‘Devastating’ tube strikes: Pubs brace for 40 per cent sales hit April 20, 2026 London’s pubs and restaurants are bracing for a knock of as much as 40 per cent of daily sales from this week’s tube strikes as industry leaders warn of the “devastating” impact on hospitality. The capital’s hospitality industry is set to be the hardest-hit from the industrial action, which is due to begin at noon [...]
‘Relentless pressures’: More hospitality firms forced to shut even before Iran war April 17, 2026 The rate of corporate collapse in hospitality surged in February in signs the sector was struggling to stay afloat even before the Iran war brought further cost pressures. The number of accommodation and food service firms declaring insolvency jumped by 22 per cent to 270 in February, according to government data. This acceleration of the crisis [...]
Celebrities in the Cotswolds: How Kim Kardashian & Ellen are changing the region April 17, 2026 The Cotswolds has exploded with tourism options for the super-wealthy. But at what cost? Adam Bloodworth investigates Talk of “The Caaatswolds” has been commonplace in Los Angeles for some time. However, Kim Kardashian’s recent visit to Estelle Manor to conduct her tryst with Lewis Hamilton gave the patch of farmland an especially big shot in [...]
Franco Manca shuts 16 restaurants, blaming ‘disproportionate’ taxes April 15, 2026 Franco Manca has taken aim at “disproportionately high” taxes facing the hospitality sector after the pizza parlour shut 16 restaurants in a structural overhaul. The privately-owned restaurant chain said it is suffering from high VAT and “significant” hikes to national insurance and minimum wages, with the site closures to cost hundreds of jobs. The move [...]
Pizza king points to youth joblessness as restaurant group eyes takeovers April 15, 2026 The boss of restaurant group Bow Street raised concerns over youth joblessness as the firm behind Dim T slipped into an annual loss, but outlined his dealmaking plans. David Page, now the chief executive of the Aim-listed firm, is a former boss of Pizza Express and played a key role in the expansion of Franco [...]
Procook sales surge as young Brits get taste for dinner parties April 14, 2026 Procook has toasted surging sales as the kitchenware retailer cashed in on young Brits’ growing appetite for hosting dinner parties. The London-listed firm posted sales of £85.5m for the year to end March, a rise of just under a quarter on the previous year and ahead of market expectations of £83.5m, after demand outperformed the [...]
Aziz Ansari talks cooking and writing over dinner at Hoppers April 13, 2026 Stand-up, actor and director Aziz Ansari is interviewed by his friend Karan Gokani, the restaurateur behind Hoppers. They tuck into a South Indian banquet at the brand new Hoppers Shoreditch to talk careers, inspiration and Indian cooking The Meal: Karan Gokani: Do you remember how we met? Aziz Ansari: Yeah, of course – I started [...]
Annabel’s owner sells Mayfair empire in £1.4bn Abu Dhabi deal April 12, 2026 Richard Caring has sold a majority stake in the business behind Annabel’s, the Ivy and a string of London’s most exclusive restaurants to an Abu Dhabi-backed investor in a deal valuing the group at around £1.4bn. The buyer, Diafa, is a luxury hospitality platform linked to International Holding Company (IHC), chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin [...]
Why I love hotel restaurants – and two of my favourites April 10, 2026 Our top columnist on the joys of a hotel restaurant, and two of his favourites London is rightly famous for outstanding hotels that are home to amazing restaurants. The Mandarin Oriental created this movement, breaking the mould fifteen years ago when the most excellent restaurateur Mark Hastings opened Dinner by Heston and Bar Boulud in [...]
The very best wine pairings for steak and fine cuts of meat April 9, 2026 Liverpool Street Chophouse & Tavern is not a place for small plates. The portions are generous, the menus come in a reassuringly bold red with gold lettering, the wines are decanted and the atmosphere harkens back to a time when long, bottle-strewn business lunches were still de rigour. Chef Mike Reid, formerly of M Restaurants, [...]