Fuller’s prepares for re-opening with share placing: London-based pub operator Fuller’s is to place up to 6,455,447 new ‘A’ Ordinary Shares at a price of 830 pence each – to raise circa £53m. There is also an issue of B shares. … view

Anand – acquisition of 42 pubs from Stonegate is first step in our plan to build a differentiated pub company: Rooney Anand, executive chairman of new investment vehicle RedCat Pub Company, has said the group’s acquisition of a 42-str … view

Next month, the UK’s hospitality sector will begin its great reopening… again. In contrast to last year’s emergence out of the first lockdown, it will do so with hope emboldened by a … view

JD Wetherspoon to invest £145m in new pubs and upgrades, creating 2,000 jobs: JD Wetherspoon is set to invest an initial £145m developing new pubs and upgrading existing pubs – creating 2,000 jobs in the process. The company is keen t … view

JW Lees set to target acquisition of suburban pubs in north west heartland, secures £10m funding line: North west brewer and retailer JW Lees is set to target acquisitions of suburban pubs in its heartland as it builds back from the pand … view

Tim Martin warns vaccine passports would be ‘last straw’ for pubs, culture secretary says they would not be permanent: JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has said vaccine passports would be “the last straw” for struggling pubs and … view

Campbell – we have got to wean ourselves off discounting and move forward, the customer is the focus of everything we do: David Campbell, group chief executive of PizzaExpress, has said the company has got to wean itself off discounting … view

Three in five licensed premises won’t have space to trade outside, managed operators and larger regional cities proving most resilient against pandemic: About three in five licensed premises will not have some kind of space to trade fro … view

Track and trace to resume for hospitality with every customer legally required to sign in: NHS Track and Trace is set to resume for hospitality businesses upon reopening with every customer being legally required to sign in, and not just … view

Bubblewrap sets out ambitious rollout plan: London-based waffle cone concept Bubblewrap is to pursue an aggressive development plan across the UK and selected international markets in partnership with business developer Seeds Consulting, … view

New vehicle Aspirational Brands to oversee rollout of multiple concepts, including Handmade Burger Co: Aspirational Brands, a new growth vehicle, has been formed to roll out a number of concepts across the UK, including Handmade Burger Co … view

Kate Nicholls – proposals to bar pub customers who have not had vaccine ‘unworkable’: UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has said proposals to allow pubs to bar entry to customers who have not had a covid vaccine would be � … view

Greene King in discussions with landlords on Loch Fyne estate: Brewer and retailer Greene King has started discussions with landlords of its Loch Fyne restaurant business, ahead of making a decision whether to formally proceed with a comp … view

Social Entertainment Ventures rebrands, appoints Strahan Wilson as new CFO: Social Entertainment Ventures (SEV), the US and UK experiential leisure operator, has rebranded under the new name State of Play Hospitality, and appointed Straha … view

Leon closes US business to focus on UK and Europe: Natural fast food brand Leon has closed its operations in the US, to focus on its business in the UK and Europe, Propel has learned. The John Vincent-led business launched in the US in Se … view

Shadow cast on Deliveroo £9bn listing: Deliveroo is facing investigations in Europe over the legal status of its riders, potentially casting a shadow over its £9bn stock market listing. The company revealed in the prospectus for its ini … view

Loungers co-founder Bishop invests in Hub Box, as it gears up for next stage of growth: Jake Bishop, co-founder of Loungers, has invested in Hub Box, the south west-based burger and barbecue concept led by Richard Boon, as it looks to ope … view

US fried chicken brand Popeyes plans UK launch: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, the US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand, has announced plans to enter the UK this year, with the goal of opening 350 new restaurants in Britain over th … view

Deliveroo IPO admission could be priced at up to £8.8bn, as its sets price range: Deliveroo’s initial public offering has been set at £3.90 to £4.60 per share, implying an estimated market capitalisation at admission of between £7.6 … view

Stenning – the hospitality sector in 2021 has lost further ground following the Budget: Simon Stenning, leading sector analyst and founder of FutureFoodservice, has said the hospitality sector in 2021 has lost further ground following t … view

Berenberg – Loungers could grow to reach 1,000 sites with an equity value of £2bn: Cafe-bar operator Loungers could eventually grow its current circa 170-strong estate to reach 1,000 sites and see its equity value grow to in excess of … view

Exclusive – Imbiba invests in Pizza Pilgrims: Hospitality investor Imbiba has invested £3.5m into Pizza Pilgrims, the London-based pizzeria concept founded by Thom and James Elliot, to aid its future expansion plans, Propel has learned … view

Bowley – the big question we are looking to crack is what’s the operating model of the future?: Zoe Bowley, managing director of PizzaExpress, has said the past 12 months has allowed every bit of the business to be evaluated and has l … view

Stonegate hit by £746m loss on back of pandemic-led pub closures: Stonegate Pub Company has reported a £746m pre-tax loss after the coronavirus regulations forced it to close the majority of its pubs and turn to investors and debt marke … view

Parliamentary committee – hospitality sector has not seen sufficient data to underpin decisions relating to its industry: A report published earlier this week by the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Sele … view

Reilley – the government must bring landlords and tenants to the negotiating table: Landlords and tenants must be brought to the negotiating table by the government in order to avoid catastrophic business failures when the rent moratori … view

Beginning in the summer of 1973, John Lennon started what was to become known as his “lost weekend”. Separated from what was seen as his “emotional rock” Yoko Ono, the “weekend” w … view

Greggs to accelerate multi-channel development strategy: Greggs has reported it has accelerated its multi-channel development strategy, with delivery and wholesale channels contributing an increasing proportion of total sales. Click & Col … view

Nightcap looking to build a 150-strong business of three to four brands: Listed bar operator Nightcap, which owns London Cocktail Club (LCC), is looking to build a business of up to 150 sites through the acquisition of three or four brand … view

Hugh Osmond – why I’m mounting a legal challenge over delayed sector re-opening: Sector investor Hugh Osmond has explained why he is planning a legal challenge to the delayed re-opening of the hospitality sector. Writing in the Daily … view

Mackenzie – government needs to create stimulus to bring people back to city centres: The sector needs the government and local councils to think about creating stimulus to bring people back into city and town centres, Greene King chief … view

Hugh Osmond joins legal action to force judicial review of reopening roadmap: Serial sector investor Hugh Osmond is backing the legal action to force a judicial review of the roadmap, demanding pubs and restaurants be allowed to have cust … view

 

Sector heading for ‘sharp recovery’: Significant levels of corporate activity are predicted in the sector as a result of a very sharp return to positive trading that will see 2022 forecast to beat trading in 2019 – combined with ser … view

Hospitality has received plenty of uplifting news over the past few weeks to offset against some of the recent disappointments. The Budget has presented … view

Marston’s chief executive Ralph Findlay to step down after two decades in charge: Marston’s chief executive Ralph Findlay is to step down at the end of the current financial year ending 30 September 2021. The process to appoint his su … view

TRG to expand geographical reach of Brunning & Price, Wagamama estate doing 3.3 million deliveries weekly: The Restaurant Group (TRG) is planning to expand the geographical reach of its 70-strong Brunning & Price brand as part of its plan … view

The Restaurant Group eyes growth in pubs and Wagamama as it raises £175m: The Restaurant Group has outlined its growth ambitions for its Wagamama and pubs business, including a five times increase in the number of Wagamama delivery kitch … view

Domino’s boss – we will turbocharge investment to double our collection business: Domino’s chief executive Dominic Paul has outlined how the company wants to grow its collection business. Speaking following the company’s full-year … view

Domino’s plans 200 more UK stores as like-for-like sales rose 10.3% in 2020: Domino’s Pizza UK has reported a strong UK and Ireland performance, with system sales of £1,348.4m in the 52 weeks to 27 December 2020, up 11.4% in total wi … view

More than three quarters of operators that switched to online sales during pandemic plan to continue post-covid: More than three quarters (78%) of operators that have switched to online sales during the pandemic – including DIY meal kit … view

Deliveroo’s Will Shu – “we are still only getting started”: Deliveroo has unveiled plans for an initial public offering. Will Shu, founder and chief executive of Deliveroo, said: “I never set out to be a founder or a chief execu … view

Lord – we are sending the government a letter of claim, explaining why the roadmap is unlawful: Sacha Lord, night-time adviser for Greater Manchester, has said early this week he and his legal team are sending the government a letter of … view

Exclusive – Cain International acquired Prezzo out of administration for circa £5m: Cain International, the privately held investment firm operating in Europe and the US, acquired the majority of the Prezzo business from its administra … view

 

Hawksmoor secures £4m loan, in talks to refinance bank debt: Hawksmoor, the Graphite Capital-backed steakhouse concept, secured a £4m loan to aid its liquidity during the crisis, and is in talks with its banking partner regarding a refi … view

Wendy’s plans 20 company-owned UK sites, eyes five openings this year: Wendy’s, the third-largest quick service restaurant chain in the US, plans to open five sites in the UK this year, with a target of eventually operating about 20 c … view

Welsh government unveils extra £30m of support for hospitality sector: The Welsh government has announced a further £30 million for hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses affected by on-going coronavirus restrictions. It has also c … view

‘Heed political and public appetite’ and deliver package of support to help hardest hit, says UKHospitality: UKHospitality is urging the chancellor “to heed political and public appetite” for a package of support for sector busine … view

Tomorrow’s (Wednesday, 3 March) Budget is arguably the most important day in the history of the hospitality sector. What the chancellor announces when he stands at the disp … view

Greene King boss – businesses, jobs and livelihoods hang in the balance: Greene King chief executive Nick Mackenzie has asked for more government support for the sector to save businesses, jobs and livelihoods that hang in the balance. … view

Eight in ten people will take ‘one or two’ UK-based staycations this year: Almost eight people out of ten (79%) will take “one or two” UK-based staycations this year, according to vacation rental site TravelNest’s Travel and Tou … view

In a world dominated by political spin doctors and social media, you sometimes wonder whether the truth exists. Years ago, a famous historian was asked this … view

The Restaurant Group signs £500m of new debt facilities, reports strong trading for delivery and takeaway at 200 sites: The Restaurant Group has successfully signed commitments in relation to £500 million of new debt facilities, which c … view

Britain’s licensed premises closing permanently at record rate of more than one an hour: Almost 12,000 licensed premises have closed permanently in Britain since December 2019 – at a record rate of more than one an hour, according to … view

Britain’s licensed premises closing permanently at record rate of more than one an hour: Almost 12,000 licensed premises have closed permanently in Britain since December 2019 – at a record rate of more than one an hour, according to … view