Mitchells & Butlers

M&B: The case for Joe Lewis

04-Oct-2011 By The PMA Team

Everybody has a view on Bahaman billionaire Joe Lewis and his tenure on the share register of M&B. Last Thursday, at an Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers debate in Cambridge, former Novus chairman John Barnes was to be found among those not...

Lewis defends his position on M&B

29-Sep-2011 By The PMA Team

Billionaire Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) shareholder Joe Lewis has rebutted claims made in the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) leader last week, written by group editor The PMA Team, that claimed he is exerting a negative influence on the company.

Shareholder disclosure fuels M&B speculation

27-Sep-2011 By The PMA Team

Two of Mitchells & Butlers shareholders have confirmed they were acting in concert.

M&B reports 34th consecutive quarter of growth

27-Sep-2011 By Ewan Turney

Managed pub operator Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) — a takeover target for Bermudan billionaire Joe Lewis — has reported its 34th consecutive quarter of like-for-like growth.

M&B ‘may sell off brands to cut debt’

22-Sep-2011 By The PMA Team

Well-placed industry sources suggest that Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) may sell one or two key brands to reduce debt if Piedmont, the Joe Lewis investment vehicle, succeeds in taking the company private.

Lewis’s move on M&B should worry all of us

22-Sep-2011 By The PMA Team

My money is on Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) being taken private some time very soon. Billionaire trader Joe Lewis has been exerting ever greater control on the company for some time.

Piedmont may return with increased M&B bid

15-Sep-2011 By Ewan Turney

Bermudan billionaire Joe Lewis’s Piedemont investment vehicle has said it may return with an improved offer for Mitchells & Butlers (M&B).

Lewis tries to buy M&B ‘on the cheap’

13-Sep-2011 By The PMA Team

The Bermudan billionaire Joe Lewis has been accused of trying to buy Mitchells & Butlers on the cheap after indicating that his Piedmont investment vehicle is thinking about tabling a 230p bid for the 77% of the company he does not own.

M&B acquires eight Old Orleans sites from Intertain

12-Sep-2011 By Ewan Turney

Mitchells & Butlers has completed the acquisition of eight Old Orleans sites from Intertain for a price believed to be between £2-3m.

M&B's new kids' menu

25-Jul-2011 By Lesley Foottit

M&B brand Toby Carvery is positioning itself as more family friendly with the launch of a children's menu and meal offer, games and activities.

The real danger amid M&B's power struggle

21-Jul-2011 By The PMA Team

It's got to the stage where the game of musical chairs at M&B is turning to farce, writes The PMA Team.

M&B sales growth slows

21-Jul-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Mitchells & Butlers, the UK's leading managed pub operator, has reported a slowdown in like-for-like sales.

M&B recruits ex-Wagamama chef

27-Jun-2011 By The PMA Team & Mark Wingett

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has recruited the former executive chef of Wagamama and Tampopo to explore the pan-Asian food opportunity.

A potential own goal for M&B

22-Jun-2011 By Pete Brown

Mitchells & Butlers' plan to turn the popular Engineer pub into a managed outlet could be disastrous for all, writes Pete Brown.

M&B man joins university as visiting professor

17-Jun-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Kevin Todd, managing director of Mitchells & Butlers' City & Country division, has been made a visiting professor at Birmingham City...

M&B developing Asian concept after Tampopo approach

10-Jun-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

M&B is looking to develop an Asian food-influenced concept, after an unsuccessful approach for Pan Asian restaurant chain Tampopo.

M&B: food overtakes drink for first time

20-May-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Food sales across the retained estate at Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) have overtaken drink sales for the first time.

Pinegar nets new position with M&B

04-May-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Nigel Pinegar, formerly of Paramount Restaurants, has joined Mitchells & Butlers as an operations development manager for Ember Inns.

Harvester opens at O2 Arena

21-Apr-2011 By Jo Bruce

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has opened a 140-cover Harvester site at London's O2 Arena in the Entertainment Avenue.

M&B: Opportunity to grow market share

01-Apr-2011 By The PMA Team

Food is increasingly the main driver of out-of-home occasions and there is plenty of market share for pubs to capture. That was the message from...

New foodier format for Ember Inns

01-Apr-2011 By Jo Bruce

Mitchells & Butlers has launched Ember Pub & Dining. The new format moves Ember's traditional pub offer to a more premium food and family...

M&B's revolving door management policy continues apace

21-Mar-2011 By Hamish Champ

"Is it me, or has everybody gone mad?" The sage words of Brian Potter, the fictional owner/operator of the Phoenix Club, sprang to mind as I digested...

M&B boss Fowle to leave

16-Mar-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), Britain's biggest managed pub and restaurant operator, has announced that chief executive Adam Fowle is to leave the company by mutual consent after a period of two years in the post.

Adam Fowle quits Mitchells & Butlers

16-Mar-2011 By Hamish Champ

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has announced that Adam Fowle, its chief executive, is to leave the group "by mutual consent". The shock move comes...

Exclusive: Stonegate nears end of M&B debranding

10-Feb-2011 By The PMA Team

Stonegate Pub Company is close to finishing the debranding of 78 sites trading formerly as Mitchells & Butlers brands.

M&B to expand Harvester breakfast trial

08-Feb-2011 By The PMA Team

M&B, the managed pub and casual dining operator, is to expand a breakfast trial at its Harvester brand, which has around 176 sites.

M&B close to selling franchised division

31-Jan-2011 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is reported to be close to selling its 55 franchised pubs.

M&B: impossible to gauge impact of VAT hike

27-Jan-2011 By Ewan Turney

M&B announced a 3.1% like-for-like sales increase for its latest period — an analysts conference call shed more light on its strategy.

Lovering to quit as M&B chairman

24-Jan-2011 By Ewan Turney

John Lovering has announced he is to quit as chairman of Mitchells & Butlers after just 12 months in the role. He will step down later inn the year when a suitable successor is found by the non-executive directors.

M&B's John Lovering to step down as chairman

24-Jan-2011 By Hamish Champ

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has announced that John Lovering is to step down from his role as chairman and director of the managed pub group by...

M&B launches pub finder iPhone app

10-Jan-2011 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report

Managed pub chain Mitchells & Butlers has launched an iPhone app that will show the location of the nearest Vintage Inns restaurant.

Mitchells & Butlers pays out £200k to ex-directors

23-Dec-2010 By Hamish Champ

All Bar One operator Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has shelled out £100,000 each to two former directors of the business. Denis Jackson and Ray...

M&B unveils seven-year deal with Brakes

22-Dec-2010 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers has unveiled a seven-year partnership with Brakes Group worth over £200m, delivering significant savings for the company.

M&B sells former Lakota bars

07-Dec-2010 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has sold 10 former Lakota bars at the centre of a legal tussle with a Bristol nightclub over ownership of the name.

What next for M&B?

29-Nov-2010 By Hamish Champ

Mitchells & Butlers' (M&B) skill at running pubs has long been regarded as among the best there is. If not the best. Even the highly public -...

Mitchells & Butlers fined £14,000 for asbestos failings

29-Nov-2010 By Hamish Champ

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has been fined £14,000 after building workers refurbishing one of its pubs were exposed to asbestos. Work was...

M&B plans 50 'at least' new openings a year

23-Nov-2010 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is planning to open "at least" 50 new-build pubs a year in the coming years.

M&B hails 'excellent' progress on food sales

23-Nov-2010 By Ewan Turney

M&B reported like-for-like food sales up 4.7% in the year to 25 September and up 6.9% in the most recent eight weeks.

Mitchells & Butlers posts 26 per cent profits rise

23-Nov-2010 By Hamish Champ

High profile TV ad campaigns for a number of its pub brands have helped managed pub operator Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) post a 26 per cent...

M&B shares rise on rosy outlook for managed pubs

15-Nov-2010 By Hamish Champ

Shares in Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) were outperforming the market today, boosted by good trade numbers across the managed pub sector and news...

M&B lines up two Harvester retail park openings

08-Oct-2010 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report

Mitchells & Butlers is to unveil its first two retail park locations for Harvester, its mid-market family dining brand, this November — in Bristol and Staines.

M&B lines up 45 acquisitions

23-Sep-2010 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers has 45 site acquisitions in its property pipeline as it seeks to double the size of its six core brands.

Mitchells & Butlers: food focus paying off

23-Sep-2010 By Ewan Turney

M&B has hailed a "very encouraging" performance with like-for-like sales up 4.4% on last year for the nine weeks to 18 September.

M&B buys Ha Ha Bar & Grill for £19.5m

17-Sep-2010 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has bought the Ha Ha Bar & Grill brand from Bay Restaurant Group for £19.5m.

Mitchells & Butlers buys Ha Ha Bar & Grill for £19.5m

17-Sep-2010 By Hamish Champ

In a surprise move Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has snapped up the Ha Ha Bar & Grill chain from Bay Restaurant Group for £19.5m. The deal...

Bianca Dexter-Burnell: is M&B's sell-off the start of a new trend for the sector?

14-Sep-2010

Following Mitchells & Butlers' (M&B) sale of 333 premises for £373m to TDR Capital, the inevitable question is whether this is the beginning...

Faucet Inns snaps up six M&B pubs

07-Sep-2010 By Hamish Champ

South East pub operator Faucet Inns has acquired six pubs from Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) for £17.5m, thepublican.com understands. The sites...

M&B chair: All Bar One and Browns ripe for expansion

06-Sep-2010 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) chairman John Lovering has suggested that the company may have set itself too restrictive a strategy.

Mitchells & Butlers — what lies ahead?

23-Aug-2010 By The PMA Team

Mitchells & Butlers has sold 333 wet-led pubs. Morning Advertiser editor The PMA Team looks at what now lies ahead for the managed operator...

M&B's sold pubs could be merged with Town & City

23-Aug-2010 By Hamish Champ

Stonegate Pub Company, the new outfit which will run the 333 wet-led pubs Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) announced last week it is selling, could...