Story of the Day - 27 February 2026
Sandwich Sandwich secures debut transport hub site, grab-and-go format ‘set to be a game changer’, eyes New York launch
Sandwich Sandwich, which was founded in Bristol in 2012, is to make its transport hub debut with an opening in London’s Paddington station, Propel has learned. The company, which operates three sites in London and two in Bristol, will open a grab-and-go site in the station on Sunday, 5 April.
Operators of multi-site hospitality companies can book up to three free places, or operators who are Premium subscribers can claim up to four free places by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
Propel Exclusive Report
Propel's Experiential Leisure Report is available now
Propel 500 is back for the second year. It brings 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 provides critical insights into the companies leading the charge in hospitality, including turnover, number of sites, key staff, and more.
The 45,000-word report also includes exclusive analysis providing a full understanding of the market’s dynamics, as the top companies in the sector shift position after a challenging year. Mark Wingett reviews the mergers and acquisitions changing the shape of the Top 500 as size increasingly matters. Katherine Doggrell examines the key developments in UK hotels and looks 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, looks at emerging growth sectors, and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova analyses the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market.
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27 February 2026
Rockfish founder – ‘I'm more cautious about growth than I've ever been’, ‘you have to keep upping your game’
Mitch Tonks, founder of seafood restaurant group Rockfish, has told Propel that in this political and economic cycle, “I’m more cautious about growth than I’ve ever been”, and while trading has been good this year, “the marketplace is smaller”. The award-winning business will open its latest site on Tuesday, 17 March in Sidmouth, Devon, marking the business’ 11th restaurant along the south west coast of England.
27 February 2026
Papa John’s sees UK sales growth of 7%, to use UK closure strategy in US
Papa John’s saw a 7% increase in sales growth across its UK business in the three months to 28 December 2025, as said it would use the same site closure strategy it deployed here to help its struggling business in the US. Papa John’s reported a 2% decline in North America like-for-like sales in the period driven by a performance downturn of company-owned stores, and balanced out by a 5% increase in international like-for-like sales.
27 February 2026
Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans approved
The pedestrianisation of London’s Oxford Street has been given official final approval by London’s mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan. He has instructed Transport for London to implement the proposals to remove traffic between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street, City Hall said.
27 February 2026
BrewDog draws interest from Danish group Royal Unibrew
A Danish brewing company is among the suitors weighing a takeover of parts or all of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, which is currently in the midst of an accelerated sale process. Sky News reports that Royal Unibrew Group, which is listed in Copenhagen, is among several parties said to be seriously interested in BrewDog.
27 February 2026
Basilico team launch protein-based pizza cloud kitchen concept as a franchise
The team behind Basilico, the ten-strong woodfired pizza restaurant business, has launched its protein-based pizza cloud kitchen concept as a franchise. Basilico, founded in 1998 and led by Paul Adams, claims to be London’s first woodfired pizza delivery company and has branches across London.
27 February 2026
Lancashire operator Bowland Inns reports revenue boost driven by Wennington Hall acquisition, losses widen but forecasts return to profitability in 2026
Lancashire hotel, pub and restaurant operator Bowland Inns & Hotels has reported a revenue boost in the year to 31 May 2025, driven by the acquisition of Wennington Hall in Lancaster in late 2023. The 14-strong group also saw its losses widen during the year but forecasted a return to profitability in 2026.
27 February 2026
MJMK Restaurants hires Jo Cole as people director
London restaurant operator MJMK Restaurants – which is behind Casa do Frango, AngloThai, KOL, Lisboeta and Fonda – has hired Jo Cole, formerly of Turtle Bay Restaurants and Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK), as its new people director. Cole spent six and a half years as people director at Turtle Bay before stepping down last summer.
27 February 2026
Three Cheers Pub Co reports ‘highly respectable performance in face of macroeconomic challenges’
Three Cheers Pub Co, led by former schoolfriends Tom Peake, Mark Reynolds and Nick Fox, has reported a “highly respectable performance in the face of macroeconomic challenges” in the year to 31 March 2025. The company’s revenue dipped slightly from £12,516,669 in 2024 to £12,199,852.
27 February 2026
Stange & Co to reopen two pubs this year, wage rises ‘significantly our biggest cost’ and will ‘squeeze margins again’
Stange & Co, which operates venues in Merseyside and North Wales, is to reopen two pubs this year to take its trading portfolio to 11. The company will this spring reopen The Brookhouse Mill in Denbigh, which previous owners the Hall family closed in 2022, and which was acquired by Stange & Co in 2024.
26 February 2026
TGI Fridays UK business was acquired in pre-pack deal for £1m, had losses of £12.4m at time of sale by Calveton UK and Breal Capital
The business and assets of Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, the company which manages the operations of TGI Friday’s UK restaurants, was acquired in a pre-pack administration for £1,003,843, an administrators’ report has revealed. Sugarloaf TGIF Operations, a company owned by Sugarloaf, the manager and custodian of the worldwide TGI Friday brand, acquired 33 of TGI Fridays’ restaurants across the UK following the deal in January, safeguarding 1,384 jobs.
26 February 2026
Waffle concept seeking franchise partners as it looks to expand outside northern heartland
Waffle concept The Belgian Waffle Company is seeking franchise partners as it looks to expand outside its northern heartland. The company currently has ten locations – in Manchester, Huddersfield, Blackburn, Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford, Bury, Oldham, Leicester and Bolton.
26 February 2026
Powerleague secures £22.5m loan to aid continued expansion
Powerleague, Europe’s largest five-a-side football provider, has secured a new £22.5m loan to support its continued growth and expansion into new sporting facilities. The business, which currently operates 43 clubs across the UK, secured the new loan and revolving credit facility from Barclays.
February 2026 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club readers to receive all the videos from Restaurant Marketer and Innovator. Propel Premium Club members are to be given access to the entire recording of the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Conference. Members are now able to access all the videos of the event.
James Hacon, managing partner at Think Hospitality.
Maria Vanifatova, chief executive and founder of Meaningful Vision.
Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI.
Sara McKennedy, managing director at Coco di Mama, Éadaoin McDonagh, chief operating officer at White Rabbit Projects, Laura Irving, managing director at JKS Restaurants, and Marcel Khan, chief executive at Fulham Shore. Romy Miller, chief marketing officer at Knoops.
Pho: Libby Andrews, marketing director at Pho, talks to Charlotte Mair, founder and managing director at The Fitting Room. Dishoom: In conversation with Fleet Street Communications chief executive Mark Stretton, co-founder Kavi Thakrar.
Alexis Melikov, chief executive of Tigermilk. Jordan Graham, founder of Sugar Snap, in conversation with Paul Catterson, director at Orto Pizza, Sam Shephard, founder at Juice Jar, andPeter Coleman, co-founder of Seed
Aqua at 25: stories beyond the view: Marie Guenot, marketing director at Aqua Restaurant Group. Michael Radley, co-founder at Joli, is joined by Hilary Ansell, marketing consultant and interim marketing director at Wasabi, Hester Mitchell, digital marketing manager at Bleecker Burger, and Tom Patrick, marketing director for Banana Tree and Las Iguanas at Big Table Group.
Evie Horsell, head of communications UK & Ireland at Big Mamma Group
Russell Danks, managing director at Laine Pub Co,
Kiran Quinn, group marketing director at RedCat Hospitality
Laura Lewis, marketing director at Arc Inspirations.
David Tester, head of marketing at Franco Manca, is joined by George Lamb, co-founder of Wildfarmed
Five concepts, one vision — Incipio at Olympia: Rory Graham, marketing and brand director at Incipio Group.
Jayson Perfect, chief operating officer at Butcombe.
What’s Next in Hospitality? The 2026 Playbook: James Hacon, Managing Partner at Think Hospitality. Katy Moses, managing director at KAM. Heleri Rande, partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Chris Miller, founder at White Rabbit Projects, Loui Blake, co-founder at Long Lane, and Nicci Clarke, marketing and culinary director UK at Sodexo Live! Anthony Knight speaks to Tom Kidd, founder of SetList.
When hospitality meets entertainment. Thinking out of the box: Michelle Farrell, chief growth officer at Boxpark.
The neighbourhood effect: Marshall Dallas, Partner at Think Hospitality, speaks with Ankur Wishart, co-founder at Boxcar, and India Filippidis, head of marketing at Boxcar & The Italian Greyhound. Madeleine Phillips, marketing director at Various Eateries.
Deborah Jones, senior client success manager at Proinsight, speaks to Michael Farquhar, chief operating officer at ETM Group.
Krishnan Doyle, founder at COREcruitment.
The multi-concept challenge: Markus Thesleff, founder of Thesleff Group.
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s digital activation: Peter Critchley, UK chief executive at Trison, is joined by Keyana Mohammadi, head of marketing at Dave’s Hot Chicken. Tessa Graham, group brand director at Tashas Group. Olivia Fitzgerald, managing director at 125 Data & Insights, speaks with Tom James, managing director at Bill’s. Dan Brookman, chief executive and co-founder of Airship & Toggle. Daniel Bennett, global head of behavioural science at Ogilvy Consulting: Originality in the age of AI. Heleri Rande, partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Afroditi Krassa, founding director of Afroditi, and Bob Conwell, managing director at Mr Lyan Studio. Digital marketing for growth. Carey Benn, chief executive at Guestwise, in conversation with Naddy Onions, marketing director at Prezzo Italian, James Metcalfe, sales and marketing director at Urban Pubs & Bars, and Ewa Turney, senior product lead at Mitchells & Butlers. Aaron Morgan, head of marketing and Paul Jones, head of IT at The Alchemist. Dojo: Jon Knott, head of data projects at Dojo. Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Kat Schofield, sales and marketing director at Permanently Unique Group, Holly Hilton, marketing director at Market Place Food Halls, and Ria Pattni, director of marketing at JKS Restaurants. Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Tasos Gaitanos, co-founder at Brother Marcus, Alex Large, co-founder at Brother Marcus, Tommy Giraux, head of restaurant systems at Honest Burgers. Joe Comiskey, digital director at Stonegate Group. Joel Robinson, chief executive at Openr, in conversation with Toby Herbert, head of IT at Hall & Woodhouse, Sara McKennedy, managing director at Coco di Mama, and Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI. Sophie Clarke, UK team lead at Popmenu, in conversation with Charlie Wood-Jones, Co-founder at Cawsburger. Dan Brookman, chief executive at Airship and Toggle. Mark Warburton, founder of Cow & Sow and Alan Armstrong, fractional marketing director.
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.
February 2026 ~ 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.
Propel 500 will be released on Friday, 9 January at 9am and is
£595 plus vat.
Existing Premium Club Members can receive it on Friday, 9 January at 9am for
£395 plus vat.
Premium Club members will receive the report for free on Friday, 27 February at 9am.
Pre-order Propel 500 today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
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.
February 2026 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In this current edition, James Hacon, managing partner at Think Hospitality Consulting, explains why London remains one of the most powerful restaurant stages in the world. He argues that, despite cost pressures and labour shortages, London remains one of the world’s most desirable restaurant markets. Strong West End leasing data, minimal vacancies and rising rents signal sustained demand. International operators, particularly from the Middle East and US, view a London opening as a mark of credibility and global positioning. Like New York, London acts as a blank culinary canvas and global amplification engine. Though margins can be tighter than elsewhere, prime London’s experience density, capital confidence and cultural magnetism make it a powerful launchpad for ambitious brands. Meanwhile, Stuart Gillies, former chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings, shares how lessons from large-group leadership can be applied to small, regional restaurants, with the help of technology and AI. After leading a global restaurant group, Gillies found running a small collection requires fewer meetings but a similar forward-planning strategy. Still viewing the business as a start-up, they review strategy frequently and prioritise team empowerment, useful AI-driven data and staff wellbeing. Staying close to operations enables faster development. Experiments like a robot waiter sparked debate, highlighting cautious openness to innovation. Lastly, Propel’s deputy editor Tim Street talks to Richard Zivkovic, who after almost three decades in the corporate world, has now opened a café-bakery in his home town. After nearly 30 years in senior roles at brands including Pret A Manger, Costa Coffee and Island Poke, Richard Zivkovic left corporate life to co-found Helg, a Scandinavian-inspired café-bakery in Stevenage, with his wife. Seeking family time and community connection, he embraces hands-on hospitality, rapid experimentation and local sourcing. Trading profitably in year one, the pair balance growth ambitions with sector-wide cost challenges.
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.
February 2026 ~ Premium Club
Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. In this week’s edition, competitive socialising continues to gather pace. In 2022, Mitchells & Butlers launched interactive darts concept Arrowsmiths in Solihull, rolling it out to 14 sites, mainly under O’Neill’s. The group is now quietly trialling a golf-themed format, Puttside, signalling further diversification. Meanwhile, Swingers co-founder Matt Grech-Smith is departing following the brand’s US expansion to Boston, marking six global venues. Elsewhere, Young’s plans to shift to the London Stock Exchange’s main market while targeting further London growth, considering both freeholds and premium leases, and hinting at selective acquisitions. Expansion momentum continues as Sandwich Sandwich prepares a grab-and-go launch at Paddington station, eyeing transport hubs as catalysts for wider growth. In tech, Burger King owner Restaurant Brands International is piloting AI-powered headsets in 500 US restaurants. The “Patty” system provides operational alerts, recipe guidance and customer service coaching, positioning AI as a real-time management and hospitality enhancement tool.
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.
26 February 2026
Molson Coors to close Sharp’s Brewery and cut circa 200 jobs as part of restructure of UK business
Molson Coors has announced plans to close its Sharp’s Brewery in Cornwall and national contact centre in Cardiff by the end of 2026 as part of a restructuring of its businesses in the UK and Ireland. The brewer of Carling said that following consultation, the proposals could result in around 200 redundancies, which could include 50 from the Sharp’s Brewery in Rock, near Wadebridge, and around 20 roles at its Tadcaster Brewery in Tadcaster, Yorkshire.
26 February 2026
Irish-themed bar concept Katie O’Brien’s lining up Barnsley and Manchester openings
Irish-themed bar concept Katie O’Brien’s is lining up openings in Manchester and Barnsley. The company, which operates ten sites across the north and Midlands, is preparing to open in Barnsley’s Glassworks scheme, and in an as-yet-unnamed central Manchester location.
26 February 2026
Aparthotel operator Adagio sees steady growth in UK as turnover hits record £28.2m and profit almost doubles to £3.2m
Adagio, which develops, operates and franchises aparthotels, has reported steady growth in the UK “as tourism remains strong”. The company franchises one and operates seven Adagio aparthotels in the UK.
26 February 2026
Padel Social Club hires Joanna Barrett as new CFO
Multi-format padel concept Padel Social Club, which is backed by Active Partners and British rapper and Brit Award-winner Stormzy, has hired Joanna Barrett, formerly of Chopstix and The Ivy Collection, as its new chief financial officer. Barrett joins Padel Social Club, which was founded by Kristian Hunter at the start of 2021, after a year and a half as chief financial officer of Little Houses Group, the family members’ club concept.
26 February 2026
Italian casual dining concept to make long-awaited UK debut with Berkshire launch
Italian casual dining franchise concept Ci Gusta is to make its long-awaited UK debut with a launch in Berkshire. Ci Gusto was founded in Italy in 2011 by Dario Rabboni and has since expanded to more than 30 restaurants in excess of 20 countries.
26 February 2026
Devon and Cornwall hotel group ‘performing strongly’ with Ebitda in line with forecasts
Hotel group The Nettleton Collection, which operates hotels in Devon and Cornwall, has said it is “performing strongly”, with Ebitda “in line with forecasts” in its current financial year. In December 2024, the group acquired the Budock Vean Hotel, a four-star location in Falmouth that went on the market at the end of 2023, with a £7m asking price, after being owned by the Barlow family for 37 years.
25 February 2026
Eatphoria reports 13% like-for-like sales growth in 2025 and group Ebitda of £3.5m, to open 12 restaurants this year
Multi-brand restaurant group Eatphoria has reported 13% like-for-like sales growth in 2025 and group Ebitda of £3.5m. The company, which started in 2014 as Wraps & Wings and has grown to five physical locations and more than 40 virtual ones, said in the 52 weeks ended 31 December 2025, total system sales grew 26% to £23.9m, with its like-for-like sales driven by a strong Wraps & Wings performance.
25 February 2026
Shaftesbury – estates ‘performing well’, ‘high demand’ from F&B operators
Central London landlord Shaftesbury has reported its estates are “performing well with high demand from food and beverage operators. The company said 2025 had been an active year for food and beverage leasing with 37 lettings and renewals completed with a rental value of £8.7m, 15.7% ahead of December 2024 estimated rental value (ERV).
Watch highlights from this year’s Propel summer conference and party.
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March 25th 2026
Propel Multi Club — New directions in a period of strong headwinds
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