BrewDog sets out plans for the next 12 months and apologises to 4,000 plus AGM attendees: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has set out its plans for 2014 and apologised to the more than 4,000 attendees of its fourth Annual General Mee … view

   

Harry Ramsden’s signs first international franchisee in a decade: Fish and chip brand Harry Ramsden’s has signed its first international franchisee in a decade. The new franchisee is Ahmed Hassan Bilal Trading and Contracting Company … view

Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker shows May decline: The Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker has found that the average British household spent £192 on out-of-home leisure in May, a fall of £23, or 11%, against April and only £1 higher t … view

Details emerge of Tragus CVA: The details of new Tragus rent agreements with its landlords under its Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVA) have emerged. The new arrangements won the backing of 85 to 90% of landlords on Friday, paying the w … view

   

New Inventive reveals results of £10m evolution programme: New Inventive Bar Company, led by Mark McQuater, has completed its £10m evolution programme at 35 of its key Revolution vodka bar sites, producing a double-digit improvement in … view

Marston’s trials stone-baked pizza kitchens at Two for One pubs: Marston’s is trialing stone-baked pizza kitchens at sites within its Two for One estate. The company has previously fitted front-of-house stone-baked pizza ovens within … view

Spirit sells single pub for £27m: Spirit has sold a freehold pub, The Black Lion, on Bayswater Road in central London, to 123 Bayswater Road Limited for a total cash consideration of £27m, which will be reinvested in the retained Spirit … view

Coffer Peach Tracker: Pubs and restaurant saw 0.2% rise in May like-for-likes: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant operators saw sales growth slow in May after a strong start to 2014, with collective like-for-like sales up just 0.2% co … view

Whitbread reports 6.9% like-for-like sales growth: Whitbread has reported a 6.9% increase in like-for-like sales in the 13 weeks to 29 May. The sales growth was led by Premier Inn with a 9.5% increase, followed by Costa where like-for-lik … view

CGA Brand Track names UK’s top brands: Loch Fyne is the brand delivering the highest levels of customer satisfaction in eating out, with Mitchells & Butlers’ Crown Carveries best for value and Jamie’s Italian for service. Those are … view

M&B buys 173 Orchid pubs for £266m: Mitchells & Butlers has acquired 173 Orchid Group sites and the Orchid head office for £266 million - of the 173 pubs, 158 are freehold or long leasehold. M&B stated: “(It) expands Mitchells & Butle … view

US pizza chain Project Pie to launch first European outlet in Dundee: The American pizza restaurant chain Project Pie, recently recognised by Yelp as the number one emerging brand in the United States, is looking to launch its first Europ … view

East London street food traders move south of the Thames: East London’s top street food traders are moving south of the Thames to reopen a market that has been derelict for a decade, The London Evening Standard has reported. The Street … view

Technomic – top UK chains grow sales circa 15% in two years: The 100 largest restaurant chains in the UK turned in a 6.4% annual sales increase in 2013 after a 7.1% rise the year before, a total of around 15% over two years, according t … view

Geronimo founders to open new brand this month: The founders of Geronimo Inns, Rupert and Jo Clevely, are set to open the doors to their brand new venture, The Cyclist Refreshment Room, on Wednesday 25 June 2014 in Brighton train station. … view

Big-name investors rush to back £1m Chilango ‘burrito bond’: Big-name investors behind Chilango, the award-winning Mexican food chain, including Simon Kossoff, chief executive of Carluccio’s and Chris Moore, former chief executive … view

Fuller’s buys 51% stake in cider and pizza concept: Fuller, Smith & Turner, the London brewer and premium pub company, has acquired a 51% share in The Stable – a craft cider and pizza restaurant business - for £7.3m. Led by entrepren … view

UK sales push Europe ahead by 0.4% for McDonald’s: Sales in the UK and France at McDonald’s offset weaker sales in Germany to push the company’s like-for-likes ahead by 0.4% in Europe in May. However, it continued to suffer weak sal … view

Simon Emeny – Fuller’s now selling one million cups of coffee a year: Fuller’s chief executive Simon Emeny has told Propel that coffee sales at the company have now hit almost one million cups a year, a four times increase in the f … view

Carluccio’s to trial three different locations in Washington DC: Carluccio’s will trial three varied locations in Washington DC as part of its US debut. Carluccio’s said last month it would open its first American outlet in Alexandr … view

Pint Shop plans southern cities roll-out: Pint Shop, the highly regarded Cambridge-based operator that specialises in British meat and beer, has announced plans to expand to a second UK site. Off the back of a successful first six months … view

Tragus landlords and creditors given 20 June deadline for vote on CVAs: Tragus has confirmed that it is to sell Strada and has launched a renegotiation of rents and debts with landlords and creditors through company voluntary arrangement … view

ALMR launches jobs and growth manifesto for licensed hospitality: Coinciding with the state opening of Parliament, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has published its 2014 Manifesto to promote jobs and growth in licens … view

Hawthorn Leisure buys 88 more pubs: Hawthorn Leisure, the pub company established to acquire and invest in tenanted pubs across the UK, has bought a portfolio of 88 tenanted and leased public houses from R&L. Hawthorn Leisure has also com … view

Punch earns £5.3m book value profit on five pubs: Punch Taverns is to sell five London pubs to Manica Properties Limited for £9.7 million, a £5.3m profit on book value of £4.4m. The pubs to be sold are freehold outlets located in cent … view

Downing launches second tranche of EIS pub investment fund: Investment fund Downing has launched a second tranche of its pub EIS investment fund. Downing invested a total of £18.8m in three pub businesses under the first tranche of the D … view

JD Wetherspoon looks at four-strong Dublin portfolio: JD Wetherspoon is poised to buy four of Dublin’s most famous pubs, The Irish Independent has reported. The four pubs are part of the former Capital Bars Group, which entered a mixed … view