Reeves urged to increase alcohol taxes to tackle workplace drinking October 8, 2025 Pubs and restaurants up and down the country could be forced to serve up higher booze prices as Rachel Reeves has been urged to add fresh alcohol levies to her menu of tax rises at next month’s Budget. The Institute for Public Policy Research, a left-leaning think tank with close ties to the government, has [...]
Reeves must reject this finger-wagging, fun-sapping, tax-loving nonsense October 8, 2025 The Chancellor may have felt in need of a stiff drink after absorbing the latest productivity figures handed to her by the Office for Budget Responsibility, and who could blame her? The OBR is widely expected to have significantly downgraded its productivity forecasts while at the same time conceding that it’s been overestimating productivity growth [...]
Square Mile darling Farmer J bags $23m funding to take on New York October 7, 2025 London’s fast-casual darling Farmer J is heading across the pond after securing a $23m (£17.5m) funding round to launch its first New York flagship later this year, City AM can reveal. The investment, led by existing backer Beringea and joined by a new global hospitality investor, will also fuel three additional London openings before year-end, [...]
Chiltern Firehouse: Reopening date revealed after major fire October 6, 2025 A luxury London hotel popular with celebrities won’t reopen until April 2027 after a large fire earlier this year, it has been confirmed for the first time. Chiltern Firehouse in Chiltern Street, Marylebone, closed on 14 February after flames ripped through the Victorian four-storey building. The fire damaged parts of the ground floor, half of [...]
Claridge’s: Five-star London hotel falls into the red October 6, 2025 Claridge’s, the iconic five-star London hotel, has slipped into the red despite its revenue rising during its latest financial year, it has been revealed, amid major redevelopment work. For 2024, the hotel has posted a pre-tax loss of £5.4m, down from the £7.2m pre-tax profit it achieved in 2023. However, new accounts filed with Companies [...]
Wagamama owner sheds 2,000 jobs as losses widen October 2, 2025 The owner of Wagamama shed more than 2,000 jobs as its losses widened during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The Restaurant Group, whose other major brand is Brunning & Price, has posted a pre-tax loss of £32.2m for 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The total comes after the business [...]
KFC sheds jobs as UK profit jumps to almost £100m October 1, 2025 KFC has shed jobs in the UK and its profit surged to almost £100m during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The fast food giant has posted a pre-tax profit of £97.6m for 2024, up from the £59.1m profit it achieved in 2023. However, new accounts filed with Companies House also show that [...]
Hawksmoor: Steakhouse in the red despite record sales September 30, 2025 Steak restaurant chain Hawksmoor has fallen into the red despite its sales passing the £100m mark for the first time. The London-headquartered business reported a pre-tax loss of £1.6m for 2024, down from the £1.4m pre-tax profit it achieved in 2023. New accounts filed with Companies House also show its turnover increased over the same [...]
Popeyes creates nearly 700 UK jobs as sales double September 30, 2025 The UK arm of fast food restaurant chain Popeyes has created almost 700 jobs as its sales more than doubled, it has been revealed. The division of the US giant increased its headcount in this country from 1,492 to 2,179, new accounts filed with Companies House have confirmed. The results also show that its turnover [...]
Wolseley City launch sends Wolseley Group subsidiary sales past £10m September 30, 2025 Strong sales at Wolseley City have pushed a subsidiary of the eponymous restaurant group’s sales past £10m for the first time, its latest accounts show. The King William Street-based bar and restaurant, which opened in November 2023, helped turnover at the Wolseley Hospitality Group jump 85 per cent to £10.8m in 2024, alongside the launch [...]