Comment
The latest comment and opinion, 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.
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Apr- 2020 -28 April
Job support to be wound down, M&S dividend suspended, ventilator production slows, property market halts
Chancellor Rishi Sunack says he will wean the economy off his support schemes in a “gradual” wind-down, to help prevent soaring unemployment on ‘expiration day’. His announcement, made to MPs, came in response to concerns that a definite cut-off date would produce an explosion in redundancies and layoffs. Currently, the…
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28 April
‘Don’t Stop Now; Keep talking’: Why communication is still vital for businesses
When it comes to adapting your approach to deal with the current pandemic, going dark with your F&B business’ marketing and communications is the last thing you should be doing. Recent studies have already shown a 61% rise in social media engagement, compared to usual usage statistics. Therefore, whether your…
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27 April
Lockdown to persist says Johnson, clergy weigh in on behaviour of corona-corporations
The PM is back at his desk and says the lockdown must continue for the foreseeable future, and it would be premature to consider lifting now. After having been struck down with COVID-19 himself – and ending up in intensive care – the premier has finally convalesced and spoke from…
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27 April
How to keep your catering team safe and your environment clean
Although many catering operations have been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, there are many still in operation supporting both keyworkers and offering take-away services to those in lockdown. The challenge for these organisations is to maintain social distancing and high levels of hygiene within their kitchens and restaurant areas…
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24 April
Retail landlords reined in, France gets touch on tax havens, and insurers face biggest ever payouts
The government has banned landlords from using winding-up orders against their retail tenants, after aggressive rent collection tactics which threaten the future of retail businesses came to light. Tens of thousands of businesses in both retail and hospitality have found themselves unable to keep up with their rent during the…
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24 April
Skills redeployment in the Covid-19 age
Hospitality businesses and people are used to fielding knocks from world events but CV19 has dealt a staggering blow. Everyone is responding in their own way, as best they can, with the resources they have, and the UK hospitality sector is doing a seriously impressive job of it. Businesses have…
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23 April
Scarves for face-masks will be part of the government’s post-pandemic advice
The government will advise the use of homemade facemasks once the pandemic measures are sufficiently relaxed for people to go back to work. As it tries to make sure that surgical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) does not face supply issues for NHS workers, the government said scarves or ‘homemade cloth…
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22 April
Will there be coronavirus help for small company directors who are paid by dividend?
The financial plight of limited company directors has been raised by the Tory chairman of the Treasury select committee. Mel Stride, a former Treasury minister, said chancellor Rishi Sunak needs to view company directors as a tranche of people who have ‘slipped through the net’ of all the other largesse…
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22 April
The coronavirus diaries: Larkin Cen
A few weeks ago, we had no idea what the effects that Covid-19 would have on our industry. Unprecedented is probably the best word to describe it and overnight the whole economy was decimated. As the days have changed so too has the entire landscape of the country and I…
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22 April
‘It hit us like a tidal wave’: A story of success in a time of crisis
Hospitality is facing an unprecedented battle. Merely months ago, coronavirus was a geographically distant crisis, and few predicted the tsunami it would bring to every corner of the world. Within a matter of weeks, life as we know it has come to a screeching halt, with all sense of normality…
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