Gailʼs owner revives sale plans: The owner of Gail's is exploring a sale of the fast-growing bakery brand with a wider set of suitors after talks with food-focused investor McWin Capital Partners failed to result in a deal. Merger Markets reported that Goldman Sachs has been retained to guide a renewed formal sale process for Gail’s. A process is in the early stage, two sources said. In the event of a deal, Gail's is expected to command an enterprise value of around £600m. Food investment firm McWin entered into talks to buy Gail's in December 2024, according to reports. Talks between the two companies have since stalled, leading Gail's to re-explore a new sale process with other prospective investors. Bain Capital is the majority shareholder in Gailʼs parent company, Bread Holdings, alongside minority investors including Ebitda Investments and Risk Capital Partners. McWin is also a backer of Bread Holdings. Gail's generated revenue of £232m and adjusted group Ebitda of £44.8m for the year ending February 2024. The company currently operates circa 175 sites. Prospective investors are expected to closely assess the companyʼs ability to scale beyond its stronghold in London and the south of England. Bain Capital, McWin, and Gail's declined to comment. Speaking at Propel’s Multi-Club Conference this month, Gail’s co-founder Tom Molnar said “there's a constant discussion about who's the right investor with us”. He said: “We have had two management buyouts – one in 2011 led by Risk Capital, and another one we did with Bain and McWin four years ago. We are bound to do something else, because as we grow the right investor for us does change. There's like a constant discussion about who's the right investor with us. We've been with the current investors four years now, and they've helped us navigate a very difficult four years.” Molnar was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. All videos from the conference will be released to Premium subscribers on Friday (21 November). Premium subscribers receive all the videos from Propel conferences each year – around 100 in total. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

West Cornwall Pasty among businesses presenting at inaugural Propel Franchisor Showcase, free places for operators and investors only: West Cornwall Pasty will be among the businesses presenting at the inaugural Propel Franchisor Showcase this month. The Propel Franchisor Showcase, sponsored by Seeds Consulting, will showcase ten of the most exciting and investable franchises in hospitality. The event will be held on Tuesday, 25 November at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. West Cornwall Pasty, which was founded in 1998 and still bakes its products in west Cornwall, enjoys partnerships with other retailers at locations such as motorway services, petrol forecourts and railway stations across the UK including SSP, Moto, MFG and Southern Co-op. West Cornwall Pasty also partners with business including Freemans Event Partners, Leicester Tigers RFC, Waitrose and the Union of Students. West Cornwall Pasty head of operations James Crawford and commercial director Nick Anderson will discuss how a pivot in business model in recent years has worked for the company and its franchisees, what its growth plans now looks like, how its retail partnerships are developing, how the concessions sites work for its franchisees, and the benefits of its different variety of locations such as retail stores, travel hubs, sporting venues and education campuses. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Free places for operators and investors only are available by emailing kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com

Premium Club subscribers to receive next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality and videos from this month’s Propel Multi-Club Conference on Friday: The next Who’s Who of UK Hospitality will be released to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (21 November), at midday. Another 83 companies have been added to the database, which now features 1,287 companies. This month’s edition will also include 179 updated entries. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, will have their most recent results reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. Premium Club subscribers will also receive all the videos from this month’s Propel Multi-Club Conference on Friday, at 9am. They include Mike Spencer, McDonald’s UK & Ireland vice-president of development, discussing the brand’s large-scale reimagining programme across its estate with a target of 200-plus stores refreshed a year as it looks to unlock capacity to drive future growth, how it is looking to open 40 new sites a year, and its approach to the customer journey. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Shepherd Neame CEO – ‘changes in national insurance contributions the biggest economic own goal I’ve ever seen’: Jonathan Neame, chief executive of brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame, has said the changes to employers’ national insurance contributions in last autumn’s Budget were “the biggest economic own goal I’ve ever seen” and made hiring those starting out in work less appealing. Last week, the government released unemployment figures for the three months to September, unveiling a higher-than-expected rise in joblessness, to 5%. Political rivals were quick to lay the blame on the tax raid. “I’ve been in the trade now for 35 years and this is the biggest economic own goal I’ve seen,” Neame told The Sunday Times. “It took about 20 minutes to realise what the implications would be.” In hospitality, more than 774,000 workers began incurring additional national insurance contributions for their employers as a result of the threshold being lowered, costing the hospitality sector an estimated £1bn a year. “That’s where the pain is, in the lowering of the threshold,” said Neame. “The shame is that many in the sector were on the verge of new growth and now you’ve got to put prices up to stand still.” Neame said the national insurance contributions raid had made hiring those starting out in work less appealing at a time when concerns are rising over the number of young people not in work. He added: “If you’re given the choice between someone who’s got life experience and people skills, and someone who’s a bit green, it’s fairly obvious where you’re going to go.” David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate Group, said it was facing an extra £25m in wage bills. “This means reduced investment in our estate and our people,” he added. 

Cardiff proposes visitor levy: A visitor levy could be introduced for overnight stays in Cardiff. The city council is seeking cabinet approval to begin a 12-week public consultation to bring in the levy. Overnight stays of 31 nights or less in hotels, hostels, guesthouses, Airbnb’s, campsites, and temporary event accommodation would be covered by the proposed fee. Outlined in the legislation, the charge would be £1.30 per person per night for most accommodation types. For campsites and shared rooms like hostels it would be 75p per person per night. Visitors to be exempt would be children under 18 staying in campsites or shared rooms and people staying more than 31 nights in one booking. Those in emergency or temporary housing arranged by the council would not need to pay. The council estimates £3.5m each year would be raised, which would be paid to the Welsh Revenue Authority, which in turn pays the levy to local authorities. Cllr Russell Goodway, cabinet member for investment and development at Cardiff Council, said: “The proposed visitor levy would be used to improve the visitor experience for everyone coming to Cardiff, by funding marketing campaigns, or by supporting a broader range of events in the city. Not only do we want people to enjoy their experience coming to Cardiff, but we also want people to stay longer, so we need to increase our offer though investment. The proposed charge, set out in legislation, is significantly lower than the typical charge across Europe.” The levy could be introduced in Cardiff from April 2027.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a food concept that is looking for a head of sales. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The position will be responsible for leading the commercial strategy across the hotel, restaurant and catering channel. This is a pivotal leadership role in a high-growth environment that is perfect for someone who combines strategic vision with hands-on hustle.” The salary is up to £150,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mikey@corecruitment.com

Exclusive – Middletons Steakhouse & Grill sold out of administration: Gastro Pubs, the parent company of the Middletons Steakhouse & Grill, has been sold out of administration to a new group controlled by its existing shareholders, Propel has learned. Tim Bateson and James Clark, of Interpath, were appointed joint administrators to Gastro Pubs on Friday (14 November). The company – which was founded in 2011 in Middleton, Norfolk – operates seven restaurants in Chelmsford, Colchester, King’s Lynn, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Norwich and Peterborough. The administrators said like many other operators across the casual dining sector, the company had experienced challenging trading conditions as a result of rising raw material and labour costs and fragile consumer confidence. In response to these challenges, the company’s directors sought to undertake a review of the sale, investment and restructuring options available. However, despite undertaking a marketing process, a solvent solution could not be found, and as such, the directors took the decision to file for the appointment of administrators. Following their appointment, the joint administrators concluded a sale of the business and assets to a new group controlled by Middletons’ existing shareholders. The transaction, sees all seven sites continue to trade, safeguarding the jobs of Middletons’ 159 employees. Bateson said: “Hospitality businesses up and down the country continue to battle hard in the face of strong trading headwinds. While these challenges proved insurmountable for Gastro Pubs, we are pleased to have concluded this transaction, which will allow the company’s seven Middletons Steakhouse & Grill restaurants to continue trading, preserving the jobs of its staff.” Propel revealed last month Gastro Pubs was working with Interpath and Fleurets to again explore its options, including a sale, two years after it underwent a company voluntary arrangement. The group undertook a financial and operational restructure in 2023, which left it with no external bank debt. Turnover for the year to 28 April 2025 was £7.2m (2024: £7.8m), with Ebitda of £100,000 (2024: £400,000). Turnover for the year to date (three months to 20 July 2025) stood at £1.4m, with Ebitda of minus £100,000.

Loungers chairman – ‘there is an itch to do something internationally’, ‘we’ve run the rule over other businesses’: Alex Reilley, chairman of Loungers, the Lounge and Cosy Club operator, has told Propel the company has “an itch to do something internationally” and when it came to possibly acquiring another business, it had “run the rule over a few things in the last probably three or four years”. Speaking at the Propel Multi-Club Conference, Reilley said: “We've got loads of sites to open in the UK. We’re still very firm in the belief that we think there could be 600 Lounges in the UK, and we're not even half the way there. So, at the moment we're solely focused on UK growth. Looking into the future, there is an itch to do something internationally. We're not going to go charging off to Dubai or the US. We would look at mainland Europe. We feel we could take what we do and repackage it to suit a different European market. We've been spending a bit of time looking at the possibilities in Europe. It’s interesting, because as a country, we are very good at what we do, but we're also very good at talking ourselves down. But actually, as a sector, we are very good at operating very good quality food and drink brands at scale. And that is not true of a lot of the European countries that you visit. So, I think there is the possibility of an opportunity for us there.” On the prospects of adding a further brand or business, Reilley said: “We were interested in either setting up or acquiring a coffee shop chain, but the problem there is that the site economics now are difficult. You know that there isn't a lot of Ebitda in lots of sites and therefore we think our cash is better deployed cracking on and opening more sites under our own brands. We've looked at a couple of casual dining concepts, and we think we could bolt on something quite easy into the structure that we have. It's been designed so that it facilitates there being another business added to it, and that being fairly seamless. All three brands we've got, we developed ourselves, and we would never dismiss the possibility we might develop something else. We've always got an eye on the market, but we're not out there saying: 'right, we need to buy something', much to lots of corporate finance advisors' disappointment. We've got so much to do with what we have, and doing it well and doing it better, and an acquisition would not be without risk to upset that.” Reilley was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. All videos from the conference will be released to Premium subscribers on Friday (21 November). Premium subscribers receive all the videos from Propel conferences each year – around 100 in total. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Tesco Hospitality pays out £14m dividend as profit increases to record £26.3m: Tesco’s 323-strong estate of in-store cafes saw pre-tax profit increase to a record £26,288,000 for the year ending 22 February 2025 compared with £20,875,000 the previous year. The performance resulted in a dividend of £14,000,000 being paid (2024: nil). Tesco Hospitality, which is overseen by James Pavey, reported turnover grew to a record £131,194,000 from £114,737,000 the year before. The company, which was established in May 2013, opened eight new cafes during the period. Tesco currently has circa 500 hospitality businesses, with 323 being its own cafes and the remaining circa 180 operated with third party brands – these include around 150 Costa sites and “a lot of smaller partners”.

Soul Foods sees Ebitda grow to £23.2m but turnover falls: Large scale, multi-brand franchisee Soul Foods has reported Ebitda grew to £23,206,333 for the year ending 30 June 2025 compared with £19,158,039 the year before. The business operates more than 400 KFC, Starbucks, Taco Bell and Burger King sites globally – with large estates in both the UK and Canada. Turnover for the year fell to £397,755,644 from £408,081,019 the previous year. Of this, £195,853,054 came from the UK (2024: £192,205,069 and £201,902,590 from the rest of the world (2024: £215,875,950). Pre-tax losses were down slightly to £32,226,609 from £33,239,925 the year before. No dividend was paid (2024: nil). Director Aly Janmohamed said: “The group has experienced similar macroeconomic conditions within the sector such as minimum wage increases, de-escalated levels of inflation and consumer behaviour shifts. The group has continued to focus on driving top-line growth through expanding digital platforms, doubling down on customer-centric service, and improving product taste and quality. At the same time, driving operational efficiency and disciplined cost management remains in place. This has resulted in both top-line and bottom-line improvements and sets a strong foundation for fiscal 2026 and beyond. With improving financial results and overall easing macro conditions including the interest rates, the group has set out plans to continue investments in modernising the existing assets base while building new restaurants. In addition to the organic growth, M&A remains a key pilar for growth whenever it makes economic sense.” Since 2022, the combined group has reported as Supernova UK Bidco following a restructure of the former Soul Food, Soul Coffee House and Soul Holdings group of companies. Soul Foods began franchising in 1985 when it opened its first KFC restaurant in London.

Azzurri Group to roll out ‘new level of service’ for Zizzi after trial: Azzurri Group – the hospitality investment platform that operates ASK Italian, Coco di Mama, Boojum and Dave’s Hot Chicken UK – is to roll out “a new level of service” across its 135-strong Zizzi estate after a trial at the brand’s site in London’s Paddington. The business said the new initiative adds “theatre and personality to the dining occasion, including delightful moments of generosity such as our signature pasta crisps and indulgent Italian hot chocolate shot – offered to every guest as a unique surprise and delight”. Azzurri said: “Complementing these changes is a bold new tone of voice, refreshed visual identity, and vibrant colour palette that puts energy, fun, and food at the forefront. This trial in Paddington gives us the confidence that our refreshed and repositioned proposition resonates strongly with guests and is now ready for roll out across the estate over the next 12 months. It’s a bold new chapter for Zizzi, that will see us stand out from our competitors.” Earlier this month, Azzurri Group said the year to 30 June 2025, was a transformative one for the circa 230-strong business, as it reported “a robust financial performance in a challenging market”. The business reported revenue of £303.1m (2024: £303.1m), gross profit of £38.2m (2024: £41.9m) and an operating loss of £2.7m (2024: £0.4m). Propel understands when it comes to the 64-strong ASK Italian, spend per head is currently £22 (2024: £22) and its delivery mix is 10% (2024: 8%), while at the 20-strong Boojum, spend per head is £12 (2024: £12) and the delivery mix is 34% (2024: 33%). At Coco Di Mama, which operates 14 sites and 134 delivery kitchens, spend per head is £8 (2024: £7). At Zizzi, spend per head is currently £23 (2024: £23), with a delivery mix of 16% (2024: 10%), while Dave’s Hot Chicken has a spend per head of £15 (2024: the company forecast £14), and as yet has not switched on delivery (company forecasts it will make up 35% of the sales mix). Azzurri said it has plans to introduce third-party delivery with an aggregator, which “should further boost revenue and bring Dave’s to a new customer mission”.

Grosvenor Casinos boss warns raising machine gaming duty would ‘slam brakes’ on £60m investment plan and lead to closures and job losses: John O’Reilly, chief executive of Rank Group, which owns Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos, has warned the government that raising machine gaming duty would “slam the brakes” on a £60m investment plan and lead to closures and job losses. Writing in The Mail, O’Reilly said: “Put simply, if the chancellor raises machine gaming duty – the tax paid on slot machines – it will bring Rank’s nationwide investment to a shuddering halt, with closures and job losses along the way. Today, Rank is the biggest casino operator in the UK with 50 Grosvenor venues and we also run 50 Mecca bingo clubs. We employ 7,800 people, we love hosting the millions of customers who come to our clubs each year, and we have an unshakable commitment to safer gambling. And let’s be crystal clear, these venues are only economically viable thanks to gaming machines. For too long, snobbery and ill-informed posturing have been allowed to permeate the discussion around the gambling industry, leading to a hopelessly misguided idea that gambling is somehow an easy hit for tax increases. It is not. It would slam the brakes on the £60m of investment that Rank has planned for towns and cities across Britain. Increasing machine gaming duty from 20% to 25% would likely see us having to shut a third of our casinos and an even higher proportion of our bingo clubs. Between them, more than 2,500 jobs would go. It is senseless.” O’Reilly said he believes the company already pays its “fair share” of tax. He added: “In our most recent financial year, Rank made £44.6m in profit after tax. In the same period, we paid £188m in UK taxes and business rates. Broadly, for every £5 we made pre-tax, we paid £4 in tax.”

Gong Cha launches in Ecuador: Gong Cha, the fast-growing bubble tea brand headquartered in the UK, has launched in Ecuador. The launch marks its third new market opening in three weeks following expansion into Colombia and Thailand, and 32nd global market. In Ecuador, Gong Cha has partnered with its new master franchisee led by Francisco and Bolívar Lascano, two experienced entrepreneurs with extensive experience in the hotel sector industry and the importation of cosmetic products. The pair have already opened their first store in Quito located inside Paseo San Francisco Mall in Cumbayá, with several more in the pipeline. The agreement in Ecuador builds on a series of strategic milestones in the Latin American region. In 2023, Gong Cha signed master franchise agreements to open 50 stores across Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Gong Cha has also signed a master franchise agreement for Puerto Rico, where it launched its first drive-thru in August this year and plans to scale to 30 stores as well as recently opening its first store in Colombia with new master franchisee Té Colombia SAS. Across Latin America, Gong Cha is aiming to replicate the success of its Mexican business, which has more than 100 stores. Paul Reynish, global chief executive of Gong Cha, said: “Our global expansion continues to go from strength to strength. As we look ahead to 2026, we have even more exciting plans on the horizon.” Lascano said: “Having seen Gong Cha’s impressive progress across Latin America, we are excited to bring a brand to Ecuador that is making waves all around the world.” Founded in Taiwan in 2006, Gong Cha first expanded overseas in 2009 and has grown to operate nearly 2,200 stores. Over the next decade, the group has ambitious targets to scale to more than 10,000 locations.

JD Wetherspoon to open four more pubs on holiday parks as it further expands Haven partnership: JD Wetherspoon is expanding its partnership with UK holiday park operator Haven with four new on-site pubs. In January 2024, Wetherspoon announced an exclusive partnership with Haven and followed this with the opening of its first site on a holiday park – The Five Stones at Primrose Valley in Filey, North Yorkshire. During this year, Wetherspoon has opened a further four sites through the partnership – at Haven sites at Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, Devon Cliffs in Devon, Kent Coast in Kent and Haggerston Castle in Northumberland. Haven said it is now set to open a further four Wetherspoon pubs in spring next year – at Cala Gran in Blackpool, Lakeland in Cumbria, Riviere Sands in Cornwall and Hopton in Norfolk. The development is part of a £9m investment from Haven and will seek to capitalise on what is expected to be a busy 2026 as it prepares to welcome up to four million guests. Since launching the partnership, Wetherspoon's pubs across Haven have served 907,000 main meals, 288,000 breakfasts and pulled 692,201 pints. Simon Palethorpe, chief executive of Haven, said: “Haven is all about giving our customers more of what they love – and our partnership with JD Wetherspoon does just that.” Michael Barron, commercial director at Wetherspoon, said: “Our partnership with Haven continues to go from strength to strength. We are delighted that four new JD Wetherspoon pubs will open at Haven parks in 2026.” Haven said it will share the names of the new venues closer to their opening dates, but said they would be linked to the “proud heritage of the local areas our parks are located in”.

Malhotra Group wins £660,000 payout from insurer after fraud allegations collapse: North east pub, restaurant and hotel operator Malhotra Group has won a £660,000 payout from Aviva, which unsuccessfully alleged the group had planned a fraudulent insurance claim. Aviva was ordered to pay Malhotra on account of costs, after failing in its bid to deny coverage for water damage at the New Northumbria Hotel in the Newcastle suburb of Jesmond. The hotel, which is currently closed for refurbishment, suffered water damage during the covid-19 lockdown in July 2020, when water escaped from a cold-water storage tank. The water flooded three storeys of the property and led to damage in six bedrooms as well as the hotel bar and corridor areas. The hotel was closed at the time because of pandemic restrictions. However, when Malhotra submitted a claim, Aviva refused to pay, alleging Malhotra had deliberately caused the flood. High Court hearings, held over several days in November and December 2023, heard how Aviva continued to pursue fraud allegations through trial, despite what the court said were weaknesses in its case. High Court judge Nigel Cooper KC concluded there was no evidence to support Aviva’s case that the flood had been deliberately caused. As Aviva pursued the trial, the legal costs grew considerably, with Malhotra’s expenses topping £1.2m, significantly more than its budgeted costs of £546,730. Under costs assessment, the hotel owner would have found it tough to recover the excess but indemnity costs shift the burden to the paying party. Following the judgement, a Malhotra spokesperson told Business Live: “We are pleased to have finally received this judgement vindicating Malhotra Group and its directors. This has been an extremely stressful experience.”

Premier Inn owner targets six new locations in Surrey, Kent and East Sussex: Whitbread is targeting six new locations for hotels upwards of 100 rooms across Surrey, Kent and East Sussex. Whitbread sees “strong growth opportunities” in the three counties and has appointed a dedicated acquisition manager, James Hall, to explore potential opportunities with councils, landowners and developers. The targeted locations are Rye in East Sussex, Canterbury and Broadstairs in Kent, and Caterham, Weybridge and Leatherhead in Surrey. Further openings in Greater London are also on the cards. “To the right opportunities, we can bring capital, development expertise, flexibility and experience to deliver new hotel locations for our customers," said Hall. “Whether it's transforming vacant office space, reinvigorating town centre sites or purchasing a going concern, we are flexible in the sites we can acquire and have the capital to progress stalled developments.” Premier Inn currently offers 85,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland, with plans to expand this to 125,000.

Kobe Steakhouse to make London debut: Steakhouse and cocktail lounge concept Kobe Steakhouse is to make its London debut, with an opening in Mayfair. The business, which was founded by the Marcu family in 2022, has acquired the ex-Lusin site at 16 Hay Hill. The company opened its first site in Milton Keynes’ Xscape destination. A second site followed earlier this year, when the company, which is led by Razvan Marcu, opened in the former Middletons Steakhouse & Grill unit at 25-26 Bridge Street in Cambridge. Michael Macpherson, of Hay Hill Property Services, which acted on the Mayfair deal, said: “Set to become the business’ flagship destination, Kobe Mayfair brings a unique proposition to London’s luxury dining scene. One of the very few restaurants in the UK officially registered with the Kobe Beef Association in Japan, Kobe offers something unmatched: certified, authentic Kobe beef alongside the widest selection of Kobe and wagyu cuts available anywhere in the country. With proven success in Milton Keynes and Cambridge, this Mayfair flagship is designed to elevate the business on to the national and international stage.”

Street food operator aiming to raise £500,000 for Manchester venue: Street Food Holdings, which is behind the Edinburgh Street Food venue, is aiming to raise £500,000 for its next venture, in Manchester. To support the wider fundraise, Street Food Holdings, which is owned by entrepreneur Andrew Marshall and Ben MacMillan, is embarking on a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube. Edinburgh Street Food opened in 2023 and features 11 traders, three bars and 700-plus seats across 8,900 square-foot of internal space. The company stated: “Street Food Holdings created Edinburgh Street Food, delivering award-winning street food into an eclectic design-led space. Edinburgh Street Food completed one million transactions between June 2024 and May 2025, providing a platform for local food vendors and brewers. Edinburgh Street Food had £10.3m gross site revenue in the year to September 2025 and 73% growth in gross profit between 2023 and 2024. We're now raising funds with the aim of replicating the successful model in Manchester, with site work expected to begin in the final quarter of 2025. Despite the growing popularity and demand for diverse and authentic street food experiences, we observe there's still a lack of venues providing high-quality table service street food options in urban areas. Street Food Holdings brings together authentic, independent food and beverage vendors in city centre locations seven days a week, satisfying varied tastes and appetites, with table service and events and a fun, relaxed vibe.” Marshall is the co-founder of Carlowrie Group, which is a diverse collective of businesses and charities, including in the hospitality, finance and property sectors.

Deliveroo enters premium meal kit market with Dishpatch link up: Deliveroo has exclusively partnered with fine dining meal kit brand Dishpatch. Users of the delivery app will now be able to select from 13 meal kits designed by chefs including Angela Hartnett, Rick Stein, Sabrina Ghayour and Atul Kochhar, as well as a line of desserts. The partnership marks the first time Waitrose-owned Dishpatch is available for on-demand delivery. Availability is currently limited to Greenwich and Wandsworth, with orders dispatched from Deliveroo’s Wandsworth Edition dark kitchen site, with a delivery time of around 45 minutes. “Many Brits love cooking but don’t always feel confident tackling complex recipes from scratch,” said Suzy McClintock, vice-president of new verticals at Deliveroo. “Our partnership with Dishpatch solves that challenge perfectly.” The company said it has seen “growing demand for premium home dining”, with a 90% year-on-year increase in grocery orders in September from its “top premium grocers”. The aggregator app has also seen a 35% rise in searches for ready meals and meals over the past year on its platform.

Noble Hospitality Group lines up fourth site for pizza concept: Noble Hospitality Group – the group behind Japanese brand Chotto Matte, Angus Steakhouse and Steak and Company – has lined up a fourth site for its Alley Cats pizza concept. The company launched the concept, which focuses on New York City-style pizza, at the start of last year in London, at 22 Paddington Street, just off Baker Street. The venue was followed by the opening of a second site at 342 King’s Road in Chelsea, and a third site this summer in Westbourne Grove. Propel now understands that Noble Hospitality Group has acquired a site at 233 Portobello Road. It is also thought to be in talks on a site in Soho for the pizza concept. Noble Hospitality Group previously told Propel it has targeted 15 sites by 2029 for Alley Cats and was also looking at international opportunities. 

Greggs opens new Outlet shop in Hertfordshire: Food-to-go retailer Greggs has opened a new Outlet shop in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The store, at 23 The Hyde, gives customers access to a wide range of discounted Greggs products. The opening marks the latest step in Greggs’ long-standing commitment to tackling food waste and building stronger communities through its nationwide Outlet initiative. First established in 1974, the scheme redistributes surplus food products, typically priced at around 50% less than in a standard Greggs shop, helping customers stretch household budgets while reducing waste. Reducing food waste remains a key priority for Greggs. In 2024, Outlet customers purchased 2.8 million sweet products, 2.7 million sandwiches and 2.4 million savoury items, representing a 17% increase on 2023, with 45% of surplus stock redistributed. Earlier this month, Greggs began trialling a smaller shop format named “Bitesize Greggs”. The company said the format enables the group to offer its products to more customers in high-footfall, prime locations that are constrained by space. The first Bitesize Greggs has opened in Sevenoaks railway station in Kent.

Electric Star Pubs launches new live-fire restaurant called Firestarter: Electric Star Pubs, the eight-strong London business led by owner and founder Rob Star, has launched a new live-fire restaurant called Firestarter, in the capital. Launched at the group’s Star by Liverpool Street, the restaurant project represents Electric Star Pubs’ first move into dedicated dining. Star said: “We know we're playing with fire opening a new restaurant in London right now, but that's what hospitality is all about – taking risks to create something people genuinely want to experience.” Firestarter occupies the restaurant space at 94 Middlesex Street, with an entrance shared with The Star by Liverpool Street pub/bar venue next door, also owned by the group. Firestarter features an open kitchen design, allowing diners to experience the theatre of live-fire cooking, with kitchen counter seating for up to ten guests, and a further 50 seats in the dining room itself. “After years of running pubs and festivals, I wanted to create something where the food takes centre stage,” said Star. “Firestarter is a space where the food is serious, but the atmosphere is relaxed.”

Brook House team to open new pub in London’s Fulham: The team behind the award-winning Brook House in London’s Fulham is to open a new pub next month, called The Brook and Badger. A 30-year veteran of the pub and restaurant scene, Eamonn Manson opened his first place called the Pen in Parson’s Green in 1993, following it up with the Sands End, Brown Cow and Cross Keys, which he sold as a group in 2016. He now owns Brook House in the New Kings Road and Brooke in Clapham. In their first collaboration together, Manson has joined forces with his friend, pop art dealer Adrian Palengat, to create the Brook and Badger, which will open in Munster Road, Fulham. Will Biggart, of Torridon, acted on behalf of a private investor on the letting of the Munster Road site.

Former Mitchells & Butlers executive opens permanent site for Thai concept Khao Bird: Former Mitchells & Butlers executive Mike Palmer has opened a permanent site in London for his northern Thai barbecue concept, Khao Bird. Palmer has launched in the former Chilango site in Brewer Street. The two-floor, 80-cover restaurant and bar was previously home to the last standing adult film cinema in Soho. The opening comes after a year-long residency for Khao Bird above The Globe Tavern in Borough Market. Head chef Luke Larsson and his team has taken various research and work trips across northern Thailand and Burma over the years and draw on what they have learned from their year-long pop-up. Palmer said Khao Bird is “an inclusive and affordable restaurant focusing on contemporary interpretations of traditional, hyper-regional techniques from Chiang Maiwith a focus on barbecue, coming from the open kitchen centred around live fire cooking”. He added: “Khao started out for us as a series of pop-ups in Brighton, inspired by our time studying and working in Thailand. Our philosophy is simple: to blend the bold flavours and techniques of Thailand with the best local ingredients from in and around Brighton, and in 2018, we opened our first permanent restaurant in Brighton's historic old post office – Lucky Khao. Now, with this exciting opportunity in Soho, we're diving further into the unique cuisine of Chiang Mai. The name ‘Khao Bird’ is a nod to our love for the city's famous barbecue chicken. The menu features northern Thai classics, particularly the flavours that light up the City's night markets, with some playful twists that reflect our journey from Brighton to Thailand.”

Team behind Gold in London’s Notting Hill opens Mediterranean riverside restaurant and bar in Richmond: The team behind Gold, the restaurant and late-night bar in London’s Notting Hill, has opened a new Mediterranean riverside restaurant and bar in Richmond. Propel revealed in April that entrepreneur Nick House, a founder of clubs such as Mahiki and Whisky Mist, had been linked to launching a new concept on the site of the former Pitcher & Piano in Richmond’s Bridge Street. House launched Gold with former River Cafe chef Theo Hill on the site of the four-storey Portobello Gold pub in Portobello Road in 2019, and the duo have partnered once more to open Tower House in Richmond, which features a riverside garden with sweeping views of the River Thames, Richmond Bridge and Twickenham Bridge. Hill’s menu features dishes from chargrilled vegetables to hand-rolled parcels of pasta and wood-roasted whole turbot. He said: “We simply wish to show as much consideration as we possibly can towards the best produce available. The aim is always to cook with fire in an unforced and harmonious way, which allows the ingredients to speak for themselves.”

Café initiative founded by Ukrainian refugees opens second site: A café initiative founded by Ukrainian refugees has opened a second site, backed by the Development Bank of Wales. Ruta Kitchen, which was set up in Neath by founders Vladimir Pavliiciuc, Volodymyr Iliev and Ihor Tertyshnyi in January 2025, secured a £25,000 micro loan for the new premises in Swansea. Ruta Kitchen was started with the aim of supporting displaced Ukrainians and fostering community integration. Bringing together Welsh and Ukrainian food and culture, the café provides work for refugees following the invasion of Ukraine. Having opened in Orchard Street, Neath, the business has now expanded to Nelson Street in Swansea. Paviliiciuc said: "When we started the business, we wanted to create somewhere that would bring together Welsh and Ukrainian culture through food – but we also wanted to create job opportunities for Ukrainian families in the area. We’ve received a lot of support in Neath and earned a lot of experience in running the café, and we decided it was the right time for us to look for somewhere to open another café in Swansea.”

Petersham Nurseries MD opens Florentine trattoria Trogolo in London’s Notting Hill: Lara Boglione, managing director of Petersham Nurseries, and her husband Giovanni Mazzei, of Marchesi Mazzei, have opened Trogolo, a contemporary trattoria and bar inspired by the spirit of Florence. The venue has launched in Westbourne Grove in London’s Notting Hill. The name Trogolo, Italian for “trough”, nods to the stone basins that were found in farmyards across Tuscany. The business said: “More than just a drinking spot for animals, the trogoli were the heart of rural life: raw, communal, and essential. This spirit of convivial simplicity runs through the restaurant, from its long, shared tables where guests dine shoulder to shoulder, to its stripped-back, ingredient-led menu.” The site is spread across two floors with a secluded outdoor courtyard. Boglione said: “The Tuscan spirit is warm and effusive. We’re bringing this hearty sense of hospitality to Trogolo, a place that captures the feel of Florence.” Dan Brown, of Restaurant Property, acted on behalf of Trogolo.