Casual Dining

M&B appoints Bob Ivell as non-exec director

09-May-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Pub and restaurant operator Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has appointed industry veteran Bob Ivell as non-executive director, effective immediately.

Dowling launches members’ clubs chain

09-May-2011 By Mark Wingett

Frank Dowling, the entrepreneur behind Inc Group, the London-based bar and restaurant group, is launching a chain of members’ clubs under new company, the Alphabet Group.

Heston Blumenthal and British Airways search for apprentice chef

09-May-2011 By Becky Paskin

Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal is looking for an up and coming apprentice chef to create a signature menu for all British Airways (BA) flights flying into and out of London in the run up to and during the 2012 Olympic Games.

Edible flower cocktails at Tempo and Art Auction at Hotel Missoni

06-May-2011 By Becky Paskin

Restaurants, pubs and hotels, including Tempo and Hotel Missoni, tell us what promotions they’re running to attract customers.

Elior opens City wine bar at Lloyds

05-May-2011 By Becky Paskin

Contract catering giant Elior has launched a new wine bar underneath Lloyd’s of London in the City, featuring a wine list compiled by the World’s Best Sommelier 2010 Gerard Basset.

Michael Caines creates new City & Guilds qualification

05-May-2011 By Becky Paskin

Michael Caines MBE, executive chef at Abode Hotels, Gidleigh Park and Bath Priory, has partnered with City & Guilds qualifications to design a two-year hospitality and catering course for students at Exeter College.

How to beat the challenges of e-procurement

03-May-2011

E-procurement can be quite daunting for businesses used to traditional telephone ordering. But with an open mind and the right know-how to overcome the challenges, e-procurement can have great benefits for your business. Christian Berthelsen, CTO at Fourth...

Crane charms at Roka and seasonal menus at The Metropolitan

28-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Restaurants, pubs and hotels including Roka and The Metropolitan Hotel, tell us what promotions they’re running to attract customers.

Cost of eating out rising faster than inflation

27-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

The cost of eating out in the UK is rising faster than inflation, with an average three-course meal eaten out of home now costing almost £19.

Craft Guild of Chefs announces 2011 award nominees

26-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Lisa Allen of Northcote Manor, Anirudh Arora of Moti Mahal and Sudha Shankar Saha of Saffron are amongst 40 chefs nominated in the shortlist for the 2011 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards.

British public ready to celebrate Royal Wedding at pub or restaurant

26-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

The British public is turning its attention from the Easter break and onto the Royal Wedding this coming weekend, with two-thirds expecting to order a commemorative drink in a restaurant or pub to toast the couple.

eBay Wedding at Peckforton and 40 years of The Capital

26-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Restaurants, pubs and hotels including Peckforton Castle and The Capital Hotel tell us what they’re doing to promote their business.

London tourism and spend increases as rest of UK dips

19-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

International visitors to London spent close to £9bn in the capital last year, with tourist numbers at a four-year high compared to the gloomier picture in the rest of the country.

McCormick launches UK flavour innovation centre

19-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

The herb and spice firm McCormick has opened a Technical Innovation Centre in Buckinghamshire, which it will use as a base for developing high flavour-impact products for the foodservice sector.

Savoy Educational Trust urges applications for hospitality education funding

19-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

The Savoy Educational Trust is encouraging hospitality education groups to approach it for funding as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Tourism ignored in first round of Regional Growth Fund grants

18-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

The Regional Growth Fund has refused a bid for funding from VisitEngland in its first round of grants, announced last week.

Restaurant and pub sales increase while retail sales fall

18-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

The UK’s major pub and restaurant groups have recorded a slight increase in sales last month, demonstrating that consumers are still eating out despite spending less at the supermarket.

Tattoo Challenge at Polpo and Hawksmoor, and Gull’s eggs at Boisdale

15-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Restaurants, pubs and hotels, including Hawksmoor, Polpo and Boisdale, tell us what promotions they’re running to attract customers.

Police pub clampdown is ‘abuse’

14-Apr-2011 By Graham Ridout

Licensees are being threatened with arrest and pubs with closure in a clampdown by police forces across the country, which has been labelled “an abuse”.

RSPCA awards open for restaurants and pubs that source ethically

14-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Pubs, restaurants and caterers are being called on to enter the RSCPA Good Business Awards, which recognise companies for their contribution to animal welfare by offering higher welfare products on their menus.

Sommelier of the Year 2011 finalists revealed

14-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

The Academy of Food and Wine Service (AFWS) has revealed the 16 finalists of this year’s Sommelier of the Year competition.

Barracuda grows Smith & Jones chain to 150 pubs

14-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Pub operator Barracuda Group is to open the 150th pub in its Smith & Jones portfolio later this month, following the conversion of some of its other pubs into the new brand format.

Cider is only alcohol to escape drops in consumption

14-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Consumption of cider in the UK has increased marginally over the past year, although volumes were down for beer, wine and spirits, according to the latest data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Hospitality salaries and jobs remain stable, reveals government data

13-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Average weekly salaries in the UK hospitality industry were just under £300 a week in February 2011, while the number of jobs available in the last quarter have remained stable, according to data released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Restaurants and pubs urged to enter Taste of the West awards

13-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Restaurants, pubs, cafes and food producers are being invited to enter this year’s Taste of the West awards, which recognise food and drink produced and served in the south west of the country.

Compass, Roux and Orrery appointments

12-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Foodservice supplier Compass Group has appointed a new managing director for its Ireland division, while Roux at Parliament Square appoints and new bar manager and Marylebone’s Orrery appoints a new restaurant manager.

UK baristas break espresso record at London Coffee Festival

12-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

UK baristas broke the world record for the speed of espresso-making at the London Coffee Festival this weekend.

Eighty former Laurel pubs to hit the market

12-Apr-2011 By Mark Wingett

Over 80 properties that were part of the former Laurel Pub Company are set to come to the market over the next 12 months as investment opportunities.

Daniel Thwaites acquires The Fleece Hotel as character inn

12-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Brewer Daniel Thwaites has acquired The Fleece Hotel in Cirencester as part of ongoing plans to create a 25-strong group of character inns by 2016.

Springboard’s Great Wall of China trek raises funds for hospitality careers

11-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Springboard, the charity that promotes careers in the hospitality industry, has raised £150,000 from a 70km trek along the Great Wall of China.

Thirty-two winners named in 2011 Annual Awards of Excellence

08-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

The winners of the 2011 Annual Awards of Excellence have been announced, with staff from Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire claiming the most awards.

Capital Pub Company buys two more pubs

08-Apr-2011

Capital Pub Company has added another two sites to its portfolio of pubs, investing nearly £3m in its latest acquisitions.

Marathon fuel at Wahaca and free burritos at Chilango

08-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Restaurants, pubs and hotels including Wahaca and Chilango tell us what promotions they’re running to attract customers.

Morgan’s Spiced rum gets Captain rebrand

08-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Diageo has rebranded the Morgan’s Spiced rum as Captain Morgan’s Spiced, to bring the drink back in line with the global Captain Morgan brand.

VisitLondon becomes London & Partners after agency reshuffle

07-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

VisitLondon, the capital’s marketing organsation, has merged with other promotional agencies to create one flagship group – London & Partners – as part of the government’s efforts to cut costs and streamline activities.

York’s Michael Ibbotson named Publican of the Year

07-Apr-2011

Michael Ibbotson, who runs the Durham Ox in York, was named Publican of the Year last night at the 20th Publican Awards.

How to run a pop-up restaurant

05-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Running a pop-up restaurant or bar can be an overwhelming and challenging experience, but do it properly and you’ll find the benefits make up for the labour. In this feature series, we uncover how to run a pop-up restaurant successfully.

London voted top destination for US travellers

05-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

London is the top European destination for US travellers this year, although the Royal Wedding is not one of the attractions drawing the extra tourists, according to a survey by TripAdvisor.

ASK THE EXPERTS

How to survive periods of low trading

04-Apr-2011

Richard Moore, director of consultancy CBRE Hotels EMEA, tells BigHospitality readers how they can steer their hospitality business through periods of low economic growth and adverse trading conditions.

Top fish swaps for sustainable menus

04-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

A new guide aims to help chefs make simple seafood swaps to improve the sustainability of their menus and businesses.

Tea café launches with expansion plans to rival Costa

04-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Tea Monkeys, a new “tea café” with plans to expand nationally and rival Costa and Starbucks, has opened its first venue in Milton Keynes.

BHA, BBPA win legal battle against compulsory food hygiene displays

01-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Restaurants and pubs in London will not have to display compulsory food hygiene ratings after the trade groups BHA and BBPA won a legal battle against the proposal.

Drake & Morgan founder named Outstanding Entrepreneur 2011

01-Apr-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Jillian MacLean, managing director of the rapidly expanding bar-restaurant firm Drake & Morgan, was nominated Outstanding Entrepreneur of the year in Women 1st’s Shine Awards held last night.

Thai New Year party at Mango Tree and water throwing at Street Thai

01-Apr-2011 By Becky Paskin

Restaurants, pubs and hotels including Mango Tree and Street Thai, tell us what they’re doing to attract customers this April.

Lottery funding to help pubs diversify

31-Mar-2011 By Graham Ridout

Licensees of rural pubs have been urged to look at the opportunities to improve their businesses via lottery funding.

Vertigo Lounge café bar to open in Hornchurch

30-Mar-2011 By Lorraine Heller

A new café bar concept, Vertigo Lounge, is to open in Hornchurch to target over 25 year-olds looking for a more ‘sophisticated’ social venue in the suburban northeast London town.

Peach takes on former Novelli pub in Harpenden

30-Mar-2011 By Becky Paskin

Peach Pubs has taken on its 14th venue, the former Jean-Christophe Novelli pub The White Horse in Harpenden, following the departure of its most recent owners Urban & Country earlier this year.

Morning Advertiser and Publican to merge

29-Mar-2011

William Reed Business Media (WRBM), the owner of BigHospitality, has bought the Publican and will merge the magazine with sister publication The Morning Advertiser from 7 April.

Service Standards: How to give great hospitality service

28-Mar-2011 By Becky Paskin

Improving your own service skills, as well as those of your staff, can make a noticeable difference in your business and the satisfaction of your customers.

ETM to open two pubs at London Montcalm Hotel

28-Mar-2011 By Becky Paskin

Tom and Ed Martin, owners of the eight-strong ETM Group, are to open two new pubs this summer on the site of Montcalm Hotels’ new five star property in the City.