Pubs and Bars
The Pubs and Bars section on Catering Today covers the business developments, market trends, and operational challenges shaping the UK’s pub and bar sector. It reports on acquisitions, brand expansions, drinks innovation, and regulatory updates, alongside insights into staffing, sustainability, and consumer behaviour. With expert commentary and commercial analysis, Catering Today provides industry professionals with the intelligence needed to navigate a competitive and fast-evolving on-trade environment.
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Dec- 2025 -8 December
NTIA warns youth jobs plan ‘risks missing the point’ amid sector pressures
The government’s £820m package to expand training and employment support for young people risks “missing the point entirely” unless ministers address financial pressures, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has warned.The Department for Work and Pensions this week set out plans for nearly one million young people on Universal Credit…
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4 December
JKS Pubs rebrands to Ardent Pub Group following buyout
JKS Pubs has been acquired under the new name of Ardent Pub Group through a private investment round led by founder and managing director, Dominic Jacobs. The transaction was supported by an unnamed US-based private investor, which the group said reflects confidence in both the British pub market and its strategy. …
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3 December
Hydes reports strong early festive trading as Xmas menu launches
Hydes Brewery has revealed that early trade suggests another “standout” festive trading period, with pubs across its estate serving more than 1,100 seasonal meals in the first week. It comes as the Salford-based brewer and pub group has launched its 2025 Christmas Fayre menu. Bookings for Christmas are likewise said…
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2 December
Hospitality faces ‘finely balanced’ winter as cost pressures persist
The UK’s hospitality sector has entered the winter trading period on “finely balanced” footing, according to new analysis from OakNorth, which warned operators continue to face structural cost pressures and subdued mid-week demand.In its December Sector Pulse, covering the six months to 31 October 2025, OakNorth said inflation had firmed…
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2 December
Leith pub the Harp and Castle placed on the market
The Harp and Castle, a long-established pub on Leith Walk in Edinburgh, has been put up for sale with offers over £800,000. The venue, first opened as the Tommy Younger Bar in honour of the former Hibernian and Liverpool goalkeeper, has been operated for more than 26 years by current…
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1 December
Star completes £750k refurb of long-shut Waddington pub
Star Pubs has expanded its managed operator estate to 220 pubs after completing a £750k refurbishment of the Horse and Jockey in Waddington, its largest Just Add Talent (JAT) project of 2025. The Grade II-listed site had been shut since 2018. The scheme is one of four major JAT conversions…
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Nov- 2025 -28 November
Mitchells and Butlers FY profits rise 5.8% to £330m
Mitchells and Butlers has reported that total sales rose to £2.71bn, up from £2.61bn, for the 52 weeks to 27 September, while adjusted operating profits increased 5.8% to £330m for the same period. It comes as the pub chain saw like-for-like sales grow 4.3% across the year, while its net…
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25 November
Marston’s profits soar 70% to £72m in FY25
Marston’s has seen full-year pre-tax profits soar by 71% to £72.1m, up from £42.1m the prior year, as like-for-like sales growth and format roll-outs helped offset the impact of earlier pub disposals.Total revenues were broadly flat at £897.9m, while like-for-like sales increased by 1.6%, compared with 4.8% last year, with…
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21 November
Wetherspoon to open first overseas pub with Alicante site
J D Wetherspoon is set to open its first pub outside of the UK, with a new site at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez Airport in Spain. The pub, which will be named Castell de Santa Bàrbera, is set to open at the end of January 2026. It will be located in…
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20 November
Proper Pubs invests over £1m in three community pubs
Three pubs across Bournemouth, Uttoxeter and Pontefract have reopened following a combined investment of more than £1m by Proper Pubs, the community-led division of Admiral Taverns. The Athelstan Arms, the Steeplechase and the Travellers Rest relaunched between 30 October and 7 November after extensive refurbishment work that aimed to modernise facilities…
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