Robert De Niro backs plans for tallest skyscraper outside London March 20, 2025 A company co-founded by Hollywood legend Robert De Niro has signed up to open a hotel, restaurant and residences in a planned skyscraper which would be the tallest building outside London. Nobu Hospitality has partnered with developer Salboy on the £360m scheme in Manchester city centre. The project, known as Viadux 2, has been earmarked [...]
Eat, drink, sleep, repeat: The best restaurants in Florence March 20, 2025 Last week began with a wonderfully long lunch in Bluebird Chelsea with Mirabeau founder Stephen Cronk and his chief exec Richard Larkin. Everyone in the drinks business loves these guys, but I take credit for introducing the Batman and Robin of Provencal rose to each other back in 2017. In Bluebird, the restaurant atmosphere was [...]
Bistrot Pierre: Jobs lost and restaurants closed as chain rescued March 7, 2025 Almost 160 jobs have been lost and a number of restaurants are to close after Bistrot Pierre was sold out of administration to a private equity firm. A vehicle owned by Cherry Equity Partners has snapped up part of the Nottingham-headquartered chain in a deal which has saved 394 roles and ten sites. However, eight [...]
Chopstix doubles its sales in four years as UK expansion continues February 14, 2025 Asian food eatery chain Chopstix more than doubled its sales over a four-year period ahead of being snapped up by a European giant, it has been revealed. The London-headquartered business has posted a turnover of £64.5m for the 12 months to 28 April, 2024, its final full year before being acquired. A 51 per cent [...]
Reviewing the new Gordon Ramsay opening that’s the highest restaurant in Europe February 13, 2025 Lucky Cat at 22 Bishopsgate by Gordon Ramsay review and star rating: ★★★ Going to Gordon Ramsay’s newest restaurant is palm sweat-inducing stuff. From its sky-high vantage point, one can look down at the Walkie Talkie, which, despite being famed for its views, looks puny. Lucky Cat at 22 Bishopsgate, on the 60th floor of [...]
I signed a waiver to eat London’s hottest chicken at Dave’s Hot Chicken February 4, 2025 Dave’s Hot Chicken is open on Shaftesbury Avenue What is it with men (yes, it is men) and hot chicken? There are dissertations waiting to be written about masculinity and its inextricable connection to hot chilli eating contests, but the trend is more significant in America than the UK. However, London is getting a (red [...]
Wingstop and Popeyes serve up major UK expansion plans January 27, 2025 Fast-growing chains Wingstop and Popeyes have each announced major plans to expand further across the UK and create thousands of jobs. Popeyes has outlined proposals to almost double its footprint in the UK with the opening of more than 45 restaurants. The move will increase its presence in the likes of Birmingham, Leeds and Bristol [...]
The Wolseley: Group behind high-end London restaurants eyes new openings January 9, 2025 The group behind some of London’s best-known restaurants is looking to open new locations at home and abroad. The Wolseley Hospitality Group, which is owned by Minor Hotels, currently operates nine high-end restaurants in the capital: The Wolseley, The Delauney, Brasserie Zedel, Colbert, Fischer’s, Belanger, Soutine, Manzi’s and The Wolseley City. The strategy update has [...]
Wingstop more the doubles sales and returns to profit amid UK expansion December 19, 2024 Wingstop has more than doubled its sales as it continued its UK expansion, created hundreds of jobs and returned to profit, it has been revealed. The restaurant chain, which is known for its buffalo wings, has reported a turnover of £84.6m for the 12 months to 31 March, 2024, new documents filed with Companies House [...]
Debts to go unpaid after collapse of Simon Rimmer’s restaurant chain December 12, 2024 How much the well-known restaurant chain co-founded by celebrity chef Simon Rimmer owed when it collapsed into administration has been revealed for the first time. Vegetarian restaurant Greens first opened its doors in Didsbury, Manchester, in 1990 but was forced to close in January 2024. That closure was followed by the chain’s other site in [...]