Casual Dining

'Another crushing blow' for hospitality as Government tightens restrictions on sector

22-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Pubs and restaurants across England must have a 10pm closing time from Thursday (24 September) under new Coronavirus restrictions that have been described as 'another crushing blow' for the sector.

Sunak set to extend business support loans

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to extend the Treasury’s UK-wide programme of business support loans.

Tom Kerridge's Picnic in the Park cancelled

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Tom Kerridge and his Pub in the Park team have cancelled this weekend's Picnic in the Park event in Marlow over safety fears connected to the rise in Coronavirus cases.

Welsh hospitality businesses call for emergency support

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

The Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective (WIRC) has sent an urgent letter to the Welsh Government setting out the increasingly fragile financial position of the sector.

Hancock refuses to rule out ordering pubs to shut again

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has refused to rule out the possibility that pubs could be ordered to close again by this weekend.

Pret sees 16,500 coffee subscriptions on first day

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger saw 16,500 people subscribe to its YourPret Barista coffee subscription service on the day of its launch.

Sales dip after EOHO ends

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Food and drink sales fell back in the week following the end of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme (EOHO), according to the latest CGA data.

‘No evidence’ hospitality responsible for transmission spike

21-Sep-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Hospitality leaders have strongly rejected health secretary Matt Hancock’s suggestion that pubs and restaurants are one of the key places of Coronavirus transmission.

Friday Five: the week's top news

18-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

A round-up some of the main hospitality news stories from the past week including the extension to the lease forfeiture moratorium, the 10pm curfew in the North East, and the closure of Ace Hotel Shoreditch.

Hospitality businesses in Lancashire and Merseyside face curfews

18-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Hospitality businesses in Lancashire and Merseyside are set to be hit by a curfew similar to the one introduced earlier this week in the North East, with a national lockdown also still not being ruled out, as cases of Coronavirus continue to surge in...

Comment

Comment: will the Government app really solve contact tracing at venues?

18-Sep-2020 By Jim Preen

The NHS test-and-trace app launches next week but it's unlikely to be the game changer it promises to be.

2,400 hospitality businesses affected by "significant blow" of North East curfew

18-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Nearly 2,400 restaurants and pubs in the North East are affected by the Government’s 10pm curfew measures, according to figures.

Latest opening: Chishuru

17-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Having triumphed in last year's Brixton Kitchen competition, chef Adejoké ‘Joké’ Bakare has opened Chishuru - a restaurant based on her West African-inspired supper club-concept of the same name.

Star Pubs & Bars sees 'post-lockdown surge' in tenant applications

17-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Star Pubs & Bars is experiencing 'a post-lockdown surge in experienced leased and tenanted applicants, with numbers reaching the same 'record-breaking' levels set last year.

Curfew restrictions imposed on hospitality in north-east England

17-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

A 10pm curfew on pubs, restaurants and bars in parts of north-east England has been announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

UK food to go market to contract by £6bn in 2020

17-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

The UK food to go market is set to contract by 29% in 2020 as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic's catastrophic impact, the latest data from Lumina Intelligence shows.

Hospitality venues in north-east England face curfew as lockdown restrictions tighten

17-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Pubs and restaurants in parts of north-east England could be forced to close at 10pm every night under new local lockdown restrictions expected to be announced later today (17 September).

Government confirms extension of commercial rent protections

16-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

The Government has further extended its rent protection period for commercial tenants until the end of the year.

UKH warns over scale of hospitality job losses without sector-specific employment support

16-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

At least 900,000 hospitality jobs are at risk unless Government offers a sector-specific package of employment support that helps businesses retain valuable workers, trade body UKHospitality has warned.

The Seafood Pub Company gastropubs go on the market

16-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

The 10 gastropubs that were formerly operated by award-winning seafood-focused pub group The Seafood Pub Company have gone onto the market.

How I Got Here: Brodie Meah

16-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Brodie Meah is the co-founder of lively neighbourhood-style restaurant Top Cuvée, which recently launched a permanent retail space just around the corner from its restaurant mothership in London's Highbury.

Loungers reports strong performance and is 'sufficiently confident' about the future

16-Sep-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Loungers has reported a “significant market out-performance” since reopening, with net like for like sales growth of +29.9% from 4 July to 13 September 2020.

Domino’s to deliver 5,000 new jobs in run up to Christmas

16-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Domino’s UK & Ireland says it intends to hire an additional 5,000 staff following a surge in demand during the Coronavirus crisis.

Rob Atkinson: "Insurance companies now need to do the right thing"

16-Sep-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The in-house lawyer that spearheaded a successful crowdfunding campaign to take on insurers over their refusal to pay out during the pandemic has warned that the insurance industry is likely to appeal yesterday's test case victory.

EOHO pushes inflation to five-year low

16-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

The effect of the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out (EOHO) scheme has led to a sharp fall in inflation across the UK.

Hankies launches in Paddington

15-Sep-2020 By Joe Lutrario

North Indian restaurant brand Hankies has relocated its third London restaurant to Paddington, having been forced to close its Haymarket site due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Policyholders score ‘resounding victory’ in business interruption test case

15-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

The High Court has ruled that the majority of businesses forced to close in March due to the Coronavirus lockdown are entitled to be compensated under their business interruption insurance.

Flor to re-open in original guise later this month

15-Sep-2020 By Joe Lutrario

James Lowe and John Ogier’s Borough Market restaurant Flor will re-open in its original form later this month.

Starmer to call for targeted furlough scheme

15-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is to call for the Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) to be replaced by a more flexible system to avoid mass unemployment.

Government set to extend commercial rent protections

15-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

The Government is reportedly planning to extend its moratorium on commercial evictions until the end of the year.

The Big Table appoints Mike Tye as chairman

14-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Mike Tye has been appointed non-executive chairman of The Big Table, the group recently formed to acquire and operate the Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas restaurant brands.

Business rates bill could be 'last straw' for thousands of pubs

14-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Thousands of pubs could close for good if nothing is done to stop an £800m business rates bill coming into force early next year.

One in four licensed premises yet to reopen

14-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Nearly a quarter of Britain’s licensed premises were still yet to reopen at the end of August, according to the latest Market Recovery Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners.

Tributes paid to "visionary and real legend" Sir Terence Conran

14-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Tributes have been paid to restaurateur and design guru Sir Terence Conran, who has died at the age of 88.

Ace Hotel London announces closure

14-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

The Ace Hotel in Shoreditch has announced that it will not reopen in its current location, saying it hopes to find a new London home in the future.

Government's 'rule of six' hits consumer confidence

14-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

A nationwide ban on social gatherings of more than six people has damaged the confidence and plans of consumers to eat and drink out, a snap poll from CGA reveals.

Government urged to extend rent support or face 'bloodbath' of business failures

14-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Voices from across the hospitality sector have called on the Government to act urgently to solve the rent crisis before the moratorium on commercial evictions ends on 30 September.

Flash-grilled: Nick Fitzgerald

11-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Chef Nick Fitzgerald, who previously cooked at Pujol in Mexico City (currently ranked 12 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list), now runs Borough Market-based taqueria Tacos Padre.

Friday Five: the week's top news

11-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

This week's main news stories include the collection of track and trace details becoming mandatory in England, and social gatherings of more than six people being banned by the Government.

Indian restaurant group Azure Hospitality take on former Gaylord site for London debut

11-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Indian restaurant group Azure Hospitality is to make its London debut next month, launching a restaurant and underground bar on the former Gaylord site in London's Fitzrovia.

Noble Rot Soho to open on 18 September with Alex Jackson as head chef

11-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew have announced they will open Noble Rot Soho on Friday 18 September with former sardine chef Alex Jackson at the helm.

UKH welcomes cross-party support for long-term reduction in tourism VAT

11-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

UKHospitality has welcomed the cross-party support for a long-term reduction in tourism VAT expressed in yesterday afternoon’s (10 September) Backbench Business debate in the House of Commons.

Latest opening: The Elder

11-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

A sibling to The Woodsman in Stratford on Avon has opened in Bath.

One sheet to the wind: how the pandemic changed wine lists

11-Sep-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Coronavirus has all but brought an end to the hefty leather-bound wine list, and not just because of the safety implications of passing such an object from table to table.

Chancellor urged to 'carefully consider' targeted furlough extensions

11-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

A cross-party group of MPs have urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak to 'carefully consider' targeted extensions to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) beyond the end of October.

New body calls on Scottish Government to shut down premises flouting distancing rules

11-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

A new body representing a number of Scotland's most successful restaurant and bar owners has called on the Scottish Government to shut down licensed premises that flout social distancing regulations.

Wales to introduce 'rule of six', but only for indoor gatherings

11-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Wales has become the latest UK country to introduce the ‘rule of six’ that limits the number of people that can attend indoor social gatherings.

Hospitality businesses to make redundancies when furlough ends

11-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

At least half of hospitality businesses will have to make some level of redundancies once the furlough scheme comes to an end, according to the latest Hospitality Leaders Poll carried out by Lumina Intelligence for BigHospitality, MCA Insight and The...

Nando’s and Deliveroo form exclusive partnership

11-Sep-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Nando’s and Deliveroo have entered into an exclusive partnership that will see 360 of the peri peri chicken brand's restaurants join the delivery platform in what is being described as a nationwide rollout.

Restaurants see August boost but healthy like-for-likes 'present artificial market impression'

11-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Managed pub, restaurant and bar groups saw collective like-for-like sales bounce back up to 2019 levels in August thanks to the Government’s Eat Out To Help Out (EOHO) campaign.