Articles by Date : March 01 2003 - March 31 2003

Initiative targets young hopefuls
The Academy of Food and Wine Service (AFWS) has launched a pilot initiative called the Saturday Club, aimed at encouraging young people into the food.... more
(25 March 2003 10:58)

People on the move
PHILIP MAHONEY, general manager of the Radisson SAS hotel, Glasgow, has been appointed chairman of the Greater Glasgow Hotels Association. more
(25 March 2003 10:29)

Caterer personals
To place a free personal ad: e-mail your submission to caterer.responses@rbi.co.uk. more
(25 March 2003 10:27)

Reader diary
Cuba could teach us a few simple courtesies more
(25 March 2003 10:24)

Carter's on course
Continuing our occasional series on general managers, we catch up with Stephen Carter as he embarks on a second phase of development at St Andrews.... more
(25 March 2003 10:21)

Should chefs be taking the guidebooks this seriously?
To be at the top of the cooking profession demands dedication, passion, perseverance and years of hard graft, and the unfavourable verdict of a food.... more
(25 March 2003 10:15)

The seafood restaurant
More delays with the building of the Seafood restaurant at St Andrews hasn't dampened director Craig Millar's spirits. He's got through to the finals.... more
(25 March 2003 09:54)

Top hospitals rated low in food survey
Some of London's top NHS hospitals are serving the worst food, according to the first set of food inspections to chart the progress of the Better.... more
(25 March 2003 09:50)

Restaurants and bars round-up
Frankie & Benny's opens in Chingford more
(25 March 2003 09:47)

Six Continents franchisees anxious as takeover looms
Six Continents franchisees have threatened to cancel their agreements or demand renegotiated terms in the event of a takeover. more
(25 March 2003 09:45)

Marriott plans £380m Florida resort
Marriott is to open a vast "Vegas-style", $600m (£380.4m) resort in Orlando, Florida, in July. more
(25 March 2003 09:44)

Hilton offloads more Homewood suites for $40m
Hilton Hotels Corporation has sold four more of its Homewood Suites by Hilton in two transactions worth about $40m (£25.4m) in total. The proceeds.... more
(25 March 2003 09:43)

Buyout uncertainty clouds Thistle future
Ownership issues hung over the publication of Thistle Hotels' preliminary results on Monday. more
(25 March 2003 09:42)

Room rates slump pushes Jarvis into profit warning
Increased business from the leisure market has boosted occupancy levels at Jarvis, but room rates are down, it said in its latest trading statement,.... more
(25 March 2003 09:38)

Foodservice briefing
A round-up of the latest news from the contract catering sector... more
(24 March 2003 18:01)

Stick to your own script
Both parties are squaring up to each other and the future is clouded by insecurity. more
(24 March 2003 17:19)

Caffè Nero quells doubts with first pre-tax profit
Cafè Nero announced its first pre-tax profit last week, confirming it as one of the more successful coffee shop operators. more
(24 March 2003 17:18)

Droughts may bring basmati price rises
Restaurateurs can expect the cost of supplies of basmati rice to rise after droughts in north-west India and Pakistan ravaged this year's crop. more
(24 March 2003 17:16)

QMH looks to Holiday Inn rebranding for upsurge
Queens Moat Houses (QMH), which made a £3.7m loss last year, is hoping to pull itself out of the doldrums by extending its Holiday Inn branding to.... more
(24 March 2003 17:15)

Welsh firms losing out
Welsh food and drink companies are failing to win a significant share of the £60m spent each year on food by the region's hospitals, schools and.... more
(24 March 2003 17:14)

Conference: work permit lowdown
A new Government scheme to be launched this year will mean that an additional 20,000 work permits will be granted for low-skilled temporary employees.... more
(24 March 2003 17:11)

Merged group offers one-stop-shop for staff
Catering recruitment specialist Mayday Group and facilities management company AbbeyExec have joined forces to form MaydayExec. more
(24 March 2003 17:10)

Centre Island entrepreneur plans hotel at Cadbury House leisure club
Simon Matthews-Williams, the former managing director of Merseyside's Centre Island Hotels, has re-emerged as the new owner of the Cadbury House.... more
(24 March 2003 17:09)

Reforged Sheffield wins hotel suitors
The regeneration of Sheffield city centre has proved an attractive prospect for two major hotel groups. more
(24 March 2003 17:09)

McDonald's UK Happy Meals are healthy too
McDonald's in the UK will start selling fruit as part of its Happy Meals for children from April, it announced last week. more
(24 March 2003 17:07)

Whitbread sales are up ahead of full-year figures
Whitbread has seen total sales rise by 4% in the 51 weeks to 22 February, promising further improvements in operating margins when it reports.... more
(24 March 2003 17:06)

Yo! Sushi seeks US franchise partner for 100 new outlets
Yo! Sushi, the chain of conveyor-belt sushi bars founded by Simon Woodroffe, is in talks with potential franchise partners with a view to tackling.... more
(24 March 2003 17:06)

Regional refocus keeps Hilton on right lines
A tactical focus on the domestic and regional leisure market helped the Hilton Group partly offset declines in international and business travel last.... more
(24 March 2003 17:04)

Initial aims for 5% rise in sales
Initial Catering has set a target of 5% sales growth for the coming year. more
(24 March 2003 17:03)

Irish restaurateurs cut the cost of eating out
Restaurants and hotels in the Irish Republic, under fire from locals and tourists for the high cost of eating out, are planning a fightback with the.... more
(24 March 2003 17:02)

News round-up
Blue Apple wins badminton contract more
(24 March 2003 17:00)

Restaurant chains grow despite war rumblings
Terrorism and international conflict have done nothing to dampen the business strategies of midmarket restaurant groups, which say the threat of war.... more
(24 March 2003 16:58)

Done deals
Oxfordshire's Bell rings changes more
(24 March 2003 16:56)

Binder lands MD's job at Chez Gérard
Simon Binder, founder of the Café Med chain, has been named as the new managing director of Groupe Chez Gérard as the company reported trading.... more
(24 March 2003 16:55)

Hot prospects
A new sales office in Dubai has been opened by Williams Refrigeration to support the company's customers, distributors and dealers in the Middle East more
(24 March 2003 16:53)

A showcase for Irish microbrews
Think Irish beer and one name leaps to mind, but now the Republic's small brewers are starting to carve their own niche in the UKmarket more
(24 March 2003 16:44)

Boost for Bedford
Entries to the salon at the Bedford Food & Wine Festival more than doubled this year, making it England's largest regional competitive event for.... more
(24 March 2003 16:42)

Competition round-up
Excellence adventure more
(24 March 2003 16:41)

Tudor Hopkins
As director of sales at the trendy K-West hotel in London, Tudor Hopkins, 28, has to drive sales in the UK and abroad, schmooze clients and.... more
(24 March 2003 16:38)

Improving lease conditions
Nigel Ball, a partner in property consultant Fuller Peiser, examines the Code of Practice for Commercial Leases in England and Wales and looks at its.... more
(24 March 2003 16:36)

Letters
Please send letters to: The Editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS. They may be faxed on 020 8652 8973.... more
(24 March 2003 16:32)

Easy viewing aids data entry
The MZ-1 fully integrated EPOS system for hospitality applications from Geller includes a built-in double-sided display and silent thermal printer as.... more
(24 March 2003 16:07)

Soft servings
A new system for dispensing portions of soft ice-cream from pre-packed cartridges is now available from Unice International, originators of the.... more
(24 March 2003 16:04)

Take five
Latest enhancements to the Melitta C5 fully automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine enable five espresso based coffees to be produced at the touch of.... more
(24 March 2003 16:03)

Hot water problem solved
The problem of adequate hot water provision in marquee-based event catering has been addressed by Andrews Water Heaters in a self-contained storage.... more
(24 March 2003 16:02)

Outdoor food in bad weather
A snack and food vendor built specifically by Sielaff for harsh outdoor environments uses special materials to ensure that electronics are fully.... more
(24 March 2003 16:01)

Holding stations
To deal with a 200 per cent increase in food turnover, Worcester Rugby Football Club invested in two Banquetline cabinets at the end of 2001 to.... more
(24 March 2003 15:58)

Home-grown technology greased for action
UK commercial microwave maker Merrychef offers an extensive choice of both microwave ovens and microwave-accelerated convection ovens. more
(24 March 2003 15:54)

Now concentrate
Tchibo's Juice Range has introduced the new Smartpak, a joint venture from the Tchibo and Vitality partnership. more
(24 March 2003 15:53)

Pub chain steams ahead
The Tom Cobleigh chain of family pubs is evaluating Sonic Steamer microwave ovens from Panasonic as a way of cooking vegetables for its quirkily.... more
(24 March 2003 15:52)