The Cook Live event on Tuesday 19th March at Equipline’s extensive kitchen demonstration facilities in Uxbridge saw a wide range of visitors arrive with an even wider range of catering questions for the team. Equip Line is always conscious that customer time is precious and as such packs as much as possible into the short 3 hour Cook Live Open House window; each month … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2013
IHG commits to free internet for all loyalty members worldwide
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) will be providing free internet to all its 71m loyalty programme members, worldwide. The announcement comes as IHG reveals the results of a global online survey which shows that nearly half of adults (43%) would choose not to stay in a hotel that charged for internet. IHG is the first and only hotel group to offer free internet in all … [Read more...]
UK market sees £1.62 billion of hotels sold: bank deleveraging accelerates
A total of £1.62 billion of UK hotels were sold as a result of company administrations or administrative receiverships between 2010 and 2013 year to date according to latest research by Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group. 2013 is already the most active year in terms of administration or administrative receivership related UK hotel sales, owing to the sale … [Read more...]
Aparthotels Adagio launches in Liverpool
Aparthotels Adagio, part of a joint venture between Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs Group and Accor, will open its first British aparthotel in Liverpool this week. Following the launch of the brand this year, the UK is set to become one of the key growth territories in Europe, besides France and Germany. Aparthotels Adagio has an aggressive European expansion plan to add … [Read more...]
Budget hotel brand for Whitbread?
The Times is reporting speculation that Whitbread is planning a budget hotel brand. With 650 Premier Inns already established, Travelodge beginning to fight back, and a number of ‘budget’ offerings in prospect, Whitbread could well be considering its response. Foremost amongst the budget initiatives is recently announced ‘Moxy’: the Marriott/Ikea offering which will seek … [Read more...]
Hospitality and leisure sector confidence in business outlook for 2013
Research by RSM Tenon shows that nearly 50% of Hospitality & Leisure (H & L) businesses are confident about the outlook for 2013, whilst 35% are undecided, and almost 20% are pessimistic. Key findings: 46% of H&L businesses are optimistic about the year ahead, against 19% who are pessimistic Confidence on revenues is greater than on profitability For … [Read more...]
Olympics game makers & speakers announced for BHA Summit Conference
20 Games Makers from the London Olympics will be part of the 2013 BHA Hospitality and Tourism Summit. The Games Makers will greet the 500 arriving delegates and top speakers who are expected to converge in London from all over the UK for the two day event starting on 11 June, with the programme featuring these first 10 speakers: Alan Parker, Chairman BHA Lord … [Read more...]
Pizza ordering moves to another level with Domino’s new windows phone 8 app
Digital innovation is at the heart of the Domino’s brand and has seen the pizza group create m-commerce channels on a wide range of mobile platforms including web, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. The brand’s first Windows Phone app was built last year on WP7 using Kirin - Future Platforms cross-platform development framework. The app’s successful UX, design and … [Read more...]
Boutique hotel One Leicester Street launches this spring
Opening 1 May 2013, One Leicester Street is the latest project from Singaporean hotelier Peng Loh and Chef Patron Tom Harris. Part of the Unlisted Collection: a brand known for their fresh and unconventional approach to boutique hotels and restaurants, One Leicester Street will be located at the former St John Hotel site in the heart of Chinatown. The new hotel will join six … [Read more...]
Pies, beers, bands – here’s a pub working hard for its customers
The Central pub in Half Moon Lane, Gateshead already has high reputation and its activities over Easter weekend reveal a pub show why. The pub, run by The Head Of Steam Ltd, is putting on a large Beer and Pie Festival, in association with the New Zealand Gourmet Pie Company of Corbridge. 40 different pies From 7pm on Thursday 28 March and lasting till Easter Sunday, … [Read more...]
Palm oil: campaign on use in chocolate will raise customer awareness
Palm oil and its uses in foods – from chocolate to margarine to cream cheese - and therefore cooking looks set to become an issue that the hospitality sector needs to consider: your customers are increasingly likely to be asking questions about its use. Palm oil is a core ingredient in many food products and companies are not required by EU law to label products containing … [Read more...]
Cocktail masterclasses to drive sales for Lola Lo Bar and Club
Tiki bar and club brand Lola Lo – part of Eclectic Bars and Clubs - is launching exotic cocktail-making masterclasses in partnership with premium rum brand Havana Club as a core part of its sales-driving initiative. Tapping into the occasions market and using the sessions to illustrate its range of cocktails, Lola Lo is adding a dash of exotic paradise to special … [Read more...]
Report finds that F & B managers overspend on supplies, struggle to control costs
A new, independent survey of almost 200 managers across the F & B and hospitality sector was commissioned by F&B technology expert Caternet, discovering that ‘time’ and ‘money’ remain a top priority for the F&B industry. When asked to name their top three pains, the number one spot goes to 79% of F&B managers who admit they regularly overspend on supplies … [Read more...]
TripBarometer: results highlight increased travel spend and use of digital channels
TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, has released the results of the world’s largest accommodation and traveller survey¹ – the TripBarometer by TripAdvisor. Highlights include: Global travellers’ plans to increase travel spend present a positive opportunity for hotels in 2013 Travellers now choose digital channels for their travel planning and research, and … [Read more...]
New website for the accessible tourism market in Britain
Every hospitality and tourism business in the UK can and should now reach out directly to the lucrative (£2 billion estimated value) accessible tourism market with the help of the new OpenBritain.net website, launched this week as part of British Tourism Week. According to research carried out by VisitEngland in 2012, 94% of people planning a trip – whether for themselves … [Read more...]