21/04/2026 09:35:00
The average price of a pint in the UK has risen sharply to £4.85, a 27.6% increase since 2025, adding pressure to both drinkers and pub operators as summer approaches, reports CLH News. New data shows major regional differences in affordability: Bury offers the cheapest pints at £2.50, with several northern towns also below £3.50. At the other end of the scale, Oxford is the most expensive at £6.75, followed by Brighton, London, and other South East towns. Despite assumptions that London would top the list, Brighton and Hove rank above it, averaging £6.50, matching several other southern towns. This cluster of high prices across the South East reflects a broader regional trend, where strong demand, affluent populations, and thriving social scenes continue to push pint prices upward.
Restaurant chain Franco Manca is set to shut around 16 restaurants as part of a restructuring which will hit around 225 jobs, confirms The Standard. Parent group The Fulham Shore, which also runs The Real Greek chain, partly blamed "disproportionately high" UK taxes and a lack of business rates relief for restaurants as it said a minority of its sites were "no longer sustainable". The company has not disclosed which of Franco Manca's roughly 70 restaurants will be impacted. Fulham Shore boss Marcel Khan confirmed that it will launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) restructuring process for the Franco Manca business.
Burger brand MeatLiquor has appointed administrators after shuttering more than half of its estate in March, reports The Caterer. The brand, which opened its first restaurant in 2011 and at its peak in 2018 operated 11 sites, appointed Rushtons Insolvency ltd on April 9, according to filings. The group's burger bars in London's Clapham Junction, Queensway and Islington, as well as its Brighton outpost closed earlier this year. MeatLiquor continued to operate burger bars in London's East Dulwich and Oxford Circus in addition to sister sports bar Bloodsports in Covent Garden. All three remain listed on the business' website. Collins and Yianni Papoutsis founded MeatLiquor as a London street food van and opened its first restaurant in Marylebone.
New data shows the UK on trade saw clear signs of recovery in March 2026, with stronger demand, longer visits and record spend per head, says Pub & Bar. Venues benefited from improved weather and major sporting occasions such as the Six Nations. Average occupancy rose to 65.4% year on year, and dwell time increased to 153 minutes, indicating consumers are returning and staying longer. However, The Oxford Partnership notes that overall volumes remain below last year, showing a gap between engagement and consumption. Spend per head reached a new high of £26.91, driven mainly by food-led occasions
MCR Property Group, a UK-based independent real estate investment and development firm, has acquired four properties in London in a £123m deal, which will be rebranded under a new lifestyle hotel collection. The acquisition comprises four sites across Kensington and Chelsea - Ashburn Hotel, Ashburn Court, Chesham Court and Claverley Court - representing a blend of hotel rooms and serviced apartments. MCR will undertake a full refurbishment programme across the portfolio, repositioning the assets into a premium, design-led segment, writes Boutique Hotelier.
Best Western Hotel group recorded a marginal uptick in revenue in Q1 2026 despite "challenging market conditions", with strong growth in group travel, meetings and events. The hotel group, which has more than 230 UK hotels, said group travel, meetings and events (M&E) bookings were "driving performance despite softer demand across the market", advises The Caterer. Group travel and M&E revenue increased by 11% year-on-year, with agent-driven business up 18% year-on-year. Across the group total revenue increased by 1.2% driven by growth in average daily rate (ADR). Best Western said occupancy in Q1 had been steady year-on-year despite "challenging global market conditions".
Gleneagles unveils new 'off-grid' wellness and water sports destination, reports Boutique Hotelier.