Story of the Day - 28 April 2026
WatchHouse set to open ten more sites across UK and US this year as it reports full-year revenue increases 48% to record £22.8m
Specialty coffee business WatchHouse is set to open ten more sites across the UK and US this year as it reported revenue increased 48% to a record £22.8m for the year ending 27 July 2025 compared with £15.4m the previous year. House EBITDA grew from £1.2m to £3.1m, which WatchHose said signalling the continued maturity of the estate, improved operational leverage across the group and the strength of its proposition internationally.
Tickets are £345+VAT for operators, £395+VAT for suppliers. 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club members.
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Propel multi club conference videos from march 2026
All the videos from our latest Propel Multi Club Conference – New directions in a period of strong headwinds, available for subscribers to watch for £195+VAT.
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Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference
One Moorgate Place, London EC2R 6EA ~ Tuesday 19th May 2026
9.00am – 10.00am: Registration and coffee
10.00am – 10.30am: Craig Rachel, director at leading advisory firm AlixPartners, examines how consumer and structural trends are influencing the outlook for pub and bar prospects and deals, and discusses transactions and asset values in the market.
10.30am – 11.00am: Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI/Reward, talks about the areas where the pub sector is and has been performing strongly and where the opportunities are for the sector to drive growth.
11.00am – 11.20am: Jamie Allsopp, the founder of Allsopp’s Taverns and former City fund manager, discusses why he opted for a career change during the pandemic, swapping hedge funds for reviving his family’s old beer brand, Allsopp’s Ale, and then launching a pub venture.
11.20am – 11.40am: Bex Wilkins, co-founder of Makers of Hospitality, talks about leaving her role as marketing director to start her own pub company with wife Sarah, launching an award-winning debut site, opening a second site, and looking at further growth opportunities.
11.40am – 12.00pm: Dominic Jacobs, founder and managing director of Ardent Pub Group, formerly JKS Pubs, discusses securing new investment, expanding in the capital, and how the new generation of pub operators coming through are standing out.
12.00pm – 1.00pm: Lunch
1.00pm – 1.25pm: David McDowall, chief executive of Stonegate Group, talks about the continued evolution of the UK’s largest pub company, as it looks to become a “partnership-led pub portfolio”.
1.25pm – 1.50pm Kevin Charity, founder of the Coaching Inn Group, talks to Propel’s Mark Wingett about his life in the sector, growing Coaching Inn Group into a 36-strong group with more than 1,000 rooms, to this year being named hotel group of the year, how the business balances F&B and accommodation, and his take on the wider industry.
1.50pm – 2.15pm: Anglian Country Inns managing director James Nye discusses how the award-winning operator rises to the challenge of being a seasonal business, and how it looks to diversify its model including the opening of its first bakery.
2.15pm – 2.45pm: Coffee Break
2.45pm – 3.05pm: Amber Taverns chairman James Baer talks about how the wet-led community pub group is bucking the market, providing value and entertainment as a low-price point and its progress on becoming a nationwide operator.
3.05pm – 3.25pm: Louise Maclean, business development director at Signature Pub Group, discusses the growth strategy for the 24-strong, Edinburgh-based business, as it looks to further expand in Scotland and further afield.
3.25pm – 3.45pm: Ian Dunstall, director at Upham Inns, talks about the southern England premium pubs operator’s evolution, the success of its Harpers Steakhouse concept in suburban locations, and the integration of the 14 ex-Oakman Group sites.
3.45pm – 4.15pm: Panel – prospering in the pub and bar trade – Oisin Rogers, co-founder of The Devonshire, Richard Colclough, co-founder of Parogon Group, Susan Chappell, divisional director at Mitchells & Butlers, and Ted Kennedy, chairman of Coral Pub Company, discuss building momentum and sales in a challenging market.
4.15pm – 4.45pm: Sir Tim Martin, founder of JD Wetherspoon, discusses the group’s move into franchising and handing his brand over to other operators, its international expansion plans and maintaining its value-led proposition in a hostile cost environment.
Propel Exclusive Report
Propel's 500 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
28 April 2026
Young’s begins trading on London stock exchange main market in ‘pivotal milestone’
28 April 2026
Pret CEO – ‘no plans to pass on cost increases from Middle East conflict to customers, but they could feed through if disruption continues’
28 April 2026
Black Sheep Coffee to ramp up Scottish presence with ten-plus new stores this year
28 April 2026
Everyman reports trading in 2026 ‘starts well’ in what will be ‘year of consolidation’, full-year revenue increases to £116.6m
28 April 2026
London and south east Domino’s franchisee posts loss as turnover increases to record £23.9m
28 April 2026
Gym brand Lifestyle Fitness returns to profit after realigning operational focus, current financial year started ‘positively’
28 April 2026
Scottish pub company Kingdom Taverns reports profit boost as it cuts costs
28 April 2026
Hotel group Sandman reports record UK turnover of £21.3m
28 April 2026
Dessert bar operator opens in Manchester, Leeds next up
28 April 2026
Scottish food truck operation on NC500 opens restaurant
28 April 2026
Croatian seafood concept eyeing UK entry
28 April 2026
East Midlands street food market concept Bustler reveals pan-Asian concept That Kick as first operator for new Derby site
28 April 2026
Work to transform five-star venue in London’s Mayfair into UK’s first St Regis hotel set to complete next month, trading ‘robust’ at Kensington site ahead of £280m sale
28 April 2026
Great British Menu Champion of Champions winner Nikita Pathakji to open debut restaurant
28 April 2026
Cake Box ‘maintains strong trading momentum’ as revenue passes £60m mark
28 April 2026
Immersive food concept combining dining and gameplay to launch in Manchester
28 April 2026
Elangeni Hospitality Group founder opens debut site for new premium competitive socialising concept
27 April 2026
Smacks founder – ‘Middle East is a delicate place to be right now, but expansion is still very much on the cards’
27 April 2026
Coffee#1 MD – ‘market conditions are challenging, but we are seeing robust trading’
27 April 2026
More than three licensed venues a day shut in first quarter as labour and energy costs take toll
April 2026 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club readers have received all the videos from Restaurant Marketer and Innovator.
Propel Premium Club members have access to the entire recording of the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Conference.
Members are now able to access all the videos of the event.
Premium Club subscribers also receive videos from all of our conferencess, including the paid for events:
- Four Propel Multi Club conferences
- Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing
TO LINK TO THE FULL SCHEDULE CLICK HERE - Operational Excellence
- Culture, Talent & Training
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.
April 2026 ~ Premium Club
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 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 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 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, looks at emerging growth sectors, and Meaningful Vision founder Maria Vantifatova will analyse the latest trends in the quick service restaurant market.
Premium Club members receive the report for free.
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.
April 2026 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In this current edition, Market Halls chief executive Dan Hills explains why food halls are shaping the future of social-led dining. He explains how food has shifted from sustenance to social experience as time-pressed consumers seek meaningful, shared moments. Social-led dining, especially in flexible food halls, fosters connection, variety and entertainment, building loyalty through atmosphere, adaptability and community, redefining hospitality as a space for gathering. Also, Geof Collyer, founder of Lavender Bank Partners, looks at the growth in QSR. Eight UK QSR groups achieved strong post-pandemic sales growth but saw EBITDA decline due to rising labour and costs. They outperformed pub groups in growth and efficiency, though margins weakened, with IFRS 16 accounting significantly influencing reported financial performance. Also, Night Time Industries Association chief executive Michael Kill ponders the future of hospitality in a possible post-Sir Keir Starmer world. UK hospitality faces mounting strain from taxes, rising costs and overlapping regulations, eroding trust in Keir Starmer. The sector seeks collaborative policymaking, questioning whether potential successors like Angela Rayner or Andy Burnham would deliver meaningful change. Meanwhile, The Beautiful Pubs Collective founder Sam Hagger reveals to Propel chief operating officer – editorial, Mark Wingett, his strategy to ride out the latest storm. Beautiful Pubs Collective is investing to enhance experience and resilience despite rising costs and uneven trading. Founder Sam Hagger prioritises quality, community and staff retention, pursuing selective growth while advocating VAT cuts to support a pressured yet meaningful pub sector. Lastly, Propel managing editor Paul Bishop talks to Andy Oliver, co-founder of Thai restaurant Kolae, about building back after its fire closure. After a major fire, Som Saa closed for six months, costing hundreds of thousands. Founders rebuilt, refined the menu and reopened with loyal support, using the setback to evolve while focusing on strengthening their two restaurant sites.
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.
April 2026 ~ Premium Club
Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. In this week’s edition, recent hospitality developments highlight shifting investment, market pressures and evolving strategies across the sector.
London-based investment firm Fitzwalter has increased its stake in Young’s to around 18.5%, shortly after abandoning a prolonged takeover attempt of Auction Technology Group, prompting speculation about its intentions.
Debate continues over the viability of market town dining. David Page argues that declining footfall and oversupply have undermined restaurant performance in such areas, though some operators report strong profitability, suggesting success depends on execution rather than location alone.
Industry veteran Rupert Clevely has re-entered the sector as chairman of Wren Pubs, expressing confidence that well-invested, quality-led pubs can still thrive despite rising costs and reduced consumer spending. His track record includes founding Geronimo Inns and Hippo Inns, both successfully scaled and sold.
Meanwhile, Laura Montana is launching Zadie’s, a high-end pan-Asian concept in Manchester, reflecting continued appetite for experiential dining in high-growth cities.
At the same time, Attendant Coffee Roasters has closed its Shoreditch site after 12 years, citing post-pandemic demographic shifts, high costs and reduced demand. Founders emphasised the importance of recognising when closures are necessary to sustain overall business health.
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 April 2026
Glendola Leisure MD – ‘the group remains highly cash generative, conservatively financed, and operationally disciplined’
27 April 2026
Market Halls CEO – ‘food halls are not a passing trend, but part of a wider cultural blueprint’
27 April 2026
Rupert Clevely – ‘the pub sector is much more challenging, but the true greats will always shine’
27 April 2026
Jamie Oliver condemns ministers for ‘battering’ businesses
27 April 2026
Whitbread investors to bag £1.5bn with hotel sell-off
27 April 2026
BabaBoom ‘entering significant growth phase, with a strong pipeline of approved locations’
27 April 2026
Restaurant bosses feeling the effects of increased competition between delivery platforms
27 April 2026
Attendant Coffee Roasters co-founder – ‘we talk a lot about opening sites, we don’t talk nearly enough about closing them’
Watch highlights from this year’s Propel summer conference and party.
Video presentations of all the speakers are available to Premium Club members, join to unlock exclusive access to 100 insightful videos each year.
To view pictures from the event click here
Promotional Content
22 April 2025
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17 July 2024
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Conferences, study trips, and propel multi club
Upcoming Events
May 19th 2026
Excellence in Pub and Bar Retailing Conference
One Moorgate Place, London EC2R 6EA
Tickets are £345+VAT for operators, £395+VAT for suppliers. 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club members.
To book places email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
June 4th 2026
Propel Multi Club – Female leaders and entrepreneurs
Park Plaza, Victoria, London SW1V 1EQ
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.
To book places email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com