Hawksmoor has confirmed plans for a new restaurant and bar in Edinburgh. It has acquired a lease on the former Royal Bank of Scotland Hall, and will open the 170-cover space in July. It will add to Hawksmoor’s six restaurants in London and one in Manchester. Co-founder Will Beckett said: “We’re really excited about opening Hawksmoor in Edinburgh, not just because we’ll get to spend more time in such an amazing city, but because we’re going to be able to indulge in two things we love—produce and working with beautiful old buildings.”
Burger brand Patty & Bun has announced plans for its first restaurant outside London—on Ship Street in South Lanes in Brighton. The deal for a 1,500 square feet unit across basement, ground and first floors was secured by Shelley Sandzer. Patty & Bun already has ten restaurants in London, in Fitzrovia, Hackney, Marylebone, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Soho, West Brompton and the City. Founder Joe Grossman said: “We are really excited to kick off 2018 with the opening of our first restaurant outside of London.”
Loungers opens its Berreto Lounge in Stockport next Wednesday (24 January). It has taken a 4,400 square feet location at the Redrock development, joining brands including PizzaExpress, Zizzi and Gourmet Burger Kitchen.
Whitbread is opening a Bar + Block steakhouse at the Milburngate development in Durham. It will be alongside a Premier Inn hotel there. Whitbread currently has four Bar + Blocks in Kings Cross, Birmingham, Bath and the Whiteley shopping centre in Hampshire.
US diner brand Denny’s is to open under franchise in Cardiff, according to local media, soon after it launched into the UK in Swansea. Other locations around Wales are being explored.
The City Pub Company says it has acquired the leasehold of a property in Parson’s Green that will reopen as a pub serving vegan food in late March. It has also exchanged contracts on a freehold pub in Clapham, which will also reopen after refurbishment in March, plus a freehold in Reading that will reopen towards the end of the year.
Ramen concept Bone Daddies opened at the Nova development in Victoria on Tuesday (16 January). It is a sixth site for the brand.
Mexican concept Barburrito is to open new sites in airports under a partnership with The Restaurant Group. Founder Morgan Davies said: “We felt that it was time to explore a franchise operation with a sector leader in this space. We hope to be announcing our first airport location soon.”
BrewDog says it will open a bar in an as yet unnamed airport this year. In a blog it said it already had a second location lined up, with more to follow. Other openings lined up for 2018 include Edinburgh on 26 January, Seven Dials in London in late February, Reading in early March, Tower Hill in April and Glasgow in May.
Stonegate Pub Company will open its 25th Popworld location in March, in Nuneaton in Warwickshire. It follows an overhaul of the company’s Reflex Bar there.
Nando’s opened at the Kingswood Retail Park in Hull on Wednesday. It is the brand’s third restaurant in the city.
West country restaurant group Hubbox has submitted plans for its seventh restaurant, in Taunton, according to local media. It wants to launch a two-floor venue across two properties in the town. Hubbox’s other restaurants are in Bristol, Exeter, Pentewan, Plymouth and Truro.
Holloway Road pizzeria Zia Lucia will open a second restaurant in Brook Green in early February.
On the go Chinese concept Wok to Walk is opening under franchise on New Street in Birmingham. The brand has six sites in London and in Bristol and Cardiff, and also operates across Europe and in some parts of Asia.
Miller & Carter will open a steakhouse on Union Street in Aberdeen in the spring, the local newspaper reports.
Ramen restaurant Ippudo has opened a third restaurant on Villiers Street in Charing Cross. It joins sites in Central St Giles and Canary Wharf.
US-based healthy eating restaurant Buns & Buns will open a site on Covent Garden Piazza in March. It follows the set-up of a delivery kitchen in Canary Wharf last year.
