Marston’s places circa 150-strong pubs package on market: Marston’s, the brewer and pub operator, has placed a package of circa 150 bottom-end pubs on the market, which are understood to be valued at between £40m and £45m. As first … view

Exclusive – Thai Leisure Group to undergo CVA: Thai Leisure Group, which operates restaurant brands including Thaikhun and Chaophraya, is set to undergo a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), Propel can reveal. Thai Leisure Group, led b … view

UKH … view

Ballie Ballerson secures second site and Imbiba investment: Ball-pit cocktail bar concept Ballie Ballerson has started expansion with the launch of its second London site, in Soho, after securing backing from sector investor Imbiba, Prop … view

Time Out Group reports strong early trading at three new food markets: Time Out Group has reported that it has opened three new Time Out Markets, in Miami, New York and Boston with “strong early trading”. Meanwhile its first Time Out … view

Abokado plans ‘phased process’ of closures following CVA approval: Abokado, the London-based healthy eating chain, is planning a phased process of closures during the next six months after entering into a company voluntary arrangemen … view

Abokado enters into CVA, online banking fraud investigation ongoing: Abokado, the London-based healthy eating chain, has entered into a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) with the support of 99% of its creditors. The company revealed its … view

Shepherd Neame reports managed like-for-likes up 1.6% in most recent 11 weeks as turnover and profit falls in ‘transitional’ year: Kent brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame has reported like-for-like sales in its managed estate for the … view

Ten Entertainment Group securing ‘substantial’ rent reductions on former retail sites, starts further food trials: Duncan Garrood, chief executive of bowling and family entertainment centre operator Ten Entertainment Group, has told P … view

Tasty reports reduced loses on lower turnover: Wildwood operator Tasty has reported sales dropped to £21m in the 26 weeks ended 30 June 2019, compared to £23m in the same period the year before. It made a loss after tax of £800,000 com … view

Pret to complete national roll-out of full ingredient labels: Pret A Manger has revealed all 391 of its UK shops will have full ingredient labels on all freshly made products by the end of the week. During the past six months Pret has car … view

Brighton Pier Group reports sales and earnings rise: The Brighton Pier Group, which owns and trades Brighton Palace Pier, as well as seven indoor mini golf sites and twelve premium bars nationwide, including two ping-pong concept bars, ha … view

Carluccio’s new tipping policy leads to team turnover falling: A new tipping policy implemented at Carluccio’s, the Mark Jones-led, Italian restaurant chain, has led to six consecutive months of team turnover declining and mystery din … view

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Clive Watson – City Pub Group scaling back expansion to focus on ‘bigger beasts’, share price rallies after dip: City Pub Group chairman Clive Watson has told Propel the company is scaling back expansion plans to concentrate on its … view

The City Pub Group reports turnover and profit boost: The City Pub Group has reported sales rose 37% to £27.1m in the 26 weeks to 30 June, with like-for-like sales up 2.6%. Adjusted Ebitda up 20% to £3.6 million (2018: £3.0 million) an … view

Be At One founder returns with solo bar project: Steve Locke, co-founder of cocktail chain Be At One, is returning to the central London bar scene with a new solo project entitled Lockes, Propel has learned. The venture has soft launched … view

Flight Club team spent more than three years developing shuffleboard concept: The team behind Social Darts concept Flight Club told Propel it has been developing its shuffleboard concept, Electric Shuffle, for the past three and a half ye … view

Hubbox secures further investment, FY sales set to hit £9m, appoints new finance director: Hubbox, the south west-based burger and barbecue concept led by Richard Boon, has strengthened its balance sheet with a further equity investment … view

Fuller’s to launch all-day dining and co-working concept after £2m City site upgrade: Fuller’s is to launch an all-day dining and co-working concept following a £2m upgrade to The Chamberlain Hotel in the City of London as it looks … view

Current trading: Like-for-like sales for the six weeks to 8 September 2019 … view

Cabana went into administration after being unable to bridge £700,000 funding shortfall: Cabana, the Brazilian barbecue group founded by Jamie Barber and David Ponte, went into administration last month after facing a funding shortfall o … view

Gerry Carroll to step down as Hawthorn Leisure chief executive: Gerry Carroll has announced he will step down as chief executive of Hawthorn Leisure, NewRiver REIT’s community pub-operating platform, with effect from Tuesday, 1 October. … view

Ei Group shareholders overwhelmingly approve £3bn acquisition by Stonegate: Shareholders of Ei Group have overwhelmingly approved the company’s £3bn acquisition by Stonegate Pub Company. A total of 96.57% of shareholders voted in favo … view

Comptoir Group reports revenue and Ebitda boost, repositioned Westfield site trading ‘well above’ expectations, CFO retracts resignation: Comptoir Group, the owner and/or operator of Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean restaurants, has … view

Pie & Pint Inns seeks pub company partner to grow: Essex-based pub operator Pie & Pint Inns is looking to partner with a bigger pub company in a bid to grow the three-strong brand, Propel has learned. Pie & Pints Inns founder Gary Downham … view

Gourmet Burger Kitchen like-for-likes up 8.6% in first half: Gourmet Burger Kitchen’s (GBK) like-for-like sales were up 8.6% in the six months ended 25 August 2019, its parent company Famous Brands has stated. In a brief voluntary tradi … view

Propel launches Casual Dining Summit, open for bookings: Propel has launched the Casual Dining Summit in which some of the sector’s leading operators – big and small, new and established – will share expertise and insights into how … view

Good Food Guide – restaurants moving towards dynamic pricing: A number of restaurants are moving towards dynamic pricing, according to the Good Food Guide 2020. The seventh edition of the guide, published by Waitrose & Partners on Thurs … view

Jamie Rollo – M&B like-for-like sales to continue outperforming a gently improving UK pub market: Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Jamie Rollo has said he believes Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) like-for-like sales will continue to outperform … view

Sector like-for-likes up 1.6% in August as wet-led pubs and London venues benefit: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow 1.6% in August compared with last year, with wet-led pubs and venues … view

Sector like-for-likes up 1.6% in August as wet-led pubs and London venues benefit: Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow 1.6% in August compared with last year, with wet-led pubs and venues … view

Greene King shareholders rebel over £850,000 Anand pay-off: Shareholders at brewer and retailer Greene King have rebelled over the £850,000 pay-off given to former chief executive Rooney Anand. At the company’s annual general meeting … view

Greene King reports like-for-likes up 1.5% in past seven weeks: Brewer and retailer Greene King has reported like-for-like sales growth of 1.5% in the past seven weeks. In a first-quarter trading update for the 18 weeks to 1 September ahe … view

Dodo Pizza sets sights on becoming UK’s second-largest pizza delivery business: Dodo Pizza, which was founded in Russia eight years ago and operates 522 stores, has set its sights on becoming the UK’s second-largest pizza delivery fir … view

Kerb reveals initial operator line-up as it prepares to open first permanent home this weekend: Street food business Kerb has revealed the initial line-up for its first permanent home, Seven Dials Market, which will open on Saturday (7 Se … view

Authentic Alehouses’ secured creditor agrees £3m deal to buy sites out of administration: Crowdstacker, the secured creditor of Authentic Alehouses, has agreed a deal to buy the seven-strong estate of pubs out of administration for £3 … view

The Restaurant Group may exit at least half of its 352 leisure sites at first opportunity: The Restaurant Group may exit at least half of its 352 leisure sites at the first possible exit opportunity, the company reported this morning. The … view

Pret reorganises management team, appoints new UK MD: Pret A Manger, the JAB Holdings-backed chain, has reorganised its UK management team, including the appointment of a new UK managing director, Propel understands. The company has promo … view

Debenhams to roll-out Harry Ramsden branded fish and chips across its estate: Retailer Debenhams is to continue to ramp up its food and beverage offer, with the launch of a partnership with Harry Ramsden, which will see branded fish and c … view