Would a £10bn VAT cut really save hospitality? June 20, 2026 Calls for the government to slash VAT on hospitality firms have been backed by pub and restaurant bosses, and Prime Minister hopeful Andy Burnham. What would this tax break really mean for the economy? The UK’s pubs, hotels and restaurants say they are at breaking point. Higher business rates, hikes to national insurance and minimum [...]
Yas Queen’s: Why HSBC Championships expansion has been a smash for business June 18, 2026 When Queen’s Club welcomed back a women’s tournament after a half-century hiatus last year, turning the HSBC Championships into a two-week festival of men’s and women’s tennis, it looked to be a no-brainer. The men’s event at the exclusive west London members’ establishment had long been Wimbledon’s little brother, beloved of fans, players and brands [...]
Universal reveals £133m investment in Bedford theme park June 18, 2026 US Media giant Comcast has revealed that it has already invested more than £130m in its upcoming Universal theme park in Bedford which was recently announced by the government. The 540 acre Universal United Kingdom Resort is due to open in 2031 and is tipped to have rides themed to Jurassic World, James Bond and [...]
Whitbread food sales slump after revealing exit from restaurant arm June 18, 2026 Whitbread has seen food and drink sales slump after it revealed its divisive decision to sell its restaurants and pivot to a hotels-only business. The Premier Inn owner said food and drink sales fell by five per cent to £148m in the three months to the end of May, compared to a three per cent [...]
KOL: How Santiago Lastra reimagined Mexican food with British ingredients June 17, 2026 London’s Mexican food scene is going from strength to strength, and it doesn’t get any better than Michelin-starred KOL, writes Carys Sharkey Sacks filled to the brim with scarlet mounds of chillies sit in Ocean Spray cranberry juice boxes in the oppressive midday sun of Oaxaca City. Up top, bags of pre-packed chillies hang like [...]
Banks woo the wealthy to ace stable income streams June 17, 2026 As the great and the good prepare to gather at Wimbledon, banks are serving up glamorous treatment to woo the wealthy. In this week’s column Samuel Norman looks at the players looking to call game, set, match. If you want the Centre Court treatment from your bank, you’re going to need to arrive with a [...]
Struggling Pizza Hut snapped up by private equity in $2.7bn deal June 16, 2026 Struggling restaurant chain Pizza Hut is set to be offloaded to private equity by its owner Yum Brands in a $2.7bn deal. Most of the pizza giant’s global operations will be sold to Long Range Capital just months after 250 restaurants were put on the chopping block. Pizza Hut’s locations in mainland China are excluded [...]
‘Poorly designed’ policies threatening London’s grip on global tourism June 15, 2026 London’s competitiveness as a leading culture and tourism destination is being undermined by “poorly designed” policies, the West End’s leading business advocate has warned. Dee Corsi, chief executive of the New West End Company (NWEC), has said that London is “competing with one hand tied behind its back” compared to global rivals whose policymakers are [...]
Bancone is a pasta restaurant – just don’t call it Italian June 11, 2026 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 June 11, 2026 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 [...]