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.
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Jun- 2021 -15 JuneCoronavirus
Lockdown delay will cost hospitality sector £3bn, warns UKH
The four week delay to the final stage of easing lockdown restrictions in England will cost the hospitality sector “around £3bn in sales”, according to Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality chief executive. According to Nicholls, the extension, which will see the remaining social distancing measures continue beyond 21 June, puts 300,000 hospitality…
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14 JuneTrade Associations
UKH urges gov to stick to roadmap amid delay reports
UKHospitality has urged the government to stick to its 21 June 2021 date to lift all Covid-19 restrictions ahead of its decision over a possible delay that is due to take place this evening (14 June 2021). The trade body has reiterated that failure to stick to its roadmap will…
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11 JuneTrade Associations
Hospitality sector throws support behind Tourism Recovery Plan
The hospitality industry is issuing its support for the government’s Tourism Recovery Plan, which will aim to energise the country’s economy after the pandemic. The government’s plan includes a £10m National Lottery ‘Days Out’ scheme of vouchers to support attractions and a new rail pass to encourage domestic breaks. Kate…
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10 JuneTrade Associations
Hospitality industry welcomes new licensing regulations
The UK government has announced new licensing regulations to further support the hospitality sector as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic. Among the new regulations, which apply to England and Wales, are an extension of the automatic off licence flexibility to the end of September 2022 and an increase of…
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8 JuneGovernment
Gov must ‘find a solution’ to £2bn rent debt, says UKH chief
Kate Nicholls, head of UKHospitality, has called on the government to work alongside the sector, landlords and shareholders to find a solution to the £2bn plus in rent debt that “hangs around the neck” of the industry. Giving evidence to the House of Commons Treasury Committee hearing on Monday (7…
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7 JuneTrade Associations
Deposit Return Scheme must be ‘workable’ for hospitality sector, says UKH
The government’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) must be “workable” for the hospitality sector, according to UKHospitality (UKH). The trade association said it believes safety and space concerns, increased business costs and bureaucracy caused by the scheme would place a disproportionate burden on many hospitality businesses. In response, UKH is recommending…
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3 JuneCoronavirus
UKH and DWP launch initiative to promote sector opportunities
UKHospitality (UKH) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have partnered to promote jobs in hospitality. The partnership will see UKH running sessions in partnership with Jobcentre Plus work coaches in every region of England, as well as across Scotland and Wales this month. With hospitality reopening following 15…
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2 JuneCoronavirus
Hospitality must prepare for new business rates payments, UKH warns
UKHospitality is urging businesses within the sector in England to fully prepare for the new business rates payments from 1 July, with new bills expected to land in the coming weeks. The business rates holiday, which was granted following “intensive” lobbying by UKHospitality, is set to come to an end…
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1 JuneTrade Associations
UKH warns of sector-wide staff shortages
UKHospitality has warned that the sector is facing a shortage of 188,000 staff workers following more than a year of closures and severely restricted trading. Its analysis is based on a survey of hundreds of hospitality operators which found that 80% of respondents reported vacancies for front-of-house roles, such as…
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May- 2021 -28 MayBusiness
#BeKindtoHospitality campaign rolled out nationwide
A group of hospitality operations, led by the Radisson Red’s curator Graham Chalmers, has launched a campaign urging the public to be considerate and help restaurants, hotels and bars survive. The #Bekindtohospitality campaign promotes awareness of mental health issues among workers in the hospitality sector, particularly around stress and anxiety.…
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