Burrito chain Boojum eyeing new locations amid expansion
The chain, which opened its first location on Botanic Avenue in Belfast back in 2007, has opened a few new spots in England over the last year.
That includes at the Merrion Centre in Leeds, as well as in Liverpool, Birmingham and Nottingham.
But it's also searching for new restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Sheffield.
Speaking about the new Leeds location, the firm said: It's due to open its doors in April, the firm said, creating around 40 new jobs: 'The new store opening in Leeds Merrion Centre will create 40 new jobs including both full time and part time positions.'
The chain was sold to the UK company which runs the Zizzi and Ask Italian restaurant chains.
The business was bought by David and Andrew Maxwell in 2015 as part of a management buy-in, which was backed by investment firm Renatus.
Azzurri Group said it had acquired a controlling interest in Boojum from Renatus Capital Partners.
Speaking around the time of the Leeds opening, David Maxwell, the firm's managing director, posting on LinkedIn, said: 'See you soon Leeds… hopefully the first of many stores in mainland UK'.
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STV News
a day ago
- STV News
Murray: 'I have apologised to Rangers fans for selling club to Craig Whyte'
Former Rangers owner David Murray says he has apologised to fans for selling the club before it collapsed into financial ruin. Sir David sold the Ibrox side for £1 to businessman Craig Whyte, and was at the helm when Rangers gave £47m in tax-free loans to players and staff between 2001 and 2010. The HMRC brought a case against Rangers centring on the club's use of Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs), which were also used by other clubs. The EBTs enabled the club to pay players, managers and directors through the tax-free loans, but HMRC argued the payments were earnings and should be taxable. Getty Images Craig Whyte leaves court surrounded by police on September 2, 2015 in Glasgow, Scotland. Two tribunals – in 2012 and 2014 – ruled in Rangers' favour. But the Supreme Court found in favour of HMRC after an appeal in 2015. The club had been bought in May 2011 by Craig Whyte after Sir David initially struggled to find a buyer willing to take on a potential 'big tax case' bill. Mr Whyte was later cleared of fraud in relation to the takeover. Under Whyte's ownership, Rangers went into liquidation in February 2012 less than a year after the sale. Ewen Cameron/Up Next Studios Former Rangers owner David Murray says he has apologised to fans for selling the club before it collapsed into financial ruin. The tipping point for administration was a £9m tax bill due to HMRC, and total debts reached more than £100m. The club was admitted to the third division of Scottish football. Murray, speaking to broadcaster Ewen Cameron and Up Next Studios, said he has apologised to Rangers fans and staff for his part in the collapse. 'I have apologised, but I did a lot of good things for the club. If you want to remember the negative, that's their choice,' he said. When asked if the EBT scandal led to Rangers' downfall, he answered: 'That plus Craig Whyte. 'The interpretation of the EBT by HMRC and Craig Whyte… I think they could have survived the first one but not the two put together.' He added: 'Craig Whyte was a mistake – I'm prepared to admit that. But on the evidence of the money, what he was going to do, it seemed the only course of action.' Sir David continued: 'I was disappointed for the fans first of all and I was also so disappointed for the people that worked there – people who had been so loyal to me – and all of a sudden their jobs were in jeopardy. 'How many plates can you spin? The average Rangers fan doesn't care about my other businesses – but so many in Scotland – a joiner in Fife a haulage firm in Melrose – were affected by the banking crises.' Sir David's autobiography Mettle is out on Monday, and all proceeds will go to the Erskine Charity. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
My dad took the fall for ‘disastrous' deal & was jailed for FRAUD, reveals ex-Rangers owner Sir David Murray
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Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Inside 007 legend Sean Connery's secret £1m Rangers investment as bombshell details revealed for first time
Sir David Murray has sensationally revealed details of the secret investment in his new book A LIFELONG BOND Inside 007 legend Sean Connery's secret £1m Rangers investment as bombshell details revealed for first time Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIR Sean Connery secretly invested £1million in Rangers but never saw a return, Sir David Murray has sensationally revealed. The James Bond icon, who died in 2020, put the cash into the Ibrox side while close friend Sir David was raising funds in the early 2000s. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 7 James Bond legend Sir Sean Connery, pictured with Sir David Murray, secretly invested £1m into the Ibrox club Credit: Alamy 7 Connery put cash into the Ibrox club while Sir David was raising funds in the early 2000s Credit: PA:Empics Sport 7 The details have been revealed in Sir David Murray's new book, Mettle Rangers fan Sir Sean was a popular face at Ibrox but his cash injection was never made public until now. Sir David said: 'For years, Sean and I would share a catch-up call every weekend to chat through the football and we would inevitably kick off with Rangers. 'After all, he had put £1million into the club which no one knew about at the time or even since. 'I was raising £50million in 2004 and Sean asked if he could invest. I told him that it was football, that there were no guarantees and he should get professional advice but he was adamant. He wanted in. 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None of us even came close to what Sean Connery experienced.' 7 Sean Connery pictured in his role as James Bond in Goldfinger Credit: Alamy Elsewhere in his new book, Sir David revealed how he still has shards in his leg from the wreckage of the sports car that nearly killed him in a horror crash almost half a century ago. The ex-Rangers owner was just 24 when he had both legs amputated after the flash motor careered into a tree following a tyre blow-out in 1976. Despite the horrific accident, he refused to let the ordeal define him and went on to become a towering figure in Scottish society through his metals business and Ibrox tenure. But everything could have been very different had medics not been able to save his life after he crashed near Longniddry, East Lothian, while driving home in his purple Lotus Elite after playing rugby. He said: 'A number of rugby supporters who had actually been at the game stopped their cars and raced to my side. 'There was lots of blood and they applied tourniquets with their ties to try to halt the flow. 'They somehow kept me alive and even though I can remember nothing about it, an ambulance was called and arrived quickly to take me 18 miles to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.' Incredibly, he lost 13 pints of blood on the first evening and medics immediately amputated parts of his 'mangled' legs through the knees. After he was stabilised, Sir David - who was once estimated to have a £500m fortune - was transferred to the Princess Margaret Rose Hospital in Edinburgh for ten weeks of intensive care. The budding entrepreneur was left pondering his future over and over again - but his inner steel drove him towards recovery and, ultimately, huge success. SIR DAVID MURRAY: A TIMELINE 1951 - Born in Ayr 1974 - Founds Murray International Metals aged 23 1976 - Loses both legs in a car crash 1984 - Awarded Young Scottish Businessman of the Year 1988 - Buys Rangers FC for £6million 1989 - Rangers win the first of a record-equalling nine successive league titles and buy first high profile Catholic, Maurice Johnston, for £1.5m from under the noses of Celtic. 1991: Walter Smith succeeds Graeme Souness as manager. 1992 - Wife Louise - mum of their two sons - dies after a cancer battle. 1993: Rangers sign Duncan Ferguson for a record transfer fee between British clubs of £4million. 1995: Paul Gascoigne signs for a club record £4.3m. 1998: Dick Advocaat is appointed manager and club break their transfer record three times that summer by signing Arthur Numan (£4.5m), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (£5m) and Andrei Kanchelskis (£5.5m). Murray declares that for 'every £5 Celtic spend, we will spend £10.' 2000: Rangers smash transfer record by signing Tore Andre Flo from Chelsea for £12m. 2001: Murray Park is opened at a cost of £14m. 2007 - Knighted for services to business 2009 - Sir David steps down as Rangers chairman and as a member of the board, with the club having won 15 titles and 21 cups during his tenure May 2011 - He sells his controlling interest in Rangers for £1 to Wavetower Limited, owned by businessman Craig Whyte. Sir David, 73, became a millionaire with company Murray International Metals and purchased Rangers for £6million in 1988. Under his stewardship, the club embarked on a period of unparalleled success with iconic managers Graeme Souness and Walter Smith - and fan favourites Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup. He was also instrumental in the club smashing their sectarian signing policy by buying their first high profile Catholic player Mo Johnston from under Celtic's noses in 1989. Sir David faced further tragedy in his personal life when beloved first wife Louise - mum to their sons David and Keith - died from cancer in 1992. Dad Ian was also locked up for a spell before dying at 50. He split from second wife Kae Tinto in 2018 after seven years of marriage and is now understood to split his time between Perthshire and France, where he owns vineyards. He remains the chairman of Murray Capital Group and his sons play key roles in the running of the business. - Mettle: Tragedy, Courage & Titles by Sir David Murray, is on sale Thursday July 3 from Amazon and all good bookshops. Preorder on Amazon here. Sir David is donating his royalties to Erskine Hospital.
