Pret to expand to India with up to 100 stores planned over next five years: Pret A Manger is to launch in India with up to 100 shops expected to open in the country over the next five years. Pret has partnered with Reliance Brands, which … view

Jonathan Neame – I’ve never known the jobs market to be this bad: Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Kent brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame, has said he has “never known the jobs market to be this bad before”. He added vacancies … view

Meat prices continue to climb: Meat prices are continuing to climb, analysis by catering butcher Birtwistles has shown. In its latest market report, Birtwistles said poultry prices “continue to tick upwards”, particularly around wings … view

Whitbread appoints Dominic Paul as new chief executive: Whitbread has appointed Dominic Paul as its next chief executive. Paul will succeed Alison Brittain, who has decided to retire from full-time executive life at the end of the financi … view

Young people should see bar jobs as important as university degrees: Young people must stop turning their noses up at working in bars to help ease the jobs crisis, according to a report backed by ministers. The Telegraph reports that Gree … view

Train strikes hurt Pret sales as millions stay home: The UK’s worst rail strike in three decades hit sales at Pret A Manger hard with activity in London’s financial and shopping districts and train stations falling sharply as workers … view

Only a third of hospitality businesses currently profitable, almost half reducing opening hours: The profitability of hospitality businesses across the UK is plummeting, with only 37% currently turning a profit, according to a new sector … view

Johnson – I suspect the industry is about to enter a period of what might be called ‘creative destruction’: Serial sector investor Luke Johnson has said he suspects the restaurant industry is about to enter a period of what might be … view

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Cook – industry is resilient and will bounce back as it has before: Hostmore chief executive Robert B Cook believes the industry will bounce back from the current financial crisis in the same way it has before. Having battled through va … view

Various Eateries currently trading ‘solidly’, ‘remains a wealth of opportunity’ for further expansion: Coppa Club operator Various Eateries has reported it is currently trading “solidly” and tracking against market expectation … view

Fridays to introduce live sport and expand alfresco dining, Fridays and Go ‘ahead of expectations’: Fridays, part of Hostmore, is focusing on al fresco dining in its next roll-out and is also looking to introduce live sports on big sc … view

Harald Samuelsson takes executive director role at Tasty, business back on expansion trail: Wildwood operator Tasty has announced Harald Samuelsson, the former joint managing director of Cote, will become an executive director of the bus … view

HOP appoints Richard Franks as MD, plans 20 new sites in London: London-based Vietnamese street food concept HOP has appointed Richard Franks, formerly of Chilango, as its new managing director to aid plans to open up to 20 new locations … view

Timothy Taylor CEO ­– effects of cost-of-living crisis ‘starting to creep in’, tough year lies ahead for sector: Tim Dewey, chief executive of Keighley brewer and retailer Timothy Taylor, has told Propel the business is on course f … view

Megan’s staff to share £5m bonus, plans Bristol opening: Megan’s, the fast-growing, cafe and deli concept, has set aside a £5m bonus to be shared between its team. The bonus will be shared between its current and future general mana … view

Punch owner runs rule over Amber Taverns: The owners of Punch Pubs are exploring a potential takeover of smaller rival Amber Taverns, a deal that would create a leisure group operating from nearly 1,500 sites. Sky News reports Punch Pubs, … view

Managed groups’ like-for-like sales flat in May as cost crisis deepens, restaurants show modest growth but pubs behind pre-covid levels: Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups in May were just … view

Itsu signs French franchise agreement, plans 50 sites in next five years: Itsu, the healthy Asian food chain, has signed a franchisee agreement with French restaurant group, Groupe Bertrand. Itsu’s master franchise agreement with Groupe … view

Two Magpies looking to raise private investment to fund expansion, plans to triple estate: Suffolk bakery Two Magpies is looking to raise private investment to fund its expansion plans, which includes tripling its seven-strong estate. The … view

German Doner Kebab signs partnership with McDonald’s former largest UK franchisee: German Doner Kebab (GDK), owned by Hero brands, has signed a new development partnership with Atul Pathak, formerly the UK’s largest McDonald’s franc … view

Inglenook Inns & Taverns acquires nine-strong freehold package, adds more than 40 pubs in a year: North-west based pub operator Inglenook Inns & Taverns has taken its estate past the 50-mark with the acquisition of nine freehold pubs from … view

Revolution Bars Group expects to deliver adjusted Ebitda slightly ahead of top end of market expectations, plans six openings in FY23: Revolution Bars Group, which operates 67 bars trading mainly under the Revolution and Revolución de C … view

Stonegate takes minority stake in virtual brand operator Peckwater: Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has taken a minority stake in Peckwater Brands as part of a £15m series A seed funding round for the virtual brand opera … view

New warning from CBI on household spending: British household spending will shrink next year, the CBI has warned, as it called on the government to take measures to stimulate business investment to prevent a wider economic downturn. The … view

Pitcher – Revolution can run a bigger operation, acquisition very much on our agenda: Rob Pitcher, chief executive of Revolution Bars Group, which operates 67 bars trading mainly under the Revolution and Revolución de Cuba brands, has … view

Bank lending to sector SMEs falls by more than £1.4bn following end of coronavirus loan schemes, recovery loans ‘higher risk’ and ‘less generous’: Bank lending to small businesses in the sector has fallen by more than £1.4bn fol … view

Subjects: Justification for MUP has failed, what’s happening in Chicago, pubs with rooms have staying power, hospitality should value creating great memories

Steak shortages loom as fertiliser prices rocket: Supermarkets and restaurants are threatened with steak shortages as the surging cost of fertiliser and feed forces beef farmers to slaughter animals early. The Telegraph reports meat proc … view

Popeyes set to announce swathe of new sites, drive-thrus to be key focus: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, the US fried chicken quick-service brand, which made its debut in the UK last November, is set to announce a swathe of new sites as its l … view

Fuller’s returns to profitable growth: Fuller’s has said that it returned to profitable growth in the 52 weeks to 26 March 2022, and that its current trading year has “started well”. During the year to 26 March, the company genera … view

Jubilee holidays boost food and drink sales but weekend trading disappoints: Last week’s double bank holiday lifted sales for Britain’s pubs, bars and restaurants, CGA by NielsenIQ’s latest trading data has shown – but street part … view

Since our last monthly legal briefing, hospitality legislation has continued adapting at a rapid pace, bringing a mixture of support and challenges in the micro and macro economic spheres across … view

City Pub Group – like-for-like sales have “continued to strengthen faster than predicted”: City Pub Group, which owns and operates 42 premium pubs across southern England and Wales and a further two development sites, has reported … view

Fresho secures £8m funding round to make food supply chains more sustainable: Fresho, a company that aims to make food supply chains more sustainable between restaurants and their suppliers, has raised £8m. Launched in the UK in 2021, t … view

Starbucks’ Schultz to remain interim CEO until March: Starbucks has said that Howard Schultz will remain the coffee chain’s interim chief executive until the end of March, as it looks for a permanent successor. Schultz returned to le … view

London mayor to create new £500,000 ‘enterprise zones’ to boost night time economy in the capital: London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a new £500,000 programme to create Night Time Enterprise Zones to help support the capital’s … view

UK sales of low-alcohol and no-alcohol beers almost double in five years: UK sales of low-alcohol and no-alcohol beers have almost doubled in five years as weaker versions of global brands such as Heineken and Budweiser helped convert dr … view

Raw poultry prices climb almost 30% so far this year, beef and turkey up about 20%: Raw poultry prices have climbed 28.2% so far this year while beef is currently up about 20%, analysis by catering butcher Birtwistles has shown. In its la … view

Karen Jones made dame in Queen’s Birthday Honours, OBEs for Emma McClarkin and Jill Whittaker: Karen Jones, executive chair of Prezzo and chair of Hawksmoor and Mowgli, has been made a dame in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Alread … view

Half of UK nightclub businesses ‘barely breaking even’ as inflation continues to climb: Half of UK nightclub businesses are “barely breaking even” as inflation continues to climb, according to new research. The findings by the Nig … view