News
The News section on Catering Today delivers the latest updates and developments across the UK hospitality and catering industry. Covering restaurants, pubs, quick service brands, and catering groups, it reports on company announcements, market performance, government policy, and sector-wide trends. With a focus on commercial and operational impact, Catering Today’s news coverage keeps hospitality professionals informed of the events and decisions shaping business conditions and strategic opportunities across the sector.
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Mar- 2021 -17 March
Wright Brothers names Henry Harris as chef and beverage director
Seafood restaurant group Wright Brothers has appointed Henry Harris to the new role of chef and beverage director. In his new role, Harris will be responsible for food, drink and service in Wright Brothers’ four restaurants, and also oversee product development for the company’s online range. Harris – who is…
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17 March
SSP to raise £475m from shareholders
SSP Group, the airport and railway caterer, has announced its intentions to raise £475m from its shareholders through a fully underwritten 12 for 25 rights issue. The owner of Upper Crust and Camden Food Co has also secured an extension of its bank facilities to January 2024. The measures are…
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17 March
Star Pubs and Bars to charge tenants full rent from 21 June
Star Pubs and Bars, which is part of the Heineken group, has announced its tenants will return to paying rent in full after lockdown restrictions are eased from 21 June 2021. The group revealed it has invested a further £19m in lockdown rent concessions and has extended its 90% rent…
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17 March
Scottish hospitality to reopen on 26 April
First minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that lockdown restrictions affecting hospitality businesses in Scotland will be relaxed as soon as next month, in an announcement made yesterday (16 March). From 26 April, cafes, restaurants and bars will be permitted to serve people outside in groups of up to six from…
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16 March
Greggs swings to £13.7m FY20 loss
Greggs has posted a £13.7m loss-before-tax for the 53 weeks ended 2 January 2021, down from profits of £108.3m in 2019. The group attributed its first annual loss since the firm became a listed business in 1984 to “lower-than-normal sales levels” throughout the pandemic. The company’s revenues for the period…
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16 March
Brewdog and The Skills Network launch employee learning academy
Online learning solutions provider, The Skills Network has launched the ‘BrewDog Academy’ to host online courses for employees at Scottish-based brewery and pub chain BrewDog – to help them access and gain national qualifications. The fully-funded courses – which will reach 2000 of the chain’s employees – are also available…
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16 March
Number of UK breweries rose by 7.5% in 2020
The number of breweries in the UK increased by 7.5% in 2020, according to research carried out by UHY Hacker Young. There are now 3,000 breweries in the country, despite pub and bar closures resulting from pandemic lockdowns. In 2020, pubs were closed for 161 days, which is around 44%…
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16 March
ISS appoints new country manager for UK and Ireland
ISS has announced that Liz Benison will join as new country manager for the UK and Ireland on 1 May 2021. The company which has an integrated food service division, stated that Andrew Price, who is currently the interim country manager for the UK and Ireland, will assist Benison with…
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16 March
Nightcap racks up over £300,000 in lockdown costs
Nightcap has announced that it incurred costs of £318,342 for Q4 of 2020, with the group unable to offset the losses with any turnover. The group, owned by Sarah Willingham, completed its first acquisition of London Cocktail Club (LCC) on 13 January 2021, after the period ended. Therefore, Nightcap acted…
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15 March
Scottish trade bodies offer gov route out of lockdown
Scottish Hospitality Group, UK Hospitality Scotland, Scottish Licensed Trade Association, Night Time Industries Association and the Scottish Beer and Pub Association have written to the government setting out a “pragmatic approach that will avoid catastrophic business failure across the sector”. A united set of recommendations from organisations representing Scotland’s hospitality…
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