Focus Group and Mitchells & Butlers Raise the Barfor Digital Transformation Across UK Hospitality Estate

Automation-led, Cisco-powered infrastructure delivers secure, scalable digital foundation across 1,700+ venues 

Focus Group, a leading UK technology partner and Cisco 360 Partner, has kicked off a large-scale digital transformation programme with Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), one of the UK’s largest operators of pubs, restaurants and hotels.

Underpinned by next-generation Cisco infrastructure - representing one of the company’s largest-ever UK commercial deals at $17 million - the programme is modernising connectivity, security and operations across more than 1,700 venues nationwide. The project represents one of the largest Cisco commercial engagements in the UK hospitality sector, delivering a future-ready, cloud-first network designed to support growth, resilience and exceptional guest experiences. 

Mitchells & Butlers partnered with Focus Group to refresh and standardise its digital infrastructure at scale moving beyond basic connectivity to create a secure, flexible platform capable of supporting evolving business and customer needs. Over an 18-month tender process, Focus Group invested heavily in presales design, automation frameworks and specialist technical resources to ensure the programme would deliver long-term value.  

The result will be a highly resilient, centrally managed network powered by Cisco technologies including Wi-Fi 7, SD-WAN, upgraded LAN infrastructure, Secure Service Edge (SSE) and a roadmap toward a full zero-trust security architecture. 

Focus Group’s automation-first approach sets the engagement apart, generating significant operational and cost efficiencies. These savings were reinvested into expanding the scope of the M&B project, enabling more sites, users and advanced capabilities to be included than originally planned. Focus Group has been able to deploy M&B's ISP connectivity and networking as a single project, thereby minimising disruption and ensuring business continuity for critical trading hours across a range of business types within M&B's portfolio. 

Today, Mitchells & Butlers supports around 6,000 users across 18 well-known brands. The new Cisco-based platform will provide a unified, cloud-managed foundation that simplifies operations, enhances security and enables consistent digital experiences for staff and guests alike. 

In addition to Cisco networking and security, Focus Group integrated complementary technologies including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 managed backup and recovery and a Mitel Contact Centre solution, all fully managed by Focus Group's dedicated teams. 

“This collaboration with Mitchells & Butlers represents exactly what we strive for at Focus Group, combining innovation with real-world impact,” said Neil Hall, CEO, Focus Group. “By bringing together the best of Cisco technology with our expertise in automation, cloud and security, we’re not just delivering a network. We’re building a digital foundation that will empower M&B’s brands, teams and customers for years to come.” 

Working closely with Mitchells & Butlers and Cisco, Focus Group led the design, deployment and governance of the solution, ensuring alignment with business outcomes throughout. 

“By embracing next-generation Cisco technologies and leading with Focus Group’s automation-first approach, we’re building a network that will not only be secure and resilient, but ready to grow with us,” said Andrew Benson, Director for Business Change & Technology, Mitchells & Butlers. “The unified, cloud-first approach is simplifying how we operate, unlocking cost efficiencies, and most importantly, empowering our teams to deliver consistent and outstanding experiences to our guests. It’s a bold step toward future proofing our business and staying ahead in a fast-moving digital world.” 

Cisco also highlighted the strength of the partnership: “This significant investment marks an exciting next stage in our relationship, where together with Focus Group, we will deliver a secure, resilient, and scalable network that empowers their teams and enhances guest experiences across 1,700 locations. We are grateful to Focus Group for their invaluable partnership in bringing this joint vision to life and look forward to driving continued innovation and success alongside Mitchells & Butlers.” said Ben Jones, Commercial Director UKI, Cisco. 

As of day one of the project, 75% of M&B's sites were migrated to FttP connectivity and as the full rollout continues for connectivity and networking, they will benefit from advanced security and centralised management. The platform positions Mitchells & Butlers to rapidly adopt new digital services, respond to market change and continue innovating across the hospitality experience. 

To learn more about how Focus on Hospitality can support your business, contact: hospitality@focusgroup.co.uk