Casual Dining

Fuller’s acquires two new riverside sites

15-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

London brewer and pub company Fuller, Smith & Turner P.L.C. has bought two freehold sites by the Thames in Fulham Reach and Greenwich. 

Charterhouse targets expansion as FY EBITDA grows 13.2%

14-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Charterhouse Leisure, operator of the Coal Grill & Bar brand, has reported a 13.2% rise in company EBITDA to £727,000 for the year to the end of February and said it plans to grow from six to about 24 sites over the next three years.

Late Night London’s new venture Core opens in the City

11-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Late Night London’s latest bar and restaurant Core opened in the City last week, combining the company’s new take on day-time eating and drinking with a late night offering. 

Yorkshire restaurants are best performing in England and Wales

11-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Yorkshire’s hospitality sector has enjoyed a significant boost over recent months, with the regions’ restaurants now outperforming the rest of the country, according to data from insolvency trade body R3.

Talkin' 'bout Y generation: study reveals eating out habits of 16-24 year olds

10-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Young people still value good customer service when they visit restaurants, with price and convenience also influencing choice, according to new research from Voxburner.

All Bar One lands at Birmingham Airport

09-Apr-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is tapping into the business potential offered by high-footfall transport hubs, with two debut All Bar One sites soon to open in Birmingham Airport.

Inception Group targets expansion

08-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Inception Group, the London bar and restaurant operator, is looking to branch out into opening multiple sites under its existing brands and could open outside the capital, and potentially overseas, co-founder Charlie Gilkes has told our sister title M&C...

Operators sought for four new restaurant and bar venues in Birmingham

08-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Colliers International is seeking operators for four new leisure units at the large Two Snowhill office development in Birmingham, located next to the city’s main retail zone.

Ask the Experts

How to protect your business from fire risks

07-Apr-2014 By David Lalor

Fire safety is a serious consideration for hospitality businesses. Here, David Lalor, director at Keybury Fire & Security, explains why you shouldn't go it alone when it comes to risk assessment and choosing fire safety equipment.

Hospitality’s employment challenge: Are we approaching the ‘workforce cliff?

04-Apr-2014 By Luke Nicholls

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) and Women 1st have unanimously agreed with recent comments by McDonald’s chief people officer that the industry faces a future of stunted growth unless employers do more to attract young people.

Marriott Grosvenor Square sale reflects strength of Mayfair market, says JLL

03-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

The sale of the Marriott London Grosvenor Square hotel for £125.15m reflects the outstanding strength of the Mayfair hotel market, according to the expert that finalised the deal.

VisitEngland reveals Awards for Excellence finalists 2014

02-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Burleigh Court, Hell Bay Hotel and Brockencote Hall Hotel are among the finalists in VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence 2014 which celebrates the finest in the tourism industry.

East Sussex school chefs could face 9% pay loss

02-Apr-2014 By Lauren Houghton

GMB trade union claims school chefs in East Sussex employed by Chartwells, a branch of the contractor Compass Group plc, are facing a nine per cent loss in their pay.

Community Pubs Month highlights importance of local engagement

01-Apr-2014 By Luke Nicholls

The list of pubs now being run by their local communities is gathering pace, but over a third of pub-goers visit their local less often than they did 12 months ago. 

Ex-Gaucho MD to launch new venture ‘M’

01-Apr-2014 By Mark Wingett

Martin Williams, who stepped down as managing director of Gaucho earlier this month, plans to launch a new restaurant venture called M in London later this year.

Restaurant magazine: Coffee shop creep

01-Apr-2014 By Carina Perkins

Coffee shops and café brands are increasingly encroaching into restaurant and pub territory by offering extensive breakfast, lunch and even dinner menus, writes Stefan Chomka in the April issue of Restaurant magazine.

Extra time: Pub hours extended for World Cup matches

01-Apr-2014 By Luke Nicholls

The Government has taken heed of the overwhelming pressure from the British pub industry to allow venues to stay open late during England's World Cup matches. 

Marriott Moxy looks to open five UK sites in 2016

28-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Marriot and Inter Ikea’s economy brand Moxy hotels is looking to open sites in Heathrow, Stratford, London Royal Docks, Ashbourne and Aberdeen in 2016.

Hot Talent 2014: front-of-house finalists revealed

28-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

Five talented young hospitality managers have made it through to the finals of this year’s Hot Talent awards, which are organised by Hotelympia and supported by BigHospitality and Restaurant Magazine.

Cider, spirits and soft drinks show strongest on-trade growth

28-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

Cider, spirits and soft drinks are outperforming the rest of the on-trade drinks market, according to the latest data from CGA Strategy.

Strong second half drives profit recovery for Adnams

26-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Despite initially claiming it was ‘difficult to be too positive’ about pub trading conditions in 2013, Suffolk-based brewer, distiller and retailer Adnams reported a surge in pre-tax profits from £3.2m to £4.1m.

Loungers plans 20 openings in 2015

26-Mar-2014 By Mark Wingett

Loungers, the Piper-backed cafe bar operator, is to increase its opening rate next year with up to 20 sites planned.

Publican Awards 2014: Winners revealed

26-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

Orchid Group and Oakman Inns were named as the UK’s best pub employers at the Publican Awards 2014, which took place at the Grovesnor House Hotel in London last night.

City Pub Company snaps up two more in London

25-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

City Pub Company, the Enterprise Investment Scheme-funded pub operator, has secured two new venues in central London and an extra £7m in banking facilities to continue its UK expansion.

Winner of Springboard’s FutureChef 2014 contest announced

25-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Anna Carmichael was announced as FutureChef 2014 yesterday (24 March) in Springboard’s annual cooking contest for 12-16 year olds, which is judged by leading industry chefs.

Final preparations for Community Pubs Month 2014 underway

25-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is stepping up preparations for Community Pubs Month, which will run across the UK in April.

CAMRA chief exec appointed as head of SIBA

25-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has appointed Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) chief Mark Benner as its new managing director.

Eclectic brings Dirty Blonde to Brighton

25-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Eclectic Bar Group is using Brighton as the location for another new concept – this time for the launch of premium bar and restaurant brand, Dirty Blonde.

Government retains personal licences

24-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Pubs across the UK can breathe another sigh of relief as the Government has finally decided to abandon plans to scrap personal alcohol licences.  

PACE Awards 2014: winners announced

24-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

The Professional Association for Catering Education (PACE) awards for outstanding commitments to hospitality training took place last week, with special focus on the Lifetime Achievement and National Chairman’s awards.

Heathrow businesses pledge over 1000 new jobs at Big Hospitality Conversation

24-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Hospitality and restaurant businesses from the Heathrow area have promised 1,066 new jobs for young people by 2015 at the British Hospitality Association’s latest Big Hospitality Conversation.

Workshop for alcohol sellers to tackle crime and underage drinking

21-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC) are running a workshop Oxford this April for pub landlords and alcohol retailers to learn more about looking after their business and protecting customers.

Hospitality 'walks the talk' on job creation

21-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Following another successful National Apprenticeship Week for the hospitality industry, a number of other hotels, restaurants and pubs have since stepped up to the plate to offer training and apprenticeship initiatives of their own.

Euromonitor highlights four key trends for UK travel and tourism

20-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

The HS2 rail link, travel gadgets, ageing UK population and peer-to-peer sharing are set to have a profound impact on UK tourism in coming years, according to Euromonitor International.

VisitEngland launches Government-backed flood recovery campaign

19-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

VisitEngland is today (19 March) launching a £2m Government funded campaign to support businesses affected by the recent severe weather and to drive holiday bookings in England.

Budget 2014: Key points and reaction

19-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Following the delivery of the 2014 Budget by Chancellor George Osborne earlier today, BigHospitality caught up with some of the key organisations representing pubs, hotels and restaurants as well as individual operators for their reaction.

Women 1st announce 2014 conference date

19-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Women 1st, the initiative which aims to increase the number of women working in senior positions in hospitality, is holding its third annual conference at the Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square in London on 3 July 2014. 

Budget 2014: George Osborne scraps alcohol duty escalator

19-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Pubs across the UK can breathe a big sigh of relief today as Chancellor George Osborne has once again scrapped the punitive escalator for all alcohol duties and cut another penny off the price of a pint of beer in his 2014 Budget announcement. 

Paul Askew and Tim Bacon among winners of 2014 NRB Top 50

19-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

The North of England’s most influential hospitality professionals have been recognised in the 2014 Northern Restaurant and Bar Top 50 list.

Mode brings late-night art, music and food to Notting Hill

19-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

Five entrepreneurs from West London are opening a new late-night venue in Notting Hill which will showcase contemporary art, music, food and drink.

Budget 2014: What can we expect from George Osborne?

19-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

The Chancellor George Osborne will today present 'a Budget for a resilient economy'. But with further calls for another beer duty cut and a reduction in VAT, hospitality professionals will undoubtedly be among those watching most closely.

Report highlights growing importance of wine and spirits to on-trade drinks sales

18-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

Sales of wine and spirits are on the rise in pubs, bars and restaurants, according to the latest research by CGA Strategy.

Abv Training mourns the death of its founder and chairman

18-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Staff at the hospitality training company abv Training are in mourning for their founder and chairman David Hawbrook, who passed away on Friday 14 March.

Spirits production returns to East End

14-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

A new craft spirits company is set to bring spirits production back to London’s East End next month with the launch of a gin, whisky and vodka distillery and adjacent cocktail bar.

5cc opens cocktail and whiskey bar in City of London

14-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

Intimate cocktail bar concept 5cc has opened its third site in London’s Square Mile.

Small Talk

Brett Sutton on the White Post, British pubs and his love of making bread

13-Mar-2014 By Emma Eversham

Chef Brett Sutton built a name for himself at the Eastbury hotel in Dorset, where he won numerous accolades and awards. He recently took over The White Post - a historical pub in Rimpton on the Dorset/Somerset border - with his wife Kelly. 

Restaurants and pubs have reason to cheer despite ‘flat February’

12-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

Sales for the nation’s pub, bar and restaurant groups evened out in February, with collective like-for-like sales up by just 0.2 per cent on the same month last year.

Shaken and stirred: Zilouf's transformed by 100 Hoxton team

12-Mar-2014 By Carina Perkins

The team behind 100 Hoxton have refurbished Islington bar and restaurant Zilouf's, with a new Asian-fusion menu and cocktail offering to tempt local workers.

Work-based hospitality training programme launches in Merseyside

11-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

A new training initiative has been launched to educate and empower young people from across Merseyside to allow them to begin their careers in the hospitality industry.

Pension auto-enrolment: Hospitality checklist

11-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

With major changes gathering pace in the world of workplace pensions, BigHospitality has spoken to a number of industry experts to give you everything you need to know to ensure a smooth transition into the automatic enrolment scheme.