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 -1 April
Key take-outs for new takeaways: how to adapt your business during lockdown
Following the Government’s call to close cafes, pubs and restaurants, many establishments have taken the initiative to temporarily change their business models and operate solely as a ‘takeaway’ or delivery service. Customers are keen to show their support, as demonstrated by the widespread use of #supportlocal on social media. During…
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Mar- 2020 -31 March
What are your legal rights if your job has been affected by COVID-19?
Ever since the coronavirus outbreak gathered speed, life in the UK has largely been put on hold. From staff being unable to work due to self-isolation, to workers needing to stay at home to care for their children after schools were ordered to close, the impact on many businesses and…
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30 March
The minimum wage increase is about to hit – and it beggars belief
As if to bang the final nail into the coffin himself, we can only assume the Treasury’s top man, chancellor Rishi Sunak, refuses to give ground on the next wave to crash over the retail and hospitality industries. I am talking of course about the increase in the National Minimum…
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30 March
Eight business event catering tips for small budgets
Business networking events are an important strategic marketing opportunity for all companies, including small enterprises. But in an effort to impress important clients and valuable industry contacts, the temptation to overspend on hospitality and catering is huge. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 8 insider tips…
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27 March
What we know about furlough leave and the CJRS
HMRC published details of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) on 26.3.20 which are available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme Key points include: Employees that employers can claim CJRS for For the purposes of CJRS, the definition of employee would include workers and agency workers provided they are subject to PAYE i.e. this…
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27 March
Stay calm: How to take the coronavirus crisis one day at a time
As a restaurateur that’s been in the industry for many years and has overcome many challenges, I can safely say I have never faced anything as damaging to our business as the current Covid-19 crisis. However, it’s times like these that we all have to pull together to find solutions…
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26 March
Wetherspoons’ boss was right to withhold wages
The media and the Twitterati have had a field day vilifying the founder and owner of pub chain Wetherspoons over his decision not to pay his staff in light of the coronavirus restrictions. Tim Martin had sent an email to his 43,000 staff saying he could not afford to pay…
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26 March
Marketing Matters: Covid-19 all in this together
It seems like madness to carry on writing an ‘agony aunt’ column with the unprecedented changes in the industry at the moment. The idea that my answer to a marketing question will have any relevance at all is quite bizarre. Instead, I’d like to take some time to consider the…
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25 March
The darkest of days: Why the hospitality industry must come together
At the risk of stating the obvious, I’ve never witnessed anything like this during my 30+ years in the hospitality industry. The impact of COVID-19 was exacerbated last week by the Prime Minister’s initial decision to ‘advise’ people to avoid venues such as restaurants and subsequently by the government directive…
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24 March
The furloughs and loans are useless to small businesses
The small business community has been watching with great hope to see if the government will introduce measures that are useful for them to survive this period. Alas, those announced are absolutely useless for small companies, which make up an extremely significant portion of the UK economy. Coronavirus Business Interruption…
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