All articles by Georgi Gyton
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NewsJoe & The Juice accelerates UK expansion
The Danish-founded juice, coffee and sandwich brand has ramped up its UK openings programme with four new sites opened across November and December – taking its total to 16 for the year – and several more lined up for early 2026.
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InterviewsArdent Pub Group: British pub sector 'most revered drinking cultures in the world'
Founder Dominic Jacobs says his recent private investment deal for the three-strong pub company shows there is still a strong investment appetite for premium businesses
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NewsPub-goers favour pre-booking
Gen Z are three times more likely to prefer tech-based ordering, with 34% of pub customers overall, preferring to order from their table via an app or website, found the new report from Zonal.
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NewsTGI Fridays’ parent company looks to appoint administrators
Liberty Bar & Restaurant Group has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, in the latest twist in the tale of the beleaguered casual dining chain.
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NewsBrewDog Bars’ joint MD to step down
Joint MD Martin Keith is to step down after 14 years at the brewer and pub operator, having begun his career as a GM at BrewDog’s third bar, at Glasgow Kelvingrove.
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NewsXP Factory reports significant uplift in interim results
The operator of Boom Battle Bars and Escape Hunt achieved a 13% rise in revenue for the 26 weeks to 28 September 2025, describing the group as having given “a creditable performance” in a tough market environment.
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OpinionGerry Carroll: ‘To present this budget as support is indefensible’
Valiant Pub Company’s co-founder accused the government of being either ‘incompetent in policy design or outright dishonest’. Featuring additional commentary from JW Lees and Oak Taverns.
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Analysis & InsightYoung people planning to reduce festive drinking
Almost half (48%) of 18–34-year-olds are planning to drink less alcohol this Christmas, the latest Barclays Consumer Spend report has suggested.
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Analysis & InsightHospitality F&B prices record a drop
Food and drink prices in the hospitality fell by 0.3% in October 2025, according to the latest Foodservice Price Index from CGA by NIQ and Prestige Purchasing, with vegetable prices down, but meat & poultry continuing to rise.
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NewsOpenings of the week
MCA rounds-up the latest openings news, featuring Dave’s Hot Chicken, Brunning and Price, Alley Cats Pizza, Padella and more
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Analysis & InsightRestaurant customers willing to pay more for quality ingredients
Healthy choices and ingredient quality have become leading drivers of restaurant selection, however having visited a venue before remains the key reason for choosing where to eat, according to Lumina Intelligence.
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OpinionByron: What’s next for the embattled burger brand?
Having just avoided collapse for the fourth time in a decade, and with only seven restaurants remaining, MCA explores what the future might hold for the ‘proper hamburger’ business under 21-year-old investor, and founder of Niyamo Capital, Akshat Tibrewala - its new majority shareholder
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OpinionSacha Lord: ‘How can pubs survive hammer blow budget?’
Night Time Industries Association chairman Sacha Lord has described Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcement on business rates reform as “an act of shocking betrayal”, with some businesses to see their rates rise by 400% or more.
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OpinionCharlie Gilkes: ‘Reeves has hammered final nail in coffin of pubs’
The Inception Group co-founder has said the huge rise in business rates bills from increased valuations “spells disaster for the hospitality sector”, and has urged the government to reconsider
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NewsOakNorth: Casual dining to see further consolidation
Selective growth through consolidation is expected in the casual dining sector, led by opportunistic acquisitions of distressed assets, challenger bank OakNorth has predicted.
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InterviewsPoolhouse: ‘Pitching to investors was easy – they could see the potential’
CEO and co-founder Andrew O’Brien talks to MCA about the opportunity to scale Poolhouse – the soon-to-launch concept from Topgolf and Puttshack founders, Steve and Dave Jolliffe, with its imaginative gameplay and premium F&B offering
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OpinionSt Austell CEO: ‘Budget heaps more cost and pain on a sector that simply cannot bear it’
Kevin Georgel says the combined impact of the 2024 and 2025 autumn budget’s will force St Austell Brewery “to scale significantly scale back our investment plans”, and accuses the government of doing ”the opposite” of its promise to rebalance business rates
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NewsWhich Wich partners with Seeds on UK expansion
The Dallas, Texas-founded sandwich chain, known for its customisable hot toasted sandwiches, is looking to roll out the American sandwich brand across the UK.
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InterviewsDishoom: ‘We want to deepen our culture as we grow’
Mindful of the risk that scaling up and taking on new investment can lead to a dilution of culture, Dishoom, Caravan and Pizza Pigrims are focused on maintaining their values as they expand
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NewsPoolhouse lines up debut New York venue
Poolhouse has signed a Letter of Intent for a “stunning unit” on New York’s Broadway, with discussions on further UK and international locations ongoing, co-founder and chief executive Andrew O’Brien tells MCA.