Features

The latest exclusive features, from industry figures and the business journalists at Catering Today. We bring you the latest on what’s happening in the restaurants, bars and catering industry, with exclusive stories, analysis, best practice and industry comment.

Oct- 2025 -

14 October

How international students are influencing the UK’s food scene

International students and diaspora communities are increasingly influencing the UK’s hospitality sector. Their appetite for genuine flavours and cultural familiarity is creating new opportunities for businesses willing to embrace global cuisines, ultimately shaping menus, delivery app offerings, and high street food trends nationwide. From bubble tea and hotpot to Korean…
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6 October

25 years of Aqua: David Yeo’s vision for experiential dining

Yeo’s path to the restaurant world was anything but conventional. Born in Singapore and educated at Cambridge, he trained as a lawyer before spending nearly two decades at Freshfields and Credit Suisse in London. Yet, outside of courtrooms and boardrooms, Yeo’s reputation as a consummate host was already forming. Friends…
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Sep- 2025 -

22 September

What effect will Labour’s proposed business rates reform have ahead of the budget?

After years of pressure from hospitality businesses and the trade organisations that represent them, the government has finally relented. Last week it revealed its proposed changes to the business rates system in England and Wales. Despite this positive news, it remains to be seen how this reform fits in with…
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Aug- 2025 -

28 August

From high streets to hotels: Piccolino’s new chapter

For the second consecutive year, privately owned hospitality group Individual Restaurants has reported record turnover, achieving £76m in sales and 4% growth despite what it describes as a “challenging market.” Now, the company is looking beyond its traditional estate. Alongside new openings and refurbishments, it has branched into hotels for…
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21 August

Ebb and flow or terminal decline: the state of summer hospitality jobs

For generations, the “Great British summer job” has been a rite of passage. Students pulling pints in pub gardens, teenagers serving fish and chips on the pier, and young workers scooping ice creams at busy seaside resorts all became part of the seasonal rhythm of hospitality. These short-term roles give…
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12 August

Are the delivery apps too big to fail?

Last month, Just Eat launched Just Eat Plus, a membership service offering free delivery and special deals from certain restaurants for a fixed monthly fee. This followed in the footsteps of Deliveroo which launched a similar service back in 2017. This move is the latest ploy to drive profitability at…
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8 August

Could Gusto’s fall signal a casual dining scene in crisis?

Italian restaurant chain Gusto, once seen as a staple of mid-market dining in the UK, has become the latest brand to fall victim to the sector’s mounting structural and economic challenges. On 29 July, the 13-site operator entered administration before being swiftly acquired via a pre-pack deal by Cherry Equity…
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Jul- 2025 -

25 July

Can leadership programmes solve hospitality’s recruitment woes?

The UK hospitality sector is facing one of its most significant challenges in years. According to UKHospitality, the industry has shed 69,000 jobs since October 2024, a sharp reversal from the previous year when 18,000 roles were created in the same period. Job losses in the sector have been three…
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8 July

Brace for impact: how hospitality must prepare for the Employment Rights Bill

The government has set a phased timeline for rolling out changes under the Employment Rights Bill. The most complex reforms, including guaranteed hours and enhanced protections from unfair dismissal, will not take effect until 2027. Before then, employers will face a series of earlier reforms. From April 2026, new rules…
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4 July

Loungefest: the day hospitality pauses to party

Ragley Hall was responsible for hosting “the biggest bash in hospitality” – Loungefest 2025 – earlier this month. By mid-morning, coaches carrying Lounge’s whole staff had begun arriving from Durham, Southampton, West Wales, and nearly every town in between. For all of Loungers’ people to participate, nearly 300 venues –…
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