Boxpark signs Birmingham deal

Boxpark has announced that its next development will be Birmingham. The new site, scheduled to launch in 2025, will follow the opening of new markets in other major UK cities as well as London, and will be the first in the Midlands. 

The street food specialist has agreed a 15-year lease with landlords The Arch Company for the Floodgate Street Arches site, which is situated in Digbeth, Birmingham’s growing creative quarter. It will be investing around £5m into the local area.

The space, which sits under four 12m railway arches, was previously used for industrial purposes. Spanning nearly 17,000 sq. ft, the proposed plans will see it transformed into a food hall and events destination featuring a large, covered structure with around 10 kitchen units and four internal bars set across two floors. In addition, there will be just over 10,500 sq. ft. of external space to offer al fresco dining and events.  

Simon Champion, chief executive officer of Boxpark, said: “Our team has searched extensively for sites in Birmingham since 2016, having considered multiple locations across the city. The city’s food, drink and leisure scene has become known as one of the best in the country, and we can’t wait to add to that with a space that will support and champion local creatives from food to art, music and beyond.”

Nick Cridlan, leasing director for The Arch Company, added: “Boxpark shares our commitment to reuse and repurpose and we're delighted to welcome them to their new home in Digbeth's historic railway arches. This letting will see four arches in this burgeoning creative quarter transformed from vacant spaces into vibrant places for independent traders to thrive.”

The move will follow the opening of a site in Liverpool in spring 2024, which is the first Boxpark-branded development outside of the capital. Earlier this year, the company also announced the roll-out of its sibling brand Boxhall, a high-end premium food and beverage concept, with sites opening in Bristol and Liverpool Street in London in 2024.

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Wingstop in top three fast-casual brands

Lemon Pepper Holdings, the master franchisee of Wingstop UK, has expressed its delight that the latter has been named third in the fast-casual section of Savanta’s ‘UK’s Most Loved Eating Out Brands 2023. Moreover, the wings specialist was also the highest new entrant in the overall Top 100 list, coming straight in at number 11.

Tom Grogan, co-founder of Lemon Pepper Holdings, said: “We are genuinely humbled by this recognition. None of this would have been possible without the efforts of the whole of the Lemon Pepper Holdings team, who are driving our continued growth and success. Being rated so highly on the list by so many people is amazing, and we look forward to being on it for many more years to come!”

The UK Top 100 covers the major quick-service restaurants, fast-casual brands, pubs and bars, coffee shops and cafés, and restaurants. The consumer insights were drawn from the opinions of over 96,000 consumers through Savanta’s market intelligence platform, BrandVue Eating out.

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