All MCA Insight articles in April 2014
View all stories from this issue.
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Analysis & Insight
Beer sales in pubs fall 4.2%
Beer sales in pubs were down 4.2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2014, according to figures released today by the British, Beer & Pub Association
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NewsGovernment finds zero-hours contracts most common in hospitality
Nearly half of companies operating in accommodation and food services employ staff on zero-hours contracts (ZHCs), according to a new government survey commissioned as part of its consultation into the practice
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NewsPunch bondholders waive covenants
Talks regarding the restructuring of Punch Taverns are set to continue after the pub company announced this morning that its bondholders had voted in favour of waiving covenants that would otherwise have placed the company in default
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Analysis & Insight‘Lighthouse venues’ replace circuit bars
The late night “circuit bar” mentality is in decline, replaced by a focus on “lighthouse venues”, according to new research
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NewsDomino’s appoints Wild as CEO
Domino’s Pizza Group has announced that David Wild has been appointed as its full-time chief executive with immediate effect, after serving as interim chief executive since January
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NewsHakkasan JV targets 30 developments
Hakkasan, the international restaurant group, has told M&C Report it hopes to open 30 developments over five years under its new joint venture with luxury resort operator MGM Resorts International, and could open a UK site outside London as well as inside the city
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NewsGreggs lfls up 3.7%
Greggs, the high street bakery chain led by Roger Whiteside, has reported a 3.7% rise in like for like sales for the 17 weeks to 26 April following a “weak” performance in 2013
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News
El Mexicana plans next 10 sites
El Mexicana, the fast-food Mexican franchise concept, has opened a site in Woking bringing its estate to 11 and is aiming to expand its pipeline by between eight and ten new openings this year, M&C Report has learnt
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News
CAMRA to step up opposition to some pubcos
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is to step up its opposition to some pubcos after a member “revolt” at its national conference at the weekend
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News
Minimum pricing u-turn warning
Veteran political reporter Adam Boulton has warned the pub trade to expect David Cameron to perform a ‘u-turn on his u-turn’ and re-visit minimum pricing of alcohol
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OpinionReform VAT for the hospitality industry
Serial sector investor Luke Johnson argues the case for a VAT cut for the industry in an article published in the campaign’s magazine the VAT Club Jacques Borel Gazette
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News
Energy efficiency can sway profits by 2%
Pub and restaurant groups representing 80% of managed outlets have signed up to an energy efficiency benchmarking system to highlight where energy savings can be made across the hospitality sector and allow companies to measure their efforts against competitors
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Analysis & InsightSpending on restaurants down over last decade
Non-essential spending on things like restaurants and hotels has fallen from £13.70 to £12.00, down 12.4% over the last 10 years, according to research by Halifax
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NewsBorel targets MPs
VAT cut campaigner Jacques Borel has said he’s targeting 248 of the 649 MPs in Parliament to garner support for the tax to be reduced and restated his confidence that a cut is “achievable” by next April
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News
Feng Sushi awarded three stars for sustainability
Feng Sushi, the Japanese fast-casual restaurant and take away concept backed by Luke Johnson, has been awarded three stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) for innovation in 2013
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News
Assado introduces take-away concept
High-profile chef Cyrus Todiwala is offering ‘grab & go’ food at his recently opened Goan-Portuguese casual-dining restaurant Assado, near London’s Waterloo
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News
Seafood restaurant moves into Camden’s Trattoria Lucca
Hook Camden, the seafood restaurant concept, has acquired the site of the Trattoria Lucca in Camden, one of London’s oldest restaurants
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NewsGreene King managed LFLs up 4.8%
Greene King has this morning announced that like-for-like sales across its managed estate were up 4.8% over the last 16 weeks and that it had recorded its 22nd consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth
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NewsWhitbread: food quality, promos, revamps, analysts
M&C Report takes a closer look at the full-year results to 27 February for Whitbread, reports from a presentation to analysts and speaks to finance director Nicholas Cadbury
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NewsWhitbread FY lfls up 4.2%
Whitbread has reported a 4.2% rise in like-for-like sales in the year to 27 February, with growth accelerating in the second half