BrewDog raised £13.5m so far, plans US fund-raising: BrewDog has reported that its current round of crowdfunding has raised £13.5m so far, with a total 20,335 new investors buying shares. The average share investment to date per person … view

Over the years many people have recom … view

Coyote Ugly signs development agreement for first Western-themed bar in UK as part of franchise expansion: Coyote Ugly, the Western-themed bar that inspired a Hollywood movie, has signed a franchise agreement for the development of its fi … view

M&B reports improving like-for-like trend, albeit still negative: Mitchells & Butlers has reported trading over the festive period was ‘encouraging’, with like-for-like sales growth of 2.0% in the two weeks of Christmas and New Year. … view

Restaurants fastest growing sector in Scotland last year, new research reveals: Restaurants were the fastest growing sector in Scotland last year, according to new research by insolvency trade body R3. The research showed there are 4,067 … view

Horizons – more people eating out over Christmas, but spend down: A modest climb in the number of people eating out over Christmas 2015 suggests that the sector is now back into a period of gradual growth following a stall in its recove … view

Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker – Generation Y driving broadening of Brits’ wining and dining horizons: Brits are eating and drinking out at a wider range of venues than two years ago with the trend driven by young consumers, the la … view

Marston’s reports record Christmas trading: Marston’s has reported record Christmas trading amid the 16-week period to 16 January 2016. The company stated: “In Destination and Premium, like-for-like sales were 3.0% ahead of last yea … view

Peach Pub Company planning to add five new sites and four partners before ‘reassessing options’, reports like-for-likes up 11% at Christmas: Independently owned gastro-pub company Peach has said it is planning to add five new sites an … view

Stonegate reports adjusted Ebitda up 16.6%: Stonegate Pub Company has reported like-for-like sales were up 1.2% in the 52-week period ended 27 September 2015. The company also reported like-for-like gross margin has grown 3% and like-for- … view

Tesco scraps ‘food-on-the-go’ stores: Tesco’s move into the ‘food-on-the-go’ market is to be abandoned, The Daily Telegraph has reported. The company is planning to shut its two “Food-to-Go” stores in London. Tesco first ope … view

Boparan Restaurant Holdings announces major expansion programme to open more than 300 new Harry Ramsden’s sites, plans to grow FishWorks brand to 50-strong estate: Fish and chip brand Harry Ramsden’s is set to open over 300 new sites … view

Novus announces new chairman: Bar and restaurant operator Novus Leisure has appointed Peter Boddy as chairman with immediate effect. Boddy has many years of experience in the leisure sector and brings with him extensive expertise of leisu … view

Going back about 25 years or so po … view

Hammerson buys flagship shopping centre with 20 casual dining brands: Property firm Hammerson has exchanged contracts with Birmingham City Council to acquire the new Grand Central shopping centre in Birmingham for £335 million. In additi … view

Starbucks reports 8% like-for-likes in First Quarter: Starbucks has reported global like-for-like rose 8% in its First Quarter to 27 December 2015, with the US up 9%. Global traffic was up 4%. Consolidated net revenues rose 12% to a recor … view

Analyst – might JD Wetherspoon need to sell 100 pubs? Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Vaughan Lewis has suggested that JD Wetherspoon may need to sell 100 pubs. He stated: “Sales growth is slowing, pub numbers are shrinking, margin pre … view

Brewhouse & Kitchen reports 79% like-for-like growth in invested estate: Brewpub group Brewhouse & Kitchen has reported a successful start to its financial year, with 79% like-for-like growth in its invested estate and 17% growth in its … view

JD Wetherspoon reports like-for-likes rise to 3.3%: JD Wetherspoon has reported like-for-like sales growth rose to 3.3% in the first 12 weeks of its second quarter to 17 January 2016, with total sales up by 6.3% in the period. In the year … view

Columbo Group plans to expand Blues Kitchen concept outside London – but only once Brixton site is ‘perfect’, eyes Manchester: Award-winning The Columbo Group, led by Steve Ball and Riz Shaikh, has plans to expand its Blues Kitchen … view

Christie & Co – pubs rose in value more than restaurants last year: Pubs rose in value more than restaurants last year, Christie & Co has revealed in its 2016 Business Outlook. Pubs saw an increase in value of 10.1%, compared to 9.9% in … view

Revolution Bars Group reports “good progress” in First Half: Revolution Bars Group, the operator of 60 premium bars across the UK, under the Revolution and Revolución de Cuba brands, has reported “good progress” for the 26 weeks … view

SLTA survey reports pubs’ performance a mixed bag over festive period, rural locations perform badly: The Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) has released its third quarterly overview of the key retail trends in the Scottish on-t … view

Equistone buys majority stake in Gaucho Holdings: Equistone Partners Europe has acquired a majority stake in Gaucho Holdings, the restaurant group operating two brands, Gaucho and CAU, in a deal understood to be worth more than £100m. Th … view

Coffer Peach Tracker reports sector like-for-likes up 1.8% in December: Pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales increase 1.8% over the six-week Christmas and New Year period. Latest figures from the Coffer Peach Busin … view

Starbucks reports shift to franchising created ‘momentous’ year: Starbucks UK has filed documents at Companies House that provide detail on how a shift to franchising in the UK produced a ‘momentous’ shift in its UK fortunes. The … view

The Restaurant Group reports tougher trading: The Restaurant Group has reported total turnover was up 7.9% on the prior year for the 52 weeks ended 27 December, and like-for-like sales increased by 1.5% with tougher trading at the end of … view

Oakman Inns and Restaurants reports site Ebitda doubled to £2.2m, three new sites secured for 2016: Oakman Inns and Restaurants, led by Peter Borg-Neal, has reported site Ebitda doubled to £2.2m in the year to 5 April 2015. Turnover was … view

Lifestyle Hospitality Group founder steps down after ‘sale’: The founder of Tiger Bills operator Lifestyle Hospitality Group, James Eyre, has left the company after the surprise sale of its assets to Raymond Court-Hampton. The move co … view

Bob Ivell joins ALMR as president: The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has appointed one of leisure and hospitality’s best-known leaders to be its president. Bob Ivell, chairman of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), will join … view

Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards 2016 unveils finalists: Brands including JD Wetherspoon, Young’s, Revolution, ASK Italian, Jamie’s Italian, Carluccio’s, Côte Restaurants, Wagamama, Nando’s, Ed’s Easy Diner, Gourmet Burger … view

Greggs reports like-for-likes up 4.7% in 2015, sales slowed in Fourth Quarter: Greggs has reported total sales grew 5.2% in 2015 and were up 4.7% on a like-for-like basis. Sales slowed in its Fourth Quarter with like-for-likes up 2.3%. Ch … view

BHA teams up with government to launch nationwide focus on hospitality jobs with 80,000 different activities: The British Hospitality Association (BHA) and the Department for Work and Pensions have teamed up to launch a nationwide focus o … view

Administrators appointed to Parity Bars by secured lender after former owner declared bankrupt: Administrators have been appointed to pub and bar operator Parity Bars in a bid to secure a successful exit from the investment for the compan … view

Grand Union reports turnover and operating profit rise: London bar operator Grand Union, led by Adam Marshall and backed by Luke Johnson, has reported a rise in turnover and operating profit in the year to 28 March 2015. Turnover rose 10. … view

The doom-mongers of the public health racket have been fast out of the blocks this year, wasting no time reminding us tha … view

Health chiefs criticised over nanny state alcohol guidelines: Health chiefs have been criticised over “nanny state” guidance that says one glass of wine raises the risk of cancer. New advice from the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) cuts r … view

How well do individual publicans, pubcos and the trade press understand the tax and economic disparity between pubs and supermarkets? And how well have the issues … view

Majestic Wine reports 42.6% sales uplift: Majestic Wine, the UK’s largest wine specialist and owner of Naked Wines, has reported total sales grew 42.6% for the 10 weeks of Christmas Trading from 27 October 2015 to 4 January 2016 – the … view

CAMRA Pub of the Year winner writes to prime minister warning lowering drink-drive limit could kill off rural pubs: The operator of last year’s Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Pub of the Year has written an open letter to the prime minis … view

New World Trading Company set to hit £30m turnover this year, 11 sites average £93,000 net each in Christmas week: New World Trading Company (NWTC), currently operating 11 pub restaurants under the brands The Oast House, The Botanist, S … view

Jamie Rollo – Whitbread is one our top three share picks: Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Jamie Rollo has named Whitbread as one of his top three share choices for 2016, but warns against Wetherspoon and SSP shares. He stated: “Top … view

Fleurets – 2015 was the year the economic recovery reached the pub property market: Property agent Fleurets has argued that 2015 will be seen as the point where the economic recovery started to reach the pub property market in all regio … view

Apostrophe losses deepen after unsuccessful trial of new products: Losses have deepened at cafe operator Apostrophe after, in part, an unsuccessful trial of new products. The company, which has 16 company-owned sites and four franchises, … view