Investment

Brakspear rewards top five tenants with up to £2,000 each

16-Jul-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Brakspear has presented five of its top pub tenants with up to £2,000 each, as winners of the annual Brakspear Hospitality Awards.

Strong food growth drives sales at Spirit Pub Company

12-Jun-2012 By M&C Report

Spirit Pub Company has reported a slowdown in growth for the 12 weeks to 26 May but said it remained on track to deliver its full year expectations.

Private equity groups show interest in Inventive Leisure

01-Jun-2012

 A number of private-equity groups are believed to have shown an interest in Inventive Leisure, the Revolution Vodka Bar operator, which was placed on the market by backer Alchemy Partners earlier this year.

Fuller's reports "very positive" full-year results with pre-tax profit up 3% to £30.3m

31-May-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Fuller’s, the London-based brewer and pub operator, has reported “very positive” results for the year to 31 March, with pre-tax profit up 3% to £30.3m on revenues up 5% to £253m.

Wear Inns gains £10m investment

08-May-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

The Business Growth Fund (BGF) and NVM Private Equity (NVM) have announced they plan to invest £10m into Wear Inns, the North east England-based pub operator, to further aid its growth strategy.

Stonegate in £200,000 community pub investment

01-May-2012

Stonegate Pub Company, the TDR Capital managed operator, is hoping to create a string of “local pubs” across the country, which started with the relaunch of the Red Lion in Wednesfield, West Midlands last week.

Imbiba Partnership plans new Darwin & Wallace concept

26-Apr-2012

Imbiba Partnership, the investment company behind Drake & Morgan, plans to launch a new bar and restaurant concept called Darwin & Wallace with the first funds raised through its recently launched Enterprise Investment Scheme, M&C Report understands.

Piper acquires stake in Loungers

10-Apr-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Piper, the private equity group, which formerly backed Pitcher & Piano and Las Iguanas, has taken a significant minority stake in Loungers, the fast-growing cafe/bar restaurant group led by Alex Reilley.

Longshot seeks £10m growth

04-Apr-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Longshot, the business led by entrepreneurs Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors, has launched a new round of fundraising as it looks to raise up to £10m to expand its four-strong Bel & The Dragon brand.

UCL in talks with private equity firms

29-Mar-2012

Urban & Country Leisure (UCL), operator of the Lazy Cow boutique hotel and steakhouse concept, is in talks with two private-equity firms about investing in the company and is eyeing moves to be listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

S&NPC to invest £24.5m in estate

02-Mar-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (S&NPC), the leased pub operator, has announced plans to invest £24.5m across its c.1,300-strong estate over the next two years.

Stonegate plans 80 refurbs in the year

22-Feb-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Stonegate, the managed-pub operator, plans to refurbish 80 sites in the next 12 months, including a new template for its late-night bars and student-focused Scream brand.

Spirit appoints new non-executive director

23-Jan-2012 By Mark Wingett

Spirit Pub Company has announced the appointment of Julie Chakraverty as a new non-executive director with immediate effect.

Innis & Gunn on the recruitment trail

12-Dec-2011

Innis & Gunn, the Scottish brewer, is to double its workforce with the creation of 13 new jobs as it reports a 68% rise in turnover to £6.167m in the year to the end of September 2011.

Sales up at Novus Leisure

12-Dec-2011 By Mark Wingett

Novus Leisure, the privately-owned bar and club group led by Steve Richards, has reported a rise in full-year sales on the back of its pre-bookings and continued investment in its existing estate.

Private-equity investors: what we look for in the pub sector

16-Nov-2011 By John Harrington

A capable and passionate management team that knows its business and has a clear strategy for growth — those are the most important things private equity looks for when investing in the pub sector.

Piper takes stake in Be At One

31-Oct-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Piper, the private equity group, which formerly backed Pitcher & Piano and Las Iguanas, has taken a significant minority stake in Be At One, the London-based 12-strong cocktail bar chain.

Punch: good year of progress

20-Oct-2011 By Ewan Turney

Punch Taverns, the leased and tenanted operator, has reported its first growth (0.9%) in average net income per pub for three years as it continues to downsize its estate from 5,000 to 3,000 pubs.

Barclays: banks still willing to invest in pubs

10-Oct-2011 By Adam Pescod

Banks are still willing to invest in pub companies if there are “sensible structures” in place, according to Mike Delay, relationship director at Barclays’ corporate banking arm.

Imbiba eyes capital deals

02-Sep-2011

Investment company Imbiba Partnership has made an approach for the seven-strong Black & Blue business.

Luke Johnson's tips on running a successful business

02-Sep-2011 By Becky Paskin

Businesses must be tech-savy, improve their service standards, and ensure their menus and designs are innovative if they are to succeed in the future.

Leisure sector 'will drive economic growth'

23-Aug-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Businesses view the hospitality and leisure sector as a key driver of economic growth in the UK over the next decade, according to a survey by...

Whitbread to sell Premier Inn sites

19-Aug-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Whitbread is to sell seven Premier Inn sites to real-estate investment firm LaSalle Investment Management for £53.8m in a sale and leaseback deal.

Molson Coors' £175m brewery investment

15-Aug-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Molson Coors, the Carling brewer, is set to invest £175m in its UK breweries, according to the Daily Telegraph this morning. The company has...

Over 100 pubs owned by public sector bodies

09-Aug-2011 By MA reporter

Over 100 pubs and 130 cafes and restaurants are part of 180,000 assets owned by close to 600 public sector bodies, according to new figures from the Communities and Local Government (CLG) department.

Johnson's Draft House investment

02-Aug-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Luke Johnson, the serial restaurant investor, has taken a substantial minority stake in Draft House, the three-strong London-based pub concept...

Admiral announces £5m capital investment programme

29-Jun-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Admiral Taverns has announced plans to spend £5m on capital investment programmes at around 165 pubs this summer.

M&B: food overtakes drink for first time

20-May-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Food sales across the retained estate at Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) have overtaken drink sales for the first time.

Pub catering butchery Bluefields launches

19-May-2011 By Lesley Foottit

Independent catering butchery Bluefields Group has launched into foodservice and invested in Ben Burgers.

Be At One seeks backing for growth plans

17-May-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

London-based cocktail bar operator Be At One has appointed Zolfo Cooper to advise it on its investment options for future growth. It is looking to...

Fluid Group launches 10th site

13-May-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Fluid Group, the Newcastle upon Tyne-based leisure company, is set to launch its 10th site in the north-east and its second under its gastro-pub/deli...

Robinsons invests £1m in beer quality

06-May-2011 By Ewan Turney

North-west brewer and pub operator Robinsons is to invest more than £1m to help its 385 tenants improve beer quality. The brewer is developing an...

Adnams joins Government green mission to US

29-Mar-2011 By Lesley Foottit

Green brewer Adnams is one of six British businesses joining the climate change minister on a "green trade mission" to the US. Minister Greg Barker...

Brains invests £5m on pub revamps

23-Mar-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Welsh brewer and pub operator SA Brain has announced plans to spend £5m renovating 22 pubs over the next 12 weeks. Projects will range from...

Tchenguiz brothers released by police

10-Mar-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Robert Tchenguiz and his brother Vincent were released by police last night after being arrested as part of the investigation into Kaupthing.

Tchenguiz brothers arrested

09-Mar-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Robert Tchenguiz has been arrested along with his brother Vincent as part of the investigation into the collapse of Icelandic investment bank Kaupthing.

Investment is key to success in business

25-Feb-2011 By Steve Haslam

Steve Haslam explains how he has kept TLC Inns booming through constant and careful investment.

Barracuda bites back

21-Feb-2011 By Hamish Champ

Heading a company that posted a near-£19m loss in its latest financial year might upset the equilibrium of many a chief executive. But Barracuda...

Sapient Corporate Finance

17-Feb-2011 By Sapient Corporate Finance

Sapient Corporate Finance was established in 1997 to provide corporate finance advisory services to clients in the pub, bar, restaurant and broader...

Call for action on alcohol misuse to save NHS billions

14-Feb-2011

Tackling alcohol misuse must be made a public health priority to help save the NHS £1.7bn a year, a health lobby group has argued. A report by...

Charity calls for alcohol specialists in hospitals

14-Feb-2011 By Ewan Turney

The Government should invest in alcohol health workers in every hospital if they are serious about cutting alcohol-related admissions, according to...

Join our VAT-cut campaign

10-Feb-2011 By The PMA Team

The Government has only to look at France to see why a tax reduction on food would help create jobs and lower prices for consumers, says The PMA Team.

Losses narrow at BBPA

03-Feb-2011 By The PMA Team

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has reported reduced losses despite a £157,000 drop in income.

Oakman reports 118% sales increase

20-Jan-2011 By The PMA Team

Oakman Inns, the company headed by former Whitbread executive Peter Borg-Neal, has reported a sales increase of 118% in its most recent year to 4...

The freehold option lifeline

20-Jan-2011 By The PMA Team

A freehold option lease could unlock the potential in struggling pubs — attracting high-quality licensees who will invest, says The PMA Team,

Punch: pub investments are on track

14-Jan-2011 By John Harrington

Punch Taverns has stressed that it's pub investment programme is "on track" despite delays in its Investment for Growth (I4G) scheme.

Enterprise Inns sells 29 pubs for £42m

14-Jan-2011 By Hamish Champ

Enterprise Inns has sold the freeholds of 29 London pubs to Max Property Group for £42.56m. It has leased back the pubs on new 35 FRI leases linked...

Exclusive: Punch delays I4G investments

11-Jan-2011 By John Harrington

Punch Taverns is delaying new investment projects at its tenanted and leased pubs via its Investment for Growth (I4G) scheme.

M&B unveils seven-year deal with Brakes

22-Dec-2010 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers has unveiled a seven-year partnership with Brakes Group worth over £200m, delivering significant savings for the company.

Analyst: Punch should drop tenanted pubs

06-Dec-2010 By The PMA Team

A leading City analyst has claimed that Punch Taverns' best option now is to allow the two securitisations — A and B — that cover 5,325 of its...