Restaurants

The latest news and updates on restaurants, 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.

Aug- 2018 -

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

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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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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3 August

Wetherspoons apologises after man with speech impediment thrown out

Wetherspoons has apologised after a man with a speech impediment claimed one of their pubs asked him to leave because he slurred his speech, with staff thinking he was drunk. Nathan Trotman, 28, who has had a stammer since he was a child was eating and drinking with his partner…
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3 August

Hospitality salaries hit a seven-month high, but majority feel underpaid

Average salaries for hospitality roles hit a six-month high in July, as pay increased by 6.1% month-on-month, above the national inflation rate of 2.3%. According to data from independent job board CV-Library found that salaries had grown consistently since January 2018. However, despite pay for hospitality roles seeing positive growth,…
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3 August

Avocado based pop-up restaurant becomes permanent

An avocado based pop-up restaurant has announced it is opening a permanent restaurant in London’s Covent Garden. Avobar, features only avocado based dishes and has been described as “London’s first all-avo casual dining concept”. The new restaurant based Henrietta Street will have an all avocado menu featuring ‘Avo Bun’ burgers…
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1 August

Ed Baines’ ‘Randell and Aubin’ restaurant for sale

TV chef Ed Baines’ ‘Randell and Aubin’ restaurant in Manchester has been listed for sale with a lease price of £80,000 per year. The seafood restaurant was opened in late 2017 in an attempt to replicate the success of Randell and Aubin’s Soho branch which has been a staple of…
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Jul- 2018 -

31 July

McDonald’s to trial brewed ‘barista coffee’

McDonald’s is to trial ‘barista coffee’ in two of its London restaurants with a view to rolling it out nationally. The branches in St Paul’s and Oxford Street will employ baristas who will brew coffee as opposed to using a machine as McDonald’s currently does. McDonald’s has previously been scathing…
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31 July

Late-night customers account for 83% of British foodservice growth

British people visit food or beverage outlets 257 million times between midnight and 7am every year, according to new figures. The data, released by market research firm, The NPD Group, for the year ending May 2018 suggested that the growing demand for late-night and early morning food and beverages consumed…
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30 July

Former Smokehouse chef to lead Chicken of the Woods new restaurant

Supper club Chicken of the Woods is to open its first permanent restaurant, named Through the Woods. The 16-cover restaurant will be headed up by former Smokehouse chef, Chris Slaughter, and will open in London’s Crouch End offering one sitting per day at 8pm from Thursday to Saturday. A £40…
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