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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Oct- 2024 -31 OctoberBusiness
Budget reaction: Rising costs ‘latest blow’ to sector’s recovery
The hospitality industry has criticised chancellor, Rachel Reeves’ first budget, with UKHospitality claiming it is the “latest blow” to the sector’s recovery. Yesterday, Reeves announced a series of measures aimed at raising £40bn in taxes, including employers’ national insurance contributions rising to 15%, alongside hikes in both the National Living…
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24 OctoberNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief – 24/10/24
Hospitality groups recorded a YoY sales rise of 1.7% in September, meaning that managed venues have achieved like-for-like increases in eight of the nine months to September 2024. While this is a welcome improvement, it is a sign of the continuing challenges to real-term growth, as the sector enters the…
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24 OctoberBusiness
UKH appointed sole business voice to Covid-19 inquiry
UKHospitality has been appointed a core participant in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry in London today (23 October 2024), as the preliminary hearing into the economic response to the pandemic began. Chief executive Kate Nicholls and deputy chief executive Allen Simpson were in attendance as the sole private sector representatives at…
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21 OctoberBusiness
170 hospitality bosses call for business rates action ahead of Budget
170 hospitality leaders have backed UKHospitality’s call for a lower level of business rates for the sector ahead of the Labour party’s first Budget at the end of the month. In an open letter to the chancellor, the CEOs of Britain’s most well-known and biggest pub groups such as Fuller’s,…
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16 OctoberBusiness
Hospitality business rates to hit £914m, UKH warns
September’s CPI inflation data will cause an additional £48m increase to business rates meaning the overall bill, set for April, will likely hit £914m, according to UKHospitality. As a result of this the trade body is calling on the chancellor to introduce a lower, permanent and universal multiplier for hospitality.…
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10 OctoberTrade Associations
UKH calls for consultation on Employment Rights Bill
UKHospitality has called for an ongoing consultation of the government’s Employment Rights Bill to avoid “unintended negative consequences”, saying that changes are not without cost. While the trade body welcomes the government’s recognition of the importance of employment flexibility, it believes that protecting access to zero hours contracts is “essential”…
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Sep- 2024 -19 SeptemberNews
Today’s news in brief – 19/09/24
Hostmore has fallen into administration, endangering some 4,500 jobs. While a total of 87 TGI Fridays restaurants have been put up for sale, they will continue to operate as normal during the administration process. The news comes after Hostmore’s plans to acquire the US operator of TGI Fridays for £177m…
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19 SeptemberTrade Associations
ASLEF accepts pay deal ending industrial action
Train drivers union ASLEF has voted to accept a multi-year pay deal bringing to an end a two-year dispute with 16 train companies. Members of the union voted 96% in favour of the deal which will see drivers receive a pay rise of 15% over the next three years. Secretary…
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18 SeptemberRegulations & Policies
New packaging rules risk ‘double penalty’ for hospitality, says UKH
UKHospitality has claimed that new packaging rules holding businesses responsible for the end-of-life consequences of packaging risks a “double penalty” for hospitality businesses. It has stated that in many hospitality businesses, packaging deemed as household waste will actually never make it out of a venue and will be disposed of…
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16 SeptemberBusiness
Business rates relief end could cost hospitality £1bn, says UKH
The end of business rates relief could cost hospitality businesses £928m in April, according to data from UKHospitality. Hospitality and leisure businesses face their bills quadrupling, totalling tens of thousands of pounds per venue, if business rates relief ends as planned on 31 March. Data from UKH found that A…
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