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- 2020 -13 March
Shepherd Cox acquires Crab and Lobster restaurant
National hotel group, Shepherd Cox, has acquired the Crab and Manor hotel along with the Crab and Lobster restaurant. The five-star, 20-bedroom hotel in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was founded in 1991, and the Crab and Lobster holds a double AA Rosette. Lee Bramzell, founder of the Shepherd Cox hotel group,…
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13 March
London Coffee Festival postponed amid coronavirus fears
Organisers of The London Coffee Festival have confirmed that the event will be postponed amid the recent coronavirus outbreak. The event, which was due to take place next month, is now scheduled to take place between 23-26 July. Jeffree Young, the London Coffee Festival founder and CEO of Allegra Group,…
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12 March
Gareth Bale to open mini-golf bar and restaurant in Cardiff
Wales and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has announced he will open a new bar, restaurant and mini-golf venue in his home city of Cardiff. Par 59 will be based in the 18,000 sq ft basement of the Capitol Shopping Centre in the city centre. When complete, the venue will…
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12 March
The Lantern Room appoints new executive head chef
The Lantern Room and Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh, both operated by RBH, have appointed Nadeem Akhter as its new executive head chef. Akhter brings more than 25 years of professional cooking and kitchen management experience to his new role at the city centre hotel and restaurant. His previous roles include…
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12 March
Pub, bar and restaurant sales fall 3.3%
Like-for-like sales across the pub, bar and restaurant sector fell 3.3% in February against the year prior, according to the latest data from Coffer Peach Business Tracker. Managed pub groups saw collective like-for-like sales fall 4.2%, while restaurant groups were down 1.8%, and bar chains down 2.8%. The weekly results…
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12 March
Blu Lobster announces closure of Hartlepool site
Hartlepool-based seafood restaurant The Blu Lobster has announced its closure. The restaurant situated on The Front, Seaton Carew occupied the first floor of the building above fish and chip shop Fish Face, which is still trading. In a statement posted on Facebook, the restaurant thanked its staff and customers for…
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11 March
ROUNDUP: Business rates holiday announced by chancellor Sunak
In his maiden budget, the new chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced a £30bn fiscal stimulus package to help combat the impact of coronavirus on the British economy including a one-year total suspension of business rates for small retail, leisure and hospitality businesses. Headline measures include: A £12bn plan to provide…
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11 March
Knights Brasserie reopens following extensive refurb
The Lumley Castle hotel, located in Durham, has reopened its Knights Brasserie restaurant after an extensive six-week programme of refurbishment. The project was overseen by the property’s new general manager, Gordon Cartwright, who said “no expense had been spared” in creating one of the North East’s most “luxurious and innovative”…
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11 March
Bank of England cuts interest rates to help combat coronavirus impact
The Bank of England has cut UK interest rates back down to the lowest level in history to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy. The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, announced the 50 basis point (0.5 percentage point) reduction, from 0.75% to…
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11 March
Shepherd Neame welcomes ‘strong’ performance as profits hit £8m
Shepherd Neame has announced that underlying operating profit increased by 1.1% to £8m in its half-year results. In the 26 weeks ended 28 December 2019, turnover also rose by 3.3% to £79m, while underlying profit before tax was up 4.8% to £6.2m. Its 69 managed sites achieved a “solid” performance,…
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