MW EAT founder – American junk food chains are taking over Britain’s high streets: American junk food chains are taking over Britain’s high streets, the owner of the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant has said. Ranjit Mathrani, the fou … view

Loungers chairman – we're more confident about Lounge as a brand, looking at ways in which we could leverage that: Alex Reilley, chairman of the Fortress-backed café bar operator Loungers, has told Propel that the business is more conf … view

Azzurri Group-owned digital platform Openr secures investment from Imbiba: Serial sector investor Imbiba is to invest £3m into Openr, the digital platform owned by the Azzurri Group, which is designed for operators in the hospitality ind … view

JD Wetherspoon ‘exploring other opportunities’ in the franchise market: JD Wetherspoon has told Propel it is “exploring other opportunities” in the franchise market – adding to its current handful of holiday park and university … view

Black Sheep Coffee to ‘ramp up’ its overseas expansion in 2025, US stores generating higher sales than UK average: Black Sheep Coffee has said it is set to “ramp up” its expansion in the US and GCC in 2025, and that its US stores … view

RedCat CEO – business ready to return to the acquisition trail: Richard Lewis, group chief executive of RedCat Hospitality, the recently rebranded operator of Coaching Inn Group and RedCat Independent Pubs, has told Propel that after a … view

Revel Collective CEO – first acquisitions post-restructure to focus on Peach and Founders & Co, ‘we still believe in the late-night market’: The Revel Collective chief executive Rob Pitcher has told Propel that its first acquisition … view

Krispy Kreme seeking master franchisees for international markets, including the UK: Krispy Kreme, the doughnut retailer, has said it is seeking master franchising partnerships across seven international operations, including the UK, to b … view

Extra costs holding back hospitality sector, says Whitbread CEO: The chief executive of Whitbread has warned about the growing number of government interventions putting pressure on the hospitality industry as MPs call for tighter employm … view

Exclusive – Benito’s to return to London after parent company signs multi-site franchise agreements: Mexican brand Benito’s is to make its return to the capital after its parent company, Elangeni Hospitality Group (EHG), signed an a … view

Pesto reports profit boost as turnover approaches £25m in period it was acquired by M&B, expects to continue outperforming market: Italian restaurant concept Pesto has reported turnover increased to £24,261,000 for the 66 weeks ending 2 … view

Stack CEO – ‘it’s clear our formula works following incredible year’, confirms next four openings: Neill Winch, chief executive of leisure venue operator Stack – which operates mixed-use sites known for their fusion of bars, li … view

D&D London hires Martin Williams as new CEO: Martin Williams, who stepped down as chief executive of Rare Restaurants, the owner of Gaucho, last year, is to become the new chief executive of D&D London. Williams will take up his new role … view

Shaftesbury – West End estates continue to be “busy and vibrant”: Central London landlord Shaftesbury has reported that its West End estates continue to be “busy and vibrant” and that footfall is high, with continued customer sa … view

Hospitality suffers a January hangover as sales slip and costs rise: Sales at Britain’s leading restaurant, pub and bar groups fell by 1.3% year-on-year in January, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. It marks an ab … view

UKHospitality partners with government to roll out sector-based training programme in ‘incredibly significant development for hospitality businesses’: UKHospitality will partner with The Department for Work and Pensions to ro … view

JKS signs lease on first permanent site in New York: JKS Hospitality has signed a lease on a site in New York, for an opening later this year. The business has signed a 15-year lease with New York City-based GDS Development Management, an … view

Exclusive – Stack confident of significant growth in latest financial year, Kings Park invested £9m in business: Leisure venue operator Stack, which operates mixed-use sites known for their fusion of bars, live entertainment and leisur … view

Ellen Chew – Chinatown ‘has really changed in last 15 years’, sector challenges ‘a cycle like any other’: Singaporean restaurateur Ellen Chew has told Propel that London’s Chinatown “has really changed in the last 15 years� … view

Prosus to acquire Just Eat for €4.1bn: Global technology company Prosus has reached a conditional agreement to acquire Just Eat, to create the fourth largest food delivery group globally. Prosus intends to acquire Just Eat’s entire is … view

Looming cost increases could force 70% of hospitality businesses to reduce employment levels: Sector trade bodies have urged the government to work with them and delay the employer national insurance contribution (NIC) threshold changes s … view

Five Guys – Reeves’ tax raid has cost us £4m: John Eckbert, chief executive of Five Guys UK and Europe, has said Rachel Reeves’tax raid is slowing his growth plans, adding to the chorus of warnings from hospitality chiefs about t … view

Time Out reports strong pipeline of opportunities for further markets as revenue and profitability increases, still negotiating on new London site: Time Out has said it has a strong pipeline of opportunities for further Time Out Markets a … view

Team behind Afrikana acquires London-based Detroit pizza concept, offering franchise opportunities: The team behind African restaurant concept Afrikana has acquired London-based Detroit pizza concept Crave. City Restaurant Group (CRG), b … view

Open Restaurant Group eyes overseas expansion due to ‘heavy taxation in UK’: The Open Restaurant Group, which owns ‘8’ by Andrew Sheridan in Liverpool city centre, wants to open another Restaurant ‘8’ in the Middle East. The b … view

Caffe Nero owner reports record performance in current financial year with like-for-likes up 7.4%, full-year sales hit record $680m: Nero Group, the owner of Caffe Nero, Coffee#1 and 200 Degrees, has reported record results in the first e … view

Sir Tim Martin – plan to increase employers’ NICs will cost JD Wetherspoon £1.2m a week: JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin has said the plan to increase employers’ national insurance contributions would cost his business £1.2 … view

Petersham Nurseries blames Brexit and the Budget as its restaurants close: The family behind Petersham Nurseries has blamed Brexit, covid and the Budget as it announced it was closing its two Covent Garden restaurants for good. Floral Cou … view

Exclusive – Paul Moran to become Gusto Italian CEO: Paul Moran will succeed Matt Snell as chief executive of Gusto Italian, the Palatine and Beechbrook-backed, premium Italian restaurant and bar group, Propel has learned. Snell, who has … view

Exclusive – Maven Leisure exploring funding options: Maven Leisure, the venture from ETM Group’s co-founder Ed Martin, chief financial officer Landen Prescott Brann and non-executive chairman Graham Turner, has begun exploring funding … view

Gordon Ramsay strikes deal to merge UK and US operations: Gordon Ramsay has struck a deal to merge the UK and US operations of his restaurant group in a move that will bring in fresh investment from Lion Capital, the US private equity fir … view

Boparan Restaurant Group – 16 Slim Chickens in build, lines up airport site in Germany, signs 50-unit deal for Giraffe World Kitchen: Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) has told Propel it has up to 16 sites in build for its Slim Chickens br … view

Pret A Manger CEO – we are pivoting now to be more of a franchise first organisation, expect to open first drive-thru this year: Pret A Manger chief executive Pano Christou has said the company is pivoting now to be more of a franchise … view

We Do Play seeking franchisees for new concept ahead of potential rollout: We Do Play – the Flip Out, Activate and Putt Putt Social operator – is seeking franchisees for its new experiential concept ahead of a potential UK rollout. Pr … view

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Night Time Industries Association’s (NTIA) Night-Time Economy Summit 2025, at the Hockley Social Club in Birm … view

Strongarm Hospitality Group – we want to be a global, 360-degree operator in the next ten years: London luxury upmarket company Strongarm Hospitality Group has told Propel it has ambitions to be a global, 360-degree operator in the next … view