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Gusto appoints adviser, launches accelerated sales process: Italian casual dining group Gusto, which has been backed by Palatine Private Equity since 2014, is working with restructuring advisory firm RSM on an accelerated sales process, P … view

Sector like-for-likes continue to nudge up as more sites reopen: Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups are still trading well below pre-covid norms but are seeing a steady improvement in sales as more sites reopen. The latest Coffer Peac … view

Fuller’s – the virus has cost in excess of £10m in trading, comfortable with current levels of trade: Fuller’s has estimated the cost of coronavirus on trading at in excess of £10m. The company reported over 75% of its managed pub … view

K10 enters into creditors voluntary liquidation: London-based, Japanese restaurant business K10 has become the latest casualty as covid-19 continues to hurt the UK’s hospitality sector. The company has instructed insolvency practitioner … view

Electra – TGI Fridays exceeding expectations: Electra Private Equity has reported that TGI Fridays sites have exceeded expectations since re-opening. The company stated: “TGI Fridays now has 71 of its 85 stores fully open with a furth … view

Hodgson – covid will separate the wheat from the chaff: Richard Hodgson, chief executive of YO!, the global multi-brand, multi-channel Japanese food group, has said even though the sector was challenging before covid-19, its impact will … view

Jeremy King – we have traded above what we expected: Corbin & King co-founder Jeremy King has told customers that trading has been better than expected since re-opening. In a newsletter, he stated: “I get asked a lot whether we can ma … view

Weekly like-for-like sales increase another 13.4%: Analysis of sales from operators who were open last week revealed like-for-like sales were up 13.4% on the previous week, with sales of food up 22.2% and drink growing 7.3%. Data from S4l … view

City Pub Group – sales have been 63% of previous levels in first three weeks but we’re profitable: City Pub Group has reported sale 63% of previous levels in the first three weeks of re-opening. Ahead of the Annual General Meeting to … view

We Hear You campaign finds 94% of consumers happy with new pub and restaurant safety measures: The We Hear You initiative, launched earlier this month by restaurant intelligence platform Yumpingo and CGA and backed by UKHospitality, has r … view

I’ve been saying for years that s … view

Pub and restaurant groups in England see trade improve to almost 70% of pre-coronavirus levels: Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups with businesses open in England reported improving sales in the second week after lock-down lifted as m … view

Dodo Pizza to relaunch in UK with Roman-style offering, opening first company-owned store in region: Dodo Pizza is set to relaunch in the UK after seeing “modest” sales at its four sites, Propel has learned. The new business model wil … view

Tokyo Industries buys Manchester live music venues Gorilla and The Deaf Institute out of administration: Terms have been agreed for Aaron Mellor’s led Tokyo Industries to acquire The Deaf Institute and Gorilla, previously operated by Mi … view

Epiris to commit more than £40m of funding to Casual Dining Group: UK-based private equity firm Epiris, which is in exclusive talks to acquire Casual Dining Group (CDG), will commit £43m of funding for the business if a deal is successf … view

Oakman Inns launches exact copy of Eat Out To Help Out scheme – two weeks earlier and at own expense: Oakman Inns and Restaurants has launched an exact copy of the government’s Eat Out To Help Out campaign – two weeks earlier and at … view

New plans tabled to ensure pubs, restaurants and cafes offer both smoking and non-smoking outdoor options: People using pubs, restaurants and cafes will soon have greater freedom to choose non-smoking outdoor areas following an amendment … view

Number of parties express interest in Rileys after it appoints administrators: A number of parties have expressed an interest in buying sports bar operator Rileys out of administration, Propel has learned. Rileys, which has appointed Phil … view

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TowerBrook acquires Azzurri Group, injects £70m into business, 75 sites to close: Private equity firm TowerBrook Capital Partners has acquired the Azzurri Group, the operator of ASK Italian, Zizzi and Coco Di Mama, via a pre-pack adminis … view

English venues reopen to weekly sales 40% down on last year but performance better than many international markets: Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups with sites open in England in the first week after lock-down lifted have reported c … view

English venues reopen to weekly sales 40% down on last year but performance better than many international markets: Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups with sites open in England in the first week after lock-down lifted have reported c … view

Loungers to accelerate re-opening, two sites to remain closed: Loungers has reported it has re-opened 75 Lounges and 19 Cosy Clubs (from a total estate of 138 Lounges and 29 Cosy Clubs), following the relaxation of the government imposed … view

Piper – collegiate nature of the sector will help drive its renaissance, technology use to accelerate: Consumer brand investor Piper, which backs sector companies Turtle Bay, Hickory’s Smokehouse and Flat Iron, has argued the collegia … view

McDonald’s unveils price cuts: McDonald’s has recommended price cuts to it franchises in the wake of last week’s VAT cut. Paul Pomroy, McDonald’s chief executive UK and Ireland said: “We have recommended to our franchisees a pri … view

Bulk of Bistrot Pierre business acquired through pre-pack administration: The bulk of the Bistrot Pierre business has been acquired by a new company through a pre-pack administration, Propel has learned. Named after the year the company w … view

Wetherspoon rebuts CAMRA and SIBA criticism: JD Wetherspoon has rebutted a number of claims by CAMRA and SIBA in relation to its VAT reduction to customers. A joint statement by Tom Stainer, chief executive of CAMRA, and James Calder, chi … view

Coffeesmiths Collective undergoes restructure: Coffeesmiths Collective, which runs coffee chains including the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs (DoCaSA) and Filmore & Union, has undergone a restructure, Propel has learned. The comp … view

JD Wetherspoon is to reduce prices on a range of meals and drinks after VAT cut: Pub operator JD Wetherspoon is to reduce prices on a range of meals and drinks following the Chancellor’s decision to reduce VAT on food, coffee and soft d … view

Prezzo seeking £15m of investment to restart business and accelerate growth: Prezzo, the Karen Jones-led chain that earlier this month became the latest sector operator to push the start button on a sale process, is seeking to secure £1 … view

Exclusive – Itsu appoints advisers as it eyes restructure: Itsu, the healthy Asian food chain created by Pret A Manger co-founder Julian Metcalfe, is understood to have appointed advisers as it looks to step up conversations with landlo … view

Ford – Caffe Nero saw 10% to 15% jump in revenue when seating areas reopened: Gerry Ford, founder and group chief executive of Caffe Nero, has said the business saw a 10% to 15% jump in revenue when the business reopened seating in its … view

As lock-down restrictions are eased further across England, Scotland Wales and we look forward to the sector opening up further, it’s a good time to reflect on the journey of the past four m … view

Burger King UK could permanently shut 10% of outlets: Burger King UK chief executive Alasdair Murdoch has warned up to 1,600 jobs could be lost as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Only about 370 of the company’s 530 UK stores have … view

Operators frustrated by slow Welsh approach to reopening: Operators in Wales have expressed their frustration at its government’s slow approach to reopening. First minister Mark Drakeford has said indoor hospitality won’t reopen on Mo … view

Operators react as chancellor announces VAT cut and voucher initiative: Operators have hailed chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to cut VAT from 20% to 5% on food, accommodation and attractions for six months and launch a vouchers initia … view

Andy Laurillard – there are three waves to this crisis and we’ve just got over the first: Andy Laurillard, co-founder of Thai restaurant brand Giggling Squid, has said there are three waves to the covid-19 crisis and the hospitality s … view

Whitbread – we are in a good position to take advantage of structural opportunities: Whitbread has reported it now has more than 270 UK hotels and 24 restaurants now reopened with the majority of the rest of the estate due to reopen thr … view

More than one-quarter of adults visited a pub or restaurant during reopening weekend: More than one-quarter (28%) of UK adults visited a pub or restaurant during reopening weekend, according to new research from KAM Media. However, the cu … view

Treasury reviews access to coronavirus business loans after EU relaxes rules: The Treasury is considering ways of making it easier for businesses to access coronavirus support loans – ahead of expected measures from the chancellor desig … view

Super Saturday – operator reactions and early trading data: Early data from Wi-Fi solutions provider Wireless Social and feedback from operators seem to imply the easing of lock-down regulations on ‘Super Saturday’ (4 July) led to � … view

Exclusive – Wasabi considers funding options including possible sale: Wasabi, the sushi and bento chain led by Henry Birts and backed by Capdesia, is looking to secure new investment that could include a sale of the business, Propel has … view

Exclusive – Bistrot Pierre filing notice of intent to appoint administrators: Bistrot Pierre, the Livingbridge-backed group, is to file a notice of intent to appoint administrators today (Friday, 3 July), Propel has learned. The 25-stro … view

Phil Urban – M&B discounting unnecessary to entice customers, reduced capacity a bigger issue: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) chief executive Phil Urban has said the company isn’t planning on widespread discounting to encourage customers b … view

91 restaurants close permanently as Casual Dining Group goes into administration: Casual Dining Group (CDG), the Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas operator, has been placed into administration leading to the closure of 91 of its 2 … view

Trade bodies clarify reopening rules for operators and councils: UKHospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) have produced updated FAQ guidance to help operators understand the go … view

Almost 500,000 sector supplier jobs at risk without extended government support: Almost 500,000 jobs are at risk if the government fails to extend sector support to include suppliers, a new survey has revealed. The findings by the UKHospi … view

SSP to axe up to 5,000 jobs in the UK: UK transport hub foodservice company SSP Group is to axe up to 5,000 jobs in the UK to reflect the current low level of passenger demand – traffic is still down 85% year-on-year – resulting from … view

Hornby – industry needs to be relentless, because it will get harder as the year goes on: Andy Hornby, chief executive of The Restaurant Group, the Wagamama and Brunning & Price owner, has told Propel the industry will need to be “rel … view