Latest Briefing Archive Tab News Tab Events Tab Advertising Tab Contact Tab
 
Search our Previous Briefings
 
New Archive Heading
Current
Feb 2024
Jan 2024
Dec 2023
Nov 2023
Oct 2023
Sep 2023
Aug 2023
Jul 2023
Jun 2023
May 2023
Apr 2023
Mar 2023
Feb 2023
Jan 2023
Dec 2022
Nov 2022
Oct 2022
Sep 2022
Aug 2022
Jul 2022
Jun 2022
May 2022
Apr 2022
Mar 2022
Feb 2022
Jan 2022
Dec 2021
Nov 2021
Oct 2021
Sep 2021
Aug 2021
Jul 2021
Jun 2021
May 2021
Apr 2021
Mar 2021
Feb 2021
Jan 2021
Dec 2020
Nov 2020
Oct 2020
Sep 2020
Aug 2020
Jul 2020
Jun 2020
May 2020
Apr 2020
Mar 2020
Feb 2020
Jan 2020
Dec 2019
Nov 2019
Oct 2019
Sep 2019
Aug 2019
Jul 2019
Jun 2019
May 2019
Apr 2019
Mar 2019
Feb 2019
Jan 2019
Dec 2018
Nov 2018
Oct 2018
Sep 2018
Aug 2018
Jul 2018
Jun 2018
May 2018
Apr 2018
Mar 2018
Feb 2018
Jan 2018
Dec 2017
Nov 2017
Oct 2017
Sep 2017
Aug 2017
Jul 2017
Jun 2017
May 2017
Apr 2017
Mar 2017
Feb 2017
Jan 2017
Dec 2016
Nov 2016
Oct 2016
Sep 2016
Aug 2016
Jul 2016
Jun 2016
May 2016
Apr 2016
Mar 2016
Feb 2016
Jan 2016
Dec 2015
Nov 2015
Oct 2015
Sep 2015
Aug 2015
Jul 2015
Jun 2015
May 2015
Apr 2015
Mar 2015
Feb 2015
Jan 2015
Dec 2014
Nov 2014
Oct 2014
Sep 2014
Aug 2014
Jul 2014
Jun 2014
May 2014
Apr 2014
Mar 2014
Feb 2014
Jan 2014
Dec 2013
Nov 2013
Oct 2013
Sep 2013
Aug 2013
Jul 2013
Jun 2013
May 2013
Apr 2013
Mar 2013
Feb 2013
Jan 2013
Dec 2012
Nov 2012
Oct 2012
Sep 2012
Aug 2012
Jul 2012
Jun 2012
May 2012
Apr 2012
Mar 2012
Feb 2012
 
 
Nory Banner
 
Knorr Banner
 
Alcumus Banner
 
St Austell Brewery Banner
 
Solo Coffee Banner
 
Heinz Banner
 
Quorn Banner
 
Heinz Banner
 
Meaningful Vision Banner
 
Mccain Banner
 
Jameson Banner
 
NSF Banner
 
Thatchers Banner
 
HDI Banner
 
UCC Coffee Banner
 
Propel Banner
 
Wireless Social Banner
 
Payments Managed Banner
 
Deliverect Banner
 
Hospitality Rising Banner
 
John Gaunt Banner
 
HGEM Banner
 
Venners Banner
 
Zonal Banner
 
Access Banner
 
Propel Banner
 
Christie & Co Banner
 
Kurve Banner
 
Bristol Syrup Co Banner
 
CACI Banner
 
Sector Banner
 
Airship – Toggle Banner
 
 
Monday 31st March 2014
Breaking News - Orchid reports busiest weekend ever
Orchid reports busiest day in company’s history: Orchid Pub Company has reported Mother’s Day was the busiest day in the company’s history with sales of £866,000. The weekend was boosted by the busiest Saturday in Orchid history th … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 31st March 2014
Breaking News - Wildwood owner to speed-up expansion after sales up 20%
Wildwood owner to speed-up expansion after sales up 20%: Wildwood operator Tasty has reported turnover up 20% to £23,192,000 and pre-tax profit of £1,742,000 (2012: £1,552,000) in the 52 weeks to 29 December 2013. Five new Wildwood and … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 31st March 2014
Propel Monday News Briefing
Rent review expert – new RICS guidance creates transparency: New RICS Guidelines on rent reviews have broken with the past by recommending that experts provide reasons for their decisions. The move is actually a u-turn on RICS plans to … view
................................................................................................
 
Saturday 29th March 2014
Breaking News - Novus reports l-f-ls down 3.1% in year after sale
Novus reports l-f-ls down 3.1% in year after sale: The London bar and nightclub operator Novus Leisure has reported like-for-like sales down 3.1% at sites that did not receive investment in the 48 weeks to 30 June 2013. The 47-strong company, … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 28th March 2014
Friday Opinion
Subjects: The future of British pubs, evolution of the nightclub sector, hospitality trade advocates working under the radar, and how the social revolution has passed
Authors: Martyn Cornell, Russell Margerrison, Nick Bish an … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 28th March 2014
Propel Friday News Briefing
Marston’s seeks £60m a year of pub disposals to pay for new-builds: Marston’s intends making around £60m a year of wet-led pub disposals over the next two years as it seeks to improve its return on capital employed (ROCE) and raise … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 27th March 2014
Breaking News - Grand Union to add 20 sites in three years
Grand Union to add 20 sites in three years: Grand Union, the London bar company led by Adam Marshall, is to add 20 sites in the next three years. Backed by industry investor Luke Johnson, who owns a 50% share in the cocktail and burger co … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 27th March 2014
Breaking News - Revolution vodka bar operator releases half-year figures
New Inventive unveils half-year figures: Revolution vodka bar operator New Inventive Bar Company, the company formerly known as Inventive Leisure, has announced sales were up by 5% to £59.0 million in the first half to 31 December 2013. Compa … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 27th March 2014
Breaking News - Fuller's buys Trafalger Square flagship
Fuller’s buys Trafalger Square flagship pub: Albannach, the Scottish-themed restaurant, bar and late night venue in London’s Trafalgar Square, has been acquired by Fuller’s for its Pie & Ale concept and will be renamed The Admiralty … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 27th March 2014
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Technomic and Propel Info partner to launch UK and US foodservice perspectives conference: Leading insights and research firm Technomic has partnered Propel Info to launch the first ever full-day conference that compares and contrasts cur … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 26th March 2014
Breaking News - Eclectic buys Lowlander, Covent Garden for roll-out
Eclectic reports sales and Ebitda up in maiden half year, buys Lowlander: Premium bar and nightclub company Eclectic has reported sales up 9.6% at £11.4 million (2012: £10.4 million) and company Ebitda, before adjusting items (predomina … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 26th March 2014
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Telegraph – Just Eat to float at price of 70 times earnings: Just Eat, the online takeaway food service, is expected to be valued at more than £1bn today as it unveils the price of its Initial Public Offering, according to The Daily Te … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 25th March 2014
Breaking News - Loungers plans up to 20 sites in 2015
Loungers plans up to 20 sites in 2015: Loungers, the café bar concept led by Alex Reilley and Jake Bishop and backed by Piper Private Equity, is to increase its opening rate next year with as many as 20 sites planned. The company is on t … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 25th March 2014
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Asian, bakery and coffee cafe categories lead sale growth among US largest 500 restaurant firms: The 500 largest US restaurant chains registered a 3.5% annual sales increase in 2013, a significant decline from 4.9% the prior year. Accordi … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 24th March 2014
Breaking News - Opinion Special

It’s official – personal licences will not be abolished by Paul Chase

The announcement today that the government will not abolish the personal licence comes as very welcome news indeed. In the past I have expressed some cynicism abou … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 24th March 2014
Breaking News - CAMRA boss quits to lead brewers' group
CAMRA boss quits to lead brewers’ group: The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has named Mike Benner, currently chief executive at the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) as its new managing director. Benner’s appointment follows a strategic … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 24th March 2014
Propel Monday News Briefing
Ed’s Easy Diner eyes 100 sites: Ed’s Easy Diner, the 1950s American diner brand, is eyeing expansion to 100 sites across the UK and is understood to have received private equity interest, according to The Times. The brand has expanded … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 21st March 2014
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Micropubs, the things that were missing from the Budget and the growth of Cumulative Impact Policies
Authors: Martyn Cornell, Kate Nicholls and Paul Chase

Micropubs – revolution or fad? … view

................................................................................................
 
Friday 21st March 2014
Propel Friday News Briefing
Technomic – two thirds of UK consumers eat pizza once a month: Nearly two thirds of UK consumers eat pizza at least once a month and a quarter dine on pizza weekly, research by the insights firm Technomic has found. The figures come cou … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 20th March 2014
Wahaca hits £1m pre-finance profit
Wahaca operator hits £1,000,000 profit market before finance charges: Mexican chain Wahaca, which was founded by Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers and whose ownership vehicle is called Oaxaca, has reported turnover rose more than 40% to … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 20th March 2014
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Starbucks boss – we are in chapter five of a 20 chapter book: If Starbucks was a 20 chapter book, the company is only in chapter four or five, according to chief executive Howard Schultz who outlined Starbucks unique position in the mar … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 19th March 2014
Budget Opinion Special

Budget Opinion Special by Andrew Ball

Chancellor George Osborne concluded today that “this is a Budget for the makers, the doers and the savers”. So which of these describes the hospitality sector? I think that we must sit in the doe … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 19th March 2014
Breaking News - Exclusive: Downing and Faucet launch craft beer concept
Downing and Faucet Inn to launch craft beer concept: The Craft Beer Pub Co, a new joint venture between the Downing Pub EIS Fund and Faucet Inns, has completed the purchase of The Pensioners in Southampton. The site is to be reopened following … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 19th March 2014
Breaking News - Horizons – eating out market producing clear winners
Horizons – eating out market producing clear winners: The eating out market is on the up, but consumer confidence is still very fragile and foodservice operators must be cautious in assuming the sector is in full-term recovery – altho … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 19th March 2014
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
KFC UK now one of Yum!’s biggest exporters of talent: KFC UK, which is planning 40 openings this year and has recorded seven consecutive years of like-for-like sales growth, is now one of parent company Yum! Brands' largest exporters of … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 18th March 2014
Breaking News - Spirit reports like-for-like acceleration
Spirit reports like-for-like acceleration: Spirit Pub Company has reported that like-for-like net sales grew 6.1% in the eight weeks to 1 March, up from 4.8% in the 28 weeks to 1 March. Food sales like-for-likes rose 6.7% while drink sale … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 18th March 2014
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
TLC Inns secures third Grand Central site, wins bank backing for another four to six: TLC Inns, the operator of pubs and restaurants led by Steve and Jo Haslam, has secured its third Grand Central Bar and Grill site. The company is comple … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 17th March 2014
Propel Monday News Briefing
Luke Johnson says IPO is ‘an option we’re considering’ as Patisserie Valerie sales rise 21%: Results due to be filed at Companies House this week are due to show that Patisserie Valerie’s parent company saw sales rise 21% for the … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 14th March 2014
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Pro-pub nonsense, the issues occupying operators and property market saturation
Opinions: Martyn Cornell, Ann Elliott and Richard Negus

More un-thought-out nonsense from the ‘pro-pub’ … view

................................................................................................
 
Friday 14th March 2014
Propel Friday News and JDW results
Wetherspoon sees like-for-like food sales rise 10.5%: JD Wetherspoon this morning announced a rise in life-for-like food sales of 10.5% for the six months to 26 January over the same period last year, as bar sales rose 3.6%, helping give … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 13th March 2014
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Pub and restaurant like-for-likes up 0.2% in February: Pub and restaurant groups had a flat February with collective like-for-like sales up just 0.2% on the same month last year. The London market performed best, with a like-for-like increase … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 12th March 2014
Breaking News - Vapiano decides to franchise outside of London
Vapiano decides to franchise outside of London: Vapiano, the Italian fresh casual dining restaurant group, is looking for entrepreneurial franchise partners as part of its expansion across the UK. The internationally successful group has … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 12th March 2014
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Eataly sells 20% stake for €120m: Foodservice phenomenon Eataly, which is eyeing an opening in London, has sold a 20% stake to Tamburi Investment Partners (TIP), as part of a plan to list the rapidly-expanding retailer on the Italian st … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 11th March 2014
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Mercedes-Benz cafe concept advised by former M&B executive to open in May: A Mercedes-Benz cafe bar concept Mercedes Me, Lounge-Cafe, for which the former Mitchells & Butlers marketing executive David Singleton has provided consultancy, … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 10th March 2014
Propel Friday News Briefing
Body Text Here … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 10th March 2014
Propel Monday News Briefing
Liberal Democrats pass policy motion to give pub tenants right to buy freehold if pub company puts site on market: Liberal Democrats has passed a policy motion, “A Better More Sustainable future for British pubs”, at their Spring conf … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 7th March 2014
Breaking News - Stonegate hires Longbottom as chief executive
Stonegate Pub Company hires Longbottom as chief executive: Stonegate Pub Company has hired Simon Longbottom as chief executive in the wake of the departure of Toby Smith. Longbottom, who was formerly managing director of Greene King’s t … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 7th March 2014
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Snapchat, what the best companies have in common, licensing fees roadshow, the cues from Tesco
Authors: Martyn Cornell, Chris Edger, Paul Chase and Darren Tristano

Why brands should be hi … view

................................................................................................
 
Friday 7th March 2014
Breaking News - Kevin Todd resigns as Rosinter chief executive
Kevin Todd resigns as Rosinter chief executive: Former Mitchells & Butlers executive Kevin Todd has resigned from the role of chief executive of Rosinter, one of Russia’s largest restaurant groups with 420 business units in ten countries. Br … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 7th March 2014
Propel Friday News Briefing
New crowdfunding rules, to apply from next month, will limit amount of personal wealth invested: New crowdfunding rules from the City regulator, coming into force next month, will guide investors to put no more than 10% of their money int … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 6th March 2014
Breaking News - McDonald’s UK introduces free fruit on Fridays
McDonald’s UK introduces free fruit on Fridays: McDonald’s UK is introducing ‘Free Fruit Fridays’ to help children on their way to 5-a-day on the first Friday of each month. On ‘Free Fruit Fridays’, McDonald’s will be boosting it … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 6th March 2014
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Local authorities show little appetite to set licensing fees at Home Office roadshow: The Home Office hosted the first of four roadshows on Tuesday in Manchester to discuss the current consultation on local authorities setting their own l … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 5th March 2014
Breaking News - Deutsche Bank mulls options for Orchid
Deutsche Bank mulls options for Orchid: Deutsche Bank is mulling options for the 230-strong Orchid Pub Company it owns in the wake of offers to buy the company from investors who would like to establish it as a platform for a larger manag … view
................................................................................................
 
Wednesday 5th March 2014
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Downing reports £15.3m investment in pub sector in 2013 – plans up to £30m in further investment: Investment fund Downing invested circa £15.3m in the pub sector in 2013 – and would like to invest as much as £30m in the next 18 mo … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 4th March 2014
Breaking News - Greene King pledges to recruit 2,000 apprentices in 2014
Greene King pledges to recruit 2,000 apprentices in 2014: Greene King has pledged to recruit over 2,000 apprentices in 2014 to follow a “new and improved career path, which now includes advanced management qualifications that provide a … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 4th March 2014
Breaking News - Toby Smith steps down as Stonegate chief executive
Toby Smith steps down as CEO of Stonegate: Stonegate Pub Company has announced today that chief executive Toby Smith has informed the board of his intention to leave the Company as soon as a suitable successor can be appointed. Toby joine … view
................................................................................................
 
Tuesday 4th March 2014
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
MPs – business rates are not fit for purpose: The current system of business rates is not fit for purpose and is in need of “fundamental reforms” in order to help retailers and boost local economies, a group of MPs has stated. A rep … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 3rd March 2014
Breaking News - Mitchells & Butlers pledges 1,000 new apprenticeships
Mitchells & Butlers pledges 1,000 new apprenticeships: Mitchells & Butlers has pledged it will recruit 1,000 new skills-based apprentices over the next two years, to work across its brands including All Bar One, Browns, Harvester, Miller … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 3rd March 2014
Breaking News - Opinion special: Tim Martin on VAT reduction progress

How democracy works by Tim Martin

Winston Churchill famously said that democracy was the worst political system – apart from the alternatives. Say what you like about our politicians, but at least none had a stately Spanish galleon in … view
................................................................................................
 
Monday 3rd March 2014
Propel Monday News Briefing
Douglas Jack – 3% minimum wage increase removes greatest source of immediate forecast risk: Numis Securities leisure analyst Douglas Jack has argued the proposed 3% rise in the minimum wage in October removes the greatest forecast risk … view
................................................................................................