Greggs has achieved a significant milestone with the opening of its 2,500th store, located at a service station in Cobham, UK. This accomplishment is part of the retailer’s five-year strategy to expand its presence by opening over 3,000 new stores across the UK. The latest store launch, situated at a service station in Cobham and the eighth store with Sainsbury’s, brings Greggs closer to its ambitious growth plan announced in 2021. This plan aims to open between 140 and 160 new sites this year, with a focus on expanding into travel hubs and roadside locations. In addition to strengthening its presence on the high street, these new openings demonstrate Greggs’ expansion into non-traditional locations. The retailer’s mission remains clear – to be accessible wherever, whenever, and however its customers need it. Property director Tony Rowson expressed pride in reaching this milestone and highlighted the significance of the location in showcasing the breadth of Greggs’ estate and the popularity of its brand. Rowson also acknowledged the hard work of the teams and the support of valued partners in achieving this milestone. Rhian Bartlett, chief food commercial officer at Sainsbury’s, shared her delight in opening the eighth shop with Greggs at the Cobham store, following the success of previous launches. She emphasised the popularity of Greggs’ café-style formats among Sainsbury’s customers. Despite experiencing a slowdown in sales growth, Greggs saw its annual profits soar, with pre-tax profits increasing by 27% to £188.3m in the 52 weeks to 30 December. This growth reflects Greggs’ resilience and continued success in the food-to-go market, maintaining an “all-time high” market share. As Greggs continues its expansion journey, the brand remains committed to delivering quality products and exceptional service to its customers across the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Popeyes UK, the beloved chicken brand originating from New Orleans, recently unveiled its newest delivery kitchen in Leeds on Monday this week. The launch marks an exciting milestone for chicken enthusiasts in the city, as they can now indulge in the famed Chicken Sandwich that has taken the internet by storm. Located on Wortley Moor Road, the new Popeyes® UK delivery kitchen is the brand’s latest addition, marking its fourth opening in 2024 and the 48th location since its UK inception in November 2021. Leeds residents can now savour a delectable array of New Orleans-style offerings, including the iconic Popeyes® Chicken Sandwich, renowned for its succulent 12-hour marinated chicken and accompanied by the original Southern biscuits and gravy. This expansion comes on the heels of Popeyes’ strategic plans to fortify its presence across the UK. Earlier this year, the US chicken chain announced its intention to open 30 new stores nationwide, nearly doubling its current footprint. The forthcoming locations, spanning various regions in Scotland, England, and Wales, underscore Popeyes’ commitment to catering to diverse communities and meeting growing consumer demand. Behind Popeyes UK’s ambitious growth trajectory is private equity firm TDR Capital, which recently acquired a controlling stake in the company. With a £50 million investment last year and increased shareholding, TDR Capital has positioned itself as a key player in driving Popeyes UK’s expansion efforts. Tom Mitchell, managing partner at TDR Capital, expressed confidence in the brand’s performance and growth potential, aligning with the firm’s broader strategic objectives in the sector. Popeyes UK’s success story extends beyond its financial backing, with innovative ventures like a UK-wide wedding catering service and the launch of its first drive-through restaurant in Rotherham. These initiatives, coupled with the brand’s signature menu offerings, have solidified its position as a leading player in the UK’s fast-food landscape. As Popeyes UK continues to make strides in its expansion journey, supported by TDR Capital’s backing and a dedicated team, the brand remains committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences and spreading the joy of authentic New Orleans flavours to communities nationwide. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

An independent restaurant group with venues across Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire has opened the doors to The Orange Tree in Congleton, with an eye-catching colour scheme made possible using Crown Trade. Parogon Group launched their tenth new restaurant on West Road in the former Cheshire Tavern, complete with a deep, rich colour palette in keeping with the period property, thanks to Crown Trade and Interior Designer’s IMD & Associates Ltd. Lisa Power and her team at IMD worked closely with the expert commercial colour studio team at Crown to transform the historic Grade 2 Listed Building in Congleton into a stunning contemporary venue, whilst maintaining its classic character. The colour scheme for the project breathes new life to the iconic space with Georgian glamour created by deep, rich blue and emerald green shades for the walls in the main rooms. Strong white was used for ceilings, doors and window reveals to contrast against the deeper tones and accentuate the original features. A blush tone in the leather and fabric furnishings is also used, and together with the timber parquet floors, bringing a beautiful balance of cool and warmer shades in the scheme. Set over two floors, the design for the 4500 sq ft space maximises its potential, creating a sophisticated, vibrant and unique setting for customers to relax and socialise. Due to the high traffic environment of the venue, Crown Trade Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt was specified. A stain resident paint that can withstand regular and rigorous cleaning whilst offering a high colour saturation, it was ideal to give the finish needed, with the confidence that it would stand the test of time. Kathryn Lloyd, Colour Consultant at Crown Paints said: “We worked closely with Lisa to create a striking colour palette that brought the restaurant to life, whilst maintaining the building’s fabulous character. “With thousands of paint colours in our portfolio – we could easily match the perfect shades that would embrace the venue’s Georgian charm – and they were all applied in our highly durable Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt to extend the maintenance cycle.” Lisa Power, from IMD & Associates said: “This was a really special project to work on. The Orange Tree oozes style and sophistication, so the colour scheme needed to perfectly compliment the iconic location. “It was key that we were able to find the perfect shades of blue and green to reflect the brand’s unique vision – working with the Crown Trade team allowed me to do this with ease thanks to the vast array of colour choice.” For more information visit https://www.crownpaintsprofessional.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Loungers, a prominent player in the UK hospitality industry, has witnessed remarkable growth, with the 2024 financial year marking a milestone in its expansion journey. Founded in 2002 by three friends with a vision to establish a neighbourhood café-bar they themselves would frequent, Loungers has evolved into a leading operator with a distinct presence across England and Wales. As of December 2023, the company boasts 247 establishments under its umbrella, spanning three unique brands: Lounge, Cosy Club, and Brightside.Embracing an organic growth strategy, Loungers has consistently outperformed the broader UK hospitality sector over the past three years. The company’s directors remain steadfast in their commitment to this strategy, focusing on the continual rollout of new sites under the Lounge, Cosy Club, and Brightside banners. With an emphasis on operational enhancements to drive sales and margin improvements, Loungers aims to maintain its upward trajectory in the market.During the 2024 financial year, Loungers achieved a significant milestone by opening 39 new sites, setting a record for the company. These additions included 33 Lounges, one Cosy Club, and two Brightside locations. As of 21st April 2024, the company’s portfolio expanded to encompass 257 sites, with an additional Lounge site opening in Ely, Cambridgeshire, after the reporting period.The company’s financial performance during the 2024 fiscal year also reflected its growth trajectory, with record revenue reaching £353.5 million, marking a robust year-on-year increase of 24.7%. Notably, like-for-like sales surged by 7.5% during this period, underscoring Loungers’ resilience and appeal in the competitive hospitality landscape. Nick Collins, CEO of Loungers, expressed his satisfaction with the company’s achievements, highlighting its consistent outperformance within the sector and the successful launch of 36 new sites. He attributed this success to Loungers’ unwavering commitment to menu innovation, value for money, and exceptional hospitality, which resonate with both existing patrons and new customers. Looking ahead, Loungers remains optimistic about its growth prospects, buoyed by a resilient UK economy and its well-positioned stance in the market. As the company embarks on the new financial year, it seeks to build upon its momentum, further solidifying its status as a key player in the UK hospitality sector. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The first rail seating handrails are set to be installed at Everton Stadium As the seat installations continue at pace, with fast-approaching 40,000 now in situ, the first delivery of the handrails have arrived on site at Bramley-Moore Dock. Everton Stadium will feature rail seating throughout the entire lower tier of the raking south stand for home fans, and also in the lower section of the away end in the north east corner. And initial installations are set to commence imminently in the south stand. Elsewhere within the bowl, all of the ‘P’ handrails have been installed on access stairs, while most of the glass balustrading is in place at the vomitory entrances. Work also continues to install ducting around the pitch surrounds, for the critical infrastructure of undersoil heating, below-ground drainage, irrigation pipes and cables for broadcasters. Work has started on the barrel roof cladding at the south end of the east stand, while the intricately-shaped pieces have been fitted at the northern end, to provide clean edgings. The top-level roof coverings are almost complete on the west stand, and the 172m lengths of top-sheet coverings are set to be rolled out on the expansive south stand, from a specially-adapted shipping container. With the entire site now energised, and all mains infrastructure services are now connected, work is picking up apace inside, where suspended ceilings are being fitted and all catering and concession area equipment installed. The sweeping Western Terrace, facing the River Mersey, is shaping up well, with concrete works now finished, waterproof membranes laid and, at the southern end, drainage layers being excavated in preparation for hard landscaping. Setts and paving along the Mersey river wall add another level of precise detail to what will become a superb vantage point for supporters. Meanwhile, in the fan plaza, more trees have been planted and the third pedestrian gate has been lowered into the gap in the boundary wall that formerly served as the main site entrance for vehicles. All three of the steel gates are now in position, and will be skilfully reintegrated into the wall using existing brickwork. Skilled craftsmen form Vetter, a specialist stone contactor and part of the Laing O’Rourke group of companies, continue to painstakingly pave the 30,000m sq fan plaza that will serve as the spacious entrance to the stadium footprint. And with the former access road that cut through the plaza now redundant, foundations are currently being laid for the installation of historic railway lines, before the two sections of paving are expertly joined up. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Shaftesbury Capital has announced that ERGON House, the Greek boutique hotel brand known for theirunique blend of hospitality and exceptional culinary experiences, is set to open in Covent Garden in anewly refurbished heritage listed building, anchoring King Street next year. This will be the brand’s firsthotel outside of Greece, marking a significant milestone in ERGON’s expansion. It also demonstratesCovent Garden’s gravitas in attracting groundbreaking and new flagship concepts and high qualityglobal brands, further cementing its position as a world-class mixed-use destination as ShaftesburyCapital’s West End portfolio continues to evolve. The boutique hotel which features artisanal Mediterranean products and cuisine will open a c.20,000sqft location at 26 King Street, boasting a unique blend of living, restaurant spaces and culinaryexperiences in a Mediterranean-inspired atmosphere. The venue will host over 20 contemporary hotelrooms, with access to a private gym, with spaces designed by local artists, paying homage to its Greekroots. It will also boast a 2,220 sq ft rooftop restaurant with an al fresco terrace, which, as one of only afew in the area, will boast striking views of the London skyline. With food at the forefront, ERGON House will deliver a multitude of culinary experiences open to thepublic, including an Agora marketplace where bakers, butchers, fishmongers, and greengrocers willbring farm-to-table produce to visitors. As the only integrated Greek food and hospitality brand in the world with a portfolio of more than 600unique products, 25 company-owned and franchised Mediterranean delis, restaurants, markets andhotels in Greece, UK, Cyprus and the Middle East, ERGON will bring an alternative culinary concept toLondon. Following a successful opening in Greece, ERGON House is looking to grow its presence withinEurope and has selected Covent Garden to for its London flagship, demonstrating the destination’sdrive to attain impactful and high-quality UK debuts. Opening next year, it will complement and join a prime roster of brands on King Street such as Creed, JoMalone London, Polo Ralph Lauren, Reformation and Petersham Nurseries, along with renownedrestaurant Clos Maggiore and the recent arrival of Arc’teryx’s new flagship store, creating one ofLondon’s most attractive lifestyle streets. Michelle McGrath, Executive Director, Shaftesbury Capital, commented: “Making places like CoventGarden thrive requires the right blend of high quality destination concepts and uses which foster anenvironment for trade and consumer experiences to flourish. Covent Garden is now the go-todestination for British and international brands, culture, entertainment, and art, with the opening ofERGON House cementing this further. This unique boutique hotel will enhance the Covent Garden experience, delivering a distinctive blend ofhigh-end hospitality experience which aligns with our goal to continually evolve and enhance theneighbourhood. The addition of a new rooftop restaurant and terrace for the district will deliver a rareand high quality experience for locals and visitors, setting us apart from other destinations.” Thomas Douzis, Founder & CEO of ERGON, also said: “ERGON House Covent Garden marks a significantmilestone for us. It represents our dedication and commitment to providing a memorable, one-of-a-kind experience for guests, and marks a new era in our journey. We chose Covent Garden for our firstlocation in the UK because of its strong reputation in retail and F&B. It offers a unique opportunity forus with local and international visitors, and the solid cultural foundation it has cultivated. We lookforward to embedding ourselves within the West End.” The signing of ERGON House follows the recent announcement that global beauty pioneer ELEMIS, isset to open its first London based standalone store in Covent Garden’s Seven Dials later this year,joining brands such as Missoma and Odd Muse on Monmouth Street. This also follows the recentsigning of Axel Arigato, which is set to open a new Flagship store on Earlham Street this Summer,marking the retailer’s second location within the Shaftesbury Capital West End portfolio. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals