With another year plagued by a poor economic backdrop, hotels in London were able to record a second consecutive year of profitability growth in 2011, but provincial properties suffered a fourth successive year of profit decline.
Good weather around Christmas 2011 helped keep Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) festive sales buoyant, the managed pub operator has reported, with like-for-like sales up 6.5 per cent for the nine weeks to 21 January.
With more than two-thirds of chefs and kitchen staff incurring injury in the workplace at least once a month, current first aid provision in commercial kitchens needs tightening up according to a survey by food hygiene specialist DayMark.
An industry taskforce chaired by the British Hospitality Association featuring representatives from restaurants, hotels and pubs and bars has submitted a report of recommendations on cutting red tape and regulations to the Tourism Minister John Penrose.
As part of Food Allergy & Intolerance Week Allergy UK has called for guidelines or enforced training for restaurants and hospitality businesses on their diners allergens and intolerances.
The Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has claimed public health has started to change as a result of the Responsibility Deal which includes calorie labelling in restaurants.
Eating out at restaurants and pubs is fast-becoming a treat reserved for special occasions, as cash-strapped consumers are more cautious with their discretionary spend, according to foodservice consultancy Horizons.
The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has today urged the Government to take action to save Britain’s historic pub culture in the light of new research which reveals that 16 pubs now close across the country every week.
Beer sales continued to fall in 2011 with pub sales down by 3.4 per cent in the last year but the rate of decline has shrunk to the slowest since 2004, according to the latest Beer Barometer from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).
International hotel operator Accor opened a record 39,000 hotel rooms across its global estate last year, driven in part by franchise deals that saw 24 UK hotels converted to its Mercure brand.
With fewer than 200 days until the London 2012 Olympics, the UK is preparing for an influx of visitors from around the world. But just how much of an impact will the Games have on the nation’s hotels?
JD Wetherspoon expects a continued decline in its operating margin this year due to continuing cost pressures resulting from government legislation and VAT rates.
Restaurants, hotels and pubs had mixed fortunes in 2011, with all three hospitality sectors suffering a decline in property prices. But there is hope on the horizon, with the potential for an increase in opportunities and transactions in 2012.
Britain’s pubs and restaurants saw a major sales boost over the Christmas and New Year period, with like-for-like sales for December up 9.9 per cent from 2010.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) reported today that they achieved positive growth throughout their 21st year in business with the brand that comprises more than 500 hotels worldwide putting the success down to the continued strength of luxury and...
Over 50 per cent of all the meals eaten out of the home are consumed in fast food restaurants with London diners most likely to frequent them, according to the latest data from independent foodservice research agency NPD Group.
The UK hotel sector needs to do more to protect itself against fraud which could cost the industry over £2bn a year, according to a new report published today by the accountancy firm PKF and the University of Portsmouth.
With a year packed full of national and restaurant-related events, BigHospitality’s sister publication Restaurant magazine has published its own series of sage predictions for 2012. The crystal ball goes into overdrive: High-quality German sausage, grimy...
Pub and bar operators are ‘cautiously optimistic’ for the year ahead after seeing a year-on-year sales boost over the Christmas period, a survey from the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has discovered.
A review of discounting activity in the casual-dining sector by Restaurant magazine has shown that many restaurant chains who pledged to shake off their old deep discounting habits for the New Year have already fallen off the wagon.
The hospitality industry has felt the strain of the tough economic climate over the past year, with a significant increase in the number of restaurants, bars and hotels becoming insolvent.
Cardiff has been declared the most social city in the UK with residents of the Welsh capital most likely to go out and meet others in its restaurants, bars and pubs, according to social network CitySocialising.
The Restaurant Group, which has the likes of Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquito and Garfunkel’s within its 390-strong portfolio, has reported a rise in turnover and sales over the past 12 months in spite of some of the most challenging trading conditions...
Restaurant and bar operator Novus Leisure has revealed like for like sales were up 18 per cent over the festive period, led by the success of the recently acquired city bar chain Balls Brothers and an increase of pre-booked and advance corporate events.
Restaurant discounts and vouchers are still popular with nearly two thirds of consumers using them when dining out but just 18 per cent say they would stop visiting somewhere if they were removed, according to a new survey from Deloitte.
A number of UK hotels continue to charge guests up to £26 a day for Wi-Fi while many chains give free wireless internet access in their venues, according to a new survey published by Which? Travel.
Chicago's owner Atmosphere Bars & Clubs saw Christmas sales grow by 17 per cent compared to the same period in 2010 as revellers decided to 'let their hair down' during the festive period.
As foodservice consultancy Horizons insists the UK hospitality industry is set for its most challenging year ever, BigHospitality has spoken to restaurants across the nation to find out what they are doing to ensure 2012 is a year to remember for the...
London hotel occupancy fell by nearly 2 per cent in November although the average daily room rate did see an increase, according to data released from hotel consultancy PKF which indicates UK hotel performance was flat last month as economic problems...
Women still account for less than a third of seats on hotel boards of directors of the top publicly quoted groups, according to the latest HVS Executive Search European Hotel Board study.
Many chefs are being forced to be more creative with Christmas menus to remain profitable this year as the latest food price index shows that the ingredients used in a traditional Christmas dinner have risen by an average of 7 per cent on last year.
A decline in the number of people drinking in pubs has led to beer sales dropping by £2.2m this year, according to new data released by Mintel, although sales in restaurants rose slightly as the trend for matching beer with food grew..
Executive chairman Jonathan Paveley revealed reducing the Admiral Taverns estate to a 'quality core' and becoming the UK leading operator of community pubs was the priority for the group who sold more than 450 sites in the most recent financial...
Key events such as the 2012 Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee could push up the number of visitors to the UK to 30 million next year according to VisitBritain as it delivers its predictions for 2012.
Following a year which saw Travelodge develop its Metrolodge strategy as well as securing deals with pubs and supermarkets, the budget hotel chain has added a further 146 new UK locations to its target requirements list for 2012.
Sales at pubs and restaurants run by the biggest operators, such as Whitbread, Mitchells & Butlers and Tragus, continued to rise for the sixth consecutive month in November as consumers refused to give up an 'affordable treat'.
An improved outlook for the UK hotel sector will depend largely on the availability of debt to fund hotel transactions and complete long overdue refurbishments, according to hotel consultancy HVS London.
Best Western, the UK’s largest group of independently-owned hotels, has recorded the most successful year to date in its 44-year history, with overall sales up 17 per cent and 21 hotels added to its portfolio.
As Christmas approaches and 2012 beckons, BigHospitality has reviewed our most popular videos of the year to give you the chance to see them again or catch a first viewing before 2011 draws to a close.
Restaurants and bars in the UK should be prepared for an increase in mergers and acquisitions next year as successful chains look to cash in and buyers prepare for growth in 2013, according to a new report.
Orchid, the 290-strong food-led pub group, has released its own 2012 guide, featuring experts’ predictions of the trends, key issues and challenges facing the wider pub trade next year.
The majority of hoteliers believe business travellers to their hotels value free Wi-Fi or internet as the best way to enhance their visit, while 60 per cent think a 24-hour security or reception is what their business guests value the most.
Bar and restaurant operator Novus Leisure has announced strong pre-Christmas sales, forecasting a record festive period driven by corporate parties and events.
Hotels across the UK are ramping up their tariffs over the New Year’s weekend, with Edinburgh hotels charging almost three times more for a one-night stay in a standard double room.
With an estimated 20 million TV viewers for this weekend’s X-Factor final, London-based high-end food delivery service Deliverance has revealed that it is one of the biggest dates of the year for the food delivery market.
Employers within the hospitality industry are being urged to do more to recruit young people at both graduate and non-graduate level after a survey of recent university graduates found that more than a third are disappointed with the levels of responsibility...
The perfect storm of the financial crisis, high rates of VAT and planning delays took its toll on the hotel sector in 2011, with 36 per cent fewer hotel rooms opening than predicted at the start of the year.
The price of bottom end freehold pubs has fallen by 3.2 per cent nationally and 11.6 per cent in the north of England, according to Fleurets’ latest annual survey of pub prices.
