Arc Inspirations has announced plans to open a branch of its Manahatta New York-style bar and restaurant brand on Collingwood Street in Newcastle. The plans come a week after Arc announced its first Newcastle launch—a Banyan Bar & Kitchen site on Blackett Street. The new venture will have 10,000 square feet of space over two floors, and is scheduled to open next September. Arc Inspirations has opened two new sites in the last few weeks—The Box in Leeds and Manahatta in Manchester—to bring its total estate to 18. CEO Martin Wolstencroft said: “This is a very exciting time for the business as we look to ramp up our expansion and take our brands to new cities across the UK. We have refined and perfected the proposition of our core brands—Manahatta, Banyan Bar & Kitchen and The Box—so that we can open them in close proximity within a city with confidence they will trade harmoniously.”
US brand Slim Chickens is to open a new restaurant in Cardiff—its second launch in the UK. Slim Chickens has partnered with Boparan Restaurant Group on the rollout, which saw it open off Oxford Street six months ago. The Cardiff opening will be in the St David’s shopping centre, and will have 92 covers across 2,400 square feet. It should launch before Christmas. Boparan CEO Tom Crowley said: “Cardiff is a lively city with a fantastic student population and booming food scene. It was the obvious choice for us to open our first regional restaurant outside of London… We’re looking forward to opening in Wales and extending the Slims base into more sites next year.”
Mitch Tonks’ Rockfish brand has submitted plans to open on Poole Quay, according to local media. It wants to convert a retail unit there. Rockfish already has restaurants in Brixham, Dartmouth, Exeter, Exmouth, Plymouth and Torquay.
Coal Drops Yard, one of London’s biggest development launches of the year, opens in King’s Cross this weekend. Operators with sites there include Barrafina, for whom it is a fourth location, Mexican brand Plaza & Casa Pastor, The Drop wine bar from the Hart brothers, and toasted sandwich specialist Morty and Bob’s.
US-based Tex Mex brand Taco Bell has lined up several new openings in London. The franchise deal with the parent Yum! group will see it launch in Hammersmith, Holborn and Fulham Broadway over the next couple of months, with more openings planned in the years ahead. Taco Bell will also open in Doncaster’s Frenchgate shopping centre in late November, and in the centre of Great Yarmouth in mid-December, according to local media.
Loungers has set 28 November for the opening of the Allegro Lounge on Bristol Road in Birmingham. It is located close to the University of Birmingham.
Street food brand Burger & Beyond will open a first permanent location on Shoreditch High Street in mid-November. Burger & Beyond has previously operated from markets including Street Feast. Directors Craig Povoas and Tom Stock said: “We are thrilled to be opening our first restaurant in Shoreditch. The location is perfect and the design brings our vision to life. The restaurant will showcase a different side to Burger & Beyond while staying true to the foundations of our brand, something that is not always possible within the constraints of the street food market.”
The team behind café, bar and music venue Spiritland is opening a dual-purpose second site on Handyside Street in King’s Cross in November: a pizzeria called Happy Face and a late night basement cocktail bar called Supermax.
Sourced Market is to run a pop-up venture at the Eurostar departure lounge at St Pancras station in London in early 2019.
La Barra, a new taco restaurant and tequila and mezcal cocktail bar from the founders of Mexican street food operator Killa Dilla, has just opened on Market Row in Brixton.
Indian restaurant group Asha’s is opening a third UK site at the Touchwood leisure development in Solihull. Asha’s two other restaurants in Birmingham and Manchester.
Stem & Glory, a Cambridge-based vegan concept, is to open its first London venue early next year: an all-day eat-in and takeaway operation on Barts Square in Smithfield. Stem & Glory currently runs a restaurant and café from two sites in Cambridge.
