One particularly enjoyable part of reporting news is keeping an eye on it. And some eye keeping of course is more enjoyable, new school generally more so than old school, being less restricted, and more forthright. One such media outlet is US travel website, Skift, who also operate a good email newsletter. Yesterday one headline particularly caught our eye - Someone Says … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2020
Specialist Leisure Group placed in Administration
EY’s Restructuring team led by Sam Woodward and Colin Dempster have been appointed Administrators of the Specialist Leisure Group. Specialist Leisure Group is a British hotel and leisure travel company specialising in escorted tours, short breaks, events and river cruises throughout the UK, Europe and worldwide for the over 50s. Specialist Leisure Group Administration - 44 UK … [Read more...]
Failed Covid-19 hospitality insurance claimants join a collective
A growing group of angry hospitality businesses that individually failed with claims of business damages resulting from Covid-19 to date, are now planning collective legal action. The group, called HIGA and legal advisers Mishcon de Reya, have said legal action will focus against two giants of the insurance world, Aviva and QBE. The focus follows from hundreds of … [Read more...]
Monitoring and mirroring sustainability
The Covid-19 pandemic has allowed many hospitality businesses to focus on sustainability goals while forced to close. When those businesses reopen, added sustainability credentials give customers one more reason to visit. In October 2019, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group pledged to eliminate all single-use plastic, across its portfolio of luxury hotels, by the end of March 2021. … [Read more...]
Takeaway burgers ad infinitum
Burgers, beef burgers, chicken burgers, veggie burgers, you name it burgers, the humble burger transcends from quick serve restaurants to high end restaurants and everything in between. Now with delivery, click and collect and takeaway on the agenda for most hospitality businesses, ensuring quality will also ensure repeat custom. Takeaway burgers ad … [Read more...]
The click and collect takeaway profit focus
Covid-19 has focused many more restaurants to adopt takeaway and integrate with click and collect. Restaurants can benefit significantly from offering ready-to-eat meals, professionally prepared, ordered online, to be eaten at home. In the UK 7.5 billion food deliveries were made last year, figures that fuelled UK consumer research organisation NPD Group’s report showing an … [Read more...]
Whitbread CEO serves notice of acquisition intent
As Whitbread busy themselves in preparing to secure liquidity through raising circa £1bn from shareholders, CEO Alison Brittain has sent out a note of acquisition intent to the hospitality industry. Brittain in a note to the press said Whitbread didn’t need the £1bn to stay afloat, with the money intended as a war chest to make acquisitions. She even outlined the basic … [Read more...]
BiteBack transitioning to takeaway
The impact from COVID-19 has been felt by all businesses, especially those in the hospitality businesses. Introducing BiteBack by Paymentsense - What is it? BiteBack is a new online toolkit that enables businesses to process takeaway orders quickly and easily. The main offering is a customisable webpage, which will host restaurants’ menus digitally, allowing consumers to … [Read more...]
Government to shut stable doors after horses bolt
The Government’s announcement yesterday to introduce quarantine measures at UK airports and borders two months into the Covid-19 crisis is inexplicable. Inexplicable primarily as, it wasn’t continued after introduction at the start of the pandemic. In late February people arriving back from trips outside the UK, showing symptoms of Covid-19 were immediately … [Read more...]
One hotel group 700 new Covid-19 safety protocols
NH Hotel Group has launched a new set of measures to address the current Covid-19 crisis. The measures are designed to preserve the safety of travellers and employees, through various initiatives and adaptation of 700 operating standards. They will be implemented in each and every one of the Group's 364 properties across Europe and America. Under the new ‘Feel Safe … [Read more...]
Restaurant acquisition frenzy looms
Boparan Restaurant Group’s confirmation of acquiring Carluccio’s yesterday morning was good news, not least for the 800 people that had their jobs saved. It also is a preview to a frenzy of similar acquisitions in casual dining, and the wider UK restaurant sector. As restaurants across the UK remain closed due to Government restrictions combating the spread of … [Read more...]
Restaurants gear up for opening
As restaurants gear up for opening again, a very different restaurant landscape awaits. For some already part open and taking advantage of delivery services, click and collect, and other variations of takeaway, the next phase will be challenging. Takeaway was buoyant showing sustained high growth before the onset of Covid-19. It has now seen fine dining and even Michelin … [Read more...]
Safe Covid-19 hospitality trading
Food hygiene is always important across the hospitality industry, and now more than ever, it is crucial to follow strict health and safety protocols across your food and beverage business. There is no evidence to suggest that Coronavirus can be transmitted from food, or food packaging. Despite this, there are certain extra precautions your business should take, in order to … [Read more...]
Greek banks look to inject liquidity into tourism and hotels
Greek bank Eurobank is to provide £670 million in funding support to Greek tourism and hotels. The investment is viewed as central to combat a deep recession predicted by the European Commission that estimate Greece's economy will contract by 10% in 2020. Eurobank has now pledged to make a 750 million euro (671 million pounds) funding package available to help Greek hotels … [Read more...]
Boparan completes Carluccio’s acquisition
Boparan Restaurant Group earlier this morning confirmed the acquisition of Carluccio’s including 30 trading sites. The move was expected as we reported earlier this week and saves more than 800 jobs. Boparan Restaurant Group already operate many well known restaurant brands including... Cinnamon - Fishworks - Slim Chickens- Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner. Boparan Restaurant … [Read more...]
