Everyman, Cook’s, Revel, Nero, Virgin Wines, WFH, jobs, rates & other:

A DAY IN THE LIFE:

As if January isn’t a tough enough month already, the weather seems to be doing its bit to worsen things.

I mean we’ve got Storm Chandra to get through after which, though the BBC weather app still boldly displays a rain drop – and often two – against every day from now to Easter, there is at least a chance that the weather will improve from dire to simply miserable.

And even that marginal improvement will be subject to reassessment meaning that, as seems to be usually the case, last year’s drought drowned and, if you search online for the state of the reservoirs in the North of England, you’ll see that they’re described as ‘robust’.

Which, of course, is one way of putting it.

And you could say replete, sated or simply bursting because it’s done nothing but rain for weeks and there’s no let up in sight.

Hopefully, at some point, Spring will spring but, for the moment, let’s soldier on to the news:

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PUBS & RESTAURANTS:

WFH

Hybrid working may be the ‘new normal’, but the drift back to the office continues as jobs website Adzuna reports that the number of people working remotely is now at its lowest level since before the Covid pandemic. It says that the number of home-jobs being advertised in December last year was some 42% down on the same month a year ago…

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Jobs market:

Research from The King’s Trust has suggested that 73% of younger people are worried about the jobs market. CEO Jonathan Townsend says the ‘new research shows young people today are deeply concerned about their job prospects and futures, particularly those already facing the greatest barriers….’

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Quoting ‘people who have been briefed on the matter’, the FT suggests that the ‘Treasury is to hand the struggling pub sector a new support package worth around £100mn a year after being warned of mass closures and job losses unless relief is provided.’ It says that the relief could be announced today…

Shop price inflation:

Shop price inflation rose in January to 1.5% from 0.7% in the year to December, reports that BRC and NIQ. Non-food items rose in price by 0.3% against a decline of 0.6% in December and food inflation rose to 3.9% from 3.3% in the year to December…

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Other news:

Scotland: UKH Scotland reports that business rates on average for pubs north of the border will rise by some £36,500 across the next three years. It says that ‘these are staggering increases and demonstrate the significant cost challenge facing Scottish hospitality businesses….’

Dine and Dash. Card payments processing company takepayments has reported that 8% of UK adults admit to having left a restaurant without paying. That seems like a relatively high number…

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Californian wine. The 2025 California grape harvest is reported set to be the lowest in 50 years, down by 24% on 2024 levels.

COMPANY NEWS:

The Nero Group has announced that it generated ‘strong results for the financial year ending 31 May 2025 and a record performance in the first seven months of FY26.’ It says that sales in the financial year to end-May 2025 came in at c.$800m…

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Virgin Wines has updated on trading saying that sales were up by 5% over Christmas (the seven weeks to 26 December). Re the outlook, the company says it is ‘encouraged by the progress made against the four key pillars of the growth strategy and remains confident that the FY26 outturn will be in line with current market expectations….’

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Cooks Coffee Company has announced that its Esquires Coffee brand ‘has entered into a Master Franchise Agreement for the United Arab Emirates.’ It says that ‘the UAE is one of the fastest growing markets for speciality coffee outlets globally with the growth projected to be 10%-12% p.a. driven by expanding tourism and high expat population growth fuelling demand…’

XP Factory has closed its Southend Boom Battle Bar saying that the decision was a financial move following ‘disappointing footfall’. A spokesperson said ‘XP Factory Plc has taken the difficult decision to permanently close the Boom Battle Bar Southend venue.’ It said ‘this location has been impacted by local economic challenges and disappointing footfall.‘

The Times poses the question as to whether or not now would be a good time to invest in C&C. Commenting on last week’s profit warning, it says ‘the latest update from C&C, while disappointing, implies current challenges are cyclical in nature rather than a result of another management blunder. It is easy to see why risk-averse investors would not consider a position at this time. For existing holders, crystallising losses now would be premature when the new chief executive has not set out his stall.’

The FT’s Lex column comments on JD Wetherpoon and contrasts its recent performance with that of Young & Co and other listed peers. The FT suggests that JDW’s ‘cheap and cheerful positioning once made for a standout stock but now leaves it looking exposed….’

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The Revel Collective (was Revolution Bars Group) has announced its intention to appoint administrators. Some 2,000 jobs will be at risk. The NOI is intended to flush out potential interest in the company or its assets, if there is any. The company has alluded to talks over a possible sale but has warned that its equity is of nil value…

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The MA reports that Star Pubs it to expand its managed Just Add Talent estate with the rollout of 35 new sites in 2026.

Interactive leisure company State of Play, which operates the Hijingo, Bounce and Flight Club (in the US) chains of outlets, has announced that group sales in December were up by 25% on the prior year.

HOLIDAYS & LEISURE TRAVEL:

Ryanair has suggested that air fares will rise by more than it had previously believed due to ‘strong demand’.

Marriott International reports that it grew the number of net rooms in its system by 4.3% in 2025, ‘adding over 700 properties and nearly 100,000 rooms to the system.’

OTHER LEISURE:

Everyman Media Group has updated on trading for its full year for the 52-week period ended 1st January 2026 saying that admissions were up 2.3% at 4.4m with Group Revenue of £116.5m (FY24: £107.2m; comparable 52-week period: £103.8m), up 8.7%. The company reports Group EBITDA should be £17.0m (FY24: £16.2m; comparable 52-week period £15.4m1), up 4.9%. Net Debt was £22.0m (FY24: £18.1m). Re Current Trading and the Outlook, the company says that its FY25 financial performance has been ‘in line with that previously indicated to shareholders in December 2025….’

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Evoke, which owns brands including William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, has updated on full year trading saying that Q4 revenue was approximately £464m, ‘representing the strongest quarter of the year’. It says that ‘Q4 revenue was up 7% quarter-over-quarter but down 3% (4% in constant currency) year-over-year as a result of the strong comparative period with operator friendly sporting results in the prior year….’

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Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter has suggested that football fans boycott the 2026 World Cup in the US in protest against President Trump’s policies. Matches will also be played in Mexico and Canada.

FINANCE & MARKETS:

Sterling up at $1.3684 and €1.1523. Oil up at $65.37. UK 10 year gilt yield down 3 basis points at 4.50%. World markets better yesterday & London set to open around 29 points higher as at 6.30am.

RETAIL WITH NICK BUBB:

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