Subjects: What the new Employment Rights Bill means for hospitality, a winning intersection of technology and genuine hospitality, are youngsters really drinking less alcohol, is a ‘best of breed’ technology stack the right way to go< … view

TGI Fridays agrees to pay staff after redundancy row: The restaurant group TGI Fridays has agreed to pay workers the money they are owed after being made redundant, despite initially refusing to do so. More than 1,000 staff lost their job … view

Patisserie Valerie turns to franchising to help rebuild its estate, plans 20 new locations by 2026: Patisserie Valerie, which is backed by Irish private equity firm Causeway Capital, has turned to franchising to rebuild its estate. The br … view

Toca raises $100m to accelerate global expansion: Toca Football, the soccer experience company, has raised circa $100m (£76.4m) in private offerings to accelerate its global growth by investing in new technologies, upgrade its Toca Socce … view

Luke Johnson acquires cinema and entertainment operator The Light: Cinema and entertainment operator The Light has been acquired by serial sector investor Luke Johnson and Risk Capital Partners along with a co-investment from Melcorpo, ci … view

Loungers CEO – decent like-for-like growth in Brightside, new menu saw virtually no price increase ‘for first time in some time’: Nick Collins, chief executive of café bar operator Loungers, has told Propel that its Brightside conc … view

Amid the buzz of party conference season, the awful weather and chatter about which politicians received free clothes, 30 September passed by almost unnoticed. I’m willing to bet mos … view

Marston’s FY lfl sales up 4.8%: Marston’s, the operator of 1,339 pubs, has reported a 4.8% rise in like-for-like sales for the 52 weeks to 28 September 2024, with food and drink occasions having “shown good momentum”. The company … view

KellyDeli UK launches new partnership with Morrisons, seeing positive like-for-like performance and improved profitability in 2024: KellyDeli, the owner of international sushi franchise Sushi Daily, has launched a new UK partnership with … view

Amber Taverns looking to expand geographical reach following Epiris deal, trading ‘solid’ in 2024: James Baer, chief executive of community pub operator Amber Taverns, has told Propel it will look to expand its geographical reac … view

Amber Taverns acquired by Big Table Group backer Epiris: Amber Taverns, the community pub operator, has been acquired by Epiris, the private equity backer of Big Table Group, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition has been made through E … view

Blind Tiger Inns’ ‘adult playground’ concept could be ‘blueprint for future venues’, challenges ‘encouraging us to explore new opportunities’: Blind Tiger Inns managing director Chris Tulloch has told Propel its new “adul … view

D&D owners could finalise rescue bid for TGI Fridays this weekend: The owners of D&D London could finalise rescue bid for TGI Fridays this weekend, salvaging more than 2,000 jobs. Sky News has reported that Breal Capital and Calveton, whi … view

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