Nick Ayerst to join Gail’s as its new MD: Nick Ayerst, who will step down as chief executive of Comptoir Group next month, is to join fast-growing bakery brand Gail’s as its new managing director. Ayerst, who will report into Marta Pogroszewska, who heads up parent company Bread Holdings, will join the circa 155-strong business at the end of March. He spent two and a half years leading Comptoir Group and previously to that he was managing director of Leon for 15 months. He also spent more than seven years as managing director of The Restaurant Group Concessions. At the same time, Bread Holdings has promoted Dan Barrett to managing director of The Bread Factory. Pogroszewska said: “As we grow, we are building our Bread Holdings team and our business from strength to strength so that we can continue delivering high quality at scale and with positive impact on the world around us. With that in mind, we are strengthening our team with two brilliant managing directors for The Bread Factory and Gail’s. For the last three years Dan was the managing director of our (Gail’s) wholesale business. Prior to that he worked at Innocent Drinks, Deliciously Ella, Deloitte and BT. He has amassed a wealth of experience and many successes throughout his career. He is devoted to The Bread Factory and our ambition to become one of top bakeries in the world, with a passionate focus on quality, impact and scale. I’m also very pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Ayerst as managing director of Gail's. Nick’s extensive industry experience and people focused leadership will strengthen our team for the growth ahead and will contribute to our ambitious plans. Our entire team is excited and looking forward to working with Dan and Nick in their new roles.” It comes as Gail’s gears up to open its “ambitious 'Moonshot' Bakery, our most sustainable project yet” on Thursday (23 January) in London’s Southwark. Located in the former London Fire Brigade station in Southwark Bridge Road, the company said the site will serve as an ideal venue to explore “innovative ideas addressing environmental and social challenges”. All materials in the store have been “designed for reusability” including counters that can be disassembled, leftover tiles from previous bakery fitouts, and recycled timber floorings. The business has also adopted sustainable features to the design of the shop, with sensors adjusting the lighting levels based on natural light and optimising energy throughout the day. Original features of the historic building have been preserved, and PVC materials have been replaced with stainless steel. Countertops and front panels will be made from 100% recycled and recyclable materials, including 3D printed lighting fixtures to reduce waste. The brand plans to open between 30 to 40 new bakeries this year, with further sites in the capital set to open in the coming weeks in Stoke Newington and Primrose Hill. Last month, Gail’s opened its first site in a major travel hub location – in London’s St Pancras station. The business followed this up with an opening in London Bridge station. Comptoir Group and Gail’s feature in the Propel 500 report, an unparalleled resource that profiles the UK’s leading hospitality operators ranked by turnover – which is available now. This comprehensive report provides more than 90,000 words of analysis, delving into company histories, leadership structures, site numbers and financial performance, making it an essential resource for industry professionals. A list of the operators included can be discovered now by visiting the Propel 500 page on Propel’s website. The guide is delivered in two parts: an introductory PDF, featuring deep dives into the top 25 companies and 6,500 words of insight from Propel’s expert writers, and a fully searchable Excel sheet, offering easy access to all the data. Key highlights include Mark Wingett’s exploration of mergers and acquisitions shaping the Top 500’s future, Tim Street’s view of the UK’s franchise market, and Phil Pemberton’s insights into experiential leisure as a hospitality cornerstone. Katherine Doggrell examines developments in UK hotels, while Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, identifies emerging growth sectors, and Maria Vanifatova, founder of Meaningful Vision, analyses trends in quick service restaurants Propel 500 is available now for £595 plus VAT. Existing Premium Club members can purchase it for £395 plus VAT. Premium Club members will receive the report for free on Friday, 28 February at 9am. Order the Propel 500 report today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com. 

Police chiefs call for lower drink-driving limit ‘to punish drivers who consume anything more than a small glass of beer’: Police chiefs are calling for a change in the law to lower the drink-drive limit after road fatalities soared to a 13-year high. The National Police Chiefs Council and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners want tougher laws to punish drivers who consume anything more than a small glass of beer, reports The Daily Mail. The legal limit in England is currently 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. But body mass, gender and how quickly the body absorbs alcohol mean individuals are impacted differently by drinking, and even tiny amounts of alcohol can impair driving. On average, if a man has more than two pints, they will likely be over the drink-drive limit. For women, having more than one pint or standard glass of wine could put them over the legal limit. The British Medical Association also wants to reduce the limit by nearly half, to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood for the majority of drivers, and 20mg for new and commercial drivers. This would equate to only a small glass of wine or beer. In 2022, drink-drive fatalities hit a record high, with 300 people killed in collisions, the highest since 2009. The latest data shows that in 2022, 18% of road deaths were drink-drive related, which is the same as in 1987. Police chiefs now say a consultation is needed to determine what the alcohol limit should be.