Operating Costs
Focused reporting on the rising pressures and cost variables affecting foodservice businesses across the UK. This section explores key factors such as energy bills, rent, labour, insurance, business rates, and supplier pricing, alongside F&B margin management and cost-control strategies. Built for operators, chefs, and hospitality executives, it delivers insight into navigating inflation, protecting profitability, and adapting business models to withstand ongoing economic volatility.
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Feb- 2025 -19 FebruaryBusiness
Hospitality insolvencies down 7% in 2024
Accommodation and food services insolvencies were down 7% year-on-year from 3,737 in 2023 to 3,464 in 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Insolvencies in the sector saw an even bigger drop month-on-month, down 31% from 327 in November 2024 to 224 in December 2024 and…
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10 FebruaryPubs and Bars
Number of late-night hospitality venues falls by 2.8% in 2024
Britain’s late-night hospitality sector had a total of 2,264 nightclubs, late-night bars and casinos at the end of 2024, spelling a reduction of 2.8% in a year and 25.2% less than pre-pandemic, according to CGA by NIQ’s first edition of the Night Time Economy Market Monitor. Nightclubs have borne the…
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Sep- 2024 -20 SeptemberFeatures
The implications of Edinburgh’s Visitor Levy Act
The Visitor Levy Act, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament in May 2024 and received Royal Assent shortly after in July, grants local councils the authority to implement a tax on overnight accommodation, commonly referred to as a “visitor levy” or “tourist tax”. This new legislation represents a significant…
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Jul- 2024 -9 JulyPubs and Bars
Marston’s to dispose of 40% stake in Carlesbeg JV
Marston’s has announced the sale of its 40% interest in Carlsberg Marston’s Limited to a subsidiary of Carlsberg for £206m in cash to create a business entirely focused on pubs. According to Marston’s, pubs are at the “heart of UK socialising and the UK pub market offers significant opportunities to…
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Apr- 2024 -8 AprilTrade Associations
Latest travel strike widens industry losses to over £5bn, NTIA says
The Night Time Industries Association’s CEO, Michael Kill, has warned that the latest transport strike action has widened hospitality sector revenue losses to more than £5bn. News follows the recent industrial action announced by the ASLEF union and London Underground, which ran from 5 April until today (8 April) and…
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Feb- 2024 -29 FebruaryTrade Associations
Hospitality bosses back UKH’s call for action at upcoming Budget
Hospitality CEOs from groups including Mitchells and Butlers, Accor Hotels, Stonegate Pubs and Crerar Hotels have signed an open letter urging the Chancellor to take immediate action at the budget to prevent further business failure. In the letter, UKH and a total of 112 business leaders highlighted how rising costs,…
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1 FebruaryBusiness
800 licensed premises lost in Q4
The number of licensed premises in the UK dropped by 0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2023, with a net loss of 803 in the three months, according to data from CGA. It represents an acceleration of closures from the third quarter of last year, when numbers fell by only…
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Jan- 2024 -19 JanuaryFood and Drink
Hospitality venues’ sales rise 8.8% over December
Restaurants, pubs and bars saw sales rise by 8.8% over the latest Christmas period compared with data from 2022, according to the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker. According to CGA and RSM, the industry saw a sharp increase from 4% in November to more than 8% in December, and…
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Dec- 2023 -12 DecemberNews
Nando’s revenues hit £1.2bn in FY23
Nando’s has reported that revenues increased to £1.2bn for the year ending February 2023 with sales for the group in excess of pre-pandemic levels. Operating profit for the company returned to £17m for the first time since 2020 as margin on returning sales exceeded its fixed operating costs. The group…
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Aug- 2023 -14 AugustFeatures
The decline and bounceback of the night time economy
Recent data from CGA has shown that Britain has lost over 100 independent night time venues in the last year and has seen a 31% decline in the total number of night time venues between June 2020 and June 2023. This paints a bleak picture for an industry that is…
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