Hospitality news

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Latest opening: Galvin Bistrot & Bar

Chris and Jeff Galvin have relaunched their Galvin HOP pub concept in London's Spitalfields as Galvin Bistrot & Bar.

Carlsberg and Marston's merger completes

Brewer and pubco Marston’s has confirmed the completion of its £780m joint venture with Carlsberg UK.

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The 2020 top trends for UK hospitality

The UK’s hospitality industry has been through a turbulent year, and everyone reading this article is probably fed up with the ‘c-word’ by now. Nevertheless, the industry rolls on, and as we head into the winter months and New Year, we don’t really know...

Why back of house should be front of mind

With so many systems and solutions available to help restaurants navigate the current pandemic, increase efficiencies and open up new revenue streams, never has back of house tech been so important.

Friday Five: the week's top news

A round-up some of the main hospitality news stories from the past week including Caffè Nero becoming the latest operator to explore a CVA and Henry Harris leaving Harcourt Inns.

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Lavazza, your business partner and more

Lavazza’s rich heritage and reputation for innovation enables it help restaurants of all shapes and sizes deliver the best possible coffee experience.

La Mia Mamma pop up restaurant goes permanent

Italian kitchen concept La Mia Mamma is to convert its pop up site on Hollywood Road in London's Chelsea into a permanent location.

Almost 40% of hospitality businesses say Government’s tier system is difficult to enforce

Hospitality operators are struggling to adhere properly with the Government’s three tier system, which impacts on how businesses can trade depending on where they are located.

People on the move: October 2020

A roundup of the biggest personnel changes in the hospitality sector over the past month.

Gordon Ramsay's Street Pizza set for Southwark

Gordon Ramsay has confirmed he is to open his third Street Pizza site next month in London's Southwark.

Hospitality sales take a battering in third quarter with 48% drop

Hospitality sales continued to take a battering in the third quarter of 2020, with ongoing Government restrictions denting the temporary boost of the Chancellor's Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

How mobile order and pay tech took off

The UK restaurant sector was slow to adopt mobile ordering and payment technology in any meaningful way. And then the Coronavirus pandemic struck

PizzaExpress to axe another 1,300 jobs after trade plummets

PizzaExpress is to axe a further 1,300 from across its UK estate following a decline in footfall since September and poor city centre trade.

London restaurateur calls for JSS review to help restaurants survive until December claim period

A London restaurateur is calling for an urgent review of the Job Support Scheme (JSS) to help restaurants be able to pay their staff until claims can be made under the scheme.

Flat Iron heads to Marylebone

Flat Iron is to open its ninth London location next month on James Street in Marylebone.

Pret distances itself from founder Julian Metcalfe following lockdown comments

Pret A Manager has distanced itself from founder Julian Metcalfe after he caused outrage by urging the Government not to introduce another lockdown to save a ‘few thousand lives’.

How I Got Here: Stephen Tozer

Stephen Tozer is the co-founder of London-based kebab restaurants Le Bab, Maison Bab and Kebab Queen.

G-A-Y owner 'not giving up' after court refuses to let curfew legal challenge go ahead

The owner of London’s G-A-Y nightclub in Soho has 'decided not to give up' after a court refused permission for his legal challenge against the 10pm curfew to go ahead.

Busaba CVA approved

Busaba Eathai’s Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) has been approved, with an 81% majority of creditors backing the proposals.

Hospitality sector calls on Welsh Government for support

UKHospitality Cymru has written to members of the Welsh Government outlining proposals for the support of the country's hospitality businesses during the 'fire-break' lockdown and beyond.

Band of brothers: The Selby trio on Evelyn’s Table

Hotly-tipped former Hide head chef Luke Selby and his younger brothers Theo and Nathaniel are confounding expectations by taking over the tiny counter restaurant beneath Layo and Zoë Paskin’s Soho pub The Blue Posts

Nottinghamshire to join Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Yorkshire in Tier 3

Almost 800 pubs and 12 wine bars in Nottingham will be forced to close unless they can operate as restaurants serving substantial meals when Nottinghamshire moves into Tier 3 lockdown on Friday.

Just 1% of hospitality venues linked to NHS Test and Trace incidences, research finds

Just 1% of hospitality venues across the UK have been linked to NHS Test and Trace incidences of Coronavirus, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the UK’s restaurant and pub trade bodies.

YO! continues its push into retail with new Co-op deal

Sushi brand YO! is expanding its partnership with Co-op to supply its YO! To Go products in 160 stores nationwide.

Hoppers launches retail platform Cash & Kari

Sri Lankan restaurant group Hoppers is marking its fifth birthday with the launch of E-commerce site Cash & Kari.

Christmas bookings drop by 75% as a result of eating out restrictions

Nearly half of restaurants, pubs and hotels have lost around 75% of festive bookings since the ‘rule of six’ and 10pm curfew began, according to a new survey.

Scottish hospitality businesses face '£3.5m shortfall' during circuit breaker

Scotland’s restaurants and pubs will receive only £415,000 of Government support over the country’s three-week ‘circuit-breaker’ despite it costing business over £3.5m to close, the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) has claimed.

BrewDog hits £7.5m target for its Equity for Punks Tomorrow programme

BrewDog has hit its initial crowdfunding target of £7.5m for its crowdfunding investment programme, Equity for Punks Tomorrow.

Arôme to go permanent in Covent Garden

Singaporean restaurateur Ellen Chew is to partner with pâtissier Alix Andre to launch a permanent site for Asian-influenced bakery concept Arôme at The Yards in London's Covent Garden next month.

Trade bodies call on Government to freeze late-night levy payments

Three of the sector's biggest trade bodies have demanded the Government freeze the levy payments late-night hospitality and pub businesses have been required to continue paying despite Coronavirus restrictions.

Tom Aikens, John Williams and Mark Birchall among AA rosette award winners

Four British restaurants including Tom Aikens' Muse in London's Belgravia and The Ritz Restaurant in Piccadilly, overseen by chef John Williams, have been awarded four AA rosettes.

Hospitality sector presents Scottish Government with 'workable strategic framework'

Trade Bodies representing Scotland’s hospitality sector have written to the First Minister and MSPs proposing a 'workable strategic framework' for the sector.

Revolution Bars launches CVA in a bid to reduce its estate

Revolution Bars Group has launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) that it hopes will see it exit six of its venues.

Tampopo closes Piccadilly Gardens restaurant that was ‘in the eye of the storm’

Pan-Asian restaurant Tampopo has closed permanently its Piccadilly Gardens site, saying that its location meant it was ‘in the eye of the storm’ of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Stephen Harris on terroir, growing his own and the future of The Sportsman

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards' Sessions series kicks off with a detailed look at seminal North Kent gastropub The Sportsman.

How the pandemic is shaping the future of EPOS

With the pandemic rewriting the rulebook on how restaurants operate, it’s never been more important for your EPOS system to be capable of adapting to the changing landscape

Ibérica to shutter two sites under CVA

Spanish restaurant group Ibérica is to close two of its seven sites following a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

Westminster Council U-turns on plans to introduce al fresco charges for restaurants

Westminster City Council has scrapped plans to charge restaurant and bar operators thousands of pounds to keep trading outside through the winter months.

Henry Harris 'steps away' from Harcourt Inns

Henry Harris has left his role as chef director of London-based pub group Harcourt Inns.

Caffè Nero eyes CVA

Caffè Nero has become the latest high street operator to explore a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) to help it emerge from the pandemic.

Restaurants rally behind Rashford campaign

Restaurateurs and operators from across the hospitality sector have rallied behind footballer Marcus Rashford's campaign to provide free meals to vulnerable children in England over the October half term.

UKH: ‘Extremely low level of transmission in hospitality’

Trade body UKHospitality has renewed its calls for the Government to rethink the operating restrictions placed on businesses, after data showed an 'extremely low level' of transmission across the sector.

Flash-grilled: Naz Hassan

Naz Hassan is head chef at Crispin, an all-day restaurant in London's Spitalfields area that serves an eclectic small plates menu of Italian-focused dishes, alongside speciality coffee and low-intervention wines.