News

Pubs lose Scotch Egg Challenge for the first time

22-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A pub failed to win the Scotch Egg Challenge for the first time in the competition's eight-year history.

Meat industry bodies join forces to address food hygiene concerns

21-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland and more than 10 other meat industry trade bodies met yesterday (20 February) to discuss non-compliance with food hygiene issues in the industry.

JDW meat supplier ‘heartbroken’ to go into administration

20-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The meat supplier that supplied JD Wetherspoon is being investigated by the Food Standards Agency has gone into administration and has blamed the watchdog, claiming its action was “out of proportion to concerns identified”.

Bidfood unveils new ‘trend-filled’ summer range

19-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

National food wholesaler Bidfood has revealed its new range for this summer to help operators tap into current trends.

Toby Carvery offers dinner and drinks for two for under £15

15-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) brand Toby Carvery is giving diners almost one third off carvery meals as part of a discount deal with Wowcher.

Town pub slapped with £8k bill after salmonella outbreak

15-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A Kent pub has been hit with a bill for thousands of pounds after at least 10 people became ill after eating its food and poor hygiene at the site.

Whitbread pub food hygiene rating drops from five to one

14-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A West Sussex pub’s food hygiene rating has fallen from five stars to one star due to the “cleanliness and condition of facilities and building”.

A second meat supplier recalls products

13-Feb-2018 By Huw Cross

A leading supplier of meat to pubs, bars and restaurants has recalled products after an unannounced Food Standards Agency (FSA) inspection, causing JD Wetherspoon to pull dishes from its menu again.

City pub challenges diners to eat ‘monster roast’

12-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A Twickenham pub has created a storm on social media with a video of its ‘monster roast’ asking customers how they would eat it.

Which dishes have been taken off JDW menus?

07-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Dishes can change periodically and there can be various reasons as to why. Here, The Morning Advertiser looks at what pub giant JD Wetherspoon has removed from its offer.

Foodservice prices rose again in December

06-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Wholesale foodservice price inflation rose to 5.1% in December 2017, a sign of continued volatility in the market despite the easing of some pressures, according to the new figures.

City pub hit with £950 bill for ‘dirty equipment’

02-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A York pub has had to fork out hundreds of pounds after food hygiene officers discovered it was using “dirty equipment”.

Food hygiene is biggest concern for diners when eating out

01-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

More than one third (36%) of consumers rate food hygiene as their main fear, according to new research.

Berkshire pub scoops two Top 50 Gastropubs awards

01-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Windsor gastropub the Oxford Blue struck gold at the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs, winning the Best Newcomer, sponsored by Schweppes, and the One To Watch awards.

Top service award for gastropub the Unruly Pig

31-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Suffolk gastropub the Unruly Pig struck gold this week after winning the Front of House Team of the Year Award sponsored by Crown Cellars at the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs.

Hungry Horse pub slapped with zero-star food hygiene rating

30-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A Hampshire pub has received the lowest food hygiene rating available and it needs urgent improvement to the cleanliness and conditions of its facilities.

British foodservice consumers are creatures of habit when eating out

30-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

One in four diners are happy to go on to ‘autopilot’ when choosing where to eat out if they get good pricing, convenience and the right experience, according to new research.

Kent ‘grotty boozer’ takes Top 50 Gastropubs top spot

29-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The Sportsman in Seasalter, Kent, has been named the best gastropub in the country at this year’s Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs Awards.

JDW meat supplier has stopped all production

29-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The supplier of JD Wetherspoon’s meat, which was pulled from the pub chain’s menu, has had to stop all production and detain all of its products, as instructed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Steak back on the menu for JDW

26-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is putting steak back on its menus across its 900-strong estate after it was removed following "issues" at a suppliers.

Why JDW had no steak on Steak Night

25-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The supplier of JD Wetherspoon’s meat, which was pulled from the pub chain’s menu, is being investigated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for “serious non-compliance with food-hygiene regulations”.

Scotch Egg Challenge returns for 2018

24-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The Scotch Egg Challenge will return at Young’s pub the Canonbury in Islington, north London, next month (21 February).

Outrage after JDW cancels Steak Night due to 'supply issues'

24-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Customers have been angered by JD Wetherspoon (JDW) after the pub giant pulled sirloin, rump and gammon steak from its menus.

Hungry Horse pub serves chicken to pescatarian

19-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A Norwich pub has apologised after it served chicken in error to a pescatarian customer who hadn’t eaten meat in 30 years.

Game awards launched to celebrate wild British produce

18-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

New awards have been unveiled to bring together the shooting, game meat and hospitality sectors to celebrate the wild game meat produced in Britain.

Is food delivery the next big thing in the pub sector?

18-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Delivery food service companies are already big in the restaurant market but The Morning Advertiser looks at how pubs tap into this lucrative sector.

70% of consumers want British-made food

17-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Almost three quarters (70%) of consumers would choose British-made products if given the choice, according to new research.

Bar blasts customer's complaint about £8 fish and chips

16-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

A Merseyside bar was criticised for the price of its fish and chips dish on Facebook and defended itself with an in-depth response.

Chef & Brewer offering free meals to Macmillan nurses

12-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Greene King country pub arm Chef & Brewer is offering free meals to all Macmillan professionals this month (January).

M&B breaks records selling 225,000 meals on Christmas Day

12-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Christmas Day broke records for pubco Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) with like-for-like sales volume growth of 5.4% and 225,000 meals sold.

Booker reports sales rise

11-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Food wholesaler Booker has announced that its total sales rose by 3.4% in the last quarter of 2017, with like-for-like sales up by 3.8%.

Why you shouldn’t serve food on 'unhygienic' wooden boards

10-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Following a Birmingham restaurant's £50,000 fine for repeatedly using “unhygienic wooden plates” to serve food on, The Morning Advertiser looks at how pubs can avoid finding themselves in the same situation.

One quarter of consumers will spend less on eating and drinking out

09-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Some 23% of consumers are planning to spend less on eating and drinking out over the next 12 months, according to a new survey.

Foodservice inflation eased in November 2017

09-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Wholesale foodservice price inflation fell for the third month in a row, easing to 3.4% in November last year, according to research.

Top 50 Gastropubs 2018 list to be revealed

05-Jan-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

The greatest food pubs the country has to offer will be announced at the prestigious Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list reveal event in York on 29 January.

39% of Brits ‘uncomfortable’ with sending food back

04-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Four in 10 people have said they are uncomfortable with sending unsatisfactory food back to the kitchen when eating out, according to new research.

Kerridge praised for diet show

04-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Celebrity pub chef Tom Kerridge has been lauded on social media for his new BBC2 show Lose Weight For Good.

All Star Lanes splits menu to cater for vegans

04-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

London-based bar and bowling group All Star Lanes has introduced its new vegan menu this month, which includes burgers.

Serving meat to a vegan: is it legal?

03-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Spiking a vegan or vegetarian’s meal with meat or other animal products could land pubs in hot water with the possibility of having their licence removed, experts have warned.

£3.7bn Booker-Tesco merger cleared by CMA

20-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has concluded that Tesco’s purchase of Booker does not raise competition concerns.

City pub has last laugh at runaway diners

18-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A Great British Pub Award winner has taken to social media to out non-paying diners who left some personal items behind.

Tom Kerridge’s Pub in the Park goes on tour

14-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Celebrity pub chef Tom Kerridge is taking his Pub in the Park festival on a nationwide tour across four weekends.

Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year finalists revealed

13-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

This year’s Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year shortlisted finalists have been announced after rigorous judging.

Food and drink inflation will ease in 2018 but prices unlikely to fall

12-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Wholesale food and drink inflation is expected to ease to 3.4% by the end of next year, but the cost of many ingredients will be more, a report has revealed.

Gary Lineker ‘reviews’ Kerridge’s Hand & Flowers

08-Dec-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Footballing legend, Walkers crisps ambassador and television presenter Gary Lineker was spotted eating at Tom Kerridge’s two Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers, where he described the food as “sensational”.

Personalisation in marketing should be a necessity, diners say

06-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Tailoring marketing to individual diners should be a necessity, according to new research from digital experts.

Food hygiene rating key to 68% of consumers

06-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

More than two thirds (68%) of consumers choose where they will buy food from based on a venue’s food hygiene rating, according to new research.

JDW pub blasted on TripAdvisor: 'Worst experience ever'

04-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A JD Wetherspoon (JDW) pub has been slammed on the review site for its décor as well as serving cold food and one user claimed he was asked to leave after visiting with his dog.

85% of hospitality businesses victim to fake reviews

01-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

More than three-quarters (85%) of hospitality businesses have fallen victim to malicious and fake online reviews, according to a new survey.

Acrylamide reduction legislation will come into force next April

29-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Food businesses in the UK such as pubs will have to put practical steps in place to manage acrylamide -
a potential carcinogen - within their food safety management systems under new EU legislation.