16/12/2025 09:41:00
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has demanded immediate action to support pubs and reduce the business rates burden imposed at the recent Budget. At an emergency summit held in London with sector chiefs on Wednesday 10 December, the BBPA called for targeted support from the Government to prevent pub closures and protect thousands of jobs. The trade organisation estimated almost 5,000 of the nation's smallest pubs will be hit with a business rates bill for the first time, pushing many to the brink, reports The Morning Advertiser.
Rapper Professor Green will launch his fast food brand PG Fast Food in Glasgow next year, writes The Restaurant. The musician, real name Stephen Manderson, will open the restaurant on the city's Byres Road in the first quarter of 2026. Green says his new brand is designed to 'disrupt the fast food market' but is yet to reveal details of the menu. PG Fast Food is understood to be a partnership between Green and Hero Brands, which also supports fried chicken brand Sides from YouTube stars The Sidemen.
Leon co-founder John Vincent has told The Guardian he is looking to return the healthy fast food brand to the expansion trail and is in the process of overhauling its menu. Following reports last week that the group was set to appoint administrators as part of plans to restructure the business and close up to 20 loss-making sites, Vincent says Leon is shifting out of unprofitable locations and cities such as Brighton and Manchester to concentrate on its owned stores - of which there are now 29 - in London. Vincent expects to be back on the expansion trail with plans for as many as 100 UK outlets, mostly in the capital, over the next four years, says The Restaurant.
Dominus has secured planning consent from Camden Council to transform a telephone exchange at 123 Judd Street into a 240-key hotel, advises BE News. Designed by Stiff + Trevillion, the ground floor of the building will be opened up and revitalised to include a hotel restaurant, café, and bar, and a newly landscaped courtyard will create a connection between the building and the surrounding public realm. The design retains the entire substructure and 80% of the existing building. Once operational, the hotel will be managed by Dominus Hospitality and the company will launch the Camden Hospitality Academy on-site in partnership with The Springboard Charity and supported by Hilton, which will offer training, work placements and employment opportunities for local residents.
Burger King UK plans to open around 30 new restaurants a year from 2026 after reportedly securing millions of pounds of new funding. The chain's private equity backer Bridgepoint has invested £15m into the fast food giant in recent days, with a further £20m expected over the next 18 months, according to Sky News. It comes as Burger King UK signed a new 20-year master franchise agreement with a subsidiary of parent company Restaurant Brands International that will extend its reach to the Republic of Ireland. In results released, the chain said revenue rose 7% to £408.3m while underlying EBITDA jumped 12% to £26m.
Plans to transform Blue Star House, a commercial building opposite the O2 Academy in London's Brixton, into a new hotel and flexible workspace have been approved by Lambeth Council, Boutique Hotelier reports. Derwent London acquired the 1960s site at the beginning of 2020, with initial plans for an office-led redevelopment. Now, Blue Star House will be converted into a mixed-use development that will deliver a 341-room hotel alongside flexible workspace. Grid Architects says the scheme will create more than 500 jobs, with 25% targeted for Lambeth residents alongside a number of apprenticeships.
Diageo has opened its Guinness Open Gate Brewery marking the return of brewing to Covent Garden, reports Drinks Digest.