Rondo: Holborn’s newest dining room has the chance to be great October 23, 2020 Hotel restaurants are tough to get right. The space at the Hoxton in the Holborn is a perfect example of why – trying to create a cosy atmosphere whilst a constant stream of wheely suitcases make a racket just twenty metres away isn’t easy. But Rondo, occupying that same space, has just about managed it. [...]
New covid rules mean ‘don’t bother opening’ says Mark Hix October 23, 2020 I’m presently sitting in my fish truck in Lyme Regis, where I’ve been since the crack of dawn so I can get the best produce straight from the local fishermen. It’s a far cry from the life I had this time last year, when I might have been preparing the staff at Hix Soho for [...]
Mark’s Bar reopens in the basement of 1 Lombard Street October 22, 2020 Mark Hix made a surprise return to London this summer, joining Soren Jessen at 1 Lombard Street as the City institution’s new Director of Food and Drink. But that isn’t the only surprise Hix had up his sleeve. This month another of his ventures has reappeared: the speak-easy-style Mark’s Bar, which was once a staple [...]
Square Mile to relax al fresco dining rules in bid to save bars and restaurants October 22, 2020 The City of London hopes to revive the Square Mile’s beleaguered hospitality sector by relaxing its al fresco dining rules. Bars and restaurants will be able to make more efficient use of outdoor space, helping them comply with strict Tier 2 rules, under which people from different households cannot meet indoors. The changes include reducing [...]
Bring on the post-Brexit vertical farming revolution October 22, 2020 As the UK and the EU stretch out yet another week of “will they or won’t they?” over a trade deal, like a painfully unromantic episode of Neighbours (no jokes about Australian models, please), businesses are not only trying to plan for what happens in January, but also questioning how much we should rely on [...]
Back to Business: How a Dalston cafe-owner stayed afloat October 21, 2020 As coronavirus restrictions continue to squeeze the hospitality sector, we asked Dalston’s Snackbar owner Freddie Janssen how she stayed afloat and got back to business. Who are you and what do you do? I’m Freddie Janssen, owner of Snackbar in Dalston. It’s a bright and buzzy little neighbourhood cafe serving good coffee and quality comfort [...]
Back to Business: How East London baker Lily Vanilli changed direction to cope with covid October 16, 2020 Who are you and what do you do? I’m Lily Jones from Lily Vanilli, a baker and cake decorator based in East London. I have a weekend cafe on Columbia Road and make creative cakes and pastries to order for home delivery, weddings and events, as well as consulting for other brands and businesses. How [...]
The Friday Interview: Pizza and a pint with Homeslice’s Mark Wogan October 16, 2020 City A.M.’s Deputy Editor speaks to Homeslice’s Mark Wogan for the latest in his series of interviews with the capital’s hospitality entrepreneurs As combinations go, it’s hard to beat a slice of pizza and a cold beer. City A.M. certainly thinks so, so on this rainy Friday afternoon in Shoreditch it’s a delight to sit [...]
Beavertown spruces up London’s pubs with new murals October 8, 2020 North London brewery Beavertown have given four pubs a mural makeover to encourage Londoners back out to their local. Beavertown’s creative director Nick Dwyer, responsible for the brand’s iconic artwork, has reimagined the pub’s signs for the modern day. Read more: London’s taprooms fizz back into action after their four month hiatus The artwork is [...]
High rents force three in four hospitality businesses to consider restructure or insolvency October 5, 2020 73% of London-based hospitality and leisure operators are considering a restructure or insolvency as a result of the economic impact of the ongoing pandemic. Advisory firm Cedar Dean, which surveyed 230 hospitality and leisure businesses with around 2,000 venues across the UK, found that rental obligations are currently the most pressing issue. 86% of London-based [...]