M&B reports profit boost in full year: Mitchells & Butlers has reported like-for-like sales rose 3.5% and total sales rose to £2,237m ((2018: £2,152m) in the year to 28 September. Profit before tax was up £47m to £177m. Chief executiv … view

Market Halls to be sector consolidator, says founder: Andy Lewis-Pratt, co-founder and chief executive of food hall operator Market Halls, has said the company plans to be a “consolidator” in the fast-growing sector. Speaking at the l … view

Exclusive – Tossed parent company to undergo CVA due to underperforming Vital Ingredient sites: The parent company of Tossed, the London-based healthy eating brand, is to undergo a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), after suffering a … view

Yau working with Obica on new concept: Wagamama and Hakkasan founder Alan Yau is working with international mozzarella bar chain Obica on a new concept called Mozzasando, Propel understands. Described as a “homage to katsu sando” with … view

Azzurri sees full-year like-for-like growth across entire business, transformational year for Coco di Mama: Azzurri Group, the owner of ASK Italian, Zizzi, Coco di Mama and Radio Alice, has reported a 7% increase in group sales to £299.4 … view

In recent years restaurant clos … view

Chilango looks to restructure: City AM has reported that Mexican brand Chilango is in talks to secure its long-term future with restructuring firm RSM and is more than six weeks late posting its accounts. City AM added that the firm is co … view

More pub sector deals to come – but not Young’s, says Patrick Dardis: Patrick Dardis, chief executive of London pub retailer Young’s, has told Propel he believes there will be more pub sector deals to come – but his company won’ … view

Young’s sees managed like-for-likes up 5.1% in past 13 weeks as it reports first-half record Ebitda: London pub retailer Young’s has reported strong trading in the most recent 13 weeks of its financial year with managed house revenue … view

Ex-Deliveroo MD to launch Imbiba-backed immersive food hall concept: Dan Warne, who stepped down as managing director of Deliveroo earlier this year, is to launch an immersive food hall concept, backed by sector investors Imbiba. Shelter … view

Peel Hunt – bowling operators and wet-led pubs to benefit as rise of food delivery puts emphasis on experiences: Peel Hunt leisure analysts Douglas Jack and Ivor Jones have said they expect bowling operators and wet-led pubs to benefit … view

Sourced Market to focus growth on travel locations: Sourced Market, the hybrid deli and dining brand, is to focus growth on travel locations for the immediate future, Propel has learned. Sourced Market opened its fifth site this summer in … view

Sector like-for-likes down 0.6% in October as rugby fails to ignite sales: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw like-for-like sales dip 0.6% in October, with the Rugby World Cup providing little if any extra boost for bar sal … view

Punch sets out ambitious investment and acquisition strategy: Punch, which operates 1,250 tenanted, leased and management partnership pubs, has set out its ambitious investment and acquisition strategy. The Clive Chesser-led company, whi … view

PizzaExpress reports UK and Ireland like-for-likes down 1.1% as owner prepares to inject £80m: PizzaExpress has seen like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland fall 1.1% for the 13 weeks to 29 September 2019. Ebitda for the UK and Ireland … view

Camerons Brewery reports turnover and Ebitda boost: Camerons Brewery has reported turnover increased 14% to £84.1m for the year ending 5 May 2019, compared with £74.0m the previous year. Revenue from pubs was up to £22.0m compared with … view

Easterbrook to keep stock awards worth circa $37m; McDonald’s global chief people officer also quits: Steve Easterbrook, who was fired over the weekend as chief executive of McDonald’s for having a consensual relationship with an empl … view

Julia Wilkinson – high streets must prioritise experiences through in-store initiatives, dining and leisure: Julia Wilkinson, portfolio and group restaurant strategy executive at Shaftesbury, has said high streets must increasingly “p … view

Marston’s sells 137 pubs to Admiral Taverns for £44.9m: Marston’s has reached agreement for the disposal of 137 pubs for £44.9 million to Admiral Taverns. This disposal is in line with Marston’s plans to reduce its debt in part th … view

Nick Campbell – we’ll grow Simmons Bars to 25 sites before rolling out beyond London: Simmons Bars owner Nick Campbell has told Propel the company will look to expand its 16-strong London estate outside the capital in 2021 but initial … view

McDonald's opens first UK ‘dark kitchen’ to meet delivery demand: McDonald’s has opened its first UK “dark kitchen” in a bid to meet a boom in demand for home deliveries. The kitchen in Hanworth, west London, is not attached to … view

Starbucks beats revenue and profit estimates: Starbucks beat analyst sales and profit estimates yesterday, driven by new stores, digital ordering and delivery in China, and cold drinks in the United States. Total net revenue for the world … view

Yum! Brands reports KFC UK sales up 6% in third quarter and 14% year to date following last year's delivery saga: Yum! Brands has reported KFC system sales in the UK rose 6% for the third quarter ended 30 September 2019, compared with the … view

Pubs, bars and restaurants remain optimistic despite recruitment and retention concerns: The majority (90%) of pubs, bars and restaurants remain optimistic about their future despite challenges surrounding staff recruitment and retention, … view

GBK rent-to-sales ratio down to 9.5% following CVA, change of managing director: Famous Brands has revealed the rent-to-sales ratio at Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) has fallen from 17.5% to 9.5% following its company voluntary arrangement … view

Gourmet Burger Kitchen reports like-for like sales up 8.6%: Famous Brands has reported its Gourmet Burger Kitchen business saw like-for-like sales increase by 8.6% in the six months to 31 August. The company stated: “In line with manage … view

Watch House Coffee secures investment for growth: London-based speciality coffee concept Watch House Coffee is set for further expansion in the capital after securing £2.1m of new investment, Propel has learned. The initial investment wa … view

Like many towns up and down the country, Do … view

The Times – Fortress frontrunner in buying Marston’s package: The Times has reported that The New York-based investment company that acquired Majestic Wine in August wants to invest in the pub sector. The newspaper stated: “Fortress … view

Comptoir Libanais founder – high rents still hampering opening opportunities: Comptoir Libanais founder Tony Kitous has told Propel that despite there being plenty of empty units in prime locations he finds attractive for his Lebanese c … view

C&C Group reports revenue and operating profit boost: Tennent’s and Magners producer C&C Group has reported revenue up 13.5% to 874.9m euros in the six months ended 31 August 2019. Operating profit rose by 9.2% to 63.8m euros. Stephen G … view

Fuller’s boss – Cotswold Inns & Hotels deal gives us ‘critical mass’ in untapped part of England: Simon Emeny, chief executive of premium pubs and hotels business Fuller’s, has told Propel its £40m deal for Cotswold Inns & Hote … view

Chipotle reports like-for-likes up 11%, shifts property strategy to drive-thrus: Chipotle has reported like-for-like sales rose 11% in its Third Quarter, with total sales up 14.6% to $1.4bn. It opened 25 sites and closed one. Digital sale … view

McDonald’s UK delivery surges in popularity to account for more than 10% of all business: Paul Pomroy, chief executive of McDonald’s UK & Ireland, said the group’s ongoing growth had been particularly driven by a surge in the popula … view

Admiral Taverns completes acquisition of 150 Star Pubs & Bars sites: Tenanted operator Admiral Taverns has completed the acquisition of 150 tenanted community pubs from Star Pubs & Bars. The company stated: “The acquisition of the natio … view

BrewDog to offer mini-bond that partly pays lenders in beer, signs India bar deal: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog is to issue a new mini-bond that will pay lenders partly in beer. The company will launch the offer on crowdfunding pl … view