Don’t let Covid spoil Valentine’s Day – bring the party home February 6, 2021 Usually the first busy night of the year for bars and restaurants, this Valentine’s Day promises to be a more subdued affair thanks to ongoing restrictions. But don’t let that spoil the romantic fun – here’s a list of some ways to bring the party to you on 14 February. Boisdale Valentine’s Night Dinner Kit [...]
Insurers need to capture the Covid-19 zeitgeist and go beyond expectations January 21, 2021 As a communications professional, you rarely want your client and the words “the Supreme Court” to appear in the same sentence. However, last week, the justices issued a 112-page judgement on the Financial Conduct Authority’s appeal asking for “clarification” on whether insurance companies were required to pay business interruption claims for companies which had been [...]
Hospitality sector urges Sunak to extend business rates and VAT support January 20, 2021 Hospitality bosses have again issued an urgent call for the government to extend business rates and VAT support in the March budget as the sector remains closed due to coronavirus restrictions. In a letter to the chancellor, industry body UK Hospitality asked him to extend the VAT cut to five per cent for a further [...]
The best of travel: Anguilla is the epitome of tropical fun times January 19, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. This week we revisit Steve Hogarty’s trip to an island paradise in Anguilla. ••• Far out in the well charted waters of the east Caribbean lies the Leeward Island chain, and at its northern tip is an [...]
Whitbread – at the end of the day, someone has to pay December 24, 2020 Whitbread, the owner of popular hospitality chains Premier Inn, Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, has written to the landlords of its properties asking for a rent reduction of 50% for the next three months, to “share some of the pain” of the ongoing pandemic and the restrictions on hospitality. It seems, prima facie, a reasonable request. [...]
Save Christmas and beat Tier 4 with these at-home dining options December 19, 2020 The announcement of Tier 4 has sent Christmas plans into chaos, with families up and down the country now unsure where and with whom they will be able to spend the big day. If you’ve now found yourself at a loss in the run-up to 25 December, here are some amazing home delivery options, many [...]
How to eat well during a pandemic, from pre-mixed cocktails to Michelin home delivery November 11, 2020 Another endless week approaches its inglorious mid-season finale. But what do we have to look forward to in the barren cultural landscape of November 2020? Well, restaurants may be closed but many canny entrepreneurs have turned their empty kitchens into home delivery hubs, allowing you to feast like it’s 1999, or indeed 2019. Each week [...]
Gourmet Burger Kitchen rescued by ‘chicken king’ Ranjit Boparan October 14, 2020 The multi-millionaire owner of a UK poultry business will reportedly buy Gourmet Burger Kitchen, in a move that will rescue more than 600 jobs. Ranjit Boparan, who is known as the “chicken king” after founding the 2 Sisters Food Group, will buy GBK through a pre-pack administration, Sky News reported. Boparan has built one of [...]
LV= in exclusive sale talks with Bain Capital October 2, 2020 Financial services provider LV= has announced it is in exclusive discussions over a potential tie-up with private equity firm Bain Capital. In a statement today LV= said discussions with Bain Capital are ongoing. It added: “There can be no certainty that any transaction will be agreed, nor any certainty as to the terms on which [...]
New Byron owner Calveton mulls acqusition of rival chain Gourmet Burger Kitchen September 16, 2020 Gourmet Burger Kitchen’s South African owner is pushing ahead with a process to sell the casual dining chain, with the new owner of Byron reportedly plotting to buy the firm. Deloitte has begun contacting prospective buyers of GBK over the past week, Sky News reported, which would make it the latest restaurant group to be [...]