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Story of the Day - 2 March 2026
Exclusive – Lance Batchelor steps down as Burger King UK chair
Lance Batchelor, the former chief executive of Domino’s Pizza, has stepped down as chair of the Bridgepoint-backed Burger King UK, after just over two years in the role. Batchelor, also former chief executive of Saga and Tesco Mobile, has been chair at Burger King since November 2023, taking over from Martin Robinson.



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Propel Exclusive Report
Propel's Experiential Leisure Report is available now

Propel 500 is back for the second year. It brings together the top 500 players shaping the industry, offering not only comprehensive listings but also deep insights into the forces driving growth, innovation, and transformation across the sector.
Propel 500 provides critical insights into the companies leading the charge in hospitality, including turnover, number of sites, key staff, and more.
The 45,000-word report also includes exclusive analysis providing a full understanding of the market’s dynamics, as the top companies in the sector shift position after a challenging year. Mark Wingett reviews the mergers and acquisitions changing the shape of the Top 500 as size increasingly matters. Katherine Doggrell examines the key developments in UK hotels and looks into one of the sector’s brightest lights; experiential leisure. Tim Street dissects the UK’s rapidly developing franchise market. Data expert Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, looks at emerging growth sectors, and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vanifatova analyses the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market.
Get the report
Propel’s 500 Report is available to Premium Club members for free.
To sign up to Premium Club email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
2 March 2026

Tilray Brands acquires bulk of BrewDog for £33m
Tilray Brands, which began life as a pureplay cannabis producer and is currently the fourth-largest craft beer brewer in the US, has acquired the bulk of BrewDog, for circa £33m. Tilray, which is seen as a leader in the cannabis, beverage and wellness sectors, has acquired the Scottish brewer and retailer’s brands, which includes Punk IPA, Hazy Jane and Lost Lager, its brewery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, and 11 of its bars, which it said will create a $500m global craft beer and beverage platform.
2 March 2026

BrewDog future set to be resolved today with James Watt ‘out of the running’, closes all bars as it looks to complete sale
The future BrewDog is “set to be resolved today”, with co-founder and former chief executive James Watt “out of the running” for the business, reports Sky News. The Scottish brewer and retailer has also closed all of its bars for the day (Monday, 2 March), as it looks to complete the sale of its business.
2 March 2026

Hotville co-founder – ‘competition from US brands is good for UK chicken concepts’
Ali Rajani, co-founder of Nashville hot chicken concept Hotville, has told Propel that competition from US brands “is good for UK concepts”. Hotville, which was founded in 2021 by Ali and his business partners, currently has five sites and said earlier this month it will open six more this year.
2 March 2026

Exclusive – Insomnia Cookies UK MD steps down to take helm at Padel Project
Ben Lacey has stepped down as UK managing director of late-night bakery brand Insomnia Cookies, to become chief executive of Padel Project, Propel has learned. Lacey steps down after three years at Insomnia Cookies, which he joined following more than four years at Deliveroo, during which the brand grew from scale-up to a public company.
2 March 2026

Black Sheep Coffee to open first UK drive-thrus this year, plans 60 new sites in the capital as it signs Central London development deal
Speciality coffee operator Black Sheep Coffee has said it will open its first UK drive-thrus this year. It comes as the company has signed a Central London development deal for a minimum of ten stores.
2 March 2026

Traders ramp up bets against Greggs as weight-loss jabs eat away profits
The number of traders betting against Greggs has surged on doubts that it can fatten sales while uptake of weight-loss drugs booms. Short positions taken out on the food-to-go brand, which make holders money if the stock falls, topped 13.2% of its shares last Wednesday (25 February), according to Castellain Capital – making it the most-shorted stock in London.
2 March 2026

Safestay reports ‘challenging year’, with group revenue declining by £3m and adjusted Ebitda down £2.5m, due to pricing pressures and increased staff costs
Safestay, one of Europe’s largest hostel groups, has reported a “challenging year”, with group revenue declining by £3m and adjusted Ebitda down £2.5m, due to pricing pressures and increased staff costs. In the year to 31 December 2025, the company said it was experiencing significant pricing pressures across its European markets which were impacting revenue. These pressures continued to the end of FY25 and, as a result, group revenue for the period declined to approximately £20.6m (2024: £23m).
2 March 2026

M&B trialling golf-based competitive socialising concept
Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the All Bar One and Harvester owner, has begun trialling a new competitive socialising concept based around golf called Puttside, Propel has learned. The Phil Urban-led (pictured) business is understood to be working on a “low-key trial” of Puttside, which will be housed within its sites.
2 March 2026

London community food market Mercato Metropolitano restructuring head office operations to ‘strengthen operational resilience’
London community food market Mercato Metropolitano is restructuring its head office operations as it looks to restore margin and “strengthen operational resilience”. The group currently operates sites in London’s Elephant & Castle, Mayfair and Wood Wharf while its Ilford venue, which opened in July 2024, is temporarily closed while a new strategy is put in place.
2 March 2026

Labour’s war on pubs ‘has made the £10 pint a reality’
Most Londoners have grown used to paying around £7 for a pint, but the average price of a beer is on course to hit £10 within a decade, Telegraph analysis has revealed. To survive, pubs will need to increase prices, which, on current trends, will spiral beyond £10 in the capital for an average pint by 2036.
27 February 2026

Rockfish founder – ‘I'm more cautious about growth than I've ever been’, ‘you have to keep upping your game’
Mitch Tonks, founder of seafood restaurant group Rockfish, has told Propel that in this political and economic cycle, “I’m more cautious about growth than I’ve ever been”, and while trading has been good this year, “the marketplace is smaller”. The award-winning business will open its latest site on Tuesday, 17 March in Sidmouth, Devon, marking the business’ 11th restaurant along the south west coast of England.
27 February 2026

Papa John’s sees UK sales growth of 7%, to use UK closure strategy in US
Papa John’s saw a 7% increase in sales growth across its UK business in the three months to 28 December 2025, as said it would use the same site closure strategy it deployed here to help its struggling business in the US. Papa John’s reported a 2% decline in North America like-for-like sales in the period driven by a performance downturn of company-owned stores, and balanced out by a 5% increase in international like-for-like sales.
March 2026 ~ Premium Club

Premium Club readers to receive all the videos from Restaurant Marketer and Innovator. Propel Premium Club members are to be given access to the entire recording of the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Conference. Members are now able to access all the videos of the event.
James Hacon, managing partner at Think Hospitality.
Maria Vanifatova, chief executive and founder of Meaningful Vision.
Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI.
Sara McKennedy, managing director at Coco di Mama, Éadaoin McDonagh, chief operating officer at White Rabbit Projects, Laura Irving, managing director at JKS Restaurants, and Marcel Khan, chief executive at Fulham Shore. Romy Miller, chief marketing officer at Knoops.
Pho: Libby Andrews, marketing director at Pho, talks to Charlotte Mair, founder and managing director at The Fitting Room. Dishoom: In conversation with Fleet Street Communications chief executive Mark Stretton, co-founder Kavi Thakrar.
Alexis Melikov, chief executive of Tigermilk. Jordan Graham, founder of Sugar Snap, in conversation with Paul Catterson, director at Orto Pizza, Sam Shephard, founder at Juice Jar, andPeter Coleman, co-founder of Seed
Aqua at 25: stories beyond the view: Marie Guenot, marketing director at Aqua Restaurant Group. Michael Radley, co-founder at Joli, is joined by Hilary Ansell, marketing consultant and interim marketing director at Wasabi, Hester Mitchell, digital marketing manager at Bleecker Burger, and Tom Patrick, marketing director for Banana Tree and Las Iguanas at Big Table Group.
Evie Horsell, head of communications UK & Ireland at Big Mamma Group
Russell Danks, managing director at Laine Pub Co,
Kiran Quinn, group marketing director at RedCat Hospitality
Laura Lewis, marketing director at Arc Inspirations.
David Tester, head of marketing at Franco Manca, is joined by George Lamb, co-founder of Wildfarmed
Five concepts, one vision — Incipio at Olympia: Rory Graham, marketing and brand director at Incipio Group.
Jayson Perfect, chief operating officer at Butcombe.
What’s Next in Hospitality? The 2026 Playbook: James Hacon, Managing Partner at Think Hospitality. Katy Moses, managing director at KAM. Heleri Rande, partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Chris Miller, founder at White Rabbit Projects, Loui Blake, co-founder at Long Lane, and Nicci Clarke, marketing and culinary director UK at Sodexo Live! Anthony Knight speaks to Tom Kidd, founder of SetList.
When hospitality meets entertainment. Thinking out of the box: Michelle Farrell, chief growth officer at Boxpark.
The neighbourhood effect: Marshall Dallas, Partner at Think Hospitality, speaks with Ankur Wishart, co-founder at Boxcar, and India Filippidis, head of marketing at Boxcar & The Italian Greyhound. Madeleine Phillips, marketing director at Various Eateries.
Deborah Jones, senior client success manager at Proinsight, speaks to Michael Farquhar, chief operating officer at ETM Group.
Krishnan Doyle, founder at COREcruitment.
The multi-concept challenge: Markus Thesleff, founder of Thesleff Group.
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s digital activation: Peter Critchley, UK chief executive at Trison, is joined by Keyana Mohammadi, head of marketing at Dave’s Hot Chicken. Tessa Graham, group brand director at Tashas Group. Olivia Fitzgerald, managing director at 125 Data & Insights, speaks with Tom James, managing director at Bill’s. Dan Brookman, chief executive and co-founder of Airship & Toggle. Daniel Bennett, global head of behavioural science at Ogilvy Consulting: Originality in the age of AI. Heleri Rande, partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Afroditi Krassa, founding director of Afroditi, and Bob Conwell, managing director at Mr Lyan Studio. Digital marketing for growth. Carey Benn, chief executive at Guestwise, in conversation with Naddy Onions, marketing director at Prezzo Italian, James Metcalfe, sales and marketing director at Urban Pubs & Bars, and Ewa Turney, senior product lead at Mitchells & Butlers. Aaron Morgan, head of marketing and Paul Jones, head of IT at The Alchemist. Dojo: Jon Knott, head of data projects at Dojo. Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Kat Schofield, sales and marketing director at Permanently Unique Group, Holly Hilton, marketing director at Market Place Food Halls, and Ria Pattni, director of marketing at JKS Restaurants. Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Tasos Gaitanos, co-founder at Brother Marcus, Alex Large, co-founder at Brother Marcus, Tommy Giraux, head of restaurant systems at Honest Burgers. Joe Comiskey, digital director at Stonegate Group. Joel Robinson, chief executive at Openr, in conversation with Toby Herbert, head of IT at Hall & Woodhouse, Sara McKennedy, managing director at Coco di Mama, and Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI. Sophie Clarke, UK team lead at Popmenu, in conversation with Charlie Wood-Jones, Co-founder at Cawsburger. Dan Brookman, chief executive at Airship and Toggle. Mark Warburton, founder of Cow & Sow and Alan Armstrong, fractional marketing director.
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.
March 2026 ~ Premium Club

Propel 500 is back for the second year. It will bring together the top 500 players shaping the industry, offering not only comprehensive listings but also deep insights into the forces driving growth, innovation, and transformation across the sector. Propel 500 will provide critical insights into the companies leading the charge in hospitality, including turnover, number of sites, key staff, and more. The 45,000-word report will also include exclusive analysis to provide a full understanding of the market’s dynamics, as the top companies in the sector shift position after a challenging year.
Mark Wingett will review the mergers and acquisitions changing the shape of the Top 500 as size increasingly matters.
Katherine Doggrell will examine the key developments in UK hotels and look into one of the sector’s brightest lights; experiential leisure.
Tim Street dissects the UK’s rapidly developing franchise market.
Data expert Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, will look at emerging growth sectors, and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vantifatova will analyse the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market.
Propel 500 will be released on Friday, 9 January at 9am and is
£595 plus vat.
Existing Premium Club Members can receive it on Friday, 9 January at 9am for
£395 plus vat.
Premium Club members will receive the report for free on Friday, 27 February at 9am.
Pre-order Propel 500 today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
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.
March 2026 ~ Premium Club

Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In this current edition, James Hacon, managing partner at Think Hospitality Consulting, explains why London remains one of the most powerful restaurant stages in the world. He argues that, despite cost pressures and labour shortages, London remains one of the world’s most desirable restaurant markets. Strong West End leasing data, minimal vacancies and rising rents signal sustained demand. International operators, particularly from the Middle East and US, view a London opening as a mark of credibility and global positioning. Like New York, London acts as a blank culinary canvas and global amplification engine. Though margins can be tighter than elsewhere, prime London’s experience density, capital confidence and cultural magnetism make it a powerful launchpad for ambitious brands. Meanwhile, Stuart Gillies, former chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings, shares how lessons from large-group leadership can be applied to small, regional restaurants, with the help of technology and AI. After leading a global restaurant group, Gillies found running a small collection requires fewer meetings but a similar forward-planning strategy. Still viewing the business as a start-up, they review strategy frequently and prioritise team empowerment, useful AI-driven data and staff wellbeing. Staying close to operations enables faster development. Experiments like a robot waiter sparked debate, highlighting cautious openness to innovation. Lastly, Propel’s deputy editor Tim Street talks to Richard Zivkovic, who after almost three decades in the corporate world, has now opened a café-bakery in his home town. After nearly 30 years in senior roles at brands including Pret A Manger, Costa Coffee and Island Poke, Richard Zivkovic left corporate life to co-found Helg, a Scandinavian-inspired café-bakery in Stevenage, with his wife. Seeking family time and community connection, he embraces hands-on hospitality, rapid experimentation and local sourcing. Trading profitably in year one, the pair balance growth ambitions with sector-wide cost challenges.
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.
march 2026 ~ Premium Club

Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. In this week’s edition, competitive socialising continues to gather pace. In 2022, Mitchells & Butlers launched interactive darts concept Arrowsmiths in Solihull, rolling it out to 14 sites, mainly under O’Neill’s. The group is now quietly trialling a golf-themed format, Puttside, signalling further diversification. Meanwhile, Swingers co-founder Matt Grech-Smith is departing following the brand’s US expansion to Boston, marking six global venues. Elsewhere, Young’s plans to shift to the London Stock Exchange’s main market while targeting further London growth, considering both freeholds and premium leases, and hinting at selective acquisitions. Expansion momentum continues as Sandwich Sandwich prepares a grab-and-go launch at Paddington station, eyeing transport hubs as catalysts for wider growth. In tech, Burger King owner Restaurant Brands International is piloting AI-powered headsets in 500 US restaurants. The “Patty” system provides operational alerts, recipe guidance and customer service coaching, positioning AI as a real-time management and hospitality enhancement tool.
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.
27 February 2026

BrewDog draws interest from Danish group Royal Unibrew
A Danish brewing company is among the suitors weighing a takeover of parts or all of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, which is currently in the midst of an accelerated sale process. Sky News reports that Royal Unibrew Group, which is listed in Copenhagen, is among several parties said to be seriously interested in BrewDog.
27 February 2026

Basilico team launch protein-based pizza cloud kitchen concept as a franchise
The team behind Basilico, the ten-strong woodfired pizza restaurant business, has launched its protein-based pizza cloud kitchen concept as a franchise. Basilico, founded in 1998 and led by Paul Adams, claims to be London’s first woodfired pizza delivery company and has branches across London.
27 February 2026

Lancashire operator Bowland Inns reports revenue boost driven by Wennington Hall acquisition, losses widen but forecasts return to profitability in 2026
Lancashire hotel, pub and restaurant operator Bowland Inns & Hotels has reported a revenue boost in the year to 31 May 2025, driven by the acquisition of Wennington Hall in Lancaster in late 2023. The 14-strong group also saw its losses widen during the year but forecasted a return to profitability in 2026.
27 February 2026

MJMK Restaurants hires Jo Cole as people director
London restaurant operator MJMK Restaurants – which is behind Casa do Frango, AngloThai, KOL, Lisboeta and Fonda – has hired Jo Cole, formerly of Turtle Bay Restaurants and Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK), as its new people director. Cole spent six and a half years as people director at Turtle Bay before stepping down last summer.
27 February 2026

Three Cheers Pub Co reports ‘highly respectable performance in face of macroeconomic challenges’
Three Cheers Pub Co, led by former schoolfriends Tom Peake, Mark Reynolds and Nick Fox, has reported a “highly respectable performance in the face of macroeconomic challenges” in the year to 31 March 2025. The company’s revenue dipped slightly from £12,516,669 in 2024 to £12,199,852.
27 February 2026

Stange & Co to reopen two pubs this year, wage rises ‘significantly our biggest cost’ and will ‘squeeze margins again’
Stange & Co, which operates venues in Merseyside and North Wales, is to reopen two pubs this year to take its trading portfolio to 11. The company will this spring reopen The Brookhouse Mill in Denbigh, which previous owners the Hall family closed in 2022, and which was acquired by Stange & Co in 2024.
26 February 2026

TGI Fridays UK business was acquired in pre-pack deal for £1m, had losses of £12.4m at time of sale by Calveton UK and Breal Capital
The business and assets of Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, the company which manages the operations of TGI Friday’s UK restaurants, was acquired in a pre-pack administration for £1,003,843, an administrators’ report has revealed. Sugarloaf TGIF Operations, a company owned by Sugarloaf, the manager and custodian of the worldwide TGI Friday brand, acquired 33 of TGI Fridays’ restaurants across the UK following the deal in January, safeguarding 1,384 jobs.
26 February 2026

Waffle concept seeking franchise partners as it looks to expand outside northern heartland
Waffle concept The Belgian Waffle Company is seeking franchise partners as it looks to expand outside its northern heartland. The company currently has ten locations – in Manchester, Huddersfield, Blackburn, Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford, Bury, Oldham, Leicester and Bolton.

Watch highlights from this year’s Propel summer conference and party.
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March 25th 2026
Propel Multi Club — New directions in a period of strong headwinds
Operators of multi-site hospitality companies can book up to three free places, or operators who are Premium subscribers can claim up to four free places by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com