DECEMBER 2023

MCA’s December edition features in-depth analysis and commentary on the eating and drinking out sector. This month, we explore how slowing inflation and recovering consumer confidence have buoyed festive trading prospects, Young’s bid to take over City Pub Group and its ambition to branch out from its regional roots, and why geopolitical tensions have pushed corporations like McDonald’s and Starbucks on the back foot. The edition features an analysis on the evolution of wine bars, detailing their shift from dusty basements to hipster hangouts, and also examines how operators are innovating to stand out in a crowded pizza market. Highlights from MCA’s Restaurant Conference in the edition include interviews with PizzaExpress CEO Paula Mackenzie, former Fulham Shore boss David Page, and Turtle Bay, Caravan, and Red Engine chair Jane O’Riordan. Industry commentators Peter Martin, Dominic Walsh, and David Read share their views on sector issues, such as the rebuilding of Britain’s infrastructure, dealmaking activity and people moves in the pub sector, and the compound effects of high inflation numbers.