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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Aug- 2024 -15 AugustTrade Associations
Rail strikes close to end as Aslef agrees pay deal
Train drivers are set to vote on a new pay offer after Aslef and the Department for Transport came to an agreement hoping to bring months of disruption to an end. The new offer is for a 5% backdated pay rise for 2022/23, a 4.75% rise for 23/24, and 4.5%…
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13 AugustNews
Riots drag down hospitality sales by 10%
Violent disorder and the nationwide threat of rioting last Wednesday (7 August 2024) caused a significant 10% drop in sales as businesses closed and customers stayed away, according to CGA by NIQ. The impact on sales in towns where rumoured protests were planned to take place was as high as…
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6 AugustTrade Associations
UKH launches support hub as riots affect the sector
UKHospitality has published a support hub for businesses and staff that have been affected by the riots and violent disorder that have descended upon towns and high streets over the weekend (3 and 4 August). The hub includes advice on compensation for victims of criminal damage or loss during a…
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Jul- 2024 -31 JulyTrade Associations
UKH calls new LPC 2025 remit ‘disruptive and unhelpful’
UKHospitality has called changes to the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) remit for 2025 “disruptive and unhelpful”, claiming that wages rates must strike an “affordable balance to help deliver growth for both businesses and staff”. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has ordered the LPC to factor in the future cost of living…
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17 JulyFood and Drink
UK pubs and bars see ‘massive boost’ during Euro 2024 final
Pub transaction volumes nearly tripled on the day of the Euro 2024 final, increasing 195.6% year-on-year, and up 107.3% week-on-week, according to a new data by Barclays Across England’s seven Euro 2024 matches, UK pub and bar transactions were up 86.4% year-on-year on average, with growth peaking during the final.…
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12 JulyPubs and Bars
Euros final to result in £120m boost for UK pubs
British pubs and bars are expected to benefit from a 50% rise in sales on Sunday (14 July) as England will be playing in the Euros final, according to UKHospitality. The boost in sales will be part of an almost billion-pound windfall from the tournament. Reaching the final also means…
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5 JulyGovernment
UKH: ‘Labour needs to deliver on its commitments, and quick’
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has said that “we need to see Labour deliver on its commitments, and quick,” after the party secured a landslide victory at the general election. The UKH boss said within the first 100 weeks, the sector needs to see reduced employer National Insurance Contributions to…
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Jun- 2024 -13 JuneTrade Associations
‘Back hospitality to serve Britain’, UKH urges
UKHospitality plans to call on all political parties to give their backing to the sector at its annual summer conference, as it maintains that hospitality can grow at a “significantly” faster rate than the wider economy. According to economic analysis from UKH and Ignite Economics, the sector can grow by…
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6 JuneTrade Associations
UKH launches election toolkit for businesses
UKH has announced the launch of its election toolkit for hospitality, which will offer the opportunity for businesses to invite parliamentary candidates in their constituency to their venue to “impress upon them the importance of the sector”. This launch is part of the trade body’s pre-election campaigning, which started at…
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5 JuneTrade Associations
UKH calls for pragmatic migration plans that reflect sector needs
UKH has stressed the need for an employment plan that meets the needs of the economy and the hospitality sector. This comes as Labour party leader, Keir Starmer, said on Sunday (2 June) that “a future Labour government will bring down net migration”. To achieve this, Starmer said the Labour…
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