Kate Nicholls

This archive features our reporting on Kate Nicholls OBE — a key voice in the UK’s hospitality and foodservice policy landscape. As Chair of UKHospitality, Nicholls plays a central role in lobbying government, shaping regulation, and influencing the commercial environment in which restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés, and catering firms operate. Catering Today covers Nicholls’ statements, policy positions, and leadership activity because her work directly affects the trading conditions, labour challenges, and long-term resilience of foodservice businesses. For operators navigating rising costs, staffing pressures, or post-pandemic recovery, her advocacy and insights are both timely and consequential.

  • Apr- 2023 -
    19 April
    NewsUKH urges government to improve vacancy rate ahead of summer

    UKH urges government to improve vacancy rate ahead of summer

    UKHospitality is urging the government to take action and improve the vacancy rate for the sector as the latest ONS figures show 140,000 job vacancies.  The trade body warns that months of no positive movement in vacancy levels endangers the summer season as venues are forced to reduce opening hours…

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  • 17 April
    NewsUKH calls for Ofgem intervention to help struggling businesses

    UKH calls for Ofgem intervention to help struggling businesses

    With rising energy costs and a lack of support mounting across the board for hospitality businesses, UKHospitality is urging energy regulator Ofgem to force suppliers to engage in automatic renegotiations for those businesses paying the highest costs.  Energy suppliers are also being asked to play their part and offer the…

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  • 11 April
    NewsUKH opposes possibility of late night levy extension

    UKH opposes possibility of late night levy extension

    UKHospitality has stated its significant opposition to any extension to the late night levy and reiterated the need to abolish it. In response to a Home Office consultation on extending the levy to apply to late night refreshment providers, UKHospitality highlighted that the entire consultation is based on an impact…

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  • Mar- 2023 -
    31 March
    NewsHospitality sector faces £7.3bn increase in energy bills

    Hospitality sector faces £7.3bn increase in energy bills

    Recent analysis conducted by UKHospitality shows that energy costs for the hospitality sector are set to be £12bn higher than prior to the energy crisis. The government is set to introduce the Energy Bill Discount Scheme from tomorrow (1 April) which will replace the current Energy Bill Relief Scheme while…

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  • 15 March
    NewsRail strikes will cost hospitality sector almost £600m, UKH warns

    Rail strikes will cost hospitality sector almost £600m, UKH warns

    Rail and tube strikes happening across the country this week will cost the hospitality sector almost £600m, trade body UKHospitality has announced. Rail strikes are set to happen on the 16th, 18th, 30th of March and 1st of April meanwhile hospitality venues in London are also going to be affected…

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  • 2 March
    FeaturesRevenge of the dish: Are we eating out more after Covid?

    Revenge of the dish: Are we eating out more after Covid?

    Revenge dining. You may have not heard of the term but you’re probably aware of the idea. It’s the theory that more people ate out at restaurants in 2022 following the end of lockdown restrictions as a result of not being able to for so long. Opentable research published in…

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  • 1 March
    PeopleRecord employment figures shows hospitality’s growth potential, says UKH

    Record employment figures shows hospitality’s growth potential, says UKH

    A record 2.6 million people are now employed in accommodation and food service, with the sector creating one in five new jobs, all despite “crippling vacancies” and staff shortages, according to the latest data from UKHospitality (UKH).  Set to be announced at its inaugural Workforce and Skills Seminar, UKH will…

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  • Feb- 2023 -
    23 February
    BusinessThird of hospitality firms at risk of going under, says UKH

    Third of hospitality firms at risk of going under, says UKH

    UKHospitality has revealed that 32% of hospitality firms are at risk of failure within the next year, despite hospitality sales in 2022 surpassing pre-Covid levels. The hospitality association said this is because sales remain “significantly behind 2019” in real terms due to inflation. The UKHospitality Quarterly Tracker, in association with…

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  • 21 February
    Trade AssociationsHospitality leaders’ confidence rises though soaring costs still loom

    Hospitality leaders’ confidence rises though soaring costs still loom

    Hospitality leaders remain “cautiously optimistic” despite soaring costs still threatening weaker businesses, according to the 2023 Business Leaders’ Survey from CGA by NielsenIQ and Fourth. The poll found that 47% felt confident about their business prospects over the next 12 months, up from 29% in CGA’s last survey three months…

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  • 15 February
    BusinessInflation falls to 10.1% in January

    Inflation falls to 10.1% in January

    Inflation slowed for the third consecutive month in January to 10.1%, down from 10.5% in December, but remains close to a near 40-year high. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), on a monthly basis, inflation fell by 0.6% in January 2023, compared with a…

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