18/08/2026 09:55:00
Amber Taverns chairman James Baer has said new CEO Richard Lewis will seek to accelerate pub acquisitions to as many as 25 pubs a year but insists quality must not be compromised. Baer, founder and former CEO of Amber Taverns, told The Morning Advertiser the decision to bring in ex-RedCat Hospitality CEO Lewis was based on his knowledge of the sector and role but stated the community-based, wet-led pubco model would remain as it is. Lewis stated there is potential to double the 191-strong pub estate and Baer explained this is a long-term goal with Amber looking to raise its pub acquisition numbers from about 18 annually to possibly 25 but again cautioned: "The overriding driver will be maintaining the quality of the estate. It's not a number's game. It's not that we have to get these pins on a map, it's about good sites in good locations that give local communities a great offer."
NQ64, the retro arcade bar group, is expanding its London presence with its biggest venue yet, opening at Orange Yard on Manette Street in Soho, confirms Pub & Bar. Spanning two floors, the new space will deliver NQ64's biggest offering to date, with an expanded game line-up, new game-inspired cocktails and several new experiences beyond traditional arcade gaming, including UV pool tables and augmented reality darts. Founded in Manchester's Northern Quarter in 2019, NQ64 has locations across the UK, including Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham, Newcastle and London.
Strong demand from summer travellers delivered strong average daily rates (ADR) and revenue per available room (revpar) growth across the UK hotel sector in June - but experts warned that "ever increasing room rates are not sustainable in the long-term". The RSM UK Hotels tracker founded that ADR jumped 8% year-on-year in London to £262.08 and was up 6% to £174.69 in the UK in June. The data, compiled by Hotstats, founded that revpar rose 5% to £222.55 for London hotels and 5% to £144. This resilient sales performance came despite a fall in demand for London hotels from 87.5% to 84.9% year-on-year, and holding steady at 83% across the UK overall, The Caterer reports.
It has been reported by The Caterer that Big Mamma Group is to open its seventh restaurant, Edmondo, in London this autumn, in Bank, Edmondo follows the launch of Barbarella in London's Canary Wharf in June 2025. The group already operates an outpost of Edmondo in Hamburg, but it is currently unclear how similar the concept will be to the one opening in London. Big Mamma Group has opened more than 35 restaurants globally over the past 10 years, having made its Italian debut in Milan in December 2023. The group's success saw its founders Victor Lugger and Tigrane Seydoux win the Restaurateur of the Year - Group at the 2023 Cateys, where the judges praised the group for creating "fabulously outrageous, flamboyant restaurants" at an ambitious scale and with sound financial credentials.
Matfen Hall in Northumberland has unveiled the completion of its £50m transformation following a six-year project, confirms Boutique Hotelier. The opening of new spa offering The Retreat next month will mark the final phase of the refurbishment which began in 2020 when the property was acquired by Walwick Estate Group. Since then, the group has restored the Grade-II listed Jacobean mansion into the new-look five-star hotel, refurbishing bedrooms and adding new leisure facilities. Commenting on the completion of the ambitious project, James O'Donnell, head of commercial development of Matfen Hall said "Six years ago, we set out to transform Matfen Hall into one of the UK's leading country house hotels whilst retaining its elegance and history."
Turning pubs into housing or offices will be made harder as part of changes to government planning rules in England. The updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) will come into force this week and is expected to contain more protections for pubs at threat of closure for conversion to another use. A previous consultation on the plans only gave the protection to the last pub in the area, reports the BBC...