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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Mar- 2025 -11 MarchPubs and Bars
Cider hits historic £2bn valuation for UK pubs, Heineken finds
The cider category in UK pubs, bars and restaurants has reached a “historic” record worth of £2bn to UK pubs, due to ‘premiumisation’ driving its value by 5% over the last two years, according to Heineken’s Cider Report 2025. The report found that 342 million pints of cider and around…
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10 MarchRestaurants
Ara Restaurant to launch in East London
Chef patron Murat Kilic is set to launch Ara, a new, 76 cover (+20 outdoor), all-day dining restaurant, in East London on 1 May 2025 Ara is Kilic’s third venture following the success of its sister restaurant Amber. The self-taught chef grew up in his native Turkey where he loved…
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Jan- 2025 -30 JanuaryRestaurants
TGI Fridays closes Leicester Square flagship
TGI Fridays has confirmed that it has closed its flagship venue in London’s Leicester Square. The casual-dining restaurant had opened the landmark venue in 2015 following a multi-million pound investment. A spokesperson for TGI Fridays said: “Our Leicester Square restaurant closed earlier this month. This was a mutual planned closure…
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20 JanuaryCafes and Coffee Shops
Caffè Nero sales rise ‘record’ 14% over Xmas period
Caffè Nero has reported a sales rise of 14% for the five-week Christmas period in the UK, as the coffee house chain had two “record” sales weeks and its highest ever single day of trading. It comes as Caffè Nero sites across the UK saw like-for-like sales rise 9% compared…
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17 JanuaryNews
Directional Capital acquires Pizza Hut’s UK franchisee in pre-pack deal
Directional Capital has acquired Heart With Smart, one of the UK’s leading hospitality franchise operators which manages the operations of the UK Pizza Hut dine-in restaurants, in a pre-pack transaction which sees the transfer and continuing operation of 139 restaurants across the UK. Directional Capital is a US-based private equity…
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7 JanuaryVenues & Properties
O2 Arena reports ‘best-ever’ sales amid record number of visitors
The O2 Arena has seen sales across F&B, leisure and retail rise by 6% in 2024, marking the live entertainment’s “best-ever” year for trade. It comes as The O2 welcomed a record number of people – over 10 million – throughout last year, which spells an uplift of 12% against…
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Dec- 2024 -17 DecemberNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief – 17/12/24
Sales of pints in December could generate turnover of around £1.4bn, says the BBPA. This comes as the association believes that almost 300 million pints could be sold in pubs in December. As a result, the beer and pub sector is expected to pour a total of £3.3bn in GVA…
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17 DecemberPubs and Bars
Xmas pint sales to generate £1.4bn, BBPA finds
Sales of pints in December could generate turnover of around £1.4bn, according to data from the British Beer and Pubs Association (BBPA). This comes as almost 300 million pints could be sold in pubs in December, with the beer and pub sector expected to pour a total of £3.3bn in…
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13 DecemberNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief – 13/12/24
McWin Capital Partners is in talks to acquire Gail’s, according to Bloomberg. It comes as the investment firm’s owners, Henry McGovern and Steven Winegar, already hold shares in the bakery-café chain, having partnered with Bain Capital Credit to take a controlling stake in September 2021. Earlier in November, Sky News…
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13 DecemberRestaurants
Harbour Lights restaurant brought to market
Harbour Lights restaurant and venue, set within Burton Waters marina near Lincoln, has been put up for sale for an asking price of £850,000. The restaurant has 96 internal covers and a gross internal area of 289.85 SqM in its octagonal dining area. It is being sold on behalf of…
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