Covid-19

Our COVID-19 coverage captures the full impact of the pandemic on the UK’s foodservice and hospitality sector, from lockdown trading restrictions and government support schemes to recovery planning, operational adaptations, and long-term business implications. This includes essential reporting for restaurant operators, pub landlords, caterers, chefs, and F&B directors navigating one of the most disruptive periods in industry history.

Jul- 2021 -

5 July

Coronavirus

Fifth of hospitality workers do not plan to commute post-Covid

One fifth (19.1%) of the UK’s hospitality and leisure workers do plan to commute ever again after the pandemic, according to research carried out by transport specialist Kura. The nationally-representative survey of 2,000 UK workers found that this percentage varied depending on the region, from 10.8% in London to 29.1%…
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1 July

Business

Hospitality sector R&D investment outperformed UK industry in Q1

Research and development (R&D) investment in the hospitality industry remained steady in the first quarter of 2021, outperforming the wider UK economy, according to recent figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The amount spent in R&D by accommodation and food service firms held steady at £20m over the…
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1 July

Pubs and Bars

Revolution Bars Group FY21 performance to be ‘ahead’ of expectations

Revolution Bars Group said it expects FY21 performance for the year ended 3 July 2021, to be “ahead” of previous management expectations with an EBITDA loss pre adjustments of £12.5m. The news follows a “significant improvement” to the group’s net bank debt of £5m following the period of trading and…
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Jun- 2021 -

30 June

Coronavirus

Food safety in jeopardy due to hospitality staff crisis, says health expert

Food safety standards are in “jeopardy” due to the hospitality industry’s staff crisis, according to a leading health expert. Kirstie Jones, environmental health expert at Navitas Safety, is warning that the pace in which both waiting on and back-of-house hospitality staff are being positioned into new roles could mean that…
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28 June

Advice

Hiring a chef from outside the UK post-Brexit

The double whammy of Covid-19 and Brexit have created a recruitment crisis in the hospitality sector, with some businesses reducing their operating hours or closing altogether. Brexit has had a big impact on the ability of UK restaurants and hotels to recruit chefs from overseas. EU nationals can no longer…
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28 June

Restaurants

Bill Wyman closes Sticky Fingers after 32 years

Former Rolling Stones bassist, Bill Wyman has announced the closure of his London restaurant Sticky Fingers after 32 years of trading. The venue which first opened in 1989 was decorated with rock and roll memorabilia and was named after the band’s 1971 album. The restaurant, which is located on High…
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24 June

Coronavirus

Industry leaders predict ‘positive outlook’ for hospitality after lockdown

The UK’s hospitality industry will have a “broadly positive future”, according to leading industry figures who spoke at the latest installment of Colliers’ ‘Real Estate Restructuring Strategies: Beyond Covid-19’ webinar series. Among the panellists were Peter Stevens, the former UK TMA president and senior advisor at SME Capital; Nicholas Northam,…
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23 June

Government

Scottish gov delays Covid-19 easing until 19 July

The Scottish government has confirmed that the lifting of all restrictions in the country will be delayed until 19 July 2021, when the country will aim to move to Level 0 on the assumption that all necessary vaccination and harm reduction measures are met. The news follows the recent spike…
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22 June

Business

Recreation and tourism sector fuelling UK recovery, says Lloyds Bank

The UK’s tourism and recreation sector accelerated the country’s economic recovery in May coming out of lockdown, according to the latest Lloyds Bank UK Recovery Tracker. Due to the pent-up demand from consumers, the sector recorded the sharpest rise in output growth month-on-month due to renewed interest in the country’s…
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21 June

Trade Associations

FSB calls for new strategy to help UK hospitality sector

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has published a new report, which is calling on the government to provide a new strategy to assist the UK’s hospitality and tourism sectors. Titled ‘A Menu for Recovery’, the report outlines a series of recommendations for both sectors, including extending the hospitality VAT…
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