Articles by Date : April 01 2006 - April 30 2006

Acorn Winner 2006: James Street
In only six years, Street has progressed from being a barman to becoming All Leisure's deputy general manager at the £113m Ricoh Arena, the brand new.... more
(27 April 2006 00:00)

Acorn Winner 2006: Robert Thompson
Thompson started working in kitchens in 1997 and got his first taste of the restaurant high life in 1999 as an apprentice at L'Ortolan near Reading... more
(27 April 2006 00:00)

Saltire to roll-out Le Monde
Saltire Taverns, the fast growing Scottish leisure group, is planning a £60m expansion for its Le Monde bar and hotel concept. more
(26 April 2006 17:18)

Indian restaurant business Vama to expand outside of London heartland
Indian restaurant business Vama is taking its first steps beyond London with six new openings at four Selfridges department stores across the country. more
(26 April 2006 17:02)

Hospitality customers fear Wi Fi security breaches
More than half of business travellers have admitted they are concerned about Wi-Fi security, according to a new survey by broadband technology.... more
(26 April 2006 15:32)

Hard Rock Café sales revival helps boost performance
A Hard Rock sales renaissance has helped boost the performance of owner Rank group since the start of the year. more
(26 April 2006 14:28)

Compass Group appoints new UK and Ireland boss
Food service giant Compass Group has appointed Ian El-Mokadem as chief executive officer at its UK and Ireland division. more
(26 April 2006 12:23)

Sales surge at pub company JD Wetherspoon
Sales at pub company JD Wetherspoon surged in the last quarter, surprising industry analysts. more
(26 April 2006 12:14)

Matfen Hall hotel triumphs in Enjoy England Awards
Matfen Hall hotel near Newcastle has been named Large Hotel of the Year in the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2006. more
(26 April 2006 11:23)

Kevin Costner named in golf hotel sexual harrasment case
The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews has been revealed as the hotel at the centre of an unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination dispute involving.... more
(26 April 2006 10:35)

Heat and Spice
Spice blends and pastes gathered from world cuisines gain favor as flavor catalysts in kitchens from campuses to chains. more
(25 April 2006 18:11)

The Long and Short of Rice
The world’s most popular grain makes big moves on American menus as it finds appreciative audiences. more
(25 April 2006 18:06)

Where There’s Smoke...
Saucy proteins strut their stuff in barbecue sandwiches built on sesame-seed buns, pita bread and Texas toast. more
(25 April 2006 18:00)

Beating the Spread
Buffets pose food-cost and food-safety challenges, but there are reasons they remain popular and tactics that keep them profitable. more
(25 April 2006 17:45)

Allergies: On Alert
Consumer awareness and increased public policy has operators finding new ways to accommodate allergic diners. more
(25 April 2006 17:38)

Armed robbery at leading Norfolk restaurant Lavender House
Leading Norfolk restaurant the Lavender House in Brundall was hit by an armed robber late on Sunday night. more
(25 April 2006 17:22)

Union calls for chips to be banned in Welsh schools
Chips, fizzy drinks and chocolate should be banned from schools in Wales, according to the Welsh National Union of Teachers (NUT). more
(25 April 2006 16:32)

Paul Rankin group launches franchising business
Irish celebrity chef Paul Rankin is to franchise his café and soup bar business in Ireland. more
(25 April 2006 16:17)

Whitbread reshuffles senior management team
Whitbread has reshuffled the management team in charge of its two restaurant divisions after the departure of Phil Urban, managing director of the.... more
(25 April 2006 16:00)

Bed Tax - a tax on tourism
The idea of imposing a bed tax on hotels at a time when hospitality businesses already face spiraling costs and bureaucracy, not to mention a £17b.... more
(25 April 2006 15:44)

American bread range from Speciality Breads
Speciality Breads has released its American range including Mini Kentucky Cornbread Loaves, San Francisco Rustic Sourdough Rolls, New York Lemon and.... more
(25 April 2006 14:54)

Latest figures show UK hotel market now worth £3.65b
The average hotel room in the UK now earns around £21,870 a year, just £1,500 below the average UK wage of £23,400, according to consultancy PKF. more
(25 April 2006 14:29)

Whitbread to sell Brewers Fayre and Beefeater pub restaurants
Leisure giant Whitbread today revealed plans to sell a sizeable chunk of its Brewers Fayre and Beefeater pub restaurants. more
(25 April 2006 10:55)

Proof-of-age card website launched
A new website has been launched that will help publicans spot whether younger customers are flashing genuine or fake proof-of-age cards. more
(25 April 2006 10:22)

Raymond Blanc attacks TV restaurant shows as disaster for catering industry
Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc has hit out at TV restaurant shows, describing them as a "disaster" for the catering industry. more
(25 April 2006 10:22)

Market snapshot: Hotels
Key trends in the UK hotels market more
(24 April 2006 18:39)

Say no to bed tax
Caterer and Hotelkeeper is launching a campaign to Say No To Bed Tax. more
(24 April 2006 17:23)

Search for 2006 Loo of the Year launched
The search for the 2006 Loo of the Year has been launched in the UK and Ireland. more
(24 April 2006 17:10)

Roast replaces curry as the nation’s favourite nosh
Britain’s love affair with curry has cooled off as the nation’s consumers develop a new warmth for more traditional native fare. more
(24 April 2006 17:10)

Initial Style Conferences rebrands as Verve Venues
Initial Style Conferences has rebranded as Verve Venues as part of a new marketing strategy. more
(24 April 2006 16:20)

Food critic Michael Winner barred from chef Jean-Christophe Novelli’s gastropub
Famously outspoken food critic Michael Winner was refused entry to celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli's new restaurant. more
(24 April 2006 15:33)

Kingdom Hotels sees turnover soar by 53%
Kingdom Hotel Investments’ strategy of acquiring underperforming properties in developing markets has seen group turnover soar 53% from the previous.... more
(24 April 2006 15:32)

Summer Isles hotel named as Scottish Hotel of the Year
Summer Isles hotel in Achiltibuie, Ross Shire, has been named Scottish Hotel of the Year. more
(24 April 2006 14:51)

Chef-restaurateur Gordon Ramsay tops poll of celebrity fathers
Gordon Ramsay has come top of a poll of favourite celebrity fathers. more
(24 April 2006 14:51)

Chef winners of Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence announced
Seven chefs and seven pastry chefs have gained the Academy of Culinary Arts’ Annual Awards of Excellence (AEE) recognition this year. more
(24 April 2006 14:50)

Enterprise Inns operations director to retire in September
Enterprise Inns' operations director Gordon Harrison will retire from the pub group in September. more
(24 April 2006 10:48)

Tchenguiz confirms bid for M&B... For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say
A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry. News includes: McDonald’s report 14% drop in profits; Works starts on hotel in.... more
(24 April 2006 10:38)

One Devonshire Gardens on the market for £8m
One Devonshire Gardens – Glasgow’s only five-AA-red-star hotel – was put on the market for more than £8m last week. more
(24 April 2006 10:37)

Hotel manager ordered to pay back stolen funds
A hotel manager who stole so much money from the business that it never made a profit and subsequently went under, has been ordered to sell his own.... more
(24 April 2006 10:36)

Yo! Sushi founder Simon Woodroffe to sell stake in the business
The founder of the Yo! Sushi restaurant chain today said he is to sell his remaining 22% stake in the business to concentrate on his new hotel and.... more
(21 April 2006 18:04)

Chef Ian Pengelley resurfaces with new venture Gilgamesh
Chef Ian Pengelley is bringing his acclaimed Pan-Asian cuisine to Camden in North London when he opens his new venture, Gilgamesh, on 1 June. more
(21 April 2006 17:26)

Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries’ Marston’s Pedigree a British Icon?
Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries’ Marston’s Pedigree ale has been nominated to become an official Icon of England. more
(21 April 2006 16:59)

Royal Bank of Scotland buys 46 UK Marriott hotels for £951.4m
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has bought 46 Marriott hotels in the UK for £951.4m from Condor, the joint venture set up between Whitbread and.... more
(21 April 2006 16:42)

North-east chef of the year competition launched
Chefs in the North-east now have the opportunity to compete in a new culinary award in the region. more
(21 April 2006 16:42)

Cumbria’s Hazelmere café and bakery wins Top Afternoon Tea award 2006
The Hazelmere café and bakery in Cumbria has won the National Top Afternoon Tea Award 2006. more
(21 April 2006 12:59)

Punch Taverns puts Old Orleans restaurant chain up for sale
Pub company Punch Taverns has put the Old Orleans restaurant chain up for sale, according to The Telegraph. more
(21 April 2006 12:59)

Schlössle Hotels sold to Marbella Club Hotel
Schlössle Hotels, the boutique hotel group, has been sold to the owners of the Marbella Club Hotel for an undisclosed sum. more
(21 April 2006 10:40)

Failed licensing appeal won’t set precedent for pubs
JD Wetherspoon’s failed appeal against a decision to curb its opening hours at a Lloyds No 1 pub in Guildford, Surrey, won’t set a precedent. more
(21 April 2006 10:40)

Chinese restaurant fined £15,000 after mouse droppings found in kitchen
A London Chinese restaurant has been fined £15,000 after mouse droppings were found in its kitchen. more
(21 April 2006 10:11)

Pizza and pasta restaurant chain Prezzo to open 100th store
Pizza and pasta restaurant group Prezzo plans to open its 100th site this year. more
(21 April 2006 10:11)