A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry...
Blair backs smoking ban in England
Pubs, restaurants and offices face a total smoking ban after Tony Blair supported making public places smoke-free. The Prime Minister said on Friday he was actively considering proposals to give local authorities the power to ban smoking in workplaces, including pubs and restaurants. – The Times, 5 June
Wagamama suspends flotation bid
Wagamama has put a planned £50m stock market flotation on ice pending talks over a possible sale to a private equity firm. The group, which had been planning an AIM listing later this month, is understood to have been approached by eight or nine venture capitalists. Industry sources are tipping Apax Partners as favourite to sign a deal. – The Times, 5 June
Children get reward scheme for healthy school dinners
Children are to be bribed to eat up their greens through reward schemes offering cinema tickets for choosing healthy school dinners. John Reid, the health secretary, has been impressed by experiments using supermarket-style reward points schemes to encourage children to improve their diets and is seeking to expand them. – The Observer, 6 June
QMH finds buyer for Dutch hotels
Queens Moat Houses (QMH) has entered into exclusive talks to sell its Dutch Bilderberg chain to Bridgepoint Capital, the venture capital firm, for an estimated £125m. The talks are part of a process aimed at selling all three of QMH’s main divisions – its German arm and main UK business as well as Bilderberg – in order to pay off its £630m debts. – Sunday Times, 6 June
Irish restaurant value menu gets a wine list
The Restaurants Association of Ireland is to offer budget wines as part of a revamp of the Value Menu scheme introduced in March last year. Meals will now be available at prices of up to €15, up to €25 and up to €35, with wines being made available up to €15, €20 and €25, as both restaurant owners and distributors cut their margins. – Sunday Times (Irish edition), 6 June
West Country to get another £25m tourist attraction
The co-founder of the Eden Project in Cornwall has devised a new £25m visitor attraction that will focus on the weather. The project, called the Great Atlantic Way, will seek to attract millions more visitors from around the world to Devon and Cornwall. – Sunday Telegraph, 6 June
Government minister attacks Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay has been criticised by the Government's employment minister for setting a bad example to managers. Gerry Sutcliffe, the under-secretary of state for employment, said that Ramsay's insulting behaviour, shown in Hell's Kitchen, the ITV reality television programme, was inappropriate and possibly in breach of the law. – Sunday Telegraph, 6 June
Stelios finds café business far from easy
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of the Easygroup empire, yesterday confirmed he is closing his flagship internet café in London just five years after launching the business. He said the move was part of a shake-up which will see the cybercafés moving into concessions and franchises in fast-food outlets and supermarkets. – Daily Telegraph, 5 June
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