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Thursday 22nd January 2026
Exclusive: Satnam Leihal steps down as CEO of Boparan Restaurant Group
Exclusive – Satnam Leihal steps down as CEO of Boparan Restaurant Group: Satnam Leihal has stepped down as chief executive of Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), the Slim Chickens UK, Ed’s Easy Diner and Carluccio’s operator, after six … view
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Thursday 22nd January 2026
Young’s states intention to move to London stock exchange main market as it reports ‘very strong’ Christmas
Young’s states intention to move to main market of London stock exchange as it reports ‘very strong’ festive trading: Young’s is to apply to move from AIM to the main market of the London stock exchange as it reported like-for-like man … view
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Thursday 22nd January 2026
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Sir Tim Martin – JD Wetherspoon franchise operations producing ‘high sales’ and had ‘several’ overseas enquiries, ‘government would give tax equality with supermarkets if it really values pubs’: JD Wetherspoon chair Sir Tim … view
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Thursday 22nd January 2026
Double exclusive: Inception Group and Wren Pubs
Exclusive – Inception Group to open Covent Garden Market Building flagship site: Inception Group, the London hospitality group known for its immersive venues, is to open a new flagship site in Covent Garden’s historic Market Building. … view
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Wednesday 21st January 2026
Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards winners revealed
Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards winners revealed: The winners of this year’s Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards, staged by Propel and Think Hospitality, have been revealed. The winners were recognised for their success in marketin … view
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Wednesday 21st January 2026
UKHospitality warns government it ‘only has one chance to get this right’, EL&N in ‘advanced talks’ over US expansion
UKHospitality warns government it ‘only has one chance to get this right’ as restaurants and hotels set to miss out on business rates relief: UKHospitality has warned the government it “only has one chance to get this right” after … view
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Wednesday 21st January 2026
Update: JD Wetherspoon like-for-like sales up 6.1% in last quarter following strong festive period, issues profit warning after costs ‘higher than anticipated’
JD Wetherspoon like-for-like sales up 6.1% in last quarter following strong festive period, issues profit warning after costs ‘higher than anticipated’: JD Wetherspoon has reported like-for-like (lfl) sales were up 6.1% in last quarter fol … view
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Wednesday 21st January 2026
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Pubs strong and restaurants flat in mixed December for hospitality: Festive celebrations helped Britain’s managed pub groups to end 2025 on a high, the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. The Tracker – produced by NIQ … view
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Tuesday 20th January 2026
Update: Knoops, Starbucks, Amber Taverns and Heartwood Collection
Knoops targets 150 UK equity stores and 160 US sites by 2032, American debut set for April, reports strong festive trading: Luxury hot chocolate shop brand Knoops has targeted having 150 UK equity stores and 160 US sites by 2032, and said its … view
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Tuesday 20th January 2026
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
6 of 1 Hospitality Group co-founder – ‘we’ve got international ambitions but taking it one step at a time’: Abhinav Malde, co-founder of 6 of 1 Hospitality Group, the team behind Mr Bao, Master Bao, Daddy Bao and Wonton Charlie's, … view
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Tuesday 20th January 2026
Pubs strong and restaurants flat in mixed December for hospitality
Pubs strong and restaurants flat in mixed December for hospitality: Festive celebrations helped Britain’s managed pub groups to end 2025 on a high, the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. The Tracker – produced by NIQ … view
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Monday 19th January 2026
Tim Hortons UK&I CEO: confident we now have strong foundations in place to deliver sustainable, long-term success
Tim Hortons UK&I CEO – confident we now have strong foundations in place to deliver sustainable, long-term success: Deepinder Batth, chief executive of Tim Hortons UK and Ireland, has told Propel that he is “confident we now have stro … view
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Monday 19th January 2026
Propel Monday News Briefing
Doughnut business Dum Dum Donutteries founder – ‘scope to grow to 100-plus sites across the UK and re-establish international presence’: Paul Hurley, founder of Doughnut business Dum Dum Donutteries, has told Propel he believes ther … view
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Friday 16th January 2026
Exclusive: Heartwood Collection on track to achieve £100m of turnover, reports record festive trading, secures new £25m debt facility
Exclusive – Heartwood Collection on track to achieve £100m of turnover, reports record festive trading, secures new £25m debt facility: Heartwood Collection, the Alchemy Partners-backed business, has told Propel it is on track to achieve … view
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Friday 16th January 2026
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Happy new year, beyond limits: embracing opportunities in hospitality for survival in 2026, spare a thought for older customers in the charge for automation
Authors: Alastair Scott, Amber Staynings, Roger Protz< … view
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Friday 16th January 2026
Exclusive: RedCat to focus on premium inns with exit from managed pub operations
Exclusive – RedCat to focus on premium inns with exit from managed pub operations: RedCat Hospitality, founded and chaired by Rooney Anand, is to become a focused pub-with-rooms operator and exit its circa 20-strong managed pub division … view
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Friday 16th January 2026
Propel Friday News Briefing
Bounce co-founder raising funds to launch ‘Topgolf/Flight Club’ experience for padel: Entrepreneur Dov Penzik, who co-founded Bounce with Adam Breeden, has launched a fundraising round to back the launch of what he said will be the … view
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Thursday 15th January 2026
Update: Chancellor hints at wider sector business rates support, M&B, Fuller's, Soho House et al
Chancellor opens door to expanding business rates support to wider hospitality industry: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has opened the door to expanding her business rates U-turn beyond pubs to other hospitality businesses. Reeves said yes … view
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Thursday 15th January 2026
Propel Thursday News Briefing
TGI Fridays global president – delivering clearer value is central to our vision for the UK: Phil Broad, global president of TGI Fridays, has told Propel that delivering clearer value is central to its vision for the UK – with a new m … view
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Wednesday 14th January 2026
Legal Briefing

Business rates and beyond – what 2026 means for hospitality by Tim Shield

We had our annual meeting with our bank manager this week, during which I was asked what I thought the coming year might hold for both our business as licensing … view
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Wednesday 14th January 2026
Caffè Nero hires Lysa Hardy as new UK CEO
Caffè Nero hires Lysa Hardy as new UK CEO: Caffe Nero has hired Lysa Hardy, formerly of Hotel Chocolat and T-Mobile, as the new chief executive of its circa 635-strong UK business. Hardy will begin her role immediately and will report to Gerr … view
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Wednesday 14th January 2026
Rachel Reeves insists ‘more temporary support’ for pubs coming, recognises how important hospitality sector is for UK
Rachel Reeves insists ‘more temporary support’ for pubs coming, recognises how important hospitality sector is for UK: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted she will support the UK's pubs amid growing calls for the government to rever … view
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Wednesday 14th January 2026
Update: Costa sale scrapped, sector cutting emissions and recovering millions, half of pubs closing early et al
Coca-Cola scraps plans to sell Costa after bids fall short: Coca-Cola has ditched plans to sell Costa Coffee after bids from private equity suitors fell short of its expectations. Firms in the latter rounds of negotiations included Asda o … view
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Wednesday 14th January 2026
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Caprinos to launch new pizza style to help it expand into shopping centres and travel destinations: Fast growing pizza brand Caprinos has told Propel it is to launch new a pizza style which it believes will help it expand into shopping ce … view
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Tuesday 13th January 2026
Majority of TGI Friday restaurants across the UK acquired via pre-pack deal, 16 sites to close
Majority of TGI Friday restaurants across the UK acquired via pre-pack deal, 16 sites to close: The business and assets of Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group Limited, the company which manages the operations of TGI Friday’s UK restaurants … view
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Tuesday 13th January 2026
Update: Turtle Bay reports £10m loss, 5,000 pubs face rates hike, Greene King innovation
Turtle Bay reports £10m loss in year before being bought back by founder, impacted by Labour's ‘unhelpful raid on employers' national insurance’: Turtle Bay, the 50-strong Caribbean restaurant brand, posted a pre-tax loss of £10.1m … view
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Tuesday 13th January 2026
Update: Stonegate, Whitbread, business rates, Gym Group et al
Stonegate appoints advisers to help it streamline structure: Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company has appointed advisers to help it to streamline its structure. The company, which has more than 4,300 sites in the UK, has appoi … view
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Tuesday 13th January 2026
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Exclusive – Megan’s undertakes leadership reshuffle, Bridget Lambert promoted to MD: Megan’s, the all-day, neighbourhood restaurant concept, has reshuffled its senior leadership team, with Bridget Lambert promoted to managing direct … view
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Monday 12th January 2026
Jersey Mike’s signs franchise agreement to open 400 sites in the UK
Jersey Mike’s signs franchise agreement to open 400 sites in the UK: Jersey Mike’s, the second-largest sub-sandwich brand in the US behind Subway, has signed a franchise agreement with JM Submarines UK, led by the brand’s founder Pe … view
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Monday 12th January 2026
Eight days to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator 2026, book now
Eight days to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator 2026, book now: There are eight days to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit 2026, which is returning for its eighth edition. The conference has doubled in size th … view
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Monday 12th January 2026
Update: Business rates, Wildwood and JD Wetherspoon
Pubs urge ministers to call time on unfair business rates system: A pledge to provide a £300m support package for pubs hit by a surge in property tax has led to demands for an overhaul of the “flawed” way the industry’s bills are … view
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Monday 12th January 2026
Propel Monday News Briefing
Exclusive – The Salad Project secures £9m of new investment, backers include Nick Jones and Active Partners: The Salad Project, which launched in London in 2021, has secured £9m of new investment to aid its next stage of growth, inclu … view
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Sunday 11th January 2026
Double exclusive: Bill’s passes £100m revenue mark, Craig Mayes steps down as Rileys CEO
Exclusive – Bill’s passes £100m revenue mark, cover growth up 5.1%, strengthens management team: Bill’s, the Richard Caring-backed restaurant group, passed the £100m revenue mark in 2025 on the back of a 5.1% increase in cover gro … view
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Saturday 10th January 2026
Double exclusive: Loungers’ turnover passes a record £400m, Junkyard Golf Club demerges and disposes of two sites as co-founder departs
Exclusive – Loungers’ turnover passes a record £400m, confident of improving profitability in medium term, reiterates belief in growing Lounges to 600 sites: Café bar operator Loungers has reported its turnover passed a record £400 … view
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Friday 9th January 2026
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Hospitality between reality and the Twilight Zone, an open letter to Donald Trump, hospitality foresight: the forces shaping 2026 and beyond, no sign yet of calmer waters
Authors: Steve Haslam, Elton Mouna, James Ha … view
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Friday 9th January 2026
Update: Reeves under pressure to extend tax relief, £300m rates bail out, Bill’s, Byron
Reeves under pressure to extend tax relief to rest of hospitality sector: Rachel Reeves is under growing pressure from restaurants, shops, cafés, hotels and music venues to rethink an impending rise in business rates as the chancellor pr … view
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Friday 9th January 2026
Propel Friday News Briefing
Loungers chairman – ‘I suspect the climb down over business rates will be tokenistic’: Alex Reilley, chairman of café bar operator Loungers, has said that he suspects the “climb down” over business rates will be “tokenistic a … view
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Thursday 8th January 2026
Exclusive: Unique Propel 500 annual report for 2026 shows top 500 operators turning over £69bn
Exclusive – Unique Propel 500 annual report for 2026 shows top 500 operators turning over £69bn: The hospitality sector’s top 500 companies have turnover of more than £69bn, across 68,000 sites, the new Propel Top 500 report, published t … view
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Thursday 8th January 2026
Government to water down business rate rise for pubs, Soho House deal under threat
Government to water down business rate rise for pubs: The government is poised to announce a climbdown on forthcoming increases to the business rates bill faced by pubs. BBC News reports that in the coming days, the government is expected … view
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Thursday 8th January 2026
Less than two weeks to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator 2026, book now
Less than two weeks to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator 2026, book now: There are less than two weeks to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit 2026, which is returning for its eighth edition. The conference has … view
................................................................................................
 
Thursday 8th January 2026
Update: Ministers look at concessions for pubs, Greggs, McDonald’s, Brighton Pier Group
Ministers look at concessions for UK pubs as business rate backlash grows: Ministers are exploring options for concessions to defuse a growing row with pub landlords over rising business rates. The FT reports that in the strongest signal … view
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Thursday 8th January 2026
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Festive flurry brings happy Christmas for pubs but restaurants and bars slip: Festive celebrations helped Britain’s top managed pub operators to sales growth in the week of Christmas but trade was challenging for the rest of the sector, … view
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Thursday 8th January 2026
Festive flurry brings happy Christmas for pubs but restaurants and bars slip
Festive flurry brings happy Christmas for pubs but restaurants and bars slip: Festive celebrations helped Britain’s top managed pub operators to sales growth in the week of Christmas but trade was challenging for the rest of the sector, the … view
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Wednesday 7th January 2026
Update: Government under increasing pressure to help save pubs, campaign launched
Labour backbenchers press Rachel Reeves to help save British pubs: Dozens of Labour MPs are pushing the Treasury to provide more support for pubs, warning they will go bust due to an increase in business rates. Sources said that Rachel Re … view
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Wednesday 7th January 2026
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Ex-Fulham Shore MD partnering 081 Pizzeria team on expansion: Nabil Mankarious, the co-founder and former managing director of Fulham Shore, is partnering with the team behind pizza brand 081 Pizzeria on its expansion plans, including the … view
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Tuesday 6th January 2026
Update: cabinet revolt brewing over business rates hike as hospitality warned not to protest
Cabinet revolt brewing over business rates hike as hospitality warned not to protest: A cabinet revolt is brewing over the upcoming business rates increase – as hospitality has been warned not to protest. There is “ongoing cabinet-lev … view
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Tuesday 6th January 2026
Update: Reeves blocks pubs support, Individual Restaurants, Rank Group, Popeyes UK
Reeves blocks support for pubs despite Starmer acknowledging sector’s struggles: Rachel Reeves is blocking new financial support for pubs despite Sir Keir Starmer admitting that many “will struggle” with new business rate changes. I … view
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Tuesday 6th January 2026
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Exclusive – Luxury wine club 67 Pall Mall plans £34m fundraise for further global expansion: 67 Pall Mall, the UK luxury club brand centred upon wine entering its tenth year, is looking to raise up to £34m over the next two years as i … view
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Monday 5th January 2026
Exclusive: Neos to make London debut with Tiger Tiger acquisition, Hand Picked Hotels, Laduree
Exclusive – Neos to make London debut with Tiger Tiger acquisition: Neos Hospitality, the Russell Quelch-led business, is to make its debut in central London after acquiring the former Tiger Tiger site in London’s Haymarket, Propel ha … view
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Monday 5th January 2026
Update: Daylesford Organic swings into profit, Gordon Ramsay, McManus Pubs et al
Daylesford Organic swings into profit: Daylesford Organic, the business owned by Lady Carole Bamford, the wife of JCB boss Lord Bamford, has reported it made a pre-tax profit of £1,251,549 in the year to 31 March 2025, a big swing from a … view
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Monday 5th January 2026
Update: Wingstop UK strengthens management team, Soho Coffee Co, Bob Bob Ricard
Wingstop UK hires Emma Colquhoun as chief growth officer: Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has hired Emma Colquhoun, formerly of Wagamama, as its first chief growth officer, to help drive its continued … view
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Monday 5th January 2026
Propel Monday News Briefing
Wagamama – Strategic initiatives delivering significantly improved volume performance, hires new CMO: Wagamama, The Restaurant Group-owned brand, has said that the strategic initiatives it introduced during the first half of last year a … view
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Friday 2nd January 2026
TGI Fridays insolvency plan, The Revel Collective, Eataly UK results
Hundreds of jobs to be lost in TGI Fridays insolvency plan: Hundreds of staff face losing their jobs in the coming days as the owner of TGI Fridays finalises plans to buy back a slimmed-down version of the casual dining chain. Sky News re … view
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Friday 2nd January 2026
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Taking competitive socialising back into pubs, a hospitality masterclass in motion – Bangkok Study Tour reflections, why the rise in 18-21 minimum wage is misguided, care in the community-owned pub, 
Authors … view
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Friday 2nd January 2026
Less than three weeks to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator 2026, book now
Less than three weeks to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator 2026, book now: There are less than three weeks to go until Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit 2026, which is returning for its eighth edition, and tickets are … view
................................................................................................
 
Friday 2nd January 2026
Propel Friday News Briefing
Brighton Pier Group puts pier up for sale: Brighton Palace Pier, one of the UK’s four most visited tourist attractions, welcoming 3.9 million visitors in 2025, is being offered for sale. The owner, The Brighton Pier Group, has appointed … view
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Wednesday 31st December 2025
Exclusive: Costa and New World Trading Company plus Evolv Collection et al
Exclusive – Costa Coffee reports turnover increases to £1.23bn but sees operating losses widen: Costa Coffee, the Coca-Cola Company-owned brand, has reported turnover increased 1% to £1,231,795,000 for the year ending 31 December 2024 … view
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Monday 29th December 2025
Sector figures recognised in King’s New Year’s Honours
Sector figures recognised in King’s New Year’s Honours: Mark McCulloch, founder and chief executive of Supersonic Inc and fractional chief marketing officer at Prezzo Italian, and chef Marcus Wareing, are among those fro … view
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Monday 29th December 2025
Exclusive: Richard Hodgson steps down as CEO of YO! owner Wonderfield Group
Exclusive – Richard Hodgson steps down as CEO of YO! owner Wonderfield Group: Richard Hodgson has stepped down as chief executive of Wonderfield Group, formerly Snowfox Group – the multi-channel and international Japanese food busines … view
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Monday 29th December 2025
Update: Everyman CEO steps down, The Revel Collective, Wagamama
Everyman CEO steps down: Everyman, the independent, premium cinema group, has announced Alex Scrimgeour has stepped down as chief executive with immediate effect. Current non-executive director, Farah Golant, will assume the role of chief … view
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Saturday 27th December 2025
Greene King CEO and Merlin Entertainments co-founder lead investment in The Lost Estate
Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie and Merlin Entertainments co-founder lead investment in immersive entertainment concept The Lost Estate: Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of brewer and retailer Greene King, and Mark Fisher, co-founder of Mer … view
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Wednesday 24th December 2025
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Coyote Ugly master franchisee may revise core UK site target due to strength of current trading, new openings ‘beyond expectations’ and Scottish debut ‘a great success’: The master franchisee here for US bar brand Coyote Ugly has … view
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