Today’s news in brief – 11/04/25
NWTC has seen a 9% improvement in like-for-like sales across the last four quarters, following the appointment of a new leadership team and a renewed focus on The Botanist brand. Antony Doyle, the former operations director of Loungers, joined New World Trading Company in June 2024 as its group operations director. The bar and restaurant operator also announced the appointment of a new creative agency, Natural Selection, to implement a brand refresh. The Botanist will launch a new Spring/Summer 2025 menu on 23 April.
The Cotswold Hospitality Group has acquired The Lamb Inn for £695k. The 18th-Century pub and restaurant, located in Witney, Oxfordshire, had previously been owned by experienced operators Sepastian and Lana Snow. The acquiring group owns a collection of seven hotels in the Cotswolds including The Bay Tree, The Manor House, The Close, The Hare and Hounds, The Bear of Rodborough and The Swan. Tim Widdows from Christie and Co said: “The pub has a rich history and a fantastic reputation.”
Marston’s has installed 459 rapid and ultra-fast chargers across 193 sites, after introducing the company’s first EV charger in December 2018 at The Bakehouse in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. As a result, Marston’s claims it operates more rapid and ultra-fast EV chargers than any other hospitality company in the UK, allowing pub guests to charge while they eat and drink. The group has installed 60 chargepoints at 24 pubs in Wales, 38 at 15 pubs in Scotland, and 361 at 154 pubs in England.
Roadchef has opened a new McDonald’s Drive-Thru at its Strensham service station, located southbound on the M5. The addition, which is Roadchef’s seventh McDonald’s Drive-Thru across its 30 McDonald’s restaurants in the UK, has led to the creation of 45 new team member roles. The drive-thru lane’s addition is said to complement the existing McDonald’s restaurant by providing multiple ordering options. The project also included a reconfiguration of the car park to improve traffic circulation and parking.