All articles by Finn Scott-Delany
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NewsSimmons Bars acquired in pre-pack for £6m
Sixteen sites were acquired by founder Nick Campbell and Lonsdale Capital Partners, after the bar business suffered a downturn in trading and a loss of £2.85m in 2025
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NewsDomino’s profits slip by 15%
The pizza group blamed weak consumer confidence, higher costs of employment, and a tough comparison period for a slowdown in like-for-like sales and new openings
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NewsStarbucks sees ‘continued momentum’ in the UK
Comparable sales are in the low single digits, driven by a focus on service, beverage consistency, food innovation and labour investments to support peak operating hours, according to CEO Brian Niccol
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NewsOakman enters administration with six closures
Following the sale of 13 sites to Upham Group, PwC has confirmed it has been appointed administrator of Oakman Inns & Restaurants Limited, with six trading sites closing with immediate effect
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NewsBrewDog to close 10 bars as it rationalises estate
The craft beer brand is closing ten bars which have “no realistic prospect of becoming commerically viable”. BrewDog will instead focus on large-footprint destination venues and smaller community bars
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OpinionHonest Burgers and the revolving CEOs
A survivor of the burger restaurant specialists, Honest has ambitions to quadruple its estate and roll out a QSR smashburger spin-off. But is its difficulty in keeping hold of its CEOs holding back its expansion ambitions?
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NewsHonest Burgers appoints new CEO
Former CFO and interim CEO Matt Brandon is stepping up to lead the brand, following the departure of Kevin Styles after just six months in charge
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InterviewsLoungers: ‘We’d never rule out an acquisition’
In part two of a Q&A at MCA’s Pub Conference, executive chairman Alex Reilley discusses Cosy Club stepping out of the shadow of Lounges, franchise opportunities in airports, and whether the group could acquire a fourth brand
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InterviewsKricket: ‘You’re only ever one site away from disaster’
As modern Indian restaurant group Kricket prepares to mark its tenth anniversary, co-founder Rik Campbell discusses the latest opening in Shoreditch, the shifting consumer demographics of London, and the potential for international expansion
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NewsPizza Hut Restaurants makes leadership changes
Long-standing CEO Jens Hofma, who has led the Pizza Hut franchise since 2012, is leaving the business after it was acquired in a pre-pack administration deal by Directional Capital
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NewsShake Shack plans accelerated London and UK expansion
The premium QSR burger brand is planning to significantly ramp up outlet growth across the country over the next two years, business director Richard Franks tells MCA
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NewsWatchHouse drives expansion in London and New York
The modern coffee house group reported full year revenues for 2024 of £15.4m, up 62% year-on-year, which it described as an “extremely satisfying” performance
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InterviewsYard Sale Pizza: ‘We want to be bigger and better’
The Piper-backed pizza delivery brand will look to accelerate investment in digital and tech to enhance customer retention following its recent acquisition, co-founder Johnnie Tate tells MCA
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NewsStonegate delivers £1.7bn revenue
The 4,370-strong pub company said sales were favourable compared to the prior year, demonstrating the “resilience of its high-quality pub portfolio”
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Analysis & InsightYard Sale Pizza deal delivers a tasty slice of M&A
Piper’s acquisition of the London pizza shop brand steers clear of casual dining in favour of a delivery-first cult-favourite brand with lots of potential for growth
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NewsYard Sale Pizza secures investment from Piper
The London neighbourhood pizza delivery brand plans to supercharge expansion in London and new cities across the UK, with a goal of reaching 40 shops over the next five years, MCA can reveal
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InterviewsPapa Johns franchise base ‘stronger than ever’
Having restructured its UK estate, the pizza brand is now “well positioned for growth” with positive sales and transactions, according UK MD Chris Phylactou
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InterviewsCaravan: ‘This is all down to us now’
CEO Laura Harper-Hinton speaks to MCA following the restaurant group’s management buy-out, which she says has enabled the team to “refocus on what we’re up to”
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NewsLandmark Brighton venues acquired
Concorde 2 and Volks, which specialise in live music and late night events, have been acquired by independent music company All Things Considered
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NewsArslan Sharif leaves PizzaExpress
MCA understands the CTO’s departure is part of a restructure to make the business more agile, with chief commercial officer Chris Holmes to lead customer, marketing, digital and loyalty