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- 2025 -
    24 April
    BusinessHospitality stability under threat from wave of govt costs, UKH warns

    Hospitality stability under threat from wave of govt costs, UKH warns

    UKHospitality has warned that the hospitality industry’s stability is under threat from a new wave of government costs, after pubs, restaurants and hotels achieved marginal growth in outlets over the last 12 months. It comes as CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners’ latest Hospitality Market Monitor indicated that a total of…

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  • 22 April
    Pubs and BarsPubs to stay open later as part of VE 80 celebrations

    Pubs to stay open later as part of VE 80 celebrations

    Prime minister Keir Starmer has ordered pubs and bars across the country to be able to keep serving until 1am to celebrate next month’s historic 80th anniversary of VE day. With parties planned across the country on 8 May 2025, venues with a usual closing time of 11pm will be…

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  • 15 April
    Regulations & PoliciesUKH calls for maximum discount as business rates reform bill becomes law

    UKH calls for maximum discount as business rates reform bill becomes law

    The Government’s commitment to reform the business rates system has become law as the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Act received Royal Assent. The new legislation aims to provide a permanently lower level of business rates for the hospitality sector. UKHospitality is asking for the maximum discount to be…

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  • 7 April
    GovernmentGov launches initative to cut red tape to boost British nightlife

    Gov launches initative to cut red tape to boost British nightlife

    Pubs, clubs and restaurants are set to be released from red tape which has stifled business as the government ‘backs the British night out’, after revealing its new Plan for Change initiative. Action includes moves to improve the application of licensing laws and strengthen businesses’ competitiveness, giving diners, pub and…

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  • 4 April
    Pubs and BarsGovernment to launch licensing review

    Government to launch licensing review

    The Government has announced it is set to launch a new working group on how to reduce barriers in the licensing system. The group will report in six weeks, with solutions to improve the licensing system, cut red tape and boost hospitality’s competitiveness. UKHospitality, which sits on the group, will…

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  • 1 April
    GovernmentUKH urges Gov to work with hospitality as ‘eyewatering’ £3.4bn costs hit

    UKH urges Gov to work with hospitality as ‘eyewatering’ £3.4bn costs hit

    UKHospitality has urged the government to work with hospitality to help bring growth and jobs back to the sector on the day (1 April) that £3.4bn of new annual costs hit the sector. It comes as hospitality businesses will now face an additional £1.9bn in wage costs, £1bn of employer…

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  • Mar- 2025 -
    31 March
    BusinessUKH calls for Government hospitality plan amid rising costs

    UKH calls for Government hospitality plan amid rising costs

    UKHospitality has called on the Government to bring forward a plan for hospitality businesses that “enables the sector to unlock growth and jobs” as new costs hit the sector. It believes that this should include the Treasury ensuring its business rates reform, to be unveiled in the Autumn, offers the…

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  • 25 March
    BusinessUKH calls for CMA investigation into business energy market

    UKH calls for CMA investigation into business energy market

    UKHospitality has called for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to conduct an investigation into the non-domestic energy market.  In a letter addressed to CMA boss, Sarah Cardell, the trade body said the criteria for a Market Investigation Reference (MIR) has been “undoubtedly met”, including reasonable grounds for suspecting competition…

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  • 12 March
    GovernmentUKH calls for delay to employer NICs threshold changes

    UKH calls for delay to employer NICs threshold changes

    UKHospitality has called for the government to delay the reduction in the employer NICs threshold after hospitality business confidence hit a two-year low. Only 14% of businesses feel optimistic about the hospitality market, according to research from CGA by NIQ’s Business Confidence survey. UKH claimed that the change to employer…

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  • 11 March
    FeaturesHow will the new allergen guidance affect businesses?

    How will the new allergen guidance affect businesses?

    Last week the Food Standards Agency (FSA) unveiled new best practice industry guidance on providing allergen information to consumers with food hypersensitivities. This will undoubtedly have an effect on hospitality businesses, especially coming at a time when so much else is changing in regards to costs. So what is the…

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