Casual Dining

Le Bab primed for third opening

21-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

New wave kebab operator Le Bab is to open a third London restaurant next year on Old Street.

Star Pubs & Bars to appeal PCA fine

21-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

Star Pubs & Bars will appeal the fine imposed by Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) Fiona Dickie for what she described as “seriously and repeatedly” breaching the code over nearly a three-year period.

Maxwell’s Restaurant Group collapses

21-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

London-based restaurant group Maxwell’s has gone into liquidation with a loss of 400 jobs.

Leon CVA approved

21-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Healthy fast food chain Leon has approved a plan to restructure the business through a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), preserving 670 jobs.

UKHospitality: 'Give the sector hope for recovery'

21-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

UKHospitality has renewed its calls for the Government to provide a greater financial support package for businesses in the sector affected by tighter Coronavirus restrictions.

Hospitality in Wales and Scotland to close as Government introduces tighter Tier 4 in England

21-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Hospitality venues in Wales have had to close again over the weekend under the country's 'Level 4' Coronavirus restrictions, with businesses in Scotland set to follow suit on Boxing Day.

Rack & Bone to open four venues in the south east in early 2021

18-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

Grill restaurant Rack & Bone is to open four restaurants in early 2021 across London and the south east.

Friday Five: the week's top news

18-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

We round-up some of this week's main hospitality news stories including the industry's dismay at London going into tier three, the end of Roganic in Marylebone and brewer SA Brain putting itself up for sale.
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Six-week Boxing Day lockdown in Northern Ireland will "sound death knell" for businesses

18-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

Northern Ireland will enter into a six-week lockdown from Boxing Day.

Fulham Shore to capitalise on lower rents when normality resumes

18-Dec-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Franco Manca and Real Greek operator Fulham Shore says it will be able to capitalise on lower rents and costs as a result of the fallout from the pandemic.

Government called on to extend VAT cut throughout next year

18-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

The Government has been called on to extend the cut in VAT until the end of 2021 to help struggling hospitality businesses try and recover from the Coronavirus pandemic.

Deltic bought out of administration by Scandinavian nightclub group

18-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

Late-night bars and club operator Deltic has been bought out of administration by Scandinavia’s largest nightclub club REKOM UK, in a move that will secure more than 1,000 jobs.

Industry welcomes the further extension to furlough

17-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

The industry has welcomed the extension of the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) by another month until the end of April next year.

Jonny Boud launches Kitchen Ventures

17-Dec-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Rum Kitchen, Passo and Island Poké owner Jonny Boud has launched a collection of chef-led delivery brands in London.

UK pub and bar sector to miss out on £2.6bn of sales over Christmas period

17-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

The pub and bar sector collectively faces lost food and drink sales of at least £2.6bn compared to last year’s December trading, according to new data.

No change for the North as more of Southern England enters Tier 3

17-Dec-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Restaurants across large swathes of Southern England will be forced to close on Saturday (19 December) as counties including Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and the whole of Hertfordshire move into Tier 3.

By Chloe's London restaurants 'running as usual' after US company files for bankruptcy

17-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

By Chloe UK’s London restaurants are unaffected by US company By Chloe filing for bankruptcy and will re-open as soon as restrictions allow, say the company.

Fast thinking: how restaurants are avoiding festive food waste

17-Dec-2020 By Ella Doyle

Closed for eat-in with just one day’s notice, hospitality businesses across London and large swathes of the South East are facing an unprecedented festive food waste challenge.

Hospitality businesses in Wales to close at 6pm on Christmas Day

16-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

Boxing Day has been cancelled for hospitality business in Wales, which will now have to close at 6pm on Christmas Day.

Jesse Dunford Wood: “This is stretching my flexibility to the max”

16-Dec-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The chef behind west London’s Parlour on taking over the nearby Six Portland Road, endless pivoting and his frustration at being left in the dark over Christmas.

Bakery group Paul UK turns to franchise model to begin expansion across the UK

16-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

French bakery chain Paul UK is looking to expand across the country by entering into franchise agreements with partners for the first time.

Manchester operators hold breath ahead of latest tier announcement

16-Dec-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Close to 4,000 Greater Manchester restaurants, pubs, bars and cafés are anxiously waiting to see if the region will move from Tier 3 to Tier 2 after infection rates fell below the average for England.

Limited changes to Scotland's hospitality restrictions would safeguard businesses, new study finds

15-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

The future of 1,800 Scottish hospitality businesses and 32,500 workers could be secured with just limited changes to restrictions, including an extension to opening hours, a new economic impact study has found.

The capital's chefs react to tier 3: "Hospitality screwed once again"

15-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

Weeks of planning to reopen, creating Christmas menus, ordering food and taking bookings have been wasted for many hospitality businesses in London and parts of the south east as the capital moves into tier 3 tomorrow (16 December).

8,000 more pub jobs at risk as London and parts of south east enter tier 3

15-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

A further 8,000 jobs in the pub sector have been put at risk as a result of London and parts of Hertfordshire and Essex being placed in tier 3.

Pidgin launches crowdfund to “keep flying”

15-Dec-2020 By Ella Doyle

Hackney restaurant Pidgin has launched a fundraising campaign to get through the winter.

Scottish Government fails to provide evidence for restrictions

14-Dec-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The Scottish Government has failed to respond to a freedom of information request submitted by the Scottish Hospitality Group asking for the evidence on which decisions about restrictions have been based.

"It makes no sense" - thousands of hospitality venues set to shut again as London moves to Tier 3

14-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Hospitality venues across London and large swathes of the south east will be forced to close yet again from Wednesday (16 December) as those areas move to Tier 3.

#PubsMatter campaign highlights the importance of the local

14-Dec-2020 By Ella Doyle

The Government must relax restrictions to protect pubs ahead of the tier announcement on 16 December, a new campaign has urged.

Tier restrictions set to push beer sales down by 90%

14-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) says it expects pub beer sales this December to be as much as 90% lower than normal, with 270 million fewer pints ordered.

Ask The Experts: Four tips for better rent negotiation

14-Dec-2020 By Anthony Lorenz

Leading commercial property advisor Anthony Lorenz provides advice to tenants

Restaurateurs warn placing London in Tier 3 will be 'gratuitous kick in the teeth'

14-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

London restaurateurs have warned that moving the capital to Tier 3 and thus forcing the capital's hospitality sector to close will be a 'gratuitous kick in the teeth' for businesses.

London Cocktail Club bought by newly-formed Nightcap group

14-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

Bar operator London Cocktail Club (LCC) has been bought by a newly-formed company led by ex-Dragon’s Den investor Sarah Willingham.

Welsh brewer SA Brain up for sale

14-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Welsh brewer and pubco SA Brain has put itself up for sale after grappling with a slowdown in trading and rising costs.

Brighton restaurant The Set to close permanently

14-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Chef Dan Kenny has announced that his trendy Brighton restaurant The Set will close permanently at the end of March next year.

Wales warned it could face yet another lockdown as Drakeford sets out new four-tier system

11-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

The Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has warned that the country will go into full lockdown after Christmas if Coronavirus case numbers fail to drop.

Andanza opens in Bermondsey

11-Dec-2020 By Cameron Henderson

The team behind The Rose gastropub in London’s Bermondsey has launched Andanza, a new restaurant just opposite that’s described as ‘a Spanish restaurant with Basque flair’.

Friday Five: the week's top news

11-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

We round-up some of this week's main hospitality news stories including the closure of Roux at Parliament Square; and restaurants in Northern Ireland getting the go-ahead to reopen.

Leading operators join forces to establish Zero Carbon Forum

11-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Leading hospitality operators including Burger King, BrewDog, Nando’s and The Restaurant Group have come together to establish the Zero Carbon Forum.

Latest opening: Golden Gai

11-Dec-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The team behind Dalston-based Japanese-Italian restaurant Angelina has launched a playful but gastronomically ambitious bar on Soho’s D’Arblay Street.

Oakman looks to accelerate growth through share offer

11-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

The Oakman Group says it is looking to capitalise on the post-pandemic market conditions to accelerate growth and double the size of its estate by 2026.

Tier system for hospitality halves country’s economic growth rate

11-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

UKHospitality says restrictions on the country’s hospitality sector have effectively halved the UK’s economic growth, with the situation only likely to get worse unless the crippling measures are rethought.

Drink-led pub and bar groups suffer 90% sales drop across November

11-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Britain’s managed pub and restaurant groups saw sales wiped out in November as lockdown hit in England and tough trading restrictions continued in Scotland and Wales.

Nightclub group Deltic on brink of administration as buyers circle group

10-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Deltic, one of Britain's biggest nightclub operators, has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.

The Lowdown: Minister for Hospitality

10-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

A petition calling on the Government to create a Minister for Hospitality is gaining momentum, with hundreds of leading chefs and restaurateurs putting their support behind the campaign

Le Bab to oversee food at upcoming Dalston drinks venue

10-Dec-2020 By Cameron Henderson

Germany's Kraft Brewery has teamed up with fellow drinks company Jim & Tonic and new wave kebab operators Le Bab to launch Kraft Dalston.

Just Eat plans to create over 1,000 jobs as it launches new agency worker model

10-Dec-2020 By James McAllister

Just Eat is to launch a new agency worker model for its couriers, claiming it will become the first major food delivery aggregator to provide hourly pay.

Jimi Famurewa replaces Fay Maschler as Evening Standard chief restaurant critic

10-Dec-2020 By Cameron Henderson

The Evening Standard has appointed Jimi Famurewa as chief restaurant critic following Fay Maschler’s announcement that she will be stepping back from the role after 48 years.

Sessions Market launches start-up accelerator

10-Dec-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Food hall business Sessions Market has launched a new accelerator platform aimed at reinvigorating the hospitality sector in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis.

HUŎ to open in Chelsea next year

10-Dec-2020 By Restaurant

The team behind Notting Hill-based Asian restaurant ULI is launching a sister Asian restaurant in Chelsea next year.