Making a meal of it: EAT could close portion of 100-strong portfolio as competition bites February 6, 2018 High street sandwich shop EAT has become the latest food chain to consider closing a raft of stores. The 100-strong chain is looking at restructuring ts portfolio, with a possible company voluntary arrangement (CVA) on the table, according to Sky News. It follows the likes of Byron and Jamie’s Italian, which have both been forced [...]
Pret a Manger private equity owner Bridgepoint confirms Burger King UK franchise buyout November 16, 2017 Pret a Manger owner Bridgepoint has confirmed that it will become the master franchisee of the Burger King brand in the UK. Reaching an agreement for an undisclosed amount with Burger King Europe, Bridgepoint will also acquire Caspian UK Group, one of the UK’s largest Burger King franchisees with 74 restaurants across the country. The [...]
Battle of the sarnies: From Tesco to Benugo, which Christmas sandwich will come top of our list this year, and which one was literally inedible? November 15, 2017 We set off into the City to gather festive sandwiches from supermarkets and fast food chains far and wide to see which of them is worthy of Santa himself, and which were a nightmare before Christmas. Eat Turkey and cranberry sandwich ★★★☆☆ Tastes alright, but nothing to write to Santa about. Solid fillings, pleasantly sweet [...]
Brewdog considers New York Stock Exchange float in London snub October 19, 2017 Brewdog could snub London to list in the US when the beer business floats. Co-founder James Watt said in an interview with City A.M. that the irreverent Scottish brewery could choose the New York Stock Exchange for an IPO. It follows a push by Brewdog to expand into the US, having built a brewing facility [...]
Pret a Manger brushes off Jollibee takeover rumours | City A.M. September 19, 2017 Pret a Manger intends to push ahead with its plans for a possible float on the New York Stock Exchange despite speculation a multi-billion-dollar Filipino business is eyeing a takeover bid for the coffee and sandwich chain. City A.M. understands that Jollibee and Pret have not been in contact with each other on the potential [...]
London’s best restaurants explain how they design their dining spaces, from banquette to banqueting table June 29, 2017 Few things in the restaurant design world have been so hotly debated as the humble tablecloth. Since Noma stormed onto the international food scene in 2003, the rulebook for what a high-end restaurant should look like went out the window; gone were the plush carpets, extravagant chandeliers and, most importantly of all, the table cloths. [...]
Hollywood movie company Film Finances considers London IPO June 1, 2017 A Hollywood film financier is said to be plotting a float on the London Stock Exchange. Los Angeles-headquartered Film Finances Inc could be making its way for a UK initial public offering (IPO) during the summer. Sky News reported that the flotation is being overseen by Liberum Capital and could value the firm at several [...]
Pret A Manger sales jump as consumers go nuts for coconut porridge April 27, 2017 Pret A Manger sales hit another record in 2016 as its customers went berserk for coconut porridge – and were rewarded with 1.7m free coffees. The figures The cafe chain said sales rose 15 per cent to £776.2m in the year to the end of December, with like-for-like sales rising 4.8 per cent. It opened [...]
UK employers are spending less on training than other major EU economies, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) April 19, 2017 The UK is in the grips of a skills crisis with employers spending less on training than other major EU economies, according to a new report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The analysis found that “two decades of under-investment” has contributed to the country lagging behind its competitors in Europe and [...]
Revealed: Notes coffee shop nets £600,000 loan from challenger bank OakNorth to open two new London branches, despite Brexit uncertainty March 13, 2017 Notes has struck a deal for a £600,000 loan to open two further branches in London, including its largest site to date, City A.M. has learnt. The coffee shop and wine bar chain, which already has six sites dotted around the capital, hopes to push ahead with aggressive growth plans in the near future and the [...]