18/10/2022
Pub group Greene king has acquired smokehouse restaurant group Hickory's with plans to grow it into a national dining brand. Hickory's was founded in 2010 by Neil McDonnell and now runs 17 restaurants across the Midlands and North West, employing around 1,500 people. The Caterer reports that Hickory's will continue to be run by McDonnell and managing director John Welsh.
This November Simmons bars will be celebrating a milestone launch with their 25th site opening in the heart of Holborn, reports RPBi. With no plans to slow down any time soon, Simmons has announced plans to expand to over 50 sites over the next 3-5 years. The Holborn rollout follows the launch of an additional brand new Simmons bar located on Bond Street, which will open doors on November 10th.
New World Trading Company (NWTC) is planning to open between five and eight venues a year going forward, it latest financial results show. The business, which operates eight brands including The Botanist, The Florist and The Oast House, reported a 16% rise in turnover in the year to 31 March 2022 to £59.9m, compared to pre-Covid levels in 2019, reports Big Hospitality.
The Government must not delay the upcoming budget as it needs to take long-term look at what will "boost businesses and inspire confidence", leaders from across the sector have stated. In the wake of former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's resignation, announced on Friday 14 October, Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) CEO Michael Kill said the Government has already "lost the confidence of the sector", reports Morning Advertiser.
Great London Hospitality (GLH) has announced that the group will be rebranding as the Clermont Hotel Group this autumn, following a £90m investment over the past four years. The Caterer reports that the move will align the largest hotel owner-operator in London more closely with its anchor brand, the Clermont. The strategy aims to bolster three key brands in its portfolio - the Clermont, Thistle and Hard Rock Hotel London - and accelerate expansion into major cities within the UK and across Europe.
Pubs and bars across the hospitality industry could all be operating at net zero by 2040, after industry body UKHospitality unveiled a new programme aimed at guiding the sector to the target, advises Pub & Bar. The trade body's new Sustainability Commitment sets out 10 pledges in four key areas - waste, supply chain, skills and biodiversity. The initiative forms part of a wider drive to help businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, make hospitality a leader in sustainability.
Pubcos are offering work from pub (WFP) deals to boost business and draw in workers seeking a break from their energy bills, reports Morning Advertiser. Young's first introduced its £15 WFP packages in 2020. The deal, which operates at 185 Young's pubs varies but can include a sandwich lunch with bottomless tea and coffee.