The UK is has proved one of the toughest markets to crack for US beef, but restaurateurs are now showing more and more interest, according to the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
New research suggests that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are facing severe challenges when trying to access financing – could crowdfunding fill the gap?
From OTAs to Tripadvisor, the rise of mobile and the growing importance of social media, the hospitality sector is facing huge digital disruption. So how will emerging trends shape hotel marketing? And how can hotels best target customers as they move...
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...
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.
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.
Recent results from the UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) released by the Institute of Customer Service showed that 44% of customers used digital methods to interact with companies in the tourism sector, the highest percentage from all sectors surveyed.
Offering package deals through online travel agencies (OTAs) can be beneficial for UK hotels located near international airports, if they are willing to offer a ‘substantial’ discount.
A number of pub and restaurant groups came together last week to benchmark their energy consumption efficiency and discuss the impact it has on their profits and environmental impact.
Barclays’ Tourist Dynamics report 2014 estimates that spend on hospitality is set to rise rapidly by 2017 as spending from growing numbers of foreign tourists is predicted to reach over £27bn.
Restaurants' use of social media was a key topic at Hotelympia 2014 where Mars Foodservice UK announced the launch of its social media training workshops for chefs.
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.
London’s chefs are getting increasingly creative to get around the city’s crushing real estate costs, permanently changing the whole dining experience, according to chefs and food critics.
Glasgow hotels enjoyed their highest occupancy levels for 15 years in 2013/14, breaking the 80 per cent barrier for the first time since record-keeping began in 1999.
A number of discussions at Hotelympia 2014 focused on the importance of getting young people into careers in hospitality, with initiatives like the Big Hospitality Conversation and Act Now On Apprenticeships taking centre stage and calling for businesses...
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.
Ninety per cent of British travellers are planning at least one domestic trip in 2014, up from 84% last year, and almost all of them choose holidays based on special offers.
The new conference menus implemented across the Holiday Inn estate have been ‘the icing on the cake’ when it comes to the brand’s increased focus on the MICE market, with research revealing a significant increase in mental competence among delegates that...
Hospitality operators understand that offering the chance to stay connected whilst enjoying a coffee or taking a business trip can win new customers and attract repeat visits. However, many brands aren’t doing enough to maximise the potential sales revenue...
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.
Ed’s Easy Diner, the 24-strong 1950s-style American diner chain, has topped the 2014 Zolfo Cooper Profit Tracker - a list of the 50 fastest-growing restaurant and bar companies.
Chief executive of People 1st Brian Wisdom has criticised the latest Government report on gender in boardrooms for not taking into account organisations with active strategies for encouraging women at all levels.
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.
‘A new era is dawning’ for T.G.I Friday’s as the American restaurant chain today announced it will be opening its first outlet at a key transport hub under a newly created quick-service format.
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.
According to a new report from Innova Market Insights, free-from foods are moving into the mainstream, with people now opting to avoid gluten and dairy for lifestyle reasons as well as food intolerances and allergies.
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.
Hotels, restaurants and pubs are picking up the tab for more than £1.3bn of the annual £2.5bn bill for food waste across the UK’s hospitality and food service industry (HaFS). WRAP’s Hospitality and Food Service manager, Charlotte Henderson, looks at...
The hospitality and tourism sector has welcomed Sajid Javid into his new role as Culture Secretary, with Maria Miller’s replacement coming in at a time when the 'staycation' trend remains strong and international visitor spend has hit record...
Young people still value good customer service when they visit restaurants, with price and convenience also influencing choice, according to new research from Voxburner.
Hospitality businesses across the UK are set to benefit from a £2bn boost to the economy as British parents will fork out an average of £478.25 over the Easter holiday.
Prezzo, the Jonathan Kaye-led restaurant group, has reported a 13 per cent rise in adjusted EBITDA to £28.9m in the year to 29 December on revenue up 15 per cent to £166.5m, and said it planned to open 25-30 new sites by the end of this year.
Record visitor numbers, movement in the MICE market and resurgence in the regions should drive further growth in the UK hotel sector this year, according to business advisors BDO LLP.
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.
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.
PizzaExpress is looking to grab an even bigger slice of the UK’s ever-growing lunch market with a major revamp of its menu to include cheaper ‘Express’ items available to take away.
There have been further signs of recovery in the UK hotel market, with investment volumes for 2014 on track to exceed £3.5bn, according to a new report from property experts Savills.
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.
Whether it was his advice for young chefs, his memories of working with Gordon Ramsay or his plans for the year ahead, Mark Sargeant revealed all in our Twitter Q&A – here’s a full recap of what he said…
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.
