Pub and restaurant giants circle struggling firms and property in post-pandemic expansion push February 17, 2021 Pub and restaurant giants and private equity firms are circling smaller chains and vacant properties, looking to snap up expansion opportunities at a discounted price during the Covid pandemic and reap the rewards when the industry bounces back. Merger and acquisition activity in the hospitality industry has already begun. Figures from restructuring firm Resolve showed [...]
Pubs and restaurants could open in May under lockdown exit blueprint February 17, 2021 Pubs and restaurants could reportedly open for limited trading by May under a new roadmap for exiting lockdown being drawn up by government. A blueprint for lifting coronavirus restrictions would allow rules to be eased at four-weekly intervals, with a return to more normality expected by July. The gradual reopening could begin in early April, [...]
Most UK pubs to stay closed under April beer garden plans, trade body warns February 16, 2021 Most UK pubs will be unable to open under proposals to allow outdoor trading to resume in April, the industry’s trade association has warned. The British Beer & Pub Association today said 29,000 UK pubs will still remain closed if outdoor service resumes in April as they do not have big enough beer gardens to [...]
Travel businesses urge customers to book summer holidays despite guidance February 15, 2021 A coalition of the UK’s largest travel companies has come together to give consumers the confidence to book summer holidays despite oscillating advice from ministers. The group, which commands combined revenues of over £11bn, has offered any customer who books with them a guaranteed refund or change of holiday date if the trip has to [...]
Wetherspoons boss calls for pubs to open alongside non-essential shops February 15, 2021 Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin has urged the government to reopen pubs at the same time as non-essential shops, as the Prime Minister prepares to lay out his “roadmap” for exiting lockdown. Martin called for a clear timeline for pubs across the UK to resume selling pints, warning the industry is “on its knees” from months [...]
Thames have changed: CEOs going green will reap the benefits January 26, 2021 WHEN Paul Polman drank a glass of water drawn from the murky River Thames a decade ago the Dutchman could hardly have imagined how many of his peers would follow suit. Not by matching his dubious consumption, but by attempting to generate more from the companies they run than profit alone. Polman’s stunt took place in November [...]
More than 150 London pubs, bars and restaurants closed permanently last year January 22, 2021 More than 150 London pubs, bars and restaurants closed permanently last year, the latest figures showed as the coronavirus pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the sector. The number of licensed premises in the capital in December shrunk 4.5 per cent compared to the previous year. That represented a drop from 3,460 venues to 3,303 [...]
London house prices hit record highs due to impact of stamp duty holiday January 20, 2021 London house prices jumped at the end of last year, with average values breaking the £500,000 threshold for the first time. Average house prices in London rose four per cent between October and November last year, according to the latest official data. The annual price rise of 9.7 per cent took the average property value [...]
Wetherspoon taps investors for £94m as pub chain circles central London acquisitions January 19, 2021 JD Wetherspoon will tap investors for almost £94m as the pub chain is seeking to bolster its balance sheet and swoop on potential central London expansion opportunities. The FTSE 250 firm announced this afternoon that it will launch an equity placing for the second time during the pandemic, which is expected to raise gross proceeds [...]
Naughty or nice: Which businesses pleased or peeved Santa in 2020? December 21, 2020 Which businesses stood out this year for going above and beyond for customers and staff, and which will be remembered less favourably for their pandemic policies? The last year has certainly been one that will not be forgotten. The last 12 months have been widely been touted “the worst ever” by people around the world, [...]