Articles by Date : December 01 2005 - December 31 2005

Ramsay and Blumenthal honoured in New Year list
Chefs Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal are among the hospitality industry figures recognised in today's New Year's honours list. more
(31 December 2005 00:01)

Benjys announces further expansion plans
Sandwich chain Benjys plans to open a further 50 stores and 90 Benjys Delivered franchises in 2006. more
(30 December 2005 13:40)

New owners sought for Suffolk hotel
A 17th Century, grade II-listed hotel, in the village of Clare in Suffolk, has been placed on the market through agent Christie + Co. more
(30 December 2005 12:58)

Eating out prices rise at twice the rate of food in shops
Prices at restaurants and other foodservice outlets have increased at more than twice the rate of food prices in general in the last five years, says.... more
(30 December 2005 12:01)

Landmark New York hotel is sold
International hotel group Mandarin Oriental is to sell the Mark hotel in New York for $150m (£87m) to developers Izak Senbahar and Simon Elias. more
(30 December 2005 11:30)

New smoking poll adds to pressure for full ban
Almost three-quarters of people across the UK back an all-out ban on smoking in places of work, including pubs and restaurants, says a new poll. more
(30 December 2005 11:01)

Hilton International sold to US cousin for £3.3b
The Hilton brand is to be reunited after a gap of 40 years after a deal was agreed last night for the £3.3b sale of UK-based Hilton International to.... more
(30 December 2005 09:55)

Penrith guest house sale
The Norcroft Guest House in Penrith, Cumbria, has been sold by owners Tim and Elizabeth Blagborough to Paul Lamb, who moves to the centre of Penrith.... more
(29 December 2005 16:11)

Rights for time off for religious observance
Allen & Overy’s associate Linda Okeke examines employees’ rights to time off for religious observance more
(29 December 2005 15:26)

Redundancy selection process
Marc Jones, partner at Turbervilles, looks at how employers should conduct the selection process when dealing with redundancies. more
(29 December 2005 15:18)

London faces Olympic hotels shortage, claims study
London is short of hotels within easy reach of the planned 2012 Olympic Park in Stratford. more
(29 December 2005 14:33)

Healthy eating drive bears fruit in schools
A scheme to provide primary school children in Scotland with fresh fruit is proving successful, claim ministers. more
(29 December 2005 13:41)

Paris hotels shrug off troubles
Hotels in Paris are among the best-performing in Europe, despite the recent riots across France, according to the latest figures from consultants TRI. more
(29 December 2005 13:12)

BB's plans coffee bar expansion
Shopping centre café operator BB's Coffee & Muffins has announced plans to open a further 40 cafés in 2006, creating more than 350 full- and.... more
(29 December 2005 11:00)

Rank sell-off may lead to bid war
Rank Group, owner of the Hard Rock brand, is expected to face a bidding frenzy after the long-awaited sale of its Deluxe film processing division. more
(28 December 2005 14:10)

Savoy owner may get new takeover bid
The corporate raider whose bid for Fairmont Hotels, owner of London's Savoy hotel, was rejected last week, says he may come back with a higher offer.... more
(28 December 2005 13:50)

Care homes need Jamie Oliver-style campaign
A Liberal Democrat MP is calling for a Jamie Oliver-style campaign to improve the "shocking" standard of food in care homes for the elderly. more
(28 December 2005 13:21)

What the Christmas papers say
A round-up of news from the Christmas period affecting the hospitality industry, including: Scotsman group sale; Enterprise windfalls; Young's may.... more
(28 December 2005 11:57)

Christmas quiz
Why not enter our jolly Christmas quiz and have a chance of winning a night for two in a superior room at the Four Seasons Hamilton Place, courtesy.... more
(28 December 2005 09:00)

Terry Holmes retires from the Stafford hotel
Veteran hotelier Terry Holmes is retiring at the end of the year, bringing to an end an amazing career in senior hotel management that spanned nearly.... more
(27 December 2005 09:00)

News round-up: food service
Strike, schools and scandal keep catering in the news. more
(26 December 2005 09:00)

News round-up: pubs
New laws put pressure on pubs and bars sector. more
(25 December 2005 09:00)

News round-up: restaurants
Eating-out culture grows as groups consolidate The year in restaurants. more
(24 December 2005 09:00)

News round-up: hotels
New breed of boss at the helm of hotel companies more
(23 December 2005 12:00)

Savoy owner Fairmont rejects takeover bid
Canada-based hotel group Fairmont, the owner of London's Savoy hotel, has rejected a $1.2b takeover bid from corporate raider Carl Icahn, calling the.... more
(23 December 2005 11:53)

London hotels 'back on track'
Chain hotels in London grew revenue per available room (revpar) by 6.4% during November, according to the latest figures from TRI Hospitality.... more
(23 December 2005 10:45)

Coffee Republic stands by franchise model
Coffee chain Coffee Republic says it will continue to pin its hopes on franchising to save the struggling brand. more
(22 December 2005 16:05)

CHE puts £20m into Sleep
Branded hotel operator CHE Hotel Group is to raise nearly £20m through a share placing to fund expansion of its Sleep Inn hotels in the UK. more
(22 December 2005 14:03)

HHC to finalise Hilton Group deal this year
Industry expects £3.6b takeover to go ahead this month more
(22 December 2005 11:38)

Bogus directory site scams Pulze's Al Duca
A restaurant scam that cons businesses into believing it is part of a "free" tourist directory has struck again. more
(22 December 2005 11:34)

Traditional Cornish inn for sale
The traditional Cornishman Inn in Tintagel, Cornwall, has been placed on the market after 40 years in the same family. more
(22 December 2005 11:16)

Drug addiction: Picking up the pieces
John, a successful chef who had descended into cocaine and crack addiction, managed to claw his way back from the brink of self-destruction. But he.... more
(22 December 2005 00:00)

Pengelley's restaurant shuts suddenly
Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH) has pulled the plug on Knightsbridge restaurant Pengelley’s. more
(21 December 2005 16:34)

Mandarin Oriental ballroom to be restored
The historic ballroom at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Hyde Park in London is to be restored and reopened in the New Year. more
(21 December 2005 16:25)

Euro Hostel group plans expansion
Scottish budget hotel company Euro Hostel is planning to open new premises in at least six UK cities. more
(21 December 2005 16:16)

Pork pies set to join the upper crust?
The makers of Melton Mowbray pork pies are one step closer to gaining protected name status for their products, following a High Court ruling today. more
(21 December 2005 16:03)

BHA boss to chair Hospitality Action
Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, has become chairman of industry charity Hospitality Action. more
(21 December 2005 10:29)

Welsh hotel changes hands
The three-star, 28-bedroom Ty Newydd Hotel at Hirwaun, Mid Glamorgan, has been sold on behalf of Drayton Manor Hotels through agent Colliers Robert.... more
(20 December 2005 17:30)

New owners at Worcestershire pub
The Jockey Inn at Baughton, between Upton-upon-Severn and Pershore in Worcestershire, has been sold to Colin and Carol Clarke. more
(20 December 2005 17:08)

Six line up to bid for Compass's SSP division
Bidders in the race to buy Compass Group's travel concession business SSP have been cut to a shortlist of six. more
(20 December 2005 15:02)

EBLEX tackles Christmas roast rage
In a bid to combat "roast rage" the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) has launched a 24-hour helpline for home chefs. more
(20 December 2005 12:58)

London Olympics gets new chief executive
Goldman Sachs banker Paul Deighton has been named as chief executive of the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (LOCOG). more
(20 December 2005 12:48)

Center Parcs signs Jersey deal
Leisure village operator Center Parcs has signed an agreement to operate a new luxury waterfront apartment and leisure complex in Jersey. more
(20 December 2005 12:41)

ALMR does its bit for charity
Members and guests at the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) helped raise over £30,000 for charity at last week’s Christmas lunch. more
(20 December 2005 10:23)

Health Select Committee slams the Government’s smoking plans
An influential committee of MPs has slammed the Government’s smoking plans as “unfair, unjust, inefficient and unworkable”, calling instead for a.... more
(19 December 2005 16:11)

FishWorks restaurant comes to London's Primrose Hill
Rapidly-expanding restaurant-fishmongers chain FishWorks has exchanged contracts on its ninth site in north London. more
(19 December 2005 15:09)

Strong November for UK hotels
It was good news for UK hotels last month as occupancy and room yields grew steadily in London and across the country, according to hotel consultancy.... more
(19 December 2005 14:46)

Searcy's takes over catering at Mansion House
Upmarket caterer Searcy’s will take over the catering operation at Mansion House in the City of London on 1 January. more
(19 December 2005 14:22)

Workers go Christmas crackers
Christmas really does send workers crackers, according to new research by contract caterer Avenance which found that the festive season cost the UK.... more
(19 December 2005 12:31)

Alchemy bids £42m for Revolution
Tattershall Castle Group owner Alchemy Partners has made a cash offer of more than £42m for Inventive Leisure. more
(19 December 2005 12:13)