BBC names brands with unsatisfactory hygiene scores: Seven restaurant and eating out chains have not a single one of their outlets recorded as “unsatisfactory” after food hygiene inspections, according to an analysis of Food Standards … view

Whole Food Market UK losses widen to £14.2m: Whole Foods Market, which operates nine sites in the UK, saw its losses mount to £14.21m in the UK last year despite a surge in sales as it benefits from shoppers’ hunt for better quality f … view

Greggs – we’ve made more progress on strategic plan: Greggs, which has 1,700 retail outlets in the UK, has reported like-for-like sales up 3.2% in the 26 weeks ended 28 June (2013: 2.9% decline) and total sales up 3.1% to £373m (2013 … view

PizzaExpress finances £610m bond in a matter of days: PizzaExpress has successfully refinanced its existing capital structure by raising £610m in notes in the wake of its acquisition for £900m by the Chinese private equity firm Hony Ca … view

Domino’s reports UK LFL growth of 11.3% in first half: Domino’s Pizza Group has reported UK like-for-like sales growth of 11.3% in the 26 weeks ended 29 June 2014. System sales increased by 14.9% to £375m (2013: £326.5m). Operating … view

Molson Coors Europe boss Mark Hunter to take over as chief executive after Peter Swinburn retires: A Scottish born executive is to take the top job at Molson Coors. Mark Hunter, head of Molson Coors’ European operations, is to take ove … view

Moody’s rates PizzaExpress B3 and says future price rises may be difficult: Like-for-like sales at PizzaExpress have returned to positive territory in the financial year ending 2014, after three years of negative sales, but future price … view

Ralph Findlay – we have a pipeline of around 80 new-build sites: Marston’s chief executive, Ralph Findlay, has told Propel that the company has a pipeline of around 75 to 80 new-build pub restaurant sites through to 2017, and is confi … view

Mitchells & Butlers reports flat third quarter: Mitchells & Butlers has reported total sales growth in the third quarter was 3.8%, bringing growth in the first 42 weeks to 2.9%. It added: “Over the third quarter like-for-like food volum … view

Crowdcube smashes world record by raising £1.2m in 16 minutes: The crowd-funding platform Crowdcube took just 16 minutes to raise £1.2m from private investors to help fund its expansion plans. The company now intends to double staff num … view

Greene King – leisure spending down in June during stay-at-home World Cup: The Greene King Leisure Tracker has found the average British household spent £180 on out-of-home leisure in June, a fall of £12 against May, largely driven do … view

BrewDog gets mixed reception for new packaging designs, promises to seek feedback on the rest of its redesign: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has admitted it has received mixed reviews for its new packaging on its blog and on Facebo … view

Alan Parker – the industry’s voice can only grow stronger: Former Whitbread chief executive and British Hospitality Association (BHA) chairman Alan Parker has argued that the hospitality industry’s voice can only increase in strengt … view

 

Balderton Capital invests £3.8m in Crowdcube: One of Europe’s largest venture investors, Balderton Capital, has invested £3.8m in a £5m fund-raising round at the crowd-funding website Crowdcube. The crowd-funding platform will comple … view

Gourmet Burger Kitchen reports strong year: Gourmet Burger Kitchen, the better burger brand owned by Nando’s Group Holdings, has reported a strong year with turnover rising 24% to £50.5m in the year to 23 February 2014 compared to the … view

The Stable founders – 12 more sites in the next three years: Richard and Nikki Cooper, the founders of six-strong artisan cider and pizza brand The Stable, in which Fuller’s acquired a 51% stake for £7.3m last month, are aiming to op … view

Coffer Peach – drink-led managed pubs like-for-likes up 2.4% in otherwise flat June: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow just 0.4% in June. While the World Cup helped push up trade in dr … view

Whitbread unveils new chairman: Whitbread has announced the appointment of Richard Baker as chairman with effect from 1 September 2014. He succeeds Anthony Habgood who, after nine years as chairman, announced in January his decision to st … view

YO! Sushi to open first new restaurant in Edinburgh’s Princes Street in decades: YO! Sushi is to open the first new restaurant in Edinburgh’s Princes Street in decades. It comes after the council’s shops-only policy for Princes Stre … view

Harry Ramsden’s awards new franchise: Fish and chip brand Harry Ramsden’s has granted the franchise for the southern half of West Sussex to local businessman Ruslan Kyshtoobaev. Under the terms of the franchise agreement, ten new outl … view

 

Guardian highlights Nando’s complex offshore tax arrangements: The Guardian has highlighted the “secretive £750m trust located in a Channel Islands tax haven” that sits at the top of an elaborate offshore web of companies controlli … view

JD Wetherspoon buys second Dublin pub: JD Wetherspoon has bought its second Dublin pub, the former Forty Foot restaurant and bar in Marine Road in the suburb of Dun Laoghaire. It is understood the asking price for the currently closed sit … view

Star Pubs & Bars calls for better Valuation Office Agency resourcing after two-year delays: Star Pubs & Bars is calling for better resourcing of the Valuation Office Agency and a simplification of the business rates appeal process when ch … view

Notting Hill Kitchen seeks £150,000 through crowd-funding to create chef’s table/private dining cellar: The Notting Hill Kitchen restaurant is seeking £150,000 of funding through Crowdcube – in return for 9.67% of its equity – tow … view

New report – coffee shops boost high street economy by 2 to 4%: Figures published today in a new report by industry analysts, Allegra Strategies, show that British high streets are enjoying significant economic and social benefits broug … view

Young’s makes strong start to the year, acquires two sites: London pub retailer Young & Co will report a strong start to its financial year at its AGM today. Chairman Nick Bryan will state: “As indicated at the time of our preliminary … view

Peter Marks – Luminar’s six point plan to disaster: Luminar’s chief executive Peter Marks has set out the “six-point plan to disaster” that caused the nightclub company to slump into administration in 2011. The company was acqui … view

Freehold pubs selling for an average 6.5x Ebitda: Single site freehold pubs are selling for an average of 6.5x site Ebitda, Simon Chaplin, of agent Christie + Co, has told the Propel Multi Club Conference. Sales are, however, currently ra … view