News
The latest industry news from 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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Jul- 2020 -28 July
Frankie & Benny’s to open a further 15 sites
Frankie and Benny’s has announced the reopening of a further 15 restaurants that have, taking the total number of reopened sites to 35 by the end of the month. The restaurant chain said it has followed “strict” Government and Public Health England guidelines and has worked “incredibly hard” to put…
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28 July
Greggs swings to £65.2m HY loss
Greggs has reported a pre-tax loss of £65.2m during the 26 weeks to June 27, compared with a £36.7m profit last year. During the six month period, the food-to-go specialist reported a 45% decrease in like-for-like sales to £300.6m, compared with £546.3m in the same period last year. Gross profit…
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28 July
Hospitality sector loses £30bn in Q2
Sales across the UK’s hospitality sector plummeted by 87% in the second quarter of 2020, equivalent to nearly £30bn in lost revenue, according to the latest UKHospitality Tracker. The “catastrophic” loss follows the widespread lockdown of restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, and other hospitality venues from mid-March. In light of this,…
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27 July
‘Overwhelming’ number of guests satisfied with safety standards
An “overwhelming” number of consumers (94%) who have visited pubs, restaurants and bars in England in the two weeks since reopening were satisfied with the safety steps in venues they visited. This is according to responses via the ‘We hear you’ initiative, launched by the CGA, UKHospitality and Yumpingo, which…
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27 July
Mandatory calorie labelling ‘slap in the face’ to hospitality
UKHospitality CEO, Kate Nicholls, has warned the costs of the implementation of mandatory calorie labelling on menus will be a “slap in the face” for hospitality, after the government revealed a series of measures to target obesity. The measures form part of the government’s new obesity strategy to get the…
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27 July
Creams welcomes ‘record’ sales
Creams has welcomed a “strong performance” in the full-year ended 31 March 2020, with group sales up by 3% year-on-year to £43.4m. The dessert chain welcomed the results against the backdrop of a “challenging” period in the casual dining market in light of the “severe” impact of Covid. In its…
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27 July
Marston’s and Carlsberg UK’s joint venture delayed
Pub operator Marston’s has announced its merger with brewing company Carlsberg UK has been delayed, pending a review by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Marston’s had expected the deal, which is worth a total of £780m, to be completed in the third quarter of this year, but this has…
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24 July
Hospitality trade improves in second week of opening
Managed pubs, bars and restaurants that have reopened in England reported lifted sales in their second week of trading. According to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker data from CGA, sales remain “well below” pre-Covid levels, with collective like-for-like sales down by 31.6% in the week beginning 13 July. However,…
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24 July
Hospitality shifts down 68% on pre-lockdown levels, research finds
The hospitality industry is missing out on a “crucial post-lockdown renaissance” with shifts down 68.9% on pre-lockdown levels, according to new research by Wagestream. The group said that even in England, where pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes have been able to open since 4 July , the number of shifts…
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24 July
Event catering in the era of the coronavirus
Easily one of the most thriving industries prior to the pandemic, the events, hospitality, and food sectors are now struggling to get back into the rhythm of serving the public. Even the best restaurants in London have found themselves facing persistent challenges regarding kitchens and back-of-house provisions. Though some welcome…
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