Compass: Catering giant buys Vermaat Groep in £1.3bn deal July 22, 2025 Compass has agreed to acquire European food services business Vermaat Groep for €1.5bn (£1.3bn). Shares in the hospitality giant rose by more than five per cent in early trades. Vermaat, which is a market leader in the Netherlands, will give Compass a “unique opportunity” for sustainable growth in Europe, the catering company told markets this [...]
The rise of slottification: Why can’t I have any fun in London without booking? July 22, 2025 When a boy cannot even go to a pond without booking it on a desktop app, something has gone wrong in London, writes Matt Waksman.
The Debate: Should we turn empty City office blocks into nightlife venues? July 16, 2025 A new report has imagined a future where ravers head to the disused office blocks of the City on the weekends. Is it madness or genius?
How artisan mezcal brand Zacal is hoping to storm the UK’s alcohol market July 16, 2025 If you’ve been to a London bar recently, chances are you’ve seen a mezcal margarita on the menu. Having already found popularity in the US, the once-small market is rapidly expanding into the UK, helped by a shift towards ‘less but better’ consumption. Zacal is one of the brands hoping to make the most of [...]
London’s nighttime economy is crumbling. Yet the show must go on July 9, 2025 The government has hammered the nighttime economy, but the show must go on, writes London Cabaret Club CEO Evelina Girling.
Charities ‘penalised’ by Rachel Reeves’ taxes July 8, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ hike to employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) has “penalised” staff at charities up and down the UK, a new study has suggested. Rachel Reeves has reportedly suggested the £20bn tax raid on mid-sized firms was “low hanging fruit” to provide extra funding for the NHS and schools. But the collateral damage from [...]
British and Irish Lions: Aussie pubs certain there’s enough Guinness July 7, 2025 British and Irish Lions rugby fans can fly to Australia assured that the “Guinness will be flowing” after pub chiefs Down Under quelled fears that bars could run dry this month. Australian reports raised concerns surrounding a potential lack of beer stockpiles ahead of the Lions’ three-Test series against the Wallabies, which begins on 19 [...]
Hospitality jobs slump as Reeves’ National Insurance hike bites July 6, 2025 The UK hospitality industry has shed 69,000 jobs since chancellor Rachel Reeves’s rise in employers’ national insurance contributions took effect – a stark reversal from the 18,000 roles created in the same period last year under the previous government. The figures, sourced from the Office for National Statistics, or ONS, mark the steepest peacetime job [...]
Greggs: Shares crater as sweltering June set to hit profit July 2, 2025 Greggs has said it expects to report lower annual profit than last year as scorching temperatures in June impacted sales. The company told markets this morning that total sales in the first half of the year grew 6.9 per cent to £1.3bn, although like-for-like sales grew just 2.6 per cent. Shares fell by more than [...]
Labour warned that hospitality ‘is being taxed out of existence’ July 2, 2025 The government faced serious warnings from MPs about the state of the hospitality sector during an afternoon debate in the Commons on July 1. Representatives from across the UK warned the government that high taxes were suffocating the sector – particularly for small businesses – putting ‘insurmountable burdens’ on businesses. “Hospitality is being taxed out [...]