Casual Dining

Sadiq Khan to invest £6m in campaign to get people back into central London

22-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced that £6m will be invested in directly supporting the reopening of London’s economy once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

Marugame Udon to debut on Liverpool Street

22-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

The world’s largest udon noodles and tempura restaurant chain has chosen London’s Liverpool Street for its debut European location.

More than 7,500 of Britain's licensed premises 'lost to Covid'

22-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Britain has 7,592 fewer licensed premises than it did before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, according to a new report by CGA and AlixPartners.

Hospitality venues given greater flexibility to provide more outdoor space for diners

22-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Hospitality businesses will have greater flexibly to set up marquees and provide more outdoor space for diners as restrictions ease, the Government has announced.

Tim Hortons to open drive-thru restaurant in Sheffield

19-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Canadian restaurant brand Tim Hortons is continuing with its UK expansion plans with the opening of its first drive-thru restaurant in Yorkshire.

Friday Five: the week's top news

19-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

This week's main hospitality news stories include Scotland's lockdown roadmap, research showing £8.2bn in beer sales was wiped from the pub sector last year, and Henry Harris joining Wright Brothers.

Promoted content

5 ways to use coffee to grow your business

19-Mar-2021 By UCC Coffee

A good coffee program can drive profitability and help grow businesses. Make sure yours is up to scratch with this handy guide.

Left out in the cold: operators grapple with alfresco regulations

19-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Operators that have invested in alfresco dining spaces are being caught out by changes to rules on what constitutes an outside space as well as inconsistent enforcement by local authorities.

Hospitality recruitment grows by nearly 40% as sector prepares for reopening

19-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Recruitment across the hospitality sector has grown by 39% in the last month as the sector prepares for reopening, according to data from job search engine Adzuna.

Dishoom, D&D and The Dorchester Collection recognised at Springboard Awards

19-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Restaurant and hotel businesses including Dishoom, Made in Oldstead, D&D London The Dorchester Collection & 45 Park Lane were named winners at last night’s (18 March) Springboard Virtual Awards for Excellence.

Wetherspoon posts half-year loss as restrictions hit

19-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

JD Wetherspoon has posted a pre-tax loss of £46.2m for the six months to 24 January, as the 'ever-changing Government guidelines' took their toll on takings.

Delivery-only sushi concept Oro plans ambitious expansion after launching first cloud kitchen

19-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Delivery-only sushi concept Oro is planning an ambitious expansion drive that will see it open cloud kitchens across London as well as overseas.

Scotland extends rent moratorium

18-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

The Scottish Government has extended its rent irritation moratorium for a further six months until the end of September.

The Lowdown: TGI Fridays at 35

18-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

The American restaurant and bar chain celebrates its 35th birthday in the UK today (18 March), making it one of the most enduring restaurant groups on these shores.

Shopping forecast: the latest products launches

18-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

This month's new product launches include a high-tech grill, vegan mayonnaise and a 'next level' blast chiller.

Books

Book review: Cooking No-Recipe Recipes

18-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

The New York Times managing editor Sam Sifton has penned a cookbook that does away with the tyranny of having to follow closely a recipe.

Stonegate reports loss of £746m as a result of the pandemic

18-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Stonegate Pub Company, the UK's largest pub company, has reported a loss before tax of £746m for the full year to 27 September 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

Punch invests £1m on outdoor spaces ahead of al fresco reopening

18-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Punch Pubs is investing £1m on its beer gardens and outside spaces ahead of the unlocking of outdoor hospitality settings on 12 April.

Sacha Lord legal challenge against delayed hospitality reopening date heads to High Court

18-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Sacha Lord is taking his legal challenge against the Government's decision not to allow hospitality to reopen for indoor service until five weeks after non-essential retail to the High Court.

Pizza Pilgrims to open four new London venues, with a further four in the pipeline

18-Mar-2021 By Finn Scott-Delany

Pizza Pilgrims is looking to open four new pizzerias in the capital by late summer, and has a further four in negotiations, after its expansion pipeline was put on hold during the pandemic.

Eggs ‘n’ Stuff to open first bricks and mortar location

17-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Eggs ‘n’ Stuff, the egg-based delivery brand from Wing Shack founder Josh Jarvis, is to open its first pop-up venue this month.

Government urged to show basis of lockdown restrictions imposed on hospitality

17-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

The Government is being urged to publish the data that underpins its decisions on the restrictions imposed on the hospitality sector, according to a new report published by the House of Commons’ Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

"At least we now have a plan" - Scottish hospitality reacts with relief to lockdown roadmap

17-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Hospitality businesses in Scotland say they are relieved to finally have indicative reopening dates, but remain frustrated about the level of operating restrictions they will face as they unlock.

Consultation launched to combat city and town centre slump

17-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

The All Parliamentary Group for Hospitality and Tourism is launching a written consultation into what can be done to address the decline in town and city centres that has been accelerated by the pandemic.

Gary Usher's Elite Bistros at Home looking to move into outside catering

17-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Gary Usher’s restaurant group Elite Bistros has announced that it will continue with its make at home meal service Elite Bistros at Home post lockdown and will look to create a catering arm for it.

Ramsay secures West End site for second Street Burger restaurant

16-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Gordon Ramsay has secured a second site for his burger brand Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger.

Hospitality in Scotland to continue facing significant restrictions as it emerges from lockdown

16-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Scottish hospitality will face significant operating restrictions until at least June under the country's roadmap out of lockdown, which will allow pubs and restaurants to begin reopening from late April.

Abdul Yaseen expands his Barbers Bazaar Indian food delivery brand with second London site

16-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Chef Abdul Yaseen has expanded the presence of his Barbers Bazaar Indian food delivery brand in the capital with the opening of a second delivery kitchen in Kentish Town.

Plain clothes police officers could patrol bars and nightclubs to help protect women

16-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Plain clothes police officers could patrol bars and nightclubs across the country under Government plans to step up its protection of women against predatory offenders when on a night out.

All-day brasserie AT feast to open in St John’s Wood

16-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

An all-day brasserie with cookery school, grab-and-go bar and retail space is to open in St John’s Wood, London, in May.

Government calls for evidence as it considers impact of 'vaccine passports'

16-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

The Government has published a call for evidence as it considers the role of so-called 'vaccine passports' in the country's recovery from the pandemic.

London Cocktail Club builds property pipeline ahead of significant expansion

16-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Bar operator London Cocktail Club (LCC) is currently in talks to acquire a number new locations across the UK as it looks to quadruple the size of its estate.

Greggs plans for expansion despite reporting first loss in 36 years

16-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Bakery chain Greggs has posted its first annual loss since becoming a listed business 36 years age, with sales falling by a third amid the impact of the Coronavirus crisis.

Star Pubs & Bars looks to ease rent concessions as sector unlocks

15-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Star Pubs & Bars is to extend its 90% rent reduction for pubs on core leased & tenanted agreements until mid May, before easing the concessions as the sector unlocks.

Sidechick secures permanent site

15-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Sidechick, the chicken-focused offshoot to Patty & Bun, is to launch its first permanent site in May on James Street in London's Marylebone.

£8.2bn wiped from the pub sector in beer sales alone in "year to forget for pubs"

15-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Around 2,000 pubs are estimated to have closed permanently and £8.2bn in value wiped from the sector in beer sales alone in the past 12 months, figures from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) show.

Outside chance: hospitality gears up for alfresco April

15-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Many operators are throwing everything they have at outdoor dining this April and beyond. But will the industry make hay while the sun shines or will the whole exercise be a damp squib?

Number of UK breweries grew 7.5% in 2020 despite pandemic

15-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

The Coronavirus’ devastating impact on pub, bar and restaurant beer sales hasn’t put entrepreneurs off launching new brewing businesses, with the total number of UK breweries increasing by 216 last year.

MPs back campaign to allow pubs to serve takeaway alcohol

15-Mar-2021 By Emily Hawkins

MPs have put their weight behind a campaign calling for the takeaway alcohol ban currently in place at English pubs to be lifted ahead of beer gardens reopening next month.

Scottish hospitality trade bodies propose route out of lockdown

15-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Trade bodies in Scotland have called on the Government to follow England's roadmap out of lockdown 'as closely as possible' and set out recommendations to ease restrictions on hospitality.

Pret to grow retail range ahead of suburban expansion

15-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger is to grow its retail range and begin selling a range of bake-at-home croissants through supermarket giant Tesco.

Hugh Osmond joins legal challenge against delayed hospitality reopening date

15-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Hospitality entrepreneur Hugh Osmond has joined an ongoing legal challenge against the Government's decision to not allow hospitality to reopen for indoor service until five weeks after non-essential retail unlocks.

Hospitality businesses in Wales to receive additional £150m in support as lockdown continues

12-Mar-2021 By BgHospitality

The Welsh Government has pledged a further £150m to help hospitality businesses as well as other that are not yet able to open because of the pandemic.

Friday Five: the week's top news

12-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

This week's main hospitality news stories include Jollibee's plan to invest £30m in UK expansion; Oakman acquiring six former Seafood Pub Company sites; and the extension of commercial rent protections.

Industry trade bodies offer reopening support to hospitality businesses

12-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Leading trade bodies from across the hospitality sector are encouraging businesses to take advantage of the support on offer to ensure they prepared for reopening.

Wagamama boss Emma Woods scoops top prize at Retailers' Retailer Awards

12-Mar-2021 By Restaurant

Wagamama CEO Emma Woods has been named Retailers’ Retailer of the Year 2021 at a virtual ceremony last night (11 March).

Pandemic pushes takeaway and delivery sales to more than triple

12-Mar-2021 By James McAllister

Sales of deliveries and takeaways from the UK’s leading hospitality groups have more than tripled over the last 12 months, CGA's new Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

Young’s eyes alfresco opportunity with two new launches

11-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Pub group Young’s is launching two new pubs with outdoor terraces in time to capitalise on outdoor eating and drinking as early as 12 April.

Hospitality leaders plan recruitment drive

11-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Three quarters of business leaders will be looking to recruit new staff members and grow their teams in 2021 as hospitality prepares for the easing of lockdown.

Operators warned over cocktail home delivery without license

11-Mar-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Operators are being warned that they need a license from HMRC to sell pre-mixed cocktails for consumption at home as delivery services boom under lockdown.