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.

Mar- 2021 -

1 March

Coronavirus

‘Decisive financial support’ needed to save hospitality, says APPG

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hospitality and Tourism (APPG) is urging chancellor Rishi Sunak to provide “decisive financial support to protect sector businesses crucial to communities around the UK”. The plea comes in a letter signed by more than 80 MPs written to Sunak ahead of this week’s Budget, with…
Read More »
Feb- 2021 -

26 February

Restaurants

Various Eateries FY20 revenues fall 36%

Restaurant group Various Eateries has reported revenues for the year ended 27 September 2020 of £16.5m, a year-on-year decline of 36%. The group also revealed that it swung to an EBITDA loss before exceptional costs of £1.7m, down from profits of £817,000 in 2019. While Various Eateries partly attributed its…
Read More »
25 February

Features

Local food suppliers and their consumer-driven industry

Recent months have seen the UK’s supply chains across all sectors hit from two sides at once. The UK’s food industry is one of those sectors where the combined challenge of Brexit and Covid-19 is most prevalent. However, by turning to local produce, both businesses and individuals could reap the…
Read More »
24 February

Coronavirus

Extending 5% VAT cut ‘not enough’ to save hospitality, says tax pro

Sue Rathmell, indirect tax partner at MHA MacIntyre Hudson, has said the UK needs “bold and sweeping measures” to save the hospitality sector, calling on the government to do more than just extend 5% VAT measures. The statement comes ahead of the March Budget, with many in the hospitality sector…
Read More »
24 February

Coronavirus

Chancellor expected to extend furlough until May

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce a further extension to the government’s furlough scheme until May in his Budget speech next week. According to The Times, the move is expected after Boris Johnson promised not to “pull the rug out” from businesses when restrictions eventually begin to ease under…
Read More »
22 February

Coronavirus

PM outlines ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown

Prime minister Boris Johnson has set out his four-step “roadmap” to guide the nation out of lockdown “cautiously but irreversibly”, calling the plan a “one-way road to freedom”. Step one will begin from 8 March, when all schools will be allowed to open with outdoor after-school sports and activities allowed.…
Read More »
22 February

Coronavirus

Hospitality businesses reopen in Jersey

Hospitality businesses in Jersey will reopen this Monday 22 February, with new restrictions in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Under new government guidelines, seated food and drink services may resume in licensed and non-licensed premises; however, alcohol can only be served with a main meal. Furthermore, alcoholic drinks…
Read More »
19 February

Government

Hospitality included in Sadiq Khan’s £5m investment proposal

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a new proposal to invest £5m in the eventual reopening of central London, including a campaign which hopes to drive tourism back to “hard-hit” hospitality and retail venues. The mayor said he wants domestic tourism to be a central focus in London’s drive…
Read More »
18 February

Pubs and Bars

Meat-free dishes to become more ‘prominent’ on menus post-covid, says CGA

Consumers’ focus on health during the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to make vegetarian and vegan dishes more prominent on menus according to the CGA’s MealMetrics service. Drawing on £4bn of aggregated food till sales data from more than 7,000 pubs, bars and restaurants, the metric data was designed to help…
Read More »
17 February

Coronavirus

Report claims hospitality ‘not significant area’ of Covid transmission

A new report on the safe reopening of hospitality from analysts CGA, shows that businesses in the sector “were not significant areas of COVID transmission” in 2020 and argues they should be “central” to reopening plans in 2021. According to the study from the CGA, National Covid-19 cases do not…
Read More »