Propel Premium Club
Join the Propel Premium Club to access our industry databases and sector reports, receive hospitality’s leading newsletter first and view vital video content. Get event discounts and essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus much more.
Find out more below and join today.
Operators pay £495 (+ VAT) and Suppliers £595 (+VAT)
Click the button to email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
Everything you need
Pricing and Benefits
Premium Club
Supplier: £595 + VAT / per year
- Receive the Morning Briefing newsletter 11 hours early at 7pm each evening
- Receive Breaking News
- Exclusive access to 100 videos from Propel conferences & webinars
- Receive the Experiential Leisure report
- 20% discount on tickets to five Propel paid-for events
- Operators can send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free
- Receive the Propel database of multi-site companies, updated every month
- Receive the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book, updated every month
- Receive the Propel database of new openings, updated every month
- Receive the Propel UK Food and Beverage Franchisor database
- Receive the Propel UK Food and Beverage Franchisee database
- Receive the Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage database
- Read Propel insight editor Mark Wingett’s weekly analysis and City Diary
- Plus insight from leading commentators
Premium Club Unlimited
- Unlimited access for your company
- Receive the Morning Briefing newsletter 11 hours early at 7pm each evening
- Receive Breaking News
- Exclusive access to 100 videos from Propel conferences & webinars
- Receive the Experiential Leisure report
- 20% discount on tickets to five Propel paid-for events
- Operators can send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free
- Receive the Propel database of multi-site companies, updated every month
- Receive the Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book, updated every month
- Receive the Propel database of new openings, updated every month
- Receive the Propel UK Food and Beverage Franchisor database
- Receive the Propel UK Food and Beverage Franchisee database
- Receive the Who’s Who of UK Food and Beverage database
- Read Propel insight editor Mark Wingett’s weekly analysis and City Diary
- Plus insight from leading commentators
Get access to our unique industry databases
Premium Club membership entitles access to six regular updated databases sent to you throughout the year.
Multi-Site Database
Propel’s leading database provides the details of more than 3,100 multi-site operators and has been designed so Premium Club members are able to search the data segmented into key industry sectors such as pubs and bars, cafe bakery, quick service restaurants, casual dining, fine dining, hotel and experiential leisure. New companies are added every month and details available include number of sites, key staff and Companies House and website information.
Frequency: Monthly
New Openings Database
A database that focuses on each month’s newly announced openings and upcoming launches. It shows the details of which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future and has details on why type of site it is, its location and a website link so you can find out more about them. The database will also be delivered in an easy to search excel sheet and segmented into seven key categories of cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars and quick service restaurants.
Frequency: Monthly
Turnover & Profits Blue Book
A database that provides an overview of companies’ financial figures for the past five years, ranking them by turnover and profit conversion. It also shows directors’ earnings over five years. The latest edition of the Blue Book has details of 926 companies. A total of 584 companies are making a profit while 342 are reporting losses.
Frequency: Monthly
Who’s Who of UK Hospitality
The Who’s Who of UK Hospitality Database is the first time full profiles of the more than 870 of the UK’s top hospitality operators are available in one place.
Frequency: Monthly
UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database
A database that provides a guide to the companies offering a food and beverage franchise in the UK. The latest edition features 260 companies, providing insight on the offer, locations, cost and other key details.
Frequency: Every two months.
UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database
The UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database is the first time that profiles of 150 of the top food and beverage franchisees have been available in one place in the UK. The go-to database includes franchise operators running Costa Coffee, McDonald’s and Domino’s sites.
Frequency: Every two months.
Other Benefits
Premium Club membership entitles access to six regular updated databases sent to you throughout the year.
Sector reports
Experiential Leisure Report – A new report produced by Propel in 2024 on the fast-growing experiential leisure sector. The report profiles the shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The 2024 report includes more than 190 companies, 3,500 sites and a 35,000-word report. Premium Club members can receive it on Thursday, 1 August for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to Premium members on Tuesday, 10 September at 9am.
Get the latest hospitality news first
Propel leads the industry in exclusives and breaking news. Propel Premium Members receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers.
20% discount for Propel events
Members get a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including Social Media for Profit, the Talent and Training Conference and Restaurant Marketer and Innovator. Plus, Operator members will be able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi Club Conferences for free.
Vital video content
Premium members receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year.
Exclusive newsletter
Premium Club members will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers.
Exclusive Premium Opinion columns every Friday
These are sent to Premium members every Friday at 5pm. These include the thoughts of Propel Group Editor, Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector.
Gain access to 100 critical business insight videos every year with Premium Club
Join Propel’s Premium Club and unlock exclusive access to 100 insightful videos each year, featuring key sector insights from our industry-leading conferences. Hear directly from hospitality leaders as they share the latest trends, their paths to success, and future predictions shaping the industry. Premium members can start watching these essential videos now—just email Kai Kirkman at kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com. Not a member yet? Contact Kai to join and gain access to a wealth of resources. In addition to our video content, you’ll receive exclusive Propel Opinion pieces from top industry commentators, access to our sector-leading databases, early access to hospitality’s foremost newsletter, and enjoy discounts on events.
Operators pay £495 (+ VAT) and Suppliers £595 (+VAT)
Restaurant Marketer and Innovator 2025 – Day 1 (12 videos)
OFFICIAL WELCOME: Think Hospitality managing partner and RM&I co-founder, James Hacon, welcomes the audience with a whistle stop tour of significant events and trends of the past year in the restaurant industry.
STATE OF THE NATION: Mark Bentley, business development director at Hospitality Data Insights, presents a detailed analysis of key market trends in the UK hospitality sector. Gain insights into spending dynamics, customer profiles, and successful operators, plus strategies for data-driven decision-making.
STRATEGY 2025 – LEADERS ON INNOVATION AND GROWTH: Industry leaders take to the stage to discuss their market outlook, focuses for 2025, where they’ll be looking to innovate and evolve their brand. Mark Wingett, group editor at Propel in conversation with Keith Bird, former CEO, Marugame Udon Europe, Tasos Gaitanos, co-founder of Brother Marcus, Graham Hall, chief development officer at Drake & Morgan, Lisa Buckley, chief retail officer at BrewDog.
TURNING FANS INTO SUPERFANS: Katy Moses, managing director at KAM, shares new research on how hospitality brands can go beyond customer loyalty and create brand obsession, followed by a panel of senior marketers discussing their sources of inspiration and sharing their strategies for building brands that create loyal, passionate fans. Panel: Shona Campbell, chief marketing and growth officer at Ottolenghi, Andreia Harwood, marketing director – EMEA at Wingstop, Emma King, chief marketing officer at Hawksmoor, and Louise Philip, global group marketing director at The Wolseley Hospitality Group.
POWER TO THE MARKETER – NOW IS THE TIME FOR MARKETEERS:Data has never been more available (and valuable); finally Hospitality can match how ecommerce and retail do CRM marketing. We know who, what, where and how much guests are spending, their frequency of visit and their loyalty to brands. We know what channels are delivering and we can leverage significant returns. Dan Brookman, lifelong hospitality marketer and chief executive of Airship and Toggle, will talk through industry benchmarks, case studies and share actionable data for the sector marketers to drive additional budget and gain business focus.
IT STARTS WITH FOOD – DRIVING COMMERCIAL SUCCESS THROUGH PRODUCT INNOVATION: Laura Mimoun, chief marketing officer at Fulham Shore, delves into the organisational dynamics that enable food teams to drive effective menu innovation. With case studies from Franco Manca and The Real Greek, Laura will explore the role of data in making informed decisions, when innovation should be embraced and when to avoid the temptation.
BEYOND LOCAL – TRANSFORMING MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR NATIONAL IMPACT: Andrew Gallagher, brand and marketing director at Greene King, discusses the shift from their changing strategy from local to national marketing strategies. Uncover essential tactics to enhance your brand’s visibility and effectiveness on a larger scale.
BUILDING COMMUNITY AND DEEPER CONNECTION: Industry leaders explore the vital role of community engagement in hospitality. They’ll reveal effective strategies for leveraging physical spaces to create meaningful connections with customers and foster loyalty to ultimately drive increased repeat visitation. Rosie Prior, managing director at Me:Mo, in conversation with Lucy Harwood, brand and marketing director at Boston Tea Party Cafes, Russell Danks, managing director at Laine Pub Co, and Lesley Mcilroy, sales and marketing director at Ole & Steen.
CAMPAIGNS THAT CUT THROUGH: Hospitality marketing consultant James Mobbs reviews campaigns from more than 100 hospitality groups and highlights the power of missed opportunities across websites, data capture and email marketing. Discover effective tactics for database growth and learn how to elevate your marketing strategy.
MARKETING IN 2025 – TRENDS, TACTICS AND TRANSFORMATION: Leaders will share their vision for marketing in 2025, outlining the key trends and strategies shaping the future. They will discuss what successful brands will start doing, what they will stop doing, and what they will focus on more in the coming years. Mark McCulloch, founder and chief executive at Supersonic Inc, in conversation with Nicole Goodwin, group marketing director at Comptoir Group, Ali Earl-Gray, head of marketing and events at Kricket, Michelle Farrell, group sales and marketing director at Nightcap, and Gabby Tomlinson, marketing director at Lane7.
GROWING SALES AND ENHANCING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THOUGH TECHNOLOGY: Omnichannel has reshaped the restaurant industry, especially amid rising labour costs. Our panel will discuss how restaurants can leverage digital tools, from online ordering and delivery to in-store experiences, while maintaining key human touch points to enhance guest satisfaction; optimising customer interactions, boosting efficiency and fostering loyalty. Mark Galvin, vice-president of strategic program development at Bloomreach, in conversation with Matt Griffin, digital operations manager (EMEA) at Subway, and David Carey, chief technology oficer at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.
RESTAURANT OF THE FUTURE: By harnessing the exceptional expertise of the industry’s top leaders right here in the audience, we will crowdsource the latest trends and groundbreaking innovations, embracing artificial intelligence technologies to shape the future of our industry.
Restaurant Marketer and Innovator 2025 – Day 2 (11 videos)
WINNING STRATEGIES – PRICING, PRODUCT AND PROMOTION POWER PLAYS: Maria Vanifatova, chief executive and founder of Meaningful Vision, examines the key drivers shaping the sector in 2025. She delves into price trends, menu strategies, and the latest developments in digital and targeted promotions, providing valuable insights for businesses navigating the evolving landscape. Panel: Joanna Richardson, marketing director at Heartwood Collection, Siobhan Lloyd, head of marketing at 200 Degrees Coffee, and Mariam French, marketing director at Leon.
THE POWER OF BRAND EXTENSIONS: Morena Oliveira, marketing director at Lina Stores, shares how the brand has extended beyond its deli roots into restaurants, catering, branded product lines and bars. Discover the strategies behind creating profitable brand extensions that retain authenticity while capturing new markets.
GROWING SALES THROUGH MENU INSIGHTS: Steven Pike, managing director at HGEM, shares data-driven insights into menu optimisation. He’ll explore how to decide which dishes to add or remove, the ideal menu length, and how reliable sales volume is as a success indicator. He also discusses the influence of individual dishes on overall net promoter score. Following the presentation, a panel delve into these topics, offering practical strategies for improving menu performance and guest satisfaction. Panel: Lizzie Isles, head of food and drink at Côte Brasserie, Claire Scullion, managing director of The Menu Scientist, and Chris Stagg, brand director of Peach Pubs.
BUILDING TRUST AND CONVERTING EYEBALLS TO FOOTFALL: With 90% of consumers trusting user generated content over traditional ads, creators are an important element of the modern marketing mix. During this panel, four marketers share their insights on what resonates with followers, drives engagement and activates their audiences, discussing strategies that create real-life conversion. Michael Radley, co-founder at Joli, in conversation with Hannah Brennan, head of marketing at Bone Daddies Group, Amy Honeyford, head of marketing at NQ64, Kate De Salis, social media and digital marketing manager at Little Door & Co, and Dylan Yelavich, head of marketing at Market Halls.
INNOVATION BLUEPRINT – DRIVING MAXIMUM IMPACT: Claire Small, marketing director, and Polly Lamy, head of commercial and brand at Elior UK, share a blueprint for innovation to drive maximum impact. They explore key business outcomes and identify five value creation drivers. With real-life examples of success and “epic learns” driving brand awareness, cost reduction, sales increase, efficiency and more, they will guide you through a failsafe innovation process, from defining objectives to trial, rollout and continuous optimisation.
BRINGING CUSTOMER VOICE INTO THE BOARDROOM: Leading executives discuss how the customer voice drives strategy, innovation, and business improvements, focusing on how support teams stay connected to guest experiences and integrate feedback into boardroom decisions to drive meaningful change. Olivia Fitzgerald, managing director at Feed It Back, in conversation with Tom James, managing director at Bill’s Restaurants, Jonathan Arana-Morton, chief executive of The Breakfast Club, and Nicola Blackford, chief commercial officer at State of Play Hospitality.
AI – THE FUTURE IS SERVED: Peter Critchley, chief executive at Trison UK, speaks about how technology is enhancing operations throughout the sector. He explores how innovation is addressing guest pain points, improving commerciality and streamlining processes. He uses the example of Trison’s work with Merlin Entertainments.
LEVERAGING LOYALTY TO DRIVE INCREMENTAL SPEND AND ADDITIONAL VISITS: Jessica Cooke, director of media and loyalty at Stonegate Group, shares insights from her grocery sector experience and how she applied them to hospitality. She will discuss leveraging consumer insights to drive visits, boost spending, and encourage product trials, as well as the success of the MiXR app, which revolutionised the guest experience and achieved one million downloads with support from top drinks brands.
WHAT BRINGS GUESTS BACK – INSIGHTS INTO GUEST LOYALTY: Zoe Knowles, commercial specialist at Access Hospitality, shares the highlights of consumer research into what drives guests to return, recommend, and spend more at your venue. From loyalty programmes to personalised experiences and exceptional service, we’ll share key insights from our latest consumer research to help you build stronger guest relationships and boost retention.
FIRESIDE CHAT – UNLOCKING REVENUE POTENTIAL: Laura Irving, chief marketing officer at JKS Restaurants, our 2024 Innovators of the Year, is interviewed about effective revenue optimisation techniques and how to collaborate with founders to cultivate fresh, innovative ideas that drive business growth, carefully balancing commercially and brand to navigating today’s competitive landscape.
AI RESTAURANT CHALLENGE: Rob O’Beirne, VP of revenue at Nory introduces this session discussing opportunities that AI presents for the restaurant industry. Then our hospitality experts team featuring Anthony Knight, marketing and brand strategy consultant, Claire Scullion, managing director of The Menu Scientist, and Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, pitch their concept for a restaurant that they created with the help of AI.
Multi Club – October 2024
(13 Videos)
Emma Bernardez, head of hospitality at haysmacintyre, talks to Lizzie Ryan, partner at Imbiba, Robin Rowland, partner at TriSpan, Andrew Fishwick, founder of Hestia, and Craig Rachel, director at AlixPartners, about the current investment market, where the buyer activity is centred and what is the current investment criteria in a volatile market.
Tim Shield, partner at leading sector licencing firm John Gaunt, will examine all the key legal developments that impacted multi-site operators in 2024, set out the latest legislation impacting the industry, analyse the immediate and long-term legislative commitments a new government must consider if it is to aid the sector’s return to growth.
Nick Kleiner of Sandwich Sandwich, which last October won the £100,000 top prize in the Uber Eats restaurant of the year awards, discusses how the business is updating the humble sandwich for a new generation, its launch in London and wider expansion plans.
Sophia Handschuh, founder of Sourdough Sophia, the London micro bakery concept that last summer raised £500,000 through a crowdfunding campaign, on how the business is looking to bring something new to the bakery/café category and plans for further sites.
Ben Lacey, managing director of Insomnia Cookies UK, discusses the late-night bakery brand’s entry into the UK market, creating a highly engaged community on social media – especially with Gen Z consumers, and its ambition to build a nationwide presence.
David Campbell, the former chief executive of PizzaExpress and Wagamama, and chair of Gaucho owner Rare Restaurants, and Ole & Steen, talks to Propel’s Mark Wingett about the progress of both businesses and his take on the issues impacting the wider market.
Gillian Nicholson, sales director at Zonal, talks to Rosie Lewis-Marsh, advisor to Our Yummy Collection, and Kat Schofield, head of sales and marketing at Gusto, about customer loyalty in hospitality and how this compares to other sectors, including a deep dive into the DNA of loyalty and what that means outside of loyalty programmes and reward schemes.
Des Gunewardena, founder of the D3 Collective and co-founder of D&D London, talks about on his return to the hospitality sector, his three new projects with a focus on “landmark sites”, the need to provide alternative points of difference and his take on the London market.
Making delivery work for you – panelists including Mark Finch, head of enterprise for Uber Eats UK&I, Joe Heather, general manager of UK&I at Deliverect, Megan Burton-Brown, marketing director at Tortilla, and Máté Kun, chief executive and co-founder of Growth Kitchen discuss the evolving role of delivery in the sector, the key trends and what the next phase of food delivery will look like for operators and consumers.
Michael Clarke, managing director of Wendy’s UK and Europe, discusses the return of the third-largest quick service restaurant brand in the US, to these shores, the challenges and opportunities of launching here again, its relationship with its franchisees, and where the business goes from here.
Adam Martin, managing director of Tesco Hospitality, talks about evolving the F&B offer across circa 500 in-store cafes at the UK’s leading supermarket business, how the company stays on top of consumer trends and its work with sector brands.
Andy Hornby, chief executive of The Restaurant Group, talks to Propel’s Mark Wingett about the company’s plans for Wagamama and Brunning & Price, the role the group’s Concessions business plays, and his thoughts on where the wider sector goes from here.
Ben Fogle, the TV personality who has summited Everest, raced to the South Pole and rowed the Atlantic, talks about overcoming adversity, teamwork and leadership.
Talent & Training – October 2024
(12 Videos)
Katy Moses, managing director of sector insight consultancy KAM, talks through exclusive research on the current state of recruitment and retention across the sector, and where it could be doing better.
Kathryn York, chief people officer at KFC UK and Ireland, talks through the success of the brands “The Hatch” youth employment programme, which looks to help young people into their first job, and its “The Kentucky Club”, which hosts jobs-based pop-up events around the country for young people.
Ceri Gott, chief growth and culture officer at Hawksmoor, explains why HR professionals and people leaders are the financial engines and brain surgeons in their businesses.
Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, looks at how the sector ensures it maximises the benefits of inclusivity and diversity with panelists including Hannah Plumb, talent and culture director at The Alchemist, Raj Jones, head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Sodexo, and Georgina Warren, global diversity, equity and inclusion director, at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
The Culture Debate – Defining, creating, developing and improving culture is often quite a mysterious art. No one metric can quantify it and everyone defines it so differently. This panel featuring Trudi Parr of Mollies, Jane Sunley of Hendrick & Hyde, Craig Bunting of Bear Coffee, and Josh Light of The Sababah Group, will debate their thoughts on all things culture and why it supersedes everything – Hosted by Abi Dunn, founder of Sixty Eight People.
To Test or not to Test? L&D heavy weights, including Tom Vivace, head of talent at Turtle Bay, Gina Knight, head of people at Flat Iron, and Rachel Masing, people director at ETM, debate the pros and cons of psychometric profiling. Has anyone found the magic formula that correlates pre appointment testing and high performance? – Hosted by Abi Dunn, founder of Sixty Eight People.
High impact people teams: Josie Adam, Jenni Haywood and Dominique Macaly who head up the Incipio Group’s people team talk about the incredible culture they have created and their new strategy for the company’s upcoming flagship Olympia project – Hosted by Abi Dunn, founder of Sixty Eight People.
Karen Turton, founder of Purple Story, discusses the challenges around career development in a fast-moving, broad sector with Barrie Robinson, operations director at Parkdean Resorts, Mat Heather, group operations director at Old Spike Roastery, Travis Fish, operations director at Comptoir Libanais, and Valerie Graham, operations director at Premier Inn.
Liz Robertson, people director of the Inn Collection, delves into the award-winning company’s mission statement of “making people happy”, which aims to support its people in their personal and professional development.
Matt Hudson, people director at Popeyes UK, talks about creating and evolving a people culture whilst opening up to 30 sites a year.
Greene King’s people and culture director Vickie Elsey, on how the brewer and pub operator is championing diversity and inclusion through various training programmes, including reverse mentoring, which flips organisational hierarchy on its head.
Jill Scatchard, HR director at Oakman Group, on how the award-winning business has kept its staff retention at an all-time high, how its ongoing efforts in six core pillars of engagement; Reward & Recognition, Information Sharing, Empowerment, Wellbeing, Instilling Pride and Job satisfaction, continue to gain it recognition in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, and how ensuring it provides a positive workplace and commitment to the wellbeing of our team, pays dividends.
Multi Club – September 2024 (12 videos)
Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s director, talks about what the data says about the current sector landscape, the growth drivers and what is really resonating with consumers.
Meg Farren, managing director of KFC UK, discusses changing the perception of the fast-food operator – from becoming more transparent with its supply chain and more sustainable, and how the circa £2bn business plans to open an additional 500 sites in the next 10 years.
Alex Large and Tasos Gaitanos, co-founders of Brother Marcus, the eastern Mediterranean restaurant concept, talk about expanding in the capital and building a support team to help it maintain its high standards as it grows.
Éadaoin McDonagh, managing director of Lina Stores, discusses how the restaurant and deli concept is leading a new generation of pasta-led operators in redefining the category.
Andy Waugh, co-founder of Sixes Social Cricket, discusses the creation of the competitive socialising concept, its growth in the UK, launching in the US, its international ambitions, franchising and being backed by the England Cricket captain.
Steve Holmes, chief executive of the Azzurri Group, discusses the group’s evolution into a hospitality investment platform, the continued growth of its core brands ASK Italian and Zizzi, the next stage in Coco di Mama’s journey and the potential of Boojum.
Neil Sebba, managing director of Tossed, the healthy eating brand, talks about buying a brand that you love, and rebuilding it in the face of a pandemic.
Simon Mitchell, chief executive of Kerb, discusses expanding both the food hall and catering parts of the business in the UK and internationally, what sets its market concept apart, how it nurtures food entrepreneurs and what the future holds for the street food sector.
Robin Rowland OBE, operating partner at leading sector investment firm TriSpan, the current backer of Rosa’s Thai, Pho, Mowgli and Thunderbird Fried Chicken, talks to Propel’s Mark Wingett about the current landscape – trading and investment, taking learnings from his 35 years in the industry, and his views on what businesses need to do to ensure they continue to adapt and grow over the next year and beyond.
Given that the sector is about to experience a new wave of M&A activity, David Roberts, leading hospitality sector corporate lawyer from global law firm CMS, explains best practice for founders and backers who are considering selling their hospitality business or raising further investment.
Roxy Leisure’s co-founder Matt Jones, and managing directors Ben Warren and Colin Sadler discusses how the business is standing out in the increasingly crowded competitive socialising market, how the group’s King Pins concept is looking to redefine family entertainment and how they see the category evolving.
Marcel Khan, chief executive of Fulham Shore, the Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator, talks about earning consumer loyalty “one meal at a time”, why expansion for the two brands will be a “marathon and not a sprint”, and looking to continue to create value for customers.
Multi Club – June 2024
(12 Videos)
Melissa Wisdom, chief commercial officer at Stonegate, talks about her own journey to the board of Stonegate, the move from supplier to operator and her observations and learnings along the way.
Operators panel: Ann Elliott talks to Angelina Harrison, brand director at Tossed and NED at Megan’s, Susan Chappell, divisional director, at Mitchells & Butlers, Kate Eastwood, managing director of Lounge, and Sophia Handschuh, chief executive of Sourdough Sophia, about the role of operations in the sector and how to be an exceptional ops leader in turbulent times.
Fiona Hathorn, chief executive of Women on Boards, advisory panel member for the Financial Reporting Council, advisor to Peel Hunt, discusses the pathways for women to reach board level in hospitality.
Entrepreneurs panel: Buns from Home chief executive Shereen Ritchie talks to Sunaina Sethi, co-founder JKS restaurants, Eadaoin McDonagh, chief operating officer White Rabbit projects and managing director of Lina Stores, and Bharti Radix, founder of BloomsYard, about the joys and challenges of being an entrepreneur and their advice to others looking to launch a business in the hospitality sector.
Buns from Home chief executive Shereen Ritchie discusses leadership, inspiration and motivation.
Mallika Basu, food and drink industry commentator, food entrepreneur and the author of two cookbooks, talks about the importance of self-belief in achieving personal goals and ambitions.
Helen Jones, non-executive director at Fuller’s, talks to Ann Elliott about her journey to joining the board and her advice to others wanting to explore the same career path.
Debbie Husband, managing director of Big Table Group’s Leisure Division, talks about loving the opportunity and freedom to make positive changes in her role and the impact those changes are making on business performance.
Chief executives and managing directors panel: Shereen Ritchie discusses the skills required to run a sector business, looking to inspire and motivate others with Olivia Immesi, chief executive of Native Places, Amber Wood, chief operating officer at New World Trading Company, and Caroline Ottoy, managing director of Watchhouse.
Start-up panel: Three women entrepreneurs who have started a food business thanks to the Kerb incubator programme talk about their experiences so far. They are: Carly Wan of Homeland, Amani AL-Sitrawi of Amani Kitchen, and Lily Smith of STAKEhaus.
Marketing panel: Ann Elliott talks about the role of today’s marketers on hospitality boards and how they should be the driving force of business success with Andreia Harwood, marketing director at Wingstop, Joanna Richardson, marketing director Heartwood, Rebecca Di Mambro, marketing director at Popeyes, and Michelle Farrell, sales and marketing director at Nightcap.
Clair Preston-Beer, managing director Greene King, talks about how to be an energetic leader, thrive on challenges and recognise opportunities to broaden personal experience and skills.
Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing – May 2024 (11 Videos)
Stephen Owens, managing director – pubs and restaurants at Christie & Co, sets the scene for the market, with an update on sector valuations, price expectations, market sentiment, who the buyers and sellers are, and what’s in store for the year ahead.
Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, talks about the areas where the pub sector is and has been performing strongly and where the opportunities are for the sector to drive growth.
Jonathan Lawson, chief executive of Liberation Group, discusses how the award-winning business has maintained its high standards whilst continuing to grow its mainland estate, the development of its bedrooms business as its targets a 700-bedrooms division, and the integration of the Cirrus Inns business, including its entry into the London market.
Oisin Rogers talks about the creation and running of The Devonshire, the Soho-based pub that incorporates three-metre-long bespoke wood ember grill, the first of its kind in the UK; an on-site aging chamber that is the biggest in central London; its own bakery; three dining rooms; and the extraordinary lengths they have gone to deliver the perfect pint of Guinness.
Peter Borg-Neal, founder of the Oakman Group, talks about maintain the company’s award- winning standards against the backdrop of a volatile trading environment, his return as chief executive and the sector must remain agile and respond quickly to the extraneous pressures it is facing.
Susan Chappell, divisional director at Mitchells & Butlers, who is responsible for the All Bar One, Browns, Nicholson’s and Castle estates, which have an annual turnover of £500m, highlights how M&B is evolving its business to stay abreast of trends in digital and premiumisation, and how its business transformational programme Ignite is delivering ongoing improvements.
Andy Spencer, chief operating officer and Robin Belither, managing director at Punch Pubs & Co, talk about the building the company’s managed partnerships division from scratch, the journey the division has been on, its successes, learnings and what comes next.
James Brown, chief executive of BrewDog Bars, discusses the company’s growth so far in the UK and internationally, and its plans for the future.
Chris Stagg, who heads up the Revolution Bars Group-owned Peach Pubs, speaks about the evolving and growing the business under new ownership, standing out in the premium pub market, and creating an award-winning culture.
Philip Turner, managing director of Chestnut Inns, talks about creating sustainable rural managed pubs and diversifying the business, such as acquiring a wine merchant, as part of its growth strategy.
Shepherd Neame managing director Jonathon Swaine, Greene King managing director Clair Preston-Beer, City Pub Group founder Clive Watson, Debbie Whittingham, employee director at JD Wetherspoon, and sector investor Luke Johnson talk about the challenge the sector faces in ensuring it maximises the performance of its pub assets in an era of declining alcohol sales.
Multi Club – March 2024
(11 Videos)
Graeme Smith, managing director at AlixPartners, maps out the current investment landscape in the sector, the main buyers, sellers’ expectations and what the rest of the year may bring.
Stephen Freeman, chief executive of Freeman Event Partners, talks about how the business has grown from a fish & chip van at Silverstone to be the F&B provider at Wembley, Lord’s, Twickenham, and the British Grand Prix, and how it is playing its part in the evolution of the consumer/fan experience.
William Gordon-Harris, chief executive of Knoops, discusses the growth of the luxury hot chocolate shop concept, its unique offer and how it plans to “create the new Starbucks for quality barista hot and cold chocolate drinks”.
Florian de Chezelles, co-founder at The Salad Project, which was voted the top restaurant in the UK & Ireland as part of Uber Eats’ Restaurant of the Year Awards. receiving £100,000 to build and expand the business, talks about launching a next generation salad bar concept into the highly competitive central London market.
Rob Huysinga, the co-founder of all-day restaurant and bar concept Bubba Oasis, focuses on building a presence in the capital and the challenges and opportunities provided when operating a business that offers co-working space, a restaurant, bar and nightclub.
Nisha Katona, founder of Indian street food concept Mowgli, talks to Mark Wingett about growing into a national brand, the challenge of keeping close to the brand’s growing consumer base, and what comes next for the business both in the UK and internationally.
Charlie Elek, managing director of Lucky Voice, sets out how the company’s major programme of growth, expansion and investment has been galvanised through operating systems which ensure clearer, more systematic thinking and planning.
Alastair Scott, founder of S4labour, highlights how sector companies are improving engagement with their teams, in discussion with Gary Cowles, director of operations at Super8 Restaurants (Brat and Mountain), author Dulcie Swanston, Adam Martin, managing director of Tesco Hospitality, and Dan Hawkie, chief commercial officer at TiPJAR.
Marcello Distefano, managing director of restaurant group San Carlo, talks to Katherine Doggrell about building and evolving a premium casual-dining business both in the UK and internationally, combating volatile trading patterns, and placing greater trust in his teams.
Raja Adil, group chief executive of the Adil Group, talks about building one of the largest family-owned QSR operators in the UK, becoming a high calibre growth partner for KFC, Costa, Burger King, Taco Bell, owning and operating fully-serviced boutique hotels, its freehold approach and how it remains “growth hungry”.
Sir Tim Martin, founder and chairman of JD Wetherspoon, talks to Mark Wingett about the current state of the UK pub market, the continued growth of JDW, and the evolution of its offer. They will also be joined by Emma Gibson, one of the company’s ‘employee directors’ to discuss group’s approach to corporate governance.
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