Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit returns for 2024, open for bookings: Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit is returning for its sixth edition, and tickets are now on sale. The event is a partnership between Prope … view

M&B FY like-for-like sales up 9.1%: Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One, Toby Carvery and Harvester owner, has reported a 9.1% increase in like-for-like sales for the 53 weeks ended 30 September 2023, with growth all brands, suppor … view

Falling foodservice price inflation ‘now a clear trend’: Inflation, as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI), decreased for the fifth consecutive month in October, dipping below 20% year-on-year at 16.7%, its lowe … view

Collins – we’re relatively confident about returning to volume growth in the coming months: Nick Collins, chief executive of café bar operator Loungers, has said the business is “relatively confident about returning to volume growt … view

Loungers H1 lfl sales up 7.7%, on track to open 34 sites this year, Brightside progressing to plan: Café bar operator Loungers has reported revenue growth of 22.3% to £149.6m for the 24 weeks ended 1 October 2023, reflecting like-for-li … view

Kbox Global had net liabilities of £15.7m when it was placed into administration: Kbox Global, the host kitchen business, had net liabilities of £15.7m and cash at bank and in hand of £200,000 when it was placed into administration las … view

Wagamama owner’s shareholders back circa £500m takeover: Shareholders of The Restaurant Group (TRG), the owner of Wagamama and Brunning & Price, have formally approved the proposed cash acquisition of the company by US private equity f … view

Burger King UK appoints Lance Batchelor as new chairman: Burger King UK has announced that Lance Batchelor, the former chief executive of Domino’s Pizza, will join its board as its new chairman from 1 December 2023, replacing Martin Rob … view

Pho sees strong underlying profit growth, well positioned to continue growth plan: Vietnamese street food restaurant group Pho has reported strong underlying profit growth in the year to 19 February 2023, after two covid-impacted years su … view

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Exclusive – Soho House acquires Hush Mayfair for new club: Soho House is to open a new venue in London’s Mayfair, after acquiring the iconic Hush restaurant site, Propel has learned. The sale of the townhouse site in Lancashire Court, … view

Heartwood Collection aiming to more than double turnover by 2027, seven freeholds acquired for next year: Heartwood Collection, formerly Brasserie Bar Co, is aiming to more than double its turnover by 2027, as it plans to reach 90% of sit … view

Fuller's CEO – disappointing autumn statement 'will fuel inflation and influence future investment in sector': Fuller's chief executive Simon Emeny said a “disappointing” autumn statement will “fuel inflation” next year and “i … view

Jeremy Hunt to cut business tax and national insurance: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will use his autumn statement to cut national insurance for 28 million people and unveil permanent tax cuts for businesses. Hunt is expected to reduce the head … view

Sector criticises government over increase in minimum wage: The hospitality sector has criticised the government’s announcement that the National Living Wage will increase by more than a pound an hour from April next year. Chancellor Je … view

London champagne and cheese concept targets up to 15 UK sites ahead of overseas expansion: London champagne and cheese concept, Champagne + Fromage, is targeting up to 15 UK sites ahead of overseas expansion. Stefano Frigerio founded the … view

I once asked Ian Payne, who will step down as chairman of Stonegate Group at the end of January, what he thought his greatest achievement was in the pub industry. After the answers around building busin … view

Dame Karen Jones and Hamish Stoddart join Punch as strategic advisors: Punch Pubs & Co, the Fortress Investment Group-backed business, has appointed three strategic advisors to the board. The business has secured the services of Dame Kare … view

Farmer J secures backing from Edition Capital: All-day market concept Farmer J has secured new investment from Edition Capital, which will aid its plans to expand in London and across the UK, Propel has learned. The level of investment fr … view

Marston’s appoints former Merlin CSO as its new CEO after Andrew Andrea steps down: Pub company Marston’s has appointed a new chief executive after Andrew Andrea stepped down with immediate effect. It has brought in former Merlin Ente … view

Exclusive – Lane7 to make German debut for first international site: Boutique bowling company Lane7 is to make its German debut, Propel has learned. Ten years after the opening of the first Lane7 in the UK, the brand is launching in The … view

Today, I had the privilege of speaking at the Propel Multi-Club Conference about legislative changes in licensing, followed by some thoughts on dynamic … view

Emeny – our pubs in the City have been the strongest part of our business, we have firepower to go out and look at acquisitions: Simon Emeny, chief executive at Fuller’s, has told Propel that the group’s pubs in the City of London h … view

Fuller’s current lfl sales up 11.7%, Christmas bookings 11% ahead of last year, headroom for acquisitions to drive long-term growth: Fuller’s has said its current like for like sales, for the 32 weeks to 11 November, are up 11.7% on t … view

Ex-Wear Inns business placed into administration: The old Wear Inns business, which was purchased by real estate investment company Aprirose five years ago, has been placed into administration, Propel has learned. Aprirose acquired the ma … view

Growth softens for managed operators as wet weather dampens sales: Britain’s leading hospitality groups saw year-on-year growth slow to 3.2% in October amid widespread poor weather, the new CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. … view

McDonald’s currently investigating 79 cases of sexual harassment, MPs publish seven written testimonies from whistleblowers: McDonald’s is currently investigating 79 cases of sexual harassment in the UK and Ireland, and has received 4 … view

Joe & the Juice valued at $600m after securing new investment for growth, including UK: US private equity firm General Atlantic has reached an agreement to buy a majority stake in Joe & the Juice, the juice and café bar chain, which is t … view

Soho House revenue falls short despite membership growth, UK MD appointed group COO: Soho House & Co, which owns 42 private members’ clubs around the world, saw its third-quarter revenue fall short of expectations, after its performance … view

Exclusive – Oakman Group appoints advisors as it gears up to consider options: Oakman Group, the award-winning pub-restaurant operator, has appointed advisors as it gears up to consider options available to facilitate a liquidity event … view

Bosses of more than 230 sector companies warn of further closures without business rates freeze: The bosses of more than 230 hospitality companies have warned the government that pubs and restaurants will shut without a tax freeze. Compan … view

Exclusive – The Piano Works to take up residency within Nightcap Covent Garden following relocation: Live music concept The Piano Works is set to take up residency within the Covent Garden venue of Nightcap – owner of the Cocktail Clu … view

Exclusive – The Piano Works to take up residency within Nightcap Covent Garden following relocation: Live music concept The Piano Works is set to take up residency within the Covent Garden venue of Nightcap – owner of the Cocktail Clu … view

Domino’s Pizza reports total orders return to growth in fourth quarter, now expects to open at least 60 stores this year, starting Uber Eats trial in 2024: Domino’s Pizza UK has reported total orders have returned to growth in the fou … view

Wendy’s – QSR burger market offers huge growth potential in UK and we’re here to challenge the competition: Michael Clarke, senior managing director – Europe for Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the U … view

Harden’s – 50% year-on-year rise in restaurants charging £150 per head or more for a meal sees ‘new tier of hyper-luxurious restaurants’: A “new tier of hyper-luxurious restaurants” is being created by a 50% year-on-year rise … view

Harden’s – 50% year-on-year rise in restaurants charging £150 per head or more for a meal sees ‘new tier of hyper-luxurious restaurants’: A “new tier of hyper-luxurious restaurants” is being created by a 50% year-on-year rise … view

PizzaExpress will not make offer for Wagamama owner TRG ‘due to market conditions’: The owner of PizzaExpress has said it will not make an offer for Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group. Last month Wheel Topco, the owner of PizzaExpres … view

Manchester secret bar concept looking to open first franchise location next year ahead of expansion to ‘major cities’ in UK and overseas: Manchester hidden bar concept Washhouse is looking to open its first franchise location next yea … view

Pace of closures slows as managed segment sees site net growth, sector contraction ‘masks evolution of market’: The pace of closures of licensed premises has slowed in the last three months while the standard of offer across the secto … view

Blank Street Coffee targets regional expansion: Ignacio Llado, UK managing director of US coffee chain Blank Street Coffee, which made its debut in Britain last July, has told Propel that the business is “seeing more and more demand fro … view

More than half of sector companies to reduce investment and cut staff without business rates support: More than half of sector companies will reduce investment and cut staffing levels without business rates support, a new survey has revea … view

Papa John’s CEO – we continue to be confident in long-term potential of the UK market: Rob Lynch, president and chief executive of Papa John’s, has said the business continues to be confident in the long-term potential of the UK mar … view

Wendy’s CEO – UK franchisees have increased their development agreements, highlighting confidence in the brand: Todd Penegor, president and chief executive of Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, has … view

Exclusive – Glenn Edwards to stand down as Leon managing director: Glenn Edwards is to stand down as managing director of natural fast food brand Leon, Propel understands. Edwards, who has been with Leon since spring 2011, has been mana … view

Don't miss Propel's best conference presentations in 2023: For the first time, Propel group editor Mark Wingett has chosen the best videos from the Propel conferences in 2023, picking out a selection of talks and interviews that resonated … view

Buns from Home targets 15-20 new openings as it appoints first ops director: Buns from Home, the London independent bakery brand, has appointed John Brooks as its first operations director as it gears up to open 15-20 new sites within the … view