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- 2021 -

31 March

Adam Handling launches The Loch & The Tyne

Chef Adam Handling has announced the opening of his first venue outside of London, with the launch of Old Windsor’s The Loch and The Tyne. Open seven days a week, the pub and restaurant will also provide luxury bedrooms for overnight guests. Steven Kerr, group executive chef, and Jonny McNeil,…
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30 March

RedCat eyes Stonegate sites for inaugural acquisition

RedCat Pub Company, owned by ex-Greene King boss Rooney Anand, is reportedly on the brink of acquiring over 40 pubs from Stonegate. According to Sky News, the deal could see the owner of Yates’s and Slug and Lettuce offload 42 of its sites as early as this week. While the…
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30 March

JD Wetherspoons to open 18 new pubs, creating 2,000 jobs

JD Wetherspoon has announced it plans to open 18 new pubs, creating 2,000 new jobs in the process. The openings are part of the group’s £145m investment into its 871 pubs, of which 57 are also expected to benefit from upgrades. The first set of new pubs and extensions will…
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29 March

Star Pubs and Bars awards longest serving licensee

Yorkshire pub licensee Elizabeth Wood has received a long-service award to mark her 40th anniversary at The White Swan in Hebden Bridge. Wood was presented the award by Star Pubs and Bars, who leases the venue, and wanted to recognise the contribution she “has made to the town during her…
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26 March

Café de Paris acquired by Pacha

Ibiza club operator, Pacha Group, has announced the acquisition of London’s Café de Paris nightclub. The site will operate as the cabaret dining experience, Lío, which first appeared in the capital as a pop up in 2019. Celebrating the brand’s 10-year anniversary, Lío has secured a permanent space with the…
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23 March

UKDSA warns of bouncer shortages post-lockdown

The UK Door Security Association (UKDSA) has raised concerns that six in 10 late night/pub/bars/club door supervisor positions are at risk of not being filled upon reopening later this year. The research follows a recent security business survey from door supervisors which estimated that 35% of the March 2020 workforce…
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19 March

Stonegate suffers £746m loss due to Covid-19

Stonegate Pub Company has revealed it made a loss-before-tax of £746m for the full year ended 27 September 2020. The group, which is owned by TDR Capital, saw revenues fall 17.1% from £853m in FY 2019 to £707m. However, through its £1.27bn acquisition of Ei Group in March 2020, Stonegate…
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19 March

JD Wetherspoons falls to pre-tax loss of £68m

JD Wetherspoons has reported a pre-tax loss of £68m in its preliminary results for the 26 weeks ended 24 January 2021. Revenue fell 54% to £431.1m from £933m in the period, while like-for-like sales declined 54% which was attributed to the disruption in trading due to lockdown restrictions. In its…
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17 March

Star Pubs and Bars to charge tenants full rent from 21 June

Star Pubs and Bars, which is part of the Heineken group, has announced its tenants will return to paying rent in full after lockdown restrictions are eased from 21 June 2021. The group revealed it has invested a further £19m in lockdown rent concessions and has extended its 90% rent…
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16 March

Brewdog and The Skills Network launch employee learning academy

Online learning solutions provider, The Skills Network has launched the ‘BrewDog Academy’ to host online courses for employees at Scottish-based brewery and pub chain BrewDog – to help them access and gain national qualifications. The fully-funded courses – which will reach 2000 of the chain’s employees – are also available…
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