Maida Vale

Today’s news in brief – 05/09/24

Confidence of hospitality leaders has fallen to 49% from 4% in May, spelling a third consecutive quarter-on-quarter drop, according to CGA by NIQ’s latest Business Confidence Survey. Hospitality’s confidence has been sapped by several years of high inflation, and challenges in several key areas continue.  Boxpark has begun refurbishing its…

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The Hero Maida Vale launches The Grill

The Hero pub located in Maida Vale has announced its next phase of opening with the introduction of The Grill.  The Grill,, which is set to open on 17 September 2024, will serve as an “elevated” dining experience within the newest venue from the team behind The Pelican in Notting…

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Big Table Group appoints new Banana Tree managing director

UK hospitality group The Big Table Group has appointed Kate Wilton as Banana Tree’s new managing director. The news comes after Anne Chow, current managing director, announced that she is stepping down from her role after 28 years with the business. Wilton will take up her new role at the…

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Popeyes accelerates UK roll out with new openings

Popeyes is continuing its UK expansion after confirming that Cambridge, Croydon and Reading will be the next opening locations in early 2023. It also has sites due to launch in Rotherham, Cardiff and Glasgow early next year. This follows the “runaway success” of its Oxford restaurant. Its Nottingham opening in…

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Big Table Group acquires Banana Tree

The Big Table Group, operator of Las Iguanas, Bella Italia and Café Rouge, has acquired the fast-casual Pan-Asian restaurant chain, Banana Tree, adding a new cuisine flavour to its family of restaurant brands. The group said Banana Tree is famous for its authentic, exotic and street-food inspired dishes, with flavours…

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Tortilla revenue soars 60% in H1

Tortilla has welcomed strong top-line growth during the first half of FY22, with group revenue soaring 60% to £26.9m, or an increase of 55% excluding the impact of the Chilango acquisition.  The group said this performance was underpinned by growing customer demand for Tortilla’s food as well as the group’s…

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Popeyes UK to open six more sites

Popeye’s UK, which first launched in November 2021 with “runaway success”, has announced plans to speed up its national rollout with six new sites confirmed across the country in Nottingham, Gateshead, Oxford, Reading, Brighton, and Ealing.  Popeyes was founded in New Orleans in 1972, and currently has sites in Stratford,…

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Popeyes doubles up in Essex with new Romford restaurant

Popeyes UK is opening its second restaurant in Essex with the new Romford site set to open on Saturday 11 June 2022, seating up to 72 guests. The Romford restaurant marks the brand’s third site in the country, following the announcement of a Chelmsford location and the launch of its…

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Harcourt Inns chef director departs

Henry Harris, chef director at the London-based pub group Harcourt Inns, has stepped down from his role with immediate effect. Harris joined Harcourt in 2017 with the sole responsibility to oversee Maida Vale’s The Truscott Arms.  Since then, the former Racine chef patron took over the culinary aspects across Harcourt’s…

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The Cheese Barge to open at Grand Union Canal

Mathew Carver, founder of Pick and Cheese and The Cheese Bar, has announced he will be opening a new restaurant, The Cheese Barge, this coming Spring.  The restaurant will be sited on a double-decker vessel that will be permanently moored at the Grand Union Canal at Paddington Central.  Carver has…

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