Casual Dining

Value of restaurant market to reach £52bn by 2017

15-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

The UK restaurant market is expected to reach £48.2bn in value in 2014 and £52bn by 2017, capitalising on consumers’ ever-growing interest in food. 

Taming TripAdvisor: social media expert explains how to take control of your online reputation

15-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

Hospitality businesses should stop fearing TripAdvisor and take control of their online reputation, according to crisis communications and social media specialist Alan Stevens.

Michelin-starred chef Nathan Outlaw teams up with Sharp's Brewery to run Cornwall pub

14-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Sharp's Brewery and chef Nathan Outlaw have become the new tenants of the Mariners pub in the village of Rock in Cornwall.

VisitEngland Excellence Awards 2014: winners revealed

13-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

1884 Dock Street Kitchen in Hull, Burleigh Court in Leicestershire and The Old Rectory Hotel in Devon were among the winners of the Visit England Excellence Awards 2014.

Egerton House Hotel tops TripAdvisor awards for customer service

13-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

Boutique Knightsbridge property Egerton House Hotel has been rated number one in the UK for customer service by TripAdvisor reviewers.

TV chef Alan Coxon becomes British ambassador for food and tourism

13-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Award-winning chef Alan Coxon has been invited to be part of the Government’s international GREAT Britain campaign as an representative for British food and tourism.

Steve Holmes becomes ASK and Zizzi CEO

13-May-2014 By Mark Wingett

Steve Holmes, the current managing director of ASK Italian, is to step up to become chief executive of the Gondola Group-owned brand and its sister chain Zizzi, M&C Report has learnt.

World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2014: Top chefs on what it takes to make it on the list

12-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

Every year, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards celebrate the best places to eat around the globe. This year, Noma was voted the best restaurant in the world, stealing the top spot back from El Celler de Can Roca. But what does it take to make it on...

#WorldCup2014: What’s the hospitality industry doing?

12-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

With one month to go now until the 2014 Football World Cup in Brazil we have put together a round-up of how businesses in the hospitality industry are planning to participate in the celebrations.

With a little help from my friends: is crowdfunding the answer to the SME finance gap?

12-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

New research suggests that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are facing severe challenges when trying to access financing – could crowdfunding fill the gap?

Local businesses come together for the Big Hospitality Conversation Manchester

12-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

On 12 May hospitality and tourism businesses from Manchester came together at the Radisson Blu Edwardian for the latest Big Hospitality Conversation, where they were able to pledge to create jobs, apprenticeships and work experience for young people. 

Ask the experts

How to ensure your website is mobile-ready

12-May-2014 By Emily Tippins

What it means to be mobile-ready as a hospitality business is changing. It’s no longer simply making sure your website works on mobile phones. It’s about providing the best possible online customer experience. Here, Emily Tippins, head of Digital Strategy...

Restaurants step up preparations ahead of EU allergen labelling law

12-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

With the EU’s top 14 allergens labelling laws coming into effect in December 2014, efforts are being made across the industry to cater for customers with food allergies and intolerances, but more needs to be done.

Chefs Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram plan Hackney restaurant venture

09-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Fifteen executive head chef Jon Rotheram has teamed up with former One Leicester Street chef patron Tom Harris on a new pub and restaurant venture in Hackney, which they hope to fund via the government's Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS).

LA juice bar to open first London location in Soho

09-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

Press is set to open its first juice bar in Soho, using a cold press technique meant to preserve nutrients, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Moët UK Sommelier of the Year 2014 semi-finalists announced

09-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

The Academy of Food & Wine Service (AFWS) has announced the 12 semi-finalists in the Moët UK Sommelier of the Year 2014 awards, with staff from the from The Fat Duck, Pollen Street Social and Northcote among those on the list.

Foodservice confidence grows on the back of increased sales

08-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

Confidence is rising in the eating out sector, with most restaurants, hotels and pubs expecting food sales to pick up over the next year, according to a new report from Horizons and JRA Research.

London more visited in 2013 than in Olympics year

08-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

London welcomed 16.8m international visitors in 2013, surpassing a 2012 performance boosted by the Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee.

Caffe Culture Show 2014 Preview

07-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

The Caffe Culture Show, a key event for the UK café bar market, will be returning to London’s Olympia on the 14 and 15 May.

London Bar Consultants open rum and gin venue

07-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

The London Bar Consultants are opening Merchant Bar, a venue specialising in rum and gin and that will offer masterclasses for professionals and consumers.

Manchester gets two more Avalanche venues

07-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

Italian restaurant and lounge bar Avalanche is set to open two more locations in Manchester – a £2m expansion.

Raido brothers launch third venture

07-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

Jose and Mel Raido are set to open the Communion cocktail bar on the same street as their existing venues Church Street Hotel and Angels and Gypsies Restaurant in London.

Business Profile: Bath Ales

06-May-2014 By Stefan Chomka

From its chop-house brand Graze and charcuterie bar Gordito to craft beer and pizza bar Beerd – not to mention its brewing business – Bath Ales is going places, as managing director Robin Couling explains.

BHA Hospitality & Tourism Summit 2014: line-up revealed

06-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has revealed the speaker line-up for its Hospitality & Tourism Summit 2014, which it claims will be the biggest and best yet.

Carlson Rezidor adds two UK hotels to Quorvus Collection

06-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has announced that the G&V Royal Mile Hotel in Edinburgh and London's May Fair hotel will be the first UK properties to join its new luxury Quorvus Collection brand.

West End’s Nova development to lease 18 retail spaces by 2016

02-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

Victoria’s 1,000,000 sq.ft development aims to become the restaurant quarter of the area, and its 18 ground floor leases are still up for grabs.

Hot Talent 2014: winners announced

02-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

The winners of Hotelympia’s Hot Talent competition for promising under 30s in the hospitality industry have been announced as Alissia Clarke of Village Urban Resorts in Walsall and Jodie Britton of the Bristol Marriott Royal.

Hotelympia product launches: food and drink

01-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

Hotelympia 2014 was buzzing with people wanting to sample the latest food and drink innovations.

Disappointing Easter results for pubs and restaurants

01-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

Restaurant and pub sales were 3.8 per cent down this year compared to 2013’s four-day Easter weekend, partly due to bad weather, the Coffer Peach Business Tracker has revealed.

The City Barge riverside pub to open in Chiswick

01-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

The historic City Barge pub by the Thames in Chiswick will be opening at the end of May after an extensive refurbishment programme.

Renaissance to open seventh London pub

30-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Renaissance Pubs will open its seventh pub venture, The Latchmere, in Battersea next month.

Chicken Shop and Dirty Burger to merge in new Whitechapel venue

30-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Soho House is bringing its Chicken Shop and Dirty Burger brands under one roof at a new all-day dining venture opening in East London on 21 May.

Small restaurant chains expanding at a rapid rate, says Horizons

30-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Small restaurant chains are growing at the fastest rate experienced for several years, with a noticeable movement towards niche offerings, according Horizon’s latest Ones to Watch report.

Dukeminster unveils £1.5m refurbishment in Chester

30-Apr-2014 By Melodie Michel

Dukeminster has completed the £1.5m refurbishment of its Crabwall Manor Hotel in Mollington, Chester. 

​Whitbread FY lfls up 4.2%

29-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Whitbread has reported a 4.2% rise in like-for-like sales in the year to 27 February, with growth accelerating in the second half.

Date set for National Restaurant Awards 2014

28-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

The National Restaurants Awards in association with Estrella Damm, Restaurant magazine’s annual count down of the top 100 restaurants in the UK, is marking its seventh year by becoming a summer event, and will be held on 30 June at The Hurlingham Club...

World’s largest Costa opens in Norton Canes

28-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Motorway service operator Roadchef has opened the world’s largest Costa Coffee in Norton Canes capable of well over £100k of sales per week. 

Footprint Awards 2014 shortlist announced

24-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

The shortlist for the 2014 Footprint Awards has been revealed with the Spirit Pub Company, Ampersand and Enterprise Inns all being noted for their contributions to sustainability in the hospitality industry. 

All Bar One to open two new London sites

24-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Mitchells and Butlers will open two new All Bar One sites in London this summer at Buckingham Gate in Victoria and the O2 in Greenwich.  

Bromley College launches UK’s first hospitality career college

23-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Bromley College of Further and Higher Education has just opened applications for its new Hospitality, Food and Enterprise Career College and is enrolling students to start this September.

Tube strike: London's hospitality businesses face further disruption

23-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

London’s hospitality businesses are facing further disruption as a result of transport disputes, with two more tube strikes and a 48-hour walkout on Heathrow Express planned over the next two months.

Community spirit: More local pubs saved from closure

23-Apr-2014 By Luke Nicholls

With Community Pubs month in full swing, a number of residents’ associations across the country have stepped in to save their local from closure or conversion into commercial properties.

Gusto undertakes MBO from Living Ventures

22-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Restaurant and bar group Gusto has completed a management buyout from Living Ventures, the Tim Bacon-led premium operator, with funding from private equity group Palatine as it looks to add about 15 sites over the next four years, including a move into...

Soho Grind espresso and cocktail bar opening in May

22-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Soho Grind, the sister site to the Shoreditch Grind espresso and cocktail bar, will be opening in London's Beak Street in May. 

Werewolf performance nightclub launches in London

17-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

New performance and arts nightclub Werewolf is opening next week in the heart of London’s Piccadilly.

Pizza Rossa hungry for a slice of City lunchtime trade

17-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Pizza grab-and-go concept Pizza Rossa will open its first outlets in the City later this year after breaking a European record for securing start-up funding through crowdfunding.

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club unveils new spa facilities

17-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club has re-opened its spa facilities following an £850,000 refurbishment.

Beverage awards seek excellence in hot drinks

17-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

The Beverage Standards Association (BSA) is calling on specialist coffee shops, cafes, tea rooms, hotel bars, beverage carts and restaurants to enter its hot drink awards and accreditation programme.

Happy Easter: Hospitality businesses set for bumper weekend

16-Apr-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Hospitality businesses across the UK are gearing up for a bumper Easter weekend, with 3.4 million Brits planning to take a domestic holiday, generating some £800m in tourism spend.

Marching on: Spring sales surge for restaurants and pubs

16-Apr-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Britain’s restaurant and pub groups saw collective like-for-like sales grow 4.6 per cent in March against the same month last year, marking 12 consecutive months of positive growth for the sector.