Exclusive – JD Wetherspoon plans to invest £2.5m on new West End pub: JD Wetherspoon has told Propel it plans to invest £2.5m on opening a new pub in London’s West End. The company has applied to open on the former Coyote Ugly site in Shaftesbury Avenue, which closed last year and had a capacity of 350. The company has told Propel its new pub would be circa 3,500 square feet and would create circa 100-120 jobs. If successful with the licensing application, the new pub would open a few doors up from Albert’s Schloss and The Box, and close to The Devonshire. The main entrance of the proposed pub will be on Shaftesbury Avenue, but it will be possible to access the premises from the reception area of The Zedwell Hotel Piccadilly. Last month, JD Wetherspoon reported like-for-like sales were up 6.1% in the last quarter following a strong festive period but warned that costs have been “higher than anticipated” and its first half profit is expected to dip. In a trading update, the company said in the 25 weeks to 18 January 2026, like-for-like sales were 4.7% higher than the same period a year ago. In the year to date, the company has opened six pubs – at London Bridge station, Merchant Square in Paddington, Kenilworth, Basildon, Wetherby and Beaconsfield. Last week, it opened its first site in mainland Europe, at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez airport in Spain, in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail. The company anticipates opening a total of 15 pubs in its current financial year.

200 Degrees returns to profit and reports record sales: 200 Degrees, the Nero Group-owned brand, returned to profit in the 14 months to 31 May 2025 and reported record sales. The 24-strong company, which was acquired by Caffe Nero Group in October 2024, changed its reporting period following the sale. It reported a pre-tax profit of £571,891 and turnover of £22,992,403 in the 14 months to 31 May 2025. In the year to 31 March 2024, it reported a pre-tax loss of £90,680 and turnover of £16,452,509. No dividends were paid (2024: nil). Director Benedict Price said: “During the 14-month period ended May 2025 group sales increased above the levels achieved in previous periods. Alongside the increase in sales, gross margin has remained at 72% in this period (FY24 72%). The change in ownership marks a significant milestone in the group’s development and provides a strong platform for future growth. The new ownership brings additional financial resources, strategic guidance and operational expertise, which are expected to support the group’s long-term objectives. Following the acquisition, the group has continued to operate under its existing management team, with no material changes to its core operations. Integration activities are ongoing, with a focus on aligning systems and identifying opportunities for synergies across the wider group. The directors aim to maintain the management policies which has resulted in the group's substantial growth in recent periods. They consider the next period will show a further growth in sales from continuing operations.” Propel revealed earlier this week that Caffe Nero Group paid £13,335,000 for 200 Degrees, with further payments believed to be based on future performance. Caffe Nero Group’s accounts for the year to 31 May 2025 showed that 200 Degrees contributed revenue of £11,891,000 and a profit of £253,000 since the acquisition, and revenue of £19,880,000 and a profit of £1,113,000 since the group’s annual reporting date.

Alfresco dining to return to London under mayor’s licensing policy: Alfresco dining could return to London this summer after the mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, laid the groundwork for a city-wide licensing policy. This could pave the way for Khan – who is known to want to pedestrianise parts of Soho and other areas of the capital to boost hospitality, nightlife and spending – to make decisions without the 32 boroughs and the City of London, all with different licensing policies, being able to intervene, reports The Times. There have long been calls for Soho in particular to be pedestrianised after the streets were temporarily made car-free in the aftermath of the pandemic. Hospitality businesses in the area credit the move for their survival after months without trading. The architects John Lacey and Russell Potter proposed last October to permanently pedestrianise Soho, inspired by the summer of 2020. Their plan had centred on closing thoroughfares including Old Compton Street and Greek Street to private vehicles while maintaining morning windows for deliveries, services and cleaning. Westminster city council, the local authority, has balked at any further pedestrianisation citing the concerns of local residents and voters. The council said at the time: “There have been no consultations or discussions on these proposals and there are categorically no plans from the council to pedestrianise Soho.” Coming alongside the consultation was a change in guidance to local authorities across the capital to “consider the impact on the economy and encouraging growth when making licensing decisions, ensuring more support is given to nightlife and hospitality venues”. The hope is that even where the mayor does not intervene, licensing decisions favour businesses where possible. Khan said: “Too often we’ve heard from pubs, clubs, music venues, restaurants and others that have struggled to get the licences they need to succeed. That’s why I’m working to create a system that will end the ‘licensing postcode lottery’ and work for businesses, boroughs and Londoners alike. By making it easier to extend opening hours and expand what’s on offer at night for Londoners and visitors, we can continue to grow our capital’s nightlife offer and build a better London for everyone.” The mayor was given the power to shape licensing from City Hall by the government late last year. This would allow him to overturn local council decisions that block the expansion of late-night bars, pubs and restaurants in a move to boost the capital’s nightlife and hospitality sector. It is hoped that the scheme will result in later opening hours and more outdoor dining in London, with further plans to roll out the scheme to other parts of the country if successful, including Birmingham and Manchester.

Scottish Hospitality Group Urges MSPs to halt non-domestic rates increases: The Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) has written to all Members of the Scottish Parliament ahead of the Stage 1 Scottish Budget vote, calling for an immediate one-year halt to increases in non-domestic rates (NDR) for Scotland’s licensed hospitality sector. SHG is warning that without urgent intervention, pubs, restaurants, hotels and community venues across Scotland will face unsustainable financial pressure, placing jobs, high streets and local economies at serious risk. Stephen Montgomery, director of the Scottish Hospitality Group, said: “This revaluation is not a technical adjustment. It is not a marginal change. It is a decision that will directly affect businesses in every constituency, businesses already operating under immense financial strain. Licensed hospitality operators are facing rising supplier costs, increased employer National Insurance contributions, higher wage bills, energy volatility and continued tax pressures. Margins are already extremely tight. For many, further increases in rates bills are simply unaffordable.” The group said a one-year halt to NDR increases for licensed hospitality would provide immediate breathing space for struggling operators, protect jobs in MSP constituencies, support high streets and town centres and demonstrate that Parliament is prepared to act pragmatically when a key sector is under strain. Montgomery added. “The Scottish government has the power to act if it truly wishes to protect jobs, businesses and communities. At Stage 1, MSPs have the opportunity to stand up for those in their constituencies who take risks, provide good jobs, work long hours and contribute significantly to Scotland’s economy. We urge them to show leadership before irreversible damage is done.”