News

Veganism not a short-term trend for dining out, study finds
A study from GlobalData has suggested that consumer appetite for plant-based dishes on menus will remain beyond ‘Veganuary’, and that restaurants should adjust accordingly.

WLC recommends: Maison François, St. James’s
Douglas Blyde visits the St. James’s bastion of French excellence and speaks with wine director Daniel Illsley about how he has created a list to make wine “more accessible to a broader audience”. Taken from the 2022 Wine List Confidential guide, available for purchase.

Hospitality closures higher than during Covid-hit 2021
Rising energy bills, labour shortages and rail strikes pushed many hospitality businesses in the UK to breaking point at the end of last year, with nearly 18 net closures every day in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to data from AlixPartners and CGA by NielsenIQ.

Warwick bar launches online pick ‘n’ mix gin shop
That Gin Company, developed by a small bar owner in Warwick, West Midlands, has launched a pick ‘n’ mix gin shop online, enabling customers across the UK to create their own flavours.

Fuller’s blames rail strikes for sales drop
A trading update from Fuller, Smith & Turner cited the rail strikes over Christmas as the reason why sales at its pubs were 5% below those of the equivalent four-week period in 2019.

Chef releases ‘cockroach bomb’ into kitchen after pay row
After a dispute over holiday pay, chef Tom Williams released 20 cockroaches into the kitchen of the Royal William VI pub in Lincoln.

Alcohol-free beer brand Lucky Saint is opening a central London pub
Alcohol-free beer producer Lucky Saint has announced that it will open a central London pub that will also act as a ‘brand home’, with an opening date anticipated in early March.

Should you tip a robot bartender?
It is well documented that many hospitality workers rely on tips to supplement their wages. But if your bartender happens to be a robot, where exactly is your tip going?

Bullying among chefs enabled by environment, study suggests
A recent study from Cardiff University has argued that a culture of aggression between chefs at fine dining restaurants is enabled by the environment of professional kitchens.

Restaurant fined for turning away blind customer
A court has ordered a Somerset restaurant to pay £2,000 after refusing entry to a blind man and calling his guide dog “unhygienic”.