Business
YouTuber-led chicken chain Sides to open 15 new restaurants in 2026
YouTube sensations The Sidemen have unveiled ambitious plans to expand their Sides fried chicken chain with 15 more restaurants this year.
The brand said it plans to commit further to the UK after witnessing “incredible momentum” and open sites in new international markets.
The YouTube collective consists of Olajide ‘JJ’ Olatunji (KSI), Harry Lewis (Wroetoshaw), Simon Minter (Miniminter), Vik Barn (Vikkstar123), Josh Bradley (Zerkaa), Ethan Payne (Behzinga) and Tobi Brown (TBJZL), and has 22 million subscribers.
They launched the brand in 2021 in partnership with Scottish-based food franchise firm Hero Brands.
Sides has since expanded to five restaurants across the UK, in Essex, Manchester, London, Kent and Birmingham, and launched its first international site in Singapore last year.
It plans to rapidly grow with a raft of new openings, including “significantly” increasing its footprint across the UK.
The hot chicken specialist said it is planning to open new restaurants across Scotland, as well as in Cardiff and Liverpool.
Sides also revealed plans to grow further in Asia and the Middle East with new openings in India, Malaysia, Singapore and the UAE.
It is among a raft of chicken brands seeking to expand across the UK, with the likes of Popeyes, Wingstop and Dave’s Hot Chicken all recently laying out plans for further openings.
Aaron Moore-Saxton, managing director at Sides, said: “This is all about doubling down on growth for Sides during 2026.
“We’re seeing incredible momentum in the UK and rising demand internationally, and that gives us real confidence in the next phase of our journey as we open new sites in Glasgow, Wales and Liverpool.
“Our expansion into India, Malaysia and the UAE is a further evolution for the brand, while our continued investment in the UK remains central to our strategy.”
In a joint statement, the Sidemen said: “We are seriously hyped to take this next step and bring even more people into our Sides journey.
“For us, it’s always been about bold flavours and great food, good energy and sharing moments that go way beyond and this is honestly just the start. We can’t wait to take you all along for what’s next.”
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Crude oil soars as Middle east conflict chokes supply routes, Hormuz concerns stokes panic – SUCH TV
Crude oil prices climbed on Monday on continuing fears of supply losses because of shipping disruptions in the key Middle East producing region from the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Brent crude futures rose $1.71, or 1.6%, to $110.74 a barrel by 0057 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained $0.71, or 0.6%, to trade at $112.25 per barrel.
On Thursday, the last trading day before the Good Friday holiday break, WTI settled up more than 11%, and Brent soared nearly 8% in volatile trading, recording their biggest absolute price increase since 2020, as US President Donald Trump promised to continue attacks on Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, which carries oil and petroleum products from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, remains largely closed by Iranian attacks on shipping after the war began on February 28.
Because of the Middle East supply disruptions, refiners are seeking alternative sources for crude, particularly for physical cargoes in the US and the UK North Sea.
“Global buyers are bidding aggressively for (US) Gulf Coast barrels, and Brent is rallying even faster,” the Schork Group said in a client note on Monday.
On Sunday, Trump ratcheted up pressure on Tehran, threatening in an expletive-laden Easter Sunday social media post to target Iran’s power plants and bridges on Tuesday if the strategic Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
Still, some vessels, including an Omani-operated tanker, a French-owned container ship and a Japanese-owned gas carrier, crossed the Strait of Hormuz since Thursday, shipping data showed, reflecting Iran’s policy to allow passage for vessels from countries it deems friendly.
The war threatens to linger on as Iran has officially told mediators it is not prepared to meet with US officials in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, in the coming days, and efforts to produce a ceasefire have reached a dead end, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
On Sunday, OPEC+, consisting of some members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia, agreed to a modest rise of 206,000 barrels per day for May.
However, that decision will largely exist on paper as several of the group’s key producers are unable to raise output due to the war.
Russian supply has been disrupted recently by Ukrainian drone attacks on its Baltic Sea export terminal. Media reports on Sunday said its Ust-Luga terminal resumed loadings on Saturday after days of disruptions.
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