Latest / Hospitality News Briefing / Monday 5 October: Amber Taverns targets southern expansion while slamming planning red tape
Transcript
- Good morning. This is the Hospitality News Briefing, from Ops Club. Episode twelve, Monday the fifth of October. Here is what the UK trade press reported this morning, collated for operators. Amber Taverns is warning that planning gridlock is stalling high street regeneration as the group prepares to accelerate its expansion across southern England. Starting with the latest results and trading updates, Gordon Ramsay has hit record revenue of one hundred and fifty two million pounds as the groups UK turnover broke the one hundred million pound mark. Propel Hospitality Info reports that the global restaurant business saw turnover jump to one hundred and fifty one point eight million pounds in twenty twenty five. While the UK arm reported a five point eight million pound operating loss, ee bit dah grew four per cent to eight point five million pounds, suggesting the core sites remain cash generative despite high development costs. Much of the heavy lifting was centered on the launch at twenty two Bishopsgate, showing the high price of planting flags in the City's most expensive real estate. Also in Propel, Costa Coffee is back in the black as annual turnover hit one point two nine billion pounds. The Coca Cola owned chain swung to a twenty point four million pound operating profit in twenty twenty five, recovering from a thirteen point five million pound loss the year before. Growth was largely powered by the UK market, which provided nearly ninety seven per cent of total revenue. For operators, it shows the sheer scale required to recover from the current cost climate in high volume, lower ticket coffee retail. Propel also reports that JD Wetherspoon beer garden spend is paying off as summer sales climbed eight point six per cent. Sir Tim Martin credited heavy investment in outdoor spaces for reversing the usual dip in sales during hot spells. Elsewhere, The Caterer reports that Dishoom has seen turnover jump, but profits have taken a hit. The Indian restaurant group recorded double digit revenue growth even as its bottom line felt the squeeze from rising costs. Finally for the numbers, Langton Capital reports that Jollibee UK narrowed its losses as revenue climbed to thirty six point eight million pounds for the year to December twenty twenty five. On to a few people moves to note, both from The Caterer. Nomad London has added Josh Harnden and Carlo Scotto to its kitchen team to lead culinary operations. Meanwhile, Ben Tish has announced his departure from Cubitt House, exiting his role as chef director. Turning to trends and market data, Langton Capital notes research finding that stable managers can reduce staff turnover by thirty percentage points. Data from Pineapple and a workforce management platform shows sites that keep the same general manager have a fifty two per cent team turnover, compared to eighty two per cent where general managers frequently change. It proves that investment in the top site level pays for itself in reduced recruitment and training bills. The message is clear: if you cannot settle the manager, you will never settle the rota. Langton Capital also reports that UK house price growth slowed to zero point eight per cent in September. The Nationwide reported a monthly dip of zero point two per cent, which is often a signal of cooling consumer sentiment that hits big ticket leisure spend first. In other news, The Morning Advertiser reports that Diageo distillery workers are set for fresh strike action. More than one hundred staff at the Cameronbridge site will walk out this month in a dispute over job cuts. Three things to think about before you get on with the day. The data shows a thirty per cent gap in turnover between sites with stable general managers and those without. Do you know your general manager churn rate for the last twelve months, and what it is really costing you in recruitment? Amber Taverns saw licensing take five weeks but planning take ten months. Have you reviewed your pipeline for next year to account for these massive local government delays? With machine games duty possibly doubling, are you relying on ancillaries to keep a site profitable, and would your model break if that tax rate jumped? The full rundown is at ops dash club dot com, where every story links back to the publication that reported it. Today's pulled from Propel Hospitality Info, The Caterer, Langton Capital and The Morning Advertiser - a signpost to their reporting, not a replacement for it. Scripted and read by AI and published without a human check, so check the original before you act on anything. For longer conversations with the people running the sector, find the Hospitality Ops Club podcast. That is your briefing. Have a great day.