Bill’s Restaurants has strengthened it property team in the north, with the appointment of Tony Palmer, former head of acquisitions at Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), to oversee its expansion in the region, M&C Report has learnt.
Palmer, who starts his new role at the start of February, left M&B earlier this month after nearly 13 years with the managed operator, including 11 years as acquisition manager for the North of England and Scotland.
Another former M&B employee Anabel Newman currently oversees the 30-strong group’s expansion in the south.
The group will open its first site in the north later this spring in Manchester, after exchanging on a unit in the city’s John Dalton Street. It is understood that the site will be the first of a concerted push by the brand into the region.
The company, which is on track to report turnover in its current financial year to the end of next July of between £50-55m, will open its next site in Windsor on 3 February.
The group has also exchanged on sites in in Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmunds; the Kingstin Riverside development and in the centre of Norwich.
It is also in talks on openings in Bluewater, Worcester and Tunbridge Wells.
