The uncertainty surrounding the 4th July as the Government’s reopening date for the UK hospitality industry is leading some businesses within it to state they will open regardless of any further sanctions to go ahead. As financial pressure reaches the point where hospitality businesses face permanent closure many doubtless are calculating that if sufficient numbers … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2020
The joy of hospitality marketing, by Toby Wand
Having spent many years running media businesses working alongside advertisers and exhibitors, seeing results is by far the most enjoyable part of the job. A win win. While Managing Director of Hotelympia, now HRC, I would often witness this live in show, and most people in hospitality will have visited at some point and seen similar. People shaking hands on a deal, satisfying … [Read more...]
Labour Party warns hospitality industry faces collapse
The Labour Party has published a series of demands and is urging Government to act now to save the hospitality industry. The party has warned that hospitality faces collapse with many more closures and redundancies unless the Government put in place sector-specific support measures. Lucy Powell, shadow minister for business and consumers, is also calling on people … [Read more...]
Greene King to repay Benjamin Greene’s enthusiastic role in slavery
The Black Lives Matter global movement has recently challenged Covid-19 for headlines across the world following the televised murder of George Floyd by Minnesota police. Now two UK businesses are in the headlines for their founders’ involvement in the 19th century trans-Atlantic slave trade, Lloyd’s of London and brewer and pub chain Greene King. Both on Wednesday pledged to … [Read more...]
McDonald’s hail digital channels for reopening results
McDonald's have released details of worldwide financial performance during the COVID-19 crisis. Strong digital reach and delivery systems are credited by McDonald's leading to optimistic sentiment in its strategy to deal with the impact from Covid-19 globally. With about 95% of McDonald's restaurants now operational across the world, sequential improvement in … [Read more...]
Pub operating model changes for reopening
Chef and publican, Joe Tansley, of the Bell and Cross in Worcestershire has shown immense innovation in the face of adversity, successfully adapting the operating model of his pub, with plans to harness the power of technology to safely reopen the site over the coming weeks. The news, which comes after the Government announcement that pubs won’t reopen until 4 July at the … [Read more...]
White Heron Collaborates with Bartenders
White Heron Drinks, the creators of the award-winning British Cassis and Framboise, has been collaborating with a talented bunch of bartenders during lockdown to create a new selection of sumptuous summer cocktail recipes. Working with its UK distributor Love Drinks, the brief was to simply create a drink using the British Cassis that would provide some respite and … [Read more...]
Workplace Catering, kindness gives way to cost saving
The workplace catering community are doing an amazing job preparing for the return to work, while many of course have been hard at it throughout. Almost every catering company has produced a really clear set of guidelines to convince clients that opening catering facilities will be safe. There are some terrific videos we’ve seen underlining their capabilities … [Read more...]
Hilton cut 20% of corporate jobs worldwide
Hilton yesterday announced that circa 20% of its corporate workforce worldwide, 2,000 jobs, that were being furloughed are to be made redundant as a direct consequence of the impact on the international hotel group from Covid-19. Worldwide CEO at Hilton, Christopher Nassetta said: “Never in Hilton’s 101-year history has our industry faced a global crisis that brings … [Read more...]
Travelodge to relinquish shareholder rights in last minute offer to landlords
Travelodge has improved an offer to landlords ahead of a vote this Friday to settle rent payments . In a bitter ongoing dispute between Travelodge and landlords the hotel company has made a number of concessions in a bid to try and win over angry property-owners. The latest episode in the saga was reported by Mark Kleinman, City editor at Sky News. Many of the … [Read more...]
Protect your kitchen with combined cleaning and maintenance
As the doors to many workplace kitchens open again, there will be new challenges for caterers. How will cleaning regimes change and how has the shutdown affected your kitchen? By combining the cleaning regime and regular maintenance, you can bring real benefits to your kitchen. Combined deep cleaning and maintenance helps you to: Be more time efficient Reduce … [Read more...]
Government’s weird reopening science
For a Government claiming to follow scientific advice and guidance in setting policy, Boris Johnson and his cohorts currently seem decidedly non-scientific. Non-scientific in not offering any rationale as to why the reopening of non-essential retail precedes reopening hospitality. Was any such question ever asked, and if so, how was the answer reached? Science … [Read more...]
Interview: Bold reopening plan unveiled by Q Hotels’ Group CEO
Reopening plan Q Hotels - Richard Moore, Group Chief Executive, Q Hotels Group As the Government continues to avoid giving hospitality businesses in England a date they can reopen, one hotelier isn’t waiting, he’s getting on and carefully planning for reopening 21 hotels on July 4. Richard Moore, Group Chief Executive, Q Hotels Group. We spoke with Richard to get a fuller … [Read more...]
New menus established from QSR to Michelin destinations
Delivery, click and collect and takeaway are now firmly on the menu for most hospitality businesses, from established quick service restaurants to Michelin starred destination restaurants, and everything in between. This transition has proved to be a lifeline in keeping cash flowing, teams active, and possibly most importantly restaurants front of mind with … [Read more...]
Hospitality reopening reduced to a guessing game
The Government is not providing any guidance for the UK hospitality industry on when it can reopen. With not knowing when it can reopen the UK hospitality industry can now only guess at a date. Guessing will cost the UK hospitality industry through the loss of businesses and jobs, as proper preparation to reopen is unable to get underway. Any plan of action needs … [Read more...]