Company of Cooks Extends partnership with the Royal Opera House in £130m deal
Company of Cooks and the Royal Opera House are extending their food, drink and hospitality partnership for a further five years.
Casual Dining
GOAT burger lands in the UK
Dubai-founded burger chain GOAT has made its debut outside the UAE with a site close to Knightsbridge department store Harrods.
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Debt duties: why it pays to know the finer points of your finance package
With the long-awaited budget looming, now is the time to be proactive - not reactive.
Hospitality insolvencies remain flat in run up to festive period
The number of accommodation and foodservice insolvencies were flat month-on-month in September, new data shows.
Vagabond to launch “UK’s largest urban winery” next month
Wine bar group Vagabond will open what it is billing as the UK’s largest urban winery early next month.
Middletons Steakhouse & Grill bought out of administration
Middletons Steakhouse & Grill has been bought out of administration in a move that has safeguarded 159 jobs.
Pasta la vista: unravelling the UK’s pasta restaurant sector
The simple combination of flour and eggs has become big business in the dining sector over the past decade with the rise of the pasta-focused restaurant.
The Coconut Tree bought out of administration
The Coconut Tree has been sold out of administration to MPS Hospitality Limited, a connected company led by two of the group’s founders.
Berberè heads to Westfield Stratford City
London pizza group Berberè will make its shopping centre debut next month with a new pizzeria at Westfield Stratford City.
Roti King heads north of the border with Edinburgh launch
London-centric Malaysian restaurant brand Roti King will open its first Scottish site next month.
UK restaurant sector to grow to £19.6bn by 2028
The UK restaurant sector is forecast to grow at a modest 1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next three years, reaching a value of £19.6bn in 2028.
The Coconut Tree appoints administrators
The Coconut Tree has appointed administrators four months after it was revealed the Sri Lankan restaurant group had defaulted on payments as part of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).
Hospitality calls on the Chancellor for support in upcoming budget
More than 340 leading hospitality businesses have signed an open letter to Rachel Reeves calling for urgent action to support the sector in this month’s budget.
Marugame Udon reports 7% turnover decline
Marugame Udon has reported a 7% decline in turnover, to £15.9m, for its nine-strong UK restaurant business, for the year to 29 December 2024.
Azurrri Group sees further opportunities for Dave’s Hot Chicken and grocery channel after ‘transformative’ year
Azurrri Group says it experienced a ‘transformative year’ after entering the fast-growing fried chicken sector with its Dave’s Hot Chicken brand.
Friday five: the week’s top stories
The Gaucho ‘greenwashing’ row and a welcome comeback for Leeds chef Michael O’Hare were among this week’s most-read stories.
Martin Williams: ‘Gaucho was aware of charity agreement’
The former boss of Gaucho has responded to what he says is incorrect information provided by the steakhouse group over its agreement with charity Not For Sale.
12 ways to create a killer loyalty programme
Restaurant has published a free-to-access guide to creating a successful loyalty programme.
Shoryu Ramen Ltd sees like-for-likes sales fall as turnover drops and losses widen - updated
Shoryu Ramen Ltd has reported a fall in turnover and widening losses in its latest financial results amid ‘challenging macro-economic and market conditions’.
Yum! Brands explores potential sale of Pizza Hut
Yum! Brands has initiated a strategic review of options for Pizza Hut after experiencing a decline in sales across Europe and the US.
Sea change: Deep Blue Restaurants to rebrand as Harry Ramsden’s Group as it leans into its heritage fish and chips brand
Deep Blue Restaurants is to change its named to Harry Ramsden’s Group as part of its next phase of growth.
Barrio Soho to rebrand as La Familia
Barrio Soho is set to relaunch as La Familia – a new two-in-one venue that blends a fast-casual taqueria upstairs with a hidden cocktail speakeasy downstairs.
Hoppers takes former Lyle’s site for its fourth London restaurant
Sri Lankan and South Indian restaurant group Hoppers has taken the former Lyle’s site in Shoreditch for its fourth restaurant in the capital.
House of Koko to open Leeds city centre site
Independent Lebanese café brand House of Koko has chosen Leeds city centre for the location of its third venue.
TGI Fridays UK bought by Sugarloaf
TGI Fridays UK has been sold to Sugarloaf, the global manager of the TGI Friday’s brand.
Square founder Jack Dorsey and former Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti on AI, design and disruption
From hot dog carts to billion-dollar platforms, the two leaders share hard-won lessons on entrepreneurship, innovation and using technology to give customers, and teams, time back.
The Evolv Collection acquires Vinoteca as it plans Sartoria brand integration
The Evolv Collection has bought wine bar group Vinoteca’s two London venues with plans to bring them under its Italian Sartoria brand.
Latest opening: Taro Brighton
The Soho-founded Japanese casual dining group has headed to the seaside for its first restaurant opening outside the capital.
Urban Pubs & Bars buys bar and restaurant group Albion & East
Urban Pubs & Bars has acquired neighbourhood-style bar and restaurant group Albion & East for an undisclosed sum.
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Transforming Côte is going to require a little je ne sais quoi
Karali Group has built a solid footing in the QSR and fast casual space, but taking on high street brassiere brand Côte is a whole new challenge
Peach Pubs and Revolution Bars operator launches sales process
The operator of Revolution Bars, Revolucion de Cuba and Peach Pubs, is launching a strategic review of options, including a formal sales process.
Pubs continue to outpace restaurants for sales growth
Britain’s top managed restaurant, pub and bar groups saw a marginal increase in like-for-like sales growth, according to the latest data.
Are Pizza Hut UK’s restaurants stuffed or can the brand rise again?
Pizza Hut UK’s inability to capitalise on the UK’s burgeoning pizza sector was a missed opportunity. What hope do its remaining restaurants have?
Pasta Cosa to open second Liverpool site
Sisters Kayleigh and Talia Baccino will open a second site of their Italian restaurant Pasta Cosa this week.
Zuma and Roka operator receives investment to drive global expansion
The group behind restaurants Zuma and Roka has entered into a partnership with Abu Dhabi–based luxury hospitality investment company DIAFA.
The Double Red Duke to open second site at Bicester Village
Hotel and restaurant group Country Creatures is opening a second venue of its The Double Red Duke gastropub and boutique hotel brand.
Sticks’n’Sushi to launch Manchester restaurant
Sticks’n’Sushi will open a restaurant in Manchester’s Spinningfields area this spring, taking its total number of UK sites to 17.
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Will Velvet Taco’s move into the UK be a smooth one?
The US brand, known for its vast range of globally-inspired tacos, is landing soon on these shores. But its success is far from a given.
Taiwanese restaurant group 6 of 1 to open a Cantonese wonton noodle soup shop
The team behind the Mr Bao, Daddy Bao, and Master Bao restaurants are moving beyond Taiwanese cuisine for the first time to bring Cantonese comfort food to London Fields.
The Devonshire team to open Covent Garden pub and restaurant
The team behind Soho super pub The Devonshire are heading to Covent Garden for their next venue.
Pizza shut: 68 Pizza Hut restaurants close with more than 1,200 job losses
Nearly 70 Pizza Hut restaurants and more than 10 pizza delivery outlets have closed after the company behind its UK business fell into administration.
Pizza Hut Restaurants to shutter over half its estate following pre-pack rescue deal
Pizza Hut is to close around 70 restaurants after the company behind its UK venues fell into administration.
Gaucho to reduce waiters’ share of service charge
Argentine-themed restaurant group Gaucho is reportedly cutting the share of the service charge its waiters receive, using some of the funds to bump up the pay package of head office workers.
The £30 beef wellington test: why dining out still wins
Retail’s attempt to muscle in on restaurant territory fails to acknowledge that there’s more to dining out than the food alone.
Liverpool ONE to welcome a host of new restaurant brands
North American comfort food brand Brewski and Caribbean Street Food restaurant Jerk Junction are among a number of restaurants to open in Liverpool ONE in the coming months.
Honest Burgers returns to profit and says it will expand its Smash + Grab brand
Honest Burgers has returned to profit for the first time since 2020, reporting a ‘very strong’ performance in its latest results.
PINS Social Club to open huge Manchester venue next year
The team behind PINS Social Club in Liverpool have now confirmed plans to open what it says will be the biggest new hospitality venue in Manchester in recent years.
Red Engine secures further investment as expansion continues
Flight Club and Electric Shuffle owner Red Engine has secured further investment to support its growth plans in the UK and overseas.
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No longer cheap as chips – QSR embraces the £5 meal deal
Amid a clamour for customers, more and more QSR operators are introducing their own meal deals all pitched around the same price point in a hopeful bid to demonstrate value.
Sushinoya heads to Soho
Dong Hyun Kim ‘omakase to-go’ brand Sushinoya has chosen Chinatown for its second London restaurant outing.