Good weather produces record sales weeks: Companies have reported that the belated arrival of good weather in the last two weeks of July has led to record sales weeks. TLC Inns, the award-winning six-strong operator founded by Steve Hasla … view

Change of management for Premium Bars and Restaurants: The banks that own the 33-strong Premium Bars and Restaurants (PBR) business, operator of The Living Room brand and the former Ultimate Leisure nightclub business, have appointed Ecl … view

Atmosphere Bars and Clubs reports dramatic turn-around: Atmosphere Bars and Clubs, the company led by Paul Harbottle and backed by private equity firm Sun European Partners, has reported that a turn-around of the former Chicago Rock Café … view

TGI Friday’s eyes Brighton post office in major UK expansion push: TGI Friday’s has submitted a planning application to convert the old post office in Brighton into a restaurant. The site is in Brighton’s prime restaurant area The O … view

Greene King to step up Realpubs conversions: Industry sources report that Greene King is to step up conversions of existing pubs to the Realpubs trading format. Greene King has converted just two pubs to the Realpubs premium format since … view

Slug & Lettuce on track for fourth consecutive year of double-digit sales growth: Slug & Lettuce, the premium high street brand owned by Stonegate Pub Company, is on track to chalk up its fourth consecutive year of striking out-performanc … view

Rooney Anand – minimum pricing should be “monitored, refined and reworked if necessary”: Greene King chief executive Rooney Anand has called on the government to ensure minimum pricing for alcohol is “monitored, refined and rework … view

Richards tipped as M&B favoured candidate: Industry sources have claimed that Novus chief executive Steve Richards is now the clear favourite for the chief executive job at Mitchells and Butlers. Yesterday, executive chairman Bob Ivell to … view

Health Select Committee MPs suggest 50p minimum price: MPs on the Health Select Committee have suggested there are “practical arguments” for setting the minimum unit price for alcohol at 50p given that’s the level proposed in Scotla … view

McDonald’s most astute user of social media: A survey of social media usage by top US chains has found McDonald’s is the most astute user. The conclusion, contained within Unmetric’s Fast Food Report, ranked Taco Bell a close second … view

Allsop reports strongest auction of the year: Allsop's July commercial auction, which featured a number of pubs and restaurants, was the biggest sale of the year and raised £56.3 million, with a 72 per cent success rate. A spokesman said … view

Hickman – Coast to Coast could be a 100 plus site brand: The Restaurant Group’s new concept Coast to Coast, which debuted in Brighton Marina, could be rolled out to more than 100 sites, Peel Hunt leisure analyst Paul Hickman has claim … view

ALMR sounds warning over regulatory costs: The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers has sounded a warning over gross margins in the wake of its annual benchmarking survey. The survey has shown gross margins are down by six per cent. … view

London businesses are stocking up ahead of the Games: Fifty nine per cent of London’s businesses aim to reduce deliveries during the Olympic Games. According to a survey of 1,000 businesses, by Transport for London (TfL), more than a th … view

Pub People Company extends Downing relationship; plans £300,000 co-investment with Punch Taverns: Pub People Company, the 48-strong East Midlands company headed by Kevin Sammons, is to extend its relationship with Downing Corporate Finan … view

Tim Martin – chief executives need to step up to the plate: JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has argued that chief executives of major companies in the sector need to become more pro-active in arguing the case for lower taxes. In a le … view

Brakspear buys two Enterprise pubs; Simon and Kate Daws also buy their Enterprise pub: Henley-based tenanted pub operator Brakspear has bought two Enterprise Inns freeholds for an undisclosed price. The move, the first pub acquisition by … view

Nicholls – the Late Night Levy will turn back the clock on the market: Kate Nicholls, the strategic affairs director of the ALMR, has argued the impending arrival of the Late Night Levy (LNL) next year will turn back the clock … view

Operators – trade in June was disappointing: Operators have reported that very wet weather in June took the shine off what should be one of the year’s best trading months. However, food-led operators have reported that trade has been … view

Official Olympics poster offered to pubs – but not restaurants and “chains”: Two posters that pubs, bars and hotels can use to advertise that they are showing the Olympic Games have been produced by The London Organising Committee … view

Market Town Taverns boss calls for revival of “below cost selling” campaign: Market Town Taverns boss Ian Fozard has called for the resurrection of “below cost selling” proposals as a far more practical alternative to minimum pri … view

Multi-site operator – we were mis-sold swaps: A well-known multi-site operator has told Morning Briefing that he was forced to take interest rate swaps against his better judgement as a condition of being loaned money. The operator, wh … view