Tilray Brands has added a number of US assets to its list of BrewDog acquisitions. These include the brewery, pub, and hotel in Columbus, as well as pubs in New Albany, Cleveland, and Las Vegas.
“BrewDog has built a strong following in Ohio and established a highly visible presence in Las Vegas, including a flagship brewpub located on a premier stretch of the Las Vegas Strip,” Tilray Brands chairman and chief executive, Irwin Simon.
“These assets fit squarely within our brewpub model, creating destination-led venues that deepen consumer engagement while providing new opportunities to introduce and sell our broader portfolio of Tilray beverage brands.
“This transaction reinforces Tilray’s acquisition of BrewDog’s operating assets, building on our previously announced deals in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. Tilray now owns the BrewDog brand and its intellectual property worldwide.”
• Half-year turnover at J D Wetherspoon was up 5.7% to £1,088 million, with bar sales up by 7%. Operating profit, before separately disclosed items, was £52.9m, down from £64.8m for the same period last year. The reduction was due to higher costs, including wages, which increased by £2m, repairs by £10m, and business rates by £9m.
At the end of the period, 794 managed pubs were trading. The company intends to open approximately 15 managed pubs in the current financial year (excluding franchised pubs).
In the last seven weeks, to 15th March, like-for-like sales increased by 2.6%. The latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker, for February 2026, said industry like-for-like sales were -0.2%. During this period, Wetherspoon like-for-like sales were +3.2%. This was the 42nd month in a row that Wetherspoon has outperformed the tracker.
“As previously indicated, increases in National Insurance and labour rates will result in cost increases of approximately £60m per annum, and non-commodity energy costs will add £7m,” said Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin.
“The Extended Producer Responsibility tax, a levy on packaging… will cost £2.4m in the current year, an increase of £1.6m. These cost increases will undoubtedly add to underlying inflation in the UK economy, although Wetherspoon, as always, will endeavour to keep price increases to a minimum.”
Separately, Sir Tim has called for the business rates multiplier to be lowered from 43 pence in the pound to 18p. This change to the business rates system would be fairest, he argues, and lift some of the weight of taxation that many businesses are drowning under.
“A reduction of the multiplier has the massive advantage of being easy to understand, easy to implement, and thereby provides a bona fide cash benefit to pubs,” said Sir Tim.
“This contrasts with the inherent uncertainty and delay in calling for a new system of business rates, which would bring zero guarantee of genuinely lower taxes for pubs.”
He added: “In summary, Wetherspoon believes that the pub trade should get behind two tax campaigns. One is that pubs and supermarkets should be treated equally for the purposes of VAT, and the other is that the business rates multiplier should be reduced to 28 pence.”
• New statistics show accommodation and food services insolvencies rose 9% month on month from 205 in December to 223 in January. However, insolvencies in the sector dropped 18% year on year from 273 in January 2025.
“Most hospitality operators held on at the end of last year to capitalise on Christmas trading, before having to assess their options in January,” said Saxon Mosley, partner and head of leisure and hospitality at audit, tax, and consulting firm RSM UK.
“The persistent wet weather and fragile consumer confidence has meant it’s been a tough start to the year for the industry, with the NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker showing flat like-for-like sales, tipping some into insolvency.
“The hospitality sector consistently features in the top three industries experiencing the highest number of insolvencies, highlighting it’s one of the hardest hit by relentless cost increases such as higher taxes, National Minimum Wage, and inflation.
“While it’s encouraging to see a drop in hospitality insolvencies year on year, this may be in part due to the sector shrinking overall, as the challenging trading environment makes it difficult to not only enter the market, but to compete.”
He added: “With more headwinds to come, operators must act now to preserve cash, explore cost-cutting options, and, most importantly, protect the customer experience to keep people coming through the door.”
• Gary Neville’s Relentless Developments has submitted plans to restore the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub, in Manchester. “The Sir Ralph Abercromby is one of Manchester’s most treasured pubs and an important part of the city’s social fabric,” said the former footballer. “A big part of our ambition for St Michael’s has been to celebrate Manchester’s heritage, and restoring this iconic building is central to that vision.”
• Thornbridge Brewery recorded a profit of £224,796 in the year to 30th June, 2025. The previous two years had been loss-making. “Alongside the strong turnover growth, the return to profit also reflects the cumulative impact of the continued focus on cost control and production efficiency,” said director James Harrison.
