Casual Dining

Number one Mexican soda brand Jarritos launched in UK

16-Jul-2014 By Carina Perkins

Bloomsbury Drinks Limited is introducing the popular Mexican soda Jarritos to the UK for restaurants and pubs looking to capitalise on the popularity of Mexican cuisine.

Consumers and businesses at odds over future of mobile technology in hospitality

15-Jul-2014 By Carina Perkins

 Businesses and consumers have different views on how mobile technology can improve hospitality experiences in the future, according to new research from Omnico. 

Money for nothing: SMEs in dire straits over compliance costs

15-Jul-2014 By Carina Perkins

Hotels, restaurants and pubs are facing rising regulatory costs despite government promises to cut red tape, the Forum of Private Business has warned.

Stoke Newington to get new café and bar

15-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

125 Church Street, will open in Stoke Newington by the beginning of September, as a café bar and events space.

Ribble Valley Inns re-opens The Highwayman and unveils fifth pub the Nag's Head

14-Jul-2014 By Carina Perkins

Ribble Valley Inns has re-opened its award-winning Kirky Lonsdale pub The Highwayman after an extensive refurbishment, with new head chef Jason ‘Bruno’ Birbeck taking the reins in the kitchen.

Raymond Blanc backs Cut Tourism VAT campaign

14-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

Celebrity chef and hotelier Raymond Blanc is supporting the campaign to cut VAT on accommodation and attractions in the UK.

Current alcohol trends: consumers want premium and unique

11-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

William Grant & Sons UK has announced the findings of its annual spirits and Champagne report, revealing current consumer trends in alcohol and seeing how this affects the way the industry should engage with its customers.

Change needed to tackle hospitality skills shortage

11-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

Hospitality and tourism businesses need to review their recruitment and retention strategies in order to tackle a skilled staff shortage in the sector, according to People 1st.

#WorldCup2014: Pubs and bars get £116m sales boost

11-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Consumers have spent an extra £116m in pubs and bars during this year’s football World Cup, according to research by vouchercodes.co.uk. 

Industry pledges to stock lower ABV house wines

10-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

Pubs and bars have agreed to stock house wines below 12.5 per cent ABV and promote lower-alcohol products to customers as part of the government’s campaign to tackle the £21bn a year cost of drink-related harm.

The Honor Oak pub to reopen in south east London

10-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

British gastro pub The Honor Oak will be opening in August in Forest Hill after gaining new owners and undergoing a £600,000 refurbishment.

UK visits continue to climb as London remains top destination

10-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

International visits to the UK were up 4 per cent in May (3.2m) compared to the same month last year, despite a decline in spend, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.

Ask the Experts

How to optimise loyalty programmes for a positive impact on footfall

09-Jul-2014 By Ben Chesser

With consumers now more empowered than ever before, loyalty schemes have become a widely-used tactic among retailers, and increasingly so among restaurant and pub operators. Ben Chesser, CEO of loyalty marketing software provider Footfall123, explains...

CAMRA calls for councils to protect pubs

08-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

A new report released by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) highlights how local councils can work to save British pubs by recognising their place in the community and blocking conversions from developers. 

Fish Club owners take on first pub venture

08-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

Fish Club restaurant owners Steve Orme, James Thomson and Jack Sutton are opening their first pub, Shepperton’s Red Lion, in September.

Ex-England cricketer to open London cocktail bar

04-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen is to open new cocktail bar RUBI in Surbiton with his brother Bryan Pietersen in early July.

New restaurants and bars announced for £80m Stansted redevelopment

03-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Stansted Airport has announced the operators chosen for the 12 new bar and restaurant units which were available as part of its £80m terminal transformation. 

Laine Pub Company reveals expansion plans

03-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

Brighton-based The Laine Pub Company has revealed plans to open 20 new pubs following a cash injection from Risk Capital Partners in conjunction with Royal Bank of Scotland.

Robin Hutson: Pearls of Wisdom

03-Jul-2014 By William Drew

The hotel-restaurant entrepreneur, who co-founded the ground-breaking Hotel du Vin, has built his latest concept The Pig into a successful four-strong group. He discusses kitchen gardens, the power of a name and training young entrepreneurs

Welsh pub gets interior makeover

03-Jul-2014 By Melodie Michel

The Cross Inn in Cowbridge, Wales, has won a £3,000 makeover by celebrity interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and P&G Professional.

Tom Kerridge reveals plans for second Marlow pub

02-Jul-2014 By Carina Perkins

Chef Tom Kerridge has revealed further details of the second pub he hopes to open in Marlow alongside his award-winning flagship business The Hand and Flowers. 

Drake & Morgan aims for 20 sites in next few years

02-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Privately owned bar and restaurant group Drake & Morgan has acquired two new London sites to bring its current portfolio to nine, with short terms plans to have 20 sites in total. 

Ask the Experts

How to ensure cashless customer payments are secure

02-Jul-2014 By David Maisey

Customer demand for cashless payment is on the rise and independent hospitality businesses must start accepting credit and debit cards or risk losing out to the chains. Here David Maisey, managing director of card payment specialists Chip & PIN Solutions,...

WC bar to open in former public convenience

02-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

WC Wine & Charcuterie bar will be opening this month in London’s Clapham Common, located in the former site of a 100-year-old public toilet.

Most hospitality staff on zero-hour contracts are working regularly, says MHA

01-Jul-2014 By Carina Perkins

The majority of hospitality workers on zero-hour contracts are regularly working 20 hours or more a week, suggesting improved confidence among operators, according to a new report from business advisors MHA.

The Bump Caves bar to open in London

01-Jul-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Latest bar venture The Bump Caves from owner of The Draft House Charlie McVeigh will open on 10 July on Tower Bridge Road in London. 

Independents losing out to chains in cashless payments

27-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

Independent hospitality businesses should ensure they offer a card payment option as British consumers increasingly see cashless payments as a decisive factor.

The evolution of boutique hotel design

27-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

Boutique hotel design is no longer just about luxury, with Generation Y’s and young professionals looking for high-design properties that offer a lower price point with modern amenities and the right 'vibe'.

Preview: Imbibe Live 2014

27-Jun-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Imbibe Live, the annual exhibition for anyone who sources, buys or serves drinks in the licensed on-trade, will return to London’s Olympia Grand on 1-2 July.

Government bans exclusivity clauses on zero-hour contracts

25-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

The government’s announcement that zero-hour contracts would not be banned, but that exclusivity clauses would have to be removed, has been met with mixed reactions in the hospitality industry.

New domain names to make hospitality sector more visible online

25-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

The launch of .rest, .bar and .pub domain names is expected to provide hospitality businesses with more online visibility.

Working together could give independents a £900m sales boost

25-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

Independent retailers and hospitality businesses can boost their sales by working together, and American Express study has revealed.

India emerges as major tourism market for Britain

24-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

India is more significant than China in terms of visitor volumes to Britain, with a record 375,000 visits last year.

Serving the UK: McDonald’s at 40

23-Jun-2014 By Mark Wingett

To mark its 40th year in the UK, McDonald’s has produced a report highlighting its contribution to the economy, the number of jobs created and its ongoing investment in restaurants and its supply chain. We take a look at some of the key findings and also...

Design: Restaurant design trends for 2014

23-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

In the first part of our special feature, we look at how restaurant design is finally moving away from American-inspired industrial chic and reflect on the next big trends for 2014.

Tragus gets landlord support for CVA

23-Jun-2014 By Mark Wingett

Tragus has received support from 85-90 per cent of landlords and creditors in regards to a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA), which will see the company shed up to 40 sites from its Café Rouge and Bella Italia estate.

Imbibe Live: Spirits and cocktail events and activity

23-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

It is one week to go until Imbibe Live, and there will be plenty of activity for budding mixologists and bar owners.

Design: Balancing aesthetics and efficiency

20-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

In the second part of our special feature on design, BigHospitality looks at how clever use of space and furniture can ensure a restaurant or bar delivers the right balance of aesthetics and efficiency.

Discounting ‘here to stay’

20-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

Despite a slowdown in the use of discounting by branded restaurants, experts believe this type of marketing activity is here to stay, albeit in a more personalised form.

Wine and spirits over 40% of on-trade sales

20-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

Wine and spirits sales now make up 41.45 per cent of the value of all drinks sold in pubs, bars and restaurants, according to the latest Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) report.

Novus Leisure to reopen Abacus as Forge bar and restaurant

20-Jun-2014 By Lauren Houghton

As part of their £20 million venue refresh programme, Novus Leisure has closed and renovated its Late Night London venue Abacus in the City of London, which will reopen as Forge bar and restaurant in July.   

Pubs and restaurants urged to take action over fire risk

19-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

Many small businesses, including restaurants and pubs, are ‘playing Russian roulette with fire safety’ by failing to carry out appropriate risk assessments, according to a new survey.

I'm lovin' it: McDonald's to create 8,000 new jobs in 3 years

19-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

Burger giant McDonald’s has pledged to create 8,000 new hospitality jobs across the UK over the next three years, with 70 per cent expected to go to first-time workers and under 25-year-olds.

Free booking platform Bidroom crowdfunding for expansion

18-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

Bidroom, a no-fee website that allows hotels to bid for customers’ business without going through an online travel agent (OTA), has launched a crowdfunding campaign to take its concept to the next level.

Pub and restaurant sales growth slows down in May

18-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

Collective like-for-like sales in managed pubs and restaurants were up just 0.2 per cent in May and year-on-year growth of over 4 per cent in March and April.

Loungers’ Alex Reilley to headline The Arena Summer Event 2014

18-Jun-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Networking association for the hospitality industry Arena has announced details for this year’s Summer Event, which will be held at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London on 27 June. 

Imbibe Live 2014: Beer events & activities

17-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

Imbibe Live 2014 will offer lots of beer-related activities for delegates to take part in.

Hospitality industry welcomes visa changes for Chinese visitors

17-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

The government’s decision to streamline UK visa applications from Chinese nationals has been welcomed by the hospitality industry.

Casual dining restaurants see continued growth

17-Jun-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Foodservice industry figures from global information company The NPD Group show that casual dining establishments have attracted an extra 47m visits each year in comparison to five years ago.

Biju Bubble Tea to launch in Soho

17-Jun-2014 By Melodie Michel

Bubble tea shop Biju is opening in Soho in late July, offering a range of milk, fruit, mousse and coconut water-based teas.