Whitbread set to return £2bn to shareholders: Whitbread will launch a tender offer in June to return up to £2bn of sales proceeds arising from the sale of Costa Coffee to Coca-Cola in January. Meanwhile, the company reported UK accommod … view

Oakman completes acquisition of seven freehold pubs operated for Downing: Oakman Inns and Restaurants has completed the acquisition of seven freehold pubs with combined Ebitda of £2.8m from funds managed by Downing. The transaction was c … view

Junkyard Golf directors behind new Manchester bar and restaurant venture: Junkyard Golf directors Lyndon Higginson, Bart Murphy and Mat Lake are part of the team that has taken over the site of former vegan cafe Folk & Soul in Manchester … view

Just Eat reports orders up 21%: Just Eat, the marketplace for online food delivery, has reported group orders increased 21% to 61.4 million in Quarter One, the three months to 31 March 2019. Group revenues were up 28% to £227.9m. The com … view

M&B starts exploring opportunities to expand Son of Steak concept: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is to start exploring opportunities to expand its fast-casual concept Son of Steak. Propel understands the company, which launched the concept tw … view

Heineken to invest £50m in pub estate: Heineken, which operates the UK’s third largest pub business with 2,700 sites under the Star Pubs & Bars banner, has announced a record investment of £50m to refurbish nearly 150 pubs across the … view

Loungers founders cash in shares worth close to £9m: Alex Reilley and Jake Bishop, founders of Loungers, which will begin its life as a plc on Monday morning (29 April), are each cashing in shares worth £4.43m and retaining a 7.03% stak … view

Casual Dining Group appoints James Spragg as chief executive: Casual Dining Group (CDG), the operator of circa 280 mid-market restaurant brands including Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Cafe Rouge, has promoted James Spragg to chief executi … view

Former Gordon Ramsay Holdings chief executive Gillies plans new venture in Chislehurst: Stuart Gillies, who stepped down as chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings last year after more than 15 years with the company, is to return to the … view

The Times – YO! Sushi to open eliminate its conveyor belts: YO! Sushi is to eliminate the conveyor belt from some of its restaurants in an attempt to broaden its appeal, The Times has reported. The newspaper stated: “This summer the c … view

Propel launches Coffee Conference: Propel has launched the Coffee Conference, which aims to help operators develop their coffee offer and capitalise on opportunities in a market that has shown 20 consecutive years of growth. The full-day … view

Morso targeting outlying areas of London as it looks to build 20-plus estate: Pasta and grappa concept Morso is aiming to build a 20-plus estate, targeting outlying communities of London, Propel has learned. Morso has just gone public on … view

Byron founder Tom Byng invests in Bundobust: Tom Byng, founder and former chief executive of Byron, has invested an undisclosed sum in Bundobust, the Indian street food and craft beer concept, Propel has learned. Byng, who left the better … view

Pod reduces operating losses: Pod, the 22-strong London healthy eating operator, has reported a reduction in operating losses for the year ending 3 January 2019. Operating losses were £432,551, compared with £1,452,566 the year before. … view

UK spend on delivery soars 19% in 2018 compared with 3% rise for overall dining sector: Spend on delivery services rose 19% in 2018, significantly outperforming the rest of the sector and driving growth in UK dining from a category level, … view

Sector like-for-likes up 3.8% in March against snow-hit 2018: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow 3.8% in March compared with the previous year, when trading was hit badly by the effects o … view

When … view

Tasty looks to raise £3.25m with new share placing: Wildwood operator Tasty, which has 57 restaurants in total, is to raise £3.25m before expenses through the issue of 75,000,000 shares at 4p each. Keith Lassman, chairman of Tasty, said … view

Patty & Bun ‘tests water’ with chicken concept: Better burger brand Patty & Bun is “testing the water” with a new chicken concept at two west London venues. The company will launch Jefferies as part of the summer line-up at The Pr … view

Kevin Georgel steps down at Admiral Taverns to become St Austell chief executive: The board of Admiral Taverns confirms that, after nine years with the company, Kevin Georgel will step down from his role as chief executive. He leaves the … view

Leon plans up to 30 openings in next 12 months: Natural fast food brand Leon is planning to open up to 30 sites in the next 12 months, Propel has learned. Leon is looking to open between ten and 15 company-owned outlets and a “similar n … view

Clive Watson – City Pub Group has no plans to move into country inns market on back of Hoste Arms deal: City Pub Group chairman Clive Watson has told Propel its purchase of The Hoste Arms country hotel in Norfolk is a “one-off” and … view

The City Pub Group buys Hoste Arms, Burnham Market for £8.65m: The City Pub Group has exchanged contracts on the iconic Hoste Arms in Burnham Market for £8.65m – completion is the end of this month. The company stated: “(It is) a 53 … view

Casual Dining Group reports first quarter like-for-likes up 4.2%: Casual Dining Group (CDG), the circa 280-strong operator of the Las Iguanas, Bella Italia and Café Rouge brands, has reported an encouraging start to the year with like-fo … view

Casual Dining Group reports first quarter like-for-likes up 4.2%: Casual Dining Group (CDG), the circa 280-strong operator of the Las Iguanas, Bella Italia and Café Rouge brands, has reported an encouraging start to the year with like-fo … view

BrewDog launches new £50m crowdfunding push: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has launched another crowdfunding round, looking to raise £7m initially with a stretch goal of £50m. The company wants to open two breweries in China, th … view

CGA reports on category winners in Brand Momentum Report: Greggs and McDonald’s are sustaining their momentum in the on the go and quick service sectors, JD Wetherspoon leads the way in high street bars, while Mitchells & Butlers brand … view

Martin Williams – new Gaucho team has made ‘dramatic change’: Martin Williams, chief executive of Rare Restaurants, the new parent vehicle of Gaucho and M Restaurants, has told Propel the former brand’s new management team has a m … view

Pret A Manger launches biggest menu shake-up: Pret A Manger, the JAB Holdings-owned group, is launching its biggest menu shake-up. A total of 20 new products are being added to the company’s offering next week, with many targeted at “ … view

Rosa’s Thai founders invest in Maray Restaurant Group: Rosa’s Thai Cafe founders Alex and Saiphin Moore have invested in Liverpool-based, Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar concept Maray Restaurant Group as it targets … view

Time Out Group to open Time Out Market in Dubai under management: Time Out Group has entered into a management agreement with Emaar Malls, the shopping malls and retail business majority-owned by Emaar Properties, to open a new Time Out M … view

London’s hospitality gender pay gap narrows to 5.9%: The gender pay gap in London’s top hospitality establishments narrowed to 5.9% (or £1,784) in 2018 as a result of salaries for female employees rising at a higher level than those … view

EMEA Capital founder makes ‘significant’ investment in Little Farm: Osman Semerci, founder of private equity firm EMEA Capital, has made a “significant” investment in London-based healthy food shop and restaurant Little Farm. Foun … view

Loungers set for AIM float, plans 25 new openings a year: Loungers plans to float on the Aim market with a value of between £250m and £300m – and is targeting 25 new openings a year. The company, which is backed by Lion Capital, the p … view

Wahaca building business for long term as it continues recovery from norovirus aftermath: Mark Selby, co-founder of Mexican restaurant brand Wahaca, has told Propel it is continuing to recover from the aftermath of the norovirus outbreak … view