Peak restaurant, run by UK-based hospitality group Rhubarb, is on the 101st floor of a skyscraper in New York’s Hudson Yards. High above the city and from one executive’s perspective, clearly high above any moral responsibilities too, according to New York’s restaurant website EATER New York. EATER New York yesterday published news that Rhubarb vice president David Edwards … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2020
Restaurants transform into hospital caterers as LEON powers FeedNHS
LEON has ramped up its ongoing support of the NHS during the Covid-19 crisis, by launching FeedNHS, alongside actors Damian Lewis, Helen McCrory and fellow actor and comedian Matt Lucas. Launched only last week LEON is already catering for thousands of front line NHS workers and liaising with NHS Trusts to ramp up this vital service. Thankfully many other hospitality … [Read more...]
Hall & Woodhouse, cancel rent and service changes, and suspend loan repayments for pubs
Hall & Woodhouse has confirmed support of its Business Partner estate by cancelling all rent and service charges, and suspending loan repayments for eight weeks from Sunday March 22. This decision was originally made to suspend these payments for four weeks in response to the Prime Minister’s advice given on Monday March 16 to avoid pubs, restaurants, theatres, office … [Read more...]
Manchester police name and shame pubs offering lock-ins, promising licences will be revoked
While most people and businesses are doing their best to share the load from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, police in Manchester are trying to cope with pubs that refuse to lock their doors. Manchester’s Chief Constable Ian Hopkins has named and shamed pubs for flouting the coronavirus lockdown. Hopkins and his colleagues are dealing with complaints from the public of … [Read more...]
The Clink continues to provide critical support, please help by supporting our emergency fund
Firstly we would like to thank all our customers and supporters for their understanding and support during this time of national crisis. As many of you are aware, we had to close all The Clink restaurants, Café and Event training projects after the important instruction from the Government was received last week. For everyone who was due to dine with us in these past few … [Read more...]
Administrators seek interest in sports caterer post COVID-19 collapse
Administrators have been appointed at Cookeze Limited, the Lancashire-based event catering firm. Clients of the company included Manchester United, Liverpool FC, Jockey Club Brasserie Blanc and Malmaison Hotels. Turnover last year was £1.5m. Dean Watson of the Manchester office of Begbies Traynor and Neil Dingley of Moore in Stoke were appointed Joint Administrators of … [Read more...]
Martin Lewis explains the government’s COVID-19 support for self-employed
If you are self-employed in the hospitality business, like many you could be looking for some plain talking advice on what financial help is available from the government. We have found some such advice, in a relatively short video by MoneySavingExpert.com's Martin Lewis. Lewis sets out not only what is available, but also some key associated financial considerations, and … [Read more...]
Casual Dining & Commercial Kitchen events moved to 2021
Diversified Communications UK has today confirmed that this year’s Casual Dining and Commercial Kitchen events, due to take place in July, have sadly been cancelled. Casual Dining will now run on 10-11 March 2021, with the dates for Commercial Kitchen to be announced. The decision follows the recent and unexpected news that ExCeL London is to become a temporary NHS … [Read more...]
The Ritz London confirms sale, and all employees fully protected throughout COVID-19 crisis
Statement from The Ritz London - Monday, 30 March 2020: Following various press reports, we can confirm that The Ritz London has been acquired by a private Qatari investor. The hotel will remain closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As soon as it is safe, the new ownership together with the hotel’s team look forward to reopening the revolving door, and to the next chapter … [Read more...]
Two more ‘Hospitality Angels’ emerge prioritising their people through the COVID-19 crisis
The last few weeks has seen turmoil emerge amongst much of the hospitality industry, and some businesses react to protect balance sheets ahead of people. Some have take time to protect both and not lost sight of people making any business what it is. Pub and hotel chain Fuller’s has announced that across circa 400 sites it will not seek rent payments from its tenanted … [Read more...]
Dishoom Hosts The Bitter Truth Cocktail Challenge
Some serious creativity was on show in the recent The Bitter Truth Cocktail Challenge as the bar teams from the widely acclaimed Dishoom Group stepped up to the plate and battled it out. Set up and judged by co-founder of The Bitter Truth Alex Hauck, bartenders from the Dishoom sites were all tasked with creating and presenting two new cocktail recipes, one Visionary and one … [Read more...]
The Hospitality COVID-19 Angels & Demons Scales of Empathy
During recent days and weeks the hospitality industry’s reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed some incredible actions, demonstrating empathy by many, and a few unveil colours nobody wants to see. Reactions, especially speedy ones can sometimes be looked back on, and with reflection judged to be ill-judged. It is sometimes too easy to condemn, and praise can also … [Read more...]
The Ritz London has been sold, on the same day it closes its doors for the first time in 133 years
London’s Ritz Hotel, one of the best known hospitality ‘names’ in the world, was acquired last night by an unnamed buyer. The deal was announced shortly after it closed its doors on Friday, for the first time in 113 years in reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak. The deal with an unnamed Qatari investment fund was revealed with almost no further details by the acquirers legal … [Read more...]
Public outrage looks to have set an about turn in motion at JD Wetherspoon
JD Wetherspoon looks to have taken an about turn in its intentions to pay their 43,000 workers prior to receipt of financial support from the government’s wage reimbursement scheme. The move follows immense public pressure across UK media and a letter to Chairman Tim Martin from circa 100 MPs. The U turn is still however using Mr Martin’s words, “subject to government … [Read more...]
Gordon Ramsay retreats to Cornwall holiday home following termination of 500 restaurant staff
Gordon Ramsay has always courted publicity and sometimes even basks in it when it’s bad, this week is no different, and we understand he is currently basking in it at one of his holiday homes in Cornwall with his family. A furore started earlier this week within the press when reporting of Ramsay’s reactions to, like every other restaurateur in the UK, being forced by … [Read more...]
