Busaba Eathai to close Manchester site, reviewing options on Liverpool restaurant: Busaba Eathai, the Thai chain founded by Alan Yau and led by chief executive Jason Myers, will close its Manchester restaurant on Monday (3 April) and is r … view

Sector faces 60,000 workers a year shortfall if EU immigration is too tightly controlled: The hospitality sector has warned it faces a shortfall of 60,000 workers a year if immigration from the European Union is too tightly controlled. Th … view

New sugar guidelines may burden already hard-working sector, says the ALMR: The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has reacted to Public Health England’s (PHE’s) new guidelines on cutting sugar consumption, warning the … view

David Lloyd to launch experiential leisure parks: Leisure entrepreneur David Lloyd is to tap into increasing consumer demand for experiential leisure and adventure by launching a chain of adventure parks aimed at attracting children and a … view

Hakkasan Group boss – we plan to open 30 sites in three years: UK-based nightclub and restaurant company Hakkasan Group is generating $500m in revenue from its nightclub and restaurant venues as it sets up to boost its global nightclub … view

SA Brain reports turnover and profit growth: Cardiff-based brewer and retailer SA Brain & Co has reported operating profit increased by 23% to £5.5m as turnover grew by 7% to £135m for the year ending 1 October 2016. Sales increases wer … view

SA Brain reports turnover and profit growth: Cardiff-based brewer and retailer SA Brain & Co has reported operating profit increased by 23% to £5.5m as turnover grew by 7% to £135m for the year ending 1 October 2016. Sales increases wer … view

Pret A Manger to open second veggie site next week with expanded menu, in Shoreditch: Pret A Manger has revealed it is to open a second Veggie Pret that will have 20 new recipes on the menu. The company is opening the site in Shoreditch, … view

Tasty cuts planned opening numbers in half with post year-end trade ‘below expectations’: Tasty has cut the planned number of openings for the current year from 15 to seven after reporting post year-end trade “was below expectations … view

Foodservice inflation hits 3.7% in February, further rises likely to follow: Foodservice price inflation rose to 3.7% in February compared with last year, with further increases likely to follow in the next few months, according to the la … view

Foodservice inflation hits 3.7% in February, further rises likely to follow: Foodservice price inflation rose to 3.7% in February compared with last year, with further increases likely to follow in the next few months, according to the la … view

Domino’s Poland reports like-for-like system sales increase 27%, expects to cross 50 store mark this year: Domino’s Pizza Poland has reported like-for-like system sales increased 27% for the year ending 31 December 2016 and expects to … view

Baa Bar’s future in ‘significant doubt’: Baa Bar, the Liverpool-based bar and pub company, has admitted there is “material uncertainty” about whether it can continue as a going concern as it continues to dispose of a series of u … view

Former Boris Johnson adviser eyes £530m Wagamama takeover: A former adviser to Boris Johnson is plotting a £530m takeover of Wagamama. Financier Edi Truell is one of a handful of suitors to have made tentative approaches for the company … view

CMA restarts investigation into Punch/Heineken deal: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has restarted its investigation into Heineken’s proposed acquisition of 1,900 Punch pubs as part of its joint deal with Patron Capital. Pun … view

TGI Friday’s owner Electra to pay £1bn special dividend: The Board of Electra Private Equity, which owns TGI Friday’s in the UK, has declared a special dividend of £1.0 billion, after its best ever year in terms of returns, includin … view

Boozy Cow boosts charities with £210,000 windfall after donating entire year’s profits: The Boozy Cow, the burger restaurant owned by Speratus Group, has donated its entire profits for the year to charity leading to a windfall of more … view

Free tickets for Propel’s US Restaurant Franchise Forum: Propel has partnered with World Franchise Associates to launch the US Restaurant Franchise Forum – and is offering 40 free tickets to our Propel Multi Club attendees on a first- … view

Adnams reports £5.02m PBT as barrelage passes 100,000: Suffolk brewer and retailer Adnams has reported a record high turnover of £70.3m in 2016 as its barrelage passed the 100,000 mark for the first time. Chairman Jonathan Adnams said: … view

‘Evolution’ of Brasserie Bar Co results in Ebitda boost as turnover passes £40m: Brasserie Bar Co has reported a boost in Ebitda as turnover passed the £40m mark following an “evolution” of the estate. The company saw turnover i … view

Energy efficiency provides better returns than new openings, new report reveals: Energy efficiency provides better returns than new openings, according to a new report. The 2017 hospitality sector energy benchmark, comprising 32 of the le … view

M&B opens new fast-casual concept Son of Steak: Mitchells & Butlers has opened the first site of its new concept Son of Steak, in Nottingham. The company has converted its Harvester restaurant in Trinity Square to the fast-casual concept … view

Brighton Pier Group reports progress in ‘transformational year’: Brighton Pier Group has reported sales of £17.74m (2015: £10.72m) in the half year to 25 December 2016. Company Ebitda before highlighted items was £3.51m (2015: £0. … view

Novus Leisure reports Ebitda boost, like-for-like sales fall 0.5%: London bar and restaurant operator Novus Leisure has reported an increase in Ebitda but saw its like-for-like sales hit by the threat of terrorism. The company, which oper … view

Burning Night Group to launch FirePit Smokehouse & Sports Bar concept, plans nationwide roll-out: Burning Night Group is developing the Old Fire Station building in Bingley, West Yorkshire, as a new restaurant and bar concept. The grade … view

Soho House set to secure £275m debt deal with private equity firm: Soho House is close to shoring up its creaking balance sheet through a £275m debt deal with a private equity firm. The private members’ group, founded with one club in … view

Liberation Group buys 100th pub: Channel Islands brewer and retailer Liberation Group has bought its 100th pub, the Methuen Arms in Corsham, Wiltshire. The company’s pub estate now comprises 73 in the Channel Islands and 27 in the West … view

Branded food-led pubs and restaurants continue to grow despite fierce headwinds, overall numbers down 1.3%: Numbers of branded food pubs and restaurants have continued to grow despite fierce headwinds, the latest Market Growth Monitor fro … view

Branded food-led pubs and restaurants continue to grow despite fierce headwinds, overall numbers down 1.3%: Numbers of branded food pubs and restaurants have continued to grow despite fierce headwinds, the latest Market Growth Monitor fro … view

Research reveals latest sector statistics on gender pay gap: The gender pay gap between frontline workers in the UK hospitality industry has been revealed by Fourth, the software partner to the hospitality and leisure industries, with fig … view

Wetherspoon to cut prices on Tax Equality Day: JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin is calling on pub and restaurant operators to show their support for a Tax Equality Day on Wednesday 20 September. And he has the backing of both the Associ … view

McDonald’s to start testing mobile ordering app in US ahead of global roll-out: McDonald’s will begin testing its mobile ordering app in the US this month ahead of a global roll-out. The company said it would carry out “multiple tes … view

Pub and restaurant like-for-like sales grow 1.7% in February, school half-term boosts casual dining: Pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow 1.7% in February compared with last year, according to the latest Coffe … view

Eagle Eye signs partnership to deliver digital loyalty solutions: Eagle Eye, the technology company that validates and redeems digital promotions in real-time for the hospitality industry and others, and TCC Global, a leading retail marke … view

Number of non-British job applicants in London rises following Brexit vote: The number of non-British European Union nationals registering for hospitality jobs in London has actually risen following the Brexit vote, according to a new rep … view

Costa quadruples coffee capacity following launch of Europe’s largest roastery: Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee has opened its £38m coffee roastery in Basildon in Essex – quadrupling the company’s roasting capacity from 11,000 tonnes … view

Costa quadruples coffee capacity following launch of Europe’s largest roastery: Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee has opened its £38m coffee roastery in Basildon in Essex – quadrupling the company’s roasting capacity from 11,000 tonnes … view

Current trading: Like-for-like sales for the six weeks to 5 March were up 2. … view

JD Wetherspoon boss warns on increased costs, slams Budget: JD Wetherspoon has reported sales rose 1.4% to £801.4m in the 26 weeks to 22 January 2017. Like-for-like sales rose 3.3%. Profit before tax was up 42.8% to £51.4m. Tim Martin, … view

Ben’s Canteen reaches £250,000 crowdfunding target to open third site: Neighbourhood concept Ben’s Canteen has reached its £250,000 target on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube to help open a third site and fund the growth of the resta … view

Hummus Bros launches £125,000 crowdfunding campaign for expansion: Hummus Bros, the London-based hummus restaurant chain, has launched a £125,000 fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Seedrs to support its expansion plans. The company, fo … view

Domino’s Pizza reports UK like-for-likes up 7.5%, makes Norwegian acquisition: Domino’s Pizza has reported UK like-for-like sales increased 7.5% for the year ending 25 December 2016. The company saw UK systems sales grow 14% to £988. … view

Propel Premium members to receive expanded database of multi-site operators: Propel Premium subscribers will soon receive an expanded database of multi-site companies. A total of 200 multi-site companies have been a … view

Borg-Neal – Budget rates relief of ‘little use’ to Oakman Inns: Peter Borg-Neal, chief executive of 18-strong Oakman Inns, has said the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond’s sector-specific rate relief in today’s Budget w … view

Restaurant Group unveils strategy review results as like-for-like decline 3.9%: The Restaurant Group is to grow its pubs and concession business whilst re-engineering its other key brands to make them more competitive. Its roll-out of lei … view

Just Eat pinpoints technology developments as it makes more than 88 million takeaway deliveries in 2016: Just Eat, the global marketplace for online food delivery, delivered 88.1 million takeaway orders in 2016, the year in which the UK m … view

Hedderwick launches £1.87m crowdfunding campaign on Downing Crowd, first pub bond IFISA: Hedderwick, a company managed with support from Oakman Inns & Restaurants, is raising £1.87m through crowdfunding platform Downing Crowd. The pub b … view

Just Eat reports sales up 52% in 2016, adds 7,000 restaurants to network: Just Eat, the global marketplace for online food delivery, has reported revenues up 52% to £375.7 million and underlying Ebitda up 93% to £115.3 million in the ye … view

ALMR – licensed hospitality worst affected by crippling rates rises: The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has repeated calls for sector-specific action on business rates and highlighted the problem the country’s pubs, … view

Wagamama reports 9% LfLs in Quarter Three, sites now average £41,800 a week each: Turnover increased 15.7% to £64.2 million in Wagamama’s Third Quarter to 29 January 2017 with 9% UK like-for-like sales growth. The company saw its best … view

Deckers to sell three sites with £8.7m asking price: The Deckers Group, represented by agent Savills, has brought to market a portfolio of three hotels and restaurants in Greater Manchester and Yorkshire for a combined guide price of £8 … view

Laine’s second “managed expert” site opens in Hove: Multiple pub operator and brewer, the Laine Pub Company, has opened Old Albion in Hove, East Sussex – its second managed expert venture with Ei Group, formerly Enterprise Inns. O … view

St Austell to build Bath Ales brewery, appoints Tim McCord as general manager: Cornwall-based St Austell Brewery is set to build a brewery for Bath Ales, which it acquired last July, and has appointed Tim McCord as its general manager. Th … view

St Austell to build Bath Ales brewery, appoints Tim McCord as general manager: Cornwall-based St Austell Brewery is set to build a brewery for Bath Ales, which it acquired last July, and has appointed Tim McCord as its general manager. Th … view

Award-winning English pubs to be ‘slammed’ by business rates hike – CAMRA: Four out of five of England’s top pubs will be slammed by crippling business rates hikes during the next five years, according to new research by the Campa … view

ETM Group hires Graham Turner as chairman: The privately-owned bar, restaurant and pub company, ETM, has appointed Graham Turner as its non-executive chairman. Turner is a highly experienced executive with a wealth of hospitality experien … view

McDonald’s reports kiosks add between 4% and 8% to site sales: McDonald’s, which plans to have ordering kiosks in 2,500 US locations by the end of the year and in most of its domestic locations by 2020, has revealed the technology is … view

BrewDog launches crowdfunding campaign to build US craft beer hotel and sour beer brewery: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has launched a crowdfunding campaign to build the world’s first craft beer hotel, The DogHouse, and a sour b … view

Time Out Group to appeal against decision to block Time Out Market in Shoreditch: Time Out Group has confirmed it will appeal against a decision by Tower Hamlets Council to reject plans for a 19,250 square foot market in Shoreditch. A spo … view

ROK Drinks launches finance division for UK’s licensed trade: ROK Drinks has launched a finance division with the aim of becoming a premium financial lender and product supplier to the UK’s licensed trade. ROK Solid Finance will combi … view

Mcdonald’s unveils new global growth plan: McDonald’s today unveiled its long-term global growth plan during the company’s Investor Day event in downtown Chicago. President and chief executive officer Steve Easterbrook and members o … view

Halewood enters brewing with majority stake in Lake District craft brewer: Halewood Wines and Spirits has entered brewing by acquiring a majority stake in Lake District brewery, Hawkshead. Under the deal, Hawkshead will build a new brewer … view

Gareth Bale and SA Brain to partner to open sports bar concept: Gareth Bale, the Wales and Real Madrid footballer, and Cardiff-based brewer and retailer SA Brain are to partner to open a new premium sports bar and restaurant in the heart … view

Time Out Market plan for London rejected: An application to open a Time Out Market in the Commercial Street area of London’s Shoreditch has been turned down by Tower Hamlets council. A total of 60 local residents and residential associa … view

Revolution Bars boss – Harrogate opening shows format flexibility: Revolution Bars Group chief executive Mark McQuater has told Propel the opening of a site in Harrogate in October consisting of 3,100 square feet of trading space shows … view