Jack & Alice, the fledgling wine bar, pantry concept led by former Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) retail director Mark Hall, is to run a further London pop-in later this summer, MCA understands.
The two-strong company, which is operates under the umbrella of Splendid Restaurants, the sister company of Splendid Hospitality Group that currently owns 19 hotels across the UK, is believed to be taking over the former Rocket restaurant and bar site in Holborn. The 4000 square foot Rocket site is being converted to a new casual dining concept developed by Splendid Restaurants and is scheduled to open later this summer.
The concept, which carried out an eight-week trial of a ‘pop-in’ on Fitzrovia’s Foley Street last summer, is set to run a “pop-in” on the Lincoln Fields site in Holborn this month.
Splendid is supporting the continued expansion of Jack & Alice, which opened its first site in Gerrard’s Cross, Buckinghamshire. A second site opened in Tring, Hertfordshire, earlier this year.
Hall is also involved in other brand developments with Splendid Restaurants, part of Splendid Hospitality Group, of which Nadeem Boghani is group vice-chairman and a director of Jack & Alice.
Hall founded the concept with his wife Vanessa, the former M&B executive, who recently stepped down as chief executive of YO! Sushi. Jack & Alice is a wine bar and pantry with an element of retail too. It is open throughout the day and evening, from morning coffee and breakfast to wine, cheese and meats.
Jake Attridge, former retail business manager at M&B, currently oversees the day-top day operations of Jack & Alice, which offers all-day dining of cereals, smoothies and pastries for breakfast, toasties and salads for lunch and cheese and meat boards for the evening.
Splendid plans to open over 25 restaurants here under a number of brands over the next 10 years, MCA understands.
It also operates the Absurd Bird brand.
