The Market Halls group has confirmed that it will open its largest venue yet near Oxford Circus in the West End towards the end of the summer. The 37,500 square feet site on Holles Street, previously the BHS building, will have space for 800 people over three floors, and will have 12 independent food operators and four bars. Some of the traders will be dram from Market Halls’ two sites to date, in Fulham and Victoria. Market Halls says it will be the largest food hall operation in the country.
Loungers will open the Falco Lounge in Barnsley in late May, local media report. It will be part of the new Glass Works development in the town, which will have markets, a market hall style venue, community spaces and a bowling alley. Loungers has also had plans approved to convert a former casino in Nottingham into a Cosy Club venue, set over three floors.
Bar and darts concept Flight Club has confirmed plans to open on Temple Street in Birmingham. It is converting an old bank building there. Flight Club’s existing sites are in Bloomsbury, Shoreditch, Victoria and Manchester.
Halewood Wine and Spirits have submitted plans to open a bar, restaurant and rum distillery in Bristol. It wants to convert a unit on Park Street previously occupied by Jamie’s Italian, which closed there last year. Plans for the venue include distillery courses and training.
Stonegate Pub Company is to launch its Tank & Paddle craft beer-and-pizza concept in York. It has submitted plans to convert the Missoula Montana Bar & Grill in the city into the concept. Stonegate acquired the Tank & Paddle brand from Novus recently.
PizzaExpress has reopened its Langham Place restaurant after a major refurbishment. The new concept site features an open kitchen in the centre, and an art deco style interior. New pizzas and cocktails have also been added to the menu.
Taco Bell will open a new restaurant at Chatham Dockside in Medway in mid-May. It will be its 40th location in all in the UK as it continues a rapid roll-out here.
All-day restaurant, bar and coffeeshop group Caravan is launching a new venture at Duke of York Square off the Kings Road later in the year. The space has a roof garden and retractable glass wall. Caravan’s Laura Harper-Hinton said on Instagram this week that it had just completed on the restaurant.
SSP has launched a new restaurant and bar at Newcastle Airport called Quaystone. Its menu is inspired by north east food and drink.
The Dodo Pub Company last week opened its fourth site, the Up In Arms in Oxford. It is a renaming of a pub previously known as the Somerset Arms. The Dodo group runs two other pubs in Oxford and one Cheltenham.
Soho’s street food style steamed bun concept Bun House has just opened a new site on Lisle Street in Chinatown.
Hackney all-day café, coffeeshop and bar Morty & Bob’s has reopened at the Coal Drops Yard development in King’s Cross.
The Soho House Group is to open another site for its new Mollie’s Diner and Motel concept near Cribbs Causeway in Bristol. It follows the success of the original Mollie’s in Oxfordshire.
Punch has opened the Western Sports and Social in Rickmansworth after a £800,000 refurbishment of a pub in the town called Druids.
Mitchells & Butlers plans to turn its Browns restaurant in Newcastle into an All Bar One. It has a secured a variation of licence for the move.
McDonald’s has opened a restaurant and drive through by the Morfa Retail Park in Swansea, local media report.
