United Kingdom

Asian investment to ‘dominate’ UK hotel market in 2017

08-Nov-2016 By Sophie Witts

The value of transactions in the UK hotel market has fallen sharply in 2016, but Asian investment is expected to see the sector reach a new peak in 2017, studies show.

Wasabi secures new bank funding for expansion

31-Oct-2016 By Mark Wingett

Wasabi, the sushi and bento chain, has secured a new £25m bank loan from HSBC to help it open 20 new sites and develop its flagship 65,000sq ft central processing unit in London’s Park Royal.

Wine prices 'could rise by 29p' post-Brexit

19-Oct-2016 By Sophie Witts

Wine prices could rise by an average of 29p per bottle as a result of the Brexit vote, according to new research.

Staycations set to rise as Brits maintain post-Brexit holiday spend

17-Oct-2016 By Hannah Thompson

British consumers will aim to maintain their spending habits on holidays over the next 12 months, but staycations are expected to rise due to Brexit, a new survey from PwC has found.

Polish restaurant Mamuska looking to expand across the UK

17-Oct-2016 By Finn Scott-Delaney

The owner of Polish bar and restaurant Mamuśka is looking to replicate his concept across London and in cities around the UK. 

British hospitality workers earn 18% more than EU counterparts

28-Sep-2016 By Mark Wingett

British restaurant employees are earning on average 18 per cent more than those from other EU countries and 20 per cent more than people from non-­EU countries, according to new research from hospitality recruiter, The Change Group.

In Operation with...Dishoom

28-Sep-2016 By Emma Eversham

In this latest video from our In Operation with... series we visit Indian restaurant group Dishoom to find out about its origins, its people focus and future plans. 

Regional hotels set for ‘record growth’ in 2017

22-Sep-2016 By Sophie Witts

UK regional hotels are set to see record growth in 2017, but London properties will continue to struggle.

Dominvs Group sells three UK hotels off guide price of £12m

13-Sep-2016 By Hannah Thompson

Dominvs Group has sold three branded regional UK hotels to Asian company Fico Corporation for an undisclosed sum off a guide price of £12m.

Australian StayWell Hospitality Group to expand into the UK

12-Sep-2016 By Emma Eversham

Australian-owned hotel management company StayWell Hospitality Group is to expand its UK business through a new partnership with Fiveways Hospitality.

VizEat, the Airbnb for food, to expand in the UK

06-Sep-2016 By Emma Eversham

VizEat, the European food platform designed to give travellers access to meals and food experiences provided by locals, is set to grow in the UK after receiving an extra £31m in investment.  

Rise in summer spending at restaurants, hotels and pubs

06-Sep-2016 By Sophie Witts

Restaurants, hotels and pubs all saw a double-digit rise in spending in August as more people opted for UK staycations, according to a Barclaycard report.

Benihana fires up UK expansion plans after 30 years in Chelsea

01-Sep-2016 By Sophie Witts

Japanese restaurant group Benihana has revealed plans to expand across the UK as it marks the 30th birthday of its Chelsea site this month.

In Operation with... Drake & Morgan

31-Aug-2016 By Emma Eversham

The return of our popular video series In Operation with... sees us find out more about the inner workings of bar and restaurant group Drake & Morgan.

More Britons to holiday at home this Bank Holiday

24-Aug-2016 By Sophie Witts

The number of people planning UK staycations over the August Bank Holiday has risen by 300,000 year-on-year, according to a VisitBritain survey.

Brexit vote impact fails to curb eating and drinking out

17-Aug-2016 By Emma Eversham

The impact of the 'out' vote in June's EU Referendum failed to impact July sales in the UK's pub and restaurant chains, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker. 

London hotels struggle as Birmingham booms

09-Aug-2016 By Sophie Witts

London hotels continued to struggle in the second quarter of 2016, while Birmingham saw record growth, according to the latest HVS Hotel Bulletin.

Melia reports RevPAR slump at UK hotels

03-Aug-2016 By Sophie Witts

Melia Hotels International says it has seen a double-digit decrease in RevPAR at its UK properties in the first half of 2016, in contrast to strong growth worldwide.

UK's hotel sector one of first to benefit from Brexit

26-Jul-2016 By Emma Eversham

The UK's hotel sector is expected to be one of the first to see 'tangible financial benefits' from Britain's intention to leave the EU, insolvency firm Begbies Traynor has predicted. 

The top 5 stories in hospitality this week 18/07 - 22/07

22-Jul-2016 By Sophie Witts

What were some of the top stories in hospitality this week? Here's our pick.

Starwood to take over Edinburgh's controversial 'ribbon' hotel

19-Jul-2016 By Sophie Witts

Starwood Hotels & Resorts is to launch its second W Hotel in the UK in Edinburgh’s controversial ‘ribbon’ development.

Wetherspoon's sales defy Brexit 'doom-mongering'

13-Jul-2016 By Sophie Witts

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has hit out at ‘doom-mongering’ politicians and business leaders who claimed that leaving the EU would be fatal for the UK economy.

Staycity Aparthotels: Brexit won't change our expansion plans

12-Jul-2016 By Emma Eversham

The boss of Staycity Aparthotels has said his company will continue with its ambitious plans to grow its business across Europe despite Britain's intention to leave the EU. 

The top 5 stories in hospitality this week 04/07 - 08/07

08-Jul-2016 By Sophie Witts

What were some of the top stories in hospitality this week? Here's our pick.

EU Allergen laws: Foodservice operators told it's 'business as usual'

06-Jul-2016 By Emma Eversham

The owners of foodservice businesses are being urged to continue to abide by the EU's allergen labelling laws despite the UK's intention to leave the EU. 

Best Western reports international bookings boom following Brexit vote

06-Jul-2016 By Emma Eversham

Independent hotel group Best Western Great Britain has seen a dramatic increase in the number of bookings from guests in China and the US since the EU referendum.

Brexit: Hospitality employers could face 'staggering' costs to recruit non-UK staff

05-Jul-2016 By Emma Eversham

Hospitality employers could be faced with 'staggering' costs to recruit and retain staff from outside the UK once it leaves the EU, an immigration lawyer has warned. 

Caribbean group Sugar Dumplin set for £1.5m expansion across UK

04-Jul-2016 By Hannah Thompson

The two-site Caribbean restaurant and bar group Sugar Dumplin BBQ & Bar is to more than double its estate, with three new sites expected between now and early autumn this year.

House of Lords launches inquiry in to 2003 Licensing Act

04-Jul-2016 By Sophie Witts

A House of Lords Committee is to launch an investigation in to the success of the 2003 Licensing Act this week.

Brexit sparks UK hotel search surge

04-Jul-2016 By Emma Eversham

The leave result from Britain's EU referendum has led to a surge in the number of searches for UK hotels and holidays from overseas tourists as they look to take advantage of a weakened pound. 

Red's True Barbecue to open £1m Newcastle site

29-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

Smokehouse brand Red’s True Barbecue has revealed plans to open its eighth restaurant in Newcastle this autumn.

Brexit opens up opportunities for hospitality says BHA

28-Jun-2016 By Emma Eversham

Britain leaving the EU could have a positive impact on the UK's hospitality and tourism sectors, according to the chairman of the British Hospitality Association (BHA). 

Independent B&Bs seeing ten-year ratings high, says TripAdvisor study

27-Jun-2016 By Hannah Thompson

Independent B&Bs and hotels are seeing a ten-year high in average ratings, according to online review site TripAdvisor.

Brexit vote: Three quarters of hospitality CEO's back Remain

20-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

Nearly three quarters of the bosses of Britain’s biggest hospitality firms are backing the Remain campaign ahead of the Brexit vote on 23 June.

Finances hold 59% Britons back from holidaying, says hotel poll

20-Jun-2016 By Hannah Thompson

Finances are the biggest factor holding Britons back when it comes to taking the holiday they need, according to a new poll from Best Western Great Britain.

Euro 2016: UK pub sales up 26% on opening weekend

14-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

Sales at UK pubs rose by just over a quarter during the opening weekend of Euro 2016, according to point-of-sale technology provider Epos Now.

Austrian restaurant chain L’Osteria plans UK roll-out

14-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

Austrian pizza restaurant L’Osteria is to make its UK debut at Bristol’s newest dining hub later this year. 

Brexit could see food and drink prices rise in double figures, suppliers warn

13-Jun-2016 By Hannah Thompson

Brexit could lead to a significant climb in food and drink prices of as much as 11 per cent, hospitality companies have warned.

Canadian coffee chain Second Cup to expand across London

10-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

Canadian coffee chain Second Cup has revealed plans to open five new sites across the UK this year as it aims to increase its share of the UK's £7.9bn coffee market.

Curry chefs divided over Brexit vote

03-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

The Brexit debate is hotting up among Britain’s curry houses, with a major industry group calling on chefs to vote ‘Remain’.

Top Tories to discuss Brexit at BHA Summit 2016

31-May-2016 By Sophie Witts

Two senior Conservative politicians will discuss the impact of the EU referendum at the Hospitality and Tourism Summit 2016.

TRAVEL AND TOURISM

China moves into UK's 10 most valuable inbound markets

23-May-2016 By Emma Eversham

China has moved into the UK's top 10 most valuable inbound markets as new figures for 2015 show visits from the market rose 46 per cent to 270,000 and spend rose 18 per cent to £586m. 

Tourist visits to the UK hit an all-time high

20-May-2016 By Helen Gilbert

The number of people visiting Britain in the first three months of the year has hit a record high, latest figures from the Office of National Statistics have revealed. 

BHA Hospitality & Tourism Summit 2016: Being connected essential to success

19-May-2016 By Emma Eversham

Hospitality and tourism businesses must be connected to help build ‘successful and responsible growth’ according to the organisers of this year’s British Hospitality Association’s (BHA) Hospitality and Tourism Summit.

Leon to open at railway stations across the UK

18-May-2016 By Sophie Witts

Healthy fast food chain Leon has signed a five-year deal to open restaurants at railway stations across the UK.

Brits spending more on restaurants by cutting back on essential items

13-May-2016 By Sophie Witts

Consumers are continuing to spend more on eating out by cutting back on essential items, according to the latest figures from Barclaycard.

Brexit 'good for business' says third of independent foodservice operators

06-May-2016 By Emma Eversham

More than two thirds of independent foodservice operators believe that Britain leaving the EU would have a positive impact on their business with 56 per cent predicting that it would help cut red tape.

London no longer most expensive place to stay in Europe

03-May-2016 By Emma Eversham

A 2 per cent drop in the average room rate across London’s hotels in the last year means the capital has lost its status as the ‘most expensive place to stay in Europe’.

McDonald's in-store tablets let diners play games and use social media

20-Apr-2016 By Sophie Witts

McDonald's is set to install Samsung Galaxy tablets across the majority of its UK stores as part of its ongoing image overhaul.

Compass Hospitality acquires Oldham hotel

19-Apr-2016 By Emma Eversham

Asian hotel operator Compass Hospitality has acquired its second hotel in the UK since receiving a funding boost from The Royal Bank of Scotland earlier this month.