Hospitality

Restaurants see meagre sales uptick over Coronation weekend

11-May-2023 By James McAllister

Restaurants saw a meagre uptick in sales over the Coronation bank holiday weekend (6-8 May), according to new figures from Barclays.

Friday Five: the week's top news

05-May-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include Jamie Oliver's return to London's restaurant scene, new tipping legislation receiving Royal Assent, and tributes being paid to the late Scottish chef Jock Zonfrillo.

National Waiters’ Day race to make its return

28-Apr-2023 By Restaurant

National Waiters’ Day race will return after a three-year break as part of the London Hospitality Festival.

Friday Five: the week's top news

21-Apr-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include James Cochran quietly closing Valderrama’s, Clare Smyth being named team president of Bocuse d’Or UK, and The Fat Duck owner, SL6, returning to profit.

Hospitality faces ‘summer slump’ without action to alleviate recruitment challenges

18-Apr-2023 By James McAllister

UKHospitality has warned that businesses face a ‘summer slump’ unless the Government takes action to alleviate recruitment challenges that continue to dog the sector.

Restaurants see spend increase over Easter weekend

12-Apr-2023 By James McAllister

Restaurants saw a 3.09% increase in transaction volumes over the extended Easter weekend, compared to last year, according to new snapshot data from Barclays.

Restaurant sales down 5.6% as Brits make further cutbacks

11-Apr-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The latest Barclays report is grim reading for restaurants with sales down 5.6% in March and consumer research showing that 62% of consumers are trying to cut down on eating out in full-service establishments.

Friday Five: the week's top news

24-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include the announcement of the new Michelin Bib Gourmands, frustration as hospitality is excluded from UK shortage occupation list, and the closure of Edinburgh’s 21212.

Industry left frustrated after hospitality excluded from UK shortage occupation list

21-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

Industry leaders have criticised the decision not to add hospitality roles to the UK's shortage occupation list, with one trade body describing the situation as 'disappointing'.

Friday Five: the week's top news

17-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include hospitality's reaction to the Budget, Tommy Banks's latest venture, and Carl’s Jr. instructing Christie & Co to find franchise partners for its UK debut.

The Lowdown: Fred’s Last Resort

17-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

Fred Sirieix is tackling the sector’s recruitment crisis once again with a new TV show which sees a dozen young Brits battle it out for a job in high-end hospitality.

Friday Five: the week's top news

10-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include reports that ministers are looking to add hospitality to UK shortage occupation list, TRG's full-year results, and Big Mamma's next London venture.

Hospitality leaders demand action at spring Budget

09-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

The bosses of 155 hospitality businesses have signed an open letter urging the Chancellor to take immediate action to ‘unshackle’ the sector and ‘unleash its potential’ at the spring Budget.

Confidence in recruitment remains low despite drop in vacancies

09-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

Labour shortages at Britain’s top managed hospitality groups may be starting to ease, but confidence in recruitment across the sector remains low, according to new research,

'Surge' in UK workers seeking hospitality jobs

07-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

The number of UK workers seeking jobs in hospitality has 'surged' over recent months, according to new data from Caterer.com, with a 'tremendous uplift' in job applications per vacancy.

Ministers look to add hospitality to UK shortage occupation list

06-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

Ministers are looking into adding hospitality to the UK's shortage occupation list, which would make it easier for businesses to recruit from overseas.

Friday Five: the week's top news

03-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include operators contending with nationwide fruit and veg shortages, an ambitious new 'chef's table' restaurant planned for Edinburgh, and this year's AA Rosette Award winners.

Friday Five: the week's top news

24-Feb-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include Jeremy Clarkson appealing his farm restaurant's closure, Mark Sargeant shutting The Brassiere MS after just six months, and a fall in food price inflation.

Confidence rises among hospitality businesses

21-Feb-2023 By Restaurant

Leaders at Britain’s hospitality groups remain cautiously optimistic about the future despite spiralling costs, research has shown.

Hospitality Kicks seeks teams for charity football tournament

20-Feb-2023 By Restaurant

Football loving hospitality operators are being encouraged to put forward a team for charity event Hospitality Kicks, which is being held in Manchester this summer.

Hospitality faces ‘incredibly challenging’ recruitment landscape

15-Feb-2023 By Georgi Gyton

Vacancy rates are still 72% higher than they were pre-pandemic, according to the latest labour market data from the ONS.

Friday Five: the week's top news

10-Feb-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include McDonald’s committing to better protect its staff from sexual harassment, a new venture from Roberto Costa, and this year’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars list.

Friday Five: the week's top news

03-Feb-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include TriSpan acquiring a stake in Mowgli, Hrishikesh Desai's next venture, and the Thesleff Group's latest acquisition.

Staff headcounts remain 11% lower than 2019

03-Feb-2023 By James McAllister

Overall staff headcounts in hospitality were 5% higher in December 2022 compared to 2021, but remain 11% lower than in 2019, according to the latest figures from Fourth.

Hospitality Rising hits 55,000 job applications

02-Feb-2023 By Restaurant

Hospitality recruitment initiative Hospitality Rising has hit 55,000 job applications 12 weeks after the launch of its ‘Rise Fast, Work Young’ campaign.

UK hospitality staffing shortages 'less severe' than other countries, claims report

31-Jan-2023 By Restaurant

The UK hospitality sector has high staff retention levels compared to other European countries despite the current staffing crisis it faces, according to new research.

Average wages for hospitality workers rise 53% in a decade

30-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

The hospitality sector has recorded the fastest-rising wages in the UK over the past decade with average weekly earnings for full-time workers rising 53% between 2012 and 2022.

Casual dining a 'high risk sector' as cost of living crisis bites

25-Jan-2023 By Restaurant

The casual dining sector likely to be one of the biggest casualties of the cost of living crisis, according to an organisation of turnaround experts.

Friday Five: the week's top news

20-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include calls for Ofgem to tackle the 'reckless behaviour’ of some energy suppliers, Gaucho's plans for 2023, and BAO's attempt to game-ify the restaurant experience.

Restaurant sales rose in 2022, but more CVAs are on the way, predicts Christie & Co

19-Jan-2023 By Restaurant

Freehold restaurant sales held up well in 2022 despite the headwinds in the sector, with a 30% increase in transactions on the previous year.

Friday Five: the week's top hospitality stories

06-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

The first week of 2023 saw hospitality count the cost of recent rail strikes, business leaders recognised in the New Year’s Honours list, and multiple restaurant closures from D&D London.

Cost of rail strikes to industry rises to £2.5bn

04-Jan-2023 By Restaurant

The impact of the train strikes has cost the hospitality sector a total of £2.5bn in lost sales since industrial action began in June last year, according to UKHospitality.

Decision on further energy bill support for businesses postponed until New Year

20-Dec-2022 By Restaurant

A decision on extending help for businesses facing soaring energy bills will not be made until the new year, the Treasury has said.

Amount restaurant owners are forced to lend own businesses increases

05-Dec-2022 By Restaurant

The amount that restaurant business owners have been forced to lend to their own businesses has risen to over £424m, according to audit, tax and advisory firm Mazars.

Friday Five: the week's top news

25-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include protestors occupying Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Luke Selby joining Le Manoir as executive chef, and Hampshire’s Lime Wood Hotel being named UK's best boutique hotel.

Operators concerned about staff shortages over Christmas

25-Nov-2022 By Shwetali Sapte

More than six in ten hospitality operators are concerned about staff shortages this Christmas, according to a survey by consultancy KAM and recruitment campaign Hospitality Rising.

One in nine hospitality jobs still vacant despite growing headcount

22-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

One in nine hospitality jobs remain vacant despite recent improvements in recruitment, new surveys from CGA by NielsenIQ and Fourth reveal.

Friday Five: the week's top news

18-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include Gary Jones bidding Le Manoir adieu, a crowdfund being launched to save Margate’s Barletta, and the announcement of this year's R200 Awards winners.

Protesters target parliament in third demonstration

15-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

Hospitality operators from across the UK gathered in Parliament Square this week, in a bid to raise awareness of the sector’s challenges with the Government.

Campaign launched to drive hospitality bookings in Scotland amid warning businesses are on ‘life support’

08-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Hospitality leaders in Scotland have backed a campaign to help firms survive the winter, amid warnings the country's restaurants, pubs and bars are on 'life support'.

Energy suppliers undermining benefits of Energy Bill Relief Scheme

07-Nov-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Whitehall is investigating claims that energy companies are charging inflated prices for fixed rate deals, with UKHospitality calling for an investigation

The Lowdown: hospitality’s winter of discontent

04-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

With costs continuing to rise and staffing struggles persisting, restaurants are choosing to either go into hibernation mode for the winter or, worse, shut-up shop completely.

Friday Five: the week's top news

04-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include Jason Atherton's staffing struggles, Marina O’Loughlin leaving The Sunday Times, and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias returning to his roots with Casa.

Confidence in the hospitality sector continues to fall amid rising costs

03-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

Rising costs and economic uncertainty have damaged confidence in the hospitality sector with the majority of businesses taking a pessimistic view of the prospects for the eating and drinking out market in the next 12 months.

Hospitality growth outlook falls to two year low

01-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

The percentage of UK small businesses in the hospitality and leisure sector predicting growth has hit its lowest level in two years, according to Novuna Business Finance.

More staff leaving sector now than during the pandemic

01-Nov-2022 By Restaurant

More staff are leaving jobs in hospitality now than at any time since the start of the pandemic, new data shows.

Friday Five: the week's top news

28-Oct-2022 By James McAllister

This week's top news stories include details on Björn Frantzén's UK debut, spiralling costs forcing numerous restaurants to close, and the launch of a bold new hospitality recruitment campaign.

Lucky Voice sets sights on doubling its estate

24-Oct-2022 By Restaurant

Social entertainment brand Lucky Voice is looking to double the size of its estate to 10 venues in the next two years.

'World’s biggest' hospitality recruitment drive begins

24-Oct-2022 By Restaurant

The ‘world’s biggest hospitality recruitment initiative’ targeting the next generation of workers launches today with the backing of chefs including Tom Kerridge, Rick Stein, Angela Hartnett and Raymond Blanc.

Government extends energy prices bill scheme

12-Oct-2022 By Restaurant

The Government has extended the period its energy prices bill covers to include contracts from December 2021.