Exclusive – Urban Pubs and Bars partners with Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual to accelerate expansion: Urban Pubs and Bars, led by Nick Pring and Malcolm Heap, has entered into partnership with Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual to s … view

Caring plans all-day, fine-dining, Mediterranean-influenced restaurant in Mayfair’s Mount Street: Serial sector investor Richard Caring is planning to open an all-day, fine-dining, Mediterranean-influenced restaurant in the former Porsc … view

Businesses ‘frustrated’ as government rejects plea to loosen visa rules for lorry drivers amid supply chain crisis: Business groups have been left ‘frustrated’ after the business secretary rejected requests to loosen Brexit immig … view

 

Soho House reduces losses as it plans six openings this year: Soho House owner Membership Collective Group (MCG) has said it will soon be “firing on all cylinders” and plans to open a total of six sites this year. The company reported … view

Helena Hudson – covid provides the opportunity for small foodservice brands to help lead high street recovery, landlords now more appreciative of independent operators: Helena Hudson, founder of independent cafe and coffee concept Real … view

Greggs faces chicken shortages as more F&B operators report supply issues: Food-to-go operator Greggs is facing chicken shortages as more foodservice companies reported supply issues due to the supply chain crisis sparked by the shortage … view

UKHospitality and BII – hospitality sector is overpaying business rates by £2.4bn per year: Trade bodies have called on the government to introduce business rates reform after estimating hospitality overpays by £2.4bn each year. UKHos … view

BPF – government should look at annual revaluations for business rates: The government should be looking at annual revaluations for business rates, a trade body that represents the real estate sector has said. The British Property Feder … view

NTIA – data shows mass participation events can be conducted safely without need for covid passports: Data from NHS Test and Trace at mass participation events that showed they can be conducted safely should give rise to the government … view

Nightclub vaccine passport policy in disarray, leaked letter reveals: Boris Johnson has been accused of letting his vaccine passports plan descend into disarray as a leaked letter from government lawyers stated that “no final policy dec … view

Mark Davies steps down as Hawthorn CEO as Admiral Taverns completes £222.3m deal: Admiral Taverns has completed its purchase of community pub operator Hawthorn from NewRiver for £222.3m. Mark Davies has stepped down as chief executive o … view

 

Famously Proper plans UK rollout of Mother Clucker as virtual brand through Byron estate: Famously Proper is set to expand Mother Clucker, the London-based, buttermilk-fried chicken concept, as a virtual brand through its Byron estate, Pr … view

Adnams – we are seeing strong demand: Suffolk brewer and retailer Adnams has reported turnover of £20,518,000 in the six months ended 30 June and a pre-tax loss of £3,340,000. In a trading update, the company reported strong current d … view

Scottish pubs ‘days from running out of alcohol’: Scottish pubs are just days away from running out of alcohol due to major issues with suppliers, industry leaders have warned. Both Greene King-owned Belhaven Brewery and Heineken have … view

Franco Manca operator paying rents on average 40% below pre-covid levels for new sites, set to sign for first international restaurant in five weeks: David Page, chairman of Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator, has … view

Foodservice price inflation steady but supply problems hit sector reopening: Food and drink supply markets have been hit by widespread distribution problems and a spike in demand following the return of out-of-home eating and drinking, ac … view

Fulham Shore – we have identified 150 new sites for our medium term plan: Franco Manca operator Fulham Shore has identified 150 sites for its medium term plans – and has 12 sites in legals. It also reported a big disparity in performa … view

July sales down 6% on pre-covid-19 levels at managed restaurants, pubs and bars but rolling 12-month sales drop 20%: Britain’s managed pub, restaurant and bar groups lifted sales back close to pre-covid-19 levels in July to continue hos … view

July sales down 6% on pre-covid-19 levels at managed restaurants, pubs and bars but rolling 12-month sales drop 20%: Britain’s managed pub, restaurant and bar groups lifted sales back close to pre-covid-19 levels in July to continue hos … view

Exclusive – RedCat buys pubs from award-winning Knead Group: RedCat Pub Company, the investment vehicle headed by Rooney Anand, has bought four pubs from the award-winning Knead Group, the seven-strong operator led by Michael Thurlby. T … view

Payne – we plan to invest ‘a lot of money’ in our managed estate, cocktail sales leading the way with Slug & Lettuce delivering ‘unbelievable’ numbers: Ian Payne, executive chairman of Stonegate Group, the TDR Capital-backed bus … view

More than 7,000 licensed premises still closed: More than 7,000 licensed premises have not yet returned after last month’s “Freedom Day”, the latest Market Recovery Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners reveals. While it is expected tha … view

More deals on the menu for takeaway apps: Will Shu had plenty of reasons to be upbeat. Unveiling Deliveroo’s results this week after its disastrous March float, Shu, the company’s founder and chief executive, told investors that it wa … view

Exclusive – Pret signs up The Chesterford Group as first franchisee in regional push: The Chesterford Group (TCG), which operates circa 40 sites under brands including Churchill’s and Bankers Fish & Chips, has signed up to become one … view

Exclusive – RedCat adds Little Britain Pubco businesses to growing portfolio: RedCat Pub Company, the vehicle founded and chaired by Rooney Anand to invest in the UK pub sector, has added more pubs to its growing portfolio, including Li … view

Exclusive – RedCat Pub Company buys Coaching Inn Group: RedCat Pub Company, the vehicle founded and chaired by Rooney Anand to invest in the UK pub sector, has acquired The Coaching Inn Group, which operates 18 historic coaching inns ac … view

KFC issues warning to customers as UK restaurants hit by food shortages: KFC has warned customers that disruption is leading to food shortages at its restaurants across the UK. The fast food brand said that its business had been hit by � … view

Wendy’s secures Reef Kitchens as first UK franchisee, confirms next four UK sites: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, which made its return to the UK with an opening in Reading in June, has signed up … view

If this were a normal year, we would now be at the height of the holiday season. A mid-year opportunity to rest and recuperate, dreaming of the warm sandy beaches and cocktails abroad. However … view

Deliveroo reports losses down as transaction value doubles: Deliveroo reduced its losses by 18% to £104.8m in its First Half to 30 June as gross transaction value jumped 102% to £3.385.8bn. The company said growth was materially ahead o … view

US coffee shop brand Gloria Jean’s to begin UK expansion push: Gloria Jean’s, the US coffee shop brand that has 200 sites in Australia run under franchise, is to kick start its push into the UK market, with just under 20 sites already … view

AMT Coffee to rebrand as Change Please, looks to double estate by 2024: AMT Coffee, which operates a circa 50-strong estate of sites in transport hubs and in hospitals across the UK, is to rebrand as Change Please, under a new partnership … view

Nightcap reports strong trading and pipeline progress: Nightcap, the hospitality group formed by investors Sarah Willingham and Michael Toxvaerd to back the UK bar and late-night sector, has reported excellent progress in building a signi … view

Crussh permanently closes 13 sites: London-based healthy food and juice brand Crussh has permanently closed 13 of its circa 30-strong estate due to the impact of the pandemic. The Simon Foster-led business has negotiated the termination o … view

‘This is not a normal firm’: Asda brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa uncovered: “You’ve got to understand this is not like a normal business. I have a mandate. I can go in and do a deal ... look in the whites of their eyes ... and get … view

Government-backed insurance scheme for live events is launched: The government has partnered with Lloyd’s to deliver the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme as part of the Plan for Jobs. The scheme will see the government act as a ‘reinsur … view

KPMG – pandemic drives households to increase spend on takeaways by almost a half: Lockdowns prompted Brits to increase spending on takeaways by almost half (42%). Research by KPMG, which questioned more than 2,000 consumers in spring 2 … view

Mowgli to make London debut in Fitzrovia: Indian street food concept Mowgli has lined up its first opening in London, with a site in Fitzrovia. The Nisha Katona-led company is set to open on the former Cote site at 5 Charlotte Street, th … view

Itsu builds equity store pipeline as it gears up to open first franchise site: Itsu, the healthy Asian food chain created by Julian Metcalfe, has begun building its equity store pipeline as it gears up to open its first franchise site. Pr … view

Allesch-Taylor acquires Baker & Spice, plans new concept and expansion: Entrepreneur professor Stefan Allesch-Taylor has acquired London-based neighbourhood restaurant concept Baker & Spice, with plans to evolve the business into a more p … view

Domino’s UK reports like-for-like sales up 19.3% aided by VAT cut: Domino’s UK has reported a strong UK and Ireland performance, with system sales of £752.3m in the 26 weeks to 27 June, with like-for-like sales up 19.3% aided by the … view

Individual Restaurants appoints Karen Forrester as executive chair, to close four sites: Individual Restaurants, the operator of the Piccolino and Restaurant Bar & Grill brands, has appointed former TGI Fridays chief executive Karen Forre … view

TriSpan acquires majority stake in Pho, Marrinan made MD: TriSpan, the global private equity firm, has confirmed it has acquired a significant majority stake in Vietnamese street food restaurant group Pho. As revealed by Propel last week, … view

Escape Hunt reports occupancy returning faster than expected: Escape Hunt, a leading international operator of escape rooms in the fast-growing experiential leisure sector, has reported trading in the ten weeks to 25 July 2021 has been en … view

SBPA – almost 300 pubs shut permanently in Scotland since start of pandemic: Almost 300 pubs have closed permanently in Scotland since the start of the pandemic, according to the Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA). It comes as the t … view

Uber rides and pizza bribes for under-30s to have their covid jab: Young people are to be bribed to have coronavirus jabs with “vouchers for vaccines” that will give them money off Uber rides and takeaway food if they get jabbed. The … view