Bancone is a pasta restaurant – just don’t call it Italian Life&Style A new restaurant below the imposing walls of the Bank of England is serving pasta – just don’t call this Italian food. I’m told the rare breed beef and marrowbone pasta is a British dish. Is a restaurant Italian because they serve pasta? As any City worker will know, Bancone’s silken threads are kneaded in the [...]
Hospitality leaders ramp up pressure on Labour to slash VAT Hospitality Leaders of top hospitality firms have ramped up pressure on Labour to slash VAT, which they warn is leading to hundreds of thousands of job losses. Pub chains JD Wetherspoon, Fuller’s and Greene King, as well as hotel giant Hilton and Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, have thrown their weight behind a campaign to cut Value [...]
More than 80 retail bosses urge Starmer to tackle youth unemployment crisis Retail More than 80 retail bosses have called on the Prime Minister to set out urgent measures to tackle youth unemployment, warning that the “ladder of opportunity for young people is wobbling”. The chiefs of leading retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis have called on Sir Keir Starmer to safeguard the position of retail as [...]
‘Reason to be optimistic’: Hospitality bosses say World Cup a lifeline for pubs June 9, 2026 Pub bosses are hoping for a much-needed boost from the World Cup this summer, as the hospitality industry warns of a crushing tax and cost burden. Leading pub chains Greene King and JD Wetherspoon have told City AM they are hoping for a “useful boost” to counteract the “layering of costs” they have faced in [...]
‘We’ve got lots of things going for us America doesn’t’: Sadiq Khan on competing with Silicon Valley June 8, 2026 Sadiq Khan has claimed that shifting political dynamics in the US are actively driving tech talent and venture capital to the UK, arguing that London possesses structural and cultural advantages that “America doesn’t” as he seeks to position the capital against Silicon Valley. The Mayor of London announced a new £12m investment programme on Monday [...]
Sicily: Italy’s jewel, from foodie hubs to the coastline June 2, 2026 Sicily: Italy’s moreish island, from food hubs to the coast, by Jamie Douglass The history of Anglo-Sicilian relations is long, amicable, and has much to do with wine. In 1773, a travelling Englishman called John Woodhouse discovered the excellence of Marsala – a fortified wine produced in the city of Marsala in Sicily – and [...]
I’m 50 – but I feel young dining at Simpson’s in the Strand May 29, 2026 Happy birthday to our top columnist – 50 years young and still eating out every night, especially at Simpson’s in Strand where he feels half his age As I turned 50 this weekend, with a solid celebration at Quaglino’s, a friendly journalist advised me that when it comes to writing, less is more. Or in [...]
Family-owned Tottenham brewer falls into administration as industry pressures mount May 28, 2026 A beloved family-owned Tottenham brewery that was a key player in London’s craft beer renaissance has fallen into administration amidst mounting cost pressures on the industry. Redemption Brewing Company, which was the first commercial brewery to open in Tottenham in nearly 100 years, is officially listed on the formal register of new insolvency appointments as [...]
The Lakes Distillery launches a new limited-release single malt May 28, 2026 The Lakes Distillery has earned a reputation for award-winning, exceptional English whiskies, taking home four gold medals for its Galáxia, Isadora, and Decadence expressions, as well as The One Fine Blended Whisky in 2024. In 2025, the distillery built on this record with the launch of its first permanent style of sherry-led whisky, Signature. It [...]
The Capitalist: Claridge’s launches the ‘Mayfair Meal Deal’ May 28, 2026 Claridge's moves in on Tesco, things get heated at the ideas festival, and workers hide in the loo; catch up on the latest shenanigans.