TGI Friday’s UK believes it can operate up to 40 sites under non-traditional formats, including a transport hub concept, which would eventually see its total estate grow to 120 units.
As revealed by M&C Report earlier this year, the company is developing a “next generation” version of the brand, which is smaller in size and aimed at different markets.
M&C Report understands the group is in talks on a site in the north west for its first transport hub opening and has also signed on a site in the Fort Kinnaird scheme in Edinburgh as it looks to open up to eight new units in 2014.
It will open its first site of the new year in the Old Post Office building in Brighton’s Ship Street around Easter.
Karen Forrester, managing director, said: “I’ve always believed that the core Friday’s can get to 80 [sites], maybe a little more. There are smaller towns that I think would welcome it, but it’s almost impossible to get 7,000/8,000/9,000 sq ft [premises]. So we’d want to make sure that if we went into a smaller footprint, a smaller box, we can deliver the Fridays experience. We’re working on something that has the Friday’s DNA, including an open bar and kitchen.
“I can envisage us looking to do c40 of these small or non-traditional formats in time, but we won’t do anything that isn’t able to replicate the Friday’s experience and the energetic engine that the central bar provides.”
David Muslin at CBRE acted on the Edinburgh site.
