Crieff Hydro has announced plans for a major development programme for the Strathearn area, creating what will become one of Scotland’s main tourist destinations. The ‘Crieff Hydro East’ project will be phased over a 20-year period and could see the creation of up to 300 new hospitality jobs during the operations stage. The development of the area will place Crieff Hydro … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2013
O2 hotel and conference development changes hands
Queensgate Investments Fund has joined with private investors in a joint £285 million venture to purchase the 3 hectare site on which Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) planned to build a 450 bedroom luxury hotel and major conference centre, as well as private serviced apartments. It is understood that AEG retains a share in the development. The site is directly linked to … [Read more...]
Paragon Hotel, Birmingham for sale at £6m
The Grade II Listed Paragon Hotel in Birmingham is being taken to market by specialist property adviser Christie + Co with the freehold priced at £6 million. The 250-room hotel is based in the city’s Alcester Street, close to the Bullring Shopping Centre, and is an imposing six-storey property, which was constructed in 1903 and is a fine example of Victorian Gothic … [Read more...]
UK beer sales fall dramatically: government needs to act
New figures from the BBPA on UK beer sales show that the Treasury’s damaging tax policy continues to hit the sector hard, with a 6.2% decline in total UK beer sales in the 4th quarter of 2012, not only putting jobs at risk, but reducing government tax revenues. On-trade and off-trade sales both struggled, with off trade-sales (shops and supermarkets) down 7.5% and the … [Read more...]
Roger Whiteside quits Punch Taverns to join Greggs
Greggs has appointed its new chief executive: Roger Whiteside from pub chain Punch Taverns, which is currently in the process of negotiating crucial re-financing of its £2 billion debt. Whiteside, previously with Ocado and M&S, has been a non-executive director at Greggs for the last five years, and will take up his new role in February, replacing Ken McMeikan, who is … [Read more...]
McDonald’s growth to create 2,500 jobs in 2013
McDonald’s UK is to create at least 2,500 new jobs this year, taking its UK workforce to 93,500 by the end of 2013.The new jobs build on 3,500 jobs that McDonald’s created in 2012 – 1,000 more than estimated – of which 70 per cent were taken by young people under the age of 21. A major UK employer, McDonald’s has added more than 20,000 people to its workforce during the … [Read more...]
St Austell Brewery acquires The Real Beer Company
Award-winning family brewer, St Austell Brewery, has announced the purchase of The Real Beer Company. Founded in 2009 by Martin Breading and Chris Ham, The Real Beer Company is a Devon-based specialist drinks wholesale company providing an extensive selection of cask and bottled beers as well as keg and bottled ciders for pubs and bars. The purchase of The Real Beer … [Read more...]
How good is your sales enquiry team? De Vere Venues wins Gold Award
Converting interest into sales is key to the success of all hospitality businesses, and BDRC Continental, the hospitality sector research specialists, have just concluded their annual assessment of conference sales enquiry handling in 2012, bestowing the Gold Award for Event Sales Enquiry Handling to the De Vere Venues chain. Principal Hayley was narrowly pipped to the post, … [Read more...]
Compass Group partners Change4Life in Government contracts
Foodservice provider Compass Group UK & Ireland has partnered with the Department of Health’s Change4Life programme as part of its ongoing commitment to putting health at the heart of its business and helping its customers make an informed choice about what they eat. At the start of 2013, Change4Life launched a new campaign called Be Food Smart, which aims to educate … [Read more...]
New Travelodge in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens development
Construction started on 25 January on an Associated Property Investors (API) led £20 million retail and leisure development at 19–31 Manchester Piccadilly. With construction work expected to finish by December 2013, upwards of 100 jobs will be created in the run up to Christmas. The building is well known in the city as the site of the Woolworths fire in 1979, and was more … [Read more...]
BaxterStorey flies high with British Airways contract win
BaxterStorey, the UK’s largest independent corporate catering company, has been awarded a major contract to provide catering for British Airways lounges in the UK. The five-year contract will see BaxterStorey providing customer dining for tens of thousands of travellers a year at 14 First Class and Galleries Lounges across the UK, as well as the Concorde Room at London … [Read more...]
Eating out over Christmas: out less, spending more
Consumers cut back on their spending this Christmas with fewer people enjoying meals out over the festive period, according to the results of a new online YouGov survey for foodservice analysts Horizons. The QuickBite survey shows that in the two week Christmas period 68% of respondents dined out, a sharp fall on last year’s figure of 72% over the same period. One third … [Read more...]
Jamie’s Italian and JD Wetherspoon voted ‘Nation’s Favourite Restaurant and Pub Brands’
Jamie’s Italian and JD Wetherspoon have been named the Nation’s Favourite Restaurant and Pub Brands at the inaugural Eat Out Awards 2013. Eat Out is the publication aimed at the High Street pub and restaurant market. After teaming up with Livebookings, the search began back in October to crown the pub and restaurant brands consumers love the most. Voting closed in December … [Read more...]
Guest experience: Daniel Pedreschi, General Manager introduces the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge
H&C News recent series of articles on Guest Experience has been examining this vital issue with the help of experienced hoteliers and the insights that they bring. How can hoteliers ensure that the overall guest experience at every touch point - and there are many - is not just of the standard your guests expect, but that it exceeds their expectations? Superbly located … [Read more...]
Beautiful Breakfast recipes from Great British Chefs
This wonderful collection of breakfast recipes from Great British Chefs will help you get out of bed in the morning. You could go for a light breakfast, as with Geoffrey Smeddle's grilled asparagus and poached egg or indulge in Nathan Outlaw's deliciously simple Cornish rarebit. For a sweeter start, Geoffrey Smeddle's rosehip jam would go wonderfully with Martin Wishart's … [Read more...]