Autumn Budget: BrewDog boss issues £1bn warning to Rachel Reeves November 19, 2025 The hospitality sector needs to sell almost one million extra pints every hour in order to cope with a £1bn cost surge thanks to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes, the chief executive of BrewDog has warned. James Taylor, who took on the job earlier this year, said Reeves needs to take ‘meaningful action’ because of [...]
Exclusive: Industry chiefs warn Reeves not to hit business after income tax U-turn November 14, 2025 The Chancellor must not rely on businesses to plug the gaping fiscal gap left by Thursday’s income tax U-turn, a group of industry body chiefs has warned a year after UK firms were forced to stomach much of the £40bn of tax hikes at Labour’s maiden Budget. In an unusual combined intervention, bosses from five [...]
Labour has ‘unbelievably harsh stance’ on big businesses November 4, 2025 It is “unbelievable” that the Labour government has “taken such a harsh stance” on big businesses, the chief executive of restaurant chain Pizza Express has said. Speaking on an up-coming episode of City AM’s Boardroom Uncovered podcast, Paula MacKenzie said the industry had been “somewhat decimated” by the Covid-19 pandemic and has then been hit [...]
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, [...]
Rachel Reeves ‘has no interest in hospitality’ after ‘reckless’ taxes September 23, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves “has no interest in hospitality”, according to nighttime adviser Sacha Lord, who also branded her National Insurance increases in last year’s Autumn Budget “both reckless and short sighted”. Lord, who is a member of the Labour Party, said the 2024 Budget was a “disaster for hospitality” which resulted “in many closures and [...]
OpenTable launches AI concierge, but do we really need a bot to book dinner? September 23, 2025 OpenTable has launched Concierge, its new generative AI assistant, or ‘agent,’ designed to give diners instant insights across more than 60,000 restaurants worldwide. From menu details and dietary options to opening hours, the assistant aims to streamline the often frustrating process of restaurant research. But in an era of sweeping automation, is AI really the solution [...]
Businesses are Reform-curious on eve of Birmingham conference September 4, 2025 Nigel Farage’s poll-topping party has attracted more businesses than ever to its annual conference this week. But, writes Ali Lyon, some corporations and industry bodies are still steering clear of the party, citing its unpredictability and the conference’s unorthodox format. With his party boasting a consistent poll lead, and a general election just weeks away, [...]
US-style tipping hits UK pubs amid mass closures August 26, 2025 The UK pub industry is facing a new challenge as a controversial trend of implementing US-style tipping gains traction, coinciding with a period of widespread pub closures. A nationwide debate has been sparked by the Well and Boot pub in Waterloo, London, which has introduced an optional four per cent service charge on every drink. [...]
JD Wetherspoons: Sales overtake pre-pandemic levels July 23, 2025 Sales at JD Wetherspoon have overtaken pre-pandemic levels for the first time after a sluggish five years for the hospitality industry. Revenues at its 794 pubs have grown 5.1 per cent in the year to date, the company told markets this morning, putting growth at the chain above the industry average. “Sales volumes, which were [...]
Marston’s: New pub strategy helps sales July 22, 2025 Pub giant Marston’s has said its switch from brewing to ‘pure-play hospitality’ is progressing ahead of schedule and showing encouraging results. Like-for-like sales for the 15 weeks to 12 July 2025 rose 2.9 per cent, in line with expectations, Marston’s told markets this morning. Excluding the impact of last year Euro 2024 Championships, like-for-like sales [...]