Coronavirus

The Coronavirus section on Catering Today analyses the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK hospitality and catering industry. It reports on government policy, financial support schemes, workforce challenges, and recovery strategies affecting restaurants, pubs, and catering operators. With expert analysis, business case studies, and commentary, this coverage helps hospitality professionals understand how the sector has adapted to changing regulations, consumer expectations, and long-term shifts in trading conditions post-pandemic.

Jul- 2020 -

10 July

Oakman Inns appoints new CEO and chair as sales slide 17%

Oakman Inns has announced a series of board changes including the appointment of Dermot King as chief executive, also revealing that FY sales fell by 17% due to Covid-19. Prior to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Oakman revealed it was “trading well” with LFL sales up 4.3% year to…
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10 July

Cereal Killer Cafè closes two London sites

The founders of the Cereal Killer Cafè have announced the permanent closure of two of their London sites, attributing the coronavirus lockdown and industry uncertainty to the decision. In a statement posted on Facebook, brothers Alan and Gary Keery said they would be saying “Cheerio” to their cafes, “for now”,…
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9 July

Arrest over suspected furlough fraud

A West Midlands man has been arrested as part of an HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigation into a suspected £495,000 Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) fraud. HMRC officers executed a search warrant yesterday (8 July 2020) in the Solihull area and arrested the 57-year-old. This is the first arrest…
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9 July

Chancellor cuts hospitality VAT to 5%

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a new scheme to pay companies £1,000 bonus per employee for those they keep on until January on part pay. Sunak said if employers bring back all nine million people who have been furloughed, this will be a “£9bn policy to retain people in work”.…
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9 July

Industry reacts to Sunak’s summer statement

The hospitality sector has widely welcomed the series of measures announced by the chancellor in his “summer statement” yesterday, with UKHospitality saying it is “reassuring” that he singled out hospitality and tourism as a “vital part” of the UK’s economy. Yesterday (8 July), along with a £9bn retention scheme that…
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9 July

Brighton’s The Fix to permanently close

Brighton-based cocktail bar The Fix, within Artist Residence hotel has announced its permanent closure. Chef Dan Kennedy confirmed the closure via an Instagram post, which said: “Sad news unfortunately. We won’t be returning. “Covid-19 has hit our industry hard and made it too difficult for us to now run this…
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9 July

Burger King warns it may shut 10% of sites

Burger King UK has warned it may be forced to permanently close up to 10% of its restaurants. Speaking to the BBC, CEO Alasdair Murdoch said these closures could also lead to more than 1,600 job losses across its estate. He warned that government schemes “do not do enough” to…
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8 July

30,000 jobs at risk, warns Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective

A survey of more than 100 independent pubs, cafes, restaurants and event caterers has estimated that at least 30,000 job losses are expected in the Welsh hospitality sector, the Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective (WRC) has warned. The survey was carried out on 4- July, and came as pubs, cafes and…
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6 July

Pret set to slash 1,000 jobs and shutter 30 stores

Pret a Manger is reportedly set to slash almost 1,000 staff roles and shutter 30 of its 450 UK stores amid spiralling sales. According to a report by the Financial Times, Pret’s CEO, Pano Christou, said today (6 July) that the chain is facing a “significant restructuring of the business”,…
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6 July

Freak Scene Soho to close permanently

Pan-Asian restaurant Freak Scene in London’s Soho has announced its permanent closure post-lockdown. In an Instagram post, founder Scott Hallsworth said: “Freak Scene in Soho will not be reopening. “A combination of expensive real estate, greedy landlords and Covid-19 means we’ve now come to the end of chapter two of…
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