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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Jan- 2020 -8 January
Wetherspoon expands plans for Wolverhampton project
JD Wetherspoon has submitted plans to expand its current £7m redevelopment scheme for its Wolverhampton pub and hotel site, The Moon Under Water. The “ambitious redevelopment” will see the pub chain establish its national Heritage Centre at the site, as well as convert the upper floors into a hotel. The…
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7 January
SushiDog to open first bricks and mortar site
Sushidog has announced the opening of its second site in Covent Garden, amid plans for future expansion across the capital. The 300 sq ft unit will be the first bricks and mortar site for the brand. SushiDog was founded in August 2017 by Greg Ilsen and Nick Goldstein, who later…
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7 January
Michelin-starred chef Aktar Islam closes Legna restaurant
Michelin-starred chef Aktar Islam has closed Birmingham-based Legna restaurant, just one year after opening. A statement on the restaurant website confirmed that “Legna is now closed for the month of January” and directed customers to Islam’s two other restaurants Pulperia, which is opening early this year and Argentinan resturant, Opheem.…
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7 January
UK hospitality workers face ‘unpredictable’ employment climate
Some 9% of scheduled shifts are cancelled and a further 19% are altered, according to research from management platform Deputy. Deputy used data from over 1.6m shifts worked in hospitality during 2019. The cancellations and alterations found were attributed to either employees or employers making shift changes. However, the research…
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6 January
Burger King launches meat-free burger targeting flexitarians
Burger has launched its new plant-based Rebel Whopper burger which is unsuitable for vegetarians and vegans and is instead aimed at the increasing flexitarian market. The new burger features a soy-based patty but will be cooked on the same grills as its meat-filled counterparts. The burger, which is available from…
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6 January
Compass Group chairman to exit
Paul Walsh, chairman of contract food service company Compass Group, has revealed he is to step down from the position. Walsh, who is also the director of the company, said he is leaving the group in order to focus on his “other business interests”. Compass Group said Walsh will remain…
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6 January
Fewer closures but more job losses in casual dining, research finds
Casual dining closures fell by more than a fifth last year, according to joint research from the Altus Group and the Centre for Retail Research (CRR). Restaurant closures in the sector fell from 1,188 in 2018 to 922 during 2019, whilst total job losses rose by 8%. A total of…
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6 January
Chaophraya shuts Manchester site after a decade
Thai restaurant chain Chaophraya has closed its Manchester city centre site after operating for more than a decade. According to Manchester Evening News, the Manchester site shut its doors shortly before Christmas. The Chaophraya brand, which is run by Thai Leisure Group (TLG), has seven sites across the UK, which…
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4 January
Bulgaria’s Happy Bar and Grill to open first UK site
Bulgarian fast food chain, Happy Bar and Grill is set to open its first UK restaurant on the site of the Leicester Square branch of TGI Fridays in London. Happy Bar and Grill has 22 sites across Bulgaria and two in Barcelona, with its all-day manu expected to arrive in…
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3 January
Sodexo partners with Veganuary with new menu launch
Sodexo has partnered with Veganuary, the non-profit organisation that encourages people to try vegan during the month of January, in response to the growing number of consumers who are reducing their meat consumption or adopting a fully plant-based diet. Sodexo sites across many sectors and industries in the UK and…
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