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.
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Dec- 2020 -24 DecemberCoronavirus
Sandwell restaurateurs fined after Covid-19 breach
The owners of Nemrut Restaurant Ltd in Lightwoods Road, Sandwell have been fined £200 after they failed to ensure their restaurant complied with Covid-19 safety restrictions. According to local council reports, police in the area were forced to fine the pair after officers “discovered diners inside the restaurant”. This was…
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23 DecemberCoronavirus
£104.3m hospitality lifeline needs to be reviewed, says SLTA
The Scottish government needs to urgently review the financial compensation it is offering to the hospitality sector if employees are to be “here after spring 2021”, according to the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA). The statement comes in response to the new support measures the government offered this week after…
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22 DecemberComment
Reflecting on 2020 as a restaurant owner
I am preparing for the new year with a sense of weariness and exhaustion. 2020 has, to say the least, had its moments of worry, pain, emotion, and tears for the country and certainly most of us in hospitality. ‘Unprecedented’ is now a hackneyed phrase and that perhaps that speaks…
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22 DecemberGovernment
Leicestershire County Council offers one-off payment to pubs
Leicestershire County Council has announced it is offering a one-off payment of £1,000 to support small village pubs which are unable to open due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. The council said the initiative has been designed to keep people in jobs, maintain the role of the pub as a community…
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22 DecemberBusiness
Maxwell’s Restaurant Limited calls in liquidators, 400 jobs lost
Maxwell’s Restaurant Limited has gone into liquidation resulting in 400 members of staff being left redundant. The restaurant group, which owned popular London venues such as Maxwell’s Bar and Grill, Cafe de Paris and Palm Court Brasserie said “reduced customer numbers” due to Covid-19 was one of the reasons for…
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21 DecemberCoronavirus
Hospitality curfews ‘ineffective’, according to new report
Hospitality curfews, which were brought in to curb Covid-19 transmissions, were largely ineffective, according to a new report published by Stampede. The hospitality software startup’s research, which analysed 2.4 million customer interactions across UK hospitality venues, revealed that customers went out safely before curfew, and the government’s ‘Eat Out to…
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21 DecemberNews
Leon CVA receives creditor approval
Leon has announced its CVA proposal will go ahead after it received 90% approval from its creditors. The restaurant chain which was founded in 2004 and has gone on to operate 75 sites globally both owned and franchised with 44 based in the UK in prime locations and transport hubs,…
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18 DecemberNews
Deltic saved by Nordic buyout
Deltic, the UK’s largest operator of late-night bars and clubs, has been bought out of administration by Rekom UK, the British subsidiary of the Nordics’ largest nightlife group. The deal will see Rekom takeover 42 bars and pubs across the UK, possibly saving over 1,300 jobs in the process. Rekom…
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18 DecemberFood and Drink
UK hospitality sector loses £53bn in sales this year
The UK’s hospitality sector has lost sales of more than £53bn in 2020, with more losses expected due to the recent tier restrictions imposed on trading. The new Covid-19 vaccine could provide grounds for cautious optimism in 2021, according to the new CGA report. The eighth edition of the ‘Survival…
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18 DecemberCoronavirus
Northern Ireland to enter six week lockdown on 26 December
Hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland will close from the 26 December for a six week lockdown, as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19. Under the new restrictions, restaurants and bars will only be able to operate as a takeaway and delivery service, with the legislation coming into…
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