Opening of food-driven businesses offsetting pub number decline: Latest figures from Market Growth Monitor, the quarterly measure of GB pub, bar and restaurant openings and closures produced by AlixPartners and CGA Peach, show that growth … view

Carluccio’s reports Ebitda up 7.3% to £15.3m: Carluccio’s, the international Italian restaurant group with operations in the UK, Ireland, US, Middle East and Turkey has reported turnover up 7.4% to £137.8m in the year to September 2 … view

Wetherspoon prints 200,000 beer mats raising IMF governance issues: JD Wetherspoon has printed 200,000 beer mats for its pubs with a hard-hitting message in the run up to the EU Referendum. The beer mats will be available in each of the c … view

Deliveroo signs partnership with PizzaExpress: Deliveroo has signed a deal with PizzaExpress, which currently has circa 460 UK sites. The brand will be the food delivery firm’s biggest customer and will generate a “significant” incr … view

Kout Food Group opens first rebranded Little Chef ahead of planned roll-out: Kuwait-based Kout Food Group (KFG) has opened its first rebranded Little Chef site with a new look and menu – in Warminster, Wiltshire – ahead of a planned U … view

We all know the sunny ethos of … view

London-based bakery and coffee shop concept Tart hits £180,000 crowdfunding target to open second site, plans five-strong estate by 2019: London-based bakery and coffee shop concept Tart has hit its £180,000 target on crowdfunding platf … view

Pod reports Ebitda doubled, like-for-likes up 9.1%: The 22-strong London-based healthy eating brand Pod has reported sales rose to £17.3m in 2015, a like-for-like increase of 9.1%, with Ebitda almost doubling to £631,000 for the year. T … view

Punch to open first Champs sports bar under managed model next week: Punch will open its first Champs sports bar under a managed model next week. The company has converted an existing pub in Urmston High Street in Manchester into the bran … view

NewRiver Retail secures consents for 26 convenience stores on spare land at pub sites: Property develop NewRiver Retail has reported it has now secured consent for 26 convenience stores on spare land within its pubs portfolio. It stated: … view

Greene King Leisure Tracker – eating out spend increases in April despite leisure fall: Leisure spend fell in April despite a £2 (2%) increase in eating out spend, according to the latest Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker. While the ri … view

Redcomb Pubs to launch new casual dining concept Lock House at Paddington Basin, eyes roll-out: Redcomb Pubs, led by Dan Shotton, will launch a new casual dining venture – Lock House – at the heart of the Paddington Basin redevelopmen … view

Porky’s BBQ forced to delay £650,000 crowdfunding campaign: London-based barbecue restaurant Porky’s BBQ has been forced to delay its £650,000 crowdfunding campaign for its next phase of growth. The offer, which was due to launch on … view

Crepeaffaire reports sales rise 28% to £3m, Ebitda up 73%, strong start to 2016: Crepeaffaire, the UK branded creperie group, has reported net sales rose 28% to £3m for the year ending 31 December 2015. Group Ebitda (before head office … view

It ha … view

Phil Urban – ‘I refuse to allow M&B estate to become tired and exposed’: Chief executive Phil Urban has said he refuses to allow Mitchells & Butlers’ estate to become “tired and exposed” as the company’s focus turns to growi … view

Mitchells & Butlers reports like-for-likes down 1.6%, to grow Miller & Carter to 100 sites, plans to shrink Harvester: Mitchells & Butlers has reported like-for-like sales fell 1.6%in the 28 weeks to 9 April. Sales in invested sites rose … view

Coffer Peach Tracker – Britain’s eating and drinking-out market continues slowdown in April, like-for-likes up 2.5% at restaurants but down 2.7% at pubs: Britain’s eating and drinking-out market continued to slow in April, according … view

Coffer Peach Tracker – Britain’s eating and drinking-out market continues slowdown in April, like-for-likes up 2.5% at restaurants but down 2.7% at pubs: Britain’s eating and drinking-out market continued to slow in April, according … view

Peach secures £9.5m NatWest refinance, eyes path to £35m turnover: Peach Pub Company, co-founded by Lee Cash and Hamish Stoddart, is a step closer to being the 22-strong, £35m pub business it set out to become after securing £9.5m fro … view

Marston’s reports like-for-likes up 3% in managed division: Marston’s has reported underlying group revenue was up 11.5% to £428.7 million in the 26 weeks to 2 April. Underlying profit before tax was up 11.8% to £33.1 million. Like- … view

Licensing expert Philip Kolvin QC unveils 12-point manifesto for night-time economy: Licensing expert and head of Cornerstone Barristers Philip Kolvin QC has unveiled a 12-point manifesto to help develop vibrant and sustainable night-time … view

Licensing expert Philip Kolvin QC unveils 12-point manifesto for night-time economy: Licensing expert and head of Cornerstone Barristers Philip Kolvin QC has unveiled a 12-point manifesto to help develop vibrant and sustainable night-time … view

In my article below, I have tried to deal with the main points which have been raised by both sides in the great national debate about the EU. One point which has no … view

Enterprise Inns reports like-for-like net income up 1.8%: Enterprise Inns has reported Ebitda before exceptional items of £142 million (H1 2015: £144 million) in the six months ended 31 March 2016, in line with expectations and reflecti … view

Pieminister lines up five new openings after HSBC funding package: Bristol-based Pieminster is set to open five new restaurants, creating up to 80 jobs after securing a £1.4m finance package from HSBC. The money will be used to open five … view

Smoke Shack launches £200,000 crowdfunding campaign to open third site, aims to grow into national chain: Barbecue grill and smokehouse concept Smoke Shack has launched a £200,000 fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Seedrs to open its t … view

NPD – meal deals at quick-service restaurants grown by 22% in five years: Figures released by insights company The NPD Group have shown  availability and usage of meal deals at British quick-service restaurants (QSR) grew by 22% betwee … view

Deltic Group reports 16.8% rise in Ebitda to £13.4m: Deltic Group, the UK’s largest operator of premium late night bars and clubs with 58 venues, has reported Ebitda grew 16.8% to £13.4m in the year to 27 February 2016. Turnover was u … view

Dishoom named best UK restaurant by Yelp users for second year running: Bombay-style cafe Dishoom has been named best restaurant in the UK by users of business review website Yelp for the second year running. The company, which has four s … view

Crowdcube pauses plans to get into IPO market due to ‘god-awful’ economics: Crowdfunding platform Crowdcube is pulling back on plans to take its model into the public markets due to “god-awful” economics, after saying last year it … view

London-based coffee shop concept Tap Coffee launches £400,000 crowdfunding campaign for expansion: London-based coffee shop concept Tap Coffee has launched a £400,000 fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube to open two sites as it … view

Shepherd Neame boss – pub industry now ‘quality rather than a numbers game’: Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Kent-based brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame, has said the pub industry is now “a quality rather than numbers game” … view

UK hotel market sees first decline in average revpar for four years: The UK’s hotel market saw its first decline in average revpar for four years during the first three months of 2016, adding further fuel to the suggestion the peak of t … view

Pizza Hut Delivery plans to add 200 stores by 2020: Pizza Hut Delivery is planning to create at least 3,000 new jobs as part of a £40m expansion in the UK and Ireland over the next four years. The 419-store business, owned by Yum! Brands … view

Apartment Group targets expansion outside north east heartland, looking to grow hotels and pubs with rooms businesses: Ben Levick, new managing director of north east pub, bar and restaurant operator Apartment Group, has told Propel the c … view

Paul UK reports 6.3% rise in like-for-likes in 2015: Paul UK, the 34-strong French bakery and cafe brand, has reported turnover up 17% to £28.7m in the year ended 31 December 2015. Group Ebitda (before head office costs and management fe … view

Leon reports 7.8% rise in like-for-likes, Ebitda jumps 46%, increases staff benefits: Natural fast food brand Leon has reported a 7.8% increase in like-for-likes for the year ending December 2015. The company also saw Ebitda jump 46% to � … view

Leon reports 7.8% rise in like-for-likes, Ebitda jumps 46%, increases staff benefits: Natural fast food brand Leon has reported a 7.8% increase in like-for-likes for the year ending December 2015. The company also saw Ebitda jump 46% to � … view

Historic Clerkenwell pub acquired for £2.8m: The Coach & Horses pub in Clerkenwell, central London, has been acquired by private equity firm Ducalian Capital for £2.8m. The deal, which was brokered by agents AG&G and MBC (Mayfair), will … view

 

Brewhouse & Kitchen buys three JD Wetherspoon freeholds: Brewhouse & Kitchen, the expanding brewhouse concept led by Simon Bunn and Kris Gumbrell, is set to head north following the acquisition of the freeholds of the Forest House in Ches … view

Brasserie Blanc eyes growth following success of £3.5m rebrand: Rory Marthinusen, who is managing director of Brasserie Bar Co’s 18-strong Brasserie Blanc brand, has told Propel the company is in a perfect position for growth as its £ … view

Intertain launches new comedy partnership with Just the Tonic at three sites: Walkabout operator Intertain has launched its new comedy offering “The Comedy Loft” with a special event at Comedy Loft venue 6 On Broad Street in Birmingha … view

Hotel Chocolat to float with £167m market capitalisation: Hotel Chocolat Group, the British chocolatier and omni-channel retailer, is to float on AIM with a market capitalisation of £167m. It has placed 8,108,108 new and 29,398,471 exis … view

Institute of Economic Affairs – government’s crackdown on tipping could have ‘unintentional consequences’: The Institute of Economic Affairs has argued the government’s crackdown on tipping in restaurants could have “unintende … view

Wetherspoon reports like-for-likes up 3.8%, margin drops to 6.4%: JD Wetherspoon has reported like-for-like sales increased by 3.8% for the 13 weeks to 24 April, in line with the most recent six week period reported in its interim results … view

STR – European hotel markets take three months to stabilise after terrorist attacks: European hotel markets saw stabilised performance results within about three months following major terrorist attacks, according to data and analysis f … view

Whitbread buys 49% stake in Pure for £6.8m: Whitbread has bought a 49% stake in London-based company, Healthy Retail, trading as “Pure”, for £6.8m. Whitbread has the option to acquire the remaining 51% stake within the next five yea … view

SRA – government tipping review ‘a welcome step towards ensuring a fairer deal for staff and customers’: The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) has said the government’s review of tipping and service charges is a very welco … view

Conviviality acquires drinks supplier Bibendum for £60m: Conviviality, the alcohol wholesaler serving consumers through the on-trade and through its franchise retail estate is buying drinks supplier Bibendum PLB in a deal worth £60m. Th … view

Government to consult on plan to end 'unfair tipping practices': The government has today (Monday, 2 May) unveiled its proposals to end “unfair tipping practices and increase transparency for consumers and employees”. Following a Call … view