B@1, Balham, London
A relaxed attitude, well mixed drinks and consistently funky (if eclectic) music mean this winning formula now has a fourth outlet in Balham. It follows on from the original site in Richmond, followed by Clapham Junction and Covent Garden. Decor, like the other venues', is bright and cheery rather than the usual monotones.
Opened: 16 December
Owners: Rhys Oldfield, Leigh Miller and Steve Locke
Capacity: 160
Drinks: Huge range of cocktails and the usual beers and wine
Cocktail prices: From £4.90
Bar manager: Stuart Powick
Crowd: Relaxed, ready for a good time
Address: 3 Ramsden Road, Balham, London SW12 8QX
Tel: 020 8675 7542
Park Plaza, Cardiff
This new Welsh hotel will be Park Plaza's fourth four-star opening in the UK since 2001. It's located in the cultural hub of the city and makes up part of the Greyfriars development, a landmark project being built on the site of the former Mid Glamorgan Council offices on Greyfriars Road.
Opens: 3 February
General manager: Hugh Hilary
Number of rooms: 129
Price per night: Opening rates (valid until April) from £79/£89 single/double, including breakfast.
Restaurant: The hotel will offer a "concept restaurant" called LKB, which stands for Laguna Kitchen and Bar. It's upbeat, casual, and will serve a range of European cuisine using as many local, organic Welsh suppliers as possible.
Head chef: Mark Freeman
Facilities: Extensive conference and banqueting facilities, wireless broadband, bar and £2m leisure and spa complex, including a 20m pool.
Address: Greyfriars Road, Cardiff CF10 3AL
Tel: 02920 388591 (preopening)
Bar Orient, Cardiff
This new bar in the Cardiff Bay development is a sister establishment to Pearl of the Orient restaurant, also in Cardiff. It's an Oriental-themed cocktail and dim sum bar with floor-to-ceiling lanterns made with traditional Chinese fabric, a water feature incorporating Welsh slate, a Japanese tatami area and three VIP rooms.
Opened: November 2004
Owners: Mng International
Proprietors: Alex Ng, Molly Lai, Stephen Chan and Jeff Chung
Food: Dim sum and internationally themed light meals
Capacity: 350
Typical spend: £14 (including drinks)
Address: Unit 27, Ground Floor, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay CF10 5BZ
Tel: 02920 463939
Press House, London
This new wine bar-cum-restaurant is the first of a planned series of six. Designers were asked to bridge the gap between a quality bar and formal business restuarant
Opened: 15 December
Owner: Graham Flowitt (previously at La Grande Marque, Ludgate Hill)
Manager: Isabelle Sexton
Chef: Mark Gibson (previously at the Hilton Hotel, Trafalgar Square, Gleneagles hotel and St Andrews Old Course Hotel)
Wine: 35 red wines (£13-£140 a bottle), 35 white wines (£13-£63 a bottle), 18 champagnes (£27.50-£145 a bottle)
Food: Snacks, nibbles and some hot meals
Typical spend: From £13.50 (with wine)
Crowd: City boys and girls (closed weekends)
Capacity: 200 (97 seated)
Designer: Studio MAD Partnership
Address: 1 St Bride's Passage, London EC4Y 8EJ
Tel: 020 7353 5059