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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Dec- 2019 -19 DecemberPubs and Bars
UKH ‘applauds’ gov commitment to business rates review
UKHospitality has welcomed the Government’s commitment to a fundamental review of the UK’s business rates system, after it revealed additional support to pubs. The Government has confirmed its intention to review the system in today’s Queen’s Speech announcing additional rates support for pubs that could see their business rates halved…
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Nov- 2019 -20 NovemberTrade Associations
UKHospitality launches new manifesto supporting UK’s hospitality sector
UKHospitality has published its new manifesto which outlines its desires of change from the incoming Government and the new Parliament in support of the UK’s hospitality sector. The document, Menu for Change, outlines “opportunities” for the incoming Government to support, and work collaboratively with, a sector that employs 3.2 million…
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Oct- 2019 -10 OctoberTrade Associations
UKHospitality warns blanket calorie cap would be ‘impractical’
Hospitality trade body UKHospitality has warned against the introduction of a calorie cap for out-of-home food and drink calling it “impractical”. The chief medical officer has published a report containing a series of proposals aimed at tackling childhood obesity. Among the proposals are a calorie cap per serving of food…
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Sep- 2019 -12 SeptemberRegulations & Policies
UKHospitality welcomes deferral of Redbridge Late Night Levy
UKHospitality has welcomed the London Borough of Redbridge’s Licensing Committee’s decision to defer the introduction of a Late Night Levy until further notice. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said it was a “sensible decision” and is pleased the committee took the trade organisation’s “views into account”. She added: “There is…
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Aug- 2019 -28 AugustTrade Associations
UKH calls for sector support ahead of Spending Review
Ahead of the Spending Review, UKHospitality has called on the government to “act decisively” to support hospitality and tourism. UKH has identified four key areas in which the government spending can support the country’s hospitality industry: Business rates UKH said the government can begin to fix the broken business rates…
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19 AugustTrade Associations
UKHospitality welcomes government consultation on UK’s food industry
UKHospitality has welcomed the government’s consultation on England’s food industry. The government opened a call for evidence, led by Henry Dimbleby of the Sustainable Restaurant Association and co-founder of Leon, which will investigate the entirety of England’s food system from “farm to fork”. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Not…
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Jul- 2019 -22 JulyPubs and Bars
40 pub closures a month in 2019, study finds
Around 40 pubs a month, a total of 235, have closed since the start of the year according to the real estate adviser, Altus Group. According to the research the rate at which pubs are vanishing either being demolished or converted into other types of use such as homes and…
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18 JulyPubs and Bars
Southwark Council approves late-night levy approval
Southwark Council has voted in favour of a late night levy, which will see all licensed businesses in the area be charged to sell alcohol after midnight. The levy was approved at a Council meeting yesterday (17 July), and was opposed by local businesses and trade body UKHospitality. The group…
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17 JulyPubs and Bars
Businesses and customers oppose late-night tax in London
Trade association UKHospitality and local businesses have gathered signatures opposing the introduction of a new tax on pubs, bars and late-night venues open after midnight. The petition will be delivered to Southwark Council today (17 July) ahead of a planned meeting where the levy will be discussed. Kate Nicholls, chief…
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May- 2019 -22 MayCafes and Coffee Shops
UK government to ban plastic straws
The UK government has announced it is to ban single use plastics in England from April 2020. Plastic straws and drink stirrers will be outlawed as a result of the ban, with 316 million plastic straws currently used every year. The government says the new legislation will include “a ban…
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