UK craft beer fans invest almost £50m in brewers through crowdfunding: UK craft beer fans have invested almost £50m in brewers through crowdfunding sites, new research has revealed, with the number of individual investors totalling more … view

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Jamie Rollo – Greene King running hard to stand still, ten questions: Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Jamie Rollo has said Greene King is running hard to stand still following its full-year results and included ten question he thinks inv … view

UK restaurant owners missing out on average £45,000 a year in R&D tax relief: Three in five UK restaurant and gastro-pub owners who change menus regularly and experiment with new dishes have never heard of research and development (R&D) … view

Luke Johnson-backed Draft House agrees Grand Union pubs takeover: Draft House, the London-based craft beer operator led by Charlie McVeigh and backed by Luke Johnson, has agreed to acquire the Grand Union chain of bars, which serial inves … view

Greene King reports record results: Greene King has reported managed like-for-like sales were up 1.5% for its full financial year, ahead of the market, driven by a good Christmas, a stronger fourth quarter and a strong performance from Gr … view

JKS Restaurants sells 50% share in Bao, reduces interest in Lyle’s: JKS Restaurants Holdings, owned by the Sethi family and whose venues include the Michelin-starred Gymkhana in Mayfair, has sold 50% of its interest in Taiwanese restaur … view

PizzaExpress reveals expansion slowdown and menu simplification: PizzaExpress, which is owned by Hony Capital, has revealed it has decided to moderate its pace of expansion in the UK and Ireland as it focuses on generating like-for-like g … view

PizzaExpress’ owner to launch Chinese brand in UK: PizzaExpress’ owner Hony Capital is to bring its Chinese brand Beijing Hehegu to the UK. Hony Capital, which is one of China’s biggest private equity firms, said it aims to boost it … view

US-based International House of Pancakes on hunt for franchisees as it looks to enter UK market: US-based fast-casual restaurant brand International House of Pancakes (IHOP) is on the hunt for franchisees as it looks to enter the UK marke … view

Starbucks UK expands pioneering housing employee benefit scheme: Starbucks UK is expanding the reach of its pioneering housing employee benefit scheme. The company is now making the Home Sweet Loan rental deposit scheme available to UK em … view

Heineken offers to sell pubs to address competition concerns about Punch takeover: Heineken has offered to sell pubs in a bid to address competition concerns about its takeover of a tranche of Punch sites. The Competition and Markets Auth … view

Tombo co-founder – ‘We’re looking to more than double estate in next three years and strengthen wholesale division by supplying more restaurants’: Louis Sloley, co-founder of London-based Japanese food and tea specialist Tombo, ha … view

Peel Hunt issues 'Buy' note on Escape Hunt: Leisure analysts at Peel Hunt have issued a ‘Buy’ note on escape room company Escape Hunt. The broker stated: “Escape games provide a real-world entertainment experience unlike any other. … view

Hospitality HR startup Inploi raises £500,000 investment to ‘solidify position’: London-based hospitality HR startup Inploi, whose clients include Fortnum & Mason and natural fast food brand Leon, has raised £500,000 of investment t … view

Unsecured creditors of Burger King franchisees set for £20m hit: Unsecured creditors of two Ipswich-headquartered companies that together operate more than 30 Burger King outlets across the UK are likely to face a shortfall of almost £2 … view

ALMR – PM’s immigration announcement provides stability for hospitality: The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has welcomed Theresa May’s statement in Brussels, in which she set out her plans for migration upon Brexi … view

Boost Juice Bars reports turnover rises 16% to £11m: Cheshire-based Boost Juice Bars, which is backed by the Business Growth Fund (BGF) and also operates The Shake Lab, has reported turnover increased 16% to £11,068,097 for the year end … view

Carluccio’s quits US market: Carluccio’s has closed its two locations in Greater Washington, calling an end to its plans to expand in the US. “After a careful review of our US performance we have decided to close our two restaurants … view

UK restaurant owners pump in more than £200m to keep businesses afloat: UK restaurant owners pumped in more than £200m of their own money last year to keep their business afloat, new research from Funding Options has shown. The alternat … view

Whitbread reports like-for-likes up 2.9%: Whitbread has reported like-for-like sales were up 2.9% in the 13 weeks to 1 June with total sales up 7.6%. Premier Inn like-for-likes rose 4.7% with total sales up 9.2%, restaurant like-for-likes … view

Trade-off between time and quality looms large for McDonald’s as roll-out of fresh burgers begins: The trade-off between time and quality is looming large for McDonald’s as it begins to roll-out its fresh burgers. The introduction of … view

Everards updates on business plans, focus on pub estate with smaller brewing operation: Leicestershire-based brewer and retailer Everards, led by Stephen Gould, has updated on its business plans as it focuses on its growing pub estate wit … view

Anne Martin becomes chief executive of Brighton Pier Group: Brighton Pier Group has appointed Anne Martin in a newly created role as chief executive officer of the company, with effect from the start of the new financial year, 26 June 201 … view

Greene King in zero waste to landfill by 2020 pledge: Brewer and retailer Greene King has set a target of zero waste sent to landfill by 2020, the “first pledge of its kind in the UK’s pub industry”. The declaration follows the laun … view

Sky pegs price increase at 5%, commits to lowest RV values: Sky will increase its prices for on-trade customers by a maximum of 5%, but will apply this to lower rateable values (RV) when calculating bills for the next 12 months. The move … view

Late-night leisure spend increases 6.3%, pubs remain most popular destination: Late-night leisure consumer spend was up 6.3%, or £3.30, to £55.56 between February and April compared with the previous quarter, according to the latest Del … view

NewRiver to raise £200m: NewRiver REIT, the convenience-led UK retail and leisure property specialist which owns 344 pubs, is to raise at least £133 million through the issue of new shares by way of a firm placing and additional gross p … view

Sector like-for-likes fall 0.4% in May, restaurants outperform pubs: Britain’s managed pubs and restaurants saw collective like-for-like sales fall 0.4% in May compared with last year, the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker has showed … view

Sector like-for-likes fall 0.4% in May, restaurants outperform pubs: Britain’s managed pubs and restaurants saw collective like-for-like sales fall 0.4% in May compared with last year, the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker has showed … view

Craft beer bar and wholesaler The Bottle Shop extends £350,000 crowdfunding campaign: Craft beer bar and wholesaler The Bottle Shop has extended its £350,000 crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube as it looks to double its retail estate as … view

Managed restaurant brands grow as sector costs mount: Rising input costs are putting the brakes on pub and restaurant openings – but many managed and branded casual dining operators are continuing to expand, the latest Market Growth Mon … view

SIBA highlights important role independent craft brewers play in UK communities: Independent craft brewers are playing an important role in communities across the UK – creating jobs and opening brewery taps to help fill the void left by … view

Coffee shop operators ‘missing vital food sales opportunities’: Coffee shop operators are missing vital food sales opportunities as more than two-thirds of consumers buy food regularly from outlets, according to a new industry report … view

Polpo appoints new managing director: London-based restaurant company Polpo has appointed Scott Macdonald as managing director. Macdonald, who joins the team later this month, was previously managing director of Bill’s Restaurants. He l … view

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Industry unites to help terror attack victims: The hospitality industry is pulling together to raise funds for the victims of the Manchester and London terror attacks. Brewer and retailer Greene King is among companies pledging support fo … view

Out-of-home foodservice market hit by stalling business confidence: Mounting worries over rising costs have depressed confidence levels among the leaders of Britain’s eating and drinking out market, according to latest CGA Peach researc … view

Jamie Rollo – ‘Costa Coffee is not underperforming compared with its peers’: Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Jamie Rollo has argued Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee is not underperforming compared with its peers. Rollo said: “We often … view

Angela Hartnett to promote rising stars of street food at London Food Month’s Night Market: Angela Hartnett, one of the leading lights of Michelin fine dining, will promote the rising stars of street food during London Food Month’s Ni … view

Thwaites evolves by making investments in larger managed pubs, absorbs ‘significant’ NLW costs: North west brewer and retailer Daniel Thwaites has said it has evolved its business in the year to 31 March 2017 by making investments in … view

Cruise ship entertainment agency to launch first restaurant venture: Cruise ship entertainment agency Peel Entertainment Group is to launch its first restaurant venture. The company is investing £2.2m to open a bar and restaurant in Skip … view

Comptoir reports more difficult trading: Comptoir Group, which currently operates 23 restaurants, ten of which opened in the last eight months, and two franchise locations, has reported, overall, the past two months have seen a continuati … view

Deltic reports £8.1m investment as turnover hits £102m: The Deltic Group the UK’s largest operator of premium late night bars and clubs with 57 venues across the UK, has reported plans to invest £8.1 million in its estate this year. … view

Stonegate pub portfolio sells for £23m: A package of 13 freehold pubs operated by Stonegate Pub Company has been sold off-market by Aprirose Real Estate Investors, through Coffer Corporate Leisure, in an off-market deal, for £23m. The p … view

Stonegate pub portfolio sells for £23m: A package of 13 freehold pubs operated by Stonegate Pub Company has been sold off-market by Aprirose Real Estate Investors, through Coffer Corporate Leisure, in an off-market deal, for £23m. The p … view

Analyst Douglas Jack increases price target for Fuller’s: Peel Hunt leisure analyst Douglas Jack has increased his share price target for Fuller’s ahead of the company’s results next week. He said: “On 9 June, we will receive the … view

Pub meal sales increase 14% to reach £7.4bn, outstrips alcohol growth: Pub meal sales are plating up success for the industry having grown 14% between 2012 and 2016 to reach £7.4bn, according to new research by Mintel. In the same perio … view

Pub meal sales increase 14% to reach £7.4bn, outstrips alcohol growth: Pub meal sales are plating up success for the industry having grown 14% between 2012 and 2016 to reach £7.4bn, according to new research by Mintel. In the same perio … view

C&C Group promotes Andrea Pozzi to chief operating officer: C&C Group, the manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded cider, beer, wine and soft drinks, has appointed Andrea Pozzi to the group’s board of directors and as group ch … view

Peyton & Byrne unsecured creditors to receive 3p in the pound: Unsecured creditors in contract caterer and cafe operator Peyton & Byrne, which went into administration last year, are set to receive 3p in the pound, new documents have reve … view