Story of the Day - 1 October 2025
Boparan Restaurant Group plans 50 new Slim Chickens UK sites in 2026 and 30 new Giraffe locations over next four years
Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) has said Slim Chickens UK is “primed for rapid growth”, with a pipeline of 50 sites across the UK, Ireland and Europe confirmed for 2026, including three new drive-thrus opening in the first quarter. BRG, which currently operates circa 75 sites under the US brand, said it had invested the past 18 months in laying the groundwork for sustainable expansion – developing product specifications, establishing supplier partnerships and building scalable infrastructure.
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1 October 2025
TRG aiming to open up to six pubs per year from 2026 for Brunning & Price and has ‘strong’ Wagamama pipeline as it reports turnover increases to £868.1m
The Restaurant Group (TRG) is aiming to open up to six pubs per year from 2026 for its Brunning & Price business and has a “strong” pipeline of sites for Wagamama for which it is exploring further international opportunities. It comes as TRG reported revenue from continuing operations for the year ending 29 December 2024 grew to £868.1m (2023: £824.0m), which represented an increase of 5.4% on the prior year, with growth across all divisions and Wagamama and Brunning & Price continuing to outperform the market.
1 October 2025
Co-CEO of Loungers and Punch Pubs owner passes away unexpectedly
Josh Pack (pictured), the co-chief executive and managing partner of Loungers and Punch Pubs owner Fortress Investment Group, has died unexpectedly, aged 51. The US private equity firm, which is majority-owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala investment arm and also counts Curzon Cinemas and Majestic Wine among its portfolio, announced Pack’s death in a statement in which no cause of death was given, reports The Telegraph.
1 October 2025
KFC’s UK profit jumps by almost £40m despite £14m drop in turnover as adverse trading conditions hit store sales
KFC’s UK profit jumped by almost £40m in the period from 25 December 2023 to 29 December 2024, despite a £14m drop in turnover as adverse trading conditions hit store sales. The company’s pre-tax profit rose from £59,192,000 in 2023 to £97,969,000 as costs dropped from £92,651,000 to £85,234,000 and administration expenses decreased from £148,219,000 to £104,385,000.
1 October 2025
Tortilla CEO – ‘UK estate is looking good, you don’t need to add new sites to generate growth when there’s growth in the existing estate’
Andy Naylor, chief executive of Tortilla – the UK’s largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand – has said the company’s UK estate is “looking good”, and that “you don’t need to add new sites to generate growth when there’s growth in the existing estate”. It comes after the business said it expects 2025 to be its “most profitable year ever” in the UK, with first half like-for-like sales up 5%.
1 October 2025
Shepherd Neame – business is on a firm footing with a clear strategy, like-for-like sales remain strong but Budgetary headwinds expected to cost £2.6m annually
Kent brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame has said that “after the major challenges of recent years the business is on a firm footing with a clear strategy”, and while like-for-like sales remain strong, budgetary headwinds are expected to cost it £2.6m annually. The operator of 286 pubs in Kent and the south east reported a 4.6% drop in revenue for the year to 28 June 2025, down from £172.3m reported in the 53-week period to 29 June 2024 to £164.3m.
1 October 2025
The Wolseley Hospitality Group reports like-for-like growth fuelled by increased visits and higher average spend per head
The Wolseley Hospitality Group, formerly Corbin & King, has said like-for-like growth in the year to 31 December 2024 was fuelled by increased visits and higher average spend per head. It comes as the company, which operates nine venues in London, reported turnover of £64,163,827 for the year, up from £59,492,469 in 2023, and reduced pre-tax losses from £8,714,484 in 2023 to £5,793,811.
1 October 2025
Splendid Hospitality Group founder hands over the reins to his son and family trust, KFC business returns to positive Ebitda and secures new £25m facility
The founder of privately-owned Splendid Hospitality Group – which employs more than 2,500 people across its hotels, restaurants and care homes – has handed over the reins to his son and family trust. Shiraz Boghani, a qualified chartered accountant and entrepreneur from Kenya, arrived in the UK in 1969 with just £20 to his name.
1 October 2025
Costa franchisee Sim Trava secures new £17m banking facility, planning further acquisitions
Sim Trava, which operates 80 Costa Coffee sites across the north west, has secured a new £16.9m overall loan facility to consolidate its existing loans, including a further £7.4m towards acquisitions and new store openings. This summer, the company acquired of 21 stores from QFM Group.
1 October 2025
Rhubarb to launch two new quick service restaurant concepts at London Bridge student accommodation development
Rhubarb Hospitality Collection (RHC), the premium international hospitality group, will launch two new quick service restaurant (QSR) concepts at a London Bridge student accommodation development. RHC has partnered with rental business Greystar to open coffee shop Journal and salad and sandwich outlet The Chop at Chapter London Bridge, a new 950-bed purpose-built development beside The Shard.
1 October 2025
Greggs third quarter like-for-like sales up 1.5%
Greggs has reported a 1.5% increase in like-for-like sales over its third quarter, as it said it saw improved trading in August and September following a “heat-affected July”. It said that total sales were up 6.1% for the 13 weeks to 27 September 2025, and 6.7% in the year-to-date.
30 September 2025
Exclusive - Honest Burgers acquires 12 Gourmet Burger Kitchen sites
Honest Burgers, the Active Partners-backed business, has acquired 12 Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) sites from Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), expanding its restaurant portfolio to over 50 locations. Propel understands that Honest Burgers paid circa £3.7m for the 12 sites, which strengthens the brand’s footprint in London, and broadens its geographical reach into the Midlands, the South East, and East Anglia.
30 September 2025
Exclusive – hospitality staff turnover drops 8% in past year as promoting from within leads to lower churn
Hospitality staff turnover has dropped 8% in past year, according to new data seen exclusively by Propel. The sector has seen a significant reduction in team turnover over the period, from 75% to 67%, according to the insight from hospitality people data specialist Pineapple and AI-native workforce management software provider Sona.
September 2025 ~ Premium Club
Available now – Propel Multi Club Summer Conference and Party. Premium readers receive the videos from Propel conferences each year – around 100 in total. A great way to keep your team abreast of what’s happening in the sector. Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s director, examines the current eating and drinking out landscape. Charlotte Kemp, managing director of Sixty Eight People, talks to Tom James, managing director of the Richard Caring-backed Bill’s Restaurants, about the cultural change he has led at the business.Andrew Maxwell, operating partner at Imbiba, talks about how the company will deliver a new 65,000 sq ft hospitality and leisure venue at Canary Wharf. Deena Ataie, founder of Heriots Patisserie, discusses the birth of the café/cake ship concept. Craig Bunting, co-founder of coffee house, kitchen and bar business Bear, talks about building a brand “we’re proud to own”. Richard Lewis, group chief executive of RedCat Hospitality, the operator of Coaching Inn Group and RedCat Independent Pubs, talks about building on a transitional year for the business. Ed Devenport, co-founder and chief executive of the Incipio Group, discusses the company’s ability to curate different F&B offers across large spaces in high-profile locations. Simon Dodd, chief executive of Young’s, talks to Propel’s Mark Wingett about the challenge of providing a premium offer. Jon Lake, managing director of Chopstix, discusses the fast-growing brand’s three-year strategy. Yishay Malkov, managing director of Soho House UK, talks about how the members club business is attracting new members and also retaining its existing ones. James Brown, chief executive of Prezzo, talks about re-energising the Italian casual-dining brand. Graeme Smith, managing director at AlixPartners, gives his thoughts on the current sector investment landscape and reveals those companies that have topped the inaugural AlixPartners/Propel Growth Tracker.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
September 2025 ~ Premium Club
The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report, the second year of Propel’s exhaustive report on the fast-growing experiential leisure market, will be published on Friday, 1 August at 9am. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It includes opinion from leading players Juliette Keyte, marketing director at Red Engine, Richard Beese, co-founder of We Do Play, and investor Lisa Boden, partner at investor Edition Capital, and provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since last year’s study, with 3,700 sites. Katherine Doggrell, Propel’s editorial advisor and the report’s author, said: “The experiential leisure sector is a major growth driver of the hospitality sector, with the market maturing into overseas expansion and franchising as it continues to build and inspire the rest of the market. With trends such as padel keeping the segment fresh, this report hears from operators and investors as they try to anticipate the next innovations. This report delivers an exhaustive overview to all those interested in this influential sector.” The report will be released on Friday, 1 August at 9am and is available for £595 plus VAT to pre-order now. Existing Premium Club subscribers can receive it on Friday, 1 August for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium subscribers on Wednesday, 10 September at 9am.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
September 2025 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In this current edition, Mark Wingett, Propel group editor, explores the rapid rise of multi-brand restaurant platforms in the UK, with groups like Arcturus, Brava Hospitality, and Bow Street Group leading the way. These platforms offer smaller operators access to shared resources, cost efficiencies, and strategic guidance, but also bring challenges like internal competition, performance disparity, and reduced independence. Industry veterans like David Page are eyeing acquisitions, promising founders lucrative exits if they stay involved post-sale. Meanwhile, established players like Big Table Group and Azzurri are refreshing portfolios—launching new concepts or pivoting into new segments like fried chicken (Dave’s Hot Chicken) or tapas (Cantina). However, balancing growth with underperforming brands remains a challenge. Also, former Market Halls chief operating officer Simon Anderson argues pubs are vital to UK regeneration. Citing research from Pub is The Hub, he highlights their £8.28 return per £1 invested in social value. Diversified, multi-functional pubs combat loneliness, support local economies, and foster community resilience. For true regeneration, Anderson urges government support via tax reform and policy change, positioning pubs as essential civic infrastructure alongside food halls.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
September 2025 ~ Premium Club
Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. In this current edition, at the 2025 National Restaurant Pub & Bar Show, industry leaders shared career lessons and growth ambitions. Pano Christou, Pret A Manger’s CEO, reflected on his rise from store manager to chief executive, advising young leaders to believe in themselves and take calculated risks—values inspired by Pret’s entrepreneurial founders. Hawksmoor’s Will Beckett emphasized that global expansion requires humility and research, noting that success in London didn’t automatically translate to Chicago. Pizza Pilgrims, now backed by L’Osteria, is preparing for European growth, targeting smaller sites and facing potential competition from Germany’s 60seconds to Naples. Meanwhile, Dishoom’s Brian Trollip said new investment allows the group to focus on excellence rather than speed, with new sites in Leeds, Liverpool, and potentially New York. Joe & The Juice continues aggressive global expansion, reaching 1,000-store targets through franchising, with recent openings in Turkey and Morocco. Finally, Norfolk-based Byfords celebrates 25 years of growth from a modest café to a successful restaurant, B&B and store, driven by hard work and customer loyalty—now planning 25 customer-inspired upgrades for 2025–26.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
30 September 2025
Parkdean Resorts – 2025 has seen the staycation market strengthen, 2024 full-year Ebitda up 2.4%
Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s largest holiday park operator, has told Propel it has seen the staycation market strengthen in 2025, as it delivered record trading over the summer peak trading months and said it was increasing its capex investment over the coming year to circa £50m. It comes as the Steve Richards-led business, which operates 65 sites across the UK, saw revenue for the year ending 31 December 2024 increase by £13m (2.6%) to £520m, with adjusted Ebitda up 2.4% to £72m.
30 September 2025
Heriots Patisserie – ‘we’re in talks to secure investment that would deliver the next three years of growth’
Heriots Patisserie, the London café/cake shop concept, has told Propel it has begun talks on securing investment that would deliver its next three years of growth, as its targets expanding to 50 sites over the next three years. The business, which was acquired by Deena Atie in 2016, currently operates five sites across London.
30 September 2025
Wagamama – H1 trading in line with the market, like-for-like sales down 1.5%
Wagamama, The Restaurant Group (TRG)-owned chain, has reported that like-for-like sales in the six months to 29 June 2025 were down 1.5%, which it said was in line with the market, with the casual dining market impacted by “unseasonably warmer weather” in the period, “which benefitted pub operators”. The 162-strong brand reported total sales of £234.8m during the six months, with adjusted Ebitda of £31.5m (2024: £33.5m).
30 September 2025
Popeyes UK in line to double its UK footprint in 2025 after doubling its revenue and selling a sandwich every three seconds in 2024
Popeyes UK has told Propel it is in line to double its UK footprint in 2025 after doubling its revenue and selling a sandwich every three seconds in 2024. The US fried chicken quick service restaurant brand, backed here by TDR Capital, currently has circa 100 UK restaurants, having ended 2024 with 64 (2023: 38).
30 September 2025
Jollibee UK plans to ‘significantly increase its number of UK stores’ by end of 2028
Jollibee, the Philippines fast food group, has said it plans to “significantly increase its number of UK stores by the end of 2028”, with “modest increases in revenue” forecast for this year. The company, which operates 12 sites across the UK, saw its revenue increase from £24.9m in 2023 to £32.6m last year, “reflecting growth in sales volumes”.
30 September 2025
Hawksmoor turnover tops £100m, close to agreeing new sites for the next 12 months
Award-winning steak restaurant business Hawksmoor saw its turnover for the year to the end of 2024 break the £100m mark, as it told Propel it was close to agreeing one to two new sites for the next 12 months. The 13-strong company reported turnover of £100,385,000 in 2024 (2023: £80,782,000) with adjusted Ebitda of £9,883,000 (2023: £9,194,000).
29 September 2025
Wingstop UK reports turnover increases to record £125m in nine months before being acquired by Sixth Street
Wingstop UK has reported turnover increased to a record £125,026,523 for the nine months to 29 December 2024 (12 months to March 2024: £84,658,766) “driven by the addition of 15 sites and strong underlying sales”. The company, which was acquired by US private equity firm Sixth Street in January 2025 for a reported £400m, saw operating profit grow to £13,727,533 (12 months to March 2024: £4,082,082) “due to strong sales coupled with greater efficiencies over cost controls”.
29 September 2025
Stonegate buys out Hush Heath Inns joint venture with Balfour Hospitality
Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, has bought out the remaining equity stake in Hush Heath Inns, its joint venture with Balfour Hospitality, bringing the partnership to an end. The five pubs in the group will now form part of Stonegate’s leased and tenanted division.
Watch highlights from this year’s Propel summer conference and party.
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22 April 2025
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7 October 2024
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9 September 2024
Meet Eman and Bisan Bites: Bringing Palestinian Flavours to London's Streets
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17 July 2024
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Upcoming Events
October 9th 2025
Culture, Talent & Training Conference
This all-day conference at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. The conference will showcase examples of outstanding people culture among companies within the sector and how the industry is attracting talent. Attendees will hear how businesses are developing their teams, dealing with talent shortages and keeping their staff energised.
November 5th 2025
Propel Multi Club – Growth in an era of big challenges
The final Propel Multi Club of the year, at Millennium Gloucester Hotel, in London, Kensington. Operators of multi-site hospitality companies can book three free places each, or operators who are Premium subscribers can claim up to four free places.
November 25th 2025
Propel Franchisor Showcase
A unique chance to explore exciting franchise opportunities.
November 13th 2025
The Propel Bangkok Study Tour
Bangkok is a culinary hot bed of talent and has no less than 34 Michelin starred restaurants including a street vendor who has one star, it is a truly world class ‘Foodie Destination’. The city also boasts some of the highest rooftop bars and restaurants in the world and is a hospitality bucket list in Asia.