Monday Bulletin: Immigration reforms & Madre Leeds opening

Catch up on the latest industry news stories of the week from the CODE Bulletin

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IMMIGRATION REFORMS

The UK hospitality industry was dealt another blow last week with the announcement of major immigration reforms aimed at reducing low-skilled migration. Under new rules coming into effect from 22 July 2025, chefs and bar managers will be among 111 occupations no longer eligible for skilled worker visas. Only graduate-level jobs will qualify. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper commented: “These new rules mean stronger controls to bring migration down, to restore order to the immigration system and to ensure we focus on investing in skills and training here in the UK.” For businesses reliant on international recruitment, this will be yet another setback.

Small Plates

• Andre Garrett MCA has been appointed Culinary Director of the Claude Bosi restaurant group. Garrett, who left Corinthia London in May after six years as executive chef, will initially helm the kitchen at Joséphine in Marylebone.
   
• British-Caribbean chef Marie Mitchell, a Fortnum & Mason award winner, is taking over the kitchens at hometipple in Walthamstow for the summer. On the menu: whole escovitch snapper and jerk chicken wings. From 8 July.
   
• Madre, the taco restaurant and bar from the Breddos (London) and Belzan (Liverpool) stable, is opening a third site. The new Leeds location, due late summer, will have Salon Madre, a tequila bar and pool hall, located just around the corner.
  
  
• Toast, the new bar by Manchester’s Winsome, is now officially open. Tom Fastiggi (ex Schofield’s) mixes the drinks.
  
  
• Introducing Pintxos Hour at Isaac McHale’s Bar Valette: think gildas, barbajuans, and morcilla, with £4 glasses of sherry and Txacoli. Tuesday to Saturday, 5-7pm.
  
  
• Having launched the first cheese conveyor belt in London, Mathew Carver has opened a second Pick & Cheese, this time at KERB in Berlin, specialising in German käse.
  
  
• Sign the petition to save Leila’s Shop in Shoreditch which, after 23 years on Calvert Avenue, faces a threefold rent increase and likely eviction in October.
  
  
• Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany (@bitetwicefoodreviews) and Ugly Dumpling’s Phil Chaykin will open Carmela’s, an NYC-style pizza shop, in Islington in late July.
  
  
• John Chantarasak’s AngloThai burger and laab-spiced fries is on the menu at Shake Shack Covent Garden this Friday 11 July. Proceeds to food charity Grow.
  
  
• A sad loss for the oenophiles of SW11: wine bar Soif is to close its doors on 27 July.
  
  
• Twenty years since it hit London’s high streets, dim sum chain Ping Pong has announced the closure of its final four sites.