Story of the Day - 4 July 2025
TGI Fridays UK CEO – we are launching a full brand reset that reinforces everything people have always loved about us
Julie McEwan, chief executive of TGI Fridays, the Calveton and Breal-backed business, has told Propel the company is launching a “full brand reset that reinforces everything people have always loved about us”. It comes as the 49-strong business, which was acquired out of administration last October, unveiled what it calls the “ultimate comeback”, with a re-energised menu and guest experience.
Propel Exclusive Report
Propel's International Brands Report is available now
Propel’s highly anticipated International Brands report, featuring the 100 leading international brands in UK hospitality by site number, is available to order now. This comprehensive 30,000-word report covers company histories, leadership structures, site numbers and turnover figures – an essential resource for industry professionals.
The top 100 features fast-growing brands from major international markets, including the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia.
The guide will be delivered in two formats: an introductory PDF featuring expert analysis on international brands and a fully searchable Excel sheet for quick access to key data. This data will be categorised into the key sectors of pubs and bars, hotels, quick-service restaurants (QSR), casual dining, cafés and bakeries, experiential leisure, and fine dining.
Industry experts sharing their insights in the report include Keith Bird, former CEO of Marugame Udon, on the challenges of introducing an international brand into the UK; Simon Chaplin, senior director of pubs, restaurants and franchise at Christie & Co, on why London remains a prime entry point for international brands; Matteo Frigeri, founder of Seeds Consulting, on the challenges of recruiting the right UK franchisee; Michael Ingemann, director of THINK Hospitality, on why European brands choose the UK for expansion; Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova on the UK market for quick-service restaurant operators; and AlixPartners highlights five key trends that make the UK attractive to international brands.
Get the report
Propel’s International Brands report is available now for £595 plus vat. Premium Club members receive the report for free.
Order The International Report today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
4 July 2025
Universal submits first plans for UK theme park
The new Universal Studios theme park that will be built in the UK could include the tallest rides in Europe, the company said. Universal has sought planning permission for a new destination in Bedford through a special development order, which would allow the government to approve the project directly and bypass standard local planning procedures
4 July 2025
UKHospitality – government must ensure new health rules don’t spoil hospitality visits for consumers
UKHospitality has said the government must ensure new measures outlined in the ten-year plan for the NHS don’t spoil hospitality visits for consumers. Earlier this week, it emerged that large restaurant brands and fast-food companies may be asked to report how many calories customers consume on average.
4 July 2025
Kerb CEO – there is widening gap between talent and opportunity for independent operators
Simon Mitchell (pictured), chief executive of street food collective and hospitality group Kerb, has warned there is a widening gap between talent and opportunity for independent operators and has called on landlords to help close it. Writing in today’s (Friday, 4 July) Premium Opinion, which will be available to Propel Premium subscribers at 5pm, Mitchell said: “We all know the challenges. They’ve been listed a million times – labour shortages, rising costs and shifting consumer habits.”
4 July 2025
Italian gelato brand Amorino targets 100 locations by 2030, opens in Wimbledon
Italian gelato brand Amorino has targeted growing its UK estate to 100 locations by 2030. The brand this week opened its 35th site here – tying in nicely with the tennis currently taking place just down the road by launching in the Wimbledon Quarter development in Wimbledon, south London.
4 July 2025
Starbucks unveils coffee house of the future design
Starbucks has unveiled its new coffee house design, with a long-term goal to renovate up to 1,000 sites within the next year. The design – which has been debuted in several locations in the Hamptons, New York – features cosier seating options, warmer lighting, more power outlets and locally inspired art.
4 July 2025
Sushi brand The Sushi Co ramps up regional expansion including securing flagship Cambridge site
Sushi brand The Sushi Co, which is led by former large-scale Papa John’s franchisee Raheel Choudhary, is ramping up its regional expansion, including securing a flagship site in Cambridge. Choudhary co-founded The Sushi Co in 2022 with Sama Varanand Reddy, a former Pizza Hut franchisee operations manager, after selling his own 61-strong Papa John’s franchise to Drake Food Service International the previous year.
4 July 2025
Aparthotel operator Numa Group secures Brighton site, eyes further UK expansion
Aparthotel operator Numa Group has secured a site in Brighton and is eyeing further UK expansion. The company will take over the former My Brighton hotel in partnership with New World Hospitality, with the new venue scheduled to open later this summer.
4 July 2025
Kro Hospitality puts two Manchester boutique hotels on market
North west operator Kro Hospitality has put two recently developed boutique hotels in Manchester on the market. Joint agents Graham + Sibbald and Knight Frank are marketing the freehold assets of Forty-Seven Hotel in Peter Street, and Velvet Hotel in Canal Street.
4 July 2025
Aldrich Inns secures third London pub this year, plans further expansion
Aldrich Inns, the fledgling pub business from Callum Murphy and Will St John, has secured its third site in London this year, in Covent Garden, and told Propel it was looking to make “further opportunistic” acquisitions in the capital. The company has acquired the Freemasons Arms in Long Acre, which was previously owned by brewer and pub operator Shepherd Neame.
4 July 2025
Ugly Dumpling investment partner set to launch new pizza concept
Phil Chaykin, an investment partner in Asian fusion concept Ugly Dumpling, which has three restaurants in London, is set to launch a new pizza concept. Chaykin, who launched Ugly Dumpling with Ping Wong in 2017, will this summer open Carmela’s in the former Skal Nordic restaurant unit at 149a Upper Street in Islington.
3 July 2025
European indoor playground brand Monkey Town – ‘perfect opportunity to enter UK with market ripe for consolidation’, targeting seven sites here by end of 2026
European indoor playground brand Monkey Town, operated by Dutch leisure group 24 Indoor, has told Propel that now is the “perfect opportunity” to enter the UK, with the market “ripe for consolidation”, and is targeting a seven-strong estate here by the end of 2026. Monkey Town has acquired Rascals Party & Play Centre in Preston, marking the start of a bold expansion plan aimed at making the brand a household name for families across Britain.
3 July 2025
Portobello Pub Co – like-for-like sales growth consistently ahead of the market, paid £1.27m for Darwin & Wallace
Portobello Starboard, the acquisition platform backed by private equity firm Zetland Capital and trading as Portobello Pub Co, has said its like-for-like sales growth is consistently ahead of the market as it reported it paid £1,272,170 to acquire London neighbourhood bar-restaurant business Darwin & Wallace last spring. Revenue in the year to 30 September 2024 for the then 27-strong Portobello Pub Co was £28,968,203 (2023: £18,177,490) and gross profit was £11,264,115 (2023: £6,727,058).
July 2025 ~ Premium Club
Propel Premium Club members can access more than 100 videos from Propel’s market-leading conferences. These include Propel’s Multi Club Conference – Female leaders and entrepreneurs, available from 9th July, featuring speakers such as Carol Campbell, managing director of Stonegate Group, Panel – managing directors: Christobell Giles, managing director of Vagabond Wines, Joycelyn Neve, managing director of Seafood Pub Company, Marta Pogroszewska, managing director of Gail’s Bakery, and Suzie Welch, managing director of Odeon, Kate Eastwood, managing director of Lounges, and Lucy Knowles, managing director of Cosy Club, Panel – EDI: Amanda Hamilton, chief information officer at Pret A Manger, Lorraine Copes, founder and chief executive of Be Inclusive Hospitality, and Susan Martindale, group HR director of Mitchells & Butlers discuss the future of EDI in hospitality. Ellen Chew, the celebrated UK-based Singaporean restaurateur, Zoe Bowley, managing director of Greene King Pubs, Panel – founders: Bex Wilkins, co-founder of Makers of Hospitality, Eccie Newton, founder of Karma Kitchen, Laura Filer, co-founder of Family Adventures Group, and Prue Freeman, director of Daisy Green. Thomasina Miers, cook, food writer, entrepreneur and co-founder of Wahaca. Kerb membership manager Jess Warden talks to Banzai Kitchen founder Ocean Lawrence, Mezzo founder Alice Di Chiara, and Little Pudding owner Lucie Lockhart. Panel – mentoring: Claire Morris, chief executive of Sodexo Live! UK & Ireland, Dawn Browne, people and talent director at Fuller’s, and Sarah Hills, managing director of Rosa’s Thai, discuss how to be a great mentor – and mentee. In 2002, Vanessa Branson talks about how El Fenn – a trademark blend of cool and a distinct feeling of home-away-from-home, stretching across 13 interconnected riads, 41 rooms and suites, and a 1,300 square-metre rooftop. Also available is the Excellence in Pub and Bar Retailing Conference, available to Premium Club members,
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.
July 2025 ~ Premium Club
The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel’s exhaustive report on the fast-growing experiential leisure market, will be published on Friday, 1 August at 9am. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It includes opinion from leading players Juliette Keyte, marketing director at Red Engine, Richard Beese, co-founder of We Do Play, and investor Lisa Boden, partner at investor Edition Capital, and provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since last year’s study, with 3,700 sites. Katherine Doggrell, Propel’s editorial advisor and the report’s author, said: “The experiential leisure sector is a major growth driver of the hospitality sector, with the market maturing into overseas expansion and franchising as it continues to build and inspire the rest of the market. With trends such as padel keeping the segment fresh, this report hears from operators and investors as they try to anticipate the next innovations. This report delivers an exhaustive overview to all those interested in this influential sector.” The report will be released on Friday, 1 August at 9am and is available for £595 plus VAT to pre-order now. Existing Premium Club subscribers can receive it on Friday, 1 August for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium subscribers on Wednesday, 10 September at 9am.
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.
July 2025 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In this current edition, Mark Wingett, Propel’s group editor, talks to TGI Fridays chief executive Julie McEwan about the brand’s relaunch. She explains how TGI Fridays UK is undergoing a major relaunch after administration, with new ownership, a refreshed menu, and enhanced guest experiences. CEO Julie McEwan leads a passionate turnaround, focusing on value, team culture, and innovation. The brand aims to reconnect with families and Gen Z through hospitality, generosity, and bold transformation. Also, Kerb chief executive Simon Mitchell discusses the collective’s social impact. He discusses how hospitality faces mounting challenges, especially for independents, with talent often blocked by lack of access. Kerb’s new Central London hub aims to change that—offering kitchens, training, and support to empower underrepresented voices. It’s a call to action to back social impact with real spaces, opportunities, and belief in transformation. Lastly, Propel editorial advisor and founder of NewDog PR, Katherine Doggrell, looks at what we can learn from loyalty in hotels. She discusses how pub groups like Greene King and Fuller’s are exploring loyalty schemes, inspired by hotels’ more advanced models. While hotels focus on emotional loyalty and direct bookings, pubs risk settling for basic reward systems. True loyalty isn’t built on discounts, but on emotional connection—something pubs may already offer without realising it.
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.
July 2025 ~ Premium Club
Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. In this current edition, Raising Cane’s, the U.S. chicken brand now ranked third by sales, is preparing to launch in the UK. It’s in talks for flagship sites in London’s West End, including Coventry Street and The Strand, with co-founder Todd Graves overseeing the rollout and significant investment allocated for prime locations. Also, Jerry Marks, managing director of Davy’s Wine Merchants and a hospitality veteran since 1986, has retired. Marks led brands like Wagamama and Giraffe before joining Davy’s in 2015. Mark Carrick, CFO since 2020 and formerly of Comptoir and Ten Entertainment, has been promoted to chief financial and operations officer. Meanwhile,Pret A Manger and Costa Coffee are testing new store formats focused on comfort and longer stays. Pret’s pilot shops in Broughty Ferry and Maidenhead reduce grab-and-go options, while Costa’s revamped Great Portland Street site features modern design, varied seating, and digital kiosks—part of broader Central London investment plans. Lastly, Farmer J, the all-day market concept founded in 2016, is set to launch its first U.S. site in New York later this year, marking its international debut. The expansion follows a £5.5m funding round, though people and culture director Lucy Craig has departed, returning to Bill’s.
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.
3 July 2025
Great British Doner founder targeting 100 sites in next five years following launch
Mehmet Nezir Korkut, founder of new doner kebab concept Great British Doner (GBD), has told Propel he is targeting 100 sites across the UK in the next five years. The debut GBD site opened at the weekend in Manchester, in Barton Arcade in Deansgate, in the premises previously occupied by Catalan restaurant Lunya.
3 July 2025
Village Hotels makes loss following Blackstone takeover but ‘in a strong position’ and expecting further Ebitda increase, pays £41m in dividends
Village Hotels made a loss in the year to 31 December 2024 following its takeover by private equity firm Blackstone but said it is “in a strong position” and expecting a further increase in Ebitda in 2025. During the year, in June 2024, the company, which owns and operates 33 hotels and leisure clubs across the UK, was acquired by Blackstone – which also backs Merlin Entertainments and Little House Group.
3 July 2025
Whitbread expands inclusive employment programme
Whitbread, the owner of Premier Inn, has expanded its Thrive programme – an employer-led initiative supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) into work – into the Liverpool City region. The expansion includes a new mini-Premier Inn training facility at Wirral Met College, where students gain hands-on experience in hospitality roles.
3 July 2025
Kitchen Ventures launches four brands at London’s Fulham Pier
Hospitality entrepreneur Jonny Boud, founder of Kitchen Ventures, has launched four of the group’s food brands at Fulham Pier’s Riverside Market, the newly opened food hall at the heart of Fulham FC’s development in London. The brands are: Fat Pickle – the premium smash burger brand developed with Kitchen Ventures’ development chef Craig McBea (ex-Honest Burgers); Raps – the fried chicken wrap brand created in partnership with Tinie Tempah; Tacos El Rey – a taqueria developed in collaboration with the team behind Breddos Tacos; and Local Greens – a build-your-own farm-to-bowl salad concept championing seasonal, sustainable British ingredients.
3 July 2025
Greggs shares fall sharply on profit warning
Shares in Greggs fell sharply yesterday as it warned that profits may decline this year, exacerbating concerns the company is facing a protracted slowdown. The 2,649-strong company reported a 2.6% increase in like-for-like sales in the first half of the year, compared with a 2.9% rise in the first 20 weeks and noted footfall had recently been hit by “very high temperatures”.
3 July 2025
Richard Caring confirms Covent Garden opening for Harry’s
Serial sector investor Richard Caring has confirmed he will open a site in London’s Covent Garden under his Harry’s bar and restaurant brand. Propel revealed last month that Caring had acquired the former Tuttons British Brasserie site with a view to coverting that and the neighbouring Dirty Martini unit into his Harry’s brand.
3 July 2025
Gen Z’s famed abstinence waning
Generation Z has long been known as “generation abstinence”, shunning alcohol in favour of more wholesome pursuits. However, the latest evidence has suggested that they may not be as squeaky clean as first thought, as growing numbers of young people opt for alcoholic beverages.
2 July 2025
Exclusive – third-largest US chicken brand Raising Cane’s gearing up for UK launch
Raising Cane’s, which recently became the third-largest chicken brand in the US by sales, behind Chick-fil-A and Popeyes, is gearing up to launch in the UK, and is in talks to secure a flagship site in London’s West End, Propel has learned. Propel understands that Raising Cane’s, which specialises in chicken fingers and operates more than 900 sites, the majority in the US, is in talks to secure a flagship site in London’s Piccadilly, with Coventry Street touted as a possible destination.
Watch highlights from this year’s Propel summer conference and party.
Video presentations of all the speakers are available to Premium Club members, join to unlock exclusive access to 100 insightful videos each year.
To view pictures from the event click here
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Conferences, study trips, and propel multi club
Upcoming Events
July 9th 2025
Operational Excellence Conference
The conference takes place on Wednesday, 9 July, at One Moorgate Place, London Kensington, and is open for bookings.An event for operations directors, managers, area managers, site managers and chief executives who wants to maximise performance. To book places email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
September 4th 2025
Propel Multi Club - Moving ahead with evolved thinking
Operators can claim up to two free places for The Propel Multi Club summer conference and party that takes place on Thursday 4 September, Oxford Belfry. Operators whom are Premium subscribers can claim up to four free places. This year sees the usual fantastic conference with the addition of great entertainment throughout the evening. The conference and party places are free (bedrooms have a cost attached). Book by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
November 13th 2025
The Propel Bangkok
Study Tour
Bangkok is a culinary hot bed of talent and has no less than 34 Michelin starred restaurants including a street vendor who has one star, it is a truly world class ‘Foodie Destination’. The city also boasts some of the highest rooftop bars and restaurants in the world and is a hospitality bucket list in Asia.