A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry...
More towns and cities call for English smoking ban
Many of England’s biggest cities and nearly 50 councils are lining up behind Liverpool to back a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Newcastle upon Tyne and all 33 London boroughs are supporting the move for pubs, clubs and restaurants in an attempt to put further pressure on the Government to introduce a national ban. – The Times, 23 October
Whitbread to sell off £300m worth of Marriott hotels
Alan Parker, Whitbread’s new chief executive, will next week announce plans to sell nearly £300m worth of assets from its Marriott Hotels business as the centrepiece of a strategy review. Parker, who took over from David Thomas in June after 12 years as head of the group’s hotel division, is hoping to announce the sale of its 11 three-star Courtyard by Marriott units to Kew Green Hotels, a privately owned operator, for about £80m. – The Times, 23 October
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Whitbread seeks to move HQ from London to Bedford
Whitbread will this week announce plans to move head office for the second time in four years. The leisure group wants to leave its offices in Citypoint Tower in the Square Mile to be closer to the headquarters of its operating divisions, which include Travel Inn, David Lloyd Leisure and TGI Friday’s, which are mainly based in Bedfordshire. – Sunday Times, 24 October
Springbok Bars chain to close
Gerry Martin, former chairman and founder of the failed Old Monk Company, has called time on his Springbok Bars chain. Investors in the venture included England rugby players Lawrence Dallaglio and Jason Leonard. – The Times, 23 October
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