Exclusive – Sir Tim Martin – my ambition is to double JD Wetherspoon revenue to £4bn in ten years: JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin has told Propel he is aiming for the company to double its sales to £4bn in the next ten years … view

Exclusive – Wendy’s UK turnover passes £30m: Wendy’s UK, the British arm of the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, saw its turnover pass £30m in the year to 31 December 2023. Its revenue grew from £21,266,567 … view

We Do Play co-founder – Flip Out thriving, new concept Activate will be UK ‘game changer’, experiential sector ripe for consolidation: Richard Beese, the co-founder of multi-concept experiential leisure operator We Do Play, has reve … view

Exclusive – New World Trading Co to undergo restructuring process, to close three sites: Graphite Capital-backed pub restaurant group The New World Trading Company (NWTC) intends to restructure its business to focus on its large Botanis … view

Inception Group FY turnover up 16.7%, international expansion on the horizon for Mr Fogg’s: Inception Group, the London hospitality group, has said international expansion is on the horizon for its Mr Fogg’s brand. It comes as the com … view

Piano Works founder Alan Lorrimer leaves business: Alan Lorrimer, founder of The Piano Works, has left the business after starting it nine years ago with operations director Tristan Moffat. Chief financial officer and founding shareholder … view

Shepherd Neame reports a ‘positive and encouraging’ year with record revenue, current tenanted pub lfl income up 3.1% versus rest of 2024: South east brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame has reported a “positive and encouraging” yea … view

Swiss QSR platform acquires majority stake in Chopstix to drive expansion in UK and new European markets: Switzerland quick service restaurant platform QSRP has acquired a majority stake in Chopstix, the fast-growing, quick service restau … view

Swiss QSR platform acquires majority stake in Chopstix to drive expansion in UK and new European markets: Switzerland quick service restaurant platform QSRP has acquired a majority stake in Chopstix, the fast-growing, quick service restau … view

Foodservice inflation eases again but beverages drive month-on-month rise: Year-on-year inflation in foodservice eased to 2.8% in August 2024, the latest Foodservice Price Index report from Prestige Purchasing and CGA by NIQ shows. It is … view

Permanently Unique Group secures new £15m bank facility to fund UK and international expansion: Permanently Unique Group, the independent restaurant business formerly known as Tattu, has secured a new £15m revolving credit facility to f … view

Southern Fried Chicken chairman – now focusing on UK expansion, potential for 200-300 sites here: Andrew Withers, chairman of FFS Brands, has told Propel it is now focusing on expanding its Southern Fried Chicken restaurants in the UK a … view

Hard Rock Café UK reviewing operations and lease arrangement of London Piccadilly site, narrows losses as turnover hits record £32.5m: Hard Rock Café UK is reviewing the operations and lease arrangement of its site in London’s Piccad … view

Exclusive – Fairgame appoints advisors to accelerate expansion plans: Fairgame, the competitive socialising concept from Richard Hilton, the founder of Gymbox, and sector investor Paul Campbell has appointed advisors to advise on a fund … view

M&B reports year-to-date like-for-like sales up 5.2% with all brands in growth: Mitchells & Butlers has reported year-to-date like-for-like sales are up 5.2% with all brands in growth. Total sales for the year to date are up 5.9% with lik … view

Tortilla CEO – business now perfectly placed to own the cuisine across Europe, we’ve bucked the trading trend: Andy Naylor, chief executive of fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand Tortilla, has told Propel that the business is in a � … view

James Brown to step down as CEO of BrewDog Bars: James Brown is to step down as chief executive of BrewDog Bars, after almost two years in the role, and nine years with the Scottish brewer and retailer. Brown joined the business, which wa … view

Parkdean Resorts reports ‘encouraging’ trading in 2024 as staycation market bounces back after ‘very challenging’ 2023: Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s largest holiday park operator, has said trading has been “encouraging” in 202 … view

NTIA – ‘unprecedented crisis’ as rate of nightclub closures accelerates over past six months: The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has said the night-time economy is facing an “unprecedented crisis” with the rate of nigh … view

Dishoom posts strong growth in FY23 with revenue up 23% to £116.8m, achieves B Corp status: Dishoom, the Indian restaurant group, reported a strong period of growth in its most recent financial year, with revenue up 23% to £116.8m in th … view

D&D London owners in advanced talks to buy TGI Fridays UK: The owners of D&D London are in talks to buy the UK operations of TGI Fridays, whose parent company collapsed into administration last week. Breal Capital and Calveton, which acqu … view

Giggling Squid reports restaurant turnover up to £76.4m: Giggling Squid, the Thai restaurant brand backed by the Business Growth Fund, has reported restaurant turnover increased 4.3% to £76.4m for the year ending 31 March 2024, up from … view

GGA by NIQ – new wave of investment with growth generally coming from mid-sized operators, big boom in Asian cuisine: There is a new wave of investment in the sector and growth is generally coming from mid-sized operators, with a big bo … view

WSH acquires Genuine Dining as Luke Johnson exits business: WSH Group, the parent company of BaxterStorey and Benugo, has acquired catering company Genuine Dining with sector investor Luke Johnson exiting the business. Genuine Dining offe … view

Five Guys UK FY turnover tops £316m, continues to believe there are ‘strong growth prospects’ here: Better burger brand Five Guys saw its turnover in the UK for the year to 31 December 2023 increase 14% to £316,422,000 (2021: £278, … view

Julian Metcalfe – Itsu grocery will soon be bigger than the restaurant business, it’s taken 20 years of hard work to go head to head with McDonald’s on the high street: Itsu founder Julian Metcalfe has said the company’s grocery a … view

Sector sees sales increase 1.3% in August for second successive month of below-inflation growth: Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved “modest” year-on-year sales growth of 1.3% in August 2024, the latest edition of the CGA … view

Sector sees sales increase 1.3% in August for second successive month of below-inflation growth: Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved “modest” year-on-year sales growth of 1.3% in August 2024, the latest edition of the CGA … view

KFC UK MD – after several years of stabilising the business it’s about getting back to growth: Meg Farren, managing director of KFC UK & Ireland, has said after years of trying to stabilise and recover the foundations of the business, … view

Exclusive – Stonegate Group places 20-strong investment portfolio on market: Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has placed a 20-strong portfolio of investment sites on the market, with a combined asking price of just under … view

Arc Inspirations reports ‘year of transformation’ as revenue nears £50m: Arc Inspirations, the premium bar operator, has described the 12 months to 31 March 2024 as a “transformational year for the business”, as turnover increase … view

Gavin George to step down as Laine Pub Co CEO: Gavin George, chief executive of Laine Pub Company, is to step down from his day-to-day management role of the pub operator and brewer, and become a non-executive director within the wider Pu … view

Cubitt House reports lfl sales up 21.9% and makes ‘significant’ yoy Ebitda swing of more than £2m, looking to grow portfolio: London gastropub operator Cubitt House, which is backed by funds managed by TDR Capital, the owner of Sto … view

Exclusive – Flat Iron appoints advisors to explore strategic options: Flat Iron, the Piper-backed affordable steak concept, has appointed advisors to explore its strategic options, Propel has learned. The Tom Byng-led business, which op … view

Exclusive – Kerb CEO – we plan to open smaller format concept in London next year, vision is to be most impactful hospitality company in the world: Street food collective Kerb is planning to launch a smaller format food hall concept i … view

Exclusive – Inn Collection Group reports ‘incredibly robust’ current trading after turnover passes £50m: The Inn Collection Group has told Propel current trading is “incredibly robust” after turnover passed £50m in th … view

Sixes co-founder – franchising in the UK will allow us to focus on international expansion, keen to take on more premium city sites here: Andy Waugh, co-founder of Sixes, the cricket-based competitive socialising concept, has said franc … view

“Rumour Has It” was not only a romantic comedy featuring Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Costner in 2005 – and a chart-topping single for Adele in 2011 – but also aptly descri … view

New CEO pledges to ‘get back to what makes Starbucks, Starbucks’: Brian Niccol has laid out his vision for his first 100 days as chief executive of Starbucks, promising improvements to both operations and marketing while vowing to “ … view

Five Guys CEO – ready to load up our balance sheet for next stage of growth, three sites contributing £2m-plus profit each: John Eckbert, chief executive of Five Guys UK, has told Propel that the Sir Charles Dunstone-backed business is … view

Robin Rowland – unlikely to look at pizza or burgers, chicken has become a very crowded market: Robin Rowland, senior operating partner at sector investor firm TriSpan, has said when looking for his next investment he is unlikely to loo … view

Admiral Taverns acquires 18 freehold pubs from Marston’s: Admiral Taverns has made its second significant acquisition of the year after acquiring a portfolio of 18 freehold pubs from Marston’s for an undisclosed sum. The Proprium-back … view

Exclusive – Azzurri Group secures debut UK site for Dave’s Hot Chicken: Azzurri Group, the hospitality investment platform which operates ASK Italian, Zizzi, Coco di Mama and Boojum, has secured a UK debut site for Dave’s Hot Chicke … view