New boss for Punch
Pub operator Punch Taverns has appointed Adrian Fawcett to the newly created role of chief operating officer. Fawcett, 35, will take on his new role on 18 August. He was corporate vice-president for Belgian brewer Interbrew and before that spent six years with Bass Brewers. His career has also included general management positions at Mars Confectionery and Ford Motor Company. Punch claims to be the UK's second-largest pub company after Enterprise Inns and runs about 4,500 tenancies.
Peacock joins Best Western
The Best Western consortium has swelled its ranks to 323 independently owned hotels following the signing up of new member the Peacock hotel, a three-star, 28-bedroom property in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.
Orient-Express to buy Horseguards?
Orient-Express Hotels has declined to comment on speculation that it is in talks to buy the Royal Horseguards hotel in London from BIL International. It is understood to be offering about £100m.
Sales growth at JD Wetherspoon
Like-for-like sales at JD Wetherspoon grew by 3.5% in the 11 weeks to 13 July and by 4.1% in the 50 weeks to 13 July, the pub operator revealed in an end-of-year trading statement. During the year to 27 July, it opened 45 pubs and sold 17 to Laurel Pub Company for a book loss of £2.5m. Its full-year results up to 27 July will be unveiled on 5 September.
Directors buy back BYO outlets
Two former directors of Bristol-based BYO Restaurants have bought two branches back from administrator Mazars. Former managing director David Wheadon and non-executive director Jonathan Dell (a founder of PizzaExpress) have bought a Hullabaloos and a Muset in Clifton, Bristol. The bring-your-own-wine chain was set up in the early 1990s and grew to eight branches before it got into financial difficulties when it expanded to locations such as London and Manchester.