- There was mixed news for the hospitality industry in this week’s Budget. Despite a freeze in beer, cider and spirits duty, the Chancellor was accused of 'neglecting' English wine and there were warnings that the sugar tax could turn sour with extra costs for operators.
- Darwin & Wallace has been chosen as the only pub company to open at the £8bn Battersea Power Station development. The independent group will join other restaurant, bakery and coffee shop businesses at the Circus West site when it opens next year.
- Veganism is starting to make its mark on the high street, with Zizzi becoming the latest restaurant chain to launch a meat and dairy free menu. It comes after Wetherspoon’s introduced a separate vegetarian and vegan menu across its 900+ sites last week.
- It was National Apprenticeship Week and the hospitality industry has been throwing its support behind the initiative. Hotel du Vin is set to hire apprentice chefs in each of its 33 hotels and Greene King pledged to take on 10,000 trainees over the next three years.
- Finally, it was announced on Monday that the National Minimum Wage will rise again in October 2016, but what does this mean for hospitality?
For a full rundown of this week's news click here.