02/06/2026 10:10:00
PPHE hotel group has received a £930m takeover bid from Fattal hotel group, reports The Caterer. The board of PPHE, whose UK portfolio includes Art'otel London Battersea, Art'otel London Hoxton, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge and Park Plaza Riverbank, has determined the bid "represents fair value". In response, it has formed an independent offer committee, while it engages with shareholders. Israel-based Fattal's offer for the business represents a valuation of £22 a share. Fattal has confirmed it is in discussions with the PPHE board "with a view towards announcing a firm offer within the next four weeks". Fattal, whose brands include Leonardo and NYX, operates across 20 countries.
Food hall operator Market Halls is the latest to jump further into competitive socialising, expanding its Games Hall offer within its existing London sites, reports Pub & Bar. The business will be expanding the existing Games Hall offering at Oxford Circus, as well as rolling out the concept to its Canary Wharf venue in early June this year. Market Halls has been trialling the concept at its Oxford Circus since late 2025, with the business now saying the expansion and launch reflects a "wider shift within the hospitality sector towards 'eatertainment'". Oxford Circus will now expand to offer mini golf, shuffleboard, basketball, pool, darts, air hockey and other arcade games. Market Halls Canary Wharf will be introducing darts, shuffleboard and pool.
German hotel brand Amano has been granted planning permission to convert Waterman House in London's Covent Garden into its second hotel in the capital, writes Boutique Hotelier. Westminster City Council has greenlit plans for the new hotel, which will be located just 50 yards from Hotel Amano Covent Garden, the brand's flagship London property which opened in 2022. The Waterman House property will also fall under the Amano brand and the properties will boast shared facilities for guests to enjoy.
Turnover at Big Mamma rose by a quarter in 2025 with the casual dining group reporting 'high demand' across its UK restaurant estate, reports Restaurant Online. The French-founded Italian group reported sales of £56.2m for the year ended 31 December 2025, up 27% on the 2024 total of £44.3m. Over the year, the group grew its gross profit margin from 74% to 75%. However, it reported a pre-tax loss for the period of £1.3m, down from a profit of £2m the year before. During the period all eight restaurants currently within the group's estate were operating, six having trade through the year and two - Barberella in London and Circolo Popolare in Manchester - both opening in the summer of 2025.
Star Pubs has announced plans to invest £6.69m in its outdoor areas and pub exteriors, reports The Caterer. The budget will cover 850 pubs out of its 2,350-strong estate, amounting to roughly a third of its portfolio. A significant portion of the proposed expenditure (£5.66m) forms part of Heineken UK's £44.5m commitment to upgrade a quarter of its Star Pubs estate during 2026, as was announced last month. A third of the £6.69m investment has been earmarked for garden enhancements, with £1.61m set aside for garden makeovers across 84 pubs, each costing roughly £19,200.
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has opened reservations for its first property in the North West of England ahead of its official launch on 10 July 2025. The hotel, named Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, follows a £35m acquisition and a £90m redevelopment by developer Select Group. The 157-acre lakeside estate will become the brand's fourth UK property, joining the Savoy in London, Fairmont Windsor Park, and Fairmont St Andrews. The resort features 116 bedrooms, including 23 suites, an 18-hole championship golf course, and a spa, Hotel Owner reports.
Pubs in attractive locations or with strong community roles could face higher business rates bills under new valuation guidance, according to reports in The Telegraph.