Government tries to break rent stalemate with new code of practice: The government is working with businesses and trade associations to publish a code of practice to provide them with clarity and reassurance over rent payments. It said th … view

Exclusive – Casual Dining Group launches accelerated sales process after approaches: Casual Dining Group (CDG), the Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas operator, has launched an accelerated sales process after receiving multiple e … view

Tattu shares reopening planning document to help other operators: Contemporary Chinese restaurant group Tattu has shared its standard operating procedure (SOP) for how the business is adapting and planning to reopen to help other operator … view

McDonald’s accelerates UK reopening plans, only releasing locations on the day to manage anticipated demand: McDonald’s is to accelerate its reopening plans across the UK and Ireland. The company, which has so far reopened 44 of its r … view

UKHospitality launches alliance to secure government support for sector suppliers: UKHospitality has launched a new lobbying group to push for government support to help hospitality supplier businesses. The Supplier Alliance will provide … view

Gilkes – stimulus from the government is needed to get us going again: Charlie Gilkes, co-founder of Inception Group, which owns and operates concepts including Cahoots and Mr Foggs, has said a stimulus element to the government’s sup … view

Revolution extends debt facility with NatWest: Revolution Bars Group, the operator of 74 premium bars, trading under the Revolution and Revolución de Cuba brands, has extended its debt facilities, to provide ‘sufficient liquidity for t … view

Draft House founder launches campaign to promote pubs post-lock-down: Charlie McVeigh, the founder of Draft House, has launched a campaign under the banner Project Pint, which he hopes will remind people the important and positive role pu … view

Boparan buys 30 Carluccio’s sites for circa £3m: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) has completed the acquisition of the Carluccio’s brand and 30 trading sites saving over 800 jobs. The company already operates Cinnamon, Fishworks, Slim … view

UKHospitality warns Scottish reopening plan will lead to business failures: UKHospitality has warned the Scottish government’s plan for restarting the economy in Scotland is likely to result in business failures and lost jobs. The plan … view

Greene King announces 90% rent reduction for tied tenants: Brewer and retailer Greene King has announced a multimillion-pound investment in the next wave of financial support for its tied tenants to help them through the coronavirus crisi … view

Morris – delivery kitchens have moved high up the agenda: Richard Morris, chief executive of Tortilla, the Quilvest-backed fast-casual Mexican concept, has said opening more delivery kitchens has “moved high up on the agenda” for th … view

Caffè Nero launches delivery service for first time: Caffè Nero has partnered with UberEats to offer a delivery service for the first time as it responds to demand from customers for its coffee. The exclusive partnership with UberEats m … view

UKHospitality unveils proposed covid secure guidelines for sector to government to help industry restart: Condiments would be removed from tables and drinkers stopped from jostling at the bar under plans aimed at allowing hospitality firm … view

UKHospitality launches campaign calling on governments to be fair to industry and support sector’s roadmap to restart: Governments in Westminster, Holyrood and Cardiff must invest in a fair and timely return for hospitality this summer, … view

UKHospitality launches campaign calling on governments to be fair to industry and support sector’s roadmap to restart: Governments in Westminster, Holyrood and Cardiff must invest in a fair and timely return for hospitality this summer, … view

PizzaExpress to begin reopening sites for delivery only: PizzaExpress, the Hony Capital-backed chain, is to begin reopening a select number of sites for delivery only. Propel understands that the Zoe Bowley-led brand will open 13 restaura … view

Roger Wade – we need to find a middle ground on rent: Roger Wade, chief executive and founder of Boxpark, has called on the industry and landlords to find a “middle ground” on the issue of rent. Speaking as part of Propel’s naviga … view

On official forms, where it asks my profession, I put rather pretentiously, “restaurateur”. I have been involved in starting and backing businesses in dozens of industries, but restaurants … view

Brasserie Bar Co chair puts forward proposal to kick-start sector: Mark Derry, executive chairman of Brasserie Bar Co, has put forward an alternative proposal to kick-start the post-lock-down restaurant and pub industry based around the i … view

UKHospitality calls for far-reaching government action on rent to protect millions of sector jobs: UKHospitality has written to the government urging it to intervene and broker a solution that solves the current stalemate on rent in the s … view

Piano Works founder launches campaign to transform public spaces into al fresco dining areas: Alan Lorrimer, founder of dining, drinking and live music concept The Piano Works, is calling on operators nationwide to support the #UKGrandOut … view

Marston’s agrees £70m of extra liquidity, scraps dividends for 2020: Brewer and retailer Marston’s has scraped its dividends for 2020 and agreed £70m of extra liquidity. The company stated: “We continue to take a highly prudent ap … view

Greene King launches delivery and takeaway offer: Brewer and retailer Greene King is to launch a delivery and takeaway service through its Metropolitan Pub Company division in London, Propel has learned. From next Friday (22 May), 29 of t … view

As a sector, hospitality is incredibly creative and dynamic. Our businesses have a long-standing track record of evolving and innovating so as to keep attracting customers into their venues. When the … view

Having been befuddled by Boris on Sunday, the UK’s hospitality sector has once again been reassured by Rishi. Of course, the devil will be in the detail later this mo … view

Pret UK MD – ‘it is critical that businesses share what is and what isn’t working’: Clare Clough, UK managing director of Pret A Manger, has said it is critical for the sector that people share what is working and not working, and … view

Government extends furlough scheme until October: The government has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for four months, until the end of October. The scheme, which sees the government pay 80% of furloughed workers’ wages – … view

Loungers to launch trial takeaway service across selected sites: Cafe bar operator Loungers is trial a takeaway service across six of sites this week, Propel has learned. The AIM-list, circa 170-strong operator launched the takeaway trial … view

Neame – VAT payment needs to be retrospectively cancelled: Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Kent-based brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame, has suggested retrospectively cancelling the VAT payment for the quarter to March 2020, in orde … view

During February 2020 the British restaurant industry, along with the wider economy, was showing tentative signs of growth. It seems like a li … view

Chopstix exploring dark kitchen franchise model: Jon Lake, managing director of Chopstix, has said the pan-Asian quick service restaurant concept is exploring the opportunity of launching a dark kitchen franchise model. Speaking as part o … view

Corbin & King launches advanced dining voucher scheme to support staff and ‘keep redundancies to a minimum’: London restaurant operator Corbin & King is launching an initiative to support its staff and “keep redundancies to a minimu … view

Health secretary: Cafes with outside spaces could reopen over the summer: Health secretary Matt Hancock has opened up the possibility that outside spaces at cafes, restaurants and pubs could be allowed to reopen over the summer. Hancock w … view

Stonegate MD – biggest challenge has been looking after our people ‘without putting a nail in the coffin of the business’: Stonegate Pub Company managing director Helen Charlesworth has said the biggest challenge has been looking … view

Chancellor to “wean” businesses off furlough scheme sector by sector: Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to “wean” businesses and workers off the government’s furloughing scheme by cutting wage subsidies amid concerns that the … view

Jeremy King – ‘social distancing in a restaurant is impossible and implausible’: Corbin & King co-founder Jeremy King has said “social distancing in a restaurant is impossible and implausible”. King, who with Chris Corbin, opera … view

Chancellor: There will be no ‘cliff-edge’ cut off for furlough scheme: The chancellor Rishi Sunak has said that he is preparing to phase out the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) as the economy begins to unlock, but promised no ‘cliff edge … view

O’Riordan – businesses need to get ‘match fit’: Jane O’Riordan, chair of Caravan, Flight Club and Turtle Bay, has said businesses need to think about what happens when they come off government support and how they can be “matc … view

Azzurri CEO – we will need to re-educate customers that restaurants and pubs are safe: Steve Holmes, chief executive of the Azzurri Group, the ASK Italian, Zizzi and Coco di Mama operator, has said the government and the sector will nee … view

Azzurri Group appoints advisors to help navigate coronavirus crisis: Azzurri Group, the ASK Italian, Zizzi and Coco di Mama operator, has become the latest sector operator to appoint advisors as it seeks to navigate its way through the lo … view

Auction for Byron to start this week: Byron, the UK casual dinner burger chain, is understood to have instructed KPMG to explore a sale of the business by way of an auction this coming week. It is understood KPMG will be targeting a range … view

Prezzo appoints advisors: Prezzo, the Karen Jones-led chain, has appointed advisors to consider its post-coronavirus funding options. Sky News reported Prezzo has appointed FRP Advisory, which is currently acting as administrator to Carlu … view

Exclusive: Ex-Jamie’s CEO joins TRG as MD of Leisure & Concessions: Jon Knight, the ex-chief executive of Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, has joined The Restaurant Group (TRG) in the newly created role of managing director – Leisure & … view

Loungers CEO – this is an opportunity to assess how we can evolve: Nick Collins, chief executive of cafe bar operator Loungers, has told Propel the current lock-down provides the circa 170-strong business with an opportunity to see how … view