24/11/2020
Call for clarity on reopening date as industry burns through £500m 'to stay closed'
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls warned that the government urgently needs to clarify whether hospitality will reopen in December as the sector is burning through £500m in cash reserves in November 'just to stay closed', whilst addressing a government select committee, reported The Caterer.
Philippines fast food chicken giant Jollibee plans 50 UK restaurants
Asian fried chicken chain Jollibee, will open its third UK outlet in Leicester this week. A flagship store in Leicester Square, London will open in the first half of 2021, followed by launches in Edinburgh, Leeds, Cardiff and other major cities across the UK. Globally the business has 1,466 stores, 1,185 of which are in the Philippines, BusinessLive advised.
Nightclub group Deltic warns landlords of 'closure' without sale
The boss of Britain's biggest nightclub operator has warned landlords that the company faces collapse unless a sale is agreed imminently - putting more than 1,000 jobs at risk - telling landlords it will have to close unless they agree to rent-free occupancy of its nightclubs, according to Sky News.
Many nightclub owners considering legal action as sector faces 'extinction'
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) says it fears nightclubs will become 'extinct' in UK culture as businesses continue to face no roadmap for reopening and growing financial pressures. The NTIA is supporting G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph in his legal challenge against the government's 10pm curfew, advise Big Hospitality.
BrewDog to open new Manchester DogHouse hotel
BrewDog has just opened the first of its new BrewDog Kennels site above its Aberdeen bar, with a second set to follow in Columbus, USA, next year. Further launches are also proposed in Manchester, London, Paris and Berlin, where guests will be able to enjoy such features as can fridges in the showers, claims the Manchester Evening News.
All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers shuts down up to 20 pubs and restaurants permanently
An M&B spokeswoman said: 'As announced in September, M&B re-opened the vast majority of its estate, approximately 95 per cent, after the first lockdown ended. 'The remaining sites have been under review on a case-by-case basis since and we have taken the difficult decision not to reopen some of these sites", according to the Daily Mail.
Rescue deal lined up for Cineworld as Covid-19 leaves it struggling under weight of £6.2bn debt pile
The world's second largest cinema chain Cineworld is considering slashing rents and permanently closing UK cinemas after lockdown restrictions and a lack of blockbuster films caused business to collapse. The chain hired restructuring specialists AlixPartners last month to engage in emergency talks with lenders, ahead of a potential breach of its loan covenants in December. It is also negotiating individually with landlords for rent cuts across its 127-site estate, claims the Financial Times.
And Finally...
There has been a real buzz about a new honey-themed restaurant concept, Hive, set to launch in Selfridges. Due to open in early December, the concept will replace Hemsley + Hemsley on the building's third floor and will serve a menu focused around the store's on-site-produced honey, according to MCA.