Jonathan Downey

Friday five: the week's top news stories

05-Nov-2021 By Restaurant

Mark Sargeant's sudden departure from Rocksalt, Jonathan Downey vowing to return to hospitality, and Popeye's new vegan play are among this week's top hospitality stories.

Jonathan Downey: “We’ve been completely screwed over. But we’ll be back”

01-Nov-2021 By James McAllister

Street Feast founder Jonathan Downey has vowed to bring the company back following its collapse last year.

Dinerama site to be reborn as LALALAND

14-Jun-2021 By Joe Lutrario

The former Dinerama site in Shoreditch is to be reopened as LALALAND - a ‘lush garden of food, drink and rendezvous set in the urban scape of East London’.

Hospitality in crisis: what will happen when the lease forfeiture moratorium expires?

28-Jan-2021 By James McAllister

The end of the lease forfeiture moratorium will leave the hospitality sector facing a multibillion-pound arrears bill, with fears that a bloodbath for small businesses is just around the corner

Jonathan Downey liquidates street food businesses

16-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Jonathan Downey has instructed restructuring advisor Resolve to liquidate the company that ran his four street food businesses, saying it would be impossible to operate while Coronavirus restrictions are in place.

Restaurants count the cost as curfew hits

25-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Restaurateurs have begun counting the financial cost of the Government’s decision to impose a 10pm operating curfew on hospitality, which came into force in England yesterday (24 September).

Soho's Milk & Honey to close in September after 18 years

17-Jul-2020 By Restaurant

Iconic Soho bar Milk & Honey will close for good in September after 18 years.

Lease forfeiture moratorium extended as Government sets out Code of Practice

19-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

The Government has extended its rent protection period for commercial tenants until the end of September in a move that will be greatly welcomed by operators across the hospitality sector.

Revised #NationalTimeOut plan proposed

09-Jun-2020 By James McAllister

Hospitality Union’s Jonathan Downey has written a second letter to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, featuring a revised #NationalTimeOut rent deal proposal.

Rent remains core concern for hospitality owners

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

Research from the latest CGA Business Confidence survey shows confidence between restaurant, pub and bar owners in the UK is at rock bottom.

Government updates JRS guidance to confirm the exclusion of tronc

24-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Updated Government guidance has stipulated that tronc payments cannot be claimed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS), a move that’s been described as “disastrous” for furloughed hospitality employees.

Up to two million hospitality jobs at risk without further Government support

23-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

An extended period of social distancing could cost the hospitality sector between one and two million jobs according to leading voices within the industry.