Bartlett Mitchell has become the first independent caterer to commit to Sedex ethical trading - joining thousands of businesses which have pledged to share data to help improve working conditions in global supply chains. As part of the move, BM will join one of the largest collaborative platforms in the world for buyers, suppliers and auditors to store, share and report on … [Read more...]
Archives for July 2020
Government to extend Covid-19 financial support if banks support delivery
The Government is set to announce measures to extend its Covid-19 financial support package to include more businesses facing imminent failure from Covid-19. As there is now just under a week until their much applauded furlough scheme begins to be cut back, currently supporting circa 9 million people, alternatives are essential to avoid mass unemployment at levels unseen in … [Read more...]
Call on Government to support hospitality supply chain
UKHospitality has welcomed the publication of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into COVID-19 and food supply, and urged the Government to act positively on its recommendations. The report identifies the difficulties being faced by hospitality and supply chain businesses and recognises that these sectors will take time to recover. The report recommends … [Read more...]
Brick Lane’s Bangladeshi restaurants call for help after Covid-19 impact
The ongoing impact of Covid-19 is threatening the future of Brick Lane's Bangladeshi-run curry restaurants with owners fearing that their businesses can only survive a few more months without help. While restaurants on the east London street re-opened on the 4 July after three months’ enforced closure, they have not encountered their usual influx of office workers and … [Read more...]
Umbrella teams up with LPC and launches SME Survival Toolkit
Umbrella Training has today announced two new initiatives that strengthen its commitment to helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) recover from the Covid-19 crisis. The company has signed a new agreement with the London Progression Collaboration (LPC) to support its Reskilling the Recovery campaign. Separately, Umbrella has also announced that it is launching a new … [Read more...]
Adam Handling: Getting tough with no shows and advising others to also
Restaurant no shows seem to be resistant to Covid-19, having come through the pandemic seemingly stronger than ever. As restaurants try to emerge and reopen amidst the ongoing crisis, people booking tables and then not showing up damage restaurants and the livelihoods of everyone working with them. Many chefs and restaurateurs take to twitter and other social media bemoaning … [Read more...]
Update from Rishi Sunak on take up of Eat Out to Help Out
More than 53,000 outlets across the UK have so far signed up to the UK Government’s Eat Out to Help Out Scheme - and a new official Government online finder is available to help diners locate them. As Eat Out to Help Out stickers and posters start to appear in the windows of restaurants, cafes, bars and other establishments across the country, customers who want to … [Read more...]
IHG could lose 100 hotels through brand swap options
The number of hotel owners looking to exercise brand swap options on both sides of the Atlantic is accelerating, fuelled by unpaid rents. Last weekend Travelodge Owners Action Group, representing the majority of UK Travelodge landlords set up AGO Hotels, exercising their break option following Travelodge’s recent CVA action. This move could see most Travelodge UK hotels … [Read more...]
Jamie Oliver backs Boris’ obesity campaign talking the talk, but not walking the walk
Jamie Oliver appeared on television last night preaching that Boris Johnson has a plan to save children from obesity in the UK. If you are travelling with children today from Gatwick Airport you can visit his Jamie’s Italian and buy them: “A jumbo scoop of ice cream (choose your flavour) served with chocolate sauce” for £1.50 – or – “A selection of beautiful, fresh seasonal … [Read more...]
Safe Hospitality: Keep hand washing front of mind
The UK Government continue to advise everybody to keep safe by regularly washing their hands for 20 seconds, using soap and water or hand sanitiser. It has and continues to be a foundation of hospitality safety care, it’s simple and effective in combating Covid-19, but it’s all too easy to forget. The Governments advice underlines that hand washing is most important … [Read more...]
Sustainability and safe hospitality
The Covid-19 crisis has seen hospitality reset most of its parameters with survival the only objective in the current business climate. And, being seen to operate a safe and sustainable business environment for consumers to return to and once again enjoy hospitality is the only route to survival. Survival is a strong and emotive word, and it is all too relevant to hospitality … [Read more...]
Roux Scholarship 2020 now 2021
After the 2020 Roux Scholarship was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Roux Family have decided to rearrange the competition to March 2021. The 18 regional finalists, as well as the first reserve, selected at the paper judging stage in March 2020 will automatically qualify as regional finalists for 2021 and cook their recipes for hake, palourde clams and leeks in … [Read more...]
Government’s ‘Obesity Strategy’ well-intentioned but an interventionist risk
The Government’s ‘Obesity Strategy’ has been unveiled today alongside a message “to lose weight, to beat Covid-19, and protect the NHS”. The policy paper - Tackling obesity: government strategy - sets out the actions the Government will take to tackle obesity and help adults and children to live healthier lives. Commenting on the Government’s announcement on next steps for … [Read more...]
Accor eye Travelodge UK rebrand move on rent strategy backfire
Accor eye a rebrand move on Travelodge UK The Travelodge Owners Action Group, representing the majority of UK Travelodge landlords has set up AGO Hotels, exercising their break option from Travelodge following last month’s CVA deal. The move to create AGO Hotels is in association with Accor. Accor made this move, recognising an opportunity to more than double its … [Read more...]
Tossed and Vital Ingredient placed in administration
Simon Bonney and Michael Kiely of business advisory firm Quantuma have been appointed as Joint Administrators to Zest Food Ltd (Zest Food) – the company that trades the healthy eating brands Tossed and Vital Ingredient. Founded in 2004, Zest Food operated from 20 sites across central London, trading as Tossed in 14 of these stores. In March 2018, the group acquired Vital … [Read more...]