Loungers to create new brand for Germany debut
Loungers’ first international brand will be called Southville when it opens in Germany later this year.
Casual Dining
Gladwins becomes B Corp certified after two-year assessment
Gladwins’ independent restaurant group, Local & Wild, has achieved B Corp certification after completing a two-year assessment process, earning a score of 96.5%.
Eat Momo kicks off East London pub residency
Nepalese dumplings restaurant Eat Momo has taken up residency at The Coach and Horses in Leyton for a summer-long pop-up.
10 brands to watch: part one
In this first of a two-part feature we identify the brands that are deserving of your attention.
Sadiq Khan ups pledge to £500,000 for Summer Streets 2026 campaign
London’s dining scene will benefit from £500,000 of investment this summer to boost business.
Loungers looks to make its Deutsche mark with Germany proposed as first overseas location
Loungers is looking to Germany as the location for its first overseas location.
Finance
Turtle Bay to close three sites as part of CVA proposal
Turtle Bay will close three of its restaurants and renegotiate around a third of its remaining estate under proposals for a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).
Wok the line: how Wagamama is fighting the challenges of casual dining
Long considered a successful outlier to the segment’s macro struggles, the pan-Asian brand has sought to overcome recent poor performance by investing in its value proposition and menu innovation.
Bunsik to open its largest site yet in Plymouth
Korean street food brand Bunsik will open its largest restaurant to date in Plymouth next month.
Mission Mars considers overseas expansion after reporting record revenues
The group behind the Rudy’s and Albert’s Schloss brands has reported record revenues and says it is considering overseas expansion.
UKHospitality publishes nutrition guide
UKHospitality has launched a nutrition guide that offers support for hospitality businesses wanting to enhance their healthy menu options.
finance
Coppa Collective reports sales uplift in first half of the year
Coppa Collective has described the first half of its financial year as ‘a period of good progress’, with a rise in like-for-like sales.
Chaiiwala looks to boost evening trade with meal boxes and a family sharing platter
Chaiiwala has expanded its menu with the launch of its first customisable Wala Box and a new Family Platter, as it looks to drive growth in evening dining.
Comment
Is Pizza Express too late to the fried chicken party?
In a move that sounds familiar, the casual dining chain is bringing a US fried chicken brand to these shores.
Four in 10 families plan to take advantage of Government’s Summer Savings scheme
The Government’s VAT cut for family days out is poised to give the UK hospitality sector a boost as consumers plan to take advantage of the cost savings, new data suggests.
Market Place pulls into Victoria for ‘UK’s first’ railway station food hall
Market Place Food Hall has announced that it will launch what it describes as the UK’s first train station-based food hall this autumn.
Jurkish partners with Ninety One for first East London residency
Jamaican-Turkish dining concept Jurkish is partnering with Ninety One Brick Lane to launch its first East London residency.
KIBOU chooses Birmingham for seventh site
KIBOU Japanese Kitchen & Bar will open a new restaurant in Birmingham this autumn bringing its total number of sites to seven.
Rapid rise: Soufflé pancake brand Fluffy Fluffy closes in on 20 sites
Fluffy Fluffy, the Japanese soufflé pancake specialist, has signed to join centre:mk in Milton Keynes for its 19th UK site.
Yum! Brands sells Pizza Hut for $2.7bn
Yum! Brands has agreed to sell its Pizza Hut chain in a deal worth $2.7bn (£2bn).
Côte Brasserie introduces fish and chips for first time in menu revamp
Côte Brasserie has introduced its first-ever version of fish and chips as part of the biggest menu overhaul in the restaurant chain’s history.
Inception Group to launch Guinness Saloon at new Mr Fogg’s Market Tavern
London-based hospitality operator Inception Group has revealed plans for a dedicated Guinness Saloon at its newest venue, Mr Fogg’s Market Tavern, opening in Covent Garden next month.
Club Prezzo racks up 500,000 sign-ups in its first year
Prezzo Italian’s loyalty scheme has had more than half a million sign-ups in the first year, according to the chain.
Georgie and Sam Pearman step away from Cubitt House
Georgie and Sam Pearman will step down from their roles as directors and co-chairs of Cubitt House Pubs following its recent acquisition by Young’s.
Shrimp Shack to make nationwide debut
Seafood restaurant Shrimp Shack will open its first restaurant outside of the capital this summer.
Coppa Club secures prime Thames-side site for latest opening
Coppa Club is adding to its Thames-side portfolio with the opening of a site at London Bridge.
Future of much-loved cafe and bar Balans in doubt
The future of Soho institution Balans is in doubt following an email saying the group is ‘no longer trading’.
Delivery sales rise at the expense of takeaway orders
Delivery sales rose by almost 6% against the same month last year, while takeaway and click-and-collect orders fell by a similar figure.
Éadaoin McDonagh departs White Rabbit Projects
Éadaoin McDonagh has stepped down from her role as chief operating officer at White Rabbit Projects after more than eight years at the business.
Stubby’s cafe and sandwich shop to open in Parsons Green
Neighbourhood cafe, sandwich shop, deli and wine bar Stubby’s will open in West London next month.
Vegan and vegetarian restaurant Hendersons to open in Glasgow
Edinburgh vegan and vegetarian restaurant Hendersons will open a sister site in Glasgow this summer.
Stepping beyond London: why Senza Fondeli is tackling Tunbridge Wells
The man behind Senza Fondo, the Shoreditch bottomless lasagna sensation, Joe Worthington is teaming up with his brother-in-law and drinks expert Charlie Sweet to open a new venture in Tunbridge Wells.
Nightcap to launch ‘next gen’ sports bar brand
Nightcap will debut its new sports bar concept Side Hustle this week.
Neapolitan pizza brand Forbici to open its third site
Neapolitan pizza brand Forbici is doubling up in Manchester with the launch of a second site in the city.
MEATLiquor sites sold to former director in pre-pack deal
MEATLiquor’s London restaurants in Oxford Circus and East Dulwich and its sister sports bar BLOODsports, were bought from administration by former director Nabil Mankarious.
MAYA in Manchester closes after just two years
Three-storey Manchester restaurant MAYA has closed after just two years with its owners blaming the current economic environment for small businesses.
Big Mamma is Florida bound as it plans to open its first US restaurant
Big Mamma will open its first restaurant in the US later this year after entering a joint venture in the country.
Big Mamma reports rise in turnover as it plots more UK restaurants
Turnover at Big Mamma rose by a quarter in 2025 with the casual dining group reporting ‘high demand’ across its UK restaurant estate.
DGB Hospitality Group to revive Liverpool’s The Black Horse and Rainbow
DGB Hospitality Group will open its ninth Liverpool city centre venue later this summer.
Bubala to open ‘most ambitious site to date’ in Covent Garden
Marc Summers, founder of the Middle Eastern restaurant Bubala, has chosen Covent Garden for the brand’s ‘most ambitious’ opening to date.
Giraffe lands at Edinburgh Airport
TRGC, the UK travel food and drink division of The Restaurant Group, has opened a Giraffe restaurant at Edinburgh Airport.
Sophie’s to shutter Chelsea restaurant after nearly 25 years
Sophie’s Steakhouse & Bar has announced it will be closing its Chelsea restaurant on Fulham Road at the end of the month after a run of almost a quarter of a century.
Fulham Shore CEO Marcel Khan to stand down
Marcel Khan is to step down from his role as chief executive of Fulham Shore having overseen the CVA and restructure of Franco Manca and the sale of The Real Greek.
Cinder’s Jake Finn to open new venture in St John’s Wood
Chef owner of Cinder Jake Finn is opening a new bakery, all-day bistro and wine bar in St John’s Wood next month.
Farm Girl to launch fundraise ahead of Mayfair opening
Healthy food brand Farm Girl is launching a crowdfund to support the opening of its fourth location.
UK eating out market growth revised down
The UK eating out market will reach a value of £102.8bn in 2026, according to new forecasts.
Ardent Pub Group and Popeyes named among The Sunday Times Best Places to Work
Popeyes and Ardent Pub Group have been recognised in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list 2026.
The team behind Aldeburgh’s The Suffolk to open a second site
Restaurateur George Pell and the team behind Aldeburgh restaurant The Suffolk will open a pub in nearby Easton later this month.
Pizza Express reports a strong first quarter with like-for-like sales up 5%
Pizza Express reports a 5% rise in UK like-for-like sales in the first quarter of FY26, as the group says it continues to outperform the wider casual dining market.
‘Industry working incredibly hard just to stand still’ as hospitality sees sales decline
Hospitality groups experienced a 0.4% decline in like-for-like sales in April, as consumers continued to tighten their spend.