A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry...
Kingdom Hotels may seek market flotation
Prince Alwaleed, the Saudi billionaire, is understood to be discussing with bankers a possible float, in London or the Middle East, of his Middle Eastern joint venture Kingdom Hotels Investment Group, which has interests in a dozen hotels. – The Times, 29 January
Minimum wage set to rise above £5
Gordon Brown will announce that the minimum wage is to rise above the symbolic £5 mark for the first time in a Budget expected to launch Labour's election campaign. The Chancellor has been given the all clear to raise the minimum hourly rate for adult workers from £4.85 to £5.05 in October, and to £5.30 the following year. – The Independent, 30 January
Pub fined £4,000 for drink-switching
Six shots of scotch cost a York publican almost £4,000 - after he was convicted of selling customers a cheaper brand spirit from a Bells Whisky bottle. Michael Edwin Johnson, 55, licensee of The Magnet was convicted under the Food Safety Act 1990 of displaying a product with a label that falsely described it. – York Evening Press, 29 January
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