CCH, Coke, Heineken, Virgin Wines, Hard Rock, Big Fang, RNK & other:

A DAY IN THE LIFE:

However much I try to avoid clickbait, I still get sucked in.

Nothing dreadful, just that ‘Hull in Europe Next Year’ kind of thing.

Which will doubtless be a story about North Sea Ferries or ‘Snow at the Weekend’ and, with the latter in mind, I did click, only to be told that hidden bits of the Cairngorms and perhaps the tippy-top of the Pennines where a mountain goat wouldn’t be foolish enough to tread would be ‘battered by snow flurries’.

And what does that even mean?

Legit websites hardly have temperatures falling below two or three degrees and a flurry, to me, implies a flake or two caught in the wind, like a sweet wrapper in a supermarket carpark and the word battered doesn’t immediately come to mind.

Still, they got their fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a penny from their advertisers.

The sort that mistakenly think my eyeball is worth something to them and then the same website, the next day, told me that ‘Britain braced for Wall of SNOW’.

Well, I wasn’t very braced so, like the sucker I may well be, I clicked it.

On to the news:

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PUBS & RESTAURANTS:

Inflation – food & soft drinks prices soften:

The ONS has this morning reported that inflation as measured by the CPI held at 3.8% in the year to September (year to August also 3.8%). It reports that ‘on a monthly basis, CPI was unchanged in September 2025, as in September 2024.’ It adds that ‘transport made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change in both CPIH and CPI annual rates; recreation and culture, and food and non-alcoholic beverages made the largest offsetting downward contributions….’

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COMPANY NEWS:

In addition to announcing its intended purchase of Coca Cola Beverages Africa, Coca-Cola HBC AG also updated on trading in Q3 saying that it had generated organic revenue growth of 5.0%, bringing year-to-date organic revenue growth to a strong 8.1%. it reported organic volume growth of 1.1% ‘with growth led by Sparkling and Energy.’ The company announced that it had generated organic revenue growth across each of its market segments, established markets (up 1.2%), developing markets (up 4.8%) and emerging markets (up 7.9%, led by strength in Nigeria and Egypt…’

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In the US, brand owner Coca Cola also reported Q3 numbers, which were ahead of Wall Street’s expectations. The company reported adjusted EPS of 82c against estimates of 78c. Organic revenue was up by 6%, also higher than analyst estimates….

Heineken has reported what look like challenged Q3 numbers – it guides to the ‘lower end of expectations’ for the full year – saying that revenue was €8,712 million for the quarter and now totals some €25,636 million year to date. The group reports that net revenue (before exceptional items) organically was down 0.3% for the quarter and is up 1.3% year to date. Heineken reports beer volume organically down 4.3% for the quarter, down 2.3% year to date, with premium beer volume organically down 2.2% for the quarter but up 0.4% year to date…

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Mitchells & Butlers Retail has submitted plans to Leeds City Council for the floors above it Nation of Shopkeepers pub to be converted into a 42-bedroom ‘Innkeepers Collection’ hotel. M&B says ‘it will secure, and create, new jobs, as the company will need to hire hotel reception staff, as well as cleaners, to manage the hotel, and the public house will need to take on more staff to cater for hotel guests.’

Hollywood stars and owners of Wrexham AFC Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney would like to extend the brewery that they bought in the town to include a restaurant and new public spaces.

Virgin Wines UK plc has reported full year numbers to 28 June 2025 saying that total revenue was ‘in-line with last year at £59 million (FY24: £59 million) despite the broader online drinks market contracting during the Period.’ It says that profitability is ‘ahead of expectations notwithstanding the investments in our growth strategy’ with adjusted EBITDA of £2.3 million (FY24: £2.8 million). It says that PBT decreased by £0.1m to £1.6m (FY24: 1.7m)…

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Hard Rock Café (UK) Limited, which operates the Hard Rock restaurants in the UK and which is ultimately owned by Seminole Hard Rock International Cooperative in Amsterdam, has reported results for the year to 31 December 2024 to Companies’ House saying that revenue fell by 10.4% to £29.17m. The GP% slipped to 72.2% from 73.2% in the prior year and costs rose. The pre-impairment operating loss of £0.55m compares with a profit at the same line of £0.93m in the prior year. Impairment costs are £4.03m (FY23: £0.57m) and the loss before tax is £5.85m (FY23: loss £1.08m)…

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Big Fang Holdings Limited, which trades as Big Fang Collective and operates several brands in the experiential hospitality space including Golf Fang, a crazy-golf offer and Big Fang Karaoke alongside Big Fang Arcade, has reported results for the year to 31 December 2024 to Companies’ House saying that revenue slipped by 4.8% to £14.73m. Gross profit was down by 7.2% and, further down the P&L, admin costs were up by 6.4% at £9.81m. The group reports an operating loss of £981k (FY23: operating profit £248k) and, as interest costs have risen sharply, the loss before tax is £1.41m against a profit of £208k in the prior year…

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Fuller’s Griffin Brewery, which celebrates 180 years of brewing heritage this November, is to brew an Anniversary Porter at 7.0% ABV.

HOLIDAYS & LEISURE TRAVEL:

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC yesterday announce that Non-Executive Chair Deanna Oppenheimer has taken a short-term leave of absence for medical reasons. The company reports that ‘during this period Senior Independent Non-Executive Director Graham Allan will assume Chair responsibilities on an interim basis, effective immediately. A further update on Deanna’s return will be made in due course.’

STR reports that ‘several concerts, including Oasis, Lewis Capaldi, and Lady Gaga, lifted London’s hotel performance in September, according to preliminary data from CoStar.’ It says that September 2025 occupancy was 86.5% (+3.3%) and ADR was up 5.4% at £209.97. The resulting REVPAR was up 8.9%.

Parkdean Resorts reports ‘another impressive turnout across its seaside locations’ with 150 volunteers from 35 Parkdean Resorts parks taking part in another beach-cleaning programme. IT says the ‘nationwide event saw thousands of volunteers across the UK flock to the shores to take part in the week-long costal clean up.’

OTHER LEISURE:

Playtech plc has responded to suggestions that it was maligning competitors saying ‘the suggestion that its subsidiary, Playtech Software Limited, engaged in a smear campaign [against Evolution AB] is wholly untrue and is designed to distract from serious questions about Evolution’s business practices…..’

Netflix reported what were taken to be disappointing Q3 numbers overnight with revenues of $11.51 billion, just below Bloomberg consensus estimates of $11.52 billion and slightly below the company’s own guidance of $11.53 billion. Sales are nonetheless up on $9.82 billion in the same quarter last year. EPS was $5.87, below expectations of $6.94 and Netflix’s internal forecast of $6.87, though still above the $5.40 reported a year ago. The shares fell by 6% in after hours trading yesterday.

The Rank Group Plc is today hosting a Capital Markets Event for institutional investors and analysts. it says ‘the event will be hosted by Rank’s management team and will consist of presentations from a range of speakers from across the Grosvenor Casinos business. They will provide insight into the Grosvenor business, set within the context of the Group’s strategy, and will include details relating to the land-based casino reforms which passed into law in July 2025….’

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The FT reports that toy-maker Mattel’s ‘shares slid after the toymaker said it missed sales and earnings targets as retailers manoeuvred around US tariffs ahead of the holiday shopping season.’ It says ‘the company behind Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars reported a 6 per cent decline in net sales to $1.7bn in the third quarter, missing estimates. Net profit dropped by a quarter to $278mn.’

Frontier Developments yesterday officially launched its long-awaited new game, Jurassic World Evolution 3. The game is available on PC, PlayStation5, and Xbox .

Disney+ and Hulu cancellation rates rose sharply last month in the wake of Disney’s decision (not rescinded) to take comedian Jimmy Kimmel off air. The churn rate at Disney+ is reported to have risen from 4% to 8% in the month. This equates to around three million cancellations.

FINANCE & MARKETS:

The ONS yesterday reported that September government borrowing this year amounted to some £20.6bn, up £1.6bn from the same month last year and the highest September borrowing since 2020.

Sterling mixed at $1.3377 and €1.1529. Oil higher at $62.35. UK 10 year gilt yield down 5 basis points at 4.48%. World markets better yesterday but Far East mixed in Wednesday trade & London set to open around 7 points lower as at 6.30am.

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