Knight Frank appointed for bumper Brighton Palace Pier sale January 2, 2026 Knight Frank has been instructed on the sale of Brighton Palace Pier, two months after the Grade II-listed landmark’s owners revealed their plans to offload the amusement park amid a barrage of economic headwinds. The Brighton Pier Group appointed the property giant to seek a buyer for the coastal attraction, which its operator said in [...]
Could D&D give a shot in the arm to London’s hospitality sector? December 24, 2025 We visited a D&D cafe transforming nightlife in an unloved corner of Elephant and Castle. Can Matt Kenyon slay the goblins facing hospitality? Burrowed within an almost cartoonishly dodgy corner of Elephant and Castle is a nerd’s nirvana. Finance bros sweep in from the Square Mile to swap gilets for broadswords and elven ears. I [...]
Who made the naughty list in the wine world in 2025? December 23, 2025 This was another fascinating year in the world of wine, with some great initiatives and events celebrating the people who make this vital and brilliant industry tick. But there were also some things on my naughty list… read on to find out who made the cut. Nice List – Aldi Aldi’s wine department is fantastic, [...]
What I have learned from eight years of sober Christmas December 22, 2025 The last time I had alcohol on Christmas Day was 2017, at the age of 40. This year will mark—excuse me while I count on my fingers—my eighth sober Christmas, enough to make a statistically valid sample. So I thought I would distill any wisdom I’ve gathered from the two slopes of the mountain into [...]
Wild by Tart launch limited edition gin in national supermarkets December 17, 2025 The founders behind Wild by Tart have launched a limited edition gin in national supermarkets as they look to expand from their restaurateur roots. The duo, who started their culinary careers as food columnists for the Evening Standard Magazine, launched Wild by Tart in October 2019 in London Victoria. They have now collaborated with Bathtub [...]
City of London Lights Up as City BIDs Unveil Festive Installations December 16, 2025 It’s now December, which means it’s officially the best time to see all the festive lights, trails and Christmas trees sparkling across the City of London. This year, the City’s Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have unveiled an incredible programme of installations, trails and seasonal experiences designed to bring joy to workers, residents and visitors alike. [...]
Leon to close sites and cut jobs as it enters administration December 10, 2025 Fast-food chain Leon is set to enter administration, close a number of locations and cut jobs as part of a bid by its new owner to turn around the struggling chain. The company was bought back by co-founder John Vincent last month from Asda in a deal reported to be between £30m and £50m, well [...]
Covent Garden welcomes Guinness brewery December 10, 2025 Guinness has opened its fifth brand home in the heart of London as it hopes to capitalise on the growing popularity of the ubiquitous Irish stout. The mammoth £73m project in the middle of Covent Garden, which has taken six years to go from inception to completion, will see brewing return to the area for [...]
Center Parcs: New £450m UK site approved December 8, 2025 A new £450m Center Parcs holiday village is to be constructed in Scotland after the proposals were given the green light. A total of 700 lodges are to be built at the site approximately three miles north of Hawick and 55 miles south of Edinburgh, as well as newly created lochs, nature trails and a [...]
Jamie Oliver to bring back Jamie’s Italian in the UK next year December 5, 2025 Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is to relaunch his restaurant chain in the UK in 2026, seven years after its dramatic collapse. Jamie’s Italian is to be relaunched after a deal was reached between Oliver and Cain International-backed Brava Hospitality Group, which owns Prezzo. The chain operated around 40 sites across the UK at its height [...]