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Friday 31st August 2018
Update: Wetherspoon faces strike action, Restaurant Group, Aston Manor sale
JD Wetherspoon facing first strike by staff in company’s history: JD Wetherspoon is facing its first strike action by pub staff in the company’s history. The company has revealed the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has gi … view
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Friday 31st August 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Child-sized portions, inspiring the next Miss Independent and MUP not all it's cracked up to be
Authors: Glynn Davis, Ann Elliott and Simon Russell

Child-sized portions by Glynn Davis

view
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Friday 31st August 2018
Whitbread to sell Costa to Coca-Cola for £3.9bn, Restaurant Group LfLs improve
Whitbread to sell Costa to Coca-Cola for £3.9bn: Whitbread has entered into an agreement for the sale of Costa to The Coca-Cola Company for an enterprise value of £3.9 billion. The sale of Costa for an enterprise value of £3.9 billion, … view
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Friday 31st August 2018
The Restaurant Group buys Food & Fuel for £14.91m to add to Brunning & Price division
The Restaurant Group buys Food & Fuel for £14.91m to add to Brunning & Price division: London gastro-pub operator Food & Fuel has sold the entire share capital of the business to The Restaurant Group’s Brunning & Price division for £14.91m … view
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Friday 31st August 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
Starbucks franchisee targets 150-strong estate following further £3.6m investment from Connection Capital: Following an initial £5.6m growth capital investment in 2015, Connection Capital has invested a further £3.6m into Starbucks UK … view
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Thursday 30th August 2018
Downing makes £4.7m investment in new gastro-pubs
Downing makes £4.7m investment in new gastro-pubs: Downing has provided £4.7m of equity to Apprise Pubs, a pub company seeking to acquire closed freehold sites in the Home Counties and convert them into high-quality gastro-pubs. The pubs wil … view
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Thursday 30th August 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Australian virtual reality gaming centre to open debut UK site: Australian free-roam virtual reality gaming centre Zero Latency is bringing its experience to the UK. The company has agreed a deal to open MeetspaceVR at the Intu Victoria s … view
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Wednesday 29th August 2018
PizzaExpress reports 'resilient performance' in UK and Ireland in first half
PizzaExpress reports ‘resilient performance’ in UK and Ireland in first half: PizzaExpress has reported a “resilient performance” in the UK and Ireland for the 26 weeks ending 1 July 2018 while its international business continues to e … view
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Wednesday 29th August 2018
Pubs Code adjudicator expresses concern over pub ‘forfeitures, seizures and abandonments’
Pubs Code adjudicator expresses concern over pub ‘forfeitures, seizures and abandonments’: Pubs Code adjudicator (PCA) Paul Newby has written to pub companies regulated by the Pubs Code after the 2016-2018 compliance reports revealed areas … view
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Wednesday 29th August 2018
Update: Richoux Group and Dalata Hotel Group
Richoux Group reports plans to raise £1.1m as it reports cost headwinds: Richoux Group, the owner and operator of 18 restaurants under the Richoux, Villagio, Friendly Phil’s, Zintino and The Broadwick brands, has provided a trading upd … view
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Wednesday 29th August 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Nestle and Starbucks sign marketing deal: Nestlé and Starbucks have signed a deal granting Nestlé the perpetual rights to market Starbucks consumer packaged goods and foodservice products globally, outside of the company’s coffee shop … view
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Tuesday 28th August 2018
BGF makes £7.5m investment in Purity Brewing Co
BGF makes £7.5m investment in Purity Brewing Co: Purity Brewing Co, one of the UK’s largest independent breweries, has received a £7.5m investment from the Business Growth Fund (BGF) to support its organic growth strategy. Founded in 2005 … view
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Tuesday 28th August 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
McDonald’s under fire over chicken welfare: McDonald’s is under fire from animal welfare activists who have said the chickens it uses for food suffer heart failure and lameness because they are forced to grow fat too quickly. Menu ite … view
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Friday 24th August 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Eight key operational challenges, plastic straws, the role of marketers and thoughts on Tim Martin’s Brexit views
Authors: Martin Wolstencroft, Greg Sage, James Hacon and David Read

The … view

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Friday 24th August 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
Greene King launches industry's first compostable straw solution: Brewer and retailer Greene King will introduce compostable PLA straws across its entire UK estate of 1,750 pubs as part of its pledge to send zero waste to landfill by 2020 … view
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Thursday 23rd August 2018
BrewDog reports sales up 55% in first half
BrewDog reports sales up 55% in first half: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has reported total revenue of £78m in its first half, up by 55% versus this time last year. Revenue of the brewery’s bar division is up 92%, generating an incr … view
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Thursday 23rd August 2018
Update: Fulham Shore, Grosvenor Pubs, Jollibee, Mosaic Pub & Dining
Fulham Shore – encouraging revenue increases, more properties coming on the market: Franco Manca operator Fulham Shore has reported an “increased revenue” trend ahead of its AGM today. David Page, chairman of the company, stated: … view
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Thursday 23rd August 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Jamie Oliver – 'I don't know anyone in the restaurant industry that's doing high fives at the moment': Jamie Oliver has said he does not know "anyone in the industry that's doing high fives at the moment" as he described the struggle fo … view
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Wednesday 22nd August 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Flour Pot Bakery reveals 'numerous' investment approaches, launches cafe/restaurant model for sixth site: Brighton and Hove-based artisan bakehouse Flour Pot Bakery has revealed it has received "numerous" investment approaches and is cons … view
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Tuesday 21st August 2018
M&B buys Luke Johnson’s share in 3Sixty
M&B buys Luke Johnson’s share in 3Sixty: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has formed a joint venture with 3Sixty Restaurants, led by James Horler, to accelerate the expansion of the Ego brand. M&B has bought sector investor Luke Johnson’s minorit … view
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Tuesday 21st August 2018
YO! Sushi sees turnover more than double to £200m following acquisitions, continues to diversify model
YO! Sushi sees turnover more than double to £200m following acquisitions, continues to diversify business model: YO! Sushi has seen turnover more than double to circa £200m following its acquisitions of Bento Sushi and Taiko Foods, Propel un … view
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Tuesday 21st August 2018
Tim Martin – free trade deal will not hike food prices

Opinion Special: Free trade deal will not hike food prices, argues Tim Martin

Like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, the cyborg assassin, fictional scare stories about food price rises post-Brexit refuse to die. For example, the Sund … view
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Tuesday 21st August 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Luke Johnson part of consortium that acquires Hereford hotel: A consortium of predominantly Herefordshire-based investors, including sector investor Luke Johnson, has acquired The Green Dragon Hotel in Hereford. Johnson, who lives near Ma … view
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Monday 20th August 2018
Propel Monday News Briefing
Managed pub like-for-likes up 2.7% in July but restaurant sales plummet 4.8%: The heatwave in July was good news for Britain’s pubs but heaped more pressure on the country’s restaurant chains, the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker … view
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Monday 20th August 2018
Managed pub like-for-likes up 2.7% in July but restaurant sales plummet 4.8%
Managed pub like-for-likes up 2.7% in July but restaurant sales plummet 4.8%: The heatwave in July was good news for Britain’s pubs but heaped more pressure on the country’s restaurant chains, the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker … view
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Saturday 18th August 2018
Outstanding £1.1m owed by three Handmade Burger Company directors to business ‘likely to be irrecoverable’
Outstanding £1.1m owed by three Handmade Burger Company directors to business ‘likely to be irrecoverable’: An outstanding directors loan account (DLA) of £1.1m owed by three Handmade Burger Company directors is “likely to be irrecover … view
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Friday 17th August 2018
Update: Hakkasan results, McDonald's $6bn US investment, Crowdcube landmark
Hakkasan streamlines portfolio to focus on ‘core performing assets’ as pre-tax losses jump to $145.5m, UK revenue down 11%: UK-based restaurant and nightclub company Hakkasan Group has revealed it has been streamlining its portfolio t … view
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Friday 17th August 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Pushed to the periphery, rise of the operators, adding value through food and don’t forget the milk
Authors: Glynn Davis, John Upton, Paul Farr and Ann Elliott

Pushed to the periphery b … view

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Friday 17th August 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
Brakspear to focus on opening bigger managed sites as Frogmill development gives company ‘new dimension’: Tom Davies, chief executive of Henley-based pub operator and brewer Brakspear, has told Propel the opening of its largest site t … view
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Thursday 16th August 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Gavin Adair – Rosa’s Thai Cafe ‘consistently trading well above Coffer Peach Tracker, super property deals all over the place’: Rosa’s Thai Cafe managing director Gavin Adair has told Propel the company is consistently trading w … view
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Wednesday 15th August 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Vegan expectations rise as negative reviews increase 5%: Vegan expectations are rising highlighted by an increase in the number of negative reviews, according to new research by guest feedback, recovery and social reviews service Feed It … view
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Tuesday 14th August 2018
Brakspear reports managed like-for-likes up 5% as turnover increases 11%
Brakspear reports managed like-for-likes up 5% as turnover increases 11%: JT Davies & Sons, the parent company of Henley-based pub operator and brewer Brakspear, has reported managed like-for-like sales increased 5% for the year ending 31 Dece … view
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Tuesday 14th August 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Friends of Ham saved from administration: Leeds-based bar and charcuterie brand Friends of Ham has been saved from administration by an independent buyer. The business, which has sites in Leeds and Ilkley, published a notice on The Gazett … view
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Monday 13th August 2018
Peach Pubs reports like-for-likes up 2.4%
Peach Pub Company reports like-for-likes up 2.4%: Peach Pub Company has reported like-for-like sales increased 2.4% for the year ending 7 January 2018. The company, which operates 20 gastro-pubs, said it had emerged from a challenging trading … view
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Monday 13th August 2018
Propel Monday News Briefing
Greene King reports 141% surge in apprenticeship applications: Brewer and retailer Greene King has reported applications for its apprenticeship programme have surged 141% following its 2016 pledge to take on 10,000 apprentices. This year … view
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Sunday 12th August 2018
Vagabond secures £3.5m Imbiba investment
Vagabond secures £3.5m Imbiba investment: Vagabond, the London-based wine bar business, has received £3.5m of growth capital investment from Imbiba, the UK leisure and hospitality specialist investor. Founded in 2010 by Stephen Finch as a re … view
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Friday 10th August 2018
Update: Gaucho, taxation and Diageo
Gaucho boss – we’re discussing expansion opportunities with potential buyers, ‘business as usual’ despite administration: Gaucho chief executive Oliver Meakin has said the company is discussing expansion opportunities with potenti … view
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Friday 10th August 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Long live the new-build, back in the real world, let’s keep it positive, and make it personal
Authors: Glynn Davis, Paul Chase, Elton Mouna and David Charlton

Long live the new-build by … view

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Friday 10th August 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
Corks and Kegs to open 18 more UK sites for desi brand Burger Singh: London-based Corks and Kegs is set to open 18 further UK sites for Indian desi brand Burger Singh in the next three years. Burger Singh already has two UK sites – in C … view
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Thursday 9th August 2018
Wagamama reports full-year UK like-for-likes up 7.4%
Wagamama reports full-year UK like-for-likes up 7.4%: Wagamama has reported UK like-for-like sales increased 7.4% for the year ending 29 April 2018. Group turnover increased 13.0% to £300.6m. Adjusted Ebitda was up 0.4% to £45.7m compared wi … view
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Thursday 9th August 2018
Update: Adnams, Cineworld and Easyhotel
Adnams reports First Half loss despite increased turnover: Suffolk brewer and retailer has reported a First Half loss as it beds in investments in its brewery and retail estate. Chairman Jonathan Adnams said: “After an exceptional year … view
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Thursday 9th August 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Greene King executives opt to freeze salaries as company looks to control costs: Executive directors of brewer and retailer Greene King have had their salaries frozen this year – by themselves. Chief executive Rooney Anand and chief fin … view
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Wednesday 8th August 2018
Update: BigDish sets out plan to bring dynamic pricing to UK restaurant sector, JDW
BigDish sets out plan to bring dynamic pricing to UK restaurant sector: BigDish, the food tech company that operates a yield management platform for restaurants, has provided an update on its UK growth strategy. BigDish completed the 100% … view
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Wednesday 8th August 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Rockfish reports like-for-likes up 15% as it closes on three new sites: Rockfish, the seafood restaurant group founded by Mitch Tonks, has reported like-for-like growth of 15% in the quarter to July ahead of three planned openings in the … view
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Tuesday 7th August 2018
Domino’s reports like-for-like sales up 5.9% in First Half
Domino’s reports like-for-like sales up 5.9% in First Half: Domino’s Pizza has reported group system sales up 12.8% to £616.6m in the 26 weeks to 1 July. UK system sales were up 8.3% with 22 new stores and 5.9% like-for-like growth ( … view
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Tuesday 7th August 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Benito’s Hat aims to double company estate following £1m investment, opportunity to add ‘significant numbers’ through franchising: Michael Pearson, managing director of Mexican restaurant brand Benito’s Hat, has told Propel he ex … view
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Monday 6th August 2018
Benito's Hat secures £1m to fuel UK growth
Benito’s Hat secures £1m to fuel UK growth: Mexican restaurant Benito’s Hat has secured £1m to fund a three-year growth plan in London and throughout the UK. Coinciding with the brand’s tenth anniversary, the investment comes entirely … view
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Monday 6th August 2018
Update: Restaurants market position, price of a pint, Eddie Rocket’s
Douglas Jack – restaurants are worst-placed going forward: Peel Hunt leisure analyst Douglas Jack has argued that restaurants are the worst-placed leisure sector segment going forward in terms of performance. In a note, he stated: “Th … view
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Monday 6th August 2018
Propel Monday News Briefing
German Doner Kebab looks to launch 800 to 1,000 restaurants in North America in next ten years: German Doner Kebab (GDK), which is owned by the Glasgow-based Sarwar family, has told Propel it is looking to launch between 800 and 1,000 res … view
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Friday 3rd August 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: To be or not to be, shuffling for shelf space, general managers make or break and big menus are a thing of the past
Authors: Chris Edger, Glynn Davis, Ann Elliott and Nick Huker

To be or … view

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Friday 3rd August 2018
Update: Bar and nightclub awards, Shake Shack, BigDish
Nominations for 2018 Dusk ‘til Dawn, the bar and nightclub sector awards, now open: Nominations for the 2018 UKHospitality Dusk ‘til Dawn Late Night Awards, the annual celebration of the UK’s late night hospitality sector, are now o … view
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Friday 3rd August 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
McDonald’s finds listeria in salads at 350 branches in France: McDonald’s has detected the presence of listeria in a batch of chicken caesar salad sold between 9 July and 14 July at 350 branches in France. The company has made a publi … view
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Thursday 2nd August 2018
Boxpark bids to revive Brighton beachfront with restaurants and hotel
Boxpark bids to revive Brighton beachfront with restaurants and hotel: Boxpark founder and chief executive Roger Wade is proposing to revive the beachfront at his home city of Brighton and Hove. The company has submitted plans to restore the c … view
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Thursday 2nd August 2018
Update: Applegreen buys Welcome Break, M&B trading
Applegreen buys majority stake in Welcome Break: Applegreen, the petrol forecourt retailer with operations in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, has entered into contracts to acquire a majority holding in W … view
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Thursday 2nd August 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Arc Inspirations agrees new £7m senior debt deal with Santander to fund expansion: Arc Inspirations, the Leeds-based operator of a number of fast-growing brands including Manahatta, Banyan Bar & Kitchen and The Box, has announced a new s … view
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Wednesday 1st August 2018
Charles Wells France investment, Camerons new beer concept
Charles Wells to invest €3m in France estate: Bedford-based brewer and retailer Charles Wells has announced it will invest €3m a year during the next three years into growing its French estate of managed pubs. The news follows a hugel … view
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Wednesday 1st August 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Deliveroo urges government to give restaurants a break and simplify business rates: The government needs to simplify the business rates system to help operators, Deliveroo has said, after its research revealed tens of thousands of restaur … view
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