Closure
In this section, we report on restaurant, pub, bar, café, and catering business closures across the UK, and the commercial, operational, and market factors behind them. From high-street exits and group-wide restructures to insolvencies, lease surrenders, and strategic site rationalisations, we cover the real-world impacts of rising costs, labour shortages, shifting demand, and margin pressures. We go beyond headlines to explain why closures are happening and what they mean for the wider sector. Whether you’re benchmarking performance or navigating tough decisions, we provide the context hospitality professionals need to stay informed.
-
Sep- 2020 -2 SeptemberCoronavirus
EOTHO scheme boosts restaurant spending by 34%
The UK Government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ (EOTHO) scheme saw diners spend 34.2% more at restaurants and fast food outlets on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August than they did in July. This is according to new data from Barclaycard, which showcased the “success” of the Government scheme. In…
Read More » -
2 SeptemberComment
Why the food and beverage sector now faces major insurance challenges
Mactavish, the specialist outsourced insurance buyer and claims resolution expert, is warning companies operating in the food and beverage sector that any significant operational changes they have made in response to Covid-19 could place them in breach of their existing insurance policy terms, potentially leaving them unable to access crucial…
Read More » -
1 SeptemberRestaurants
Rick Stein Marlborough restaurant to reopen on 4 September
The Rick Stein restaurant in Marlborough will reopen its doors on Friday 4 September. The Wiltshire venue was previously marked for closure due to Covid related cuts, however after a rent reduction from the landlord the decision has been reversed. The Stein family said they are “excited” to welcome guests…
Read More » -
1 SeptemberNews
Vanilla Black announces closure
Vanilla Black, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant based in Holborn, will not reopen following the Covid-19 pandemic. The restaurant, known for its gourmet vegetarian cuisine and art-deco inspired dining room, held two AA rosettes and was listed in the Michelin guide. Co-owners Andrew Dargue and Donna Conroy, who founded the…
Read More » -
Aug- 2020 -27 AugustRestaurants
Wahaca to shutter a third of sites
Wahaca is set to shutter more than a third of its sites, following impacted sales due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The group is now planning to close 10 of its 28 sites. Branches affected by the closure include sites in Bluewater, Kent; St Pauls, London; Liverpool; Manchester and Bristol. Alongside…
Read More » -
26 AugustPubs and Bars
Greene King announces rent concessions for tied tenants
Greene King Pub Partners has announced a further £6m of financial support for its leased and tenanted partners, as they work to rebuild their businesses following the Covid-19 closure. The current rent concessions from Greene King Pub Partners are due to come to an end eight weeks after reopening. The…
Read More » -
24 AugustPubs and Bars
JD Wetherspoon warns of loss following pandemic
JD Wetherspoon has announced that like-for-like bar and food sales were down by 16.9% in the 44 days to 16 August 2020, adding that it expects to make a loss for the year ended 26 July, 2020. In its latest trading update, the pub chain noted that sales have gradually…
Read More » -
21 AugustRestaurants
Franco Manca owner reports August sales boost amid EOTHO scheme
Franco Manca owner, Fulham Shore, has said the UK Government’s Eat Out to Help Out (EOTHO) scheme has proved to be beneficial both for the company and UK diners after reporting a boost in sales at the start of August. It said trade in the first full fortnight in August…
Read More » -
21 AugustComment
GMs must be front of house to reassure customers and staff post-lockdown
The best hospitality operators definitely took a ‘glass half full’ approach when lockdown was imposed and looked for the opportunities in a situation that was beyond their control, rather than railing against it. Enforced closure allowed for the reflection and review that are hard to make time for when you’re…
Read More » -
19 AugustRestaurants
The Dairy and Counter Culture restaurants shutter permanently
The Dairy and Counter Culture restaurants in Clapham, London, has shuttered permanently, as the UK’s high streets continue to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic. Announcing the news in an Instagram post, restaurateur Robert Gill said it was with “a very heavy heart” that it was announcing the closure of the…
Read More »
