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Friday 30th November 2018
Zecchino to leave Veeno as new partner joins, Prezzo CFO heading for Staycity
Veeno co-founder steps down as company welcomes new partner: Andrea Zecchino, co-founder of Italian wine cafe Veeno, has stepped down as the company welcomes a new partner. Veeno has appointed Rodrigue Trouillet as commercial director, wh … view
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Friday 30th November 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Queues leave me cold, positivity around pubs and keeping ‘low’ behind the bar
Authors: Glynn Davis, Martin Dinkele and Liam Newton

Queues leave me cold by Glynn Davis 

Cuisi … view
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Friday 30th November 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
Rooney Anand – customer service scores are increasing because we’re not distracted by Spirit integration: Greene King chief executive Rooney Anand has told Propel the increases in its customer services scores are driven by the fact th … view
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Thursday 29th November 2018
Update: Greene King and Britvic results
Greene King reports Pub Company like-for-likes up 2.7% in first half: Greene King has reported like-for-like sales in its managed Pub Company division increased 2.7% in the 24 weeks to 14 October 2018. It said the performance was driven … view
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Thursday 29th November 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Hospitality businesses falling short of maximising apprenticeship levy, 40% don't properly understand scheme: Fewer than half of hospitality businesses have used the majority of their apprenticeship levy despite some funding expiring with … view
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Wednesday 28th November 2018
TRG shareholders approve £559m Wagamama deal
TRG shareholders approve £559m Wagamama deal: The Restaurant Group’s (TRG) shareholders have approved the company’s £559m acquisition of Wagamama. About 60% voted in favour of the deal at a meeting today (Wednesday, 28 November). The dea … view
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Wednesday 28th November 2018
Update: Patisserie Holdings prepares to drop auditor, Uber/Deliveroo deal stalls
Patisserie Holdings prepares to drop auditor: Patisserie Holdings is preparing to drop the auditing firm that oversaw its books before a £40m black hole was discovered in its accounts. The move to replace Grant Thornton comes days after … view
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Wednesday 28th November 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Sunday Times 100 Best Employer eyes profit share scheme as it aims to grow turnover to £40m by 2025: Buzzworks Holdings managing director Kenny Blair has said the company is looking to grow turnover to £40m by 2025, while it also hopes … view
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Tuesday 27th November 2018
Turtle Bay reports revenue up 7% to £68.1m, Numis on SSP
Turtle Bay reports revenue up 7% to £68.1m: Caribbean restaurant Turtle Bay has reported revenue increased 7% to £68.1m for the year ending 24 February 2018, compared with £63.7m the previous year. Group Ebitda before exceptional costs … view
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Tuesday 27th November 2018
Update: Greggs trading, Shaftesbury results, JD Wetherspoon
Greggs reports like-for-likes up 4.5%: Food-on-the-go retailer Greggs has reported like-for-like sales increased 4.5% for the eight weeks to 24 November 2018 with total sales up 9%. The company said like-for-like performance was “ahead … view
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Tuesday 27th November 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
M&B still has ‘huge opportunity’ around apprenticeships: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) group HR director Susan Martindale has said the company still has a “huge opportunity” around apprenticeships, with apprentices now in half of its … view
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Monday 26th November 2018
Urban Pubs and Bars acquires Salt Yard Group, eyes expansion of brand
Urban Pubs and Bars acquires Salt Yard Group, eyes expansion of brand: Urban Pubs and Bars, led by Nick Pring and Malcolm Heap, has acquired Salt Yard Group for an undisclosed sum that will see its three central London restaurants – Salt Yar … view
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Monday 26th November 2018
Update: The Restaurant Group, Loungers, Rule of Tum, Hotel Chocolat
Restaurant Group shareholder reports it is ‘likely’ vote against Wagamama deal: A Restaurant Group shareholder, Castlefield, which holds 2% stake in the company, has announced that it will ‘likely’ vote against the plan to acquir … view
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Monday 26th November 2018
Propel Monday News Briefing
Wimpy boss – restaurants with new modern look are seeing turnover rise 22% on average: Wimpy UK general manager Chris Woolfenden has told Propel restaurants sporting the brand’s new modern look have seen turnover increase 22% on avera … view
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Sunday 25th November 2018
Swingers’ parent company gets significant investment to target North America and launch new UK concept
Swingers’ parent company gets significant investment to target North America and launch new UK concept: Competitive Socialising, the parent company of street food and crazy golf concept Swingers, has received “significant” backing from p … view
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Friday 23rd November 2018
Fuller's, CDG enters grab-and-go market, TRG/Wagamama deal questions, Crepeaffaire to make airport debut
Fuller’s expects another 65 weeks of closures in second half as it accelerates investment programme: Fuller’s chief executive Simon Emeny has told Propel he expects another 65 closure weeks in the second half of the financial year as … view
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Friday 23rd November 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: More choice for a good night’s sleep, getting a handle on reservations and away from it all
Authors: Glynn Davis, James Hacon and Ann Elliott

More choice for a good night’s sleep by G … view

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Friday 23rd November 2018
Fuller’s reports revenue growth in First Half as it front-loads investment for the long term
Fuller’s reports revenue growth in First Half as it front-loads investment for the long term: Fuller’s has reported revenue up 6% to £222.1 million (2017/18: £209.3 million) in the 26 weeks to 29 September with Ebitda up 2% to £38.2 mil … view
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Friday 23rd November 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
M&B to expand delivery offer and focus on joint ventures: Mitchells & Butlers chief executive Phil Urban has said up to 400 of the company’s sites could “lend themselves to delivery”. The company is currently offering a delivery ser … view
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Thursday 22nd November 2018
M&B to launch Miller & Carter in Germany, reports full-year results
M&B to launch Miller & Carter in Germany, reports full-year results: Mitchells & Butlers has reported full year like-for-like sales up 1.3% in the 52 weeks ended 29 September 2018 and up 2.2% in the most recent seven weeks. Total revenue … view
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Thursday 22nd November 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Eclectic Bars to launch Le Fez in Putney to spearhead ‘next generation of nightclub experiences’: Eclectic, a subsidiary of Brighton Pier Group, is to launch new concept Le Fez in Putney, south west London, to spearhead the “next ge … view
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Wednesday 21st November 2018
Update: Marston’s, NewRiver, SSP
Marston’s – ‘we’ve performed well in a difficult market’: Marston’s has reported underlying profit growth in all trading segments for the 52 weeks ended 29 September. Underlying turnover was up 15% to £1.14bn and underlying p … view
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Wednesday 21st November 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Ei Group to look at monetising managed investments portfolio in 2020, ‘enough on plate’ to consider acquisitions: Ei Group chief executive Simon Townsend has told Propel the company has “enough on its plate” to consider making acq … view
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Tuesday 20th November 2018
BII appoints new chairman, NITAs winners
BII appoints Mark Robson as chairman: The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has appointed Red Mist Leisure managing director Mark Robson as its new chairman. Robson, who graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2000 with a degree … view
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Tuesday 20th November 2018
Just Eat to display food hygiene ratings nationwide
Just Eat to display food hygiene ratings nationwide: Online food delivery business Just Eat has announced plans to include the official food hygiene rating of each of its UK restaurant partners across its platforms. Following consultations wit … view
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Tuesday 20th November 2018
Update: Ei Group results, Crussh's new format
Ei Group reports full-year managed like-for-likes up 7.1%: Ei Group has reported its managed estate saw like-for-like sales increase 7.1% for the year ended 30 September 2018. Like-for-like net income in its leased and tenanted estate inc … view
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Tuesday 20th November 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Various Eateries now on ‘strong financial footing’ as it prepares for expansion, Coppa Club like-for-likes up 19.8% in 2018: Various Eateries has said the company is now on a “strong financial footing” as it prepares for expansion … view
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Monday 19th November 2018
Propel Monday News Briefing
Sector like-for-likes up 0.2% in October, London significantly outperforms regions: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow just 0.2% in October, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business … view
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Monday 19th November 2018
Sector like-for-likes up 0.2% in October, London significantly outperforms regions
Sector like-for-likes up 0.2% in October, London significantly outperforms regions: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow just 0.2% in October, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Track … view
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Friday 16th November 2018
Update: Fuller’s appoints interim finance director, Boxpark Wembley signs nine, Innis & Gun brewery plans
Fuller’s appoints interim finance director: London brewer and retailer Fuller’s has appointed Deborah Stevenson as interim finance director with effect from Monday (19 November). As a result James Douglas, who announced in September h … view
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Friday 16th November 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Sustainability makes sense, MUP is a policy in trouble and make every bean count
Authors: Glynn Davis, Paul Chase and Helen McMillan

Sustainability makes sense by Glynn Davis 

A … view
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Friday 16th November 2018
Liberation Group appoints Jonathan Lawson as chief executive
Liberation Group appoints Jonathan Lawson as chief executive: Channel Islands-based brewer and retailer Liberation Group has appointed Jonathan Lawson as chief executive. Lawson has more than 20 years’ experience in the retail and pub s … view
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Friday 16th November 2018
Update: TRG gets Wagamama deal boost, M&B, Luke Thomas, Eagle Eye secures Burger King contract
TRG gets Wagamama deal support from proxy advisor: The Restaurant Group’s (TRG) campaign to persuade shareholders to back its £559m takeover of Wagamama has received a boost after a proxy adviser backed the deal. Institutional Sharehol … view
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Friday 16th November 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
Tony Hamlin – there’s never been a better time for operators to get a great leasehold deal in London: Tony Hamlin, managing director of hospitality business lender First Merchant, has said there’s never been a better time to get a g … view
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Thursday 15th November 2018
Paul May replaced as Patisserie Holdings chief executive by turnaround specialist
Paul May replaced as Patisserie Holdings chief executive by turnaround specialist: Patisserie Holdings chief executive Paul May has resigned with immediate effect. May has been replaced by Stephen Francis, who was until recently chief executiv … view
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Thursday 15th November 2018
Update: Brexit, The Restaurant Group, Young’s, BigDish, Cineworld
Kate Nicholls outlines Brexit deal: UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has outlined the major points of the Brexit deal agreed by the cabinet yesterday. She told members: “I have just come off a call with No 10 on the detail a … view
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Thursday 15th November 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Costa extends loyalty programme to self-serve machines in first for UK on-the-go coffee industry: Costa Coffee has extended its Coffee Club loyalty programme to Costa Express machines across the UK following a trial. Now available at Cost … view
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Wednesday 14th November 2018
Rooney Anand to become chairman of WorldSkills UK
Rooney Anand to become chairman of WorldSkills UK: WorldSkills UK, the education and skills charity, has announced the appointment of Rooney Anand as the new chairman of the WorldSkills UK board. Anand, who is chief executive of the natio … view
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Wednesday 14th November 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Supper club WeFiFo launches £400,000 crowdfunding campaign to recruit UK hosts and expand internationally: Supper club WeFiFo has launched a £400,000 fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube to recruit UK hosts and expand internati … view
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Tuesday 13th November 2018
Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards finalists revealed
Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards finalists revealed: Finalists have been announced for the second Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards, staged by Propel and Think Hospitality to recognise success in marketing and innovation in the food … view
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Tuesday 13th November 2018
Daniel Thwaites reports turnover up 4% in first half, chairman to step down
Daniel Thwaites reports turnover up 4% in first half, chairman to step down: North west brewer and retailer Daniel Thwaites has reported turnover increased 4% to £49.9m for the six months ended 30 September 2018, compared with £48.0m the pre … view
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Tuesday 13th November 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Giggling Squid rent to turnover percentage less than 6.5%, negotiates new supply chain deals: Giggling Squid co-founder Andy Laurillard has told Propel its rent as a percentage of turnover is now less than 6.5% on average across the estat … view
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Monday 12th November 2018
Update: The Restaurant Group, Azzurri, Giggling Squid, Diageo, Momo Canteen
The Restaurant Group announces fully underwritten rights issue: The Restaurant Group has announced a fully underwritten rights issue, which is intended to raise gross proceeds of approximately £315 million, to be used to fund part of the … view
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Monday 12th November 2018
Propel Monday News Briefing
Mark Jones – Carluccio’s was ‘three weeks away from going bust’ but will ‘end year with 75 profitable and sustainable restaurants’: Carluccio’s chief executive Mark Jones has said the company was “three weeks away from goi … view
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Friday 9th November 2018
Update: GBK creditors approve CVA, Asda to expand pizza delivery with Just Eat et al
Gourmet Burger Kitchen creditors approve CVA: Creditors of Gourmet Burger Kitchen have “overwhelmingly” approved its company voluntary arrangement (CVA). The company, owned by South African-based Famous Brands, put forward proposals t … view
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Friday 9th November 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Comfort in classics, exceeding guest expectations and brighter news ahead
Authors: Glynn Davis, Laurence Parkes and Ann Elliott

Comfort in classics by Glynn Davis

There is a mode … view
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Friday 9th November 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
Leisure sector slowdown accelerates in first half of 2018: The slowdown in the leisure sector accelerated in the first half of 2018 as more pubs and bars shut, new research has revealed, although independent numbers remained stable. The l … view
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Friday 9th November 2018
Leisure sector slowdown accelerates in 2018
Leisure sector slowdown accelerates in first half of 2018: The slowdown in the leisure sector accelerated in the first half of 2018 as more pubs and bars shut, new research has revealed, although independent numbers remained stable. The latest … view
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Thursday 8th November 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Daniel Davies – Brooklyn trip helped inspire me to create New Brighton leisure quarter: Daniel Davies, founder of CPL Training and chairman of the Institute of Licensing (IoL), has said a study tour to Brooklyn, New York, helped inspire … view
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Wednesday 7th November 2018
Wetherspoon reports 5.5% like-for-likes in Quarter One, Tim Martin recovers from burst appendix
Wetherspoon reports 5.5% like-for-likes in Quarter One, Tim Martin recovers from burst appendix: JD Wetherspoon has reported 5.5% like-for-like sales growth for the 13-week period up to 28 October 2018, its First Quarter – and total sal … view
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Wednesday 7th November 2018
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Pubs and restaurants help drive 4.4% growth in consumer spending for October, confidence at joint lowest level for four years: Pubs and restaurants helped drive a 4.4% year-on-year growth in consumer spending during October, according to … view
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Tuesday 6th November 2018
Deliveroo increases restaurant partners to 17,000, new exclusive deals with PizzaExpress, Wagamama and Azzurri Group
Deliveroo increases restaurant partners to 17,000, new exclusive deals with PizzaExpress, Wagamama and Azzurri Group: Deliveroo has increased the number of restaurants and takeaways available on its platform to 17,000. It has also announc … view
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Tuesday 6th November 2018
Greene King’s Rooney Anand to step down as chief executive
Greene King’s Rooney Anand to step down as chief executive: The board of Greene King has been advised by Rooney Anand of his intention to step down from the role of chief executive at the end of the current financial year ending 30 April 201 … view
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Tuesday 6th November 2018
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Sector’s biggest benchmarking survey sees Ebitda as percentage of turnover steady as operators ‘find new ways to absorb costs’: Ebitda as a percentage of turnover has risen 0.1% in the past year to 10.8% as operators start to find … view
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Monday 5th November 2018
Novus sells three Tiger Tiger sites to Deltic
Novus sells three Tiger Tiger sites to Deltic: Novus, the London bar and restaurant operator, has exchanged contracts for the sale of three Tiger Tiger sites to The Deltic Group for an undisclosed sum. The sites are in Newcastle, Manchest … view
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Monday 5th November 2018
Oils, fats and fish drive foodservice inflation as buyers anxiously await Brexit
Oils, fats and fish drive foodservice inflation as buyers anxiously await Brexit: Oils, fats and fish continue to trade at prices more than 25% higher than last year, the latest edition of the Foodservice Price Index from CGA and Prestige Purc … view
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Monday 5th November 2018
Update: Restaurant closure, Gordon Ramsay, Beannchor Group
Record number of restaurant closures: More restaurant businesses collapsed in the first nine months of this year than in the whole of 2017, according to new figures. The Times stated: “Middle-market chains are bearing the brunt of the s … view
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Monday 5th November 2018
Propel Monday News Briefing
End of warm weather impacts positive pub experiences: The pub and bar sector’s average social review score across Facebook, Google and TripAdvisor has plateaued after three months of consecutive increases, with the results correlating t … view
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Friday 2nd November 2018
Friday Opinion
Subjects: The fight goes on, too many cooks, let’s all raise a pint and less is sometimes more
Authors: Kate Nicholls, Glynn Davis, Bruce Ray and Paul Chase 

The fight goes on by Kate Nichollsview

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Friday 2nd November 2018
Update: Oakman Inns, Welcome Break, KFC, beer duty and waste consultation et al
Oakman Inns appoints Butlins managing director as chief operating officer: Oakman Inns and Restaurants has appointed Butlins managing director Dermot King as chief operating officer. King will join Oakman Inns from the Bourne Leisure-owne … view
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Friday 2nd November 2018
Propel Friday News Briefing
UK’s hotel sector stands firm in tough year: The UK’s hotel sector has stood firm in what is proving a tough trading year, with overall occupancy in London slightly up and the regions remaining flat in the year to date. HVS chairman R … view
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Thursday 1st November 2018
Patisserie Holdings shareholders back rescue plan
Patisserie Holdings shareholders back rescue plan: Shareholders at Patisserie Holdings have backed a £15.7m rescue plan for the company. At an emergency general meeting, more than 99% of shareholders backed a plan to issue £15m of new shares … view
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Thursday 1st November 2018
Update: Patisserie Holdings, Just Eat results, airport licensing proposals
Patisserie Holdings – no new information on company’s financial position at general meeting: Patisserie Holdings has revealed it will not provide “any new information” on the company’s financial position at today’s (Thursday, … view
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Thursday 1st November 2018
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Yum! Brands reports KFC UK sales up 1% in third quarter but down 4% year-to-date: Yum! Brands has reported KFC system sales in the UK increased 1% for the third quarter ended 30 September 2018. UK year-to-date system sales are down 4 … view
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Thursday 1st November 2018
Carluccio's appoints Graham Ford as commercial director, Charles Wells buys four Orange Tree pubs
Carluccio's appoints Graham Ford as commercial director: Carluccio’s, the Italian all-day restaurant group led by chief executive Mark Jones, has appointed Graham Ford as commercial director. The appointment comes as Carluccio’s gears … view
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