- One year on from the introduction of the EU allergen laws restaurants are still struggling to make diners with allergies feel safe. A new study revealed that poor staff training and 'confusing' menu information was proving a barrier to people with allergies eating out.
- Heston Blumenthal has created a series of dishes for UK astronaut Tim Peake which will be blasted into space during his stint on the International Space Station. Gravity-defying food including a bacon sandwich and the first cup of tea to be 'sipped' in space have made the menu.
- The UK's ongoing caffeine addiction could see the UK coffee shop market worth over £15bn by 2020 with over 30,000 outlets nationwide. Starbuck, Costa and Cafe Nero are set to continue their domination of the high street, with the branded coffee sector expanding to over 8,500 outlets nationwide over the next five years.
- Michelin chef James Close told BigHospitality that scrapping week-day lunch hours at his restaurant The Raby Hunt in Darlington had boosted chef morale and kicked off a wider plan to raise the foodie profile of the North East.
- Travelodge is preparing to combat shopper fatigue by signing a £22m deal to expand its series of shopping centre hotels. The sites in London, Sussex and Essex are set to open in 2017 as part of the budget chain's plan to open a further 150 UK hotels by 2022.
For a full run-down of this week's news see here.