Mission Mars set to bring Albert’s Schloss south for biggest venue yet in £8m investment: Mission Mars is set to bring Albert’s Schloss south for the concept’s biggest venue yet, in London’s West End, in an £8m investment. The o … view

Subway reports UK and Ireland like-for-like sales up 10.5% in first quarter, unveils biggest menu overhaul in 25 years to include chef-inspired creations: Subway has reported like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland were up 10.5% in the … view

Warning from trade bodies as study shows average utility bill surges by 81% for sector businesses: UK pubs, bars and restaurants revealed their average bills have surged 81% over the past year as they made further pleas to the government … view

Zia Lucia aiming to open first regional site in next 12 months, Berto expansion also planned but ‘more opportunistic’: London pizzeria brand Zia Lucia is aiming to open its first regional site in the next 12 months, ahead of planned g … view

Young’s – London bouncing back strongly with sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels, in talks on five pubs: Simon Dodd, chief executive of Young’s, has told Propel the capital is bouncing back strongly, with like-for-like sales in its … view

Young’s reports like-for-like sales up 4.8% in last seven weeks with ‘plenty to be excited about for period ahead’, full-year revenue increases 19.4%: Young’s has reported managed like-for-like sales since 3 April 2023 are up 4.8% … view

Badiani plans five openings in 2023 as it eyes eventual UK estate of up to 40 sites: Italian gelato brand Badiani plans to open a total of five new sites this year as it eyes an eventual UK estate of up to 40. The company has just opened … view

C&C Group – macroeconomic conditions continue to impact trading environment, full-year revenue up 18%: C&C Group has said macroeconomic conditions continue to impact the trading environment. which is expected to remain “challenging i … view

Sector like-for-likes up 6.9% in April but inflation erases growth: Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups saw like-for-like sales grow 6.9% in April 2023 compared with last year, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker … view

SSP reports full-year sales and Ebitda anticipated to be at ‘upper end of expectations’: UK-based transport hub foodservice specialist SSP Group has reported full-year sales and Ebitda are now anticipated to be “at the upper end of … view

Exclusive – business behind Le Pain Quotidien’s UK arm considers its options: The business behind the UK arm of Le Pain Quotidien, the Belgian restaurant and boulangerie brand, has appointed advisors as it considers its options, Prope … view

Inception Group secures £6.7m to help support expansion plans: Inception Group, the hospitality group behind Mr Fogg’s Maggie’s, Bunga Bunga and Cahoots, has secured £6.7m to help support its expansion plans, Propel has learned. The … view

Investor revolt at Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group worsens: The investor revolt at The Restaurant Group (TRG) intensified yesterday when the hedge fund leading the rebellion accused the Wagamama operator of excluding “certain” sha … view

Côte ‘excited’ about recent progress, appoints new CFO: Côte, the French brasserie chain backed by the Partners Group, has said it is “excited” by its recent progress after seeing sustained improvements in guest satisfaction, op … view

Urban – we are well positioned as the macro headwinds subside, Nicholson’s leading the recovery pack: Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One, Toby Carvery and Harvester operator, has told Propel the … view

Exclusive – Planet Organic acquired out of administration for £810,000: Planet Organic was acquired out of administration last month for a total consideration of £810,000, Propel has learned. Planet Organic was rescued from administra … view

M&B reports H1 lfl sales up 8.5%: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One, Toby Carvery and Harvester operator, has reported like-for-like sales growth of 8.5% for the 28 weeks ended 8 April 2023 versus HY 2022, built on volume growth … view

Delivery and takeaway sales down again year-on-year but decline slows, total sales ‘significantly down in real terms’: Britain’s leading managed restaurant groups saw delivery and takeaway sales drop 1% year-on-year in April, the ne … view

Marston’s H1 lfl sales up 10.7%: Marston’s, the Andrew Andrea-led pub company, has reported a 10.7% increase in like-for-like sales in the 26 weeks ended 1 April 2023 compared to last year, and said trading since the half year end ha … view

Exclusive – Jeremy King joins Jamie Oliver Group as a non-exec director: Jeremy King, co-founder of Corbin & King and arguably the best-known figure in London’s upmarket dining scene, has joined the Jamie Oliver Group as a non-executi … view

Buns from Home appoints Shereen Ritchie as COO, lines up four new openings: London-based, independent bakery business Buns from Home, has appointed Shereen Ritchie, the former chief operating officer of Irish healthy fast-food brand, Spro … view

Ballie Ballerson strengthens leadership team as it readies for further growth: Ball-pit cocktail bar concept Ballie Ballerson has made a number of key appointments to its leadership team, including the appointment of ex-Hawthorn chief exe … view

Authors: Phil Mellows, Aby Hawker, Glynn Davis, Ann Elliottview

Gordon Ramsay Restaurants planning further UK and overseas expansion as turnover surges to £78.9m, decisions being taken on underperforming sites: Gordon Ramsay Restaurants has said it is planning further UK and overseas expansion over s … view

McDowall – There’s lots for us to go after internally in creating value and augmenting the guest experience: David McDowall, the chief executive of Stonegate Group, the UK’s biggest pub company, has told Propel there is lots “for … view

Foodservice price inflation falls below 20% for first time in five months, further drops forecast in months ahead: Food and drink inflation dropped to 18.9% in March, the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index reveals, with further … view

Ayerst – we’re clearer on how Shawa concept should work and opportunity for its growth: Nick Ayerst, chief executive of Comptoir Group, the Comptoir Libanais and Shawa operator, has said the business is clearer on how the latter fast- … view

The question I am most often asked by new clients, or even old ones who want a quick reminder, is: “How long will the licensing application process take?” And because I get a … view

Former PizzaExpress CEO David Campbell appointed chair of Ole & Steen’s parent company: David Campbell, the former chief executive of Wagamama and PizzaExpress, has been appointed chairman of Danish Bake Holding, the parent company of D … view

JD Wetherspoon gears up for record year as strong Q3 driven by best ever Easter and busiest Saturday ever: JD Wetherspoon has said it is gearing up to a record year, as a strong third quarter was driven by a best ever Easter and busiest S … view

Exclusive – Urban Pubs & Bars appoints Chris Hill as new MD: London operator Urban Pubs & Bars has appointed Chris Hill, the former chief executive of New World Trading Company (NWTC) and RedCat Pub Company, as its new managing director … view

Exclusive – US franchise coffee concept identifies more than 250 potential UK locations: US franchise coffee concept Raining Berries has said it has identified more than 250 potential UK locations. It comes after Propel revealed in Nove … view

Urban Pubs & Bars returns to profit as like-for-likes up 12% on pre-pandemic levels, forecasts revenue to rise to £60m by end of FY24: London operator Urban Pubs & Bars returned to profit in the year ending 1 May 2022 as it forecast sale … view

Hospitality drives city centre growth after robust first quarter but inflation curbs real-terms growth: Pubs, restaurants and bars in Britain’s biggest cities achieved solid year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2023, with London� … view

Domino’s reports new store pipeline circa 75% larger than last year, current trading ‘encouraging’ following record first quarter sales and orders: Domino’s Pizza Group has reported an encouraging start to its second quarter with … view

Giggling Squid has 21 sites in legals or under offer: Giggling Squid, the Thai restaurant brand backed by the Business Growth Fund (BGF), has 21 sites across the UK in legals or under offer, Propel has learned. The 46-strong Giggling Squi … view

Exclusive – Prezzo puts restructuring plan to creditors, suffers £4m funding shortfall: Prezzo, the Cain International-backed Italian dining group, has written to its creditors, including landlords, setting out a restructuring plan, wh … view

Black Sheep Coffee set to enter Middle East market: Speciality coffee shop operator Black Sheep Coffee is set to enter the Middle East, with plans to open 250 sites across the region over the next 15 years. Propel understands that the bus … view

Hornby – we’re letting our trading do the talking, we’ve got proper volume growth in dine-in: Andy Hornby, chief executive of The Restaurant Group (TRG), the Wagamama and Brunning & Price owner, has said the business is “letting o … view

The Restaurant Group reports trading ‘continues to be very encouraging’ with ‘dine-in trends strong’, closing 23 leisure sites in May and accelerating Wagamama expansion: The Restaurant Group (TRG) has reported trading “continue … view

JKS and Caprice Holdings to launch sites in Saudi Arabia: JKS Restaurants is to launch a site under its Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Gymkhana concept in the Middle East. The company will launch the new restaurant in Via Riyadh, a ne … view

Jamie Oliver to make return to London restaurant scene with Covent Garden opening: Chef Jamie Oliver is to make his return to London’s restaurant scene with the opening of a new “landmark” site later this year, in Covent Garden. Oli … view

Hospitality loses 4,600 venues in 12 months but closures slow in early 2023: Britain has suffered a net decline of 4,593 licensed premises in the year to March 2023, but the resilience of managed groups means the rate of closures has slow … view