Multi-Site

Vagabond’s Gatwick sites acquired by ARE

07-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Beleaguered bar group Vagabond’s two sites within Gatwick Airport have been acquired out of administration, saving 122 jobs.

Fireaway launches new Express format

06-Jun-2024 By Shwetali Sapte

Pizza takeaway brand Fireaway has launched an Express outlet in partnership with forecourt operator Highway Stops Retail.

Crosstown acquired by Karali Group

05-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Crosstown Doughnuts has secured new investment following a sale of its business and assets to Karali Snacks, a subsidiary of former Burger King franchisee the Karali Group.

‘Volatile economic environment’ leads Kokoro to reassess expansion plans

05-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Grab-and-go sushi and bento brand Kokoro is to ‘transition from pursuing aggressive growth’ following a dip in profits.

Tasty given green light to restructure

05-Jun-2024 By Restaurant

The group behind high street restaurant brands Wildwood and Dim-T has received approval from its creditors and landlords to carry out its restructuring plans.

BoBo Group heads to Chester for third venue

05-Jun-2024 By Restaurant

North west-based hospitality company BoBo Group is to open another venue in the region early next year, joining the growing line-up of restaurants at the new Chester Northgate development.

Pret abandons plans to open is Israel

04-Jun-2024 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger has abandoned plans to expand into Israel after terminating its franchise agreement with multi-national retailer Fox Group and global foodservice business Yarzin Sella Group.

JKS to open Punjabi restaurant Ambassadors Clubhouse in Mayfair

30-May-2024 By Restaurant

JKS Restaurants will open its latest London venture this summer, celebrating food from Punjab.

Wagamama to expand into India

29-May-2024 By Restaurant

Wagamama is to launch in India later this year having partnered with travel food and retail company Travel Food Services (TFS).

Coffee subscription war heats up as Leon undercuts Pret with new Roast Rewards

29-May-2024 By Restaurant

Leon is bringing the fight to Pret a Manger in the coffee sector with the launch of what it says is the UK’s cheapest high street coffee subscription.

Coffee brand Bear launches crowdfund

28-May-2024 By Restaurant

Independent coffee brand Bear is launching a crowdfunding campaign to fund future growth.

Island Poké set for CVA as it calls in restructuring experts

24-May-2024 By James McAllister

Island Poké is set to restructure its business via a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

Megan’s reports rise in revenues and profit

24-May-2024 By Restaurant

Megan’s has reported a rise in annual revenues for the year ending March 2024.

Mitchells & Butlers buys Pesto Restaurants

23-May-2024 By Restaurant

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has announced the acquisition of 10-strong Italian small plates business Pesto Restaurants.

Restaurant groups see modest sales growth as wider sector suffers from April showers slump

22-May-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s top hospitality groups saw sales drop 1.7% year-on-year in April 2024 after widespread wet weather, the new CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

Comptoir Group ‘optimistic and cautious’ for the year ahead following marginal revenue rise

21-May-2024 By James McAllister

Comptoir Group says it remains ‘optimistic and cautious about 2024’ following the publication of its latest financial results, amid ongoing price rises and ‘challenged and erratic’ footfall.

Busaba to trial new 'vibey' wet-led concept

21-May-2024 By Shwetali Sapte

Busaba is to trial a new wet-led concept targeted at a younger audience in London’s Westfield Stratford.

Zambrero bolsters presence in Birmingham

21-May-2024 By Restaurant

Mexican-inspired, quick-service restaurant Zambrero will opened a site at Birmingham’s Bullring & Grand Central as the Australian-born brand continues to expand across the UK.

EL&N to launch deli and bakery concept in Covent Garden

20-May-2024 By Restaurant

Instagram-friendly cafe group EL&N is bringing a new concept to London this summer.

Bread Street Kitchen & Bar to occupy former Haugen site in Stratford

20-May-2024 By Stefan Chomka

Gordon Ramsay Restaurants has taken on the former Haugen site in Stratford for the opening of another Bread Street Kitchen & Bar.

Dishoom launches legal battle to overturn ‘Ruby Murray’ trademark

20-May-2024 By James McAllister

Dishoom has launched a bid to overturn a trademark on the right to use the term ‘Ruby Murray’ to describe a curry.

Jamie Oliver Group plots further European expansion

14-May-2024 By James McAllister

Jamie Oliver’s restaurant group is targeting further expansion in Europe having launched its first outpost in Germany.

David Campbell appointed chairman at Rare Restaurants

13-May-2024 By Restaurant

Hospitality industry veteran David Campbell has joined Gaucho owner Rare Restaurants as its chairman.

Pizza Express tees up first UK airport site (and has another shot at breakfast)

10-May-2024 By James McAllister

Pizza Express will open its first restaurant within a UK airport later this month at London Gatwick’s South Terminal.

I am Döner secures first site in Canada

10-May-2024 By James McAllister

I am Döner has secured its first site in Canada as it continues to push ahead with plans to expand internationally.

Gordon Ramsay Group plans further Pizza East openings as turnover nears £100m

10-May-2024 By James McAllister

Gordon Ramsay Restaurants is planning further openings both in the UK and internationally under its recently acquired Pizza East brand, according to the group’s latest accounts.

Dishoom confirms Oxford and Cambridge Permit Room openings

08-May-2024 By Restaurant

Dishoom has confirmed that it is taking its sister brand Permit Room to the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge this year.

R200

Wahaca ‘reimagined’: how the Mexican-inspired group is building back up again

08-May-2024 By James McAllister

After a challenging few years Wahaca is putting the past behind it with a huge new opening in London’s Paddington and a determination to bring back some buena vida.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib steakhouse brand looks to enter UK market

07-May-2024 By Restaurant

US group Lawry’s Restaurants is looking for partners to enable it to enter the UK and Ireland markets with its Lawry’s The Prime Rib steakhouse brand.

Rekom UK rebrands as NEOS Hospitality after splitting from Scandinavian owner

07-May-2024 By James McAllister

Beleaguered nightclub operator Rekom UK says it is ‘committed to further developing and growing the business’ after splitting from its Scandinavian owner.

‘Transitional year’ sees Hostmore significantly reduce losses

03-May-2024 By James McAllister

TGI Fridays owner Hostmore has significantly reduced its losses following what the group has described as a ‘transitional year’.

Big Mamma Group criticised for applying 'checkout fee' on its payment app

03-May-2024 By Finn Scott-Delany

Big Mamma Group has become the latest restaurant operator to face the ire of customers after its mobile payment provider introduced a new charge to its bills.

Revolution confirms ‘exploratory’ meeting with Nightcap over possible sale - updated

02-May-2024 By James McAllister

Revolution Bars has confirmed it held talks with rival operator Nightcap over a potential takeover deal.

Morley’s moves into retail with Heinz collab fried chicken sauce

30-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Cult London fried chicken brand Morley’s has moved into the omnichannel retail space by launching its collaboration Heinz x Morley’s Fried Chicken Sauce into supermarkets.

Whitbread to shed 1,500 jobs under plans to scale back restaurant estate

30-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Whitbread is to exit 126 sites from its branded restaurant estate and convert a further 112 into new hotel rooms as part of a new ‘accelerating growth plan’ (AGP).

Popeyes sees annual sales pass £100m

29-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Annual sales at Popeyes UK have passed £100m, according to CEO Tom Crowley, as the group’s estate nears 50 sites.

Three Joes confirms closure of Chichester and Fareham restaurants

24-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Sourdough pizza brand Three Joes has confirmed the closure of two sites including its original restaurant in Fareham as the group grapples with cost pressures.

Tortilla looks to accelerate growth through franchising as revenue continues to climb

24-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Tortilla is aiming to accelerate its expansion by ‘doubling down on franchising’ as it looks to capitalise on UK and international growth opportunities.

Afrikana plots further expansion with six openings planned

23-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

African-inspired restaurant group Afrikana has announced plans to open a further six sites in the coming months, which will take its estate beyond 20.

Master Bao to open at Westfield Stratford City

22-Apr-2024 By Restaurant

Mr Bao Group will open its fourth London site next month.

Owners of Birmingham’s Vietnamese Street Kitchen group to launch new seafood boil concept

22-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

The group behind the Birmingham-based Vietnamese Street Kitchen restaurant brand is to launch a new seafood boil concept at the Arcadian in the city centre in early June.

Chotto Matte to expand into Georgia

19-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Kurt Zdesar’s Japanese-Peruvian restaurant brand Chotto Matte is continuing to push forward with international expansion having secured a site in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Rudy's to hit 10 London sites by the year end

19-Apr-2024 By Restaurant

Pizza restaurant group Rudy’s will open its sixth London venue this month, with plans to have 10 in the capital by the end of the year.

Coffee group WatchHouse launches second crowdfunding campaign

18-Apr-2024 By Restaurant

Coffee house brand WatchHouse has launched a second crowdfunding campaign to support its global expansion.

Celebrations and early Easter holiday lift hospitality groups to 5.2% growth in March

18-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s top hospitality groups achieved above-inflation like-for-like sales growth of 5.2% in March 2024, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

“I haven’t opened restaurants to make money and run”: José Pizarro on 25 years of cooking in the UK

17-Apr-2024 By Stefan Chomka

When the Spanish chef moved to these shores in 1999, the food of his country was underrepresented. A quarter of a century on and he’s done much to change that.

Fried chicken burger brand Butchies flocks to London Bridge

16-Apr-2024 By Restaurant

Fried chicken burger brand Butchies will open its seventh site in the capital later this year as it looks to restart its expansion.

Hostmore set to acquire TGI Fridays’ US business

16-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Hostmore, the owner of the TGI Fridays UK franchise, has reached an agreement for a proposed all-share acquisition of TGI Fridays in the US for a value of £177m.

Pret refunds app subscribers following technical issues

15-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger has been forced to refund some users of its Club Pret subscription service after technical issues meant they were unable to access its app.

Nell’s expands Manchester estate as it plots further growth

12-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

New York-style pizza brand Nell’s is to launch a new site in Manchester’s city centre, bringing its estate to four sites in the city.