The Government’s response to the Mary Portas Review does give hope for the high street but it will not help businesses cope with record-high business rate bills and any reforms will therefore come too late for many.
Family-owned restaurant chain Spaghetti House is re-tuning its concept with the launch of a ‘new generation’ of boutique venues in a bid to attract local communities.
Roganic owner Simon Rogan has said he is planning to refocus his London restaurant and bring it closer to his other restaurants and research facility Aulis following the departure of head chef Ben Spalding.
The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has announced it is to merge with the Bar Entertainment & Dance Association (BEDA), which represents nightclubs and late night operators, to create a stronger voice for licensed retailers.
Restaurants and hotels including Tampopo, Mango Tree, Hilton and Yorebridge House tell BigHospitality about special events and promotiuons they're running to market themselves more effectively and increase custom.
Hotel chain Best Western has added the first two new hotels, in Cardiff and London Heathrow, to its Plus portfolio of venues which was created along with the Premier portfolio to better differentiate between facilities and standards in the brand's...
Gordon's Wine Bar in London has been named Place and Bar & Pub of the year at the first Qype Business Awards which also saw Wahaca and Vittoria Restaurant in Edinburgh take home prizes.
A group of London Hilton hotels are to mark Earth Hour 2012 on 31 March in a number of ways including by switching off lights and hosting candlelit dinners to support action on global climate change.
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and the Association of Multiple Licensed Retailers (ALMR) have welcomed the Government's official response to the Mary Portas Review to revive the high street which includes support for pubs and funding...
Gary Rhodes' new restaurant, bar and weddings and events suite at the Plymouth Dome site at Plymouth Hoe - Rhodes @ The Dome - will open in the Summer, it has been confirmed.
The UK pub industry is facing a potential rise in beer prices as the drought across the south of England is likely to cause a shortage of barley and hops.
Inka has introduced a new range of barbecue ovens in time for the summer to add theatre and more efficient, ecologically sound and virtually smoke-free grilling to an al-fresco menu.
Chef Sriram Aylur embarked on his culinary career in his own father’s restaurant before working his way up to lead the kitchen at the Taj Gateway Hotel in Bangelore. It was there he launched his own Karavali restaurant which was voted one of the top five...
Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa in Bagshot, Surrey, has been awarded the Tea Guild’s Top City and Country Hotel Tea Award 2012 after staff wowed judges with their warm service and extensive tea knowledge.
The Restaurant Group, Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) and Spirit Pub Company have all been named winners in the Menu Innovation Network’s annual Menu Innovation and Development Awards (MIDAS).
Yawar Khan, the chairman of the Federation of Bangladeshi Caterers (FOBC), has told BigHospitality he hopes to launch an Asian Catering Federation within months to combine the lobbying powers of the FOBC with its Chinese and Malaysian counterparts.
Spanish hotel brand Melia is hoping to find a commis chef for its new ME London hotel by asking potential candidates to submit a Masterchef-style video of themselves in which they can demonstrate their passion for food.
Alcohol sales are of course an essential revenue generator for most hospitality businesses. But soft drinks, smoothies, freshly squeezed juices and non-alcoholic cocktails could in fact generate even higher margins for more diligent businesses, especially...
Hotel services outsourcing company Hotel Solutions London Ltd and its franchised cleaning business Totally Clean Solution Ltd have been placed into administration after accruing tax debts of £2m.
Josh Eggleton, the owner and head chef of Michelin-starred pub The Pony and Trap pub in Chew Magna, Bristol, is to open a pop-up restaurant in the south-west city next month.
Just over a week since the 2012 Budget, hospitality operators are weighing up the effects of the policies contained in the Chancellor's speech on their businesses - but what wasn't said or what was notably missing for hotels, restaurants and...
Xavier Rousset and Agnar Sverrisson, the duo behind the Michelin-starred Texture restaurant, have secured a second site for their 28-50 Wine Workshop and Kitchen concept.
Grosvenor House A JW Marriott Hotel has created a new role of hotel manager to help manage operations at the 494-bedroom property on London's Park Lane.
Nine different pub operators, including Youngs and G1 Group, were rewarded for demonstrating 'high standards and levels of innovation' in their business at the Publican Awards 2012 last night.
Alan Murchison has unveiled news of two new restaurants to open under his 10 in 8 Fine Dining Group later this year, claiming that ‘a perfect location won’t guarantee success’.
More than three quarters of hospitality business owners believe they need to grow their companies first before they can look to hire new staff, a survey has shown.
Leading Asian and Oriental restaurateurs have welcomed the launch of a Hospitality Guild and People 1st initiative of five new training centres to develop cuisine-specific techniques but warned it may not solve short-term skills shortages caused by the...
US-based sanitary maintenance company Rubbermaid Commercial Products has created a co-ordinated new range of products for washrooms and toilets to help operators promote good hygiene while also incorporating a stylised look.
French restaurant company, Le Duff Group, is to enter the UK restaurant market after announcing it is seeking franchise partners for its Italian pizza and pasta concept Del Arte with ten openings planned for the brand which currently has 107 sites in...
Foodservice supplier Compass is the latest addition to the growing number of caterers and food manufacturers who have signed up to the Government’s new calorie reduction Responsibility Deal pledge in a bid to reduce growing obesity rates.
Loungers managing director Alex Reilley has revealed to BigHospitality that the ambitious expansion strategy for the company remains on track with at least eight openings a year planned from now on.
Kelsius, a provider of web-based food service solutions, has launched FoodCheck, a wireless system to control and monitor food hygiene and safety standards to comply with Food Standards Agency (FSA) Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) processes.
Publicans in rural areas of Wales have been promised a share of £1.3m to help develop services such as post offices, shops and computer training clubs alongside their core business.
Donostia – a 40-cover restaurant serving food in the style of northern Spain’s Basque region – is set to open its doors in London’s Portman Village next month.
Whitbread and J D Wetherspoon have been named among the best British employers in the Corporate Research Foundation (CRF) Institute's latest rundown of the leading companies in the country in terms of taking care of employees and providing excellent...
Chocolatier and pâtissier Will Torrent took part in a live and interactive chocolate masterclass hosted by Michelin-starred chef Alan Murchison on Friday, in what was the first event of its kind aired live on BigHospitality.
Hotels in the regions enjoyed a bigger rise in revenue per available room (RevPAR) than those in London for the first month in two and a half years in February, according to the latest market data from hotel consultancy firm PKF.
The Wrea Head hotel in Scarborough, one of four former English Rose Hotels Scarborough Ltd (ERH Scarborough) placed on the market last year following the company's collapse, has a new owner.
National tourist board VisitEngland has reported the success of the first ever English Tourism Week, which saw hospitality businesses from across the nation play host to over 400 special events and promotions.
Merlin Entertainments Group last week opened the Legoland Hotel in the Windsor resort after a £25m investment, the newest hotel in its portfolio of venues it operates at theme parks and attractions.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced it plans to open 25 hotels in Europe over the next four years and the group's senior vice president for the region has suggested 'one or two' of those might be in the UK market which remains important...
Gordon Ramsay is suing Canadian restaurateur Danny Lavy for more than £1m after Lavy terminated the celebrity chef's consultancy at the Montreal restaurant formerly known as Laurier Gordon Ramsay and made comments about Ramsay's role in the...
The Government has confirmed in the publication of its Alcohol Strategy that it is to introduce a minimum price for alcohol with the level of 40p a unit being examined in a move the Prime Minister David Cameron said would 'not hurt pubs'.
Cocktail mixer manufacturer Funkin has expanded its range of cocktail mixer packs with the launch of a 100cl Margarita pack, the sixth of the single serve mixers to be launched in a large pack format.
Clare Smyth holds a unique position for a female chef in the UK as the first and only woman to run a restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, with three Michelin stars. Smyth moved to England at 16 from Northern Ireland to train before working in a number...
Hotels restaurants and pubs, including Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Orchid and Pizza Express tell us about some of the promotional ideas they are running to market themselves more effectively and attract more trade.
