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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Apr- 2025 -4 April
Government to launch licensing review
The Government has announced it is set to launch a new working group on how to reduce barriers in the licensing system. The group will report in six weeks, with solutions to improve the licensing system, cut red tape and boost hospitality’s competitiveness. UKHospitality, which sits on the group, will…
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4 April
JD Wetherspoon plans to hit over 1k sites through hotel partnerships
Pub giant JD Wetherspoon has announced plans to expand beyond 1,000 locations by franchising with hotel partners. JD Wetherspoon is specifically targeting hoteliers across the UK, noting that as hotel operators seek to maximise profits and utilise space, developing bars and restaurants can be seen as risky in the current…
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3 April
The Antelope in Tooting to reopen following £1m refurb
Urban Pubs and Bars has revealed that The Antelope in Tooting is set to reopen following a £1m refurbishment. Originally known as The Foresters Arms the Victorian building will reopen with its historic interior having been carefully restored, with three large rooms still showcasing elements of its interwar-period refurbishment. Guests…
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3 April
BII partners with the LTC to boost publican wellbeing
The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has partnered with the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) to help more hospitality businesses thrive by supporting the wellbeing of the people who run them. Announced at the inaugural LTC Wellbeing Conference, the new partnership will provide pub people with easy access to expert help…
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2 April
RedCat turnover rises 8% to £129.8m in successful transitional year
RedCat Hospitality, the operator behind Coaching Inn Group and RedCat Independent Pubs, has reported a turnover rise of 8% to £129.8m in the year ended 31 March 2024, which was described as a transitional year for the company. In 2024, RedCat saw the arrival of a fresh leadership team as…
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1 April
Butcombe sees LFL sales rise 31% on Mother’s Day
Butcombe Group has reported that this year’s Mother’s Day celebration (31 March) resulted in a 31% like-for-like sales increase compared with that of last year. The pub operator’s performance on Mothering Sunday also broke its previous record set on Christmas Day last year. Butcombe’s ongoing development of its external areas…
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Mar- 2025 -27 March
Lomond Leisure Group to refurb Glasgow bar with Star Pubs
The Lomond Leisure Group (LLG) is embarking on a joint £275,000 revamp of the Van Winkle bar on Sandyford Place in Glasgow with Star Pubs. The investment will transform the bar, which will close on 30 March, into Gael and Grain, a pub celebrating Scottish food, drink and music opening…
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27 March
The Revel Collective CFO to exit
The Revel Collective has announced that Danielle Davies, its chief financial officer, has tendered her resignation to take up another opportunity. Davies will be leaving the business during the summer, focusing until then on the delivery of the group’s full year results and the effective transition of her responsibilities. Prior…
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25 March
Red Engine sees sales surge to £77.1m in FY24
Red Engine, the group behind bars such as Flight Club and Electric Shuffle, has reported a 15% increase in sales to £77.1m in FY24, up from £66.8m the previous year. During the year, the group’s sales combined with its franchise partners reached £118.3m. It added that EBITDA is expected to…
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24 March
Rooftop bar Azotea opens in Leeds Hyatt hotel
Leeds’ new Latin American rooftop bar and restaurant, Azotea, has officially opened on the 12th floor of the new Hyatt hotel in Leeds city centre. The new bar promises to be an immersive experience, decorated with “vibrant, contemporary touches” to capture the essence of Latin American life. The design showcases…
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