Casual Dining

The Gold Service Scholarship returns for 2016

02-Sep-2015 By Sophie Witts

The annual Gold Service Scholarship has announced that it is accepting entries for the 2016 competition.

AA announces shortlists ahead of AA Hospitality Awards 2015

01-Sep-2015 By Emma Eversham

The AA has revealed the shortlists for four categories ahead of its AA Hospitality Awards 2015 which take place on 5 October.   

Dish Deconstructed: Beef Wellington

01-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

BigHospitality's Dish Deconstructed series goes behind the scenes at Tom's Kitchen with executive chef Richard O'Connell as he shows us how to make a Beef Wellington.

Over a quarter of Brits dislike being given an accessible hotel room

28-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Over a quarter of the British public are either ‘unhappy’ or ‘fairly unhappy’ at the idea of being given a disabled-accessible hotel room, research released by German bathroom and sanitaryware supplier HEWI shows.

Jessica Simmons on new restaurant Beef & Brew and tackling the chef shortage

28-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

Chef Jessica Simmons, who previously worked under Angela Hartnett at Murano and Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room, is opening her first standalone restaurant Beef & Brew with business partner Dan Nathan in September. She spoke to BigHospitality about...

Hospitality profits up despite staff shortage concerns

28-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

Hospitality businesses reported healthy profit growth for the three months to August and remain positive about the future despite concerns over staff shortages.

Five tips for managing tips

27-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

With tipping practices back in the spotlight, BigHospitality speaks to Lydia Christie, senior associate at law firm Howard Kennedy who suggests five ways restaurant groups can check that their policies are legal and fair. 

Staycation trend: 4.8m Brits plan UK Bank Holiday getaway

27-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Almost 5m Brits are shunning the continent and planning a UK break this bank holiday, generating over £1bn for the British economy, according to figures released by Visit England.

National Burger Day: How to prepare and serve burgers safely

26-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

For National Burger Day, BigHospitality gets advice on what controls can be put in place to ensure that diners are not put at risk from the serving of pink or rare burgers. 

Menu trends: Superfoods, popping candy and street food inspired dishes on the rise

26-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

High street chains are beginning to use increasingly eclectic ingredients inspired by independent and street food operators in a bid to attract customers, a new study shows.

Hey big spender: Shopping tourists visiting UK spend 80% more

26-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

International tourists who visit the UK primarily to shop spend 80 per cent more during their stay than those visiting for other reasons, according to research by VisitBritain. 

Rise in contactless payments at restaurants

26-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

Restaurants generate the second highest number of contactless payments in the UK, new figures show.

Pubs expecting Rugby World Cup boost

26-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Pubs around the UK are expecting a boost in September as the Rugby World Cup kicks off, figures from Greene King demonstrate.

Minimum wage and apprentice rate could rise in 2016

25-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

The Government is seeking the views of hospitality businesses over the possibility of raising the National Minimum Wage for apprentices and under 25’s.

Virgin and Gleneagles Hotel support customer service focused scholarships

24-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland is working with Virgin and the iconic Gleneagles Hotel to launch three ‘once in a lifetime’ scholarship programmes focused on customer service.

ASK THE EXPERTS

How to move into event catering

24-Aug-2015 By Richard Groves

Richard Groves, group new business development director at Smart Group, gives tips on how chefs and restaurateurs can successfully move into event catering. 

Côte denies it keeps service charge amid heavy media scrutiny

21-Aug-2015 By Michelle Perrett

The Côte restaurant chain has denied claims that it keeps all the 12.5 per cent service charges it adds to bills and does not distribute them to staff. 

Vida Comida launches kickstarter funding campaign

20-Aug-2015 By Michelle Perrett

A restaurateur has launched a Kickstarter funding campaign to raise £12,000 to fund improvements at the Swan in Sherborne, which he is opening as tapas restaurant Vida Comida on 28th August. 

Pho recruits nine young people to new Manchester branch

20-Aug-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Pho, the Vietnamese street food restaurant chain, is to give nine young people jobs at its new Manchester Corn Exchange venue, as part of its dedication to socially responsible recruitment.

How we can solve the chef shortage (and what the industry’s doing already)

20-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham & Liam Garrahan

With the chef shortage problem at boiling point, BigHospitality speaks to a range of people from across the industry for their views on how we can begin to solve it and what’s being done already.

Wine and Spirit Trade Association: UK to become a ‘major player’ in wine tourism

19-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The UK has seen visitor numbers to English vineyards increase year-on-year and it is about to become a ‘major player’ in wine tourism, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Steinbeck & Shaw opening in Canterbury

19-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The Deltic Group has announced that it is opening late-night bar Steinbeck & Shaw (S&S) in Canterbury, Kent, in September.

B&Bs most expensive small business to purchase

19-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Research by Direct Line for Business has shown that B&Bs are the most expensive small business to purchase, while pubs are among the least expensive.

Hospitality operators use social media feedback to help shape business

18-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

Restaurant, hotel and pub operators are frequently turning to social media for feedback on how they can better their business.

Cook off to choose next UK Bocuse d'Or candidate

18-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

A cook-off to determine which chef from the UK will compete in international competition the Bocuse d'Or will take place in London next month. 

New World Trading Company: ‘Unparalleled’ training scheme aiding staff retention

17-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

An ‘unparalleled’ training scheme for the pub sector which sees all members of staff spend two and a half weeks learning both in the classroom and on-site before opening is aiding staff retention and contributing ‘massively’ to New World Trading Company’s...

D&D London opening The Threadneedle Bar at Royal Exchange

17-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

D&D London has announced the opening of The Threadneedle Bar at the Royal Exchange, London, in September.

70% of hospitality operators foresee negative impact of National Living Wage

17-Aug-2015 By Mark Wingett

More than 70 per cent of restaurant and pub operators believe the introduction of the National Living Wage for the over-25s next year will have a negative impact on their businesses, according to a survey carried out by M&C Allegra Foodservice.

ASK THE EXPERTS

How to create happiness in the workforce

17-Aug-2015 By Saurav Chopra

Saurav Chopra, chief executive and co-founder of Perkbox discusses the importance of having happy employees and suggests ways to achieve a happy workforce.

The Shankly Hotel to open in Liverpool

14-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The Shankly Hotel, a hotel in tribute to Liverpool Football Club legend Bill Shankly, is opening in Liverpool on 15 August.

SMALL TALK

Daniel Clifford on new pub The Flitch of Bacon and Great British Menu

14-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

Daniel Clifford, chef-patron of the two Michelin-starred Midsummer House, speaks exclusively to Big Hospitality about returning to Great British Menu and opening his own pub, the Flitch of Bacon, in Essex.

Call for smoking ban outside restaurants and pubs

13-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

The ban on public smoking should be extended to al fresco dining areas of restaurants and pub gardens, according to a new report.

Chef shortage: the industry reacts

13-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

The challenge of successfully recruiting and retaining staff in the hospitality industry is not one that has just suddenly appeared in the last few months. 

Greene King ahead of apprentice target

13-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Greene King has announced that it has recruited its 1,000th apprentice of 2015, putting the firm ahead of its target of employing 2,000 apprentices by March 2016.

The Plough to invest £750k in expansion plans

12-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The Plough in Harborne, Birmingham, has announced plans to invest £750k into the business to help it build a second floor with two private rooms and extend the ground floor by 40-covers. 

Majority of diners won’t return to a pub or restaurant with slow service

12-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

A study by HospitalityGEM has shown that 87 per cent of diners would not return to a pub or restaurant if they have experienced slow service from staff.

Restaurants urged to invest in mobile-enabled websites to boost sales

11-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

Many restaurants are missing out on sales via mobile devices because their websites are not mobile-enabled or they haven't developed apps. 

Spending on hospitality continues to rise

11-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

Restaurants, pubs and hotels all saw a rise in sales in July, but it was a month of two halves due to the changing weather, according to analysis by Barclaycard.

IHG trials robot server at Crowne Plaza

10-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) is trialling the use of a delivery robot at its Crowne Plaza hotel in California’s Silicon Valley. 

Charity calls for Scottish hotels to accommodate for deaf guests

10-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Scottish charity Action on Hearing Loss Scotland has called on Scottish hotels to better accommodate for the needs of deaf guests.

ASK THE EXPERTS

What legal issues to consider before opening a pop-up

10-Aug-2015 By Amanda Hurst

Amanda Hurst, associate in the real estate team at Weightmans LLP, discusses the legal issues to consider when opening a pop-up restaurant or bar.

Almost half of UK nightclubs closed in the last decade

10-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

UK nightclubs are closing at an alarming rate, according to figures released by BBC Newsbeat.

Number of job applications fall as hospitality vacancies rise

07-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The number of candidates applying for jobs in the hospitality industry has fallen despite a rise in job vacancies, according to a report by recruiting website CV-Library.

Consumers prefer to drink alcohol in restaurants over bars

06-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

Nearly two thirds of consumers prefer to drink alcohol in restaurants rather than bars or pubs, according to new research from Bookatable.co.uk.

Plans for former chapel to be converted in to Edinburgh hotel

06-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The Glendola Leisure Group and Carlton Hotel Collection are to submit plans to convert a former chapel into a 22-room four-star boutique hotel on Edinburgh’s Rose Street.

US-themed restaurant Boneyard opens in London

06-Aug-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Industrial America themed restaurant, Boneyard, has opened to the public in Shoreditch, London.

Restaurants, hotels and pubs face tube strike ‘nightmare’

06-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has warned that businesses are facing a 'nightmare' as a result of this week’s tube strikes.

Incentives and ease help hospitality operators in fight for customer feedback

06-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

Giving incentives to staff and customers for gathering and giving feedback and making it a quick and easy process for all involved are the best ways to capture worthwhile data from customers, according to pub, restaurant and hotel operators. 

London's first tea pub exceeds £180,000 crowdfunding goal

05-Aug-2015 By Sophie Witts

London start-up Brew, which plans to open the UK’s first tea pub, has surpassed its crowdfunding target by £49,000.

ASK THE EXPERTS

How to deal with fake online reviews

03-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

Nigel Tait, managing partner at law firm Carter-Ruck, discusses the steps pub, restaurant and hotel owners can take when faced with fake or libellous online reviews.