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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Aug- 2018 -8 August
Rockfish plans expansion amid strong sales growth
The seafood restaurant group founded by food writer Mitch Tonks, Rockfish, has reported 15% like-for-like sales growth in the May to July quarter, ahead of three planned openings in the next 18 months. Rockfish has five well-established coastal sites in the south west and also owns the Seahorse restaurant in…
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8 August
Wetherspoon launches Brexit beer mats
Pub group Wetherspoon will introduce beer mats in favour of a no-deal Brexit, signed by its chairman Tim Martin, and outlining 10 points to the leaders of the three main political parties. The mats bear the headline ‘Free Trade (ie no deal) means lower prices’, and Martin said they will…
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7 August
Chinese restaurant Salmonella victims awarded £275,000 compensation
As many as 28 people who fell ill after dining in an Eastleigh Chinese restaurant in 2014 have been awarded £275,000 in compensation. The diners at The Real China restaurant who reported falling ill with sickness and diarrhoea, were represented by law firm Irwin Mitchell. Many of those who ate…
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7 August
UK’s ‘largest vegan’ and plastic-free restaurant opens at former steakhouse site
Erpingham House, a plastic-free and vegan restaurant which claims to be the UK’s largest, has opened in Norwich city centre. Founded by vegan influencer, Loui Blake and championship footballers Declan Rudd and Russell Martinthe restaurant has already been named in The Times’ top 20 vegan restaurants list! Erpingham House, the…
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7 August
CAMRA: ‘Pub closures are making us all poorer’
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has said that UK pub closures are “making us all poorer” claiming that four out of five people in the UK have experienced a local pub closure in the last five years. As many as 80% of British people have witnessed at least one…
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7 August
Pret A Manger introduces genderless gingerbread men
Pret A Manger has decided to make its gingerbread men genderless and call them gingerbread biscuits instead. The decision was made after the sandwich chain’s CEO Clive Schlee received a letter from one of its customers, whose niece Annie asked why Pret only had gingerbread men. So far, the chain…
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7 August
Benito’s Hat secures £1m funding for 10th anniversary
Mexican restaurant Benito’s Hat has secured £1m investment to fund a three-year growth plan in London and throughout the UK. The investment coincides with the brand’s 10th anniversary and is made up entirely from existing investors, the majority of which comes from private equity investment firm Calculus Capital. The investment…
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7 August
Majority of Brits find the price of a pint ‘unaffordable’
Some 56% of people in Britain think the price of a pint of beer in a pub is unaffordable, according to new research by YouGov and Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Pub pint prices have seen an increase, with a third of the cost of a pint now made up…
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6 August
Gino D’Acampo to launch fast casual Italian brand
Celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo has announced plans to launch a fast casual dining Italian brand in Manchester. The My Coffee and Deli Bar will open in September and will be situated inside a Next clothing store. D’Acampo and Next partnered last year with plans to put prosecco bars and restaurants…
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6 August
Most Michelin-decorated chef in the world Joël Robuchon dies aged 73
The world’s most Michelin-decorated chef Joël Robuchon has died aged 73 after a long battle with cancer. Robuchon was well known for his signature ‘cuisine moderne’ style which saw his restaurants awarded 32 Michelin stars across 13 countries. His style aimed to use a small amount of ingredients prepared in…
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