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Story of the Day - 16 January 2026

Bounce co-founder raising funds to launch ‘Topgolf/Flight Club’ experience for padel

Entrepreneur Dov Penzik, who co-founded Bounce with Adam Breeden, has launched a fundraising round to back the launch of what he said will be the “Topgolf/Flight Club experience for padel”. Through his No Strings vehicle, which he founded with hospitality entrepreneur Charlie Myers, Penzik is looking to build a “national portfolio of innovative padel clubs that combine elite-level play with elevated social experiences”, starting in the US.

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The European Summit will focus on marcomms strategies, proposition and concept development, the latest market insights, technology and digital developments, diversification of revenue streams and how brands are adapting to the new normal.

Propel Exclusive Report

Propel's Experiential Leisure Report is available now

Experiential Leisure 2025
The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel’s exhaustive report on the fast-growing experiential leisure market, is now available. 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 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.
 

Get the report

Propel’s Experiential Leisure report is available now for £595 plus vat. Premium Club members receive the report for free.

Order The Experiential Leisure Report today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com

In-depth insight into the UK hospitality market: two essential reports from Propel
Further reports available from Propel include: The 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 Top 500 Report ranks the UK’s largest operators by turnover – totalling £30bn across 51,000 sites. It features company histories, leadership structures, financial performance, and sector segmentation. It is delivered as an in-depth PDF and searchable Excel file. These reports offer more than 125,000 words of analysis – providing operators, investors and suppliers with comprehensive insight into the structure and direction of the market.

16 January 2026

Heartwood Collection

Heartwood Collection on track to achieve £100m of turnover, reports record festive trading, secures new £25m debt facility

Heartwood Collection, the Alchemy Partners-backed business, has told Propel it is on track to achieve £100m of turnover in the current financial year ending June 2026, reflecting sustained momentum across its estate and on the back of record festive trading. The Richard Ferrier-led business, which operates 34 Heartwood Inns and 13 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK, saw turnover for the year ended 29 June 2025 increase 21.7% to £82.6m (2024: £67.9m), driven by “robust like-for-like growth and the successful integration of new sites”.

16 January 2026

Phil Urban

M&B CEO – ‘we are working on the basis that nothing will be done on rates, many individual site records were smashed over Christmas’

Phil Urban (pictured), chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One, Toby Carvery and Harvester operator, has told Propel that the company is “working on the basis that nothing will be done on rates”. Urban said: “I am fearing that any help would be only for small companies, which disadvantages the bigger players even further. We are working on the basis that nothing will be done, so if rates were reduced, that would be a nice surprise, but I hold out little hope. If the chancellor doesn’t do something, it will accelerate business failures in the sector.”

16 January 2026

Marstons

Marston’s shares rise on activist call for board changes

Shares in Marston’s rose almost 2% to 64.88p during yesterday’s (Thursday, 15 January) trading on the back of a US activist’s attempt to reshuffle its board and increase shareholder returns. The FT reported that Bradley Radoff, whose investment firm Fondren is based in Houston, said in an open letter that Marston’s leadership had shown “indifference” to his calls last year to initiate a share buyback or dividend programme.

16 January 2026

Urban Pubs and Bars

Urban Pubs & Bars delivers ‘best Christmas ever’ to cap off ‘exceptional’ 2025

Urban Pubs & Bars, the London pub operator founded by Malc Heap and Nick Pring and backed by Davidson Kempner and Global Mutual, has told Propel it delivered its “strongest Christmas trading performance on record”, which capped off “an exceptional 2025 for the group”. The 66-strong business said trading throughout December was significantly ahead of last year, with like-for-like sales growth of 14.5% and a 40% increase in total covers. 

16 January 2026

You me Sushi

YouMeSushi aiming to grow to 50-strong estate within 18 months, plans to double that number over following few years

YouMeSushi, the restaurant and takeaway business, has told Propel it is aiming to grow to a 50-strong estate within 18 months – and plans to double that number over the following few years. It comes as the brand said it is set to open 14 sites in 2026 as it builds on three new launches in December.

16 January 2026

ETM Group reports record festive trading with like-for-like sales up 14%

ETM Group, the 17-strong, London-based operator, has reported record like-for-like sales growth for the Christmas and new year period. For the five weeks to 4 January 2026, the business said its like-for-like sales were up 14% against the same period last year.

16 January 2026

Plan Burrito

Plan Burrito planning to more than double in size to 40-plus stores this year

Tex Mex franchise Plan Burrito has said it is planning to more than double in size to 40-plus stores this year. Plan Burrito, founded in 2015 by former industrial pipe fitter Stephen Hopper, has since grown to 15 locations.

16 January 2026

JW Lees

JW Lees reports record December

North west brewer and retailer JW Lees has reported a record December. The company’s 49 managed houses led the charge, with Christmas Day sales up 20.5% on 2024, and over the six-week trading period to include Christmas and new year, retail sales were up 9.9%, with drink sales up 8.4%, food sales up 10.4% and bedroom sales up 15.7%.

16 January 2026

Wetherspoon

JD Wetherspoon certificated as top employer

JD Wetherspoon has been certificated as a top employer in the UK for 2026. This is the 21st time the pub company has been certificated by independent organisation the Top Employers Institute.

16 January 2026

Forbici, Manchester

Individual Restaurants sets sights on year of growth after ‘strong’ festive performance

Individual Restaurants, the Restaurant Bar & Grill and Forbici operator, has set its sights on a year of growth after a “strong” festive performance. The company said it outperformed the market, closing the year with record New Year’s Eve trading, with sales up 10% year on year.

15 January 2026

Smacks Hamburgers

Smash burger brand to focus overseas expansion on Middle East, system sales up more than 50% to over £8m in 2025

Smash burger brand Smacks has said it will focus its overseas expansion on the Middle East, as it reports system sales were up more than 50% to over £8m in 2025. Smacks, founded in 2021 by Kaysor Ali, last month opened its 15th UK location, and first equity store, in London’s Victoria.

15 January 2026

Rachel Reeves

Chancellor opens door to expanding business rates support to wider hospitality industry

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has opened the door to expanding her business rates U-turn beyond pubs to other hospitality businesses. Reeves said yesterday (Wednesday, 14 January) changes to business taxation would have to be carried out “in a balanced way” and details of a more generous transition package would be announced “in the days to come”.

15 January 2026

Toby Carvery, Mitchells & Butlers

M&B sees first-quarter like-for-likes up 4.5% following ‘very strong’ festive trading with record-breaking Christmas Day

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One, Toby Carvery and Harvester operator, has reported “very strong” trading over the festive season, including a record-breaking Christmas Day, increased its like-for-like sales in the 15 weeks to 10 January 2026 by 4.5% with total sales growth of 3.5% versus the prior year. During this period, food like-for-like sales increased 5.1%, with drink sales up 3.8%.

January 2026 ~ 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 McWinLuke Johnson, co-founder and partner of Risk Capital PartnersYasha Estraikh, associate partner at Piper Private EquityLizzie 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.

January 2026 ~ Premium Club

500 Report

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.

January 2026 ~ Premium Club

Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In this current edition, Mark Wingett, Propel’s chief operating officer – editorial, looks at the latest government-induced twists and turns, criticising the government mishandling of hospitality policy. Repeated missteps and U-turns on business rates have fuelled uncertainty, delayed investment and divided the sector. Short-term pub relief risks ignoring hotels and others. There is a need for  coherent, hospitality-wide reform, stability, and fair taxation that recognises the sector’s economic and social value. Meanwhile, Propel editorial advisor Katherine Doggrell investigates whether pubs and restaurants can learn from the hotels’ shift towards the platform model. She contrasts romanticised ideas of hospitality with reality. Hotels have evolved from ignoring the internet to becoming powerful platforms built on brands, loyalty and daily customer touchpoints. Groups like Accor and Marriott now dominate attention through ecosystems and partnerships. Meanwhile, pubs and restaurants risk falling behind unless they move beyond vibes, adopt smarter loyalty models and compete strategically for customer attention. Lastly, Lucky Voice co-founders Nick Thistleton and Martha Lane-Fox look at 20 years of the social entertainment brand. Lucky Voice began 20 years ago with minimal capital but a clear insight: people enjoy singing privately. Inspired by Japan’s karaoke model, the founders launched quickly, overcame major personal setbacks and relied on word of mouth to reach profitability fast. Through experimentation, they refined a private-room, experience-led model. Today, Lucky Voice runs six UK venues, international franchises and a fast-growing B2B arm, thriving on changing consumer habits.

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.

January 2026 ~ Premium Club

READ PREMIUM CLUB'S DIARY FOR INSIDER SECTOR GOSSIP

Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. This current edition outlines a period of intense change and activity across the UK hospitality sector, marked by consolidation, experimentation and political pressure. The Revel Collective, owner of Revolution, Revolución de Cuba and Peach Pubs, is racing to secure a sale, having warned shareholders they could be wiped out. Multiple bidders are assessing parts of the business, with particular interest in high-performing individual sites and the Peach Pubs estate, highlighting ongoing investor appetite for quality assets despite wider challenges. Neos Hospitality continues its expansion, announcing a major move into central London with the acquisition of the former Tiger Tiger site in Haymarket, potentially introducing a new dual-concept format. JD Wetherspoon, traditionally music-free, has surprised the market by trademarking “Disco Spoons”, suggesting DJ-led late-night formats could roll out in student-heavy locations. Elsewhere, Buzzworks Holdings has taken its first step into accommodation with the acquisition of a hotel, signalling ambitions to become a significant rooms-led operator. Fireaway founder Mario Aleppo has diversified with the launch of Crack Cookies, while continuing domestic and international growth of the pizza brand. Alongside these developments, mounting pressure on the government over business rates appears to be forcing another policy rethink, prompting vocal and sometimes theatrical protest ideas from operators. The update also notes senior hospitality executives taking on roles in football and community organisations, reinforcing the sector’s resilience, creativity and continued evolution despite financial and political uncertainty.

 

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.

15 January 2026

Blackpool’s LGBTQIA+ cabaret bar Funny Girls falls into administration little more than six months after being put up for sale

Blackpool’s LGBTQIA+ cabaret bar Funny Girls has fallen into administration, little more than six months after being put up for sale. Administrators have been appointed, although their identity has not yet been disclosed, and it is unclear whether the venue remains open for trading, reports The Business Desk.

15 January 2026

El Mexicana

Burrito business El Mexicana looking to open up to six new sites this year as it launches new dual concept store

Burrito business El Mexicana has told Propel it is looking to open up to six new sites this year as it strengthened its UK footprint with the opening of a dual concept store in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The opening brings together its El Mex Burrito Bar, sister dessert business Don Churro and a freshly launched breakfast offer in one destination.

15 January 2026

Carls Jr

David Moffat steps down as country manager for Carl’s Jr UK

David Moffat, formerly of Hero Brands and German Doner Kebab (GDK), has stepped down as Boparan Restaurant Group’s (BRG) country manager for Carl’s Jr UK. Moffat, who was head of franchising at Lucky B’s, the hot chicken concept based in Glasgow, joined BRG in the summer of 2024 to oversee the UK operation of its Carl’s Jr franchise.

15 January 2026

Fullers

Fuller’s reports like-for-like sales up 5.3% year to date with festive trading increasing 8.2%

Fuller’s has reported like-for-like sales for the 41 weeks to 10 January 2026 grew 5.3% as it maintained its growth momentum. Like-for-like sales for the five-week Christmas and new year period were “outstanding”, up 8.2% against the same period last year. The company said it  expected to complete the share buyback programme of one million “A” shares within the coming days, and the board has now approved a further buyback programme of up to an additional one million “A” shares, which will commence when the current programme has completed.

15 January 2026

Soho House

Soho House secures $200m alternative funding to complete $2.7bn take-private deal

Soho House shares rose after the company said it had entered into a new funding commitment agreement that will allow it to close a deal to go private – after its previous funding fell through. Shares climbed 12.8% to $8.93 in after-hours trading yesterday (Wednesday, 12 January).

15 January 2026

Gym Group begins £10m share buyback programme

Gym Group has begun a £10m share buyback programme. The company said it had entered into an irrevocable agreement with Peel Hunt to undertake the programme on the company’s behalf.

14 January 2026

Caffè Nero hires Lysa Hardy as new UK CEO

Caffe Nero has hired Lysa Hardy, formerly of Hotel Chocolat and T-Mobile, as the new chief executive of its circa 635-strong UK business. Hardy will begin her role immediately and will report to Gerry Ford, who remains as group chief executive.

14 January 2026

Rachel Reeves

Rachel Reeves insists ‘more temporary support’ for pubs coming, recognises how important hospitality sector is for UK

The business and assets of Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group Limited, the company which manages the operations of TGI Friday’s UK restaurants, have been acquired by Sugarloaf TGIF Operations in a pre-pack transaction which sees the transfer and continuing operation of 33 restaurants across the UK. Ryan Grant and Will Wright were appointed joint administrators to Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group Limited on 13 January 2026.

Watch highlights from this year’s Propel summer conference and party.

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To view pictures from the event click here

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