Soho House Group, the Nick Jones-led company, is planning to open a new restaurant on the site of the former Avalon nightclub in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue, M&C has learnt.
Jones has incorporated a new company Café Monico Ltd, which takes its name from the high-end restaurant, which traded in Piccadilly Circus from 1877 right up until the end of the 1950s, to apply for the licence for the site. The company also trademarked the Café Monico name earlier this year.
The Avalon closed after a fatal shooting took place inside the venue on 26 December 2013.
However, it is still unclear what the company, which operates the Dirty Burger, Chicken Shop and Pizza East concepts, intends to launch at the new acquisition if it is successful with its licence application.
At the same time, M&C understands that group has tentatively started work on developing a tandoor concept, under the working title Tandoor Kitchen.
Jones has set up a company with Sharan Pasricha, chief executive of Hoxton Hotels-owner Ennismore Capital, called Tandoor Kitchen Ltd.
Soho House already has a working relationship with Hoxton Hotels, with the former operating a number of restaurants and bars at the latter’s properties.
The company is looking to ramp up the expansion of its restaurant concepts over the next few years.
Earlier this year, it hired Gary Thomas, formerly operations director at Yo! Sushi, to oversee its restaurant operations.
The group recently opened a new trial concept Egg Break on the former Thai Break site in Uxbridge Street, Notting Hill on a short term lease.
It followed this up with the opening of new English deli concept Farmshop (the first of a roll out) in Bicester Village and the launch of the first Chicken & Egg Shop in Balham, serving breakfast and brunch and weekends.
The company hopes to add a further three sites before the end of the year, including two Dirty Burger units in London, one of which is believed to be in Exmouth Market.
