Coronavirus

Aug- 2020 -

18 August

Sales jump 30% during second week of Eat Out to Help Out scheme

The second week of the Eat Out to Help Out (EOTHO) initiative saw a 30% increase in sales compared with the week before the scheme started, new research from Fourth has revealed. However, the research shows there was a slight drop off in sales for the second week when compared…

13 August

Hospitality sector urged to support customer tracing schemes

UKHospitality (UKH) has “reiterated” the importance of hospitality businesses to playing their part in supporting the test and trace schemes across the UK. The trade association’s recent member survey results showed that the vast majority of businesses (more than nine out of 10) are taking appropriate measures to record customer…

12 August

Manchester pubs flouting guidance, undercover report finds

Pubs and bars in a Manchester borough are ignoring Covid-19 guidance and potentially endangering customers, an undercover Sky News investigation has found. A team of undercover reporters posed as walk-in customers at a range of pubs and bars in a Greater Manchester suburb, and discovered the majority of sites were…

12 August

UK in recession following 20% GDP slump

The UK economy has entered into a “technical recession” following a “record” fall in gross domestic product (GDP) during the second quarter of the year. According to the Office for National Statistics, GDP slumped by 20.4% between April and June 2020, compared with the 2.2% drop seen during Q1 2020…

11 August

Domino’s welcomes ‘resilient’ performance despite profit hit

Domino’s UK and Ireland has welcomed a “resilient” UK and Ireland performance in its half-year results, with UK like-for-like sales up 4.8% in the period ended 28 June, 2020. In its second quarter, however, collection orders were down by 87% as this service was halted amid lockdown, though delivery orders…

10 August

Pubs ahead of restaurants in reopenings, says CGA

The pattern of reopening across hospitality sites has been “uneven” since lockdown eased, according to the latest Market Recovery Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners. Some 62% of Britain’s licensed premises were trading again by the end of July, though pubs were ahead of restaurants, and sites in London “lagged behind…

7 August

Eat Out to Help Out boost praised by operators

Restaurant and pub operators such as Nando’s, Oakman Inns and Hawksmoor, have praised the new Eat Out to Help Out scheme as a “great example of government support” after seeing sales improvement during its first week. Eat Out to Help Out offers customers 50% off their food or non-alcoholic drinks…

4 August

Fitzrovia‘s Oklava Bakery + Wine closes for ‘foreseeable future’

Chef Selin Kiazim has announced the recently reopened Oklava Bakery and Wine in London’s Fitzrovia has closed for the “foreseeable future”. In an Instagram post, Kiazim said: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Oklava Bakery + Wine has now closed for the foreseeable future. “Oklava…

3 August

Eat Out to Help Out launches with 72,000 sites signed up

The government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme officially launches today (3 August) with over 72,000 establishments signed up. Anyone visiting a participating restaurant, café or pub on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August will receive the half price discount. The scheme – part of the government’s ‘Plan for Jobs’…

1 August

Casual Dining Group falls into administration

The owner of Bella Italia and Café Rouge, Casual Dining Group, has fallen into administration. According to a report by the BBC, almost 1,900 of the group’s 6,000 strong workforce have been made redundant, with 91 sites closing their doors for good. The BBC said AlixPartners, the appointed administrators, will…