Domino’s CEO – this year we see as being quite flat on pricing, we think we can lift frequency, lunch working well but is a long-term strategy: Domino’s chief executive Andew Rennie has said he sees this year as being “quite flat on pricing” and he believes the brand can lift frequency. He also said lunch is “working well” for the business but that it is a long-term strategy that will deliver clearer results further down the line. Speaking to investors following the company’s results for the 26 weeks ending 29 June 2025, Rennie said: “This year, we see as being quite flat on pricing. We’ve seen a rebasing from the high inflation during the Ukraine war start, so that’s why we’ve been able to pass it back to franchisees and why they’re running good food costs at the moment. This year is fairly benign. My objective is to keep pricing as stable as possible for as long as possible. We don’t want any shocks to our franchisees, to ourselves or to our customers. Energy pricing has come down too, so we see that as very stable. We never know what the future will hold, but we don’t see any shocks at this stage.” In terms of frequency, Rennie said: “Our consumers are buying once a quarter, so really, it’s a luxury style purchase, and we make sure that event is very special to customers. We think we can lift that frequency as we don’t expect too much of a lift to get a decent improvement, especially considering we have 13 million customers. Value is omnipresent, but it’s not just price, it’s also the service. I can serve you a cheaper product, but if I deliver it an hour and it’s cold, it’s not a very good product. It’s about the price and the balance with that service as well. We already provide very good value when you do a side-by-side comparison of how much it costs to feed a family or four people.” Speaking about earlier dayparts, Rennie said: “Lunch is a long-term strategy. On the weeks we’re driving lunch, we see really good incremental growth, but because it’s a small percentage of a very big number, you don’t necessarily see that in our numbers now. For me, it’s more about what it will be in two, three, four years’ time. And what it does is it actually creates more efficiency for our franchisees. Even a couple of hundred pounds a day additional helps our labour numbers and helps them be more profitable. We’re not throwing the kitchen sink at it because it’s a small part of our business – but slowly adding to it over a long period of time. But from everything we’ve seen, it’s working very well.” Domino’s reported group revenue was up 1.4% to £331.5m for the 26 weeks ending 29 June 2025 compared with £326.8m the year before. Underlying Ebitda was down 7.4% to £63.9m from £69.0m. Underlying profit before tax fell 14.8% to £43.7m from £51.3m. First-half total orders of 35.1 million were flat, with collection orders up 1.0% and delivery orders down 0.6%. Collection orders returned to growth in the second quarter after five consecutive quarters of decline.

 

Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference open for bookings, Dishoom people director Andrew O’Callaghan to speak: Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference has opened for bookings. The conference takes place on Thursday, 9 October at One Moorgate Place in London. Among the speakers will be Andrew O’Callaghan, people director at Dishoom. He will discuss the continuing evolution of the restaurant company’s award-winning people culture, and how it has lowered recruitment fees and staff turnover in the process. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £345 plus VAT for suppliers. Premium Club subscribers get a 20% discount. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday featuring 13 new entries and 58 updated accounts: Premium Club subscribers will receive the updated Turnover & Profits Blue Book on Friday (8 August), at noon. The database will feature 13 new entries and 58 updated accounts. The database now features a total of 1,151 companies, with 725 in profit and 436 making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the New Openings Database, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers 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 subscribers 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 subscribers 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.

UKHospitality calls for more sustainable increase in national living wage to protect jobs: UKHospitality has called for more sustainable increases in the national living wage (NLW) in the face of rising cost pressures to protect jobs. It comes after the government set out its remit for the Low Pay Commission on NLW rates, calling for it not to drop below two-thirds of UK median earnings, and to have a decision in place for it to apply from 1 April 2026. In response, UKHospitality chair Kate Nicholls said: “UKHospitality and its members have always supported the principle of the NLW, and we share the government’s ambition to raise living standards for everyone. The ambition is right, but the timing and pace of increases must be carefully considered in the context of the wider economic environment. With significant new costs, such as the increase made to employers’ national insurance contributions, already hitting businesses hard, any significant wage hike may cost jobs. We urge the commission to recognise these cost pressures and recommend a more gradual and sustainable increase this year. Regrettably, escalating employment costs are already forcing businesses to reduce staff hours and, in some cases, make redundancies. Across the board, the labour market indicators are flashing red, and the Bank of England has also repeatedly voiced concerns about a potential wage-price spiral fuelling inflation. Inflating wages too far, too fast, would be counter-productive, resulting in fewer people earning a little more, but many more facing job losses or reduced hours, ultimately undermining the goal of putting more money in people's pockets. The government rightly places economic growth at the heart of its mission, but for that to succeed, wage policy cannot be set in a vacuum. Therefore, we strongly advocate the commission’s approach and subsequent targets fully take account of the impact on employment levels and overall economic growth.”

 

CAMRA – nearly half of UK pubgoers are cutting back on pub visits as cost pressures bite: Nearly half of UK pubgoers are cutting back on pub visits as cost pressures bite, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has claimed. New polling revealed 45% of pubgoers said they have been going to the pub less often in the past 12 months due to the rising cost of living. CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said: “This is a warning sign for the future of our locals. If people can’t afford to go, pubs can’t survive. But luckily, the chancellor can help fix this. We are demanding the government uses the upcoming Budget to help make pubs more accessible – starting by rolling back on the disastrous hike in national insurance contributions, cutting VAT for pubs just like they’re planning to do in Ireland, introducing significantly lower business rates bills for pubs and brewers, and cutting tax specifically on pints served in pubs.”

 

Greene King and Admiral Taverns join nationwide live music campaign: Greene King and Admiral Taverns have joined this summer’s nationwide live music campaign. From this Friday (8 August), Greene King Untapped will launch The UK’s Biggest Pub Gig – a synchronised night of live music in pubs up and down the country with a £10,000 cash prize and a performance slot at Pub in the Park 2026 up for grabs. Admiral Taverns is also using live music to boost trade by launching a programme of gigs spanning the August bank holiday weekend and into September. Zoe Bowley, managing director at Greene King Pubs, said: “This isn’t just another pub gig; it’s a national moment. Greene King Untapped is our way of celebrating the incredible talent hiding in plain sight, in our pubs.” David Wigham, commercial director at Admiral Taverns, said: “Our pubs are always looking for creative ways to attract new and returning customers. Live music delivers on that, and we’re excited to be putting on live events across the summer.” The campaigns are being powered by live entertainment platform GigRealm. Chief executive Tom Brady added: “Pubs are central to the UK’s cultural and economic landscape, and we’re seeing more operators harness the power of live entertainment to boost trade and engage communities. These campaigns show how technology can easily activate offerings that customers cannot replicate at home and offers something unique to drive footfall.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a fine dining concept in London that is looking for a general manager to lead a new restaurant opening in Fitzrovia. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The venue will have around 200 covers. The role will be to oversee the whole front of house and bring this business to life with a strong emphasis on service, guest engagement, team leadership and maintaining high service standards. There is real potential for growth as new sites are planned in the longer term.” The salary is up to £80,000. For more information, email stuart@corecruitment.com.

 

Prezzo Italian to open first new restaurants in five years as it reports like-for-like sales in third quarter up 11%: Prezzo Italian, the Cain International-backed group, is to open its first new restaurants in five years as it reported like-for-like sales in the third quarter have so far grown 11%. The restaurants, set to open over the next two months in Rugby and Edinburgh, signal the next phase of investment for the casual dining brand. This is the latest step in Prezzo Italian’s growth strategy as its team eyes up further opportunities for expansion, including Central London. The company said the like-for-like growth has been driven by revitalised menus, upgraded restaurants, the new Club Prezzo app and an improved guest experience. Locations that have received the new Prezzo Italian look and feel have been “performing ahead of expectations”, with the four refurbished restaurants delivering an average of 60% growth compared with the prior year. The success of Prezzo Italian’s overall brand revitalisation has led to the 95-strong business looking to ramp up investments in 2026. The company now plans to refurbish 40 extra locations, on top of the 15 scheduled for 2025. Chief executive James Brown said: “This is a hugely exciting moment for Prezzo Italian, as we look to open our first new restaurants in five years. Opening new restaurants in Rugby and Edinburgh is a real statement of intent and shows the commitment and confidence we have in our brand. We are seeing fantastic results from the investment we’ve made in our restaurants and teams, and there is a renewed energy across the business. With double-digit sales growth and a pipeline of opportunities ahead, we’re building a stronger, more relevant Prezzo Italian for the future.”

Butcombe Group reports strong first half trading following investment in elevated food offering, loyalty and data and premium rooms offering: Butcombe Group, formerly Liberation Group, has reported strong first half trading following investment in an elevated food offering, loyalty and data and the premium rooms offering at Butcombe Boutique Inns. The company, which operates over 120 pubs and inns with over 400 rooms, reported 9.8% like for like growth for the six months from 26 January to 26 July 2025 across the managed pubs division – including drink at 13.0%, food at 8.0% and accommodation 4.1%. Butcombe Pubs & Inns performed at 11.9% like for likes, building on the strong performance for the business in 2024, with Channels Islands Liberation Pubs & Bars recording 3.9% like for like growth. The company also reported a 17.6% growth in active loyalty users over the last 12 months and occupancy growth of 80 bps year-on-year, delivering 77.8% occupancy year to date. It said growth has been achieved across all categories, with standout performances in drink sales, boosted by favourable weather and ongoing strategic investments across the estate, including the enhancement of external areas. It said food continues to perform well across the estate, building on double digit growth last year, while the accommodation business is outperforming the broader market, with strong demand across the portfolio of 11 Butcombe Boutique Inns resulting in increased direct bookings, occupancy and revenue. The company said with morning sales are up 36.6% while weddings delivered 76% growth versus last year. Its managed pubs achieved record trading days for both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, showing 31% and 11% growth respectively versus the previous year. The company said cask ales remain robust, outperforming market expectations despite warmer weather, while premium keg ales continue strong growth. Looking ahead, the company said it remains optimistic for the second half of the year, but in the face of weak consumer confidence, would be keen to see government support and stability for the sector. Chief executive Jonathan Lawson said: “It is great to see such a strong performance for the first half of 2025, despite a challenging trading environment and weak consumer confidence. It’s a testimony to the hard work of the entire team and reflective of our ongoing investment in people, quality, customer experience and data. We approach the second half of the year with optimism and are confident that we can continue to outperform the market as we have done for a number of years.”

Patisserie and restaurant brand Richoux to make comeback: Patisserie and restaurant brand Richoux is to make a comeback – with plans for sites in London and abroad. The brand was briefly revived after being brought out of administration in 2021 by Naveen Handa, part of the family that owns leisure company The Cairn Group, and a Richoux restaurant opened in Piccadilly but closed in 2023. Now, Handa is getting ready to bring Richoux back again. The first new opening is in Langham Place in September, taking over the space previously occupied by Pizzeria Mozza. The 110-cover flagship will offer a French-inspired all-day menu, and dishes will include a 36-day dry-aged ribeye to share, steak tartare prepared tableside and Croque Monsieur. There will also be a 16-seater terrace. Drinks will feature French wine by the glass, carafe or bottle, classic cocktails “that showcase the flair of a modern French brasserie”, and draught French beer. Handa said: “With Richoux, we’ve brought together the best of the past including timeless design, a sense of occasion, and a menu that balances comfort with craft.” A second site in Tower Bridge will follow, with international openings in Dubai and Saudi Arabia set for 2026 in partnership with the BBR Group. Prior to going into administration in 2021, Richoux was owned by Dining Street, which was also behind Friendly Phil’s, Villagio and The Broadwick restaurants. Richoux was founded in 1909 and operated sites in Mayfair, Piccadilly and Port Solent in Hampshire at the time of the administration. Handa also backs East Coast Concepts and is a partner in the joint venture behind Vapiano UK. 

 

David Page – Gourmet Burger Kitchen is a great example of brands we want to acquire, and Franco Manca sale shows how much money they can make: David Page, the new chairman of Wildwood and Dim T operator Tasty, has said Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) is a great example of brands the company wants to acquire, and the sale of Franco Manca shows how much money they can make. Page bought GBK for £10m in 2004 through Clapham House Group, the restaurant group he set up after leaving PizzaExpress, and was chairman of Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore when it was sold to Toridoll Holdings in 2023 for £93m. Page was last week confirmed as Tasty’s new chairman, as the company launched a £9.25m fundraise and set out a new growth strategy. This includes aiming for four to six acquisitions over the first three years and growing the enlarged group’s brands to 50-plus sites. Speaking about what kind of concepts he will be looking to invest in, Page told Propel: “The GBK model was a great one where we signed a deal and grew it from four to eight. The founders stuck around for 18 months, and we put a team in to learn from them. Two of them left, and we expanded GBK to 60. Almost the same thing happened to Franco Manca – the two founders effectively stayed with the business, one as an operator and one as a shareholder. The operator sold down some of his stake and got a couple of million when we sold, but the guy who didn’t sell any of his shares got £13m. So, the lesson is there for the operators we partner with – they can make a lot of money! We like people who specialise in doing something well and at a very reasonable price. What happened with GBK was it effectively reinvented the hamburger market, and Franco Manca effectively reinvented the pizza market. Then loads of other people piled in, so we now think the ownership cycle is probably four to five years before the market gets crowded. Wildwood is a very good example. PizzaExpress had the market to itself for 25-30 years, and then along came Café Rouge, which took away some of the mid-market dining, and then came the likes of Zizzi and Wildwood, and that market has become really competitive.” Following the changes, Tasty will now be known as Bow Street Group on the London Stock Exchange, and Page said he wanted to keep the name simple. He added: “We (Page and Tasty chief executive Jonny Plant) had about two or three days’ discussion about what it should be called – but settled on what we did as when we first met for a coffee to discuss this. It was in Bow Street – so I said let’s keep it simple.” Page told Propel this week Tasty has so far “looked at about ten different businesses and signed a few NDAs” – and the company is aiming to sign two up in the next six months before looking at bigger acquisitions. Plant also told Propel the current Wildwood and Dim T estate will undergo a period of refurbishment and re-evaluation, and some sites might be converted to the new brands that Tasty acquires.

 

Yorkshire better burger business set for London debut after signing expansion deal with Pret franchisee: Yorkshire better burger business Urban Fresh Burgers & Fries is set to make its London debut after signing an expansion deal with Pret A Manger franchisee Exultant Group. The six-strong Urban Fresh Burgers & Fries, which was founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife team Mehmet and Zerin Kent, opened its first franchise site in December, in Sheffield. The business also has two sites in Doncaster, one in Rotherham, one in Barnsley and a delivery-only outlet in Leeds. The company said partnering with Exultant Group, which operates 18 Pret sites alongside a portfolio of circa 30 Pizza Hut Delivery restaurants, is the start of its national expansion plans. Urban FreshBurgers & Fries said Exultant Group, which is led by Mizan Syed, has ambitions to “grow the brand significantly over the next five years” – with a first location expected to open later this year in London. Mehmet Kentsaid: “We’re big believers that long-term success comes from the right partnerships and that sustainable growth only happens with people who share your values, and Mizan gets it. He brings serious experience, but also shared ambition, a focus on quality and clear understanding of what we’re working to build.” Syed added: “The UK burger market is growing rapidly, and after exploring several strategic options, including launching a major US franchise, expanding an existing multinational brand, and even creating my own concept, I chose to partner with Urban FreshBurgers & Fries. Mehmet has done a fantastic job building a brand that puts product quality and customer experience at its core. The concept has already proven successful in South Yorkshire, and I believe it’s ready to scale. With more than 20 years in franchising and more than 50 sites launched, 25 of them in just the past two and a half years, I’ve built the infrastructure and support systems to take brands national. Together with the Urban team, we’ll identify where we can add the most value. Once our initial London sites are proven, there’ll be no stopping us.” Mehmet Kent told Propel in May that Urban Fresh Burgers & Fries was set to expand outside of the county soon and was in talks on its next locations. Exultant Group, founded in 2014, took its Pizza Hut-branded estate past the 30-site mark last year after acquiring the majority of the former Sania and Dhoke 1 businesses out of administration. Having initially built its Pret estate in and around Yorkshire, it acquired seven further Pret sites in March, the majority of which are based in London. Exultant Group features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database while Urban Fresh Burgers and Fries features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database. Both databases are available exclusively to Premium Club subscribers.

 

Stack secures further investment to support expansion plans: Leisure venue operator Stack has secured further investment to support its plans to roll out nationwide. Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management UK has provided a bespoke growth credit facility to Stack, which currently operates four sites and plans many more. The undisclosed facility has been structured to refinance existing debt and provide flexible capital to accelerate Stack’s roll-out of new sites, which includes new developments in Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Carlisle, Durham, Bishop Auckland, Whitley Bay and Northampton. Stack currently operates three sites across the north east – Seaburn in Sunderland, Middlesbrough and St James’ Stack in collaboration with Newcastle United – along with Stack Lincoln. A second Tyneside site – Stack Newcastle – is due to open this autumn at the city’s Worswick Chambers. The transaction was completed in partnership with Kings Park Capital, which became an investment partner in Stack in 2023. Harry Newall, head of origination at Westbrooke UK, said: “Stack represents the type of entrepreneurial, scalable business we seek to partner with, with an experienced management team executing a proven model in a growing but often undercapitalised segment of the UK leisure market. We’re particularly excited to support a platform that’s redefining food and beverage-led entertainment in regions outside London.” In March, Stack chief executive Neill Winch revealed the business had a pipeline of 14 new locations. The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel’s exhaustive report on the market, is now available. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It also provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since last year’s study, with 3,700 sites. The report is available for £595 plus VAT. Existing Premium Club subscribers can receive it for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium subscribers on Wednesday, 10 September at 9am. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to order a copy.

 

The Padel Club reveals expansion plans as sport’s popularity continues to grow: The Padel Club – which is backed by sports stars including Michael Vaughan, James Milner, Jos Buttler and Shay Given – has revealed its expansion plans as padel’s popularity continues to grow. The Padel Club said it will have 30 courts at four sites by the end of 2025 and 100 courts at 15 locations by the end of 2026. The company, which was founded by Kris Ball in 2020, said it has several sites agreed, notably Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, Booths Park in Knutsford in Cheshire, and Wynyard Park in the north east. The Padel Club is also looking at Sheffield, Liverpool, Brighton, Reading, Tunbridge Wells and Cardiff. Head of brand marketing Pippa Nash told Insider Media: “Leading the way by promoting highly active play and high occupancy at our clubs in the padel scene across the UK is our goal.” The Lawn Tennis Association said at the end of 2024, more than 400,000 people in Britain played padel, up from just 89,000 in 2021. According to further research published in May, online searches for padel in the UK have surged 1,025% in the last five years.

 

Greene King Pub Partners on track to invest £27m in estate: Greene King Pub Partners – the leased, tenanted and franchise division of Greene King – is on course to invest £27m in its pub estate during 2025 – its biggest annual investment in recent years. This latest investment follows capital expenditure of £23m in 2023 and again in 2024. Greene King’s £27m investment in 2025 is being used to support businesses by refurbishing and transforming leased, tenanted and franchise pubs across England and Scotland. These investments have funded projects including internal and external refurbishments, as well as major transformational developments. Greene King Pub Partners operates more than 950 leased, tenanted and franchise pubs. Earlier this year, Greene King Pub Partners announced 94% of its estate is currently let out on substantive agreements. The average length of tenant and lessee tenure in Greene King Pub Partners’ business is eight years and two months. In 2024, the business recruited more than 100 new tenants, lessees and franchisees to operate its pubs and said it is on track to receive a record number of applications to run its pubs in 2025. Dan Robinson, managing director of Greene King Pub Partners, said: “Hitting £27m of investment this year is a clear sign of our long-term commitment to supporting our partners and the communities we serve, especially at a time when pubs are facing rising costs. This sustained investment is part of our strategy to ensure our pubs remain vibrant, sustainable businesses at the heart of local communities. We know how important pubs are to the social and economic fabric of the UK – and we’re proud to play our part in backing them.”

 

Chopstix opens in Huddersfield: Chinese-inspired quick service restaurant brand Chopstix has opened its first site in Huddersfield. Chopstix has followed recent launches in Brighton, Leeds and Wolverhampton with an opening at 33-37 King Street in the West Yorkshire town. Co-founder Sam Elia said: “We’re excited to be opening in Huddersfield and introducing our unique brand proposition to another great UK high street. We’ve seen huge momentum behind the business this year, and this is a testament to the strength of the Chopstix brand and our unwavering focus on quality, speed, and customer experience.” In April, QSRP-backed Chopstix opened its largest site to date – a circa 4,000 square-foot store in Bridgend, Wales.

 

Amorino to make its Essex debut next week: Italian gelato brand Amorino will next week open its first store in Essex, at the Lakeside shopping centre. Propel revealed in March that the store would be a fourth for franchisees Khawar Hussain and Khurram Hussain, whose 4orty business also owns Amorino locations in Greenwich and Camden in London, and Canterbury in Kent. Khawar Hussain spent the best part of two decades as a director at KFC franchisee Barack Holdings before the eight-strong business was acquired by Tahir Group in 2023. The new Lakeside location will open on Tuesday, 12 August and will be a 36th in total for Amorino in the UK. A spokesman for Amorino added: “We are thrilled to be opening at Lakeside and can’t wait to introduce our divine flavours to the people of Essex.” Last month, Amorino opened its latest store here, in Wimbledon, south London, and said it is targeting growing its UK estate to 100 locations by 2030. Amorino has also secured a site in Newcastle’s Grainger Street for its north east debut and has said it is targeting expansion into Scotland next.

 

Italian ice cream parlour opens its first UK store: Italian ice cream parlour Don Nino has opened its first UK store, in Paddington, west London. Don Nino is known for serving “decadent scoops of ice cream", as well as pastries and Sicilian cannoli, in locations around Rome and Florence. Now, the brand has brought its gelato to the new Paddington Square destination outside Paddington station. The company is led by Francesco Mastroianni – a five-time Italian ice cream champion and internationally recognised master gelato maker. He has helped create 24 flavours, from Bronte pistachios and hand-roasted Langhe hazelnuts to salted caramel and zesty lemon – all made using Italian recipes and ingredients. In addition, Don Nino’s menu features sweet and savoury delicacies including lobster tail pastries and Sicilian baked brioche, plus vegan, lactose-free options. Benito Megna, general manager at Don Nino Paddington Square, said: “We’re thrilled to introduce Londoners to our authentic Italian gelato and freshly baked pastries and Sicilian cannoli in our first UK store.”

 

Roseacre acquires Leicestershire pub: Midlands operator Roseacre Pub Company has acquired the Shires Inn in the Leicestershire village of Peatling Parva. In a deal brokered by Christie & Co, the pub was marketed with an asking price of £1.5m and sold at an undisclosed price. Having been at the helm of the pub for more than 30 years, joint owners Andrew and Phillipa Faulkner are handing over the reins to start new ventures of their own. Ash Gartshore, the owner of Roseacre Pub Company, said: “As a regular customer of The Shires for more than 20 years, I’ve watched it trade successfully throughout that time. We already operate four other pubs in the area, so when the opportunity arose to acquire The Shires, I immediately knew it would be the perfect addition to the Roseacre collection. We are currently investing around £500,000 into a full-scale renovation of the site. This includes fully updated toilets, a new restaurant space, two carvery decks, and a premium resin patio area with a fire pit, all of which will give The Shires a fresh new look while retaining its much-loved character. The Shires will reopen on Wednesday,13 August. You’ll find a carefully curated menu featuring pub classics, seasonal specials, The Shires’ famous Sunday carvery, and a tempting selection of homemade desserts.” The Shires is a tenth site for Roseacre, which last November said it is targeting a 15-strong estate.

 

Former Kerb MD joins catering firm in same role: Alana Buckley, former managing director of street food collective and hospitality group Kerb, has joined catering firm Jimmy Garcia Catering in the same role. Buckley rose through the ranks at Kerb, playing a pivotal role in the company’s growth as she moved from head of events to commercial director and, eventually, managing director. During her time at Kerb, she was instrumental in securing and developing key partnerships, and after returning from maternity leave, she took on the role of business development director. Prior to her time at Kerb, Buckley was head of events at Moving Venue and has also held key roles at institutions including St Paul’s Cathedral. Buckley will join Jimmy Garcia Catering in October, while current managing director Richard Groves will move into the role of chairman. Founder Jimmy Garcia said: “We chose Alana because of her exceptional experience and strong industry connections. Richard and I have brought her into the business at an exciting and pivotal time for the company, and we’re confident her leadership will help us continue to grow and innovate across new venues and client experiences.” The company has already added the V&A South Kensington, The Science Museum and Two Temple Place to its accredited list of venues this year.

 

Thai-based operator Compass Hospitality further strengthens UK portfolio by taking on management of Welsh hotel following ownership change: Thai-based operator Compass Hospitality has further strengthened its UK portfolio by taking on the management of a Welsh hotel following a change of ownership. Hand Hotel, in the Denbighshire market town of Llangollen, has been sold to international investment firm Zeltgelst Consulting Pte by a consortium that had owned the property for 25 years. The hotel was sold off a guide asking price of £1.9m by way of a share sale transaction. The hotel features 58 en-suite bedrooms, a public bar, a bistro-style restaurant, private dining facilities and conference space. Compass Hospitality’s operates 26 hotels in the UK and also manages properties in Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Graham + Sibbald acted on the deal.

 

Northampton brewery MD stands down after 17 years: Alaric Neville, managing director of Northampton brewery Phipps, has stood down after 17 years in the role. The original Phipps brewery in Northampton closed in 1974, but the name was revived in 2008, with the beer being brewed under licence in Rutland. In 2015, Phipps opened a new £1m brewery on the site of the former Albion brewery in Kingswell Street and also opened a bar within it. All this was overseen by Neville, who is now handing over the reins to his cousin, Johnny, and retiring. On reviving the brand, he said: “Yeah, it was exciting. We didn’t really know whether we were doing it as a bit of fun to make my dad and my various uncles happy, because they all got excited when we told them that the IPA was coming back. So, we thought we’d just do it, and it would last for a little bit, or it wouldn’t. It was the McManus pub company that helped us launch it and gave us the initial push to do it. All praise to Paul McManus. He kept saying, when are you going to do it? If you do it, I’ll put it in my pubs. So, we did it, and then it just took off. We thought maybe we’d do one or two brews, but here we are, 17 years later, with a fully-fledged proper brewery, employing people and brewing beer. It’s hard bloody work. I realised I hadn’t really worked a day in my life until I started Phipps. I’d been an archaeologist, a musician and a sound engineer – that was all rather exotic and fun, but running a brewery is actually pretty tough. I think we’ve made something that Northampton can be proud of again, and we’ve given a future to a brewery name that could’ve just disappeared forever. It’s been a privilege to be part of that.”

 

Northamptonshire theme park will continue to offer free entry despite financial struggles: Northamptonshire theme park Wicksteed Park has said it will continue to offer free entry, despite financial struggles – and the looming prospect of Universal Studios opening a huge attraction in nearby Bedford. Visitors currently enjoy free access to the 291-acre (114-hectare) park in Kettering but must pay for parking and individual rides. One of the oldest theme parks in the UK, having opened in 1921, an appeal was launched to save the venue earlier this year amid “unprecedented financial difficulties”. Managing director Kelly Richardson told the BBC: “Universal is going to be a major park with high-octane fully immersive ride experiences. For many people, it will be a once in a generation visit. The beauty of Wicksteed Park is that it’s free to enter, you can visit as many times as you like and have a different experience every time you come here.” Despite its financial worries, Richardson said charging people to access the parkland “would be the last thing we would want to do”. She added: “We're not unique in experiencing those [financial challenges]. Across the industry, there are reports of theme parks in the UK closing down. We’ve always relied on tickets and wristbands to the rides and attractions [to] generate enough income to keep this wonderful green open space open for free – and that’s getting harder and harder.” Universal last month submitted plans for what will be its first theme park in Europe, featuring some of the tallest rides in the world. The park is hoping to secure planning permission to open in time for 2031 and expects to receive 8.5 million visitors a year, with 55,000 visitors on peak days.