Story of the Day - 28 November 2025
Poolhouse CEO – ‘our venues will be akin to Apple stores promoting what we can do’, closing in on US debut site
Andrew O’Brien, chief executive and co-founder of Poolhouse, the new concept from the founders of Topgolf and Puttshack, has told Propel that the new concept’s venues will be “like Apple stores” serving a dual purpose in promoting its technology – while the goal is to get to “an Ivy Asia standard” of offer in competitive socialising. The concept’s debut venue is set to open in early 2026 at 100 Liverpool Street, London, with global expansion to follow through a combination of franchise partnerships and third-party licensing of its proprietary technology platform.
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28 November 2025
Premier Inn owner anticipates £40m-£50m increase in business rates following Budget
Whitbread owner Premier Inn has said the measures announced in the Budget will lead to an increase in business rates of between £40m and £50m from its next financial year. The company also said its return to market growth in the UK has continued into the third quarter while market demand In Germany has “stepped up”.
28 November 2025
Esquires owner reports UK sales up 18.6% in last eight weeks as momentum from first half of financial year continues, hits 100 sites in UK and Ireland
Cooks Coffee Company, owner of the Esquires brand, has reported sales in the UK were up 18.6% in the eight weeks to 24 November 2025 as it continued its momentum from the first half of the financial year. The company has also hit the 100-store mark in the UK and Ireland following the opening of its first site in partnership with Tesco in Ireland in Tullamore.
28 November 2025
TGI Fridays’ UK chain up for sale a month after changing hands
The future of TGI Fridays’ British operations has been thrown into fresh doubt just a month after the casual dining chain was bought by the manager of most of the brand’s global operations. Sky News reports that advisory firm Interpath has been appointed to explore strategic options for TGI Fridays’ UK business, which comprises 49 sites and employs almost 2,000 people.
28 November 2025
M&B reports current like-for-likes up 3.8% after ‘another strong year ahead of the market’, anticipates cost headwinds of circa £130m
Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the Toby Carvery, Harvester and All Bar One operator, has said it had made a “solid” start to the current financial year, with like-for-like sales up 3.8% in the first eight weeks. The company said cost headwinds are anticipated to total £130m, representing slightly less than 6% of its cost base before mitigation, driven by annualisation of labour cost increases, plus further increases in the statutory thresholds, and increased levels of food cost inflation.
28 November 2025
Upham Inns – sales and profit performance continues to grow, Oakman portfolio fully-integrated
Upham Inns, the southern England premium pubs operator, which acquired the bulk of the remaining Oakman Inns business for £8.1m this summer, has reported a 7.5% increase in like-for-like sales across its core estate, as it told Propel it has completed the integration of the Oakman business. In July, the business acquired 14 pubs from Oakman Inns & Restaurants after the business went into administration.
28 November 2025
UKHospitality welcomes government ditching its flagship workers’ rights bill policy
UKHospitality has welcomed the government’s decision to ditch its flagship workers’ rights bill policy. Downing Street is to remove the right to protection from unfair dismissal from the first day of employment and replace it with a six-month threshold.
28 November 2025
Travelodge warns over raft of cost hikes and Budget pressures
Travelodge has warned it is facing a barrage of rising costs from wage bill hikes and Budget tax moves as it also flagged worries over consumer demand. The group – which operates 600 sites in the UK as well as hotels in Ireland and Spain – said the upcoming above-inflation rise in the minimum wage announced this week, together with the recent rise in national insurance contributions, will see staff costs rise by about another £11m in 2026.
28 November 2025
New National Licensing Policy Framework for hospitality and leisure should see ‘beginning of a more balanced approach’
Michelle Hazlewood, partner at John Gaunt & partners, has argued the new National Licensing Policy Framework (NLPF) for the hospitality and leisure sectors should see “the beginning of a more balanced approach”. The NLPF, issued by the Department for Business and Trade, relates to the operation of the Licensing Act 2003.
28 November 2025
TEG sells UK venue portfolio including London’s XOYO
Australian live events firm TEG has sold its UK venue portfolio to a new independent company formed by Propaganda’s Dan Ickowitz-Seidler and MJR Group founder Richard Buck. The deal sees the duo regain ownership of Cardiff’s Tramshed – which they established a decade ago – and also brings The Globe in Cardiff, XOYO Birmingham (formerly The Mill) and London’s XOYO and Camden Assembly under the control of their newly launched Propaganda Independent Venues venture.
28 November 2025
Hotel group Distinct seeing positive like-for-like sales growth in 2025 as it prepares to open third site, fourth in pipeline
Gareth Leakey, managing director of hotel group Distinct Group, has told Propel it is seeing positive like-for-like sales growth in 2025 as it prepares to open its third site. Leakey also revealed a fourth site is in the pipeline.
28 November 2025
Exclusive – Honest Greens secures UK debut site
Honest Greens, the Spain-based healthy fast-casual restaurant brand, has secured its debut site in the UK, in London’s Soho, Propel has learned. Honest Greens, which operates from 30 locations across major cities in Spain and Portugal, will open its first UK site next month in St Anne’s Court.
27 November 2025
Admiral Taverns CEO – The government has placed an even bigger burden on the shoulders of community pubs
Chris Jowsey, chief executive of Admiral Taverns, which runs 1,350 community pubs across the UK, has said the reality of yesterday’s budget is that the chancellor has placed an “even bigger burden on the shoulders of community pubs, posing further risk to our industry, threatening both jobs and the viability of our beloved pubs across the country”. Jowsey said: “This was the chancellor’s opportunity to take meaningful action in order to drive growth and encourage investment into the hospitality industry. A sector which employs over one million people and contributes more than £34bn each year to the UK economy, yet remains one of the most heavily taxed in the country.”
November 2025 ~ Premium Club
Available now – videos from the Propel Multi Club Conference – Growth in an era of big challenges. Premium readers receive the videos from Propel conferences each year – around 100 in total. A great way to keep your team abreast of what’s happening in the sector. Andrew Ball, senior hospitality partner at haysmacintyre, talks to Harry Goss, partner at McWin, Luke Johnson, co-founder and partner of Risk Capital Partners, Yasha Estraikh, associate partner at Piper Private Equity, Lizzie Ryan, managing partner at Imbiba, and David Roberts, partner at CMS, about the current investment market, where the buyer activity is centred and what is the current investment criteria in a volatile market. Jesse Jenkins, founder of plant-based cookie concept The After School Cookie Club, in which John Vincent, co-founder and former chief executive of Leon is an investor, discusses expanding across London, its strong community focus, and the role of social media in its success. Bubala founder Marc Summers talks about the creation of the Middle Eastern vegetarian concept, its launch into the competitive London market, the future for the business and the vegetarian restaurant category. Jonny and Charlotte Heyes, founders of Nell’s, the north west New York-style pizza business, discuss the concept’s three-year growth strategies, including becoming a regional standout performer and now looking to spread its wings in new territories. Alex Reilley, chairman of Loungers, talks to Mark Wingett about the company’s return to the private world, maintaining consistency of offer, what the expansion runway looks like for the business, and saving the high street. Industry veteran David Page, the former chairman of Franco Manca, owner of Fulham Shore, ex-chief executive of PizzaExpress, and who is set to become chair of Wildwood operator Tasty, talks to Propel’s Mark Wingett about his return to the sector, why now and what does he make of the current landscape and opportunities for growth. Michelle Hazlewood, partner at leading sector licensing firm John Gaunt, will examine all the key legal developments that have impacted multi-site operators in 2025, set out the latest legislation affecting the industry, and analyse the immediate and long-term legislative commitments the government must consider if it is to aid the sector’s return to growth. Aaron Mellor, founder and chief executive of Tokyo Industries, the UK’s largest private operator of bar and nightclubs, alongside multiple international operations in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, New York, Palma, and Ibiza, talks about the late night market, developing a new West End theatre, operating mid-century hotels in California, trading in Palma and Ibiza, operating multiple festivals, building skyscrapers in Manchester and buying a shopping centre in Hull. Matt Snell, chief executive of Boxpark, talks about moving from casual dining into operating an all-day, multi-brand, multi-purpose operator, the evolution of the business and how it chooses who to work with. Mike Spencer, McDonald’s UK & Ireland vice-president of development, discusses the brand’s large-scale reimagining programme across its estate with a target of 200-plus stores refreshed a year as it looks to unlock capacity to drive future growth, how it is looking to open 40 new sites a year, and its approach to the customer journey. Tom Molnar, co-founder of the fast-growing Gail’s, talks to Propel’s Mark Wingett about the hard-won lessons from scaling a craft bakery into a nationwide success without sacrificing quality or creativity, and the mindset shifts, growth strategies, and leadership principles that have helped the business thrive as it celebrates its 20th year.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
November 2025 ~ Premium Club
Propel 500 is back for the second year. It will bring together the top 500 players shaping the industry, offering not only comprehensive listings but also deep insights into the forces driving growth, innovation, and transformation across the sector. Propel 500 will provide critical insights into the companies leading the charge in hospitality, including turnover, number of sites, key staff, and more. The 45,000-word report will also include exclusive analysis to provide a full understanding of the market’s dynamics, as the top companies in the sector shift position after a challenging year. Mark Wingett will review the mergers and acquisitions changing the shape of the Top 500 as size increasingly matters. Katherine Doggrell will examine the key developments in UK hotels and look into one of the sector’s brightest lights; experiential leisure. Tim Street dissects the UK’s rapidly developing franchise market. Data expert Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, will look at emerging growth sectors, and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vantifatova will analyse the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market.
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By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
November 2025 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In this current edition, Mark Wingett, Propel’s group editor, pores over the ashes of this week’s budget. The Budget deepened hospitality’s struggles, offering minor tweaks instead of meaningful business-rates reform. Independent pubs face higher costs despite government claims, fuelling anger and resignation across the sector. While consumer demand and Christmas trading may bring brief relief, tougher conditions loom. Investors expect consolidation as many operators become “walking wounded,” prompting fears the government either ignores or intentionally burdens the industry. Wingett also looks at the background to Andrew Rennie’s departure as chief executive of Domino’s. Domino’s failed bid for Wingstop UK exposed its ambitions and limits. CEO Andrew Rennie, once praised for uniting franchisees, resigned amid board tensions over his push toward chicken as pizza sales fell and shares slumped. His Chick ’N’ Dip rollout and remarks about pizza’s growth misfired, prompting investor unrest. Domino’s now pauses acquisitions, seeks stability, and faces renewed franchisee uncertainty. Meanwhile, food hall and regeneration consultant Simon Anderson explores a hybrid model in modern food delivery and multi-vendor dining making waves in the US. The UK hospitality sector is struggling, but US-based Wonder offers a promising hybrid model blending food hall, premium delivery and multi-brand kitchens. Its controlled, high-throughput system enables multi-cuisine orders in one delivery. Though UK costs and aggregator dominance pose challenges, cities like London or Manchester could support it. Wonder signals a potential blueprint for next-generation hybrid dining in Britain.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
November 2025 ~ Premium Club
Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. In this current edition, Mitchells & Butlers has opened its financial year on a strong footing, reporting like-for-like sales growth of 3.8% and benefitting from the scale of its 1,631-site estate, which places more than 80% of the UK population within five miles of one of its venues. As the business continues to mature its formats and performance, it is also evolving its leadership team following several senior retirements. Recent changes include new directors overseeing restaurants, the premium division and commercial strategy, signalling a continued focus on operational consistency and future growth. Across the wider pub sector, the next generation of industry talent is emerging. Harry Longbottom – son of former Stonegate chief executive Simon Longbottom and grandson of long-time sector leader David Longbottom – has joined Young’s via its operations graduate scheme, extending a notable family legacy within the industry. Lastly, in the fast-casual space, Fatto a Mano is pushing forward with its London expansion. Following fresh investment from Middleton Enterprises and the successful opening of its Tower Bridge restaurant, the Brighton-born pizza brand will soon launch a new site in Soho on Dean Street. Strengthening its leadership bench, the company has also appointed former Honest Burgers managing director Gary Mann as a director to support its next phase of growth.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
27 November 2025
Kaspa’s reports 12% like-for-like growth in first half of financial year, recruits new franchisees in north east and Bristol
Dessert franchise brand Kaspa’s has reported 12% like-for-like growth in the first half of its financial year and said it has recruited new franchisees in north east and Bristol, as it works towards its target of 500 stores. Kaspa’s, which has grown to more than 100 locations since being founded by Azhar Rehman in 2013 – in the UK, Morocco and Pakistan – said 2025 has “witnessed a turnaround in trading trends”.
27 November 2025
Pret to scrap self-service coffee machines
Pret A Manger is to scrap its self-service coffee machines and focus on opening more sites. Propel revealed in July 2021 that Pret, which had been seeking new routes to market as its core business in central London was impacted by the pandemic, had trademarked the Pret Express name and was set to follow Costa, which operates circa 10,000 Express machines around the world, and introduce a vending format into offices, convenience stores, hospitals and petrol forecourts.
27 November 2025
Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue operator to open five new outlets in first half of 2026 and could expand into Ireland in 2027
Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue operator FoodCo Group has said it will open five new outlets across northern England and Greater London in the first half of 2026 and could expand into Ireland in 2027. The first of these – as revealed by Propel earlier this month – will be a 1,800 square-foot Jamaica Blue café in Sutton, south London, early in 2026, which will be the company’s 100th store here.
27 November 2025
Gaucho reports second consecutive strong quarter, Christmas bookings up 40%
Baton Berisha, chief executive of Gaucho, has said the business has generated its second consecutive strong quarter of trading and that its Christmas bookings are up 40% compared with the same period last year. As the 20-strong business launched its new Christmas advertising campaign, Berisha said: “At Gaucho, we don’t just speak about progress, we’re experiencing it.“
27 November 2025
Final former Authentic Alehouses pub sells and administration concludes, total of 17.36% of original capital returned to investors
The final pub in the portfolio of the once seven-strong Authentic Alehouses has been sold and the administration process concluded with a total of 17.36% of the original capital returned to investors, Propel has learned. Authentic Alehouses, launched by Allan Harper in 2017, entered administration in March 2019.
27 November 2025
Arora sells Birmingham hotel to New World Hospitality
Arora Hotels – part of hotel, construction and property investment company Arora Group – has sold its Bloc Hotel in Birmingham for an undisclosed sum. The 105-bedroom property in the Jewellery Quarter has been acquired in an off-market transaction by New World Hospitality, which operates three hotels in London and one in Brighton.
27 November 2025
AlixPartners – ‘sector resilience being tested like never before, may lead to further restructurings’
Graeme Smith, a partner and managing director at AlixPartners, has said that the Budget will “test sector resilience like never before” and “may lead to further restructurings”. Smith said Rachel Reeves’ Budget brought mixed news for the sector, and that the reduction of business rates for smaller properties will undoubtedly be welcomed.
25 November 2025
UKHospitality – permanently lower multiplier for hospitality businesses ‘is not enough’
UKHospitality has said that the permanently lower multiplier for hospitality businesses announced in today’s Budget “is not enough”. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed she will introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure firms, paid for by higher levies on big properties.
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