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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May- 2019 -9 MayCafes and Coffee Shops
FSA backs mandatory ingredient labelling on food
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised that increased allergen information should be provided on pre-packed direct sale food to “give consumers greater confidence in the food they eat”. The board also set out priorities as part of an ambition to make the UK the best place for food hypersensitive…
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Apr- 2019 -23 AprilBusiness
British communities lost 914 pubs in 2018
During the 2018 calendar year, a total of 914 pubs closed down according to real estate advisor Altus Group’s annual business rates review, which is set to be released this week. On 1 January 2019 the total number of pubs in England and Wales, liable for business rates, fell to…
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Mar- 2019 -18 MarchFood and Drink
Food advertising restrictions will ‘harm hospitality sector’
Trade association UKHospitality has warned that restrictions on food advertising would further “undermine hospitality businesses” already battling against restrictive legislation and rising costs. The government has today launched a consultation on restricting food advertising proposing a post-watershed and social media ban. UKHospitality chief executive, Kate Nicholls, said: “Hospitality shares the…
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Feb- 2019 -21 FebruaryApps & Technology
Uber Eats opens its doors to 50,000 restaurants
Uber Eats has announced it is to add 50,0000 restaurants to its offering, as the food delivery app unlocks its technology to restaurants with their own delivery drivers. Launching nationwide today, the new service will offer restaurants in 100 towns and cities, whether they want to use their own delivery…
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21 FebruaryBusiness
Hospitality businesses hailed ‘heroes of the high streets’
Hospitality trade bodies have applauded the housing, communities and local government’s report which was published today (21 February) and said high streets and town centres needed to shift the focus from shopping onto leisure. This report follows the committees recent enquiry into what is needed to save the UK high…
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1 FebruaryBusiness
MPs launch business rates inquiry
The Treasury Committee has launched a new inquiry into business rates to scrutinise how government policy has impacted high street businesses. The committee will examine how business rates policy has changed, including business rates retention, alternatives to property-based taxes, such as the proposed digital services tax. Nicky Morgan MP, chair…
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Nov- 2018 -23 NovemberFeatures
What challenges will the hospitality industry face post-Brexit?
It is alarming as we inch closer to Brexit that it is still unclear what the impact of leaving the EU will have on the UK economy and its people. Pundits are trying to predict an outcome, but until the goalposts are cemented in, there is actually still no way…
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16 NovemberGovernment
Almost 90% of pubs failed to stop children using gambling machines
Tests on a sample of pubs in England indicated almost 90% failed to prevent children accessing gaming machines meant for those over 18. The Gambling Commission worked with licensing authorities and local police to test compliance with laws in place to protect children from the risks gambling can pose. Children…
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13 NovemberBusiness
Falling migrant-worker numbers will ‘undermine’ hospitality sector
UKHospitality has warned that restricting the number of migrant workers entering the UK will “severely impact” the hospitality sector. The warning follows the publication of figures by HR body CIPD that show the number of non-UK-born workers in the UK decreased by 58,000 between April to June last year and…
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6 NovemberBusiness
Hospitality costs reach 12-year high
Government-implemented costs are taking a significant toll on businesses in the eating and drinking-out sector, new data by UKHospitality and business property adviser Christie & Co suggests. According to the 2018 UKHospitality Christie & Co Benchmarking Report, controllable costs have risen to an average of 52.5% of turnover, the highest…
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