Hospitality news

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Gaucho CEO Martin Williams on Gaucho reboot Charlotte Street

Cowboy re-builders: Gaucho’s ambitious reboot

Martin Williams is back in the saddle at Gaucho leading an ambitious redesign and repositioning project that – all going to plan – will help the 25-year-old Argentine beef specialist appeal to the next generation of diners.

Outcry from UKHospitality as Government confirms furloughed workers will not be entitled to tronc

Updated guidance regarding the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme says workers will not be entitled to tip payments while they are furloughed, which has led to an outcry from trade body UKHospitality.

Read the April edition of Restaurant magazine online

The April edition of Restaurant magazine, featuring Luke Selby and his brothers taking on Evelyn's Table at The Blue Posts, Gail's Bakery at 15, and Luke French's Sheffield restaurant Joro is now available to read online.

Mark Hix: administration ‘done without my support’

Mark Hix has said that the decision to appoint administrators for his restaurant businesses was done without his support, a move he says will result in his staff being made redundant without being able to be put on furlough.

Côte at Home delivery service launched

French-themed chain Côte has launched an online shop that gives its customers access to many of the dishes and products sold in its restaurants.

Leon's Feed Britain delivery service goes live

Leon’s grocery and ready meal delivery service has launched today (7 April) with an aim of reach the vulnerable and elderly during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Podcast: Simon Rogan on getting his restaurant empire through the pandemic

Simon Rogan on the pandemic's affect on his global restaurant empire and how he's using his Cumbria farm to feed people.

Coronavirus: the positive hospitality industry moves

A regular round-up of the positive action the hospitality industry is taking to fight back

Tom Kerridge fronted initiative raises £100,000 for NHS staff in just 48 hours

Tom Kerridge and a group of volunteers from Marlow have raised over £100,000 to fund free meals for NHS workers in neighbouring towns and communities.

Bacardi announces package of initiatives to support cocktail bars in UK and Europe

Bacardi is to launch a virtual bar in partnership with Deliveroo Editions, which will enable bars to deliver cocktails to local customers in London and Manchester from next week.

Mark Hix’s restaurant businesses file for administration

The future of Mark Hix’s restaurant empire is in doubt after the chef reportedly appointed administrators across three of his businesses late last week.

'Small restaurants and pubs 'to miss out on £55m of Government funding'

More than 3,650 small restaurants, pubs, shops and other types of retail, leisure and hospitality premises in England will lose out on £15,000 of Government grant funding because of an ‘anomlay’ in the design of the grant funding scheme.

TRG increases banking facilities and slashes executive pay

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has announced a raft of measures designed to get it through the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, including more flexible banking facilities and executive pay cuts.

Famous Brands will no longer finance GBK

Famous Brands, the South Africa-based group, has said it will no longer fund its loss-making Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) restaurants in the UK.

Antonio Carluccio Foundation extends funds to £500,000 in response to Coronavirus pandemic

The Antonio Carluccio Foundation will make grants of up to £500,000 this year to support hospitality businesses hit by the Coronavirus pandemic.

How The Athenian is expanding its reach through delivery

Greek street food player The Athenian opened its first delivery-only kitchen in London’s Battersea earlier this year, and in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis is looking to establish more. Co-founder Neo Christodoulou explains

Hospitality staff sought to join UK’s ‘Land Army’

A website has been launched to connect farmers with local workers as the agriculture industry seeks to fill seasonal roles with people displaced by the Coronavirus crisis.

Leon to trial 'Feed Britain' delivery service

Healthy fast food chain Leon is to begin trialling an online delivery service next week offering grocery boxes and ready meals.

Podcast: SpiceBox co-founder Grace Regan on soldiering on through the pandemic

We speak to SpiceBox co-founder Grace Reagan about her decision to keep operating her vegan Indian restaurant concept through the Coronavirus crisis.

Pub group Chestnut to donate takeaway proceeds to NHS

East Anglia-based gastropub operator Chestnut says its recently launched takeaway service across it estate will donate revenues to the NHS during the Coronavirus shutdown.

Government extends loan scheme to larger companies

The Government has announced it is extending the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) it launched last week to larger businesses in a bid to help as many affected by Coronavirus as possible.

Berkmann Wine launches 'Help 4 Hospitality' wine delivery scheme

On trade wine supplier Berkmann Wine Cellars has launched an online platform - ‘Help 4 Hospitality’ - to deliver wine to consumers while donating a share of the profits to the hospitality sector.

UKHospitality demands greater safeguards for commercial tenants

Trade body UKHospitality has written to the Government asking for an immediate extension of the forfeiture moratorium for six months and a widening of the scope to include broader debt enforcement measures, including winding-up orders, statutory demands...

Podcast: Alchemilla's Alex Bond on feeding NHS workers

We speak to Alchemilla chef Alex Bond about the Government's support package for staff and how he's switched from tasting menus to cooking simple meals for NHS workers.

Coronavirus: the positive hospitality industry moves

A regular round-up of the positive action the hospitality industry is taking to fight back.

Benito’s Hat brand to live on despite business entering administration

Fast-casual Mexican chain Benito’s Hat is to live on, despite the business being forced to file for administration.

Food delivery and takeaway 'essential' during Coronavirus pandemic

Almost three quarters of people now view deliveries and takeaways from their local pub or restaurant as an ‘essential service’ during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Lowdown: Walkers Taste Icons

The snack manufacturer has teamed up with some of the UK’s biggest restaurant brands to transform their best-selling dishes into crisp flavours - but the timing is a little unfortunate.

Sunak set to overhaul Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to overhaul his Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme amid reports many small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) were struggling to the access funds.

Caterers must adopt a model that has affordable food at its heart

The game has changed, the economy has changed, and the needs of the population have shifted immeasurably. Catering businesses that understand and support that shift will become vital to their communities during and after this crisis

Honest Burgers offers staff redeployment to retail and care sectors

Honest Burgers has created a scheme to allow furloughed members of staff to be seconded to other businesses that will benefit during the Coronavirus crisis, particular in the retail and care sectors.

Peach Pubs 'keeping things Peachy' by annoucing all staff will retain jobs

The Peach Pub Company says that none of its staff will lose their jobs as a result of its closure because of the Coronavirus epidemic.

OpenTable partners with Deliveroo and UberEats for restaurant food at home

Global online restaurant reservations company OpenTable is partnering with delivery aggregators to offer delivery options at restaurants across the UK.

Selby brothers to take on Evelyn’s Table

Hotly-tipped chef brothers Luke, Nathaniel and Theo Selby are to take over Layo and Zoë Paskin's Soho counter dining restaurant Evelyn’s Table.

Podcast: Restaurant PR Gemma Bell on how to stay relevant during the crisis

We speak to public relations expert Gemma Bell about what restaurants need to do to stay on people's radars during the Coronavirus crisis.

Industry calls on Government to increase grant support

Voices from within the hospitality industry are calling on the Government to lift the threshold on its Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme so that more businesses can benefit.

Up to a million SMEs could fold as a result of Coronavirus crisis

Nearly a fifth of all small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the UK are unlikely to get the money they need to survive the Coronavirus crisis.

Clarity regarding National Living Wage rise and Job Retention Scheme (update)

The National Living Wage (NLW) increased today (1 April) by 6.2%, however, Government guidance suggests furloughed workers will not benefit from the rise, despite HMRC initially telling BigHospitality they would.

20,000 hotel beds made available for NHS staff

Almost 200 hotels have made over 20,000 beds available around the UK for NHS staff and other vital workers, following a call from hospitality trade body UKHospitality.

Street food and mobile caterers: advice on the income support scheme

The Government has announced details of its self employed income support scheme that is applicable to independent mobile catering businesses and the self-employed. Here the Nationwide Caterers Association (NCASS) outlines what it means for the UK’s independent...