Roadchef eyes two new F&B brands for estate in 2020 as it looks to rival quality at airports and train stations: Roadchef chief executive Mark Fox has told Propel the company is set to add two brands this year to its offering to ensure th … view

Fuller’s reports managed like-for-likes up 4.3% over Christmas and 2.5% year to date: Fuller’s, the premium pubs and hotels business, has reported like-for-like sales in its managed division were up 4.3% for the six weeks encompassing … view

McDonald’s to invest £1bn in UK and Ireland business in next three years, plans 60 openings in 2020: McDonald’s is to invest £1bn in its UK and Ireland business during the next three years. The company also plans to open 60 restaura … view

Adam Breeden – new bingo concept has potential to grow across UK and abroad: Adam Breeden, founder of Social Entertainment Ventures (SEV), has told Propel the company is looking to grow its new bingo concept Hijingo across the UK and ev … view

Just Eat to partner McDonald’s: Just Eat, the online food delivery company, is to partner with McDonald’s across the UK and Ireland. Meanwhile, in a trading update, it stated that 2019 concluded in line with the board’s expectations … view

Pod administrators begin investigation into directors’ conduct: Administrators of Pod, the 22-strong healthy eating operator acquired by Azzurri Group, are investigating the conduct of its directors. A progress report by administrators … view

Deliveroo to invest £1m supporting partner restaurants develop healthy meals and menus: Deliveroo is to spend £1m promoting healthy eating across the UK and support partner restaurants in developing healthy meals and menus. The investm … view

‘Prime fast food’ concept Jacu Restaurant & Coffee secures debut UK site, plans five more London launches this year: Jacu Restaurant & Coffee, the brainchild of German leisure experts Arif and Diana Graca, will make its debut in the U … view

Redemption … view

Marston’s lfls sales up 1.0%; plans further disposals: Marston’s, the brewer and pub operator, this morning announced that it saw a 1.0% increase in total managed and franchise like-for-like sales growth for the 16 weeks to 18 January … view

Wendy’s targets London as it starts search for debut UK site: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant (QSR) chain in the US, has begun a search for its UK debut site with a focus on Greater London, Propel has learned. The … view

Hawthorn Leisure in talks with operators including McDonald’s over dark kitchen space, would consider partnership deal for Stonegate/Ei Group sites: Hawthorn Leisure chief executive Mark Davies has told Propel the company has been havin … view

Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Award winners revealed: The winners of this year’s Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards, staged by Propel and Think Hospitality, have been revealed. More than 150 entries were judged by a 20-strong pane … view

JD Wetherspoon reports like-for-likes up 4.7% in second quarter, Tim Martin calls for ‘sensible’ corporate governance system: JD Wetherspoon has reported like-for-like sales increased 4.7% for the 12 weeks to 19 January 2019, with tot … view

Stonegate launches enhanced maternity and paternity pay package including ‘industry first’ paid leave for fertility treatment: Stonegate Pub Company has enhanced its maternity and paternity provisions. The company has increased matern … view

SSP reports like-for-likes up 1.2% in first quarter, acquires German company Station Food: SSP Group, the UK-based transport hub foodservice specialist, has reported like-for-like sales increased 1.2% for the 13 weeks to 31 December 2019, … view

Crowley to step down as BRG chief executive: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) has announced Tom Crowley is to step down as chief executive after little more than three years in the role to move on to a “new challenge”. The company, whic … view

Social Entertainment Ventures reports strong December growth and expansion plans: Social Entertainment Ventures (SEV), the operator of various experiential leisure concepts in the UK and US, has reported it delivered strong growth for the … view

Chopstix eyes further growth on back of strong end-of-year performance: Chopstix, the Asian quick service restaurant concept, is set for further expansion in 2020 on the back of a strong performance at the end of last year. The business, … view

When designer and restaurateur … view

Christie & Co – ‘operators have never had a better chance to strike a bargain with landlords’: Simon Chaplin, senior director – corporate pubs and restaurants – at Christie & Co, has told Propel operators have never had a better … view

Whitbread reports its confidence is developing in Germany opportunity for Premier Inn: Whitbread has reported UK total sales growth 0.3% for the third quarter, marginally improving the year-to-date run rate. It said further development in … view

Asda to expand Food For Now trial as it eyes further partnerships with ‘well-known brands’: Asda is to expand its Food For Now concept as it looks to seal “new and innovative in-store brand partnerships” to cater for changing cons … view

Of all the issues set to affect operators in 2020 from a legal and licensing perspective, three should be front of mind – the escalating problem of under-18s using pub and ba … view

Revolution reports like-for-likes up 1.2% in first half, record festive period, reaches landlord agreement on nine sites: Revolution Bars Group, the operator of premium bars trading across the UK under the Revolution and Revolución de Cu … view

Sector like-for-likes up 2.5% over festive period as wet-led businesses lead the way: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw like-for-like sales grow 2.5% in the six weeks to 5 January 2020 compared with the previous year, acco … view

Greene King ‘confident’ proposed Unite strike action will have ‘little impact’ on pub deliveries: Brewer and retailer Greene King has said it is confident a threat by Unite members in its brewing division to potentially strike thi … view

Clive Watson – City Pub Group has had a ‘wake-up call’: City Pub Group chairman Clive Watson has told Propel the company has had a “wake-up call”. The group, which owns and operates 47 premium pubs across southern England and Wa … view

City Pub Group reports Ebitda to be ‘slightly below market expectations’: The City Pub Group, the owner and operator of 47 premium pubs across southern England and Wales, has reported total turnover for the year to 29 December 2019 wa … view

Bassadone invests in Various Eateries and becomes its non-executive chairman: Andy Bassadone, the co-founder of Strada and Cote, has invested in Various Eateries, the Coppa Cub and Strada operator, and at the same time become its new non- … view

UK coffee market growth to regain momentum in 2020 as major brands launch new channels: Growth of the UK coffee shop market is expected to regain momentum in 2020, with the landscape transforming further as major brands launch new channel … view

M&B reports 5.6% like-for-like sales growth over key three weeks of Christmas: Mitchells & Butlers has reported it traded well over the core three-week festive period, with like-for-like sales growth of 5.6%, including strong performance … view

Salt launches restaurant division headed by Handley Amos and Neil Rankin, reveals host of projects: Salt, the partnership and experience agency specialising in food and drink, has launched a restaurant division headed by Handley Amos and … view

Doubts raised again over future of Handmade Burger Co: The future of Handmade Burger Co is again uncertain, after owner The Burger Chain Ltd filed notice of its intention to appoint an administrator for the 19-strong chain, over the festi … view

Barkby Group adds three pubs to estate, completes Workshop Coffee deal: Premium gastro-pub operator Barkby Group, which was admitted to AIM on Tuesday (7 January), has added a further three pubs to its portfolio. The company was formed in … view

Immersive restaurant company launches with stellar creative team: James Bulmer, former Disney executive and chief executive of The Fat Duck Group, has formed immersive restaurant company Wonderland Restaurants. The company has pulled toge … view

Beds and Bars reports group Ebitda up 16.5%, two new sites planned: Pan-European hostel and bar operator Beds & Bars, led by Keith Knowles OBE, has reported turnover rose 5.74% to £54.9m and group Ebitda rose 16.5% to £6.1m at constant … view

Hickory’s to accelerate expansion plans after securing £13m funding package: American-style smokehouse and barbecue brand Hickory’s Smokehouse, which is backed by Piper, is to accelerate its expansion plans after securing a £13m fun … view

YO! to launch trial of new kiosk brand Panku with Asda: YO!, the Richard Hodgson-led global multi-brand, multi-channel Japanese food group, is to further ramp up its retail sector presence with the trial of a new kiosk concept with Asda, … view

Christmas sales figures flat: According to analysis of more than 1,500 sector sites using S4labour software, overall like-for-like sales were broadly static in December 2019, compared with the same month in 2018, falling by 0.1%. There wa … view

McVeigh joins chicken sandwich concept Butchies as chairman: London-based chicken sandwich concept Butchies has appointed Draft House founder Charlie McVeigh as its new chairman, Propel has learned. Butchies, which currently has two sites … view

Tasty sells London site to Five Guys for £2m: Wildwood operator Tasty has reported the exchange of contracts for the sale of its dim t More London site, close to London Bridge, for a gross cash consideration of £2 million. Propel source … view