Articles by Date : July 01 2006 - July 31 2006

Wetherspoon's in multimillion claim over property deals
Pub operator JD Wetherspoon is seeking several million pounds in damages from its former sole property adviser, Van de Berg, for alleged breach of.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Caterers raise £5,000 in three peaks challenge
Directors Table caterers Anton Edelmann, Caroline Gardiner, Marcell Rizza, David Page, Matt Wood and Simon Knight prepare for the gruelling 24-hours.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

If you can't stand the heat...
We're never satisfied, are we? In Britain it's either too hot or too cold. At the moment it's very much the former, so spare a thought for the poor.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

The International Guide to Drinks
In all professions, there are books that become base references for anyone working in them. Trainee chefs, for instance, traditionally cut their.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Sea Trout, calves' livers, peaches
Ingredients in season... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Hail the heroes of hospitality
In this media and information age, the recognition of role models gives our industry a boost, says hotel industry consultant Melvin Gold more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

The value of work experience
After recent correspondence on both CatererSearch.com and in Caterer (18 May) from catering companies and universities about the number of students.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Parker McMillan, London
A laid-back social "space" featuring jazz, poetry, cocktails and beer, this City bar and performance area is a world away from other nearby watering.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Review of Reviews: 27 July 2006
Evening Standard, London, 19 July Fay Maschler likes Bjorn van der Horst's food, but not the room, at La Noisette in London's Knightsbridge A.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Smoked out into the open
With the release of the draft smoke-free regulations last week, operators now have a clearer idea of how they can accommodate their smoking.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

My hotel is undergoing refurbishments. How can I ensure that the work has the least impact possible?
I'm undertaking a major refurbishment of all 40 bedrooms in my country house hotel, which also includes a spa, tennis courts and a nine-hole golf.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Table Talk
As one bouffant goes up, another comes down. The newly coiffed barnet in question belongs to three-Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay - who turned up in.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

The Butcher & Grill, Battersea, London
Combining a butcher's shop, grill, bar and terrace, this restaurant focuses on careful preparation of locally sourced meat. more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Yo! Sushi, Victoria, London
In the style of a first-class airline lounge, the rapidly growing restaurant chain's 25th outlet has just opened at Victoria station. Japanese slate.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

We're all in the same boat
Up in Scotland we have had the smoking ban for a while now, and the best advice for licensees in England is: just get on with it (Caterer, 20 July,.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Entry quality the best ever
I continually read, both in your Letters pages and other places, the moans and groans from the doom-and-gloom merchants about the quality of young.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

This too will pass
Your editorial (Caterer, 20 July) says it all. Do, by all means, get heated about a bed tax, but more so about Sir Michael Lyons's brief that "local.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Honey roast half crown duck from Cherry Valley
Honey Roast Half Crown Duck and Confit Duck Leg are two new arrivals from Cherry Valley following the company's research showing that consumers.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Sun dried tomatoes from IB Food
IB Food has been working closely with its supplier to develop Dorati semi sun-dried half cherry tomatoes in oil and herbs. more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Huckleberries from Wild Harvest
An ingredient not often found in the UK, the huckleberry is most likely to be associated with Mark Twain's character Huckleberry Finn than with the.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Garlic scapes from The Really Garlicky Company
Garlic scapes, the edible curly tops of the garlic plant, are in season and available from the Really Garlicky Company until about mid-August. The.... more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Scotland sets standard for healthy eating
Scottish food outlets are being encouraged to sign up to a new healthy eating award. more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Starwood eyes up Whitbread
Starwood Capital, the US private equity firm set up by the founder of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is rumoured to be eyeing a takeover of Whitbread. more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

Katherine Smart, professor of brewing science
Katherine Smart has become the UK's only female professor of brewing science, at Nottingham University. She talks to Alix Young more
(27 July 2006 00:00)

UK pubs set to hit five-year turnover high
UK pub turnover will hit a five-year high in 2006 according to a new report, but the future looks much tougher with the forthcoming smoking ban set.... more
(26 July 2006 12:21)

Torquay hoteliers buy Michelin-star Orestone Manor
Torquay hoteliers Alan and Jean May have bought the Michelin-star Orestone Manor hotel in an off-market sale. more
(26 July 2006 12:09)

Millennium & Copthorne boss Tony Potter quits role
Millennium & Copthorne’s (M&C) boss Tony Potter has quit his role after seven years with the company. more
(26 July 2006 10:50)

Young and old is a winning combination
Many hospitality and catering bosses will have radically change their attitudes to avoid falling foul of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations.... more
(26 July 2006 10:05)

Airline caterer Alpha Airports scraps legal claim of £2.5m
In-flight caterer Alpha Airports has scrapped its legal claim against a third-party consultant that allegedly defrauded it out of £2.5m. more
(25 July 2006 17:34)

Malmaison’s Sean Wheeler scoops two HCPTA awards
Sean Wheeler, director of people development at the Malmaison and Hotel du Vin boutique chains, has won an unprecedented two awards from the Hotel.... more
(25 July 2006 17:16)

Millennium Dome emerges as early favourite for UK supercasino site
The Millennium Dome in Greenwich, London has emerged as the front-runner in the race to build the UK’s first supercasino. more
(25 July 2006 13:30)

Top-level changes announced at Fuller’s
Pub operator Fuller’s has made several promotions in preparation for the retirement of chairman Anthony Fuller at the group’s annual general meeting.... more
(25 July 2006 13:20)

The Simpsons and football World Cup help boost Domino’s Pizza
Campaigns starring the Simpsons cartoon family and footballer Michael Owen helped boost sales at Domino’s Pizza by more than 18% in the half-year to.... more
(25 July 2006 13:12)

New Licensing Act is bringing benefits, say councils
The new Licensing Act is beginning to benefit communities, police and local authorities, according to a new council report. more
(25 July 2006 12:44)

Hotel Arts sold for €417m in Spain’s biggest single-asset deal
The five-star Hotel Arts in Barcelona has been sold for €417m (£285m) in the largest ever single asset real estate deal in Spain. more
(24 July 2006 17:05)

Gas leak sparks evacuation at luxury hotel
More than 100 guests, including a wedding party, had to be evacuated from a luxury hotel after a leak of deadly chlorine gas. more
(24 July 2006 12:05)

Marylebone Warwick Balfour sells West India Quay
Malmaison owner Marylebone Warwick Balfour (MWB) has sold its West India Quay hotel in Docklands, London and other assets for £110m. more
(24 July 2006 11:37)

Spain’s biggest pizza chain sells for €850m... For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say
A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry. News includes: US hotel giant in Whitbread talks; Canalside pub development.... more
(24 July 2006 10:32)

Marston Hotels launches real-time conference booking service
Marston Hotels has launched a real-time conference booking facility. more
(24 July 2006 10:10)

Celadon to open first managed property in Vietnam... and other International hotel news
Essential news from around the world, including: UK represented at Italian food festival; Park Plaza continues German expansion; Hyatt to pull out of.... more
(24 July 2006 09:30)

How hot is your kitchen?
If you can’t stand the heat, you’re not going to enjoy being stuck in the kitchen. more
(21 July 2006 16:54)

Hotel group Accor enjoys strong start to the year
French hotel giant Accor has enjoyed a strong first half to the year, aided by a solid recovery in Northern Europe. more
(21 July 2006 16:48)

New chief at Tourism Society
Flo Powell is the new chief of networking organisation the Tourism Society. more
(21 July 2006 12:45)

Mitchells & Butlers pays £500m for Whitbread’s pub restaurant estate
Managed pub giant Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has won the race for Whitbread’s pub-restaurant estate, put up for sale in April. more
(21 July 2006 11:32)

Pontin’s appoints marketing chief
Pontin’s, the UK holiday centre operator, has announced the promotion of Jason Brindle to the position of head of sales and marketing. more
(21 July 2006 10:50)

Beer inspectors lambaste landlords for selling 'bathwater' beer
Beer inspectors have lambasted UK pubs for selling “bathwater” beer as temperatures soar. more
(21 July 2006 10:24)

Devon hotel and cottages sold in multi-million pound deal
The Penhaven Country House hotel and cottages in the North Devon village of Clovelly have changed hands in a confidential, multi-million-pound deal. more
(20 July 2006 17:52)

Southampton restaurateur buys Southsea restaurant and bar
Southampton restaurateur Simon Reed has snapped up the waterfront Blue Oasis restaurant and bar in Southsea for an undisclosed seven-figure sum. more
(20 July 2006 17:48)

Scottish & Newcastle snap up Somerset village inn
Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises has bought the Castle hotel in Porlock, Somerset. more
(20 July 2006 17:45)

First-timer buyers for Sheffield freehouse with microbrewery
First-time buyers Helen and Andrew Walker have bought the Hillsborough hotel in Sheffield, a real ale freehouse with its own microbrewery. more
(20 July 2006 17:41)