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All articles by Finn Scott-Delany
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OpinionPickled passengers shouldn’t be allowed to take flight
Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin argues his airport pubs are are responsible and that drink restrictions are unworkable - but he may need to share some accountability for rising incidences of on-flight drunkenness
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OpinionTrailblazing Beefeater faces the chop
With owner Whitbread long ago losing interest in branded restaurants in favour of more proftiable hotels, it was surprising Beefeater and Brewers Fayre lasted as long as they did, their dependency on Premier Inn maintaining the brands on terminal life support
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OpinionMoment of Caring for missed M&A opportunity
Serial investor Luke Johnson, who sold The Ivy, J Sheekey and Le Caprice to Richard Caring in 2005 in a £31.5m deal, admitted he didn’t see the possibility of turning The Ivy into a chain
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OpinionHeaven and the fault lines of the licensing system
An iconcic LGBTQ+ nightclub was nearly shut down due to a concocted campaign of AI-generated complaints, a case which demonstrates the vulnerable position of night-time businesses, and how shaky evidence can trigger a licensing review
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OpinionPeter Coulson: 6 August 1943 - 27 March 2026
A specialist licensing lawyer, journalist and publisher, Coulson founded what was then M&C Report with Peter Martin, the pair lending their initials to the title, which went on to become MCA after merging with Allegra Foodservice
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NewsLas Iguanas launches property restructuring plan
Brand owner Big Table is consulting with landlords over a restucture of the Latin American concept’s leasehold business, as wet-led casual dining continues to be a ‘very challenged’ part of the market, CEO Alan Morgan tells MCA
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OpinionLyndon Lea’s cosy Epstein connections are ‘no concern’ for Lion Capital
The private equity firm behind Gordon Ramsay’s expansion drive has told MCA it sees no conflict with co-founder Lyndon Lea’s close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and its stated position on slavery and human trafficking
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OpinionA celebration of the industry’s best
Whether a winner or runner-up, last night’s festivities at the MCA Hospitality Awards are very much deserved after so much hard work
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InterviewsMcDonald’s UK: ‘Fresh eyes on the business has informed how we want to grow’
Chief restaurant officer Patrick Gerber, part of a refreshed senior team leading the UK & Ireland territory, said chicken, beverages, value for money and customer experience were some of the key strategic priorities for the business, which recently posted one of its strongest quarters of recent years
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OpinionDreaming of global growth
From New York, to the Republic of Ireland, to the Middle East, ambitious British brands are looking outwards to international opportunties, MCA’s Food to Go conference heard
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OpinionThe hospitality hater urging investment in edgy tech start-ups
The Chancellor’s advisor Alexandra Depledge runs a loss-marking start-up, which is backed by the same private equity firm which has invested in Mowgli and Federal Cafe
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NewsStonegate advisors set out leasehold restructuring proposals
The pub and bar company appointed FRP Advisory last month, with documents seen by MCA outlining proposals for a ‘cross-class cram down’ on dissenting creditors, meaning it can press ahead with the restructure without the approval of all landlords
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OpinionJeremy King unwittingly feeds the social media monster
The fabled restaurateur has taken aim at entitled social media influencers for causing a nuisance and ruining the dining experience for other guests. But did his keen sense of style and design, appeal to A-listers and cultivation of The Ivy lay the groundwork for the age of the vapid self-takers? ...
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InterviewsBoxpark: ‘You’re more likely to see us do deals internationally than the UK’
CEO Matt Snell says with a stagnant home economy, he is focussing on the turnaround of Boxpark’s core business, as well as lucrative event pop-ups and international opportunities, after walking away from sites in Bristol and Birmingham
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Analysis & InsightInvestors cheer salud! to return of Tortilla founder
Brandon Stephens has stepped back into the CEO role at Tortilla with a powerhouse team of hospitality leaders, where he will be looking to build on early European forays into France, improve its food offer, and build a refreshed brand that resonates with a contemporary consumer
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InterviewsGaucho: ‘Very soon we’ll be in double-digit growth’
CEO Baton Berisha is evolving the restaurant group’s offering away from its core Argentinian-inspired steakhouse group towards a more accessible South American and Latin influence, he tells MCA
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NewsWetherspoon urges sector to back Reform tax plans
Chairman Tim Martin criticised the ’underwhelming’ reception from pub sector leaders to Nigel Farage’s pub proposals, which includes cuts to VAT, business rates, beer duty, National Insurance, as well as reform of the tied system
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OpinionA pound off a pint is fantasy economics
Nigel Farage reckons Reform UK’s tax cutting pubs plan will see the cost of a pint fall by a whole pound, but it doesn’t take much scrutiny for these claims to look as wobbly as an old barstool
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OpinionFull circle as Revolution Bars join Neos Hospitality
As Neos Hospitality acquires 20 Revolution and Revolución de Cuba sites out of administration, it’s just the latest in a series of talks the parties have held over the years about joining forces
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OpinionBack in the Box: Roger Wade’s next move
After stepping down from the board of Boxpark four years on from its sale, founder Roger Wade is launching a shipping container venture for events and hospitality. But could opposition to the trade