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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Aug- 2020 -11 August
Hospitality Ulster urges NI executive to create ‘financial rescue package’
Trade body Hospitality Ulster has called on the Northern Ireland executive to create a “financial rescue package” for staff and owners of traditional non-food pubs to avert mass redundancies and business closures as a new indicative date for reopening moves to 1 September. The organisation has stated that the call…
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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…
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10 August
Pret A Manger reduces staff working hours
Embattled sandwich chain Pret A Manger has reduced the working hours of its staff in a bid to retain jobs. It comes as the group’s sales are currently down 65% compared with pre-Covid levels. In London sales are down 80%, where the challenges are reportedly most acute. It said that…
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10 August
22,000 restaurant jobs lost so far in 2020, double 2019 total
The number of jobs lost across the embattled restaurant and casual dining sector so far this year is already nearly double the amount shed during the whole of 2019. Figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research show so far a total 22,039 jobs were lost across large restaurant groups…
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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…
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10 August
The Great British Beer Festival goes virtual
The Great British Beer Festival, which usually takes place this week at Olympia in London, is making its virtual debut from 11-13 September 2020. For the first time ever, visitors to CAMRA’s beer event can purchase a ticket to a weekend of live beer tastings that will run from 2pm…
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7 August
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme – Its strength and weaknesses
With over millions of individuals and businesses put at a stand still, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage daily life as we knew it before. One of the most hard-hit areas is the food industry, as diners and even takeaway hopefuls are wary of seeking out outside food due to…
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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…
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7 August
JD Wetherspoon to axe up to 130 head office roles
JD Wetherspoon has warned that up to 130 positions in its head office could be at risk of redundancy, following a restructuring of the group. The company confirmed it has written to all 417 employees at its head office, including those who are regionally based, to inform them of the…
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7 August
No trade-off needed between pubs and schools, says BBPA
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has refuted claims that a trade-off is needed between pubs and schools, to enable schools to reopen in September. The trade association has said that the government has made it clear it does not need to nationally close pubs to reopen schools, but…
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