Alcohol C … view

Novus reports record profits; subdued trading since the Olympics; looks to buy 30 to 40 units over the next few years: London-based Novus Leisure, the operators of 52 premium bar and restaurants, has reported Ebitda up 50 per cent to £16 … view

Former chief executive of Sector Skills Council to open flagship pub: Industry veteran David McHattie and his wife Emma plus business partner Gary Hodgkinsson have formed a new company called Inn Idea to re-launch Punch Taverns’ Devonsh … view

Tim Martin appeals to customers on tax unfairness: JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin has used his quarterly column in the in-house magazine Wetherspoon News, which is circulated throughout the 860-strong estate, to explain to customers th … view

Alistair Darby – my initial thoughts at Mitchells & Butlers: Mitchells & Butlers new chief executive Alistair Darby has offered his initial thoughts on the company eight weeks after he joined it. Darby, who was previously chief operatin … view

Mitchells & Butlers reports like-for-likes up 2.1 per cent; broadly flat since the year-end: The UK’s largest licensed retailer, Mitchells & Butlers, has reported like-for-like sales rose by 2.1 per cent in the 53 weeks to 29 September … view

Domino’s franchisees selling individual sites for up to £800,000: Domino’s UK franchisees selling their sites are earning premiums of up to £800,000 per site, chief executive Lance Batchelor has reported. Domino’s franchisees earn … view

Fuller’s posts profit growth despite “incessant rain”; Olympics will provide an enduring boost: London brewer and retailer Fuller’s has reported sales up eight per cent to £137.9m in the 26 weeks to 29 September with profit befor … view

Punch Taverns looks to roll-out Champs to three more sites after success in Sheffield: Punch Taverns is planning to expand its Champs American sports brand under licence in three more major cities after the first site in Sheffield proved … view

We put our challenges into three categories - trading, debt and property.

As far as trading goes, we have inves … view

Licence is revoked at Luminar’s flagship Oceania in Kingston: Councillors have revoked the licence at Luminar’s flagship Oceania site in Kingston in the wake of a fatal stabbing - the club will stay open pending an appeal. Chair of th … view

Enterprise Inns to invest £180m in estate over next three years: Enterprise Inns, which owns around 12 per cent of the total UK pub stock, is to invest £180m in its estate over the next three years. Chief executive Ted Tuppen said aroun … view

Thwaites reports wet summer has adversely affected half-year performance; residual interest rate swaps hit by low rates of LIBOR: Blackburn-based brewer and retailer Thwaites has reported its performance has been adversely impacted by the … view

Enterprise Inns moves towards income growth; Olympics had an eight per cent negative impact: Enterprise Inns has reported more progress towards achieving growth in its pub estate. The company saw like-for-like net income growth of 2.2 per … view

Former Wagamama boss acquires stake in K10: Ian Neill, former chief executive and chairman of Wagamama, has acquired a significant stake in the long-established City of London Japanese restaurant concept K10 as part of a £1 million plus … view

Those of us who see minimum un … view

Horizons – the Olympics cost £55m in lost takings: Foodservice insights firm Horizons has calculated the Olympics cost a net £55m in lost takings for the eating out sector. Full service restaurants lost around £26m in takings, quick … view

WaverleyTBS had two potential bidders who both backed away over TUPE liability: Wholesaler WaverleyTBS had two potential bidders after administrator Deloitte was called in - one offer for the whole of the business and one for substantiall … view

Heineken launches new name for pub estate and offers licensees industry-leading flexibility and support: Heineken has given its pub company a new name – Star Pubs and Bars. The move comes almost a year after it bought the freeholds of t … view

Market Town Taverns managing director to step down at end of 2012 after Heron and Brearley integration: Ian Fozard will step down as managing director of 15-strong Market Town Taverns, the company acquired by Isle of Man-based Heron and B … view

Industry like-for-like sales dip by 1.7 per cent in October: Later school half-term holidays caused sales in Britain’s leading pub and restaurant groups to dip in October. Collective like-for-like sales were down 1.7 per cent on the sam … view

Technomic sketches out US brands’ evolution strategies: Foodservice insights firm Technomic has sketched out the key strategies being employed by US restaurant brands to out-perform in the recession. At a conference in London on Friday, … view

JD Wetherspoon acquires three Orchid pubs: Managed operator JD Wetherspoon has bought three pubs from rival managed operator Orchid for an undisclosed sum, Propel Morning Briefing understands. The company has bought The Waggon, 2 Market P … view

Browns “has regained confidence” after 12 openings in 15 months: Browns, the iconic brasserie brand owned by Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), has regained its confidence after 12 openings in 15 months, the brand’s marketing manager Paul H … view

Fund manager Downing LLP reveals multi-site pub company investments; looking for other investments: Fund manager Downing LLP, which launched a Pub EIS fund earlier this year, is funding a further four investments by fast-expanding London … view

Head of Steam steps up “Stuff the Supermarkets” campaign; installs expanded bottled beer range: Head of Steam, the nine-strong north east pub operator led by Tony Brookes, is stepping up its “Stuff the Supermarkets” campaign in th … view

Stonegate Pub Company completes the roll-out of new menus across five brand segments to reflect market trends; introduces ultimate British beef sandwich at Yates’s: Managed operator Stonegate, which operates 550 pubs, has evolved menus … view

Rosinter hires more UK expertise; Premium Country Dining Group consultants to reinvigorate Il Patio concept: Rosinter, the Russian restaurant operator headed by former Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) executive Kevin Todd, has hired the brains b … view

Darwin & Wallace acquires The Ebury in Pimlico for first site: New bar and restaurant company Darwin & Wallace, backed by the Imbiba Partnership Bar and Restaurant EIS fund, has acquired The Ebury in Pimlico, an Enterprise Inns pub, for i … view

Work begins on £1.5m upgrade to iconic Hoste Arms in Burnham Market: Work began at the weekend on a £1.5m refurbishment of the iconic Hoste Arms in Burnham Market. Plans include a new garden room, bedrooms and New Zealand-style lodge di … view

The subject of bank d … view

JD Wetherspoon property legal action next phase expected to be heard in first half of 2013: The next stage of the long-running legal action over fraud by JD Wetherspoon against former property advisor Van de Berg and associated parties is … view

Urban & Country Leisure plans AIM listing in two years’ time after reaching ten Lazy Cow sites target: Urban & Country Leisure (UCL), the company that operates the nascent Lazy Cow brand that is led by Ross Sanders, will explore a listi … view