Double helping of Café Rouge

Pelican Group has this week acquired two sites for conversion to its Café Rouge restaurant brand in London's Shepherd Market and Brighton.

The Brighton restaurant is expected to open in June, but the London site requires a change-of-use application. A further 15 sites are being negotiated by the group.

Another quoted restaurant group, My Kinda Town, is rumoured to be buying three London restaurants for close to £1m. The three - Beach Blanket Babylon in Notting Hill Gate and Mwah Mwah and Secs and Checks on the Fulham Road - are owned by Roland Holdings.