The concept has been developed by the Elevens Group, backed by footballer Gareth Bale, and the Depot entertainment brand. Par 59 should be open in the summer.
Mitchells & Butlers opened a new German bierkeller style concept called The Brass Haus in Bournemouth this week. It follows a major refurb of its pub there called The Brasshouse.
The Corbin & King group has confirmed plans for three new restaurants, starting with a seafood restaurant called Manzi’s at Bateman’s Buildings in Soho in late May. The name is in honour of a now-closed seafood restaurant in London. It will be followed by an opening in the old House of Fraser store on King William Street in the City in early 2021, and a launch in Notting Hill later in the year.
Fuller’s this week opened its latest new managed pub and restaurant—The Windjammer at the Royal Wharf development in Silvertown, close to the Thames Barrier.
The BAO group has confirmed plans for a fourth restaurant opening at Pancras Square in King’s Cross in early May. It will be an all-day operation called Café BAO, with a full breakfast menu for the first time. BAO already has restaurants in Borough Market, Fitzrovia and Soho, plus a bar and teahouse.
US egg bun brand Eggslut is opening a second London restaurant on Percy Street in Fitzrovia shortly, in a space previously occupied by Big Fernand. The first Eggslut launched on Portobello Road in Notting Hill. The brand has five restaurants in the US.
Stonegate Pub Company opened a new Slug & Lettuce in Newquay in Cornwall this week. It has taken over a former JD Wetherspoon pub in the town.
The Signature Pub Group has launched a new all-day bar and restaurant called McLarens on the Corner in the Morningside area of Edinburgh. Signature now runs a total of 24 venues in Edinburgh and other Scottish cities.
Luxury dessert brand Heavenly Desserts has signed for a first London site, at Landlease and LCR’s International Quarter London in Stratford. The 1,500 square feet unit will have space for 70 covers. Heavenly Desserts currently has 20 sites around the UK. Other recent signings to International Quarter London have included D&D London.
Wales-based Spanish restaurant, deli and bar operator Ultracomida has set up a fourth site in Cardiff. It is a small, 30-cover bar called Vermut, specializing in Spanish vermouth and sherry. Ultracomida already runs the Curado bar in Cardiff, plus restaurants in Aberystwyth and Narberth.
The team behind The Little Blue Door in Fulham and The Little Yellow Door in Notting Hill have acquired a third site—The Little Orange Door in Clapham Common. It has taken on a unit previously occupied by Balans Soho Society.
Southwest based Miss Millie’s Fried Chicken is opening a ninth site at Yate shopping centre. The brand has seven sites in and around Bristol and one in Weston-super-Mare.
Kentish Town French brasserie and wine bar Patron Cave a Manger has opened a second site on Blackstock Road in Highbury.
Zim Braai, a Poole restaurant specializing in southern African food, is opening a second site in Bournemouth. It has been set up by Andy Lennox, co-founder of the Koh Thai brand.
The team behind The Anchor & Hope, The Canton Arms and The Magdalen Arms pubs reopened The Clarence Tavern in Stoke Newington this week.
