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Saturday 30th April 2016
Tim Bacon dies following cancer battle
Tim Bacon dies following cancer battle: Tim Bacon, the chairman and co-founder of Living Ventures, has died aged 52. Bacon had been fighting a battle with cancer after being diagnosed with advanced melanoma in 2014. Living Ventures chief … view
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Friday 29th April 2016
Friday Opinion
Subjects: The lows of high valuations, deskilling the kitchen, and the slippery slope of health, wellbeing and happiness
Authors: Steve Kenee, Glynn Davis, and Paul Chase

The lows of high valuation … view

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Friday 29th April 2016
Horizons – US restaurants poised to pass Mexican segment as biggest UK growth area
Horizons – US restaurants poised to pass Mexican segment as biggest UK growth area: American-themed barbecue pits, smokehouses, burger bars, and diners could be about to replace Mexican outlets as the biggest growth area on the UK’s e … view
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Friday 29th April 2016
The Restaurant Group reports further drop in trading, like-for-likes down 2.7%
The Restaurant Group reports further deterioration in trading, like-for-likes down 2.7%: The Restaurant Group has reported a “further deterioration” in trading conditions since it updated on current trading with the preliminary result … view
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Friday 29th April 2016
Propel Friday News Briefing
Downing seeks to plug crowdfunding investment confidence and due diligence by launching underwritten bonds: Investment firm Downing, which has investments of circa £100m in the licensed leisure sector, is to plug a gap in investment conf … view
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Thursday 28th April 2016
ALMR extends casual dining reach, employment minister argues Brexit case
ALMR extends casual dining reach with Bill’s and Pizza Hut joining: The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has extended its casual dining membership with Bill’s and Pizza Hut joining. The new arrivals from the casual di … view
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Thursday 28th April 2016
Luke Johnson acquires major stake in Lussmanns
Luke Johnson acquires major stake in Lussmanns: Sector investor Luke Johnson has taken a stake Hertfordshire-based Lussmanns Fish & Grill, becoming a major shareholder and joining the board of directors. It is the third major investment i … view
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Thursday 28th April 2016
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Zeus Capital – Upham Group has ‘proven formula executed by first-class management team’: Analysts at Zeus Capital have argued premium pub operator Upham Group’s flotation on AIM raising up to £12m to fund further acquisitions is … view
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Wednesday 27th April 2016
Update: Coaching Inn Group's £2m buy, Craved in discussion with investors
Coaching Inn Group makes £2m Cambridgeshire acquisition: Independent coaching inns operator The Coaching Inn Group has acquired The Golden Lion in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. The deal, worth more than £2m, is part of the Group’s £20m ex … view
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Wednesday 27th April 2016
Crussh chief executive to step down
Crussh chief executive to step down: Chris Fung, chief executive of Crussh, the healthy food and juice brand with 25 sites, is stepping down with Shane Kavanagh, who was previously managing director of Benugo, taking over. In an email to … view
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Wednesday 27th April 2016
Jamie Rollo – more positives than negatives at Whitbread
Jamie Rollo – more positives than negatives at Whitbread: Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Jamie Rollo has reiterated an ‘Overweight’ recommendation on Whitbread shares in the wake of yesterday’s (Tuesday, 26 April) strategic update … view
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Wednesday 27th April 2016
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Brazilian restaurant chain Tropeiro ceases trading: Tropeiro, the Brazilian restaurant chain operated by Camboriu Restaurants, has ceased trading. A statement on its website said: “We are sorry to inform you that Tropeiro has ceased tra … view
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Tuesday 26th April 2016
Luke Johnson sells flagship Red Hot site to new buffet operator
Luke Johnson sells flagship Red Hot site to new buffet operator: Red Hot World Buffet, the buffet business owned by Luke Johnson’s Risk Capital Partners, has sold its flagship 24,000 square foot Nottingham site to a new vehicle called Framem … view
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Tuesday 26th April 2016
Update: Whitbread FY results, Phil Strong steps down
Whitbread reports annual sales near £3bn: Whitbread has reported sales grew 12% to £2,921.8bn in the year to 3 March, with like-for-like sales up 3%. Profit for the year was up 5.8% to £387.3m. Hotels and restaurants saw underlying pro … view
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Tuesday 26th April 2016
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Indian restaurant owners call on government to introduce one-year chef visas: Indian restaurant owners in the UK have sent a 75-page document asking the government to introduce one-year visas so they can bring in chefs from the sub-contin … view
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Monday 25th April 2016
Coaching Inn Group reports Ebitda hits £2.7m
Coaching Inn Group reports Ebitda hits £2.7m: Specialist coaching inn operator The Coaching Inn Group, led by Kevin Charity, has reported a 29% increase in sales and a 60% rise in profits as turnover tops £13m. Reporting on its results … view
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Monday 25th April 2016
Premium pub operator and brewer Upham to float
Premium pub operator and brewer Upham to float: Upham Group, the premium pub operator with its own craft brewery, is to seek admission of its shares to trading on AIM and raise up to £12m to provide funds for further acquisitions. Upham curre … view
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Monday 25th April 2016
Propel Monday News Briefing
Hakkasan Group to expand into Mexico with $150m investment planned in partnership with Grupo Vidanta: UK-based restaurant and nightclub company Hakkasan Group is set to invest $150m in a new venture in Mexico. It has partnered with top Me … view
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Friday 22nd April 2016
McDonald’s reports 6.2% increase in global like-for-likes
McDonald’s reports 6.2% increase in global like-for-likes: McDonald’s has reported a 6.2% increase in like-for-like sales for its first quarter ended 31 March 2016. Chief executive Steve Easterbrook said: “McDonald’s brand and bus … view
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Friday 22nd April 2016
Friday Opinion
Subjects: The growing importance of the grey pound, a thirst for beer knowledge, and why Deliveroo is a real gamer changer 
Authors: David Martin, Glynn Davis, and Ann Elliott

The growing importan … view

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Friday 22nd April 2016
Update: Starbucks, M&B, Revolution, Chapel Down
Starbucks reports like-for-likes up 6% in Quarter Two: Coffee company Starbucks has reported global like-for-likes up 6%, comprised of a 4% increase in ticket and 2% increase in traffic, for its 13-week second quarter ended March 27, 2016 … view
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Friday 22nd April 2016
Propel Friday News Briefing
Draft House set for double opening including company’s largest site to date, targets London orbital towns: Draft House, led by Charlie McVeigh and backed by Luke Johnson, is to open two new sites in less than a month as it “gathers mo … view
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Thursday 21st April 2016
Luke Johnson – ‘my new investment, Gaucho, could double in size’
Luke Johnson – ‘my new investment, Gaucho, could double in size’: Sector investor Luke Johnson has suggested that Gaucho Grill and sister brand CAU, in which he has taken a significant minority stake on a personal basis rather than … view
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Thursday 21st April 2016
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Coffer Peach Tracker – pubs and restaurants see 0.6% rise in like-for-likes in March: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant operators are experiencing a sales slowdown at the start of 2016, latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business … view
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Thursday 21st April 2016
Coffer Peach Tracker – pubs and restaurants see 0.6% rise in like-for-likes in March
Coffer Peach Tracker – pubs and restaurants see 0.6% rise in like-for-likes in March: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant operators are experiencing a sales slowdown at the start of 2016, latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Trac … view
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Wednesday 20th April 2016
Govt agrees to meet BBPA over 'unworkable' Pubs Code
Government agrees to discuss Pubs Code with BBPA: The government has stated it will meet over the soon-to-be-implemented Pubs Code with the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), which has attacked key sections of the code as “unworka … view
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Wednesday 20th April 2016
Update: Punch, Heineken and Tim Bacon
Punch Taverns report average profit per pub up 3%: Punch Taverns has reported that average profit per pub across the entire estate rose 3.0% in the 28 weeks to 5 March 2016. The core estate saw like-for-like net income growth of 1.6% with … view
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Wednesday 20th April 2016
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Greene King Leisure Tracker – early Easter boosts leisure spend in March driven by eating and drinking out: An early Easter provided a boost to leisure spend in March driven by people eating and drinking out, according to the latest Gre … view
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Tuesday 19th April 2016
Greene King Leisure Tracker – eating and drinking out boosts March leisure spend
Greene King Leisure Tracker – early Easter boosts leisure spend in March driven by eating and drinking out: An early Easter provided a boost to leisure spend in March driven by people eating and drinking out, according to the latest Gre … view
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Tuesday 19th April 2016
Update: Drake & Morgan, AB InBev, Vianet
Drake & Morgan lines up three sites, two in Manchester: Drake & Morgan has unveiled the acquisition of a further three sites, scheduled to open over the next 12 months, bringing the privately owned bar & restaurant group’s portfolio to … view
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Tuesday 19th April 2016
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Hummus Bros managing director joins Australasia food and coffee franchise company: Hummus Bros managing director Jon Hassall has joined Australasia food and coffee franchise company Foodco NZ in a national operations role. Hassall will co … view
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Monday 18th April 2016
BBPA and CAMRA join forces to promote alternatives to Late Night Levy
BBPA and CAMRA join forces to promote alternatives to Late Night Levy: The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have joined forces to publish a new report on the impact of the Late Night Levy on the pub s … view
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Monday 18th April 2016
Propel Monday News Briefing
London-based dating app with cocktail twist launches crowdfunding campaign: Rendeevoo, the London-based dating app with a cocktail twist, has launched a fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Seedrs as it aims to lay the foundations for aggr … view
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Saturday 16th April 2016
Mintel – sales in UK coffee shops set to top £3bn in 2016
Mintel – sales in UK coffee shops set to top £3bn in 2016: Sales in UK coffee shops are set to reach a record high as the market tops £3bn in 2016, new research has revealed. The findings by consumer research group Mintel said sales are ex … view
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Friday 15th April 2016
Update: McDonald's, Domino's, Everards, BrewDog et al
McDonald’s to offer staff chance to move off zero-hours contracts: McDonald’s is offering UK staff on zero-hours contracts the option of moving to fixed hours in a major development in the debate about employee rights. The company is … view
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Friday 15th April 2016
Friday Opinion
Subjects: How the Statutory Code of Practice will work, perceptions of beer and wine, and the view from the wrong end of the telescope
Authors: Kate Nicholls, Glynn Davis, and Paul Chase

How the St … view

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Friday 15th April 2016
BBPA – key aspects of Pubs Code ‘unworkable’, seeks urgent meeting with ministers
BBPA – key aspects of Pubs Code ‘unworkable’, seeks urgent meeting with ministers: The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has said key parts of the new Pubs Code are unworkable and is seeking an urgent meeting with ministers. Chief ex … view
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Friday 15th April 2016
Propel Friday News Briefing
New Code of Practice for tied tenants will begin next month: The government will introduce a new Code of Practice for tied tenants of pub companies with more than 500 pubs that takes effect next month. The provisions of the Code of Practi … view
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Thursday 14th April 2016
Government states MRO option can be triggered by 'significant impact on trade'
Government states MRO option can be triggered by 'significant impact on trade': The government is to introduce a market rent only (MRO) review option for tied tenants that can be triggered by “a significant impact on trade” alongside … view
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Thursday 14th April 2016
Propel Thursday News Briefing
National Living Wage – Samuel Smith’s adds 10p to 12p a pint, Eat cuts lunch pay for recipients: North Yorkshire-based brewer and retailer Samuel Smith’s is adding 10p to 12p a pint on some of its beers to cover the cost of the Nati … view
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Wednesday 13th April 2016
Coal Grill and Bar owner hires adviser to review options
Coal Grill and Bar owner hires adviser to review options: Charterhouse Leisure has hired Christie & Co to undertake a review of the strategic options of the business, which suggests sale options will be looked at. The company, which trade … view
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Wednesday 13th April 2016
ALMR and BBPA join forces to lead VAT campaign
ALMR and BBPA join forces to lead VAT campaign: Two leading industry organisations representing retailers, producers and pub-goers have joined forces to campaign for a reduction in the level of VAT in the hospitality industry as well as highli … view
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Wednesday 13th April 2016
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Giggling Squid to open 20th restaurant in Norwich on former La Tasca site, second in East Anglia: Thai restaurant business Giggling Squid has secured a site in Norwich – its second in East Anglia. The company is opening the venue in Tom … view
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Tuesday 12th April 2016
Costa managing director Christopher Rogers to step down
Costa managing director Christopher Rogers to step down: Whitbread has announced that Christopher Rogers, managing director of Costa and an executive director on the Whitbread board has decided to leave the company. He will be stepping do … view
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Tuesday 12th April 2016
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Marco Pierre White to launch new franchise concept: Marco Pierre White has confirmed plans for a new franchised “ultra-casual” dining concept known as Bardolino Pizzeria Bellini and Espresso bar. The first two outlets will open at The … view
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Monday 11th April 2016
Norfolk brewery Woodforde’s sold to private consortium
Norfolk brewery Woodforde’s sold to private consortium: Woodforde’s, the award-winning Norfolk-based brewery, has been purchased by a private consortium of investors. The consortium is led by James Hughes, formerly of drinks business … view
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Monday 11th April 2016
Propel Monday News Briefing
Starbucks to roll-out Teavana brand across UK: Starbucks will introduce its Teavana tea brand across the UK as well as Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as the company looks to exploit a “massive opportunity” to revitalise the … view
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Friday 8th April 2016
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Children and restaurants, the eternal appeal of Brighton Pier, and the key networking events of March
Authors: Glynn Davis, Martin Cooper, and Ann Elliott

Children and restaurants by Glyn … view

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Friday 8th April 2016
Eclectic Bar Group set to buy Brighton Pier, renamed as Brighton Pier Group
Eclectic Bar Group set to buy Brighton Pier, renamed as Brighton Pier Group: Eclectic Bar Group has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier Company, which owns and operates Brighton Pier for a t … view
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Friday 8th April 2016
Propel Friday News Briefing
Top 500 US restaurant companies accelerate cumulative sales growth by 4.9%, fast-casual segment continues to lead pack: The 500 largest restaurant companies in the US accelerated their cumulative sales growth in 2015 by 4.9%, totalling an … view
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Thursday 7th April 2016
Drake & Morgan to open its first airport site at Heathrow
Drake & Morgan to open its first airport site at Heathrow: Drake & Morgan will open its first airport restaurant and bar at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 this summer. In a joint venture with the global hospitality and food service provider, Del … view
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Thursday 7th April 2016
Innis & Gunn buys Perth brewery, RBS provides £15m facility to Roll-Out
Innis & Gunn buys Inveralmond Brewery in Perth: Craft brewer Innis & Gunn has bought the Inveralmond Brewery in Perth. The company plans substantial investment in the brewery to create a state-of-the art brewing centre for Innis & Gunn an … view
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Thursday 7th April 2016
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Coffer Peach Tracker – pub like-for-likes down 1.6% at Easter, restaurants up 4.3%: Wet and stormy weather across Britain put a dampener on people going out to eat and drink over the Easter holiday weekend, latest figures from the Coffe … view
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Thursday 7th April 2016
Coffer Peach Tracker – pub like-for-likes down 1.6% at Easter, restaurants up 4.3%
Coffer Peach Tracker – pub like-for-likes down 1.6% at Easter, restaurants up 4.3%: Wet and stormy weather across Britain put a dampener on people going out to eat and drink over the Easter holiday weekend, latest figures from the Coffe … view
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Wednesday 6th April 2016
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Iqbal Wahhab – National Living Wage will lead to closure of ‘thousands of restaurants’: Iqbal Wahhab, founder of the Cinnamon Club and Roast restaurants, has said the National Living Wage will lead to the closure of “thousands of … view
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Tuesday 5th April 2016
Tasty appoints Wildwood MD, BrewDog buys coffee company stake
Tasty appoints Wildwood managing director: Tasty has promoted Joanna Bargery to managing director of its Wildwood Restaurants segment – she is currently operations brand manager. Meanwhile, Lee Kendall has been promoted to the position … view
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Tuesday 5th April 2016
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
HospitalityGEM survey reveals indulgent dining is mainly saved for weekends and with friends: New research by guest experience management firm HospitalityGEM has revealed indulgent dining is predominantly saved for the weekend and shared … view
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Monday 4th April 2016
Update: Fulham Shore, Casual Dining Group, Brewhouse & Kitchen, JDW, GBK
Fulham Shore reports estate grown to 29 sites: Fulham Shore, led by David Page, has reported its estate has grown to 29 sites and has indicated it expects to report results in line with market expectations for the financial year ended 27 … view
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Monday 4th April 2016
Propel Monday News Briefing
Pret A Manger puts price of coffee up by 10p to help meet cost of National Living Wage: Pret A Manger has put the price of a cup of coffee up by 10p to help meet the cost of the National Living Wage, which came into effect on Friday (1 Ap … view
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Friday 1st April 2016
Friday update: Pizza Hut, Loungers, Cabana, Bella Italia et al
Former Cote owners among bidders for Pizza Hut UK: The former owner of French bistro company Cote is reported to be among the bidders trying to grab a slice of Pizza Hut’s ‎UK operations. Private equity firm CBPE is one of four prospe … view
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Friday 1st April 2016
Friday Opinion
Subjects: The merits of Bring Your Own, a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, and why pre-order is going mainstream 
Authors: Glynn Davis, Paul Chase, and Olivia FitzGerald

The merits of … view

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Friday 1st April 2016
Propel Friday News Briefing
More than 7,000 Costa employees under 25 to benefit from National Living Wage increase: Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee has claimed it was one of the few companies in the UK offering the National Living Wage to workers of all ages, not just … view
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