Coronavirus
We reported extensively on the impact of coronavirus across the UK foodservice and hospitality sector, from the initial lockdowns and emergency legislation to the reopening phases, staffing challenges, and long-term recovery. This brings together our coverage of how restaurants, pubs, cafés, bars, and catering firms navigated one of the most disruptive periods in industry history. From furlough and financial support to operational pivots, supplier disruption, and shifting consumer behaviour, our reporting offers critical context for hospitality professionals reflecting on the crisis and preparing for what comes next.
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Sep- 2020 -11 SeptemberComment
Get up to scratch with safety signs in the kitchen
Maintaining high standards of hygiene and preventing accidents in a busy kitchen is vital. And this is where the importance of clear and concise kitchen safety signs come into play. From implementing new safety measures to preventing accidents, kitchen safety signs have a wide variety of uses. In a professional…
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9 SeptemberCoronavirus
Menu prices see ‘modest’ rise post-lockdown
Operators have increased the price of menu items by 1.5% since lockdown ended, against the prior year, according to the latest piece of monthly analysis from Lumina Intelligence’s Menu Tracker. The average price of a same-line dish in spring/summer 2019 was £9.82. Since lockdown was lifted, however, the average price…
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9 SeptemberTrade Associations
UKHospitality slams new PHE targets
UKHospitality has come out against new calorie and salt reduction targets for eating out and takeaways, which were announced by Public Health England yesterday (8 September). The new targets, while voluntary, aim to reduce excessive calories and salts in everyday foods by up to 20% by 2024. The government is…
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8 SeptemberCoronavirus
Up to £3.5bn furlough claims fraudulent, says HMRC
Up to £3.5bn in payments from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme may have been claimed fraudulently or paid in error, according to the HMRC. Jim Harra, HMRC’s permanent secretary, appeared before MPs on the Public Accounts Committee to discuss the tax authority’s estimates that 5-10% of furlough claims have been…
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7 SeptemberBusiness
60% of mid-sized businesses plan redundancies, BDO finds
More than half (60%) of the UK’s medium-sized businesses are planning redundancies as a result of the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme coming to an end in October, according to new research from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO. BDO’s monthly Rethinking the Economy survey of 500 medium-sized businesses across…
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7 SeptemberComment
The coronavirus diaries: Aaron Wilson, The Bow Bells
At The Bow Bells, we felt the effects of Coronavirus before the lockdown began. Around two-to-three weeks before we had to close, we saw a massive reduction in trade – around a 70/80% drop. We knew immediately that this was going to be serious, so we began bringing in our…
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4 SeptemberBusiness
Over 58,000 hospitality jobs at risk in Scotland
Over 58,000 jobs in the Scottish hospitality sector are at risk, according to research carried out by The University of Edinburgh’s Business School. According to a new report, in collaboration with London-based fintech company Wiserfunding, 25% of hospitality businesses in Scotland could ‘‘go bust’’ post-lockdown without significant assistance. The university’s…
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4 SeptemberComment
Can technology save the hospitality sector?
The coronavirus pandemic has placed a great deal of pressure on UK industries. That said, seems that the hospitality sector has experienced far more than its fair share. In mid-March, the UK went into lockdown, essentially freezing entire revenue streams for bars, restaurants and cafes, with the sector reporting almost…
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3 SeptemberComment
HMRC and Covid-19: One hand giveth, the other taketh away
One hand giveth HMRC was responsible for overseeing and implementing the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (“CJRS”) and other furlough schemes. Its ensuring that monies were paid under the Government’s various furlough support schemes has been impressive. Although the guidance on who was entitled to monies under the CJRS was…
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3 SeptemberCoronavirus
Hospitality Action launches second phase of ‘Invisible Chips’ campaign
Hospitality Action has announced the launch of the second phase of its Invisible Chips campaign, with new backing from chef Heston Blumenthal. The second phase follows the initial launch of the campaign, which was unveiled last July and backed by Fred Sirieux. The ‘Invisible Chips’ campaign allows customers to show…
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