Casual Dining

Fulham Shore targeting prime locations for expansion as new openings see strong trading

08-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Fulham Shore has announced an expansion programme targeting prime new locations benefitting from 'historically low' rental levels.

City Pub Group sees ‘strong sales momentum’

08-Jun-2022 By Finn Scott-Delany

City Pub Group has reported like-for-like (LFL) sales have continued to strengthen faster than predicted, with May 2022 5% ahead of May 2019.

UKHospitality: Government needs to help sector attract investment

08-Jun-2022 By Shwetali Sapte

A lack of a coherent Government strategy to tackle the cost of living crisis is negatively impacting investment in the sector, UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls has said.

How I Got Here: Phil Peters

07-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

The MD of Neapolitan pizza group Happy Face Pizza, which recently launched its third London restaurant, on his best and worst business decisions, and how he would change the industry.

Revolution to open first new sites in four years

07-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Revolution Bar Group is back on the expansion trail for the first time in four years, with two new Revolution venues set to launch this month.

Night Time Enterprise Zones announced to help revive London's high streets

07-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a new £500,000 programme to create Night Time Enterprise Zones in the capital to help support the city's economic recovery.

Hospitality spending soars over Jubilee weekend

07-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

The extended Platinum Jubilee weekend saw spending in hospitality venues soar with restaurants seeing a 41.5% uplift compared to the same period last year, according to data from Barclaycard.

More than 10,000 hospitality businesses at risk of closure

06-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

More than 10,000 pubs and restaurants are at risk of closure due to 'perfect storm' of inflation and surging energy costs, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has warned.

Karen Jones made a dame as hospitality leaders recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours

06-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Prezzo chair Karen Jones has been made a dame in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list this year, with other hospitality leaders recognised with MBEs and OBEs.

Mezcalito doubles up in London

01-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

Chelsea-based Mexican restaurant Mezcalito has launched a second site in the capital on Newington Green Road in Islington.

RedCat adds ninth and tenth acquisitions to Coaching Inn portfolio

01-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

RedCat Pub Company has acquired two major hospitality venues on the North Norfolk Coast; The Pheasant Hotel and Blakeney Manor Hotel.

UKHospitality unveils hospitality workforce strategy

01-Jun-2022 By Joe Lutrario

UKHospitality has launched a nationwide hospitality workforce strategy in a bid to help plug the sector’s 170,000 jobs gap.

BrewDog bars see revenue up 31% in 2021

01-Jun-2022 By Georgi Gyton

BrewDog’s global bar business achieved revenue growth of 31% during 2021, compared to the previous year, with 'record sales' achieved so far in 2022.

Entries now open for World Steak Challenge 2022

31-May-2022 By James McAllister

The prestigious World Steak Challenge (WSC) is returning as a face-to-face event in 2022, with the winners set to be announced in Dublin in September.

Coyote Ugly to launch in London

31-May-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Coyote Ugly is bringing its ‘high-octane style of hospitality’ to London for the first time with the opening of a site in Camden.

Sichuan restaurant Zhang Liang Malatang to make London debut

31-May-2022 By James McAllister

A Chinese restaurant group with more than 5,000 sites across the Asia-Pacific region will make its European debut later this summer having secured a site on Shaftesbury Avenue in London.

Opportunities from new points-based visa scheme

31-May-2022 By Helen Gilbert

UKHospitality has called for increased use of youth mobility schemes with other nations in order to maximise the potential of the government’s new points-based visa scheme.

The World's 50 Best Bars 2022 to be held in Barcelona on 4 October

31-May-2022 By James McAllister

The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022, sponsored by Perrier, will be unveiled as part of a live awards ceremony on Tuesday 4 October 2022 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

New pub openings outweigh closures

31-May-2022 By Helen Gilbert

Just over seven new pubs opened every week in the second half of 2021, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has revealed.

Hospitality set for bumper Jubilee bank holiday

30-May-2022 By James McAllister

The UK hospitality industry is set for a bumper Jubilee bank holiday, with some resarch suggesting the sector is set for a £2.9bn boost over the four-day weekend (2-5 June).

Gaining Yards: The Harts Group trio on their new Borough Yards adventure

30-May-2022 By Stefan Chomka

Harts Group’s Sam and James Hart and Crispin Somerville are at it again with yet another multi-site launch in a new London development.

Wingstop secures multi-million pound debt facility

30-May-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Lemon Pepper Holdings, the master franchisee of Wingstop UK, has secured a multi-million pound debt facility from Barclays to help facilitate the continued roll out of the brand.

Cocktail bar Gin Ne Sais Quoi to open second Welsh site

30-May-2022 By Restaurant

Swansea-based gin and cocktail bar brand Gin Ne Sais Quoi is to open a second Welsh venue in Cardiff this summer.

Friday Five: the week's top news

27-May-2022 By James McAllister

This week's main hospitality news stories include Honest Burgers' regenerative farming initiative, Tortilla acquiring Chilango, and figures showing a third of people are cutting back on eating out and takeaways.

Former KFC MD Paula MacKenzie appointed CEO of PizzaExpress

27-May-2022 By James McAllister

Former KFC managing director Paula MacKenzie has been appointed CEO of PizzaExpress.

Pizza Punks to launch its largest site yet in Liverpool

27-May-2022 By James McAllister

Northern-based sourdough pizza restaurant group Pizza Punks is to launch its largest site to date on Bold Street in Liverpool in September.

Flash-grilled: Giulia Cuccurullo

27-May-2022 By James McAllister

The Italian-born head bartender at Artesian in The Langham, London, which recently unveiled a new cocktail list inspired by 'the idea of duality', tells us about her career.

Figures show restaurant bookings dip

27-May-2022 By Georgi Gyton

The UK has seen a dip in weekly card spending, and fewer restaurant bookings, on the previous week, according to the latest weekly figures collated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Peach Pubs takes on The White Lion near Leamington Spa

27-May-2022 By Restaurant

Peach Pubs has added The White Lion near Leamington Spa to its pub portfolio.

Sector pleads with Chancellor to 'act now' and alleviate financial pressures

26-May-2022 By James McAllister

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been accused of being 'out of touch with the reality of cost inflation' after failing to offer additional financial support for businesses in today's Commons statement.

KFC to trial using delivery-only kitchens in London

26-May-2022 By James McAllister

KFC is launching a trial of its first delivery-only kitchens in the UK, beginning in the capital.

Fridays owner looking to beef up its estate to almost 200 sites in the medium term

26-May-2022 By Restaurant

Fridays operator Hostmore Group says it plans to almost double its number of restaurants to around 200 in the medium term.

Mother Clucker lines up Islington restaurant as it moves back to bricks and mortar

26-May-2022 By James McAllister

Fried chicken brand Mother Clucker is to launch its first bricks and mortar restaurant since being acquired by Byron owner Famously Proper.

Hot chocolate cafe Knoops targets 100 UK sites

26-May-2022 By Restaurant

Artisan hot chocolate cafe Knoops say it intends to open 100 sites in the UK over the next five years, with its first central London site due open next month.

Greene King Pub Partners launches ninth Hive Pub

25-May-2022 By Restaurant

Greene King Pub Partners has launched The Globe in Chelmsford, Essex, as its ninth Hive Pub.

National rail strike would 'jeopardise hospitality recovery', warns UKH

25-May-2022 By James McAllister

Trade body UKHospitality (UKH) has warned that a national rail strike would 'further jeopardise' hospitality businesses working hard to rebuild following the pandemic.

Cult US burger brand Lucky Buns heads to Carousel

25-May-2022 By Joe Lutrario

US burger brand Lucky Buns is set to takeover Carousel’s No.23 twelve-seater casual dining space replacing Goila Butter Chicken.

Food and drink sales in Britain’s cities return to growth

25-May-2022 By Restaurant

Food and drink sales in Britain’s cities back in growth as workers and visitors return to urban locations, new research has shown.

A third of people cutting back on eating out and takeaways as cost of living soars

24-May-2022 By Restaurant

More than a third of people have been forced to reduce or stop spending on eating out and takeaways over the past six months in the face of rising costs and inflation, according to a YouGov poll.

Upper Crust owner reports strong sales as travel sector rebounds

24-May-2022 By Restaurant

Travel concessions operator SSP has reported a strong recovery in its revenues as the travel sector rebounds after Covid-19.

TRG reports robust trading across Wagamama and pubs business

24-May-2022 By Finn Scott-Delany

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has reported strong consumer demand for its brands as it continues to outperform the market.

Warnings of bottled beer shortage amid rising production costs

24-May-2022 By James McAllister

A Scotland-based wholesaler has warned the UK could see bottled beer stocks plummet as a result of soaring production costs.

Starbucks becomes latest chain to quit Russian market

24-May-2022 By James McAllister

Starbucks has become the latest Western hospitality chain to completely pull out of the Russian market in response to the war in Ukraine.

Tortilla acquires rival chain Chilango for £2.75m

23-May-2022 By James McAllister

Tortilla has acquired rival burrito chain Chilango from investment firm RDCP Group in a deal worth up to £2.75m.

Hospitality 'the great leveller' says new report

23-May-2022 By Restaurant

The hospitality sector is uniquely positioned to deliver economic growth and jobs across the country and can play its part in delivering the Government’s flagship levelling up agenda, according to a new report from UKHospitality (UKH).

Honest Burgers overhauls supply chain with regenerative farming programme

23-May-2022 By James McAllister

Honest Burgers has overhauled its supply chain through the development of a regenerative farming programme, with the aim of reducing its carbon footprint and the environmental impact of eating beef.

Simon Bonwick sells The Crown to Dominic Chapman

22-May-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Chef Simon Bonwick and family have sold their Michelin-starred Berkshire pub restaurant The Crown to The Beehive chef Dominic Chapman.

Latest opening: Palazzo

20-May-2022 By James McAllister

The team behind London-based Neapolitan pizza group Made of Dough have launched an Italian bar and diner in Crystal Palace.

Friday Five: the week's top news

20-May-2022 By James McAllister

This week's main hospitality news stories include Dishoom heading to Canary Wharf, David Thompson bringing Long Chim to Chinatown, and McDonald's permanently exiting the Russian market.

Operators face 'significant challenge managing costs and attracting footfall' as menu sizes and prices rise

20-May-2022 By James McAllister

Menus across the UK eating and drinking out market grew in size between February and April 2022, according to data from Lumina Intelligence’s Menu Tracker, with average prices also increasing.