Premium Club members to receive two new databases this week: Premium Club members are to receive two new databases this week. The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent tomorrow (Wednesday, 7 August), at noon. The database will show the details of 268 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. It will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club members will also receive a 11,881-word report on the 268 new additions to the database. Premium Club members will also receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (9 August), at midday. The database will feature 59 updated accounts and 13 new companies for a total of 958. Of these, 602 are in profit and 356 have reported a loss. Premium Club members will also receive a 11,881-word report on the 268 new additions to the database. Premium Club members will also receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (9 August), at midday. The database will feature 59 updated accounts and 13 new companies for a total of 958. Of these, 602 are in profit and 356 have reported a loss. Premium Club members also receive access to four other databases: the Multi-Site Database, produced in association with Virgate; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database; and the Who's Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Clubs members will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including the Talent and Training Conference (1 October), Restaurant Marketer and Innovator (two days in January 2025) and Excellence in Pub Retail (May 2025). Operators that are Premium Club members are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club members receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club members will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club members also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Domino’s reports delivery orders returning to growth, completes disposal of 305 London stores to five franchise partners for £35.1m: Domino’s Pizza Group has reported it has “halted the trend of declining delivery orders” and these are now returning to growth while it now expects some food cost deflation, and plans to pass on “a greater level” of savings to its franchise partners in the second half of the year. Domino’s also said in line with its strategy to recycle capital, the disposal of its London corporate store estate has completed with 305 stores sold to five different franchise partners for a total consideration of £35.1m, of which £17.3m was received by 30 June 2024. Following “encouraging” results in its first loyalty test phase, the company is now moving to the second phase of trial with circa 630,000 customers. The company said the decision had been taken to permanently roll out on the Uber Eats platform “following extensive data-led trial that attracted incremental customers and orders”. The company stated: “The growing traction of our strategic initiatives drove improved trading momentum from the middle of May, through June and July. Second-quarter orders were back in growth and also benefitted from the return to growth in delivery orders following ten consecutive quarters of decline. Total orders in July were up 5.8% on a comparable basis, with a good contribution from the Euros. In March 2024 we guided that FY24 Underlying Ebitda would be in line with market expectations, and that we did not expect Shorecal to make a significant contribution to FY24’s performance. As announced, the Shorecal [the company’s largest franchisee in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland] acquisition completed sooner than originally anticipated and investment costs are lower than planned. Consequently, we now expect Shorecal to contribute circa £5m to FY24 underlying Ebitda. While we anticipated some food cost deflation in FY24, we are now planning to pass on a greater level in the second half to our franchise partners as we continue to deliver value offers for customers, underpin the strength of the system and drive long-term growth. We expect our recent momentum to continue. However, given the slower start to the first half and the greater pass-through of food costs to franchise partners, we now expect FY24 underlying Ebitda including the contribution from Shorecal, to be towards the lower end of the current range of market expectations. Despite the uncertain market, we are confident we will maintain our trading momentum into the second half of 2024 as we continue to execute on our strategic initiatives and expect to deliver growth in both order count and like-for-like sales in FY24.” It comes as Domino’s reported group revenue was down 1.8% to £326.8m for the 26 weeks ending 30 June 2024 compared with £332.9m the year before with lower supply chain revenue offset by increased corporate store revenue following the acquisition of Shorecal. Underlying Ebitda was up 0.4% to £69.0m from £68.7m. Underlying profit before tax was up 0.8% to £51.3m from £50.9m, with higher interest costs offset by lower amortisation. The company also announced a new £20m buyback programme reflecting confidence in future prospects. First-half total orders of 35.1 million were down 0.9%, with collection orders up 2.4% and delivery orders down 2.6%. On a comparable basis, total orders were down 0.1%. The company opened 22 new stores in the period (2023: 29) with four opening so far in the second half (2023: one). The company said the pipeline remains strong, with 38 stores in construction or planning approved. In a “slower planning environment”, the company said it still expects to exceed FY23 store openings with a target of 70 new stores in FY24. Domino’s said it has seen continued digital progress with growth in app customers and orders. It has 9.5 million active app customers, up 17% versus last year with app orders as a percentage of online orders at 77.6% (up 2.4 percentage points versus the second quarter of 2023. Chief executive Andrew Rennie said: “Following a slow start to the year, we now have good momentum in the business with our strategic initiatives gaining traction and our trading performance accelerating steadily against strong comparatives from last year. In the second quarter we grew orders, with a notable improvement from the middle of May and importantly have halted the trend of declining delivery orders. These are now returning to growth and this momentum has continued through June and July, helped by a good performance through the Euro 2024 football tournament. We’re executing well in an uncertain market thanks to our unrelenting focus on brilliant value, quality and service for our customers. Our average delivery time is now 24 minutes, which creates even better value for our customers. We have continued to support the growth of the system through passing on food cost deflation to our franchise partners. In our core UK & Ireland business, we see significant opportunity for further growth through opening new stores, an exciting new loyalty trial to drive frequency and a focus on value and service, especially in the delivery channel. There is alignment with our franchise partners and tangible energy across the system to capitalise on this opportunity We continue to operate a capital light business and are moving towards our goal of building a larger and more profitable business for our shareholders, franchise partners and colleagues.”

The Breakfast Club reports ‘most successful financial year in almost a decade’, third site set to open in partnership with SSP: All-day dining concept The Breakfast Club has reported its “most successful financial year in almost a decade” and has a third site lined up in partnership with SSP, the operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide. Turnover at The Breakfast Club fell slightly to £17,756,753 for the year ending 31 March 2024 compared with £18,018,911 the previous year, which the company said the sale of its site in London’s Battersea Rise and streamlining of delivery platforms from three partners to two contributed to the reduction. Like-for-like sales at existing sites were “positive with double-digit growth in Central London locations”. Restaurant Ebitda improved 40% to £2,847,865 (2023: £2,024,648). Group Ebitda rose from a loss of £75,887 to £883,977 profit in FY24. Pre-tax losses narrowed to £481,106 from £1,390,311 the year before. The company, which employs circa 350 staff, made an operating profit of £155,480 compared with a loss of £947,442 the previous year. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “The company achieved a significantly improved performance across all major metrics making 2023-24 the most successful financial year in almost a decade. No less noteworthy has been the opening of two new company-owned sites in London’s West End as well as the launch of our partnership with SSP with a commitment to three landmark transport hub sites. In July 2023, SSP and the company opened The Breakfast Club Gatwick airport, unquestionably one of the most significant airport restaurants in the UK in terms of size (256 covers) and profile. In June 2024, the second franchise site opened in St Pancras International opposite the Eurotunnel terminal, with a third site to follow. The directors believe it is a testament to the strength of the brand that almost 20 years after its first site opened in 2005 a global transport hub operator is winning highly competitive site tenders in the busiest transport hubs in Britain with The Breakfast Club. During the year we also opened two company-owned sites in Central London with Seven Dials (November 2023) and Old Compton Street (January 2024) becoming our third and fourth West End sites. With four openings under 12 months this will have been the most accelerated period of growth in the history of the business and takes total locations trading under the brand to 16. Gross profit and staff costs are in the best position they have been in since the company’s inception despite the well-documented ongoing inflationary cost pressures affecting the hospitality sector. The directors believe that the company’s operating efficiency is now in line with best-in-class comparable operators in the UK. The directors believe the strength and longevity of the brand and significantly improved financial performance bodes well for future expansion and we continue to look for new site opportunities. We look forward to working with and opening new sites with SSP.” The group has two loans under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme totalling £2,011,754 that are due for repayment on 2 September 2025. No dividend was paid (2023: nil).

Spending in UK pubs tripled on day of Euro 2024 final, data shows: Spending in UK pubs, bars and clubs almost tripled on the day of the Euro 2024 football final compared with the year before, but consumer spending fell overall in July, according to new data. Payment transactions in pubs, bars and clubs were three times higher on Sunday, 14 July than in 2023, up by 195.6%, according to figures from Barclays, which accounts for almost half of credit and debit card transactions nationwide. The surge in spending came after pub bosses had warned of patchy trade during the football tournament, in which England were beaten in the final by Spain, and as the sector saw an uplift of 4.9% in July, the highest rate of growth since January. But it failed to offset a 0.3% year-on-year decline in overall consumer card spending last month. The fall was a slight improvement on June, when card spending dropped by 0.6% on an annual basis. Spending on non-essential items declined for the second consecutive month in July, contracting by 0.7%. Almost half of consumers sought to cut back on discretionary spending, up slightly from the previous month, according to the data. Jack Meaning, chief UK economist at Barclays, said that weather, sports events and concerts appeared to have led to seasonal spending fluctuations. But he added that with the Bank of England cutting interest rates for the first time in four years this month, “the bigger picture is that consumers are seeing their incomes and spending power rise and are becoming more confident in the overall economic outlook”.