News


Honest Burgers to crowdfund quick-service burger concept


The chain will offer investor benefits such as steak boxes and burger parties


By Emma Lake Casual dining chain Honest Burg- ers is to expand with a new quick- service burger concept it hopes will “challenge the big guys”. The Catey award-winning business, founded by friends Tom Barton and Phillip Eeles, will launch a crowdfund to propel the expansion of the new brand based around its smashed burger, which cooks in less than two minutes. Private equity firm Active


Partners, which took a 50% stake in Honest Burgers in 2015, will provide £1m to estab- lish the concept. The first site is expected to open in London early in 2024. Investors who purchase an


equity share in Honest Burg- ers through the crowdfund will gain access to a range of benefits such as free burgers, regenera- tively farmed steak boxes and the chance to host a free burger party at one of its restaurants. Frank Hayes, chief execu-


tive of Honest Burgers, said: “It’s exciting to take the brand to the next level with an From left: co-founder Dorian Waite with Philip Eeles and Tom Barton


ambitious plan to open more Honest restaurants, building our presence in regional cities as well as London. “But we also believe that


our new restaurant format can challenge the big guys in the premium quick-service burger market. We never dreamt Hon- est would get to where it is today, but we have big ambi- tions for our future, and we hope our customers will join us for the ride.” Spencer Skinner, managing partner at Active Partners, said Honest Burgers had a proven track record of growth and the investor was “fully committed” to supporting its expansion. Honest Burgers serves


80,000 burgers and 30 tonnes of homemade chips every week from its portfolio of more than 40 restaurants nationwide. It is on track to record sales of £55m in 2023, the group said. For more information on


how to invest in Honest Burg- ers visit: www.honestburgers. co.uk/crowdfund.


emma.lake@thecaterer.com MPs call for independent assessment into tax-free shopping


MPs have urged the Treasury to commission an independ- ent assessment into the full economic impact of tax-free shopping on the UK economy. During a Westminster Hall


debate on 7 September, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Con- servative MP for the Cotswolds, said: “We are now the only major European country that does not have tax-free shop- ping and the British economy is missing out as a result.” The Treasury withdrew from


the VAT retail export scheme in January 2021 following Brexit. It means tourists from non-EU countries are no longer eligible for a refund on sales tax, which


6 | The Caterer | 15 September 2023


shop, which he said had actively harmed the UK economy. Clifton-Brown said: “We


Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, pictured in 2018


they would have paid over the course of their stay. Sir Rocco Forte, chairman of


Rocco Forte Hotels, previously told The Caterer tourists were “voting with their feet” by going to other European destinations to


need that independent review so that we do not miss out on what potentially could be a huge positive and instantaneous win for the UK economy. The gov- ernment’s current decision is based on – I believe – inaccu- rate and incomplete figures.” He said Britain being “20%


more expensive for shopping than any other EU destination” had slowed the recovery of not only the tourism industry, but also sectors such as culture, lei- sure and hospitality. “The EU is enjoying a Brexit bonus at Britain’s expense. We


have a double whammy of British shoppers joining international shoppers to shop tax-free; British shoppers now spend £1b shop- ping tax-free in the EU,” he added. Victoria Atkins, financial secretary to the Treasury, said industry commissioned analy- ses had “reached different conclusions” over the scale of the impact of the scheme. She quoted figures that showed the average tourist spend per visit has increased from £693 pre- pandemic to £848 in 2022, an “increase of 8% in real terms”. Clifton-Brown said he was prepared to ask the industry to “go through in depth” the fig- ures that Atkins had discussed.


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