Music venues are in dire straits: V&A show asks how we can help Life&Style As the V&A opens its Lost Music Venues exhibition, James Balmont asks we can save the grassroots institutions under threat A trip to the V&A often conjures up images of great Renaissance sculptures, haute couture and centuries-old tapestries – but those patronising the Kensington institution this summer will find something very different. In Lost Music [...]
Family-owned Tottenham brewer falls into administration as industry pressures mount Hospitality A beloved family-owned Tottenham brewery that was a key player in London’s craft beer renaissance has fallen into administration amidst mounting cost pressures on the industry. Redemption Brewing Company, which was the first commercial brewery to open in Tottenham in nearly 100 years, is officially listed on the formal register of new insolvency appointments as [...]
Tesco deal helps Esquires Coffee owner to surge in sales as it eyes 300 stores Hospitality A fresh deal with Tesco helped the owner of the Esquires Coffee chain to a jump in turnover. Cooks Coffee Company, which is listed on Aquis, posted UK and Ireland store sales of £43.1m for the year to end March, a surge of 22.8 per cent. Pre-tax earnings rose 6.8 per cent to £529,000, while [...]
Adnams cuts alcohol content across range in beer overhaul May 27, 2026 Adnams has reported early signs of success in its beer range overhaul after reducing the alcoholic content across a number of products. The Suffolk-based brewer, famed for its 0.5 per cent Ghost Ship low-alcohol beer, took the decision last year to introduce more lower strength beers in a bid to capture consumer demand for lower [...]
Hollywood Bowl strikes share boom to defy consumer spending fears May 27, 2026 Hollywood Bowl shares have rocketed after the firm said Brits are prioritising nights out to the bowling alley over going shopping as they cut down on non-essential spending. The UK’s largest tenpin bowling operator said it has seen a “robust” performance even as consumer confidence plummets amid the Iran war, sending its share price up [...]
Oyster Shed: Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone helps pub chain Young’s to biggest day of takings in 200 years May 22, 2026 One of the Square Mile’s best-known watering holes has marked the biggest single day of takings of any venue owned by pub chain Young’s since it was founded nearly 200 years ago, City AM can reveal. And the Oyster Shed had a helping hand from one of the best-known names in UK television: Jeremy Clarkson, [...]
‘We’ll keep acquiring’: Young’s sets sights on buying up dozens more London pubs May 21, 2026 One of London’s biggest pub chains has said it wants to buy up dozens more pubs after cheering the success of recent takeovers. Young’s, which currently operates around 280 pubs across the country, has set a medium-term target of expanding its estate to 350 pubs. The group has been on a major acquisition spree over [...]
Old Spanish Hen? Estrella snaps up Greene King beer brand in UK expansion May 19, 2026 The British arm of Spanish beer giant Estrella is set to snap up Greene King’s iconic Old Speckled Hen beer as it continues to expand in the UK. Damm UK, the British arm of Barcelona based brewer S.A. Damm – which owns Estrella – will take on the entire line of Old Speckled Hen beers, [...]
Magners owner hits out at Reeves as hospitality crisis hits sales May 19, 2026 The maker of Magners and Bulmers cider missed its profit and revenue targets this year, blaming Rachel Reeves’ Budget and the “financial stress” it caused pubs and bars. C&C Group, which also owns the Orchard Pig and Jubel brands, said it is seeing resilient demand for cider and beer but plummeting sales of high-alcohol drinks [...]
Sign of the Dimes: Harry Styles Wembley run to drive £1bn spending frenzy May 19, 2026 Harry Styles’ 12-night Wembley residency is set to rake in more than £1bn in spending in the capital, smashing previous records set by Taylor Swift concertgoers. The Mancunian popstar is expected to attract £88.3m in spending per night, far higher than the £66.5m recorded during Taylor Swift’s UK Eras Tour dates in 2024, according to [...]