Friday Five: the week's top news
- TV broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson has launched an 'al fresco diner' on the grounds of his Oxfordshire farm Diddly Squat, with Hicce chef Pip Lacey leading the kitchen. Clarkson tried earlier this year to get planning permission to open a restaurant on the farm in Chadlington, made famous by the Amazon Prime show Clarkson’s Farm, but the proposals were thrown out by West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC). However, Clarkson has now proceeded with the project having 'found a loophole' in the regulations. The 40-cover Diddly Squat farm restaurant is housed within a small barn in the middle of a barley field, with the majority of its tables outside. Pip Lacey, who runs Hicce in London's King's Cross with Gordy McIntyre, is overseeing the food, which is almost entirely sourced from the farm and focuses on beef from shorthorn cattle.
- Mayfair restaurant Scott’s will open a second venue in London this autumn on the banks of the River Thames designed to attract a younger audience. The seafood restaurant will open in Richmond in a venue that will span two floors. The lower floor will house a crustacean bar serving oysters, wine, champagne and cocktails while the upstairs floor will have a central bar hosting DJs every Thursday to Saturday. The riverside restaurant will also have a 32-cover terrace. The kitchen will be overseen by chef director Tim Hughes and head chef Tom Fraser and will serve a menu of fish and shellfish dishes alongside a variety of meat and seasonal game. New dishes will include baked spiced crab with garlic and herb toast; apple smoked salmon with pickled cucumber and baked brioche bread; and a shrimp burger with kimchi ketchup and potato crisps.
- Boundary-pushing York restaurant Le Cochon Aveugle is to permanently close its doors later this year, with chefpatron Josh Overington saying it is time to 'start a fresh adventure'. In an Instagram post, Overington, who opened the restaurant with his partner Victoria back in 2014 when he was just 26 years old, confirmed that the last service would be on Saturday 26 November. "This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional decision for us, but it is time to close the door on this chapter and start a fresh adventure," Overington wrote. "We have achieved such a huge amount in our small restaurant; far more than we could ever have imagined or hoped for. For that, Cochon will forever hold a special place in our lives."
- The Restaurant Group (TRG) has bought fast-casual Mexican chain Barburrito for £7m with plans to double the number of venues over the next four years. The group, which operates restaurant brands including Wagamama, Frankie & Benny’s and Coast to Coast, has acquired Barburrito’s 16 sites, which are primarily located in shopping centres, city centres and transport hubs. Barburrito, which was founded by Morgan Davies and Paul Kilpatrick in 2005, is described by TRG as being ‘well aligned with consumer trends including healthy eating, convenience, and customisable cuisine’, with an average spend per customer of £10. It will be integrated into TRG’s Leisure & Concessions division. TRG says there is ‘significant scope’ to further develop and expand the burrito brand, particularly in the south of England, where there is limited presence. The initial expansion plan would be to double the existing estate over the next four years.
- More than 90% of hospitality operators are reporting higher energy costs as the sector battles to survive an 'onslaught of challenges', according to the latest Future Shock report. The 11th report of its kind, compiled in partnership between leading industry body UKHospitality and sector data and insight specialists CGA, it demonstrates how expectations of a swift sector recovery for the sector have been stymied by labour shortages, rising costs, and a drop in consumer confidence. On a positive note, like for like sales in the sector are back to 2019 levels, buoyed by takeaway and delivery sales which are up 107% in May 2022 compared to May 2019. And there’s been a 1% net increase in the number of licensed premises in the UK between December 2021 and March 2022. However, the report describes these as 'rare bright spots'.
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