Exclusive – Chris Stagg stands down as MD of Peach Pubs, to be replaced by Richard Littman: Chris Stagg has stepped down as managing director of Peach Pubs after 11 years with the business, Propel has learned. Stagg, who led the 21-strong Peach over the last 15 months, has left to “begin the next chapter – building a portfolio of consulting, advisory and non-executive director roles across the hospitality sector”. His departure comes three months after Coral Pub Company, a new vehicle led by Ted Kennedy, who was previously managing director of Whitbread’s managed pub division and former chairman of Dominion Hospitality, acquired Peach Pubs via a pre-pack administration. Stagg told Propel: “Part of this will be joining forces with the talented Michelin-starred chef Clive Dixon, who transformed the Peach food offer, and we'll be working on food and beverage concepts across the UK. For me, this feels like the right moment to apply the experience I've gained across Hall & Woodhouse, Brunning & Price and Peach in a new way. Following my first non-executive director role, I'm now looking forward to taking on several advisory and non-executive director roles, supporting the next generation of hospitality business to deliver excellence and remarkable food and beverage concepts. It's well documented the late-night bars sector has been incredibly challenging in recent years, leading to very limited investment into Peach. Despite this, our pubs continued to trade strongly – delivering like-for-like growth, healthy pub profits and industry-leading guest feedback. I'm incredibly proud of what our teams have achieved. Peach isn't broken – it's underinvested – and I'm confident it will thrive under Coral's stewardship. It's been a real privilege to be part of Peach, and I'll miss working with such a brilliant team.” The company has hired Richard Littman, formerly of Paramount Restaurants, Novus Leisure and Miroma Leisure, as its new managing director. Littman is also the co-founder of the Shuk restaurant in London’s Borough Market. Kennedy told Propel: “Chris leaves with our best wishes and thanks for all he has done, especially steering the business through the past 18 months. Richard, who has overseen unbranded pubs, individual high-volume pubs, and high-calibre restaurants, takes over as we embark on the next stage of growth for Peach.”

Propel Multi-Club Female Leaders and Entrepreneurs Conference open for bookings, Greggs chief executive Roisin Currie to speak: The Propel Multi-Club Female Leaders and Entrepreneurs Conference takes place on Thursday, 4 June at Park Plaza Victoria London. The all-day conference, which is organised in conjunction with Ann Elliott, will feature an all-female line-up of sector leaders. These include Roisin Currie, chief executive of Greggs, who will talk about her leadership style and the company’s emphasis on nurturing and protecting a strong internal culture. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Operators can book up to three free places per company while Premium subscribers who are operators can book up to four free places. To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,572 operators and 20 new companies on Friday: Premium Club subscribers will receive the updated Multi-Site Database on Friday (24 April), at 12pm. The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,572 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 1,028 (29%) casual dining operators, 808 (23%) pub and bar operators, 639 (18%) cafe bakery operators, 502 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 296 (8%) hotel operators, 242 (7%) experiential leisure operators and 55 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes 20 new companies. The database includes new companies in the casual dining sector such as seafood concept Shrimp & Co, north London Italian restaurant concept Rossella, and north east Indian restaurant concept Abu’s. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five additional databases: the New Openings Database, the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who's Who of UK Hospitality. 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 chief operating officer – editorial, 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 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. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Boom in UK ‘staycations’ as war puts holidaymakers off overseas travel: Britons are rushing to book holidays in the UK as fears over rising fuel prices and travel delays due to the war in the Middle East put people off long-haul trips. The FT reported several of the UK’s leading holiday companies said they had seen more British holidaymakers visiting their resorts over Easter and making reservations for the May half-term and the summer, fuelling hopes for a boost to hospitality businesses. “Since the end of March and coming into spring, we’re seeing an increase in bookings and people who are booking are spending more and staying longer,” said Hannah Harrison, commercial director at The Coaching Inn Group, which owns more than 40 hotels across the UK. Butlin’s chief executive Jon Hendry Pickup said the company’s three resorts were “at full capacity” over Easter, with a surge in last-minute bookings. “There are so many other pressures – but strong staycation demand would be a good compensation for us,” said Ian Dunstall, a director at Upham Inns, a collection of pubs with rooms in rural areas across the south of England. He was optimistic about the strength of demand so far this year: “If it’s a nice location, it’s filling up.” Any boost in domestic travel “massively helps with all the costs that we’re taking on”, said the Coaching Inn Group’s managing director Adam Charity. Some fear, however, that rising inflation could cap the hoped-for boost for UK hospitality businesses. According to the RAC motoring organisation, petrol prices in the UK have climbed almost 20% since the end of February to £1.58 per litre, their highest level since Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine caused energy prices to surge in 2022. “Look at the petrol pumps,” said Charity. “My growing concern is about the actual available cash people have to spend on the things they love.”

Butcombe Group CEO – ‘the government is not listening to the concerns of business over issues such as business rates’: Jonathan Lawson, chief executive of Butcombe Group, has criticised the government’s handling of the economy as he accused ministers of ignoring business. Lawson said “this year was quite difficult for us to plan already” due to tax hikes and other costs even before the outbreak of war in the Middle East. He said the government is “not listening” to the concerns of business over issues such as business rates. “This year was quite difficult for us to plan already,” he told the BBC. “We had a very good year last year and we invested significantly into our business. But the rising costs and tax base that this government and previous governments have inflicted on business, and on our sector in particular, make it very difficult for us to have confidence around investment and employment growth and the latest increases in the national minimum wage have added to that. We are always optimistic. But I think the government’s narrative is the latest GDP figures are showing signs it is doing a good job. I would challenge that.” Lawson said chancellor Rachel Reeves’ national insurance tax raid and inflation-busting rise in the minimum wage cost the business “more than £2m” last year. Lawson contrasted those extra costs with the £150,000 saving the company was handed when the chancellor watered down her business rates reforms following a fierce backlash from the industry that saw Labour MPs banned from many pubs. Dismissing the help on business rates, he said: “The government has made a big deal out of what in context is a small amount of money for our business. The government is not listening, and we need to be very clear about this. The government and chancellor promised to reform business rates for our sector and retail. They have still yet to deliver on their promise.” 

Samyukta Nair – ‘you really have to work harder for each cover now, but there is a clear appetite for experiences that feel worth it’: Samyukta Nair, the restaurateur behind Jamavar, Bombay Bustle, MiMi Mei Fair and Nipotina in London, has told Propel that operators “really have to work harder for each cover now, but there is a clear appetite for experiences that feel worth it”. Nair, who also previously operated Koyn and Socca in the capital, will next month open Miko Mei Fair, in the space below MiMi Mei Fair in London’s Mayfair. Reflecting on the current hospitality landscape in the capital, she said: “I can only speak for Mayfair, but we’re seeing a much more considered way of spending. People are dining with more intention. The new wellness trends are seeing a shift towards protein and lighter dishes, and early seatings are stronger, with midweek slightly softer, and you really have to work harder for each cover and fight for your share of the pie. That said, there is a clear appetite for experiences that feel worth it. The market now requires restaurateurs to work with more consistency and clarity but rewards them for that as well. It’s not easy in this environment, but if something forces you to be sharper and more intentional, it will make you more resilient if anything.” In terms of how her sites are performing, Nair added: “They are all performing differently, which I think is a reflection of the current landscape within hospitality. Jamavar is very established, while MiMi Mei Fair has found its own loyal community, but Bombay Bustle and Nipotina are a bit more exposed to footfall and dining habits. where the focus is refining the offer and making sure they remain relevant and accessible. Given the wider climate, it’s less about performance in the traditional sense and more about resilience and making sure each site is evolving in a way that feels commercially sounds and true to its identity.”

Papa John’s and Pizza Hut in sales talks: Two of the most popular national pizza brands in the US are edging closer to be acquired. Papa John's International and Pizza Hut are actively negotiating separate deals that could see both exit the New York Stock Exchange. Papa John’s was offered $47 a share in March from Qatari-backed investment fund Irth Capital, with backing from Brookfield Asset Management. Reuters reported that Irth has been in talks with Papa John's and conducting due diligence on a potential acquisition over the last month, with some investors quietly optimistic that a deal can be reached by the time the pizza brand releases quarterly earnings on ⁠7 May. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut owner Yum! Brands set another deadline this week for bidders to submit formal offers. So far, private equity firms Sycamore Partners, Apollo Global Management, and LongRange Capital, among others, have been vying for the brand. It comes as both pizza brands have said they need to shutter hundreds of locations to revive performance.

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a scaling drinks business that is searching for a chief executive to spearhead its growth. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “This role requires a hands-on leader with a strong track record of building scalable operations and delivering sustainable growth in a dynamic environment. The individual will bring proven expertise in distribution-led businesses, with a particular emphasis on establishing and optimising systems, infrastructure, and technology to support expansion.” The salary is up to £200,000 and the position is based in London. For more information, email mark@corecruitment.com

Oxygen paid £5.1m to acquire Leisure TV Rights, secures more than £6.4m from shareholders to support growth: Indoor family activity business Oxygen paid £5.1m to acquire experiential operator Leisure TV Rights and its five Ninja Warrior UK adventure parks, newly filed accounts have revealed. Oxygen added the sites in Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Teesside and Walsall in October 2025 to increase its portfolio to 18 sites. In its accounts for the year ending 30 June 2025, Oxygen said it had also secured more than £6.4m of additional funding from shareholders to support its growth strategy. The group added trading in its current financial year has been “strong”, with increases in both customer volumes and average spend per visit. In December 2025, the group extended the lease of its RedKangaroo park in Coventry until January 2040, resulting in a rent increase while in January 2026, the rent at Oxygen Romford in east London also increased following a review. It comes as the group reported revenue fell to £20,270,662 for the year ending 30 June 2025 compared with £21,587,447 the previous year. Pre-tax losses grew to £11,294,725 from £8,945,098 the year before. Oxygen said “challenging” trading conditions due to dry and warm weather in the key March to June trading period adversely impacted footfall across the estate. Despite this the group said it saw year-on-year growth in customer spend. In February 2025, the group opened its new £2.7m site in Manchester, which has “performed in line with expectations”. The Oxygen site in Reading was refurbished at a cost of £1.2m leading to average customer spend being up 11% while the group exited its Northampton venue, exercising a tenant break after a rent dispute. The group said the closure was responsible for around £1m of the revenue decrease. The company stated: “With the continued support of its shareholders, Oxygen's strong customer proposition and clear growth strategy, the group is well placed to lead the family leisure sector in the years ahead.”

Stonegate Group CEO – ‘business will take a material step towards profitability this year’, ‘turnaround is less than halfway complete’: David McDowall, chief executive of the TDR Capital-backed Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has said the business will take a “material step” towards profitability this year, with the caveat that his turnaround is “less than halfway” complete. Speaking to the Sunday Times, McDowall said: “The [profit and loss accounts] of bar, restaurant, pub, hospitality businesses over the last few years have been changed forever. And that is going to continue to make it difficult. On a positive note, it feels like the strongest part of the hospitality sector is wet-led [pubs that mainly sell drinks, rather than food] community pubs. And that happens to be the lion’s share of our estate.” He said the level of interest in applying to run a leased and tenanted pub is at “its highest it’s been”. “Agreements ending or people handing their keys back to us – those things are at their lowest for quite some time,” he said. It was revealed last November that Stonegate was exploring options for circa 1,000 pubs, almost a quarter of its pub estate — all freehold properties, known as its “platinum” collection — for up to £1bn. McDowall insisted plans for the pubs are not yet concrete. “We will either refinance or continue to look at the options for a sale – there’s no huge rush to do that,” he said. “If and when that comes to market, it’s a very high-quality estate of freehold assets.” Last month, Propel reported Stonegate had initiated plans to “test the market” with a package of about 300 pubs. They are not the only pubs getting sold; Stonegate has disposed of 100 of its pubs already in 2025, and McDowall said he may “potentially” consider selling off some brands, such as the Slug & Lettuce or Walkabout, in the longer term. McDowall will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 19 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. McDowall will talk about the continued evolution of the UK’s largest pub company, as it looks to become a “partnership-led pub portfolio”. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £345 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers while Premium Unlimited Plus subscribers receive four free tickets to the conference. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

Wingstop UK expands Essex presence with Harlow opening: Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has extended its footprint in Essex with an opening in Harlow. The launch of The Water Gardens restaurant marks the brand’s fifth in Essex. The 3,024 square-foot site hosts 75 covers. Wingstop operates 92 sites across the UK and Ireland, employing more than 3,000 people, with plans to grow to as many as 200 sites within the next five years. Chris Sherriff, chief executive of Wingstop UK & Ireland, said: “We’ve built a loyal, flavour-focused community in Essex, so opening in Harlow is a natural next step for us to keep growing and connecting with even more passionate fans. The Water Gardens is a fantastic spot for us.” Wingstop features in this year’s highly anticipated International Brands report. It will feature the 100 leading international brands in UK hospitality, plus, new for this year, more than 60 smaller brands planning an entrance or trading in the UK market. The report is available for £450 plus VAT with existing Premium Club subscribers receiving it free. The report will be published on Friday, 22 May at 9am. Order your copy today or sign up to Premium by emailing kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com

One of UK’s largest Domino’s franchisees sees turnover pass £100m but profit falls 59% as costs rise: Hala Group, one of the UK’s largest Domino’s franchisees, has reported turnover increased 3.7% to a record £101,469,825 for the year ending 30 June 2025 compared with £97,882,838 the year before. The group, which operates circa 70 Domino’s sites, saw pre-tax profit drop 59% to £909,696 from £2,222,624 the previous year as administrative expenses rose by circa £2.5m to £ 21,622,596. The company started operating Pret stores under the banner of Hala Star Foods in 2023 and said in the accounts it opened an additional location during the period under the franchise agreement, taking the total to seven. Net assets fell 9.4% to £ £20,041,040 from £22,129,179 the year before. Director Ahmed Alani said: “The results reflect increased volume sales but higher overhead and finance costs following higher taxes and harsher economic conditions, resulting in lower profits. Gross profit margin was steady at 65.5% (2024: 64.3%). Trading conditions are expected to remain challenging for the foreseeable future, but the directors remain confident the business will continue to deliver profitable growth.” Dividends of £1,902,000 were paid (2024: £1,624,421). 

The Ivy Collection lines up Stratford-upon-Avon opening: The Ivy Collection, which is now majority owned by Diafa, the Abu Dhabi–based luxury lifestyle group, is set to open a site in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. The circa 50-strong business will open at Bell Court this autumn, taking over part of the former Debenhams shop in the town centre. John Stacey, managing director of Blue Coast Capital, owners of Bell Court, said: “With momentum continuing to build, Bell Court is entering an exciting new chapter. We are excited to be partnering with The Ivy at Bell Court. Autumn 2026 is set to be a defining moment in shaping the destination's future and reinforcing Stratford-upon-Avon's status as a standout location for high-quality dining and leisure experiences.” On Tuesday, 28 April, Ivy Collection will open an Ivy Brasserie in Chester. Propel revealed in November the Ivy Collection was planning to open on the former All Bar One site in the city’s Newgate Street. Last week, Richard Caring confirmed the sale of a majority stake in the bulk of his restaurant and members’ clubs business to Diafa. The transaction includes Ivy Collection, the luxury restaurant portfolio of Caprice Holdings – featuring Scott's, Sexy Fish, and Noema – as well as the private members’ clubs of The Birley Clubs, including Annabel's, George, Harry's Bar, and Mark's Club. Ivy Collection, which will continue its expansion across the UK in 2026, is expected to explore new openings in the US and other international markets.

Soho House to open site in California’s Palm Springs next year: Soho House is to open a site in Palm Springs in California next year. After pulling out of a planned development at the Colony 29 property in the Historic Tennis Club neighbourhood in 2023, Soho House restarted its application at the end of last year. In a post on Instagram, Soho House announced the site will open in 2027. Set in the historic Coachella Valley, overlooking the San Jacinto Mountains, the property will feature club spaces, 17 bedrooms and a Soho Health Club with a 185ft pool. Ron Burkle, the billionaire majority owner of Soho House, owns a number of other properties in Palm Springs, including La Vallauris restaurant in West Tahquitz Canyon Way. He started the process of developing the Colony 29 event space into a new Soho House venue in 2022 but pulled out over what he called “bureaucratic challenges”. The existing main house was built in 1929 by John Burnham, and the seven-acre property is a location for weddings and corporate events. Earlier this month, Soho House opened its first Japanese outpost, in Tokyo. Soho House now operates 49 houses across 20 countries. In February, a $2.7bn deal to take the company private was completed by a consortium led by hotels giant MCR.

KFC and Starbucks franchisee hires Mary-Helen Waldron as group people director: Long-term KFC franchisee Gastronomy and sister company Café Fortune, a Starbucks franchisee, have hired Mary-Helen Waldron, formerly of Prezzo and Greene King, as their new group people director. Waldron spent more than four years at Prezzo Italian, and most recently Brava Hospitality Group, as its people director. She joined Prezzo after just over four years with Greene King, including the last two years as HR director of its Local Pubs division. Before that, she had stints at Gala Bingo and Rank Group. Last September, Gastronomy signed a deal to more than double the number of KFC restaurants it operates over the next five years, adding more than 50 restaurants to its portfolio, Backed by HSBC, Gastronomy plans to grow to more than 100 KFC restaurants across the UK by 2030. Gastronomy opened its first KFC restaurant in Aberystwyth in 2007 and has since grown its portfolio to circa 45 KFC restaurants across Wales, the Midlands, the north west and Shropshire. Cafe Fortune currently operates circa 20 Starbucks stores across the UK.

Pure launches first multi-channel menu following business transformation: Pure, the healthy food-to-go concept, has launched its first multi-channel menu, as it said its retail business has “delivered a strong start to 2026”, achieving a 9% increase in like-for-like growth in the first quarter, as consumer demand “continues to shift towards high-protein, high-fibre and high-quality food”. The business, which operates 13 sites and five catering hubs, said the new menu marks “a major milestone following our transformation into a multi-channel food business spanning retail, catering and wholesale”. In total, the menu introduces 40 new items across Pure’s retail, catering and wholesale offers, “doubling down on the trends that have driven recent growth”. Pure said its catering channel has also seen significant growth over the past year. Pure said: “What began as a local office delivery service is now a multimillion-pound business providing food for meetings, conferences, events and workplaces across London.” Pure’s newest channel is wholesale, and its products are now available in more than 60 locations all over London and Birmingham. “Completing our transition to a multi-channel business and launching our ‘all round goodness’ menu across all three channels is a major milestone for Pure,” said Spencer Craig, chief executive and founder of Pure. “We’ve built three complementary channels that allows us to meet customers wherever they are on-the-go or at work, while staying true to the quality, flavour and nutritional standards that define the Pure brand. We’re excited to continue accelerating growth across retail, catering and wholesale in the year ahead.” Pure said it is investing to grow all three channels with plans to expand wholesale distribution, further scale its catering operations and add more retail sites – particularly in travel locations.

Scottish bakery business Stephens reports record turnover and profit, plans new Stirling drive-thru: Scottish bakery business Stephens Bakery has reported record turnover and profit and is planning a new drive-thru site in Stirling. Stephens Bakery, founded in 1873 and led by William Stephens, currently has 15 of its own retail outlets while its products are sold in a further circa 200 convenience stores. Turnover grew to £21,992,858 for the year ending 30 June 2025 from £20,496,653 the year before. Pre-tax profit increased to £5,905,199 from £5,260,470 the previous year. In January 2026, a new site in Kerse Road, Stirling, was acquired, which the business plans to open as a drive-thru store for its second site in the city. In his report accompanying the accounts, director Andre Sarafilovic said: “The trading environment throughout 2024-25 remained highly challenging, with inflationary pressures continuing to affect both the business and its customers. Despite these market-wide issues, the business has delivered another year of consistent performance. The cost of utilities, in particular electricity, intensified significantly with the removal of government subsidies, continuing to reflect the wider impact of the war in Ukraine on the UK and Scottish economies. We continue to invest in new production equipment to enhance working conditions for our valued team and prepare the business for future growth. A renewed focus on new product development is also beginning to bear fruit, enabling us to respond to shifting consumer tastes and add variety for our loyal customer base. Customers, increasingly cautious with their spending, are making more value-conscious choices. This trend has reinforced the importance of delivering high-quality products at a competitive price point.” Dividends of £4,393,419 were paid (2024: £3,951,843). 

Burger concept Smoke & Pepper adds to London footprint with Earl’s Court opening: Burger concept Smoke & Pepper has added to its London footprint with an opening in Earl’s Court. The restaurant, at 166 Earls Court Road, is the business’ ninth in the capital and 15th overall. Smoke & Pepper’s regional locations are in Birmingham, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Reading, Southampton and Lakeside in Essex. The business was founded in London by Sara Ibrahim and Suhail Mala and launched its first site in 2022. In January, franchise consultant Paul Davies said the then 13-strong Smoke & Pepper was aiming to more than double in size this year, to circa 30 locations.

London McDonald's franchisee reports drop in turnover and profit: McDonald's franchisee A&L Restaurants, which operates a portfolio of sites in north London, has reported a drop in turnover and profit in the year to 31 March 2025. The company, led by Amir Atefi, saw turnover decrease to £21,678,776 from £22,822,824 the year before. Pre-tax profit fell from £907,944 to £891,312. Dividends of £468,306 were paid (2024: £400,135). Atefi said the reduction in turnover was “due to high inflation and economic challenges” but the company had “continued to focus on effective cost control measures and regular pricing reviews”. Net assets at year-end were £3.46m (2024: £3.38m), which Atefi said reflects “the strong position of the company from a solvency point of view” and “is the foundation on which it can continue to grow and prosper”.

Lake District Hotels secures seventh site: Family-owned Lake District Hotels has secured its seventh site. The company, led by the Graves family, has acquired Patterdale Hotel in the village of Patterdale from north west operator Choice Hotels after it was marketed at a guide price of offers in the region of £3.95m. Patterdale Hotel features 60 en-suite letting bedrooms, staff accommodation, a lounge bar, and restaurant. Dani Hope, director of Lake District Hotels, said: “We are excited to add the Patterdale Hotel to our collection of Lakeland hotels. We have extensive plans to upgrade the accommodation and to trade the hotel alongside our other properties in the north Lakes.” Lake District Hotels other properties include the Lodore Falls Hotel and Spa in Derwentwater and the four-star Inn on the Lake overlooking Ullswater. Choice Hotels now owns four other properties, including the Keswick Country House Hotel, which is also currently on the market following the directors’ decision to refocus their attention on their original Lancashire coast portfolio in and around Blackpool. The sale comes after Choice Hotels reported a pre-tax loss of £107,547 for the year ending 30 June 2025 compared with a profit of £57,298 the previous year. Turnover dipped to £19,795,629 from £20,047,769 the year before. No dividend was paid (2024: £18,000). Colliers acted on the Patterdale Hotel deal and is also marketing the Keswick Country House Hotel.

Family entertainment centre operator reports ‘strong’ trading, turnover and profit in line with previous year: Family entertainment centre company Big Apple Entertainments has reported “strong” trading, with its turnover and profit in line with the previous year. The company operates Superbowl sites in Ryde, Woking and Wokingham, Strikes venues in Dereham and King’s Lynn and a Riverside Bowl location in Wallasey. Turnover nudged down to £3,715,073 for the year ending 30 June 2025 from £3,774,553 the year before while pre-tax profit dipped to £1,303,264 from £1,412,814 the previous year. The company reported interest income of £50,370 (2024: £12,486). Director Duncan Moss said: “The directors are happy with the performance of the group. The group generated a profit for the year due to continued strong trading across all its sites, resulting in an earnings per share of 41p for the year (2024: 41p). The group has invested substantial capital expenditure totalling £854,354 across its sites to enhance the quality of its facilities.” The group operates a total of 88 ten pin bowling lanes across its estate along with activities such as Laser Quest, soft play, pool, amusements and arcade machines as well as a food and beverage offer.

London co-living and guesthouse business – ‘we’re seeing strong and consistent demand’: Ben Prevezer, founder of London co-living and guesthouse business Mason & Fifth, has told Propel that it has seen “strong and consistent” demand so far in 2026 and its immediate expansion focus remains on the capital. The company will launch its fifth site next month – a 56-studio property in Belsize Park, joining venues in Primrose Hill, Bermondsey and Westbourne Park. Prevezer told Propel: “The launch of Westbourne Park last year marked a significant milestone for Mason & Fifth, demonstrating our ability to successfully deliver and operate large, design-led, mixed-use schemes. Since opening, the project has been very well received by both guests and the wider industry, which has been incredibly encouraging. From a trading perspective, we’ve seen strong and consistent demand across both short and longer-term stays.” In terms of further growth, Prevezer said London is a key market and the business is exploring further opportunities across the city. He added: “Our immediate focus remains on London, where we see strong demand and opportunity to further establish the Mason & Fifth business. That said, we are also quietly exploring opportunities beyond the capital, particularly in well-connected rural locations reflecting broader social and cultural shifts such as the rise of remote working, as well as ongoing cost pressures associated with city living. Our aim is to offer a more flexible, balanced way of living that responds to how people want to work, travel and spend their time today.”

Three-strong Scottish heritage property portfolio hits market for £15m: A three-strong portfolio of heritage properties in Scotland has gone on the market for £15m. The properties comprise Kinnettles Castle in Forfar and Kinnettles Mansion and Kinnettles Hotel, Bar & Restaurant in St Andrews. Set within a 58-acre estate, Kinnettles Castle is a wedding and event venue featuring 11 bedrooms and suites, a selection of public rooms, and a bar and lounge. A converted coach house adds a further eight bedrooms with facilities including a hot tub, and outdoor barbecue area. In St Andrews, Kinnettles Mansion features eight individually designed bedrooms, extensive public rooms, a bespoke cinema room, a wine cellar, and a large kitchen. Today the property operates as an exclusive-use venue. Kinnettles Hotel, Bar & Restaurant in North Street comprises a bar and restaurant, with nine bedrooms located on the upper floors, with a small spa and wellness centre at the basement level. Directly opposite the hotel is a recently refurbished annexe containing six additional bedrooms. The portfolio has been owned by a private investor since 2016 who has operated them as a long-term investment and now wishes to sell as the current tenancy comes to an end. While the portfolio is on the market and available with vacant possession for £15m, offers will be considered on an individual as well as on a part group basis. Christie & Co is marketing the portfolio.

Jackson Boxer to launch Vesper in London’s Exmouth Market in May: Chef Jackson Boxer will open new restaurant Vesper next month at 8-10 Exmouth Market, London. Vesper follows Dove, which opened in Notting Hill in January 2025, and will adopt the same “creative, approachable spirit, with its own unique expression”. The 70-cover site will comprise a “relaxed bar at the entrance, a richly-textured, candlelit dining room beyond, and a terrace of bistro tables for sipping, snacking and people-watching”. Boxer said: “In Vesper we want to build a fitting tribute to London, the greatest city in the world – naturally cosmopolitan in outlook, fiercely proud of its native produce, at ease in its own unique skin, confidently hospitable to all. Offering grown up pleasure and childlike joy; a restaurant for the city we want to live in.”