Casual Dining

United We Stand

Food4Heroes breaks £250,000 fundraising mark

05-May-2020 By Restaurant

More than £250,000 has been raised by charity Food4Heroes since its launch a month ago.

Bounce Back Loan scheme receives 100,000 applications on first day

05-May-2020 By James McAllister

Around 100,000 small businesses have reportedly applied for a ‘Bounce Back Loan’ on the first day of the scheme.

United We Stand

Fundraiser set up to ensure the future of ‘the beating heart of Soho'

05-May-2020 By Stefan Chomka

A fundraising campaign to secure the future of iconic Soho establishment The French House, home to one of the UK's best rest restaurants, has reached almost £30,000 towards its goal.

Asif Muhammad: “The music stops when the cash runs out”

05-May-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Restaurant consultant and Macellaio RC director Asif Muhammad has advised restaurant operators to keep cash within their businesses at all costs.

Chancellor says there will be "no cliff-edge" to JRS

05-May-2020 By James McAllister

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has sought to reassure businesses by saying there will be “no cliff-edge” to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS).

Reopening restaurants during social distancing “impossible and implausible”

05-May-2020 By Stefan Chomka

A number of London’s top restaurateurs have pushed back at the idea of reopening their venues while physical distancing measures designed to curb the spread of Coronavirus are in place.

NTIA and Hiscox Action Group join forces to take on insurer (updated)

04-May-2020 By James McAllister

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and Hiscox Action Group say they have joined forces to put pressure on Hiscox Insurance to pay out on its business interruption policies.

Holborn Dining Room teams up with butcher to support NHS

04-May-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Calum Franklin and his sous chef at Holborn Dining Room Nokx Majozi have teamed up with Drings Butchers to raise funds for the NHS staff at their local hospital.

Three London hotels to be temporarily converted into Coronavirus isolation centres

04-May-2020 By James McAllister

Three hotels in London are to be temporarily converted into isolation centres to accommodate patients who are recovering from Coronavirus.

“Eight weeks to save the nation’s high streets from Armageddon”

04-May-2020 By Joe Lutrario

UK High Streets are on the brink of collapse as the eight-week countdown to the next quarterly rent instalment begins today.

Ireland plans to reopen restaurants in June

04-May-2020 By James McAllister

Restaurants in Ireland could be allowed to reopen as early as June if the spread of the Coronavirus is controlled.

Azzurri and Prezzo draft in advisors to consider options

04-May-2020 By James McAllister

Two of the UK’s major casual dining players have individually drafted in consultants to help negotiate the fallout from the ongoing Coronavirus shutdown.

Comment

Delivering the goods now but also for the longer term?

04-May-2020 By Ted Schama

Restaurants moving to delivery is an innovation borne through a desire to remain in business, but is one that is likely to remain a permanent feature in the new normal.

McDonald's approaches landlords seeking rent cut

04-May-2020 By James McAllister

McDonald’s is reportedly in talks with some of its landlords in the UK about cutting rent payments.

Tory MPs call on Chancellor to deliver further support for hospitality

04-May-2020 By James McAllister

A group of 85 Conservative MPs have written to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, calling for a specific support package for the hospitality and tourism sectors.

United we stand

Coronavirus: the positive hospitality industry moves

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

A weekly round-up of the positive action the hospitality industry is taking to fight back.

McDonald's to begin reopening sites for delivery later this month

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

McDonald’s UK CEO Paul Pomroy has announced that 15 of the fast food chain’s restaurants are to reopen for delivery on 13 May.

Rent remains core concern for hospitality owners

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

Research from the latest CGA Business Confidence survey shows confidence between restaurant, pub and bar owners in the UK is at rock bottom.

GCG joins forced with Burger & Lobster to launch meat delivery business

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

The Global Craftsman Group (GCG), which owns restaurant brands Goodman, Beast, and Zelman Meats, has teamed up with Burger & Lobster to launch a delivery venture.

Friday Five: The week's top news

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

As the Coronavirus crisis continues to dominate the headlines, we round-up some of the main stories regarding how it has affected the hospitality industry in the past week.

Former Jamie Oliver group CEO joins TRG's newly combined leisure and concessions arm

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

Former Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group chief executive Jon Knight has joined The Restaurant Group (TRG) as managing director of leisure and concessions.

Outlook for hospitality sector remains gloomy as Government prepares to deliver plan to restart economy

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

The Prime Minister has said the Government will deliver a “comprehensive plan” next week on how the Coronavirus lockdown may be eased, and how it intends to restart the British economy.

Pret reopens 20 more sites in the capital

01-May-2020 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger is to reopen a further 20 sites in London today (1 May), having found a way to operate for takeaway and deliveries safely while the Coronavirus crisis is ongoing.

The Lowdown: Vilnius

30-Apr-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The Lithuanian capital is temporarily giving public spaces to its restaurants and bars to help them comply with physical distancing rules.

Wetherspoon plans to reopen sites "in or around" June

30-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

JD Wetherspoon has announced that it is currently planning to reopen its venues "in or around" June.

United we stand

Yard Sale's Johnnie Tate: "The focus isn’t on making money, it’s on survival”

30-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Yard Sale Pizza co-founder Johnnie Tate has described the first few weeks after the Coronavirus lockdown was announced as an “extremely hectic period” for the business.

Tripadvisor cuts 25% of workforce due to the pandemic

30-Apr-2020 By Restaurant

Tripadvisor has cut 900 jobs - equating to a quarter of it total workforce - due to the effects of the Coronvirus pandemic on its business.

Boparan in exclusive talks to acquire Carluccio’s

30-Apr-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Sky News is reporting that Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner owner Boparan is in exclusive talks to acquire Carluccio’s, which collapsed last month.

Action group launched to support businesses struggling to secure insurance payouts

30-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

A new industry-wide action group has launched to support hospitality businesses who are wrestling with insurers to secure payouts under their business interruption policies.

United We Stand

D&D London CEO lobbies Government for inclusion of tronc in UK furlough scheme

30-Apr-2020 By Stefan Chomka

D&D London chairman and CEO Des Gunewardena has written to the Chancellor to lobby the inclusion of tronc payments in the UK furlough scheme after revealing that some UK staff are only receiving around 50% of their normal earnings through the Job...

TGI Fridays to reopen 24 of its sites next week

30-Apr-2020 By Joe Lutrario

TGI Fridays will reopen nearly a third of its estate mid next week for click and collect and home delivery.

Calls grow for Government to amend and extend JRS

29-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Pressure is mounting on the Government to both extend its Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS), and amend elements of it to allow for flexibility.

Kricket's co-founder on how delivery might fill the gap post lockdown

29-Apr-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Rik Campbell believes that delivery and takeaway could support some restaurants through a tricky post-lockdown trading environment.

Bao team to launch delivery-only rice box concept

28-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

The team behind London’s popular Taiwanese steamed buns restaurant Bao is to launch a delivery-only rice box concept.

Nando’s trials public delivery from select restaurant sites

28-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Nando’s has confirmed that six of its UK restaurant sites across London and Manchester have reopened for delivery as part of a “controlled experiment”.

Wing Fest’s founder on how the pandemic is affecting events and street food

28-Apr-2020 By Joe Lutrario

With social distancing rules likely to be in place until the end of the year there’s a big question mark over 2020’s food festivals and other larger food-related events.

Sam's Riverside raises over £40,000 through gift voucher sales

28-Apr-2020 By Joe Lutrario

West London restaurant Sam's Riverside has sold over £40,000 worth of gift vouchers following a fundraising drive on GoFundMe.

Chancellor unveils 100% state-backed loan scheme for UK’s smallest businesses

27-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new small business loan scheme that will come with a 100% state-backed guarantee.

Burger King pushes ahead with lockdown exit plan

27-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Burger King is reportedly planning to reopen 10 more UK sites a week for delivery as part of a lockdown exit plan.

Prezzo expands income streaming availability to all furloughed staff

27-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Italian casual-dining chain Prezzo has expanded its income streaming availability to all 3,000 staff, to help them access their furlough pay early during the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.

Greggs sets out plan to reopen entire estate by July

27-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Greggs CEO Roger Whiteside has laid out a plan to have all 2,050 of the bakery chain’s UK branches open again by the beginning of July.

16 Hospitality falls into administration

27-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Cheshire-based pub operator 16 Hospitality has entered administration.

Shake Shack reopening two sites for takeaway and delivery

27-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Shake Shack is to reopen two of its London locations for takeaway and delivery this week, having closed its entire UK estate last month in line with Government orders.

Survey shows that less than 1% of businesses have successfully claimed on interruption insurance

27-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Fewer than 1% of hospitality businesses have successfully managed to claim on their business interruption insurance according to an industry survey carried out by trade body UKHospitality.

Campaign launched to force insurers to honour business interruption clauses

27-Apr-2020 By Joe Lutrario

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to fund support and possible legal action over many insurers refusal to pay out for business interruption during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Friday Five: The week's top news

24-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

As the Coronavirus crisis continues to dominate the headlines, we round-up some of the main stories regarding how it has affected the hospitality industry in the past week.

Wahaca appoints PwC to explore finance options

24-Apr-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Wahaca has appointed advisors at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to review its finances amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

Chancellor considering 100% state-backed loan guarantees for smallest businesses

24-Apr-2020 By Restaurant

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering offering 100% state-backed guarantees on loans to smallest businesses of up to £25,000.

Government updates JRS guidance to confirm the exclusion of tronc

24-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Updated Government guidance has stipulated that tronc payments cannot be claimed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS), a move that’s been described as “disastrous” for furloughed hospitality employees.

Pret A Manger partners with Just Eat and UberEats to expand delivery

24-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

Pret A Manger has expanded its delivery reach by partnering with both Just Eat and UberEats.