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Joules to open four new stores after administration
18/09/2026Fashion and homeware retailer Joules is to open four shops, in Northallerton, Harrogate, Basingstoke and Gretna, taking its estate to around 57 sites. The expansion marks a new stage in the chain's recovery since it collapsed into administration in November…
Auntie Anne’s opens its 50th UK and Ireland site in Eastbourne
18/09/2026Auntie Anne's opened its 50th UK and Ireland store at The Beacon in Eastbourne on Saturday 12 September 2026, the halfway mark towards a stated target of 100 sites by 2030. Sales across the estate rose 14% to £15.2 million…
KFC franchisee Gastronomy opens its 50th restaurant in Shrewsbury
18/09/2026Gastronomy opened its 50th KFC restaurant on Monday 14 September 2026, at Hazledine Park in Meole Brace, in the town where the franchisee has kept its head office since the 1990s. The drive-thru created 38 jobs and takes the group's…
Wingstop opens in Bournemouth as UK estate passes 100 sites
18/09/2026Wingstop opens its first Bournemouth restaurant on Friday 18 September 2026, in the former Franco Manca unit at Bobby's on Commercial Road. The site follows the chain's 100th UK and Ireland opening in Inverness in August, and lands as master…
Co-op adds six Peacocks and Bonmarché concessions
18/09/2026The Co-op has opened six new "store within a store" concessions with fashion retailers Peacocks and Bonmarché, taking its total to 20 sites across the two brands. The concessions sit inside existing Co-op shops in England, Wales and Scotland, extending…
Morrisons adds 71 Morrisons Daily franchise shops in 2026
17/09/2026Morrisons has opened 71 new Morrisons Daily franchise shops so far in 2026, as the supermarket group reported its fifteenth consecutive quarter of sales growth. Third-quarter like-for-like sales rose 3.2%, and cumulative cost savings since 2022 are nearing £1 billion,…
Slim Chickens opens second Liverpool restaurant on Edge Lane
16/09/2026Slim Chickens is opening its second Liverpool restaurant, at Liverpool Shopping Park on Edge Lane, on Thursday 17 September. The US fried chicken brand is rolled out in the UK by Boparan Restaurant Group, its master franchisee, which operates some…
Lucky B’s adds eight delivery sites, seeks UK franchisees
16/09/2026Lucky B's Hot Chicken has opened eight new delivery-only sites across the UK, the brand has said, alongside its four physical restaurants in Scotland and Lancashire. The Glasgow-founded chain, built around Nashville-style hot chicken, is now recruiting franchise partners to…
Wickes lifts half-year profit as it targets 300 stores
16/09/2026Wickes has reported a rise in first-half turnover and profit, helped by record membership of its TradePro trade loyalty scheme and steadier footfall across its estate. The DIY and trade retailer, which trades from 230 sites, is pressing on with…
Burger & Lobster posts £2.2 million loss as growth shifts overseas
14/09/2026Burger & Lobster fell to a £2.2 million operating loss in the year to 28 December 2025 as turnover slipped to £33.7 million and EBITDA dropped from £3.3 million to £900,000. The group runs 11 restaurants in the UK, ten…
