20/10/2026 09:37:00
Urban Pubs & Bars has invested £1m into the opening of its third Bat & Ball venue in London, reports the Morning Advertiser. The pub group that operates close to 70 sites in London is set to transform the former BrewDog Tower Hill bar into Bat & Ball City. Due to open on Wednesday 25 November, the new site will join the brand's existing flagship venues in Stratford and Covent Garden in a move Urban Pubs & Bars said will "mark another significant step in the growth of Urban Pubs & Bar' entertainment-led offering across the capital".
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) is calling on the Government to strengthen protections for culturally significant venues, including nightclubs, grassroots music venues and LGBTQ+ spaces. The organisation argues that heritage policy should not only preserve buildings themselves, but also the cultural value they create through music, creative expression, community connections and shared experiences. The call follows a parliamentary inquiry into the protection of built heritage, which highlighted gaps in safeguarding venues valued for their cultural and social importance. NTIA is urging policymakers to provide stronger planning protections, accessible funding and long-term support to ensure these spaces can continue to serve their communities, CLH News reports.
Axiom Hospitality has launched Guild Hotels, a new London hotel brand spanning three properties in Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury and Marble Arch, the rebranded hotels previously operated under Radisson Blu. The name Guild Hotels is inspired by 'the skilled makers and tradespeople who helped shape' London and the hotels follow a 'Crafted Hospitality' approach, in which teams are trusted to take ownership of the guest experience and bring their own knowledge of London into a stay. The launch is backed by more than £20m of investment across Guild Hotel Fitzrovia and Guild Hotel Bloomsbury, writes Boutique Hotelier.
The investor behind Public House Group has purchased Notting Hill pub The Walmer Castle. BNF Hospitality, the London-based hospitality arm of BNF Capital, has appointed Public House Group to oversee the operations of the former Wren Pubs venue. The news comes not long after Wren Pubs owner Jack Greenall sold The Carpenter's Arms in Hammersmith to the singer James Blunt. The sale of The Walmer Castle leaves Wren Pubs with The Surprise in Chelsea and a new site at 7 Sloane Square that is yet to open. Dating back to 1845, The Walmer Castle is a historic pub on Ledbury Road. Public House Group, which also operates sites including The Hero, The Pelican and The Bull in Charlbury, says its newest pub will continue to operate with its existing team, menu and drinks offering, Pub & Bar reports.
A former railway station in Wakefield is to be transformed into a new 110-bedroom hotel, with work expected to begin next year, Boutique Hotelier reports. The new hotel will be built on the site of the former Wakefield Westgate station and the project will start in 2027 spearheaded by ION Property Developments Limited. Wakefield council said the new hotel would help meet 'growing demand' from visitors and business travellers to the area. The project will also be boosted by £8 in government funding from the Local Regeneration Fund to make the scheme 'financially viable', the Council confirmed. The new hotel would comprise 110 bedrooms and is expected to be completed by winter 2028. An operator for the site is yet to be confirmed.
Industry leaders have delivered a petition for the #VATsTheProblem campaign to 10 Downing Street after securing more than 400,000 signatures. Launched earlier this year, the campaign is calling on the Government to reduce VAT for hospitality from 20% to 10% in a bid to ease mounting pressure on the sector, protect jobs and prevent further closures, Morning Advertiser confirms.