- Barrafina operator Harts Group has spoken of the challenges of opening four restaurants at the same time at the Coal Drops Yard development in King's Cross, with the landlord's predicted footfall falling short of expectations. Speaking at Restaurant magazine's R200 conference this week, director Crispin Somerville said the group had initially overstaffed its restaurants, but the landlord was listening to concerns and looking to improve the retail offer at the £100m scheme.
- Italian food hall group Eataly is planning to open in Harrogate, North Yorkshire as part of a £250m food and leisure attraction. The Future Park project is described as a "food-agri park" spread across 188 hectares of land. It is due to open in 2022, if plans are approved.
- The parent company of the Patisserie Valerie cafe chain overstated its accounts by at least £94m, more than double the £40m black hole reported when the company's financial scandal came to light in October. A report from administrators KPMG said over 900 former staff are still owed £835,000 by the bakery group, which fell in to administration in January.
- Bakery brand Bread Ahead is to open its largest site to date at the Wembley Park development this autumn. The 11,000 sq ft space will feature a 220-cover restaurant, deli, baking school and wholesale bakery.
- The Restaurant Group (TRG) has developed a grab-and-go spin-off of the Wagamama brand, Mamago, which it will trial in the second half of 2019. TRG said the concept will offer a "newly developed Asian menu to capitalise on increased customer demand for convenience".
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