October
Restaurant group Chez Gérard returns to profitability following the sell-off of three restaurants and the closure of three others, says new owner Paramount. Full story>>
Scottish & Newcastle agrees to sell its pubs and restaurant business to pub group Spirit for £2.5b. Full story>>
A Soil Association report describes school meals as "muck off a truck". Full story>>
Macdonald Hotels hoists a "for sale" sign over 15 of its hotels in England. Full story>>
Blackstone Group, the US owner of the Savoy Group, admits it has put London hotel Claridge's on the market. The price tag is thought to be about £300m. Full story>>
Jarvis Hotels' founder John Jarvis becomes the latest mid-market hotelier to bid to take his company private again, sounding out the company about a £147.8m bid. Full story>>
November
Hilton Group is hotly tipped to take over the management of the five-star Waldorf hotel in London from Le Méridien. Full story>>
Punch Taverns exchanges contracts to buy rival group Pubmaster in a £1.2b deal that will double the size of its estate. Full story>>
City Centre Restaurants says it is considering a merger with pizza chain Ask Central. Full story>>
City Centre Restaurants announces that Andrew Guy is to step down as chief executive. Full story>>
Britain's top doctors call for an urgent ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. Full story>>
Reports from a conference in Stockholm suggest that Scandinavian airline SAS is considering selling or spinning off its hotel operations. Full story>>
December
New owner Jack Petchey puts six of the hotels he acquired in the takeover of Hanover International up for sale with a rumoured £28m price tag. Full story>>
Hilton is confirmed as the new operator of the Waldorf hotel in Lonon. Full story>>
Marriott is unveiled as the new operator of London's Grosvenor House Hotel and Dublin's Shelbourne, both former Le Méridien properties. Full story>>
The independent directors of Jarvis Hotels agreed to a £159m cash offer for the company from founder John Jarvis and co-director Richard Thomason. Full story>>
Von Essen Hotels snaps up Sharrow Bay in the Lake District for more than £5m. Full story>>
City Centre Restaurants makes a formal offer of £168m for Ask Central as part of its proposed merger. Full story>>
Former PizzaExpress chief executive David Page buys three-strong London restaurant group the Real Greek Food Company for up to £9.1m. Full story>>