TGI Fridays files for administration for the second time this month
TGI Fridays’ future is under renewed uncertainty after its holding company filed a second notice of intention to appoint administrators just two weeks after the first.
Business & Legislation
Live boiling of crustaceans ruled incompatible with welfare law
The UK government has acknowledged that it is illegal to boil lobsters and crabs alive.
Knocked for six: cricket-themed concept appoints administrators
Competitive socialising brand Sixes has fallen into administration after what it describes as a ‘challenging trading period’.
Restaurants’ delivery sales growth beats inflation in November but takeaways flag
Britain’s leading restaurant groups saw delivery sales rise by 3.6% year-on-year in November, new data shows.
Drake & Morgan toasts record Christmas trading
Drake & Morgan has reported record Christmas trading for the second consecutive year.
Hospitality enters Christmas with flat sales growth
Hospitality groups entered the Christmas period on the back of flat sales in November, according to the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker.
Restaurant backed by Pep Guardiola announces sudden closure
Paco Pérez’s Spanish restaurant Tast Cuina Catalana in Manchester has announced it will close later this month.
Nick Nairn’s Kailyard Restaurant to close after 16 years
Nick Nairn’s Kailyard restaurant at Dunblane Hydro Hotel will close next year after more than a decade and a half.
The Clink Charity’s Brixton prison restaurant to remain open after tender victory
The Clink Charity restaurant at HMP Brixton will continue to operate after it retained its tender for a further five years.
What the ban on advertising for unhealthy foods on social media means for restaurants
Set to come into force on 5 January next year, the Government’s changes to online advertising rules for foods high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) will require a rethink for many food businesses.
Home truths: Chez Antoinette’s husband-and-wife duo on revamping their family-run restaurant
Aurélia and Jean-Baptiste Noël-Delclos on the refurbishment of Chez Antoinette and navigating the restaurant scene in Covent Garden.
Popularity of matcha helps Caffè Nero achieve record sales
Caffè Nero has delivered record sales in the UK for the first half of the financial year driven by high demand for drinks such as matcha.
Leon begins closing sites as part of its restructure
Leon has begun closing some of its restaurants a day after it announced it was going into administration.
Hospitality venues bar Labour MPs in response to the Government’s budget
Labour MPs have been barred from a number of restaurants and restaurants across Britain in response to the Government’s stance on business rates.
Leon to close underperforming sites as it enters administration
Leon has announced plans to close its loss making restaurants as its enters administration.
The Real Eating Company reduces its estate to just two sites
The Real Eating Company has closed six of its eight sites following a restructuring of the businesses.
TGI Fridays UK future in doubt again as its parent company looks to appoint administrators
The fate of TGI Fridays in the UK has been placed in doubt yet again with its holding company filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators.
comment
WTF is happening with TGIs?
Once a powerhouse brand in the UK casual dining market, TGI Fridays now finds itself going through its third sale process in little more than a year
Oliver’s twist: Jamie’s Italian to make a dramatic return to the UK
Jamie’s Italian is making a return to the UK high street six years on from its collapse with a restaurant opening in London’s Leicester Square next spring.
Comment
Is Niyamo Capital’s purchase of Byron a master stroke or tilting at windmills?
The beleaguered burger brand has changed hands once again, with its new owner eyeing international, rather than regional, expansion
Lussmanns closes two restaurants as it enters pre-pack administration
Independent seafood restaurant group Lussmanns has undergone a pre-pack administration and closed two of its seven restaurants.
JKS sells its trio of London pubs
JKS Restaurants has sold its three-strong London pub business through a private investment round led by founder and managing director Dominic Jacobs.
Which Wich to accelerate UK rollout with Seeds Consulting partnership
US Sandwich chain Which Wich has partnered with Seeds Consulting to accelerate its expansion across the UK.
Model Market looking for traders ahead of its comeback next year
Organisers at Lewisham’s Model Market are asking street-food traders, independent chefs, drinks partners, bakers and artists to register their interest ahead of its relaunch next year.
Liverpool’s Café Tabac joins Ma Pub Group
Liverpool institution Café Tabac has been bought by Ma Pub Group.
Gail’s to open 40 new sites in 2026
Gail’s says it plans to open 40 new sites next year, as it reported a growth in revenue for 2025.
Third time lucky? Byron rescued by Gen Z investor
Byron has been rescued from a third collapse by a Gen Z entrepreneur who has bought the beleaguered hamburger chain.
Farmer J opens three London sites, with New York to follow early next year
Farmer J is continuing with its expansion plans with the opening of three sites in the capital over the period of a few weeks.
TGI Fridays UK new owner explores sale just weeks after its purchase
The owner of TGI Fridays UK is already exploring a potential sale just one month on from acquiring the business.
Gaucho toasts strong festive trading period as bookings nearly double
Christmas bookings at Gaucho are up 40% compared to the same period last year, its CEO says.
Big interview
How Martin Williams is Evolv-ing the former D&D London estate
Martin Williams has returned to the ethos and vision of Sir Terence Conran as he looks to grow the rebranded Evolv Collection through four flagship brands.
Autumn budget: Government accused of rowing back on business rates reform promise
The Government has been accused of failing to deliver on its promised business rates reform despite Rachel Reeves saying it will introduce ‘permanently lower tax rates’ for more than 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
National Living Wage to increase by 4.1% to £12.71
The Government has announced that, from April 2026, the National Living Wage will rise to £12.71, an increase of 4.1%.
That’s a wrap: Leon scraps its Roast Rewards subscription model
Leon is ending its coffee subscription Roast Rewards from the end of this year as it begins a new chapter under its new leadership.
John Vincent: “I’ve got to transform the menu at Leon”
Leon co-founder John Vincent has said he will ‘transform’ the menu and create a ‘very action-focused culture’ in a bid to return the group to its founding principles.
Black Sheep Coffee to expand across Hertfordshire after signing nine-site franchise deal
Black Sheep Coffee has signed a minimum nine-site agreement for the county of Hertfordshire.
Early doors: 5-7pm overtakes 7-10pm as key hospitality trading period
Consumers are continuing to opt for earlier social experiences with research revealing the 5-7pm slot has now overtaken 7-10pm as the biggest earning trading period of the average day.
Kokoro to open 100 new sites by 2030
Kokoro has announced ambitious plans to double it estate with the opening of 100 new sites across the UK over the next five years.
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.
Comment
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.
Middletons Steakhouse & Grill bought out of administration
Middletons Steakhouse & Grill has been bought out of administration in a move that has safeguarded 159 jobs.
Dave’s Hot Chicken forced to temporarily close UK restaurants after giveaway goes gangbusters
A recent giveaway by Dave’s Hot Chicken to coincide with investor rapper Drake’s birthday led to police temporarily closing the group’s restaurants in London, Birmingham and Liverpool due to overcrowding, the company has revealed.
Popeyes UK reaches 100 restaurants
Popeyes UK is on the cusp of reaching its 100 restaurant milestone in the UK.
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.
Yolk reduces its London estate as CVA gets approval
London-based ‘fine fast food’ brand Yolk has seen its estate reduced from 10 sites to seven following a trio of closures having undergone a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).
Chaiiwala enters deal with Splendid Hospitality Group to boost expansion in the northeast
Chaiiwala is expanding its presence in Nottingham under a new franchise partnership with Splendid Hospitality Group (SHG).
Saithe option? The little-known fish that could be the solution for struggling chippies
The Norwegian Seafood Council plans to promote a little-known fish species as a potential lifeline for the UK’s struggling fish and chip sector.
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.