Blank Street in talks to raise more than $100m in fresh funding: US coffee brand Blank Street, which operates more than 50 sites in the UK, is in early discussions to raise $100m (£75.4m) or more in new funding to fuel expansion as it ca … view

Cost increases will see one in seven venues close and two thirds of businesses cut more jobs: Cost increases that come into force for the sector today (Wednesday, 1 April) will see one in seven (15%) venues forced to close and two thirds … view

Domino’s names Nicola Frampton as permanent CEO: Domino’s Pizza Group has announced the appointment of Nicola Frampton, currently its interim chief executive, as its permanent chief executive. It said that Frampton’s appointment com … view

Exclusive – Be At One co-founder agrees to take on trio of ex-BrewDog sites: Rhys Oldfield, the co-founder of the Be At One cocktail brand, has entered into an agreement with the administrators of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, t … view

MeatLiquor closes sites to focus on three venues: MeatLiquor, the burger business that traded from 13 sites at its height, has shuttered four more venues following a restructure. Propel revealed exclusively last week that MeatLiquor had h … view

Exclusive – Wahaca seeks fresh growth capital as it looks to expand again, promotes Gemma Glasson to CEO: Mexican restaurant brand Wahaca has commenced a search for a new investor as it looks to return to the expansion trail, on the bac … view

Michelin-star chef puts the heat on sexism in the kitchen: Leading restaurants have signed up to a pledge to protect women in the industry. The Times reports that Sally Abé, who has worked under Gordon Ramsay and was head chef of the Har … view

Stonegate CEO – ‘we've grown profitability in more than 95% of the sites that we've transitioned’, expects positive outcome from talks with landlords: David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub compan … view

Starbucks plans to open another 500 sites in UK: Starbucks plans to open another 500 sites in the UK over the next five years despite grappling with “reduced discretionary spending and increased competition”. The Times reported Starbu … view

Exclusive: Stonegate Group – ‘transformation strategy delivering results’, ‘on track for material profit growth in FY26’: Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub company, saw its group profit grow 7.5% in the 16 weeks to 18 Januar … view

Exclusive – Giggling Squid reports record restaurant turnover of £77m and ‘significant Ebitda increase’ to £9.2m, set to refinance and looking to grow brand further: Giggling Squid, the Thai restaurant brand backed … view

Exclusive – Neos Hospitality to begin conversion of ex-Revel Collective estate with sites in Bristol and Southampton: Neos Hospitality is to begin the conversion of the 20 Revolution and Revolucion de Cuba sites it acquired out of admin … view

JD Wetherspoon to open two pubs at airport in Barcelona: JD Wetherspoon is to open two pubs at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona – El Prat airport. It follows on from the opening of the company’s first pub in Spain, at Alicante airport, las … view

Pret CEO – three more new format sites to open in coming months, second drive-thru to launch later this year: Pret A Manger chief executive Pano Christou has told Propel the brand will open three more new format sites in the coming mont … view

Exclusive – Darden Restaurants exploring UK launch for casual and fine dining brands: Darden Restaurants, which operates more than 2,100 restaurants through a number of casual and fine dining brands in the US including Olive Garden, Lon … view

Various Eateries completes acquisition of premium pubs with rooms portfolio: Various Eateries, the Coppa Club and Noci operator soon to be known as Coppa Collective, has completed the acquisition of a premium pubs with rooms portfolio fro … view

Exclusive – cult burger business Meatliquor assesses options: The parent company of Meatliquor, the cult burger business, has hired advisors as it assesses its options, which could include a sale of the six-strong brand and sister sport … view

Exclusive – Tipjar secures £4.5m funding boost: Cashless tipping platform Tipjar has secured £4.5m in new investment. The round, led by YFM Equity Partners and advised by Mountside Ventures, will enable Tipjar to expand its te … view

JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin – ‘huge increase in business costs is putting the future of high streets in medium and small towns at risk’: JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin has told Propel the huge increase in business … view

Exclusive – JKS Restaurants turnover up 22% driven by new openings and ‘continued brand strength’: JKS Restaurants reported a 22% increase in turnover to £72,572,655 for the year to 31 March 2025 (2024: £59,582,043) and saw its pr … view

Exclusive – BrewDog collapse leaves creditors estimated £480m out-of-pocket: An administrator’s report into the collapse of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog shows an estimated £480m of debt will be left unpaid. Unsecured credito … view

Exclusive – RedCat explores options for The Coaching Inn Group: RedCat Hospitality, founded and chaired by Rooney Anand, has hired advisers to assess the next stage of funding options for The Coaching Inn Group, which could include a sa … view

Langan’s CEO looking to expand boutique gym concept and take private members’ health club business to US: Graziano Arricale, chief executive of iconic brasserie Langan’s in London’s Mayfair, has told Propel he is looking to expand … view

Shepherd Neame CEO – ‘government scheme to pay businesses £3,000 to employ young benefits claimants is crackers’: Jonathan Neame, chief executive of south east brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame, has told Propel the government’s … view

Exclusive – Greene King introduces new pub estate strategy, 300 sites placed in new business unit, Zoe Bowley to step down: Brewer and retailer Greene King is introducing a new estate strategy across its circa 2,500-strong pub business, … view

Shepherd Neame – ‘trading has remained resilient but becoming more seasonal and more reliant on occasions’, undergoes refinancing: South east brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame has said trading has remained resilient but becoming � … view

Papa John’s UK – returned to profit in 2025, 2026 ‘destined to be one of our best years on record’, ‘very much in growth mode’: Papa John’s UK managing director Chris Phylactou has told Propel the business returned to profit … view

Wet weather dampens sector sales in February: Dismal weather and cautious spending stunted managed hospitality groups’ growth in February, the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. The tracker – produced by NIQ, powered … view

Luke Johnson – ‘even in the midst of mayhem there can be shining investment opportunities, but sector materially more challenging’: Serial sector investor Luke Johnson has told Propel that even in the “midst of mayhem” there can … view

Exclusive – Coffee House secures further £7m investment from AJ Bell founder and increases target to in excess of 200 sites: North west independent coffee shop Coffee House has secured a further £7m investment from AJ Bell founder And … view

Ex-Market Halls COO – ‘UK food hall market is now a maturing sector attracting serious, disciplined capital’: The UK food hall market is now a “maturing sector attracting serious, disciplined capital” and the operators and devel … view

Exclusive – Stonegate set to test market with circa 300-strong pub portfolio: Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub company, is set to test the market with a package of circa 300 pubs, Propel has learned. The pubs are understood to be p … view

Qatari-backed Irth Capital in takeover bid for Papa John’s: Qatari-backed investment fund Irth Capital has offered to pay $47 a share to buy Papa John’s International, in a second attempt after it tried to buy the pizza brand alongsid … view

Tim Hortons UK & Ireland extends master franchise agreement to 2045, issues £26.7m equity for future growth: Tim Hortons UK & Ireland has extended its master franchise agreement with brand owner Restaurant Brands International (RBI) to 2 … view

The Wolseley’s branching out with New York hotel: A pillar of London’s restaurant scene hopes to break America after its parent company unveiled plans for a first Wolseley-branded hotel in New York. The Times reports that owner Minor … view

Stonegate Group CEO – ‘having diverse leadership talent is more than just the right thing to do, it's the right commercial thing to do as well’: David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has … view

Anyone who has been through a licensing application or hearing will know the drill. Much of the discussion tends to focus on risk: what problems might arise from a … view

Exclusive – Lord’s ends four-year beer partnership with BrewDog after 14 months: Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has ended its beer partnership with Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog 14 months into the four-year deal, Propel has lear … view

Domino’s Pizza Group CEO – ‘we don’t need to acquire a second brand to achieve growth’, ‘franchisees have had to put prices up’: Nicola Frampton, Domino’s Pizza Group’s interim chief executive, has said that the business … view

Jamie Oliver Restaurants global director – first Jamie’s Italian back on the UK high street ‘very different site to anything we have’: Ed Loftus, global director of Jamie Oliver Restaurants, has told Propel the first Jamie’s Ita … view

Former Loungers CFO joins Tortilla board: Gregor Grant, former chief financial officer at café bar operator Loungers, has joined the board of Tortilla, as a non-executive director and chair of its audit committee, with immediate effect. … view

US bakery brand believes ‘time is right’ for UK entry’, aiming for ‘measured, city-led expansion strategy’ here: US bakery brand Magnolia Bakery has told Propel it believes the “time is right” for entry into the UK market an … view

Bill's MD – ‘phenomenal start to a big year for the business’, ‘opportunity to take kiosk format to the high street’: Tom James, managing director of Bill’s, the Richard Caring-backed restaurant group, has told Propel that the … view

Foodservice price inflation flattens in January: Food and drink prices in the hospitality sector remained virtually flat in January, with month-on-month inflation slowing to just 0.02%, according to the latest Foodservice Price Index from … view

Foodservice price inflation flattens in January: Food and drink prices in the hospitality sector remained virtually flat in January, with month-on-month inflation slowing to just 0.02%, according to the latest Foodservice Price Index from … view

BrewDog co-founder James Watt – ‘at times we expanded too fast and diversified too broadly’: James Watt, co-founder of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, has said at times the business “expanded too fast and diversified too bro … view

Greggs to trial vending machines, sees ‘significant growth opportunity in underrepresented catchments’: Food-to-go retailer Greggs is to trial vending machines and said it sees “significant growth opportunity in underrepresented cat … view

Former BrewDog Bars CEO on BrewDog closures – ‘government policy made profitable bars marginal’: James Brown, chief executive of Brava Hospitality Group, and former chief executive of BrewDog Bars, has called the closure of 38 of th … view

Greggs starts 2026 strongly after reporting 6.8% rise in sales but fall in profitability in 2025, ‘clear opportunity for significantly more’ than 3,000 stores: Food-to-go retailer Greggs said it has started 2026 strongly, with a healt … view

No offer made for BrewDog in its entirety, no return to any equity holders: AlixPartners, the advisory firm appointed joint administrators to BrewDog UK entities, has said no offer was made for the Scottish brewer and retailer in its enti … view