Closure
In this section, we report on restaurant, pub, bar, café, and catering business closures across the UK, and the commercial, operational, and market factors behind them. From high-street exits and group-wide restructures to insolvencies, lease surrenders, and strategic site rationalisations, we cover the real-world impacts of rising costs, labour shortages, shifting demand, and margin pressures. We go beyond headlines to explain why closures are happening and what they mean for the wider sector. Whether you’re benchmarking performance or navigating tough decisions, we provide the context hospitality professionals need to stay informed.
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Jun- 2022 -1 JuneBreweries and Distilleries
Brewdog losses narrow as revenues hit £286m
Brewdog has reported its revenues surged 21% year-on-year from £238m to £286m in the year ended 31 December 2021, amid growing UK sales and market share growth despite pandemic restrictions being in place for much of the year. Operating losses for the Scottish brewer and bar operator also narrowed to…
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May- 2022 -27 MayRestaurants
Gees Restaurant & Bar reopens after £1.5m refurb
Gees Restaurant and Bar in Oxford has officially reopened this week following an investment of more than £1.5m. Diners are now able to return to the venue following a 13-week closure while the site underwent a full refurbishment. It now reopens with a renewed glasshouse and two new dining spaces,…
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13 MayBreweries and Distilleries
Adnams sales hit £57.4m in FY21
Adnams, the brewer, distiller and retailer, has revealed that sales rose by £7m to £57.4m in the 12 months to 31 December 2021, despite an operating loss of £0.9m over the period. Despite more “stringent” restrictions in the early months of the year, trading months operated ahead of expectations, with…
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12 MayCatering Companies
Cost pressures hit growth for contract caterers despite bounce back
Sales in the contract catering sector remain well below pre-Covid levels as sales are 20% below the figure recorded in the first three months (Q1) of 2019, despite year-on-year increases. According to CGA’s Contract Catering Tracker, caterers now serve around 1,250 fewer units than they did three years ago, and…
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Apr- 2022 -28 AprilPubs and Bars
BBPA calls on election candidates to support local pubs
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is calling on local candidates to back calls for fairer business rates and protect their local pubs ahead of next week’s election. The association said that with rates collected by local authorities, one of the “single biggest ways” councillors could help save pubs…
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20 AprilRestaurants
UK licensed premises contract as CGA warns of future closures
Britain’s number of licensed premises contracted 0.9% in the first quarter of 2022, the latest market recovery monitor from CGA and AlixPartners reveals. It indicates that Britain had just under 106,000 licensed premises at the end of March 2022. CGA said that “while this small decrease does represent a slowdown…
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Mar- 2022 -23 MarchRestaurants
ESS wins catering contract for Scouts Scotland
ESS, the defence, energy and government services sector of Compass Group UK and Ireland, has been awarded a new catering services contract with Scouts Scotland at its Scout Adventures facility in Lochgoilhead, Argyll. The three-year contract will see ESS deliver catering services at the site, serving around 70,000 meals a…
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18 MarchCatering Companies
J D Wetherspoon returns to normal trading amid improving sales
In the most recent three-week period, to 13 March 2022, J D Wetherspoon has revealed it has seen sales improve to just 2.6% lower than the equivalent period in 2019. In its preliminary results for the 26 weeks ended 23 January 2022, the group reported revenues of £807.4m, down by…
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Feb- 2022 -17 FebruaryRestaurants
Julian Denis to launch Facing Heaven following Mao Chow closure
Julian Denis is set to launch a new site with the opening of Facing Heaven, which will open its doors in London mid-March 2022, following the closure of his renowned Hackney site Mao Chow. Named after the Sichuanese chilli, Facing Heaven is situated just around the corner from the original…
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16 FebruaryRestaurants
Some 58% of UK hospitality business at risk of closure, survey finds
The majority (58%) of UK hospitality businesses say the pandemic has put them at risk of closure, according to new research from Peckwater Brands. Furthermore, it found 43% do not believe their business will exist in five years’ time, and 67% have seen a substantial decline in income since the…
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