Propel Info

Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit is returning for its seventh edition, and tickets are now on sale. The event is a partnership between Propel and Think Hospitality Consulting, aiming to build a community, promote the sharing of ideas, recognise talent and define the future of eating out. Bookings are now open for the two-day conference as the centrepiece of the January event series, taking place on 21 and 22 January at One Moorgate Place in London. The conference will focus on technology, marcomms strategies, proposition, brand building, the latest market insights, digital developments and diversification of revenue streams. It is designed for customer focused chief executives, senior marketers, technology and innovation teams, as well as investors wanting to better understand the latest marketing, innovation and development opportunities to build market share and grow. 👉 The pre-Christmas early-bird prices are as follows: a one-day ticket for operators is £295 plus VAT while a two-day ticket is £550 plus VAT. Supplier tickets are £395 plus VAT for one day and £700 plus VAT for two. Propel Premium Club members receive a 20% discount. To book, email  [email protected]. 👉 Read the full programme here: https://lnkd.in/dQhx3wNK

Soho House & Co has revealed it has received a £1.4bn takeover offer from a new consortium, which pushed its shares up by more than 60% in early trading in the US to their highest level for more than a year. The company, which is based in London but listed on the New York Stock Exchange, said a “new third-party consortium” has offered to buy it for $9 per share, a premium of 83% from where the stock closed on Wednesday (18 December). 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Burger & Lobster Restaurant Group Limited has said it has “ambitious growth penned for the next few years”, which will see its presence more than double in the UK. It comes as the business said it would mark its return to the expansion trail in early 2025 with an opening in Brighton – its first new UK site in eight years. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Upham Inns, the southern England premium pubs operator, has reported like-for-like sales are up 7.5% in the current financial year and is progressing well with expansion and funding opportunities. It comes as the 14-strong company reported turnover increased 4.5% to £19,266,000 for the year ended 31 March 2024 compared with £18,430,000 the previous year. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Leong Enterprises, the restaurant group from brothers Geoff and Lucas Leong has told Propel it is set to launch a new “scalable” concept as it looks to expand outside of London. The family business first launched in the UK in 1995, with Japanese restaurant Koi in Kensington, and most recently opened Japanese á la carte and omakase concept Ine in Hampstead, in December 2023. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Better gourmet business Luxford Burgers has hired Sean McPhee as business development director, Propel has learned. McPhee joins Luxford from Arc Inspirations, where he had been business development director for four months. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Yorkshire Mexican restaurant concept Mexi Bean Express has launched a franchise opportunity. The business was founded in 2020 as Mexi Bean by Danielle Best and has sites in Halifax, Brighouse, Huddersfield, Sowerby Bridge and Morley. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Cinema group Vue International is to take over the operations of two sites being shut by rival Cineworld. The company has agreed new leases with landlord Landsec for the venues at Tower Park in Poole, Dorset, and Xscape Yorkshire in Castleford, West Yorkshire. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Whitbread has announced that non-executive director Chris Kennedy will step down at the conclusion of the company’s annual general meeting in June. Kennedy is chairman of the audit committee and Whitbread said a successor will be appointed in due course. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR

Steve Holmes, chief executive of Azzurri Group, the ASK Italian, Zizzi Restaurants, Coco di Mama and Boojum operator, has told Propel he expects the group’s fast-casual concepts to eventually generate a greater share of the investment platform’s profit over time, and hasn’t ruled out making further acquisitions in that space. The business opened the first UK site for US brand Dave’s Hot Chicken earlier this month, and last week the site in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue set the “all-time weekly Azzurri sales record”. 👉 For the full version of this story and to read it first sign up to the Propel email newsletter for free: https://lnkd.in/eyy_THzR