Tuesday 1/9/15
Propelinfonews.com: LT Management Services adds 300 sites in a week to out-sourced portfolio: LT Management Services, thesector’s largest out-sourced management company led by Billy Buchanan, has added more than 300 sites to its portfolio in a week after securing two new contracts, Propel understands. The company, which operates more than 1,000 pubs, restaurants, hotels and nightclubs on behalf of third party owners, banks, pub companies and investors, won the contract to provide out- sourced operational management for the 158 pubs that NewRiver Retail bought from Punch Taverns last Monday. The company is also understood to have secured a contract with Red Oak Taverns to provide back office support for the 146 GRS Group tenanted pubs it bought on Friday – the contract is an extension to the support LT already provides to Red Oak Taverns’ existing 32 pubs. One industry source told Propel: “It’s clear that a number of asset owners are keen to implement high quality operational and back office controls without the cost of setting up their own expensive in-house solution.”
Propelinfonews.com: New nightclub concept Vault launches in Nottingham: A new nightclub concept opened in the Lace Market area of Nottingham on Saturday (Saturday, 29 August). EDH Trading launched Vault, having taken over the lease of the building in Broadway that housed the former Club Broadway. The club spans three floors and aims to “pump some electric back into Nottingham’s nightlife”, according to its Facebook page. FHP acted on behalf of landlords, Spenbeck, to secure the new tenant. Jack Shakespeare of FHP said: “The leisure scene in Nottingham is ever evolving and FHP’s role in securing new tenants for this nightclub venue ensures to maintain Nottingham’s diversity whilst meeting the needs of both thriving student and resident populations. We continue to actively work on behalf of landlords and tenants, to secure further leisure and retail lettings to benefit the city.”
Morning advertiser.co.uk: Punch core estate net income up 0.3%
By M&C Allegra , 01-Sep-2015
Punch Taverns has reported core estate net income up 0.3% for the year to 22 August.
Bighospitality.co.uk: Government calls for restaurant tips information for investigation
By Emma Eversham+, 01-Sep-2015
The Government is asking for information on how tips are collected and distributed in restaurants as part of an investigation into what it calls the ‘abuse of tipping’ within the sector.
Greenleisure.net:Sustainable travel on the rise: study – More than half (52 per cent) of all global travellers report that they are likely to choose a destination based on its social or environmental impact in 2015, a new survey from Booking.com has revealed. The survey of 32,000 travellers from 16 countries suggests that attitudes towards sustainable travel are evolving, but that travellers are also looking for luxury while reducing their carbon footprints. Brazilian respondents were most interested in sustainable travel, with 74 per cent saying their plans would be influenced by their potential social or environmental impact, while 59 per cent of Australians and 53 per cent of Americans said the same. At the other end of the spectrum, just 36 per cent of Danish respondents and 39 per cent of Dutch respondents said they would base a decision on these concerns. Those respondents who were concerned with sustainable travel were also 50 per cent more likely to plan to book more luxury accommodations in 2015 than in 2014, the survey found, and three times more likely to want to stay in ‘green’ accommodations – creating a unique opportunity for those in our industry with an eco-spa focus. “Sustainable travel is more than just ‘going green’ – it’s also about helping to support and retain local cultures, economies and environments while traveling,” said Todd Dunlap, managing director, Americas, for Booking.com. “Most people don’t know how easy it is to weave sustainability into the types of trips they already want to take.”
Wednesday 2/9/15
Morningadvertiser: VAT Club proposes staggered tax reduction
By Mark Wingett, M&C Allegra Foodservice, 02-Sep-2015
The hospitality VAT cut campaign has put forward a plan to the Government for a staggered reduction in the level of the tax for hospitality businesses.
Thursday 3/9/15
Propelinfonews.com: Artisan coffee company Grey Seal Roastery opens cafe in Blakeney, plans total of four in a year: Family-run business Grey Seal Roastery has opened a cafe in Blakeney, Norfolk, and is planning to expand the concept to sites located in Wells, Burnham Market and Norwich over the coming year. The company, known for its award-winning speciality coffee roasted in Glandford, using beans from Thailand, Malawi and Nicaragua, has seen a 15% increase in turnover from last year. The business is currently roasting three quarters of a tonne of coffee monthly, with its espresso blend receiving two stars from Great Taste. The brand has featured at numerous coffee events across Europe, including the London Coffee Festival. David Lane, joint-owner and roaster, told the Eastern Daily Press: “People are getting more and more into coffee. This time next year we want to have three or four of our own coffee shops.”
Hospitality & Catering News: Business Secretary Sajid Javid launches investigation into tipping: In the wake of numerous revelations about current practices across restaurant businesses, the Business Secretary has launched an investigation into abuse of tipping, as part of the government’s commitment to making sure everyone is paid fairly. Delivering fairness for everyone is stated to be at the heart of the government’s agenda. Recent media investigations into the practice of some major restaurant chains of withholding a proportion of tips left for staff to cover administrative costs have raised concerns at the very top. Last week Business Secretary Sajid Javid said that this would be something that the government would take a serious look at and now he has ordered a formal call for evidence on the issue.
Bighospitality.co.uk: Good Pub Guide 2016: Horse & Groom at Bourton-on-the-Hill wins Pub of the Year
By Emma Eversham+, 03-Sep-2015
The Horse & Groom at Bourton-on-the-Hill in Gloucestershire has been named the Good Pub Guide’s 2016 Pub of the Year. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: PizzaExpress to hand over all tips to staff without deducting admin charge: PizzaExpress is to change its tipping policy, no longer deducing an administration charge – from 6 October, the 8% administration fee on tips made by electronic card payment will be removed. This follows the introduction of a new automated system to distribute tips across the company’s 430 UK restaurants, employing 10,000 people. The automated system has been developed over the last six months and is being launched following pilot trials to avoid any potential implementation issues. It replaces the more labour intensive manual procedure used to help redistribute tips among staff and to meet the company’s tax and legal obligations to HMRC.
Morningadvertiser.co.uk: Nightmare children top complaint from pub goers
By Emily Sutherland, 02-Sep-2015
Unruly children top the list of complaints from pub goers according to this year’s Good Pub Guide. Read More
Friday 4/9/15
Propelinfonews.com: The Coaching Inn Group plans artisanal pizza offer at flagship Market Harborough site: The Coaching Inn Group is to launch an artisanal pizza offer next year at its flagship hotel in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. The company, led by Kevin Charity and chaired by Andrew Guy, plans to serve up homemade artisanal pizza at The Three Swans next summer. It has spent £350,000 so far refurbishing the hotel, which the company bought in 2013, including a new restaurant and revamped terrace, which is heated and illuminated. The company has a £20m plan to double in size over five years after securing a £4.5m investment from the Business Growth Fund. It has already acquired the Royal Oak in Welshpool this year and spent £250,000 upgrading the site while it is in advanced talks to add two high-profile freehold sites to its eight-strong portfolio. The Coaching Inn Group was previously called the Bulldog Hotel Group but rebranded itself in August as it aims to become the sector leader.
Bighospitality.co.uk: Jamie Oliver and Leon call on restaurants to impose sugary drinks tax
By Sophie Witts, 04-Sep-2015
Bighospitality.co.uk:Jamie Oliver and campaign group Sustain have today (4 September) launched a Children’s Health Fund to encourage restaurants and cafes to impose a tax on sugary drinks. Read More