Henry J Bean's to open in Wimbledon

Food and Drink Group is to open its first new Henry J Bean's site since it acquired the brand.

The company is to convert the Life bar in Wimbledon it bought from Luminar last year to the bar/restaurant brand in the summer.

Cost of the conversion work is being subsidised by a large financial contribution from the site's freehold owner.

The landlord is taking advantage of the refurbishment to undertake site strengthening work to allow flats to be built above the new Henry's J Bean's.

Food & Drink Group currently operates three Henry J Bean sites - Chelsea, Bristol and Manchester - with like-for-likes sales currently up 13.9%.

It has disposed of a site in Camden and operate the Birmingham venue as a bar called the Breakfast Club.

Meanwhile, Food & Drink chief executive James Kowszun has revealed that two Jamie's wine bars will be carved out of its acquisition of seven Puzzle Pub Company leaseholds earlier this year.

The company has the right to use the Puzzle name for only six months - the remaining five sites will be re-branded with individual names.

Pre-tax profit was up 98% to £600,000 while turnover rose 5.2% to £10.5m in the 298 weeks to 14 April.