Dino Sura, the new chief executive of Burger & Lobster, has said it is aiming to open at least three new UK sites next year, and that the performance of its latest openings in Brighton and London’s Kensington are “helping us mitigate what has undoubtedly been a tough year.”
Sura, who has been promoted from managing director of the brand’s UK and US sites after founder Misha Zelman stepped down, also said it was gearing up for a “really exciting chapter”, with a number of international launches planned.
Speaking after the 19-strong group reported this week that UK restaurants’ sales for the year ending 29 December 2024 amounted to £32.3m (2023: £36.1m), Sura said: “2025 has undoubtedly been a tough year for hospitality and retail. We are, of course, feeling the impact of various challenges that are being felt across the industry, including the impact of reduced tourism, as a result of the government’s decision to remove 20% VAT relief for visitors.
Our international credit card data shows a 15% decrease in spend compared with last year. The cost of living and on-going challenges across the globe are dominating forces affecting trade and consumer confidence.”
He added: “Despite the challenges, our new sites in Brighton and High Street Kensington are surpassing forecast by 13% and 8% respectively, which is helping us mitigate some of the aforementioned challenges.
This is hugely promising as we look to expand into new locations. We are aiming for at least three new sites in the UK next year. In terms of international expansion, we opened in Manila earlier this year and are gearing up for an imminent opening in Jakarta, as well as Istanbul and Malta in 2026, which is a really exciting chapter for the brand.”
Sura said the Budget has resulted in an £800,000 increase to labour costs. The business has enlisted support to make efficiencies, which is “already proving to be a worthwhile exercise”.
Sura said: “We recognise the significant challenges facing the government, particularly with the rising national debt. However, there appears to be a shift in policy away from encouraging investment and building consumer confidence, towards placing additional pressure on growing businesses.
The repeated tax increases every six months are having damaging consequences both in the short and long term, with consumers becoming increasingly cautious and job losses mounting across the hospitality sector. This approach leaves no clear winners. As the autumn Budget approaches, we urge the government to prioritise measures that stimulate business investment and growth.”
Burger & Lobster has also launched “The Claws Club”, a loyalty scheme that is currently being trialled in Brighton.
Explaining the reasons behind the decision, Sura said: “We have a very loyal following and a core growth area for us is growing frequency. Therefore, before introducing the loyalty scheme, we worked hard to build more choice into our menu, around our iconic originals, and ultimately broaden our proposition.
This has been hugely well received among our regulars, and we felt now was a good time to go after frequency and ultimately reward those who choose us regularly, especially in this current climate.”
