Restaurants

The Restaurants section on Catering Today delivers comprehensive coverage of the UK restaurant industry, from independent operators to national chains. It reports on business performance, openings, acquisitions, and leadership changes, alongside analysis of market trends, menu innovation, and consumer behaviour. With insight into finance, operations, technology, and sustainability, Catering Today provides hospitality professionals with the intelligence and updates shaping commercial strategy across the UK dining landscape.

Oct- 2018 -

22 October

Study finds uplifting music prompts more restaurant tips

New research has found that customers are more likely to tip restaurant staff when they hear uplifting music. The study by the University of Innsbruck also found that sad music prompted customers to leave slightly larger tips than “neutral” music. The university named The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby as one of…
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22 October

Buzzworks named Ayrshire’s ‘Best Business’

Scotland-based independent restaurant and bar operator, Buzzworks Holdings, has been crowned Ayrshire’s Best Business. The hospitality group took home the title of Best Business with more than 51 employees from the latest Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. Buzzworks operates 11 venues under its four brands – Elliots, Scotts, House…
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19 October

GBK apologises for ‘curry war’ advert

GBK has apologised after an advert saw the company attempting to start a “curry war” outside of Indian restaurants. In the advert GBK workers were seen standing outside the Indian restaurants claiming they did not serve “proper curry” and shouting phrases such as “authentic my arse”. The advert aimed to…
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19 October

Neil Borthwick to open new restaurant at French House

Neil Borthwick is to open a new Gallic-inspired restaurant on the second floor of Soho’s French House pub. The restaurant does not yet have a name however it is due to open next week with the chef recently cooking at Leila’s on Calvert Avenue in Shoreditch. The French House confirmed…
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18 October

Suites Hotel & Spa appoints new head chef and restaurant manager

Suites Hotel and Spa has announced the launch of its new culinary chapter following a recent £1.2m refurbishment, which includes two new appointments. The award-winning venue, located in Knowsley, has welcomed on board a duo of appointments in the form of head chef Robbie Cardwell and restaurant manager Adrian Howard.…
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17 October

Hospitality sector ‘faces £113m business rates hike next April’

UKHospitality (UKH) is warning that a large part of the UK economy, including hotels, pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and cafes, face a £113m business rates bombshell. The inflation figures are used to set the annual increase in business rates, and analysis by UKH shows that “thousands of businesses” will be hit…
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17 October

Restaurants ‘getting away with fish fraud’ experts claim

Restaurants have been “getting away” with passing off catfish as cod due to the seafood testing being intelligence-led, experts have claimed. The term “fish fraud” describes the passing off or mislabelling of seafood products as a more expensive type to boost margins. In 2017, seven of 91 samples sent to…
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17 October

Timothy Taylor restaurant put up for sale

Harrogate Brasserie, the restaurant owned by regional pub operator Timothy Taylor Brewery, has been brought to the market by specialist business property adviser, Christie and Co. The restaurant is situated in the centre of the spa town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire and occupies a stone built, three story building. The…
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17 October

Technology at the table ‘feeds restaurant profits’, report finds

Consumers’ use of mobile devices to improve their restaurant experiences has risen sharply in the last quarter and this trend is set to continue, according to the latest GO Technology report from Zonal and CGA. Ordering takeaways and food deliveries has shown the biggest leap from 12% to 17%, followed…
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16 October

Gino D’Acampo to open new Leeds restaurant

Gino D’Acampo will be opening a new restaurant, named My Restaurant, at The Springs in Leeds Thorpe Park, on the 26 October. The 150-cover restaurant is the chef’s fourth in Yorkshire, and the third in-partnership with Next. My Restaurant will be complemented by an extensive new coffee and deli bar…
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