Articles by Date : March 01 2009 - March 31 2009

London restaurant's pay-as-much-as you-like scheme a success
Restaurant group Little Bay has found its “pay-what-you-think-it’s-worth” promotion a great success, with the average customer spending 30% more than.... more
(11 March 2009 11:40)

Restaurant details of Mark Fuller’s Sanctum Soho revealed
Mark Fuller has unveiled details of his forthcoming restaurant at the Sanctum Soho hotel in London, which is set to launch later this month. more
(11 March 2009 08:30)

Couture takes over catering at Pinewood Studios
Concession caterer Couture has taken over the catering at Pinewood Studios, the home of the James Bond franchise, after Kudos Hospitality terminated.... more
(11 March 2009 08:00)

Restaurant manager jailed after £12,000 theft
A French restaurant manager who almost ruined a Norwich restaurant by a pattern of systematic theft has been jailed for a year. more
(11 March 2009 07:30)

Sainsbury’s breaks up £40m staff catering set-up into four regions
Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has shaken-up its £40m-plus staff catering operation by grouping it into four regions, Caterersearch can reveal. more
(11 March 2009 07:00)

ASA pours cold water on coffee health claims
The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld complaints against the British Coffee Association for claims that coffee can ‘play an active role… in.... more
(10 March 2009 16:03)

Hilton brews deal with Costa
Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) has signed a deal with Costa to supply coffee to 60 of its hotels across the UK. more
(10 March 2009 15:45)

AA patrolmen name their favourite cafés
The best roadside cuppa in the UK is served at the Megabites café, of Copnor, Portsmouth, according to the first-ever AA Patrol Approved awards, in.... more
(10 March 2009 15:24)

UK Coffee Summit will precede Caffe Culture exhibition
A UK Coffee Summit will be held in London on 19 May, the day before the beverage trade’s annual exhibition, Caffe Culture. more
(10 March 2009 14:58)

Mour Hotel launches and reveals rapid expansion plans
Newly launched Mour Hotel is aiming to capitalise on the weak property market and sign up to 12 new sites in the next six months. more
(10 March 2009 14:23)

London restaurants warned against over-discounting
Restaurants in the capital are in danger of over-discounting to drive footfall in the recession, an industry analyst has warned. more
(10 March 2009 13:01)

Metropolitan takes on Italy’s Kimbo coffee
Metropolitan Coffee of London has taken on distribution of coffees from Kimbo, which promotes itself as the third largest coffee roaster in Italy. more
(10 March 2009 12:42)

Look to the loo awards for national promotion
Independent hospitality firms would do well to get involved in this year's national Loo of the Year Awards, which highlight the best places 'to go'.... more
(10 March 2009 12:26)

Denizen brand marks Hilton move into boutique hotels
Hilton today unveiled its move into the boutique market with the launch of Denizen Hotels. more
(10 March 2009 11:59)

Hotel revpar falls by 13.8% in London
Revenue per available room (revpar) dropped by 13.8% in London hotels and by 9.9% in the provinces in the week ending 21 February 2009, according to.... more
(10 March 2009 10:45)

Luxury Le Meridien Beach Plaza hotel in Monaco sold for £22.8m
The five-star Le Meridien Beach Plaza hotel in Monaco has been sold by Starman Hotels for an estimated €25m (£22.8m). more
(10 March 2009 08:30)

Costa Coffee links up with Hilton in the UK
Hilton is to offer Costa coffee in 60 of its UK hotels after agreeing a deal with Whitbread. more
(10 March 2009 08:00)

More than five hotel chains forecast to face administration this year
More than five hotel chains will go into administration over the next 12 months, according to four in ten European hotel executives. more
(10 March 2009 07:30)

Business rate rise will add millions to hospitality tax bill
The hospitality industry will see its tax bill rise by tens of millions if the Government pushes ahead with plans to increase business rates by 5%.... more
(10 March 2009 07:00)

BBPA chief executive in shock departure
Rob Hayward, the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), is to leave the trade body with immediate effect after 10 years in.... more
(09 March 2009 17:34)

Gordon Ramsay hands over control of Hollywood restaurant
Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH) has stepped back from the day-to-day involvement in its Michelin-starred restaurant at the London West Hollywood hotel.... more
(09 March 2009 17:10)

TRI HotStats: monthly European hotel figures - Industry data
Double-digit falls in hotel profitability afflicted nine of the 10 European cities monitored in the monthly Europe HotStats survey in January 2009. more
(09 March 2009 16:15)

UK chef makes World’s Best Sandwich
A UK chef has scooped top prize at the Délifrance International Sandwich World Cup held on 4 March at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. more
(09 March 2009 15:00)

UK chef makes World’s Best Sandwich
A UK chef has scooped top prize at the Délifrance International Sandwich World Cup held on 4 March at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. more
(09 March 2009 15:00)

Six Roux Scholarship finalists are named
The six national finalists for this year’s Roux Scholarship have been selected, following regional finals at University College Birmingham and Thames.... more
(09 March 2009 13:19)

Goodman’s gets lukewarm welcome
Jay Rayner at the Observer visited London’s Goodman’s, armed with the knowledge that the name is so “because they are good steaks for good men”. more
(09 March 2009 12:28)

What’s on the Menu? - A round-up of the latest restaurant reviews
A round-up of the latest restaurant reviews including: Tendido Cuatro, London; Le Bouchon Breton, London; Piazza by Anthony, Leeds; Goodman, London. more
(09 March 2009 12:19)

Restaurants at Work moves into education sector
Contract caterer Restaurants at Work’s newly-formed education division has picked up its first school dinners contract in a deal worth £360,000 in.... more
(09 March 2009 11:46)

Marriott, Inventive and Bourne Leisure make Sunday Times best employers list
Hotel group Marriott, Revolution owner Inventive Leisure and Bourne Leisure, the hotel and holiday park operator, have all been named as ‘Best.... more
(09 March 2009 10:57)

Gordon Ramsay sells Hollywood restaurant - For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say
A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry. News includes: Health tests could keep Fat Duck closed for weeks; Pasta Hut.... more
(09 March 2009 10:17)

Europe and Middle East lead global hotel performance in 2008
Major cities in Europe and the Middle East led global hotel performance in 2008, taking seven spots in the world’s top 20 rankings by revenue per.... more
(09 March 2009 08:00)

Charles Wells provides further support for licensees
Brewer and pub operator Charles Wells has extended its price freeze on draught beers until the summer in a bid to support struggling licensees. more
(09 March 2009 07:30)

Hotel revpar forecast to plummet by 19% in 2009
Hotels across the UK are set to suffer on an ever larger scale than was expected this year, with revenue per available room (revpar) set to plummet.... more
(09 March 2009 07:00)

Friday Wrap: A round-up of the week's hospitality news
Gordon Ramsay may have finally filed his accounts and received two more Michelin stars (not as direct pay-off), but it was his Channel 4 chef co-star.... more
(06 March 2009 16:43)

Galvin at Windows runs live online tasting in UK industry first
In a first for the UK hospitality industry London restaurant Galvin at Windows is today running a live online tasting event. more
(06 March 2009 16:13)

Adnams buys three iconic Suffolk pubs from Punch
Adnams has paid Punch Taverns an estimated £2.7m for three iconic Suffolk pubs, the brewer and pub operator announced today. more
(06 March 2009 15:19)

Hand Picked Hotels and London’s Flemings enter into partnership
Hand Picked Hotels group has entered into a sale and marketing agreement with London luxury hotel Flemings Mayfair. more
(06 March 2009 12:05)

Seven coffee and sandwich shop chains join FSA healthy meal drive
The companies have identified specific projects which take into account procurement, menu planning, kitchen practices and consumer information. They.... more
(06 March 2009 11:52)

Number of sick Fat Duck customers rises to 400
The number of diners who have fallen ill after eating at Heston Blumenthal’s three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant has risen to 400, according.... more
(06 March 2009 11:09)

Punch solicits offers for any of its pubs
Punch Taverns has reportedly approached a number of rival pub operators to ask them if they would be interested in buying any of its pubs. more
(06 March 2009 10:24)

Heston Blumenthal unlikely to reopen Fat Duck this week
Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal is unlikely to reopen his three-Michelin starred restaurant the Fat Duck this week. more
(06 March 2009 08:30)

Compass Group signs up to Local Employment Partnership
Compass Group has become the latest hospitality operator to sign up to the Government’s Local Employment Partnership (LEP) scheme. more
(06 March 2009 08:00)

Brighton & Hove Council seeks town caterer
Brighton & Hove Council are seeking expressions of interest from caterers to provide services at Kings House & Brighton Town Hall. more
(06 March 2009 07:30)

Hotels still investing despite credit crunch
The Royal Horseguards hotel was relaunched after a £16m refit A number of hotel operators across the UK are continuing to invest large sums in.... more
(06 March 2009 07:00)

Andrew May scoops Knorr Scottish Chef of the Year 2009 title
Andrew May of the Kinloch House Hotel in Perthsire has clinched the title of Knorr Scotish Chef of the Year 2009. The award was presented last night.... more
(05 March 2009 18:18)

Pinewood Studios and Kudos Hospitality end agreement
Contract caterer Kudos Hospitality and Pinewood Studios have parted company four months before the contract was due to end, it emerged today. more
(05 March 2009 16:39)

Mandarin Oriental sees profits tumble due to global recession
Luxury hotel group Mandarin Oriental International saw profit for 2008 tumble, as corporate travellers reigned in spending in the latter part of the.... more
(05 March 2009 15:30)

Will hospitality operators pay bonuses despite the recession?
The author of the annual Pay for Performance survey into the executive pay in the hospitality and leisure industry is conducting research into.... more
(05 March 2009 14:30)

Queen Adelaide an honest and welcome pub, says critic
Critic Guy Dimond visited The Queen Adelaide, Shepherd's Bush, London, and found that it hadn't overlooked the "pub" aspect of being a gastropub. more
(05 March 2009 13:56)

What’s on the Menu? - A round-up of the latest restaurant reviews
What’s on the Menu? - A round-up of the latest restaurant reviews including Barny's Place and Sake No Hana. more
(05 March 2009 11:33)