The Restaurant Group
This compiles our reporting on The Restaurant Group (TRG), operator of prominent UK brands including Wagamama, Frankie & Benny’s, and Brunning & Price. We cover TRG’s strategic decisions, financial performance, brand portfolio changes, executive leadership moves, site rationalisation, and growth initiatives. Our analysis offers critical insight for restaurant operators, F&B executives, and hospitality professionals tracking the direction of one of the UK’s most influential multi-brand operators in casual dining and pub restaurants.
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Jul- 2023 -19 JulyRestaurants
Wagamama sales boost Restaurant Group trading in H1
The Restaurant Group has welcomed a period of strong trading in the first half of the year, with sales at Wagamama and its Pubs division up by 5% and 9%, respectively. Wagamama continued to trade strongly in the period, with outperformance of the market in Q2, and like-for-like sales up…
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12 JulyRestaurants
Wagamama shareholder calls for chairman to be replaced
Irenic Capital Management, minority shareholder in The Restaurant Group which owns Wagamama, has called on the board of the company to replace chair Ken Hanna. Irenic, which owns a shareholding of 2.6% in TRG, wants Hanna replaced due to his “documented disregard for the best interests of all shareholders”. Alongside…
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10 JulyRestaurants
Ivy Collection cuts employee tips after minimum wage increase
Employees at restaurant branches of The Ivy Collection have said they are being short changed on their tips after the company cut their share of the service charge paid by diners when the legal minimum wage increased in April, The Guardian has reported. A few staff at the restaurant group…
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Jun- 2023 -21 JuneNews
The Restaurant Group unveils senior team changes
The Restaurant Group, which operates approximately 400 restaurants and pubs across the UK, has today announced a number of changes to its senior team. Kirk Davies, after more than five years at the company, will step down from his role as chief financial officer after TRG’s interim results in September…
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9 JunePeople
TRG independent non-executive director to step down
The Restaurant Group has announced that Alex Gersh, an independent non-executive director of the group and the chair of its audit committee, will be stepping down from his role on 1 July. The group has announced that Loraine Woodhouse, who has been a member of the board since 4 July…
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May- 2023 -24 MayRestaurants
Wagamama owner narrowly beats AGM investor revolt
Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group (TRG) has narrowly beaten a revolt from rebel investors over the pay of CEO Andy Hornby and the direction of the company at its most recent AGM. Over 45% of shareholders voted against the company’s directors remuneration report for 2022 which revealed that Hornby was…
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19 MayRestaurants
TRG comes under renewed pressure from activist investor
The Restaurant Group (TRG), owner of Wagamama, has reportedly come under renewed pressure from activist investors, according to reports from The Times. Oasis Management Company, the hedge fund leading the rebellion, has accused TRG of excluding “certain” shareholders from key information ahead of the company’s AGM. Oasis has used its…
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4 MayNews
The Restaurant Group to shut 23 sites by end of May
The Restaurant Group, which operates approximately 410 restaurants and pub restaurants throughout the UK including Wagamama, Brunning & Price and Frankie & Benny’s, is set to reinstate the closing of 23 of its sites at the end of May 2023. The group said it had successfully negotiated a number of…
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2 MayRestaurants
TRG reports Wagama sales up 9% despite backlash from investors
Wagamama owner, the Restaurant Group, has revealed that Wagamama sales grew 9% compared with 2022, over the four weeks to April 30, despite facing backlash from activist investors. According to its latest trading update, covering the 13 weeks to 2 April 2023, it recorded a 15% increase in dine in…
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Mar- 2023 -31 MarchRestaurants
D&D London relaunches flagship restaurant
Restaurant group D&D London has revealed that its Kings Cross flagship, German Gymnasium, is relaunching the first-floor restaurant following the arrival of new executive chef, Alexander Thiel. Thiel has curated the new menu at the restaurant, which has been inspired by German home cooking and drawing upon his experiences working…
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