Hospitality

Farewell 2023, here's to 2024

21-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

There's a strange feeling of deja vu as I sit down to write my thoughts on the year and hopes for the year ahead.

Big Interview

Looking to get lucky

14-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

“It’s not about singing well,” according to the king of karaoke, Charlie Elek, md of Lucky Voice who’s on a mission to change the perception of karaoke.

The Lock In podcast

Solving the staffing situation

05-Dec-2022 By Ed Bedington

With the recruitment crisis still causing challenges for many operators, the Lock In team get to grips with staffing (not like that Heath!) and speak to a range of experts to get some practical (mostly) advice on how to handle the situation.

Protesters target parliament in third demonstration

15-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

Hospitality operators from across the UK gathered in Parliament Square this week, in a bid to raise awareness of the sector’s challenges with the Government.

Are we all doomed?

09-Jun-2022 By Ed Bedington

According to Luke Johnson, we might as well pack up our bags and go home, but are we as doomed as he suggests?

Welsh government accused of ‘reckless posturing’ as anger in hospitality grows

14-Jan-2022 By Ed Bedington

While Welsh operators will be looking forward to the lifting of restrictions in a couple of weeks, anger is growing as to whether the restrictions were needed at all.

Hospitality sector awarded in New Year’s Honours List

05-Jan-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

A number of people from the hospitality sector were recognised in the 2022 New Year’s Honours List including a Greene King managing director, chef Angela Maria Hartnett MBE and hotelier Robin Hutson.

The Lock In Podcast

Still can't get the staff... the ongoing recruitment challenge

30-Nov-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team tackle the challenges around the ongoing recruitment and staffing crisis, with special guests Osh Rogers of the Guinea Grill, Dan Razavi of Leisurejobs and Mark McCulloch of Hospitality Rising all providing some expert insight into how...

Unite calls for mandatory mask wearing in pubs

30-Nov-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The union Unite has called for the culture secretary to ensure mandatory mask wearing at UK hospitality venues after masks became mandatory on public transport.

Staffing levels 'still down 18% against 2019'

26-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

For the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, all sectors within hospitality saw staff headcount increase in October, compared to last year, but staffing levels were still down 18% in comparison to the same period two years ago.

Institute of Hospitality bid to change the future to include a more diverse workforce

11-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The Institute of Hospitality (IoH) has announced the establishment of its first forum to address disability, diversity, and inclusion issues across the hospitality industry.

Cautious optimism for the future

22-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington catches up with industry legend Peter Borg-Neal, chairman of the Oakman Group, to get his views on the news that have shaped the sector this week.

Hospitality Apprenticeships Week 2021 showcases exciting opportunities

18-Oct-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Trade association UKHospitality has urged the sector to use upcoming Hospitality Apprenticeships Week 2021 to champion the diverse and exciting careers on offer.

The Lock In Podcast

The Lock In Podcast: Season Finale!

24-Jun-2021 By Ed Bedington

In the last episode of this series of the Lock In podcast, the team take a look back on the past year of ups and mostly downs, speak to a group of top operators and take a look forward at what the next few months might have in store. Tune in now!

London staff shortage 'self-inflicted crisis'

07-Jun-2021 By Emily Hawkins

London's hospitality staff shortage is “largely a self-inflicted crisis of the industry’s own creation,” a union officer has said while calling for higher wages.

‘I can’t find anyone looking for work apart from teenagers’

02-Jun-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Trade bosses have warned that there is a lack of confidence in hospitality as a career as pubs struggle to fill roles.

Morning Advertiser update

The Morning Advertiser website is changing

02-Jun-2021 By Chris Lowe, publisher, The Morning Advertiser

Like many of the biggest media websites that have put journalism at the forefront of their strategy, we are implementing something called metered access – meaning users will be asked to register after consuming a certain number of articles within 30 days.

Pubs allowed to serve alcohol indoors in Scotland

11-May-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Scottish pubs will be permitted to serve customers pints inside from next week, after the next easing of lockdown rules was confirmed.

Accommodation and food service sectors top furlough claims

07-May-2021 By Emily Hawkins

The accommodation and food service sectors – including hospitality businesses – made £4.36bn worth of furlough claims, the highest value across all sectors, as per new figures.

Opinion

More than half of food still being wasted at hospitality venues

30-Apr-2021 By Ben Gardner, CEO, Navitas Safety

Ben Gardner, CEO of Navitas Safety, a single destination for digital food safety, explains what the food and hospitality industries can do to reduce food waste and promote a circular food economy.

Last-minute resignations add pressure as staff 'want a move away' from sector

29-Apr-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Pub operators are facing challenges with staffing and recruitment as restrictions ease up with a number describing being left in the lurch by sudden resignations.

Scottish operators despair over draft guidance

20-Apr-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Draft guidelines for the reopening of Scottish hospitality businesses have been met with opposition from the pub sector.

Customers turn up in ‘ski jackets and hats’ to back pub

12-Apr-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Pubgoers have not been deterred by cold weather and snow showers, according to one operator who reopened this morning.

Hancock accused of 'stalling tactics' as reopening challenge fast-tracked

07-Apr-2021 By Emily Hawkins

The Government has been accused of “stalling” as a legal challenge over indoor hospitality’s reopening date will be fast-tracked through the High Court.

MA to celebrate next generation of pub trade leaders for IWD 2021

01-Mar-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

To celebrate International Women’s Day and raise awareness of the remarkable people we have in the sector, The MA is creating a list of 30 inspiring women under-30 to highlight the next generation of leaders in the pub trade.

Sadiq Khan pledges £5m to the eventual reopening of central London

19-Feb-2021 By Stuart Stone

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has earmarked £5m to promote the return to central London’s hospitality, retail and cultural venues as soon as it is safe to do so.

Hospitality venues should reopen alongside non-essential retail, BID leader says

18-Feb-2021 By Emily Hawkins

It should be possible for the hospitality sector to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops, a city business leader has claimed.

Pub leaders pull out of Government talks over ‘growing sense of betrayal’

17-Feb-2021 By Georgia Cronin, MCA

Pub sector leaders have pulled out of talks with business minister Paul Scully due to a “growing sense of betrayal” caused by Government’s “obvious lack of interest and respect” for the industry.

Government to meet hospitality minister petitioners

09-Feb-2021 By Stuart Stone

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, Paul Scully, will meet campaigners calling for a dedicated minister for hospitality.

‘Interim position’ or new forum needed? Lords weigh in on hospitality minister debate

04-Feb-2021 By Stuart Stone

Almost a month after a selection of cross-party MPs backed a motion to appoint a dedicated minister for the hospitality sector, peers grilled the Government on its plans to further support the industry.

Treasury urged to extend support as sector stares 'into the abyss'

01-Feb-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs have been left “battling for survival”, UKHospitality’s Kate Nicholls has said after imploring the Treasury to extend critical support for hospitality businesses.

Winter hospitality shifts down 81% versus 2019

27-Jan-2021 By Stuart Stone

The number of hospitality shifts worked in 2020 was 47% lower than 2019’s overall figure – peaking at a 97% drop during the toughest months of the sector’s shutdown.

PM dodges answering if hospitality minister will be appointed

18-Jan-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Prime Minister Boris Johnson avoided answering an MP who asked if would be a hospitality minister appointed.

Covid-19 shrinks hospitality workforce by a quarter

15-Jan-2021 By Stuart Stone

In the region of 660,000 hospitality jobs were lost in 2020 according to the latest figures from sector software provider Fourth.

Analysis

MPs back hospitality minister motion: what happens next?

14-Jan-2021 By Stuart Stone

A petition to appoint a dedicated minister for the hospitality sector hit Westminster boasting more than 200,000 signatures on 11 January. After a positive reception in both Houses of Parliament, where does it go from here?

Opinion

'We need to go beyond just a minister, we need a whole department'

12-Jan-2021 By Ed Bedington

While I welcome the fact the issue of a minister for hospitality was debated in the House of Commons last night (Monday 11 January), the cynic in me wonders if it will have any impact whatsoever.

Podcast aims to tackle trade's psychological challenges

09-Nov-2020 By Ed Bedington

A former pub boss has teamed up with a group of experts to launch a new initiative to help focus on the psychological challenges faced by hospitality workers.

Parliament Square protest urges Government save pubs

19-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pub sector voices are calling on the Government for more support with a protest outside Parliament today (19 October).

Hospitality business confidence slides in just a week

07-Aug-2020 By Nicholas Robinson

Pub and other hospitality operators have said confidence in the future of their businesses is not as strong compared with a week ago, according to the results of the latest Hospitality Leaders poll by Lumina.

#Unitedwestand

Ryan Reynolds to donate 30% of UK gin sales to bar staff during Covid-19

27-Apr-2020 By Stuart Stone

Almost a third of Aviation Gin’s online sales will be donated to The Drinks Trust in an effort to support bar staff through the Covid-19 pandemic, actor, producer and the brand’s owner Ryan Reynolds has announced.

Insolvencies across hospitality businesses up 10%

25-Feb-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Underlying company insolvencies in England and Wales increased for accommodation, food and beverage companies by 10.4%, new analysis has found.

Could hiring ex-offenders help tackle chef shortage?

04-Nov-2019 By Nikkie Thatcher

How do you solve these problems: rehabilitating prisoners so they can rejoin society in a working capacity and an industry crying out for employees to fill huge staff shortages? Charity group Only A Pavement Away has the answers.

Middle East bike ride will help two charities

03-Oct-2019 By Alice Leader

High-profile representatives in the hospitality trade are to face intense heat as they cycle across a desert in Jordan for charity.

Hospitality managers work 7.5 hours a week unpaid

04-Mar-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Almost one in five hospitality and catering managers regularly work unpaid overtime, new figures from The Trades Union Congress (TUC) have revealed.

Support for tax on digital businesses

10-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Trade organisation UKHospitality has said it hopes the Government will follow through on its suggestion that it might introduce a tax on digital businesses.

Hospitality chiefs endorse report to 'scrap blunt immigration targets'

10-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Hospitality chiefs have backed calls on the Government to secure the rights of EU citizens working in the sector after Brexit.

Why is hospitality staff retention so low?

08-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Unsociable working hours and low pay are among the top reasons the bar and restaurant industry struggles to retain workers, according to new research.

Entries for charity's hospitality awards soon to close

27-Jul-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Entries will soon close for the Springboard charity awards for excellence in hospitality.