Draft House reports December like-for-likes up 5.9%: Draft House, the London-based craft beer operator led by Charlie McVeigh and backed by Luke Johnson, has reported like-for-like sales were up 5.9% for the four weeks to 31 December 2017. McVeigh said: “Numerous records were broken, particularly at Draft House Chancery. The integration of the Grand Union acquisition last summer is proceeding well and we would like to get back on the acquisition trail in the second half of this year. In the meantime Draft House is fully focused as a business on converting and rationalising what we have. Our January ‘Beer is Bonzer’ Australia Month beer promotion is going great guns. We have imported numerous pallets of never-before-seen Aussie beer into the UK. Events including Bogan Bingo and Australia Day parties in many of the pubs add to the mix. The menu features several Aussie dishes including the Lot Burger (featuring beetroot, pineapple and a fried egg) and the Egg Plant Parmy (known as Parmigiana in the rest of the world).”

Just Eat adds 50p service charge on all deliveries ahead of card surcharge ban: Just Eat, the online food delivery business, has imposed a new service charge on its orders ahead of a looming ban on all card surcharges. The company imposed the 50p cost on all its customers from Monday (8 January) having previously only applied it to online users. At the same time, the company removed a 50p fee for debit and credit card payments to comply with the change in the law. The ban on all card fees, enacted by the EU, takes effect on Saturday (13 January). It will remain in place after Brexit. Just Eat said: “We were already reviewing our approach to charging for the services we provide to customers on behalf of our restaurants. As of 8 January 2018 we have made a change to the way restaurants are charged to process Just Eat orders – a 50p service charge will be implemented for all orders. Previously only customers who paid online were charged – we don’t think it’s fair for online payment customers to shoulder the costs associated with cash orders too, which is why we’re introducing a charge applied equally across our customer base. The 50p charge simply means that along with our restaurant partners, we can continue to deliver the best possible takeaway experience, and applying the charge equally across the customer base, ensures fairness for all.”

Everyman Cinemas to open five sites in 2018: Everyman Cinemas has said it expects to open five sites in 2018 as it reported trading for the 52 weeks to 28 December 2017 had been “in line with expectations”. The company stated: “The company now operates from 22 venues. Since the last update, Everyman opened its permanent three-screen venue in Kings Cross in November and the reconstruction of its Oxted location has also now completed, adding a further two screens to the venue. A four-screen venue in York, opened on 30 December, after the year-end following its acquisition and refurbishment in 2017. The company expects to open five further venues in 2018. The company has continued to source exciting opportunities for future investment in new venues, and the directors are confident of being able to grow the pipeline further. Contracts have now been exchanged on a four-screen venue in Altrincham (opening in 2018), four-screen venues in Lincoln and Cirencester (both opening in 2019), and a three-screen location in Tunbridge Wells, with opening targeted for 2020. The directors maintain a positive outlook for 2018 and beyond.”

Handful of tickets left for Restaurant Marketer & Innovator series this month, largest sector marketing event in the UK by attendance: A handful of tickets are left for Restaurant Marketer & Innovator, the most comprehensive marketing series the sector has seen. The event has now become the best-attended marketing event in the UK with more than 600 people from nine different European countries booked to attend. Propel will stage the two-day event in partnership with Think Hospitality on Wednesday, 17 January and Thursday, 18 January at One Moorgate Place in London. An array of marketers from agencies and early-stage, growing and rejuvenating brands will take to the stage to share their strategies and winning tactics. Companies and brands attending include Novus, Signature Pubs, Cafe Rouge, Wagamama, Brasserie Bar Co, Las Iguanas, YO! Sushi, Fuller’s, ASK Italian, Mitchells & Butlers, G1 Group, Costa Coffee, Ei Group, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, Brewhouse & Kitchen, Stonegate Pub Company, Be At One, Revolution Bars Group, Cabana, Thai Leisure Group, New World Trading Company, Pho, Maxwell’s Group, Gather & Gather, Oakman Inns and Restaurants, The Breakfast Club, The Coaching Inn Group, Gail’s Bakery, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, K10, Giggling Squid, San Carlo Group, Ennismore, TLC Inns, Polpo, FrogPubs, The Real Eating Company, Claus Meyer Holding, VIP Pizza, 200 Degrees, Coppa Club, Snug Bars, Albion & East, Pint Shop, True North Brew Co, Darwin & Wallace, Chit Chaat Chai, BabaBoom, Electric Star and Eat Poke. For full details of the two days, co-ordinated by James Hacon and Ann Elliott respectively, click here. Conference prices for two days are £525 plus VAT for operators and £795 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies buying two tickets will receive a third free. A one-day rate of £345 plus VAT is available to operators only. For more information and to book, call Jo Charity on 01444 810304 or email jo.charity@propelinfo.com or Anne Steele on 01444 817691 or anne.steele@propelinfo.com. Please note the Boot Camp on Tuesday, 16 January will now take place on the tenth floor of the Blue Fin Building in Southwark Street, London.