Investment
Our coverage tracks financial activity shaping the UK foodservice and hospitality sector, from venture capital and private equity backing to corporate acquisitions, refinancing deals, and growth funding. Our reporting is focused on the operators, brands, and concepts attracting capital, and what that means for the wider industry. Whether you’re a restaurant group seeking funding, a pub chain monitoring market valuations, or a catering contractor analysing competitor growth, our investment coverage delivers intelligence that helps business leaders understand where money is flowing, and why. Expect deep dives, expert commentary, and deal-by-deal context, all tailored to the foodservice trade.
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Jan- 2025 -21 JanuaryNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief – 21/01/25
A fifth of hospitality staff workers will enter the new employer NICs threshold for the first time, according to new analysis from UKH. The trade body warns that the changes to employer National Insurance Contributions will hit hospitality hardest due to the high number of employees working part-time or flexible…
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21 JanuaryPubs and Bars
Greene King acquires The Dirty Bottles
Greene King has acquired The Dirty Bottles pub in Alnwick, Northumberland as part of a seven-figure investment deal. The pub, thought to have been constructed in the 1660s, has been owned by local entrepreneur Mark Jones since 2014. It has undergone many changes, including the acquisition and incorporation of 34…
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21 JanuaryTrade Associations
A fifth of hospitality staff to enter new employer NICs threshold
More than 774,000 hospitality workers, representing a fifth of the industry’s workforce, are set to enter into the new employer NICs threshold for the first time, according to new analysis from UKH. The trade body warns that the changes to employer National Insurance Contributions will hit hospitality hardest due to…
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16 JanuaryNews
Individual Restaurants sales rise 14% over Xmas
Individual Restaurants has reported “record” Christmas sales with a 14% growth in the four weeks of December, across its portfolio of world-leading restaurant brands Piccolino, Riva Blu and Restaurant Bar and Grill. Like for like sales for the group increased by 8% in December, whilst covers increased by 4% year…
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16 JanuaryBusiness
Hospitality helps drive economic growth in November
Food and beverage was the highest performing sector of the economy in November, according to November GDP estimates released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The accommodation and food service activities subsector saw output rise by 2.0% in the month, following a fall of 1.2% in October 2024. Both…
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15 JanuaryNews
Mitchells and Butlers sales rise 3.9% in Q1
Mitchells and Butlers (M&B) has seen a like-for-like sales growth of 3.9% over the 15 weeks ended 11 January 2025. Over the core three-week Christmas period, sales increased 10.4%, a figure built on “numerous record sales performances through the estate and the brand portfolio”. The group said that sales remained…
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15 JanuaryPubs and Bars
Fuller’s sales rise 10.2% over Xmas period
Fuller’s has reported “excellent” trading over the five-week Christmas and New Year period, which delivered like-for-like sales growth of 10.2%. It comes as like-for-like sales rose 5.9% during the 41-week period to 11 January 2025, continuing Fuller’s “strong momentum and market outperformance”. The group also revealed that it has a…
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14 JanuaryFeatures
How will businesses deal with increased costs in 2025?
Since chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget those in the hospitality industry have been bracing for a year of increased costs. The question on everyone’s lips as we enter 2025 is what effect these changes will actually have on the industry and how the industry will go about combatting them. How…
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14 JanuaryRestaurants
Comptoir sees revenues rise 9.5% to £34.5m
Comptoir Group, the owner and operator of Lebanese, Middle Eastern and North African inspired restaurants has reported a 9.5% increase in revenues to £34.5m for FY24 (FY23: £31.5m). The group’s restaurant sales also recorded a positive increase, with like for like sales in the second half year of +2.9% and…
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10 JanuaryRestaurants
The Alchemist FY sales surpass £60m in company first
Bar and restaurant chain, The Alchemist, has reported that its total sales have passed the £60m mark for the first time in the year ended 31 March 2024. Despite the well-documented challenges that the UK economy continues to face, such as a high inflation rate, The Alchemist believes that the…
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