Articles by Date : March 01 2007 - March 31 2007

International Hotel Investment Forum on CatererTV
Last week the movers and shakers of the hotel world gathered in Berlin at the sector’s biggest event, the International Hotel Investment Forum.... more
(12 March 2007 13:06)

Charlton House wins five-year £8.5m Law Society contract
Contract caterer Charlton House has won a five-year £8.5m contract to feed public and staff at the Law Society’s headquarters in London’s Chancery.... more
(12 March 2007 12:30)

Government approves HCIMA rebranding
The Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) will be renamed the Institute of Hospitality from next month, after receiving.... more
(12 March 2007 11:58)

Punch Taverns's chief operating officer quits
The UK’s largest pub company Punch Taverns is to lose its chief operating officer (COO) at the end of the month. more
(12 March 2007 11:00)

Aramark secures East-Anglia defence contract worth £58.4m
Food service company Aramark has secured a seven year contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) worth £58.4m. more
(12 March 2007 10:15)

De Vere Collection launches new-look website
De Vere Collection, owned by the Alternative Hotel Group (AHG) and comprising venue and hotel businesses, has launched a new website in keeping with.... more
(12 March 2007 10:00)

Scottish restaurant chain up for sale - For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say
A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry. News includes: Glasgow pledges hospitality value in Commonwealth Games bid;.... more
(12 March 2007 09:26)

Stein Hotels expands to North America and other international hotel news
Essential news from around the world, including: Fairmont to open in Pittsburgh; Starwood opens first Italian W hotel in Milan; Hilton Maldives.... more
(12 March 2007 08:30)

Trainee manager steals more than £7,000 in hotel bill scam
A trainee manager skimmed more than £7,000 from a hotel client’s bills in what police described as a “cheeky and devious” scam. more
(09 March 2007 17:45)

Global travel and tourism market set to rise to $13 trillion over the next 10 years
The global market for travel and tourism is expected to generate more than US$7 trillion (£3.6 trillion) in 2007, rising to over $13 trillion (£6.7.... more
(09 March 2007 17:15)

Number of branded hotels doubles since 2000
The number of branded hotel rooms has increased by almost 50% in the past seven years with the budget sector doubling its stock since 2000, research.... more
(09 March 2007 16:45)

Government urged to overturn decision to scrap crown logo on pint glasses
Senior pub industry figures have called on Tony Blair to reverse the decision to scrap the Crown symbol on pint glasses and replace it with a.... more
(09 March 2007 16:15)

Lord Forte memorial service date unveiled
The memorial service for Lord Charles Forte will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday 1 May at 11am, it has been announced. more
(09 March 2007 15:45)

Pierre Gagnaire to open Dubais's Festival City development
Award-winning French chef Pierre Gagnaire is set to open in Dubai's Festival City development this autumn. more
(09 March 2007 14:46)

Recruitment difficulties hit hospitality businesses
Recruitment remains the biggest headache facing hospitality businesses, with the hotel sector suffering most acutely, according to new research. more
(09 March 2007 13:15)

NHS Trusts must be more hard headed with contract caterers
NHS Trusts must be more “hard headed” in their negotiations with contract caterers, an influential group of MPs has urged. more
(09 March 2007 12:38)

Amicus and T&G merge to create a 'super union'
Members of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) have voted to merge to create a ‘super union’, with about two million members.... more
(09 March 2007 11:50)

Businesses employing illegal workers face tougher sanctions
Hospitality businesses employing illegal workers face tougher sanctions under plans announced by Home Secretary John Reid. more
(09 March 2007 11:19)

Travelodge
Travelodge became the UK’s first budget hotel brand when it opened its first venue in Britian in the 1980s. It it is now the UK's second largest.... more
(08 March 2007 12:44)

London revpar rises by nearly 20%
London hotels boosted revenue per available room (revpar) by 19.2% in the week ending 4 March, according to figures from hotel benchmarking service.... more
(08 March 2007 11:45)

Accor reports a 50% rise in profits
Profit at hotel chain Accor rose by more than 50% last year driven by strong growth in its core activities, hotels and business services. more
(08 March 2007 11:10)

Travelodge to open £3m hotel in Salisbury
Budget hotel chain Travelodge has exchanged contracts on a new £3m hotel development in Salisbury, Wiltshire. more
(08 March 2007 10:30)

The Bench: London weekly hotel performance to 4 March, 2007
London hotels boosted revenue per available room (revpar) by 19.2% in the week ending 4 March, according to figures from hotel benchmarking service.... more
(08 March 2007 10:20)

The Bench: Scottish hotel performance in January 2007
Hotels in Scotland boosted revenue per available room (revpar) by 11.5% during the month of January 2007. more
(08 March 2007 10:08)

Former Michelin-starred restaurant the Walnut Tree Inn forced to close
The closure of the Walnut Tree Inn in Wales, one of the UK's most famous restaurants, has been met with disappointment by industry figures. more
(08 March 2007 10:00)

Voluntary bed tax proposals could raise £5m, says Scottish tourism body
The hospitality industry's fight against a statutory bed tax took a new twist this week, when a leading tourism body proposed a voluntary scheme in.... more
(08 March 2007 09:30)

Former general manager at Threadneedles stole £20,000 from the hotel
A former general manager at Threadneedles in the City of London has been found guilty of stealing from the hotel. more
(08 March 2007 09:00)

Crown Group wins a £50m deal for 75 leisure centres
Contract caterer Crown Group has set up a new division to target the sports and leisure market after winning a £50m deal to run the catering at 75.... more
(08 March 2007 08:30)

James Street South, Belfast
Opening a restaurant in Belfast was a gamble for Niall McKenna, but now James Street South is one of the most celebrated restaurants in Northern.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

William Baxter and Alastair Storey on the making of a marvellous merger
When Alastair Storey and William Baxter combined their catering companies industry insiders predicted an uneasy ride, but now, after two years, they.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Champagne Bar Devon, Salcombe
Devon's first Champagne bar is part of Soar Mill Cove hotel, a family-owned property on the county's southernmost coastal headland, 20 miles east of.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Independents find strength in numbers
Independent hotel operators can work together to compete with the big brands, says Peter Hancock, chief executive, Pride of Britain Hotels more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Caterer loves... British tourism
There's something very British about strolling along a deckchair-strewn seafront, eating fish and chips to the strains of "That's the way to do it!".... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Chef Conference: An interview with Tom and Rob Aikens
Twin brothers Tom and Robert Aikens are set to do their first live culinary demo together when they take the stage to give a masterclass at the Chef.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Stephen Dowd, chief executive of UKInbound
Chief executive of tourism trade body UKInbound Stephen Dowd has been instrumental in establishing the first-ever British Tourism Week. He talks to.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Mark Wilson appointed as managing editor of Sleepwell Hotels
Midmarket hotel group Sleepwell Hotels has appointed Mark Wilson as managing director amid plans of rapid expansion for the company. more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Eastern Europeans fill UK hospitality jobs
More than 100,000 people from Eastern Europe have registered to work in the UK hospitality industry since the eight former communist countries joined.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Industry pays tribute to 'true giant' Lord Forte
Emily Manson looks back on the life of the hotel and catering legend more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Globe Artichokes,Red Mullet,Pigeon
Ingredients in season... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Englishman celebrates winning a French Michelin star
The English owner of the Abbaye de la Bussière hotel in Burgundy has spoken of his delight at gaining a Michelin star in the face of organised.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Kingston upon Hull's school meals scheme earns reprieve
Supporters of Kingston upon Hull's pioneering healthy free school meals service have welcomed its 11th-hour reprieve, but have attacked the.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

JD Wetherspoon's John Hutson welcomes smoking ban
The chief executive of pub operator JD Wetherspoon has reiterated his belief that smoking bans in Wales and England will be a success for the trade. more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Hopkinson jobs saved as Duchy buys assets
Boutique contract caterer Duchy Catering has purchased the business and assets of Hopkinson Catering, safeguarding 700 jobs. more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

The Westbridge, London
This new gastropub in Battersea, south London, serves pub classics such as fish and chips alongside European dishes including bouillabaisse and.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Mocotó, London
This new restaurant on the old Isola site serves Brazilian classics with many ingredients imported from Brazil. Designed by Brazilian architect Isay.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

The Cross Keys Inn, Pangbourne
Housed in a 16th-century building in the village of Pangbourne, this countryside pub is on the banks of the River Pang. It recently underwent a major.... more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Private-equity group Delek Real Estate buys RoadChef
RoadChef, the UK's third-largest motorway services operator, has been sold by its Japanese private-equity owner in a deal valuing the group at £425m. more
(08 March 2007 00:00)

Local operators buy seafront hotel in Llandudno
Local operators have bought the Marlborough hotel on the Llandudno seafront off a guide price of £1.3m. more
(07 March 2007 17:01)

New owners plan big expansion at Belgravia hotel
The James House hotel in London’s Belgravia district has been sold off an asking price of £875,000. more
(07 March 2007 16:59)

Arran guest house changes hands
Carrick Lodge, a three-star guest house on the Isle of Arran, has been bought by Donald McKelvie. more
(07 March 2007 16:57)