Sold
We report on business sales and ownership changes across the UK foodservice and hospitality sector, including restaurant acquisitions, pub disposals, catering firm takeovers, and brand portfolio restructures. Our coverage captures whoโs buying, whoโs selling, and why, with commercial context that matters to operators, F&B executives, and group-level decision-makers. Whether itโs a strategic divestment, private equity deal, or local venue sale, we break down what the transaction means for market positioning, leadership, and operational continuity across the industry.
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Jan- 2020 -31 JanuaryBusiness Bites
The whole Amazon thing is getting scary now
The โgrowth of online retailโ is now so proverbial that the phrase itself is nearly redundant. Is anyone surprised to learn this morning thatย Amazonย has absolutely rampaged through the Christmas retail season, while scores of well-known bricks-and-mortar retailers reported a torrid set of financial results for the same period? No, me…
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30 JanuaryRestaurants
McDonald’s UK to open 60 restaurants in 2020
McDonaldโs UK has revealed it is aiming to open a further 60 restaurants across the UK and Ireland as it prepares to invest ยฃ1bn over the next three years. The news comes as McDonaldโs revealed that global sales for the year ending 31 December 2019 passed $100bn (ยฃ76.7bn), with consolidated…
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23 JanuaryRestaurants
Tamarind Tiger launches grab and go site in London
Charcoal Concepts, the specialist Indian food and drink operator has announced the launch of grab and go site Tamarind Tiger on Baker Street, London. The new store will serve authentic Indian flavours throughout the day, with a breakfast offering as well as a vast menu of customisable make your own…
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22 JanuaryBusiness Bites
Ted Baker hanging by a thread amid ยฃ58m balance sheet black hole
If you have shares in Ted Baker, you are probably not having a good morning. The price has tanked by almost 7% after news broke that the fashion brand has found a ยฃ58m black hole in its accounts. Thereโs being a few hundred thousand or a few million short, but…
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22 JanuaryPubs and Bars
Wetherpsoon sales jump 4.7% in Q2 results
JD Wetherspoon has reported a 4.7% increase in like-for-like sales for the first 12 week period ended 19 January. The pub giant also reported an 4.2% increase in total sales. For the 25 week period to 19 January 2020, like-for-like sales increased by 5% and total sales by 4.9%. Since…
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20 JanuaryComment
How to tailor your marketing for โDry Januaryโ
National awareness months are a must to include in your business calendar, as theyโre a great opportunity to develop and use creative marketing techniques to engage audiences and drive consumers towards your business.ย With Dry January in full swing, and over three million people attempting the challenge last year and…
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20 JanuaryPubs and Bars
UK pub sector expands for first time since 2009
In 2019 there was an annual net gain of 320 pubs across the UK, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Since 2009 pubs across the UK have been closing at a rate of around 700 per year. Paul Collins, a licensed trade specialist at…
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Dec- 2019 -9 DecemberComment
Transparency in the food supply chain
Creating transparency in the food supply chain is nothing new, but it has now become inevitable thanks to rapidly growing consumer pressure. Today, consumers want to know exactly where food products come from: 94% believe that transparency fosters brand loyalty, 81% are willing to try a brandโs entire portfolio of…
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2 DecemberRestaurants
Delivery platforms boost restaurant revenues in London, study suggests
A new report by Deloitte, issued by UberEats, has found that third-party platforms are helping restaurants sell an extra 1.6 million meals a week in London, Madrid, Paris and Warsaw, boosting the sector’s revenue. According to the report, new technology is helping restaurants respond to shifts in consumer preferences, better…
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Nov- 2019 -29 NovemberOpinion
Where have all the chefs gone?
Atalian Servestโs Chef Director Chris Ince, who has been in the catering sector since the early 90s, shares his thoughts on where chefs have gone and how we might retain staff. Catering is facing fiercer competition for new recruits than ever before. Despite the new NVQ system in colleges, significant…
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