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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Feb- 2025 -11 FebruaryEducation
UKH welcomes new apprenticeship changes
UKHospitality has praised two key changes to apprenticeships announced by the Department for Education. Under the changes the minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months. Furthermore, businesses will be able to decide whether adult learners over the age…
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Jan- 2025 -30 JanuaryNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief – 30/01/25
TGI Fridays has closed its flagship venue in London’s Leicester Square, which opened in 2015 after a multi-million pound investment. The closure means that TGI’s now has no restaurant in Central London although it retains venues at the O2 Greenwich and Westfield Stratford. UKH has urged the chancellor to bring…
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30 JanuaryTrade Associations
Growth plan must include foundation economy, UKH says
UKHospitality has urged the chancellor to bring forward a specific growth plan for hospitality, and other sectors in the foundation economy, that can deliver growth “swiftly”. While the trade body agreed that big infrastructure projects are much-needed, it also pointed out that their benefits won’t be realised “for years or…
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24 JanuaryAnalysis
How hospitality saved November and why it needs saving in April
The Office for National Statistics’ November 2024 GDP numbers highlight how important the hospitality industry is to the UK economy. It is evident that this industry continues to be a pillar of economic recovery, with the food and beverage subsector leading the economy in terms of performance, and hotels following…
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21 JanuaryTrade Associations
A fifth of hospitality staff to enter new employer NICs threshold
More than 774,000 hospitality workers, representing a fifth of the industry’s workforce, are set to enter into the new employer NICs threshold for the first time, according to new analysis from UKH. The trade body warns that the changes to employer National Insurance Contributions will hit hospitality hardest due to…
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16 JanuaryBusiness
Hospitality helps drive economic growth in November
Food and beverage was the highest performing sector of the economy in November, according to November GDP estimates released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The accommodation and food service activities subsector saw output rise by 2.0% in the month, following a fall of 1.2% in October 2024. Both…
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Dec- 2024 -24 DecemberGovernment
UKH calls on gov to rethink approach to NIC changes
UKHospitality has called on the government to “rethink its approach” to upcoming changes to National Insurance contributions, warning that proper consultation and engagement is needed before the changes are implemented next year. It comes as revised figures from the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed that the UK economy had…
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23 DecemberPubs and Bars
UK gov to allow pubgoers to use digital ids next year to boost hospitality sectors
From next year, the UK government is planning to roll out a new law allowing pub and bar-goers, as well as shoppers, to use their phones to prove their age when buying alcohol, in a bid to boost high street and hospitality sectors. According to the government, digital identities could…
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20 DecemberTrade Associations
UKH disappointed in BoE decision to hold interest rates
UKHospitality has expressed disappointment in the Bank of England’s decision to hold interest rates at 4.75%, which came after a recent hike in both inflation and wage growth. At its meeting this week, the bank’s monetary policy committee voted by a majority of 6–3 to maintain the current rate. Three…
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18 DecemberGovernment
Inflation hits eight-month high of 2.6% in November
Inflation has risen for the second month in a row, rising to 2.6% in November, up from 2.3% the previous month, marking the highest level of inflation in eight months. According to the Office for National Statistics, the main drivers behind the rise were fuel and clothing, where prices rose this…
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