Urban Pubs, JDW, Loveholidays, services sector, delivery & other:

A DAY IN THE LIFE:

A tech problem yesterday caused us to consider just how heavily we lean on a small number of huge companies to keep our everyday wheels turning.

This one cut us off because the credit card used to pay the bill had expired. Only it hadn’t and we had just been charged – and then it led us a merry dance while we tried to load a new card – which was rejected because it (expiry date 2030) was already loaded – to get ourselves switched on again.

And there was nary a phone number, a live-chat or even a chatbot to be seen so, while we tried to remember who the administrator was, what their password would be, which mobile phone the PIN would come through and all the rest, we were on our own.

Hence, at the end of all that, we’re considering paper again – or at least external memory drives.

Because the above tend to stay where you put them and, with paper at least, if by chance you forget to pay – or are wrongly accused of not paying – for a sheet of it, the 10,000 sheets behind it don’t disappear into thin air.

Anyway, that’s a task that might get kicked down the road a few times. On to the news:

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PUBS & RESTAURANTS:

UK services sector:

S&P has produced its Purchasing Managers’ Index estimates for the UK’s dominant services sector in June. The services sector, which includes B2B functions such as banking and insurance, also encompasses B2C businesses such as retail and hospitality & leisure. S&P reports that the UK services sector recorded ‘a sustained expansion of business activity in June.’ It says its measure rose to 52.8 in the month, up from 50.9 in May and the best numbers since August 2024….

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Business confidence:

The British Chambers of Commerce has surveyed its members and found that 56% of firms were worried about the tax burden on their companies, which has increased measurably since the government changed the rate of employers’ NIC and brought many part-timers into the tax…

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Other news:

Delivery. Foodservice expert Peter Backman notes on LinkedIn that ‘the delivery wars just entered the endgame.’ He says that he believes that as many as 40% of today’s major players won’t exist as independent companies by 2028. He says ‘the consolidation wave isn’t coming – it’s here.’

US restaurants added around 6,500 jobs last month according to official statistics. That compared with the 27,400 jobs added in April and May combined. Wages in the industry are up by 3.9% year on year.

US smaller restaurants are reported to have seen sales growth of only 0.4% in June, well below the rate of inflation. Transaction numbers were down by 2.6% and footfall was some 2.5% lower…

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COMPANY NEWS:

The MCA reports Urban Pubs & Bars MD Chris Hill as saying that the company will have a 61-strong estate by October. He adds that Urban managed 6.2% sales growth in May this year, well ahead of the market, and he says that his business is ‘flying’…

Pub operator JD Wetherspoon is to open its new pub in Fulham, on Tuesday, 8 July, 2025 with the creation of 90 new jobs. JDW has spent £3 million developing the pub, which will be called Walham Green…

Dim sum chain Ping Pong has ceased after 20 years. The company has closed its last four restaurants saying ‘it’s a wrap. After 20 unforgettable years, all Ping Pong locations are now permanently closed.’ A statement adds ‘we’re incredibly proud of what we built, an independent hospitality brand full of creativity, flavour, and soul.’

Krispy Kreme, Inc. has announced that Raphael Duvivier, President, International of Krispy Kreme, has been named Chief Financial Officer, effective July 11, 2025. Mr. Duvivier succeeds Jeremiah Ashukian, who decided to leave the Company to pursue an opportunity with a private company.

HOLIDAYS & LEISURE TRAVEL:

Online travel agent Loveholidays is reported to be considering an IPO on the London market…

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Digital hospitality platform and European hotel and short-stay accommodation company NUMA Group has announced that it is to take a 172 bed site in Brighton. The company will take over the former MyBrighton Hotel in partnership with NWH Group. The unit is set to open in the summer…

Manchester Airports Group has reported a record year as for the period to end-March saying that the airports within the group handled 65m passengers in the year. The group has reported revenues of £1.3bn, up 8.4% on the prior year with adjusted EBITDA of £570.4m, up some 12.5%.

Air traffic control strikes in France have led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights with tens of thousands of passengers inconvenienced. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said the strikers were ‘holding European families to ransom’ and said ‘it makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers going on holidays.’

OTHER LEISURE:

The Guardian reports that the ‘UK competition watchdog has written to Ticketmaster threatening legal action over the way it sold more than 900,000 tickets for Oasis’s reunion tour, days before the start of what is expected to be the most popular, and profitable, run of gigs in British history.’

FINANCE & MARKETS:

Gilt yields eased yesterday after the spike caused by fears of a government split. Sterling recovered a little ground.

The US economy added 147,000 jobs in June, considerably more than the c110,000 that had been expected.

The government is reported to be considering scrapping reforms that would have seen smaller and micro companies have to use IT platforms to deliver to Companies House what would have been more detailed accounts than those now required…

Sterling recovered some of Wednesday’s losses yesterday, rising to $1.3677 and €1.1612. Oil up at $68.67. UK 10 year gilt yield down 6 basis points at 4.55%. World markets better yesterday but Far East mixed in Friday trade and London set to open down around 13 points as at 6.30am.

RETAIL WITH NICK BUBB:

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