Articles by Date : April 01 2009 - April 30 2009

Pizza Express founder’s hotel sold
The Great Northern hotel in Peterborough, which is owned by the Pizza Express restaurant chain founder, has been sold for an undisclosed sum. more
(22 April 2009 07:30)

Weekly hotel revpar grows by 3.5% in London
Hotel revenue per available room (revpar) grew by 3.5% in London but fell by 6.3% in the provinces in the week ending 4 April, 2009, according to.... more
(22 April 2009 07:00)

Heston Blumenthal set to open first London restaurant
Heston Blumenthal is planning to open his first restaurant in London, Caterersearch has learnt. more
(21 April 2009 15:17)

Private owner for budget motel in Warrington
The Tall Trees Lodge hotel in Warrington, Cheshire, has been renamed the Happy Guests Lodge after changing hands. more
(21 April 2009 14:31)

Former staff buy historic Devon inn from Heavitree
Two former employees have bought the Grade II-listed Old Rydon Inn at Kingsteignton from Heavitree Brewery, which is withdrawing from the managed.... more
(21 April 2009 14:28)

Polish tenants take on Punch pub-restaurant in Lockerbie
A new, 10-year Punch lease has been sold on the Crown hotel in Lockerbie, Dumfries-shire. more
(21 April 2009 14:25)

First-time buyer for Hull bar
The leasehold on Hull city-centre bar The Bedroom has been sold to first-time operator Lee Cutsforth. more
(21 April 2009 14:21)

First-quarter hotel revpar hit by sharp decline in travel
The UK hotel industry experienced a sharp decline in leisure and corporate travel in the first quarter of the year, according to figures from.... more
(21 April 2009 14:15)

Amber Taverns buys 23 Cains pubs from administration
Amber Taverns has picked up 23 pubs from the administrator of Liverpool-based Cains Beer Company, safeguarding more than 100 jobs. more
(21 April 2009 14:02)

Buy-to-let hotel model viable despite recent troubles, says Flaxby boss
The managing director of the Skelwith group, which is developing the Flaxby Country Club in Yorkshire, has denied that the buy-to-let business model.... more
(21 April 2009 10:23)

Firmdale and Garrets win Queen’s Award for Enterprise
Catey winner Firmdale Hotels and contract caterer Garrets International were today named as winners of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2009 – the.... more
(21 April 2009 08:30)

WL to open seventh Hi Sushi restaurant this summer
The London-based WL Group of Restaurants is to launch a new branch of its Japanese restaurant concept Hi Sushi in Covent Garden in the summer. more
(21 April 2009 07:30)

Waiter sues hotel over age discrimination
A waiter is suing a hotel for age discrimination alleging that the management cut his shifts and gave the remaining hours to younger, less.... more
(21 April 2009 07:00)

ALMR urges chancellor to delay VAT rises and freeze beer tax
The chancellor has been urged to delay this year’s planned VAT increase by at least a month and scrap plans to raise beer tax to avoid hitting.... more
(20 April 2009 16:36)

Sacked hotel barmaid wins compensation
A barmaid who was sacked for failing to turn off a tap has won compensation from her former employer. more
(20 April 2009 14:16)

Compass Group wins extension to Arena Nottingham deal
Compass Group has extended its contract at Trent FM Arena Nottingham by five years, after just 18 months of its current deal. more
(20 April 2009 12:43)

Budget countdown: Public against beer tax rises
The majority of the public believe the Chancellor shouldn’t raise beer tax in this Wednesday’s Budget, research revealed today. more
(20 April 2009 12:15)

Hilton directors stole more than 100,000 computer files, says Starwood - For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say
A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry. News includes: Body found in river is not missing York chef; Scottish chef sets.... more
(20 April 2009 10:24)

Marco criticised for belittling waiters on ‘Hell’s Kitchen’
Marco Pierre White has been criticised by the Academy of Food and Wine after the celebrity chef “demoted” two contestants to front-of-house roles.... more
(20 April 2009 08:00)

2009 Hotel Cateys open for entries
Entries are now being sought for the 2009 Hotel Cateys, the hotel industry’s only truly independent benchmark of operational excellence. more
(20 April 2009 07:00)

Travelodge offers bounty for hotel sites in London
Budget hotel chain Travelodge is once again offering the public a “multi-million pound” bounty pot as part of its £750m plans to open at least 120.... more
(19 April 2009 00:01)

Pub closures have cost the Treasury £242m in a year
The Treasury is facing a black hole of £242m in lost tax revenue due to pub closures since the last Budget, according figures released today by the.... more
(18 April 2009 00:01)

Critic underwhelmed by Digby Trout’s Time and Space
The Evening Standard’s Fay Maschler is less than impressed with the Digby Trout restaurant at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. more
(17 April 2009 17:30)

What’s on the Menu? - A round-up of the latest restaurant reviews
A round-up of the latest London restaurant reviews including: Time & Space at the Royal Institution; Osteria Dell’Angolo; and Britannia more
(17 April 2009 17:17)

Starwood accuses Hilton of theft of trade secrets
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has filed a lawsuit against Hilton accusing its rival of theft of trade secrets and demanding the company stops the.... more
(17 April 2009 16:41)

Friday Wrap: A round-up of the week's hospitality news
While the expected bloodbath of restaurants in the first few months hasn't really materialised, there are signs that the recession is beginning to.... more
(17 April 2009 14:38)

Owner Hotels on the edge of administration
The future of buy-to-let company Owner Hotels is uncertain with reports suggesting it is just days from entering administration. more
(17 April 2009 12:40)

Nestlé Professional helps you get in the 'zone'
Nescafé, Britain’s favourite coffee according to the Allegra Coffee Shop Report 2007, is launching a new competition – offering customers the chance.... more
(17 April 2009 12:09)

Gordon Ramsay serving pre-prepared food, report reveals
Gordon Ramsay, who this week said his “food hell” was ready meals, is serving up pre-prepared food at his Foxtrot Oscar bistro and three London.... more
(17 April 2009 11:04)

Investment Opportunity
Small exclusive boutique hotel located in the midlands available for lease/sale. 2 Rosettes, 3 Star accreditation, increasing turnover. Excellent.... more
(17 April 2009 11:04)

Former home of Dylan Thomas turned into hotel
A former home of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas has been saved from the brink of collapse and re-opened as a hotel. more
(17 April 2009 09:00)

Autograph signs five-year catering deal with Macmillan Publishers
Contract caterer Autograph has won a five-year catering contract, worth an estimated turnover of £3m over the full term, at the London head office of.... more
(17 April 2009 08:00)

Savoy general manager plays down sale rumours
The general manager of the iconic Savoy hotel in London has played down reports that the property is up for sale - but he did not rule out the.... more
(17 April 2009 07:30)

The wine bar revisited - a chat with Jonathan Downey
He transformed London's cocktail bars in the 1990s, bringing in experts Dick Bradsell and Dale DeGroff and a new commitment to training to help.... more
(17 April 2009 00:00)

The recession's loss is our gain
Now is the time to attract a generation of new workers to the hospitality industry, according to Barbara Cassini, chairman of Jurys Inns more
(17 April 2009 00:00)

Jonathan Howell - A Minute on the Clock
British-born Jonathan Howell is head chef at Le Canard in Oslo and, at 29, recently became the youngest chef based in Norway to gain a Michelin.... more
(17 April 2009 00:00)

Menuwatch - High Timber
It's a bold time to open a £4m restaurant with 48,000 bottles of wine in the cellar, but lower gross profits and an emphasis on sourcing are key to a.... more
(17 April 2009 00:00)

Operators opt for chicken to beat recession
Chicken breast has overtaken sirloin steak as the UK’s most popular main course as operators look to cut costs in the face of recession, research.... more
(16 April 2009 16:36)

Danny Meyer to open restaurant at Gramercy Park Hotel
Restaurateur Danny Meyer has teamed up with renowned hotelier Ian Schrager to launch a restaurant at the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York. more
(16 April 2009 12:38)

Consumers avoiding pubs and restaurants as recession fears grow
The majority of UK consumers are cutting down on visits to pubs and restaurants due to fear of the recession, research revealed today. more
(16 April 2009 11:51)

Contract caterer Elior wins Scottish rugby ground Murrayfield deal
Contract caterer Elior UK has been awarded a three-year deal, worth an estimated £3m, to cater at Murrayfield, Scotland’s national rugby stadium. more
(16 April 2009 08:30)

Home House appoints new MD to head up expansion
Andrew Richardson has been promoted to managing director of Home House as the London private members club’s owner Fairford Holdings sets its sights.... more
(16 April 2009 08:00)

Hospitality gets up and running for the Olympics
With just over 1,200 days until the Olympic party hits London, Gemma Sharkey checks on preparations and sees how hospitality businesses can get on.... more
(16 April 2009 07:30)

Restaurants suffer as slump hits Europe
The global recession is hitting the European restaurant sector from all sides, with both top-end restaurants and family-friendly chains facing a.... more
(16 April 2009 07:00)

Public House For Sale
W/T £10,000, Well appointed 90 covers & bar area with 60 covers, Bus £175,000sav REF 15743 more
(16 April 2009 00:00)

Weekly revpar grows by 20.5% in London
Hotel revenue per available room (revpar) grew by 20.5% in London and by 10.2% in the provinces in the week ending 28 March, 2009, according to.... more
(15 April 2009 17:31)

Majority of MPs oppose beer tax rise
Chancellor Alistair Darling will be defying the majority of MPs if he goes ahead with tax rises on beer in next week’s Budget, according to a poll.... more
(15 April 2009 12:27)

Marston’s confident after sales improve
Brewer and pub operator Marston’s today said it was “on track” to meet its expectations for the full year after seeing a modest rise in sales in the.... more
(15 April 2009 10:59)

York pubs and clubs join hunt for missing chef
Pubs and clubs in York are to join the search for missing chef Claudia Lawrence by carrying pictures of her on table-top boxes used for discarded.... more
(15 April 2009 08:30)

Hospitality needs ‘radical’ approach to VAT to ride out recession
The chancellor has been urged to take a “radical and targeted approach” to VAT in next week’s Budget to help hospitality operators cope with the.... more
(15 April 2009 08:00)