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Tuesday 31st May 2022
BrewDog reports revenue and Ebitda boost as losses narrow
BrewDog reports revenue and Ebitda boost as losses narrow: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has reported a £5.5m operating loss for the year ended 31 December 2021, down from a £6.8m loss in 2020 – with the business blaming bar closure … view
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Tuesday 31st May 2022
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Knoops set to build on ‘significant growth’ in iced chocolate market after ‘creating a sector’ in London: Hot chocolate shop Knoops is set to build on the “significant growth” it has seen in the iced chocolate market after “ … view
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Monday 30th May 2022
Comptoir Group reports return to profit
Comptoir Group reports return to profit: Comptoir Group has reported revenue of £20.7m, up by 66.9% (2020 restated: £12.4m), in the year to 31 December 2021. Adjusted Ebitda before highlighted items was £6.4m, up by 357.1% (2020: £1.4m). P … view
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Monday 30th May 2022
Propel Monday News Briefing
Bread Ahead to open first international sites after signing Saudi Arabia and UAE deals: Independent bakery and baking school Bread Ahead is set to open its first international sites, Propel has learned. The business, founded by Matthew Jo … view
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Friday 27th May 2022
PizzaExpress appoints Paula MacKenzie as new chief executive
PizzaExpress appoints Paula MacKenzie as new chief executive: PizzaExpress has appointed Paula MacKenzie as its new chief executive. MacKenzie will join the company on Monday, 6 June and replaces David Campbell, who stepped down in Octobe … view
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Friday 27th May 2022
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Hospitality in the internet age, cutting menu sizes will help combat cost increases, combatting the hospitality staffing crisis in 2022, conspiracy theorists in the mud
Authors: Olivia Fitzgerald, Glynn Davis, Micha … view
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Friday 27th May 2022
Propel Friday News Briefing
Government accused of failing to support businesses over cost-of-living crisis, calls for energy cap for SMEs: The government has been accused of failing to support businesses as the cost-of-living crisis continues to ramp costs up. Chanc … view
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Thursday 26th May 2022
Hostmore reports like-for-like sales down 6% on 2019 levels due to ‘more challenging consumer environment’
Hostmore reports like-for-like sales down 6% on 2019 levels due to ‘more challenging consumer environment’, takes more prudent view on trading for rest of year: Hostmore, the parent company of Fridays and the 63rd+1st concept in the U … view
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Thursday 26th May 2022
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Former Gordon Ramsay Holdings chief executive Gillies cuts prices by 15% despite rising costs to ‘maintain accessibility to dining out’: Stuart Gillies, former chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings, has told Propel he has cut pric … view
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Wednesday 25th May 2022
Update: Hollywood Bowl, slowdown in business activity, Pret sales
Hollywood Bowl takes first international steps as it buys Canadian business for £10.6m: Hollywood Bowl, the UK’s largest ten-pin bowling operator, is to expand internationally with the acquisition of Canadian-based bowling business, T … view
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Wednesday 25th May 2022
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Food and drink sales in Britain’s cities back in growth but footfall ‘some way off’ pre-covid levels: Restaurants, pubs and bars in Britain’s major city centres are achieving solid growth in sales from pre-covid levels, new resear … view
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Wednesday 25th May 2022
Food and drink sales in Britain’s cities back in growth but footfall ‘some way off’ pre-covid levels
Food and drink sales in Britain’s cities back in growth but footfall ‘some way off’ pre-covid levels: Restaurants, pubs and bars in Britain’s major city centres are achieving solid growth in sales from pre-covid levels, new resear … view
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Tuesday 24th May 2022
Update: TRG, SSP and Shaftesbury
TRG reports Wagamama like-for-likes up 15% year to date, concessions business shows strong recovery, food and drink inflation set to be 10% this financial year: The Restaurant Group (TRG) has reported a strong performance with Wagamama l … view
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Tuesday 24th May 2022
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Chilango sale delivers a three-times return for RDCP: RDCP Group (RDCP) has said that the sale of Chilango to Tortilla for £2.75m delivered a three-times return for the London-based investment firm. RDCP Group acquired Chilango out of ad … view
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Monday 23rd May 2022
Starbucks to pull out of Russia, 130 sites to close
Starbucks to pull out of Russia, 130 sites to close: Starbucks has said it will exit the Russian market after nearly 15 years following the country’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The Seattle-based coffee chain has 130 stores in Russia, ope … view
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Monday 23rd May 2022
Tortilla acquires Chilango, deal adds a ‘complementary, premium brand’
Tortilla acquires Chilango, deal adds a ‘complementary, premium brand’: Tortilla has announced the acquisition of rival Chilango for a total consideration of up to £2.75m from investment firm RDCP Group. Chilango currently operates e … view
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Monday 23rd May 2022
Propel Monday News Briefing
Jones – we are not worried about a recession, targets 85 Soho Houses by 2027: Nick Jones, founder and chief executive of Soho House, has said the company is not worried about the prospect of a recession as past experience showed its mem … view
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Friday 20th May 2022
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Hospitality needs another crisis-level government response, customers crying out for support when buying wine, seating dilemma for restaurants, bringing traditional experiences up to date
Authors: Neil Ma … view
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Friday 20th May 2022
Propel Friday News Briefing
Young’s set to ‘ramp up’ its internal flexible working platform: London pub operator Young’s is looking to “ramp up” its new internal staff rota, the Ram Agency, and get up to 1,000 employees signed up. Young’s launched the … view
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Friday 20th May 2022
Tourism and recreation businesses see growth slow, delivery sales more than four times higher than pre-covid but growth eases in 2022
Tourism and recreation businesses see growth slow as sector braces for weaker consumer demand: Tourism and recreation businesses, which includes pubs and restaurants, continued to benefit from the relaxation of covid-19 restrictions in Ap … view
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Thursday 19th May 2022
Update: Young’s managed house revenue up 17%, Soho House owner targets $1bn revenue this year
Young’s managed house revenue up 17%: Young’s has reported that its managed house revenue for the last 13 weeks, against the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, were up 17% and for the last five weeks versus a year ago up 38.5%. The company … view
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Thursday 19th May 2022
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Andrea – Two for One has been our worst performing format coming out the pandemic: Andrew Andrea, chief executive of Marston’s, has told Propel the company’s 76-strong Two for One value food pub format has been the company’s worst … view
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Wednesday 18th May 2022
Update: Mitchells & Butlers Q2 lfls up 3.8%, Marston’s H1 lfls at 97% of FY2019
M&B Q2 lfls up 3.8%: Mitchells & Butlers has reported like-for-like sales growth in the second quarter of 3.8%, resulting in overall like-for-like sales growth of 1% in the 28 weeks to 9 April, despite the adverse impact of Omicron over … view
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Wednesday 18th May 2022
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
The Acai Girls aiming to build 20-strong estate in next three years as it secures first standalone sites: Healthy plant-based concept The Acai Girls is aiming to build a 20-strong estate in the next three years as it secures its first sta … view
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Wednesday 18th May 2022
New £2.2m industry-backed trial aims to prove peanut and milk products can be used for food allergy treatment
New £2.2m industry-backed trial aims to prove peanut and milk products can be used for food allergy treatment: A new ground-breaking study backed by the industry is aiming to prove that peanut and milk products can be used as a treatment for … view
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Tuesday 17th May 2022
Update: C&C sells Admiral stake, Prezzo appoints new CEO, Bank governor warning, Wadworth results, Pret Index
C&C Group sells stake in Admiral Taverns: C&C Group has announced the sale of its 47% stake in Admiral Taverns to Proprium Capital Partners, with whom it originally invested into the circa 1,600-strong community pub operator in September … view
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Tuesday 17th May 2022
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Managed groups’ like-for-like sales up 2% in April on pre-pandemic levels but cost pressures stunt growth, major challenges ‘yet to come’: Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups recorded like-for-like sales growt … view
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Tuesday 17th May 2022
Managed groups’ like-for-like sales up 2% in April on pre-pandemic levels but cost pressures stunt growth, major challenges ‘yet to come’
Managed groups’ like-for-like sales up 2% in April on pre-pandemic levels but cost pressures stunt growth, major challenges ‘yet to come’: Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups recorded like-for-like sales growth of … view
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Monday 16th May 2022
McDonald’s facing $1.4bn hit as it reveals plans to sell Russian business
McDonald’s facing $1.4bn hit as it reveals plans to sell Russian business: McDonald’s has said it will pull out of Russia after more than 30 years of operation in the country and take a write-off of $1.2bn to $1.4bn for the move. McDo … view
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Monday 16th May 2022
Update: Greggs update, McDonald’s UK investment, bouncer shortage, Long Chim debut UK site
Greggs lfls up 27.4% but cost pressures increasing: Food-to-go retailer Greggs has reported a 27.4% like-for-like increase in sales growth for the first 19 weeks of the year, but said that cost pressures are increasing. The company said … view
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Monday 16th May 2022
Propel Monday News Briefing
Lipscombe – not a week goes by without another supplier putting their prices up: James Lipscombe, chief executive of The Chesterford Group (TCG), which operates circa 40 sites under brands including Churchill’s and Bankers Fish & Chip … view
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Friday 13th May 2022
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Solving mass disposability, the investor appetite, over here and planning to go everywhere, alcohol and obesity
Authors: Louise Palmer-Masterton, Rob Johnson, Sarah Travell, Paul Chase

So … view

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Friday 13th May 2022
Propel Friday News Briefing
Foodomnia plans fundraising to fuel growth for Burgerism concept, looks to become the “Domino’s for burgers”: Foodomnia, the north west-based business which builds digitally native food concepts for the delivery food market, is pla … view
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Thursday 12th May 2022
Deliveroo and GMB sign historic union deal as riders recognised as self-employed
Deliveroo and GMB sign historic union deal as riders recognised as self-employed: Deliveroo and the GMB union have signed an historic union recognition deal covering the company’s more than 90,000 self-employed riders. The Voluntary Partners … view
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Thursday 12th May 2022
BT to form joint venture with Warner Bros Discovery to create premium sports channel
BT to form joint venture with Warner Bros Discovery to create premium sports channel: BT Group has agreed with Warner Bros Discovery to form a 50:50 joint venture company to create a new premium sport offering for the UK and Ireland and to tra … view
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Thursday 12th May 2022
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Scottish government outlines proposals to allow outdoor restaurant seating without planning permission: Outdoor restaurant seating could be permitted in Scotland without a planning application under new proposals to support the hospitalit … view
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Wednesday 11th May 2022
Legal Briefing

Navigating ever-changing enforcement action by Tim Shield

Ever since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force in 2005, the industry has seen enforcement action take a much more prominent role in day-to-day operations. Over the years, succe … view
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Wednesday 11th May 2022
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Exclusive – St Austell Brewery makes strong recovery and returns to profit, company ‘in good stead for 2022 and beyond’: Cornwall-based St Austell Brewery, which operates 180 pubs, inns and hotels across the south west, returned to … view
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Tuesday 10th May 2022
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Foodservice inflation hits record 13.6% as supply issues mount: Year-on-year inflation in the foodservice sector hit 13.6% in March 2022, the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index has revealed. The figure is the highest in the histo … view
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Tuesday 10th May 2022
Foodservice inflation hits record 13.6%, spending on both nights in and nights out declines
Foodservice inflation hits record 13.6% as supply issues mount: Year-on-year inflation in the foodservice sector hit 13.6% in March 2022, the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index has revealed. The figure is the highest in the histo … view
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Monday 9th May 2022
Singer Paul Heaton puts £60,000 behind the bar of UK pubs to mark 60th birthday
Singer Paul Heaton puts £60,000 behind the bar of UK pubs to mark 60th birthday: Singer Paul Heaton has put £60,000 behind the bar at pubs around the UK today (Monday, 9 May) to mark his 60th birthday. A total of 60 pubs were given the … view
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Monday 9th May 2022
Propel Monday News Briefing
Watt – if we show our profit-share scheme can work, maybe we can get other businesses to do the same: James Watt, co-founder and chief executive of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, has told Propel that if the business can show its … view
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Sunday 8th May 2022
West End landlords Shaftesbury and Capco close to £3.5bn merger
West End landlords Shaftesbury and Capco close to £3.5bn merger: West End landlords Shaftesbury and Capital & Counties (Capco) are in talks over a £3.5bn merger that would bring together some of central London’s best known tourist destinat … view
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Friday 6th May 2022
Friday Opinion
Subjects: Delivering the right result, providing hope for wet-led pubs, great places to visit
Authors: Charlie McVeigh, Glynn Davis, Ann Elliott

view
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Friday 6th May 2022
Propel Friday News Briefing
HOP Vietnamese raises £2.25m on back of new operating model, to return to the expansion trail: London-based Vietnamese street food concept HOP is to return to the expansion trail after completing a £2.25m fundraise, on the back of the p … view
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Thursday 5th May 2022
Pistachio Holdings increases stake in Creams, government shelves tipping legislation
Pistachio Holdings increases stake in Creams as founders step away from day-to-day operations: The majority shareholder of dessert parlour operator Creams, Pistachio Holdings, and co-investor, Salonica Maroon, have acquired a further shar … view
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Thursday 5th May 2022
Update: Domino’s, AB InBev and consumer spending
Domino’s Pizza Group reports ‘strong’ first quarter but sees impact of VAT rise, orders grow 5.5%: Domino’s Pizza Group has reported “strong” trading in the first quarter with like-for-like system sales, excluding the impact … view
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Thursday 5th May 2022
Propel Thursday News Briefing
Stonegate makes first move into food-led arena with launch of new Premium Division: Stonegate Group has launched a new division aimed at growing an estate of premium food-led pubs, Propel has learned. The circa 4,580-strong, Simon Longbot … view
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Wednesday 4th May 2022
Incipio Group plans expansion as it receives fresh investment
Incipio Group plans expansion as it receives fresh investment: Incipio Group, the Edition Capital-backed operator of venues including The Prince and Lost In Brixton, has outlined its expansion plans as it received fresh investment. The Ed … view
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Wednesday 4th May 2022
Update: JD Wetherspoon and Starbucks
JD Wetherspoon reports like-for-likes turn positive in last two weeks, Su Cacioppo to step down: JD Wetherspoon has reported like-for-like sales have turned positive in the last two weeks with the company set to “break even” this fina … view
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Wednesday 4th May 2022
Propel Wednesday News Briefing
Donkin – the next few months could be more difficult to navigate than the last couple of years: Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group, thinks the next three to four months could be more difficult to navigate for the … view
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Tuesday 3rd May 2022
BrewDog unveils £100m staff share award, to give workers 50% of bar profits
BrewDog unveils £100m staff share award, to give workers 50% of bar profits: James Watt, co-founder of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, is to donate a fifth of his personal stake in the business, worth £100m, to staff to mark the firm … view
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Tuesday 3rd May 2022
Propel Tuesday News Briefing
Chiabra – Neat Burgers’ US expansion will take lead from UK strategy: Tommaso Chiabra, co-founder and chairman of Neat Food Co, the parent company of the plant-based Neat Burger, has told Propel that the brand’s expansion in the US … view
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Monday 2nd May 2022
Greene King results, Star Pubs & Bars to invest £42m in estate this year

Propel reports on Greene King’s full-year results and speaks to chief executive Nick Mackenzie

Financial overview: Greene King reported group revenue of £1.34bn for the 52 weeks ended 2 January 2022, up 41.6% on the previous ye … view
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