News

Foodservice price inflation steadies for October

29-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Wholesale foodservice price inflation fell for the second month in a row last month (October) from 6.5% to 5.8%, according to the new edition of the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index.

The Observer’s Young Chef of the Year Award winner to open Kent pub

28-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The Observer’s Food Monthly Young Chef of the Year 2016 winner Daniel Smith is set to open the doors of a Kent pub later this week (Friday 1 December).

Top 50 Gastropub strikes gold with two prestigious awards

27-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The Swan in Bampton has been celebrating after it won two prestigious awards this month.

Tracksuit-clad Geordie Shore star slams M&B steakhouse for refusing to seat her

24-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Reality TV star Marnie Simpson has blasted Mitchells & Butlers steakhouse arm Miller & Carter and claimed the venue would not seat her for lunch because she was wearing a tracksuit.

Investment plans for Freemasons

24-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

The Freemasons at Wiswell is a leading light for pubs offering outstanding food, but boss Steven Smith believes this is just the start.

Pub food favourites

23-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Tastes in food may be constantly changing, but when it comes to pub grub, the classics and old favourites remain constantly in contention, jockeying for positions on the menu

Deliveroo helping pubs without kitchens

22-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Delivery service Deliveroo is set to help pubs and bars across the UK that don’t have kitchens by allowing customers to order in food to the pub.

M&B slashes food prices for Black Friday

22-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is offering a huge 50% off main meals in many of its pubs across its estate from Monday 20 November until Thursday 23 November.

8 cheap Michelin-starred pub lunches

21-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Michelin-starred meals can often be pricey but new information has shown that lunch dishes at venues, including pubs with the coveted accolade, can be affordable.

Live rat and droppings land pub with £8k fine

17-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Two licensees have been ordered to pay more than £10,000 in fines and costs after rat droppings and a live rat were found in the pub.

Pub offers free turkey dinners for Christmas

16-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

A pub in Wimbledon, south-west London, is offering a free turkey dinner to anyone who is on their own on Christmas Day.

Slug & Lettuce launches new menu with vegan dishes

16-Nov-2017 By Ma Freelance

The menu features more vegan dishes and sharing options, including a breakfast platter.

Eating out to grow by 83m visits next year

15-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

The number of consumers choosing to eat out next year will grow substantially by 83m visits, while deliveries will grow 101m by 2019, according to new data from NPD Group.

Continued growth predicted for the food service management sector despite Brexit fears

15-Nov-2017 By James Beeson

Short and medium-term growth is forecast in the foodservice management sector, despite concerns over post-Brexit immigration restrictions, according to a new survey of the industry from the British Hospitality Association (BHA).

Stalwart licensee lands top food role at Star Pubs & Bars

14-Nov-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Star Pubs & Bars has appointed its new food strategy and implementation manager.

False menu descriptions costs venue £7K

13-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Pubs must ensure that there are no false descriptions on their menus or they could face hefty fines and court costs.

Punch launches food menus for leased and tenanted pubs

13-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

For the first time pubco Punch has launched three new food menus to help its tenanted and leased pub partners grow their food offerings.

How many chips make the perfect portion?

09-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

The issue of chip portion sizes made the headlines this week when Greene King was forced to apologise to a customer who received only six chips with her fish and chip meal.

Diners prefer a window seat

08-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Two-thirds (61%) of diners prefer to sit near a window when eating out, new research from OpenTable has revealed.

Supermarkets threatening pubs' share of the Christmas dinner market

08-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Supermarkets are under-cutting pubs in the Christmas dinner market with food deals that are designed to encourage people to eat at home.

FSA ramps up Scores on the Doors activity before Christmas

06-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is encouraging consumers to check pubs’ Food Hygiene Ratings before booking Christmas parties.

Food trends for 2018 – what do customers want?

03-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Diners are more willing to go solo and dine out alone, with more than three quarters of those asked in new research claiming to find eating without a partner socially acceptable.

Why pub chefs should never wash meat

01-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Pub chefs should not wash raw meat due to a risk of contamination in the kitchen, according the food safety experts.

How to make the most of Great British Sausage Week

01-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The Morning Advertiser’s sister title Meat Trades Journal is running The Big Sausage Week from 31 October to 6 November and pubs should get involved to make some porky profits.

More than 90% of customers served with dirty crockery or glasses

30-Oct-2017 By James Beeson

There’s nothing worse than going into a pub being served a pint in a murky glass, or being brought food on a plate that looks like it hasn’t seen a dishwasher this side of September.

All-day dining holds the key for business growth

30-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Pubs must tap into all-day dining to grow their business because it is a key area that consumers are driving, according to foodservice experts.

Foodservice price inflation eases for September

30-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Wholesale foodservice price inflation fell to 6.5% in September, down from a record high in August of 9.3%, according to new figures.

Michelin Pub of the Year revealed as ‘Great Train Robbery’ pub

30-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A Buckinghamshire pub has taken the title of Pub of the Year in the Michelin Eating Out in Pubs 2018 guide.

TripAdvisor launches sponsored ad feature for pub owners

24-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Review site TripAdvisor has unveiled a new advert feature, which gives pub owners the opportunity to drive traffic to their listing through sponsored placements.

‘Fawlty Towers’ pub slammed for small portions

24-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

An angry diner has taken to social media to vent her anger about a Merseyside pub’s portion sizes and customer service, and likened it to '70s sitcom Fawlty Towers.

Roadworks blamed for rat in JDW pub

23-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Roadworks have been blamed for a rat being spotted in a Kent pub, just two months after maggots fell from its ceiling.

Brits eating lunch out of home on the rise

20-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

More consumers are eating lunch out of home than last year, according to new research from data specialists.

Booker/Tesco deal creates opportunities for pubs

19-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The merger of foodservice wholesaler Booker and supermarket Tesco will mean pubs will have an improved choice, quality, price and service, according to the Booker chief executive.

Food price inflation is the biggest challenge for 81% of operators

18-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The rising cost of ingredients is the number one challenge for operators, according to a survey from data experts.

Efficiency and communication 'key to mitigating rising food costs'

18-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Despite ever rising food costs, there are ways to cut costs and save money without compromising on quality, operators were advised at a conference to discuss the issue.

National Curry Week: what did pubs do?

16-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Pubs took to social media to showcase their best curry dishes for National Curry Week earlier this month (October).

Worst threat to food supplies since WW2, pubs warned

16-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The nation is facing the biggest threat to the integrity of its food supply since World War Two, according to a leading food security expert.

Scare their pants off – top tips for Halloween in the pub

16-Oct-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Everyone loves a theme, especially around Halloween. Whether it is a spooky drinks menu, a ghoulish food offer or a full-blown American-style fancy dress party, Halloween is the perfect time of year to boost sales.

Staffordshire pub receives zero food hygiene rating

12-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A Staffordshire pub has been given a zero food hygiene rating due to inadequately trained staff and lack of a documented food safety management system.

Greene King pub slapped with £140,000 fine for dirty equipment

12-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A Surrey pub has been fined £140,000 for a slew of food-hygiene offences including having dirty equipment and not providing adequate materials for staff to clean their hands.

Black Swan pub in Yorkshire named world's best restaurant

12-Oct-2017 By James Beeson

A Yorkshire country pub has been awarded the accolade of 'best restaurant in the world’ based on a poll of customer reviews.

Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

Inside Michelin-starred the Pony & Trap

12-Oct-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

The great British pub has had to continually evolve over the years in order to survive and nowhere is there a more apparent example of that than at the Pony & Trap, a West Country icon of a Michelin-starred gastropub .

Which pubs have Michelin Guide Bib Gourmands?

11-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The Michelin Guide's prestigious Bib Gourmand is an iconic accreditation given to pubs and restaurants that are typically more affordable and comfortable than their Michelin-starred counterparts.

Pub crowned national Best British Roast Dinner champion

11-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A Northumberland pub has beaten tough competition to take the title of the Best British Roast Dinner 2017.

Runny eggs can now be put back on pub menus

11-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Pubs can now safely serve runny eggs to pregnant women, babies and elderly customers, following new advice from the Food Standards Agency.

Tom Kerridge's London restaurant plans scrapped

10-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The Michelin-starred chef-patron of the Hand & Flowers and the Coach, both in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Tom Kerridge, will not now be opening a restaurant at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge, west London.

Chef recruitment crisis: things are set to get worse

10-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Unskilled and untrained chefs must be targeted by the trade and educated to help solve the worsening recruitment crisis, experts have told The Morning Advertiser.

BHA issues scathing letter over catering qualifications delay

09-Oct-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has slammed the five-year delay on Government plans to train students to work in the hospitality sector, including pubs.

The Meat Report: make the cut

09-Oct-2017 By Fred A'Court

When it comes to meat, the best steaks will undoubtedly cost the most, but pubs can find great value with lesser-known cuts that are often eschewed by top-end restaurants.

Appetite for eating and drinking out rises

09-Oct-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Brits are continuing to splurge on meals and drinks out of home, despite a dip in consumer confidence following the Brexit vote, research has claimed. However, recruitment remains a major issue for operators.