National Minimum Wage
Coverage examines how statutory wage floors affect restaurants, pubs, bars, and catering businesses across the UK, including annual rate changes, enforcement activity, and the operational impact on payroll, rota management, and pricing. Reporting also includes government policy updates, compliance risk, and how multi-site operators and independents are adjusting recruitment, benefits, and training strategies in response to rising baseline pay rates.
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Apr- 2025 -7 AprilFeatures
Harder to hire, even tougher to keep: hospitality’s retention crunch
The hospitality sector stands at a crossroads, with financial pressures mounting and workforce satisfaction waning. A new survey from Hospitality Jobs UK and KAM Insights, in partnership with the Access Group, paints a stark picture: nearly half (46%) of hospitality employees now earn under £30k, up from 37% in 2024…
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Mar- 2025 -10 MarchRestaurants
Cherry Equity Partners rescues Bistrot Pierre out of administration
French restaurant group Bistrot Pierre has been acquired by a vehicle owned by Cherry Equity Partners in a pre-pack administration process, ensuring that 10 sites will continue to trade and safeguarding exactly 394 jobs. However, the transaction did not include eight other restaurants which will close immediately, resulting in 158…
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Feb- 2025 -25 FebruaryFood and Drink
Confidence of hospitality bosses falls for fifth quarter in a row
The confidence of hospitality leaders has fallen for the fifth quarter in a row as pressure mounts on operating costs, according to CGA by NIQ’s latest Business Confidence Survey. The poll revealed that only 33% of leaders feel confident about prospects for their business over the next 12 months –…
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Jan- 2025 -29 JanuaryBusiness
Licensed hospitality closures slow in 2024
Britain’s pubs, restaurants and hotels overcame widespread challenges to end 2024 with virtually the same number of premises as 12 months earlier. Data from hospitality data and insight consultancy CGA shows a total of 99,120 outlets operating in December 2024, compared with 99,113 in December 2023. It represents a year…
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23 JanuaryPubs and Bars
The Revel Collective sees strong Christmas sales but warns of £4m Budget impact
The Revel Collective has reported “robust” festive trading but has warned that the changes announced in the annual Budget will have a £4m impact on its annual profit. For the weeks from 7 December 2024 to 3 January 2025, the group saw its group like-for-like sales increase by 1.6%. Prebooked…
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14 JanuaryRestaurants
Comptoir sees revenues rise 9.5% to £34.5m
Comptoir Group, the owner and operator of Lebanese, Middle Eastern and North African inspired restaurants has reported a 9.5% increase in revenues to £34.5m for FY24 (FY23: £31.5m). The group’s restaurant sales also recorded a positive increase, with like for like sales in the second half year of +2.9% and…
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6 JanuaryRestaurants
Tasty agrees to £2.5m settlement with its insurer
Casual dining group Tasty has agreed a full and final settlement with its insurer for the amount of £2.5m relating to a pre-pandemic insurance claim. In a stock exchange announcement, Tasty detailed that it would receive approximately £1.5m, net of creditor costs and legal costs and the settlement sum is…
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Nov- 2024 -15 NovemberPubs and Bars
Young’s H1 revenues rise 27.2% to £250m
Young’s has reported that total revenues rose 27.2% to £250m for the 26-week period to 30 September, as like-for-like revenues rose 4.4% due to an “excellent” Euros turnout. During the period, adjusted EBITDA also rose 23.2% to £59m and managed house EBITDA increased by 25.1% to £73.8m. Despite continued National…
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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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30 OctoberNews
Budget: Increases to employers’ NI and minimum wage
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has increased Employers’ National Insurance contributions in a bid to help raise as much as £40bn in taxes, pledging to also boost long-term growth and “mark an end to short term-ism” as part of Labour’s first budget since it came into power. Employers’ National Insurance contributions…
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