Gail’s to open 40 bakeries after creating 500 jobs December 1, 2025 Bakery chain Gail’s is to open 40 new sites by the end of February after creating almost 500 jobs during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered business said the new locations will all be open by 28 February, 2026, and it has plans to launch similar numbers “going forward”. The expansion comes after Gail’s opened [...]
Sweet relief: Ferrero’s Nutella biscuits remain VAT-free snack October 28, 2025 A Tax Tribunal ruled in favour of Ferrero UK, stating that their ‘Nutella Biscuits’ are zero-rated for VAT, in yet another food battle HMRC has had over the bizarre tax rules around food. The case centred on whether the ‘Nutella Biscuits’ were “biscuits… partly covered with chocolate or some product similar in taste and appearance” [...]
Fresh food inflation continues despite fall in overall shop prices October 28, 2025 The price of fresh food has continued to climb despite a broader softening in inflation at UK shops, according to new data. Fresh food inflation increased to 4.3 per cent year on year in October, against growth of 4.1 per cent in September and above the three-month average of 4.2 per cent, according to the [...]
Liverpool Street Chop House: Should you go over Hawksmoor, Boisdale? October 20, 2025 The closure of Threadneedle Street’s M Restaurant earlier this year, after a decade slinging the capital’s finest steak, was a genuine blow. One of the restaurants that helped the Square Mile shake off its stuffy reputation, it combined a meticulous, scholarly appreciation of meat with a sense of fun, even whimsy. Robot waiters, wine vending [...]
Hundreds of jobs at risk as Pizza Hut UK dine-in arm goes into administration October 20, 2025 The dine-in arm of Pizza Hut has collapsed into administration, putting dozens of restaurants and hundreds of jobs at risk. DC London Pie Limited, which operates Pizza Hut’s UK restaurants, appointed FTI Consulting as administrators on Monday. The 67-year-old chain has said it will shutter 68 venues permanently, while 1,723 workers face uncertainty on their [...]
Social Pantry CEO: If we can employ prison leavers, so can others October 16, 2025 In this week's Square Mile and Me, Social Pantry CEO Alex Head tells us about working with prison leavers, and why more businesses should.
Gordon Ramsay to launch 24-hour restaurant in City’s tallest tower October 14, 2025 Gordon Ramsay is set to launch a new Bread Street Kitchen restaurant at 22 Bishopsgate, currently Canada’s tallest skyscraper. The restaurant, which follows the opening of Lucky Cat in the same location earlier this year, is expected in 2026 and will come equipped with a 24-hour liquor license to cater to international [...]
McVitie’s: Record revenue for owner Pladis as profit jumps October 14, 2025 Revenue at the owner of McVitie’s and Jacob’s Cream Crackers jumped to a new record in 2024 as its profit also surged, Morning Wire can exclusively reveal. London-headquartered Pladis, the snacking group whose brands also include Flipz, Godiva and Ülker, has posted a revenue of £3.23bn for its latest financial year, new accounts have confirmed. [...]
Hellofresh sinks further into the red as 900 UK jobs lost October 7, 2025 The UK arm of Hellofresh has sunk deeper into the red as its sales were cut during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The division has reported a pre-tax loss of £19.5m for 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The latest figure comes after Hellofresh posted a loss of £755,000 in [...]
How the 1990s shaped London’s restaurant revolution September 30, 2025 London used to be a culinary laughing stock. Andrew Turvil, former editor of The Good Food Guide, tells us how that all changed in the 1990s.