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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Feb- 2021 -17 February
Hummingbird Bakery bought out of administration
The Hummingbird Bakery, a London-based bakery chain, has announced that it has been acquired by Acropolis Capital. The American-styled bakery group has been bought through a pre-pack administration process, securing its ongoing operation in Notting Hill, South Kensington, and Spitalfields. Through the acquisition, the group has protected over 60 jobs,…
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16 February
29,000 pubs will stay closed if outdoor service is allowed, warns BBPA
The British Beer and Pub Association has warned that it believes 29,000 pubs – 60% of all pubs in the UK – will still remain closed if just outdoor service is permitted at pubs from April. The figure comes as speculation suggests the government is considering allowing outdoor service in…
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16 February
JD Wetherspoon boss calls for pubs to reopen alongside shops
Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has said the pub industry is “on its knees” and that pubs across the UK need to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops to save the industry and associated jobs. Martin, who oversees the operations of 872 pub venues in the UK, said the…
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16 February
Searcy’s named catering partner at Royal College Surgeons of England
One of the UK’s oldest events caterer and restaurateur, Searcys, has announced it has been appointed the new catering partner for the Royal College of Surgeons of England. From May 2021, Searcys will commence providing hospitality services for the RCS for the next seven years. It said it will provide…
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16 February
Mitchells & Butlers seeks £350m cash injection
Mitchells and Butlers has announced its intention to raise £350m through an underwritten open offer. The proposed offer, which follows an original announcement on 7 January 2021, will include a facility for shareholders to apply for any shares not currently held. A £150m three-year unsecured revolving credit facility has also…
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15 February
Over 160 hospitality CEOs urge chancellor to back sector in 2021
Over 160 CEOs from the UK’s leading hospitality businesses, employing hundreds of thousands of people, have written to the chancellor ahead of next month’s Budget. The letter, coordinated by trade body UKHospitality, calls for decisive support to help the sector survive, rebuild and drive the economic recovery and highlights two…
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15 February
Brighton Pier Group receives £1.4m payout from insurers
The Brighton Pier Group has announced that to date, it has received interim payments from its insurers totalling £1.4m in respect of Covid-related losses. The group, which owns and operates Brighton Palace Pier as well as indoor mini-golf sites and premium bars, had previously lodged claims with its insurers for…
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15 February
Deliveroo calls for rerun of EOTHO scheme
Deliveroo and 300 restaurant groups have urged the government to reimplement the Eat Out to Help Out scheme (EOTHO) when the hospitality sector eventually reopens. According to the delivery service, the 50% discount scheme which was first launched last August by chancellor Rishi Sunak would help support struggling restaurants that…
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15 February
Court files show Grant Thornton’s alleged Patisserie Valerie audit errors
FRP Advisory, the liquidator to Patisserie Valerie, has filed legal documents describing Grant Thornton’s alleged errors in its auditing of the cafe chain. According to the Sunday Times, FRP claims that Grant Thornton’s “negligence” led Patisserie Valerie’s bosses to unknowingly allow the firm to run out of funds after undisclosed…
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12 February
Scottish hospitality has <1% infection rate among staff, says SHG
Members of the Scottish Hospitality Group, who employ over 6000 people, have revealed that there have been only 32 positive cases of Covid-19 among staff since July. The group said eight of those were between July and October – the period before the Scottish tier system was introduced and in…
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