Millions worth of festive food could go to waste as London enters Tier 3 December 15, 2020 Millions of pounds worth of food could go to waste as a result of the government’s decision to send London into Tier 3 at midnight tonight. In Tier 3 all bars and restaurants will be forced to close, although they are able to offer take-away and delivery services. Restaurateurs say the rug has been pulled [...]
‘I just feel like crying’ – chefs react to ‘cruel’ Tier 3 restrictions December 14, 2020 London restaurateurs and chefs reacted with frustration and despair at the “cruel” news London will enter Tier 3, a period of virtual lockdown that will see bars and restaurants closed until the new year. Unlike the first lockdown, Tier 3 allows non-essential shops to remain open, adding to criticism from the hospitality sector that it [...]
UK to fast track some perishable goods at ports from 1 January December 12, 2020 The UK will fast track the movement of some perishable goods when its Brexit transition period with the European Union ends on 31 December as part of efforts to deal with expected disruption at British ports, the BBC reported earlier today. The UK government has warned that even with a trade deal with the EU, [...]
Le Comptoir Robuchon is the perfect tonic to 2020 life December 11, 2020 Time has become airy and fugacious, like a fine mousse. Days drag on for weeks, but months pass in no time at all. Le Comptoir Robuchon opened a year ago, and yet it still feels like a new opening. It had a couple of months to show off its homage to the legacy of the [...]
The Good Pub Guide names the pub of the year 2021 – so who won? December 10, 2020 It has not been a good year to be a publican, with the burden of coronavirus restrictions largely placed upon the shoulders of bars and restaurants. So if ever the sector ever needed cheering up, it’s now. The Good Pub Guide 2021 has stepped in with its yearly honours list to celebrate the finest drinking [...]
What it’s like to launch a restaurant in a pandemic December 9, 2020 New Indian restaurant Pali Hill’s Avinash Shashidhara tells us what it was like opening a restaurant just as the government announced a national lockdown – not once but twice. I left the River café in 2018 after 10 amazing years and I felt like I was leaving home all over again. I wanted my own [...]
The top wines to drink this Christmas, from cooking to pudding December 9, 2020 Bars and restaurants across the country have finally been allowed to open their doors to the great British public, allowing us to enjoy Christmas alongside what I imagine will be a record number of Scotch eggs. It’s essential we all do our bit and support the beleaguered hospitality industry so I implore you to push [...]
Pride and produce: Why it’s time to stand up for British farming December 7, 2020 Covid-19 has affected all our lives in some way or other, bringing large parts of our economy to a standstill and giving the government no option but to invest billions to support the NHS, businesses and workers. The farming sector too has been challenged. Huge surges in demand at the peak of the pandemic for [...]
Drink up to help out: The gin raising funds for hospitality December 5, 2020 Even with the lifting of the second national lockdown enabling some bars and pubs to reopen this week, hospitality remains one of the sectors worst affected by Covid restrictions. Hospitality Gin is a not-for-profit gin brand created to support the industry during the pandemic, offering the drinking public the opportunity to order in to help [...]
Kol restaurant review: An endlessly inventive tour through modern Mexico December 5, 2020 Restaurants have finally reopened this week and what better way to celebrate than by indulging in a tasting menu at Kol, designed by one of the world’s most highly-rated young chefs. What is Kol? Reopening on Wednesday, Kol is a Mexican fine dining restaurant that, after two years of meticulous planning, was open for just [...]