The first-time visitor would be forgiven for being transfixed by the brightly-coloured restaurants in the Yo! Sushi chain. There is something captivating about the sight of the seemingly endless conveyor belt snaking around the room with its cargo of tempting Japanese dishes. There are other novelties, too. Each table has a tap offering self-service beer or water at the touch of a button, and robots (with human helpers) make the rice and serve drinks.

Cynics (or journalists, as they’re also known) like to suggest that it’s all a bit gimmicky. "Not so," says Simon Woodroffe, 51-year-old founder of Yo! Sushi. "I defy anyone to find anything in here that’s not functional. We set out to create a ‘food factory’ in which even the robots, conveyer belt and call buttons are all here for a reason. Everything has to be practical and built to last - it is very much the case that form follows function."

It’s an approach that has been replicated in each new location as the chain has expanded from its original branch in the West End of London. That opened in 1997 and has been followed by 12 more restaurants and three accompanying Yo! Below bars. This month, Yo! takes its next big leap with its first restaurant outside the UK, due to open its doors to the public in Dubai.

But raw fish is merely the beginning of a much bigger story. The Yo! brand is firmly attached to other areas, including the Yo! Japan clothing range, and there are plans for a travel company and a health spa. "There are not many companies that are multi-branding," Woodroffe points out. "Virgin and EasyJet are probably the only major businesses of that type in the world doing it. People like things to go in threes, so I’m happy if we’re on the same list, although we’re tiny by comparison."

Woodroffe’s journey to his sushi empire was more than a little unusual. Having left school at 16, he spent some time as a bus conductor before embarking on what was to become a 30-year career in the entertainment industry. He began working as an assistant stage manager at Richmond Theatre, even gaining his Equity card for what could easily have led him in an altogether more thespian direction.

The excitement of the phenomenon that was rock and roll changed all that, however, and Woodroffe joined a growing band of theatre staff who switched to this seemingly more ‘happening’ area. While working on lighting for concerts, an opportunity to help design a set for Rod Stewart gave him the chance to try something different. His bold set design made an impact. He eventually set up his own stage design company, producing sets for Rod Stewart, 10cc and the Moody Blues before reaching a real milestone in 1985 when his company designed much of the stage for Live Aid.

Shortly afterwards, Woodroffe moved into television, brokering deals for broadcast rights to big rock concerts to TV stations around the world. It was relatively easy, he says, but still left him considering his options: "I wasn’t happy. I was approaching 40 and having a difficult time. I’d always said I’d be a millionaire at 21… then 30… then 40. I didn’t feel as if I’d succeeded and it seemed like I was running out of time."

He took the plunge and quit his secure job to search for something that he really wanted to do. Keeping a notebook of all the ideas he came across, it soon became clear to him that retailing was the way forward. The conveyer belt sushi restaurant plan was hatched soon afterwards.

After obtaining some Japanese guide books along the lines of ‘how to set up your own conveyor belt sushi bar’, he suspected it was all a little too perfect: "It seemed such a good idea that I did ask myself once or twice why someone else hadn’t already done it." But Yo! Sushi has become a major force on the restaurant scene and expects to achieve revenue of £20 million in the UK this year.

With such a showbusiness background, it would be easy to imagine Woodroffe as someone who sees accountancy as a role that lives up to its dull stereotype. "No, I’m very interested," he retorts. "When I worked in the TV industry, I spent seven years dealmaking, and that was all about getting the figures right. Sure I love doing new things, but they’ve got to make money and you need the systems in place to make sure that happens."

Woodroffe is clearly proud of his finance team at Yo! and of recently-appointed FD, Zoë Tindall. He says: "As a company, we’re much more sophisticated than we were. At the beginning, we would pretty much employ anyone who walked through the door - and that included within the finance department - merely because we needed people to get the job done.

"Now we have fairly sophisticated methods for everything and a very good approach to management accounting."

Many in the five-strong finance team have been with Yo! since the early days, which has been crucial, Woodroffe says. "Having a finance team with a broad range of skills and that can work well together makes accounts and cost control that much easier. They are also very well respected throughout the company, mainly because they make the effort to get out and be fully integrated and highly visible with all the other departments."

It is one of many factors that has made his rise so dramatically rapid. Is this proof that the UK is an ideal environment for entrepreneurs? "Throughout the world… it is becoming more difficult for entrepreneurs," he says. "Within Europe, the UK is one of the least regulated countries, and yet it is still over-regulated for many small firms. I’m a big admirer of Nigel Griffiths [UK Minister for Small Businesses], but I still think that the country has yet to grasp the real need to deregulate."

Woodroffe believes tax and employment law need to be simplified, and that a higher turnover threshold should be introduced for small firms to encourage them to grow. "The government’s motives are in the right place, and much of the regulation works in theory, but it can be hard for civil service people to empathise with a small firm. They simply haven’t been there."

He suggests that some first-hand experience could help: "They should be seconded into small firms to get some insight, in much the same way as many teachers have spent time with employers to help to understand what they will want from prospective new recruits."

Woodroffe’s wisdom is also now in demand as a public speaker to business audiences. He insists that understanding what makes a successful business is not rocket science, and more about harnessing inspiration and creativity - and conquering fear. "There’s a lot of hype about success, but people relate to fears. That’s what holds most people back - their own personal doubts."

He is also clearly keen to spread this message, and gets every opportunity to do so in his role as the CBI Ambassador of Entrepreneurialism and through his work with the us-based National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, which encourages children at school to set up in business. "It’s another important way of making business less grey and more exciting. I firmly believe that business ‘stars’ like Reuben Singh [chairman and CEO of alldaypa and chairman of his own group of companies, aged 25] will replace pop singers as the stars of the future.

"Eventually, business will make it big on TV in the same way cooking has. TV is the real way to make business popular and when that happens, it will change people’s views on business."

Woodroffe’s company will itself soon become even more interesting with the imminent launch of its hotel business, Yotel!, which, as you’d expect, is anything but conventional. Woodroffe describes the concept as a cross between the ‘capsule’ hotel accommodation widely available in Japan and the comfort of a business class plane journey, and is looking to offer central London rooms for between £65 and £100 a night. He has now picked the best room design from around a hundred ideas and is looking for a site for the first Yotel!

Surely, though, the day will come when Woodroffe wants out - a chance to spend more time on his passions for climbing, horse riding, skiing and tennis? After all, the buzz and excitement must give way to tiredness and boredom at some point? Not a bit of it. "I saw Terence Conran the other day at his restaurant on his hands and knees cutting cloth to show a designer exactly how he wanted it. He’s 71 and he’s still interested. I see no reason not to go to my death bed still enjoying… being involved with a successful company."

Curriculum Vitae

1970-1990 Set Designer

Woodroffe founded his own company, which designed sets for live music acts.

1990-96 Television Consultant

Sold broadcast rights for rock concerts

1997-present Founder, Yo! Sushi

Woodroffe is also CEO of Yo! Ltd

Woodroffe was ‘UK Group Restaurateur of the Year’ in 2000.

AT, May 2003, page 16-18