Articles by Date : October 01 2005 - October 31 2005

Hotel growth hit but not stopped by terror attacks, says PWC
This summer’s terrorist attacks in London have slowed UK hotel growth but not destroyed it, according to business advisory firm.... more
(11 October 2005 17:14)

RBS in frame to buy Hilton
Royal Bank of Scotland is the front-runner in the race to buy 18 Hilton hotels put up for sale in July, according to the Times newspaper. more
(11 October 2005 17:09)

EasyCruise steams ahead
EasyCruise is continuing to steam ahead as it prepares to launch its first winter cruise in the Caribbean this November, with first-month occupancy.... more
(11 October 2005 15:00)

Profits fall for London restaurants since July bombings
London-based restaurants have seen profits drop by up to 30% since the July bombings, research has revealed. more
(11 October 2005 12:09)

Smoking rooms for England?
Mounting speculation suggests the Government will ditch its ill-received plan to exempt pubs not serving food from the forthcoming ban on smoking in.... more
(10 October 2005 12:40)

Burger King pulls out of FSA programme
The government’s plans to get the UK’s fast food industry to self regulate could be thwarted after Burger King announced it was pulling out of the.... more
(10 October 2005 11:33)

Seeking new columnist
Do you run a B&B or self-catering accommodation on a farm? Do you have something to say about life on the farm and the guests that you meet? This.... more
(10 October 2005 10:10)

What the weekend papers say
A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry. News includes: Scottish pubs fight to keep happy hour; Whitbread under pressure;.... more
(10 October 2005 09:54)

Warning over imported beef
More than half the beef sold through the hospitality and catering trade is imported, and some "fresh" imports actually have a shelf life of five.... more
(10 October 2005 07:00)

Five Rivers adds to hotels portfolio
The Cirencester office of national licensed property agent Colliers Robert Barry has sold the three-star, 44-bedroom Heritage Park Hotel at Tehafod,.... more
(07 October 2005 17:10)

How hospitality businesses are reducing the risk of e-mail abuse
E-mail is a familiar and vital tool in the workplace, but abuse of the system by staff could lead to charges of constructive dismissal, compensation.... more
(07 October 2005 17:00)

Cornish country house hotel placed on the market
A Georgian country house hotel set within its own 10 acre grounds near the Cornish village of St Agnes has been placed on the market throughthe.... more
(07 October 2005 16:27)

Novelli quits Brocket Hall
Hell's Kitchen star Jean-Christophe Novelli has quit his role as chef-patron and director at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire and issued a writ for late.... more
(07 October 2005 14:34)

Excellence in Food & Drink Awards
The Excellence in Food and Drink Awards 2005, in association with 3663 – First for Foodservice are designed to recognise excellence among products.... more
(07 October 2005 11:28)

Rezidor builds UK presence
Rezidor SAS has completed a deal to lease eight former Moat House Hotels. more
(07 October 2005 11:15)

Gourmet Holdings set to grow business
Gourmet Holdings has announced strong maiden results as it steps up its expansion plans. more
(07 October 2005 11:05)

Independent pubs face tax crackdown
Revenue seeks "missing" millions from the cash economy more
(07 October 2005 10:21)

Heat's on Compass chief Bailey after poor figures
Compass Group chief executive Mike Bailey is under increasing pressure to step down immediately following the catering giant's third profit warning.... more
(07 October 2005 10:20)

Friday Wrap: 7 October 2005
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Well, if our website traffic figures are anything to go by, it’s the bad news, as these are the.... more
(07 October 2005 00:00)

Edinburgh pub sale to Punch
Pub giant Punch Taverns has bought Eighty Queen Street, a well-known café bar in Edinburgh for an undisclosed sum. more
(06 October 2005 17:13)

Leisure company buys Inchrie Castle for £1.1m
Expanding leisure company MSL Hotels has bought the Inchrie Castle in Aberfoyle, Scotland. more
(06 October 2005 17:09)

New buy for Pubs ‘n’ Bars
Acquisition hungry Pubs ‘n’ Bars has bought the Cambridge in south-east London. more
(06 October 2005 14:41)

EasyHotel defies cynics as occupancy rockets
London’s first EasyHotel has defied predictions of failure with occupancy rocketing in its first two months of trading. more
(06 October 2005 12:51)

Peel hotels benefit from new acquisitions
Peel Hotels’ profit leapt in the first six months of the year after it acquired three hotels, increasing its estate by a third. more
(06 October 2005 12:51)

Worldwide briefing
Essential news from around the world, including: Shangri-la to open first US hotel; Stawood launches new brand; Moscow hotel most expensive; Hilton.... more
(06 October 2005 12:26)

Maze is named top newcomer
Jason Atherton's Maze beat off stiff competition, including the Ledbury and Amaya, to be named best new London restaurant at the Time Out Eating &.... more
(06 October 2005 12:03)

School meals need an extra £550m
Government must triple the value of its pledge to schools more
(06 October 2005 12:03)

Whitbread in bid speculation
The Times newspaper has reported that billionaire private investors the Reubens brothers have built up minority stakes in Whitbread and Rank Group,.... more
(06 October 2005 12:03)

Disabled customers could be worth £5b
Too many businesses don't make "reasonable adjustments" more
(06 October 2005 10:08)

Turning the tables
In just over 18 months, Harrison Catering Services has turned a "no longer commercially viable" contract for a large London borough into a success,.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

One Paston Place, Brighton
The locals weren't going to be easily won over by the changes Francesco Furrielo made to the menu and decor at his Brighton restaurant. But he's.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

The Domino's effect
With 400 outlets and more opening by the week, Domino's is the leading operator in the UK home-delivery pizza market. On the 20th anniversary of its.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

It's time for serious action over training
Employers must get behind the Hospitality Skills Academy in order to tackle the industry's skills shortage, urges restaurateur Nick Scade more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Local heroes
As British Food Fortnight draws to a close, we revisit the three kitchens which took part in Caterer's experiment by trying to source all their food.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Savoy chooses Martineau as executive chef
London's Savoy hotel has appointed its youngest-ever executive chef, 30-year-old Patrice Martineau. more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Schools face kitchen shortage
Getting the Government to recognise the crisis in British school meals has been a major achievement. But if schools don't have kitchens, how can.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

The family firm
It's already established as one of the best new openings in recent years, and the critics can't stop raving about what good value it is. The.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Poor service isn't enough to stop the British tipping
UK restaurants receive £1.15b a year in tips despite widespread poor service, according to research from First Direct bank. more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Young Chef Young Waiter 2005 winners named
Chef Marcus McGuinness, 24, and head waiter Leah Fellstad, 25, have been named Young Chef 2005 and Young Waiter 2005, respectively. more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Peyton hopes for deal to save Atlantic
The dispute over Oliver Peyton's Atlantic Bar & Grill continues with no resolution in sight. more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

A minute on the clock: Julien Foussadier
Tunbridge Wells may be a far cry from Cuba, but Julien Foussadier, cigar aficionado and head barman at the local Hotel du Vin, has just been named UK.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Book Review: Your Brick Oven: Building it & Baking in it
Some of the poshest restaurants have wood-fired brick ovens - the River Caf, for instance - and if you've ever fancied cooking in one, this quirky.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Caterer loves... castle hotels
Forget minimalism, spartan comforts begone. What we at Caterer really want is a fairy-tale ending to our week in the sumptuous confines of a castle. more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Neil Kelly, cruise director, EasyCruise.com
Neil Kelly had worked as a deputy cruise director for four years when he was asked to be the cruise director for EasyCruise. Ready for the challenge,.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Strategy clinic
I am the operator of a small hotel with a 35-seat restaurant and am constantly pulling my hair out with the lack of motivation in my staff. Also, why.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Brussels sprouts, pumpkins, mutton
Ingredients in season... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

International openings
Four Points by Sheraton Panoramahaus Dornbirn, Austria; Barrio Alto Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal; Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi, India; Le Meriden Hotel Des.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Letters: 6 October 2005
Letter of the week Dangers of employing schoolkid workers While I was talking to a staffing agency in Herefordshire, the comment was.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Next move... for someone keen to go to Dubai
I have eight years of fine-dining and gastropub experience in London. I'm interested in moving to Dubai to work in tourism, but where can I find out.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)

Review of Reviews: 6 October 2005
The Sunday Times, 2 October AA Gill dines in the basement restaurant that is Le Gavroche in London I had a nice piece of turbot, then a.... more
(06 October 2005 00:00)