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.
-
Mar- 2025 -24 March
Shepherd Neame reopens The Westminster Arms after £1.2m refurb
Shepherd Neame has officially reopened its landmark London pub, The Westminster Arms, following a 10-week £1.2m refurbishment programme. Located in very close proximity to the Houses of Parliament, the pub features a division bell by its bar so that MPs can dash back to the House to vote. Now open…
Read More » -
21 March
Tim Martin: NICs and labour rates to cost JD Wetherspoon £60m
JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin has warned that the imminent increases in National Insurance and labour rates will result in company cost increases of roughly £60m, which would mean about £1,500 per pub, per week. He said: “Since labour costs are around 35% of the pub industry’s sales, compared to…
Read More » -
14 March
The New Albion to reopen in March after £230k investment
The New Albion pub on Liverpool Road is set to reopen with a new look and concept on 24 March. The pub’s existing team has been retained and will be supported by pub company Punch Pubs and Co, and new Management Partners, Stephen and Jake. The former Cookhouse Pub has…
Read More » -
14 March
Fuller’s agrees £185m bank facility for acquisition spree
Fuller’s has agreed a new £185m bank facility with a consortium of existing relationship banks until 31 August 2028, as the pub business is looking to pursue further acquisitions. The group has already exchanged contracts to acquire the freehold of The White Swan in Twickenham, which is due to be…
Read More » -
13 March
East Dulwich Tavern reopens following £1m refurbishment
Urban Pubs and Bars has announced the reopening of the East Dulwich Tavern following a £1m refurbishment programme. The pub holds a key location on the high street, sitting proudly on the corner of Lordship Lane and Goose Green. The extensive month-long refurbishment has delivered a main floor offering a…
Read More » -
11 March
Cider hits historic £2bn valuation for UK pubs, Heineken finds
The cider category in UK pubs, bars and restaurants has reached a “historic” record worth of £2bn to UK pubs, due to ‘premiumisation’ driving its value by 5% over the last two years, according to Heineken’s Cider Report 2025. The report found that 342 million pints of cider and around…
Read More » -
5 March
Vagabond Battersea reopens after extensive refurb
Self-pour wine bar business Vagabond has reopened its Battersea bar after an extensive refurbishment. Located at Battersea Power Station’s food and drink scene, the wine bar said it has been “reimagined to offer an even more immersive and stylish” experience for wine lovers. Taking inspiration from its “love of winemaking”,…
Read More » -
4 March
The Revel Collective H1 sales fall 22% amid bar brands challenges
The Revel Collective has reported that sales for the 26-week period to 28 December 2024 were 22% lower at £64.2m than in the same period last year, due to “challenging” conditions in bar brands which made recovery “slower than expected”. The fall in sales reflects a “significant” reduction of venues…
Read More » -
Feb- 2025 -28 February
Wetherspoon to open at Haven Cleethorpes Beach
J D Wetherspoon has revealed that it is set to open a new venue, The Humber Stone, at Haven Cleethorpes Beach on 7 March. Haven has invested around £1.7m in the new pub, part of a wider investment of around £6.7m in the expansion of its exclusive partnership with J…
Read More » -
27 February
Star Pubs to boost managed operator estate with 30 new sites
Star Pubs will be expanding its Just Add Talent (JAT) managed operator estate by 30 pubs throughout 2025. The announcement comes as the first of these pubs, The Coach and Horses in Ashbourne, is due to reopen this week following a £200k refurbishment. A second venue, The Westgate in Halifax,…
Read More »
