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 who’s buying, who’s selling, and why, with commercial context that matters to operators, F&B executives, and group-level decision-makers. Whether it’s 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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Aug- 2018 -30 AugustBeverages
‘Beer Goggles’ ale pulled after Twitter outrage
A pub has been forced to remove an ale named Beer Goggles from sale after it sparked outrage with Twitter users describing the name as “sexist” and “outdated”. Elgood Brewery, the ale’s manufacturer have defended the product saying it was a “bit of fun”. The ale’s pump clip featured the…
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20 AugustAnalysis
HFSS food ads – key takeaways from the ASA’s latest rulings
The ASA has had a positive flurry of activity on high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) food ads, delivering rulings in no less than four cases on 8 August. We look at the key “takeaways” for brands to consider when developing ads for these types of products. Kellogg’s Coco Pops…
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20 AugustBusiness
Salt Yard Group sells Opera Tavern restaurant
Salt Yard Group has announced it has sold the Opera Tavern Spanish tapas restaurant in Covent Garden to Urban Pubs and Bars. The Covent Garden restaurant opened in 2011 and was one of four owned by Salt Yard. The group said it will now be “focusing fully” on its Soho…
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16 AugustPeople
Tom Simmons’ restaurant continues under new ownership
One Tower Bridge, the restaurant run by chef Tom Simmons, is to continue trading under new ownership after falling into administration. The company appointed administrators Durkan Cahill on 3 August and was sold in a pre-pack deal. The British-French eatery opened in summer 2017, six years after Simmons reached the…
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15 AugustPeople
Dabbous team reunite for series of exclusive dinners
Ollie Dabbous, founder of the eponymous Dabbous restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia, will be reunited with his kitchen team as they host two bespoke dinners at Wellbourne Brasserie this autumn. The well-reviewed Dabbous opened in 2012 and was the British chef’s first outlet, but closed in 2017 shortly after the site…
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14 AugustBusiness
City Pub Co acquires historic Milkmaid Pavilion restaurant
Brighton’s historic Milkmaid Pavilion on its promenade has been acquired by City Pub Co after it previously ran under the name Alfresco. Most recently owned by Brighton & Hove City Council, the premises was originally built as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951. The transaction was brokered by…
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7 AugustOpinion
Is the demise of restaurant chains a good thing for local independents?
The Gaucho restaurant group is the latest in a list of chain restaurants to appoint administrators or announce restructuring and branch closures. The news, including the closure of their 22 Cau restaurants follows on from the restructuring of Jamie’s Italian, Prezzo, Café Rouge, Byron and Strada. In my home city…
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7 AugustCafes and Coffee Shops
Pret A Manger introduces genderless gingerbread men
Pret A Manger has decided to make its gingerbread men genderless and call them gingerbread biscuits instead. The decision was made after the sandwich chain’s CEO Clive Schlee received a letter from one of its customers, whose niece Annie asked why Pret only had gingerbread men. So far, the chain…
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1 AugustRestaurants
Ed Baines’ ‘Randell and Aubin’ restaurant for sale
TV chef Ed Baines’ ‘Randell and Aubin’ restaurant in Manchester has been listed for sale with a lease price of £80,000 per year. The seafood restaurant was opened in late 2017 in an attempt to replicate the success of Randell and Aubin’s Soho branch which has been a staple of…
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Jul- 2018 -18 JulyFood and Drink
KFC fined £35,000 for selling undercooked chicken
A Welsh branch of KFC has been fined £35,000 after it was found to have sold under-cooked chicken. Environmental health officers working for Caerphilly Council found that on 4 February 2017 three pieces of fried chicken were served to a customer that had not been thoroughly cooked. The customer alerted…
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