Whitbread food sales slump after revealing exit from restaurant arm Hospitality Whitbread has seen food and drink sales slump after it revealed its divisive decision to sell its restaurants and pivot to a hotels-only business. The Premier Inn owner said food and drink sales fell by five per cent to £148m in the three months to the end of May, compared to a three per cent [...]
Casamigos brings pint-shaped margaritas to London pubs for World Cup Life&Style England vs Croatia is mere hours away, now’s the time to get into London and order yourself a nice glass of something cold and boozy. To that end, Casamigos Tequila will be selling World Cup-themed margaritas served in tiny pint-shaped glasses. You can pick one up at bars including The Audley, The Blue Posts, Copeland [...]
Struggling Pizza Hut snapped up by private equity in $2.7bn deal Hospitality Struggling restaurant chain Pizza Hut is set to be offloaded to private equity by its owner Yum Brands in a $2.7bn deal. Most of the pizza giant’s global operations will be sold to Long Range Capital just months after 250 restaurants were put on the chopping block. Pizza Hut’s locations in mainland China are excluded [...]
Brits urged to back UK pubs during World Cup amid booking surge June 16, 2026 Brits have been urged to support their World Cup team by getting down to the local pub amid a four-fold increase in bookings for England games. The UK hospitality sector is set for a 42 per cent sales boost across the group stages of the World Cup – with kick-off times in the US, Canada [...]
Everyman set to quit London stock exchange over investor pressure June 16, 2026 Luxury cinema chain Everyman is set to drop its London listing over pressure from its shareholders, including an investment firm poised to trigger a takeover bid. Everyman said on Tuesday that it is likely to recommend to its shareholders that it drops its listing on the challenger AIM market, sending its share price plummeting. The [...]
‘Poorly designed’ policies threatening London’s grip on global tourism June 15, 2026 London’s competitiveness as a leading culture and tourism destination is being undermined by “poorly designed” policies, the West End’s leading business advocate has warned. Dee Corsi, chief executive of the New West End Company (NWEC), has said that London is “competing with one hand tied behind its back” compared to global rivals whose policymakers are [...]
Hospitality leaders ramp up pressure on Labour to slash VAT June 11, 2026 Leaders of top hospitality firms have ramped up pressure on Labour to slash VAT, which they warn is leading to hundreds of thousands of job losses. Pub chains JD Wetherspoon, Fuller’s and Greene King, as well as hotel giant Hilton and Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, have thrown their weight behind a campaign to cut Value [...]
Fuller’s slams ‘unprecedented government interference’ in pub sector June 10, 2026 The boss of Fuller’s has slammed Labour for “unprecedented government interference” into the pub sector, which he says is to blame for 5,800 pubs closing in a decade. Simon Emeny, executive chairman of Fuller, Smith and Turner, has launched a broadside against the government’s hikes to business rates, national insurance contributions and alcohol duty. “When [...]
‘Reason to be optimistic’: Hospitality bosses say World Cup a lifeline for pubs June 9, 2026 Pub bosses are hoping for a much-needed boost from the World Cup this summer, as the hospitality industry warns of a crushing tax and cost burden. Leading pub chains Greene King and JD Wetherspoon have told City AM they are hoping for a “useful boost” to counteract the “layering of costs” they have faced in [...]
Services industry falters as activity plummets amid Iran conflict fallout June 8, 2026 The UK’s services sector’s economic activity and performance declined sharply last month as fallout from the Iran conflict continues to impact businesses, according to new figures. According to data on the latest business trends from accountancy and advisory firm BDO, a drop in sales and fragile client confidence led to a drop in the services [...]