20/07/2021
New hospitality strategy launched to support the hospitality sector
The first ever hospitality strategy has been launched to support the reopening, recovery and resilience of England's pubs, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs announced GOV.UK. Launched by business minister Paul Scully on Friday, the strategy sees takeaway pints continuing for another 12 months to boost sales, as well as pavement licenses being extended and made permanent to allow for more customers to be served outside.
Demands for drive thru sites show no signs of slowing down
According to the Independent, restaurant and café chains are in a "bunfight" for drive-thru sites as a surge in demand during the pandemic has seen them become one of the most in demand parts of the property market. Property experts said they have seen firms offering premiums of up to £200,000 to help secure drive-thru venues from developers.
Spending in pubs and bars rose by almost 40% in June
iNews have reported that spending in pubs and bars rose by almost 40% in June as people enjoyed the sunshine and Euros. In a report produced by Barclaycard, last month's figures were also compared to levels for the same period in 2019. It was the first sales growth across hospitality since September 2020. It is believed that sporting events such as the Euros and Wimbledon, together with warmer weather, helped spark the boost across the hospitality sector. Restaurants also enjoyed an 8.4% rise in sales.
Sugar and salt tax proposed as part of national strategy
England's National Food Strategy has recommended a levy of £3 a kilo on sugar and £6 a kilo on salt sold wholesale for use in processed food, restaurants and catering. The report, led by Henry Dimbleby (co-founder of Leon), has suggested this would raise up to £3.4bn a year, some of which should fund an expansion of free schools meals to an extra 1.1 million children the Guardian have reported.
Hospitality helps push UK job vacancies past pre-pandemic levels
Big Hospitality have reported that the number of job vacancies in the UK surpassed pre-pandemic levels in the three months to June according to new data, driven in part by the hospitality sector.
Airbnb partners with location tech firm what3words amid staycation boom
Airbnb has launched a partnership with what3words to bring the startup's location mapping technology to its platform ahead of an expected boom in staycations reports City AM. The partnership with Airbnb will allow hosts to provide more accurate details of their accommodation -- especially those based in remote locations.
And Finally...
Stalybridge Buffet Bar in Tameside have started serving an entire crisp butty menu featuring the likes of crinkle cuts, Monster Munch, Scampi Fries and Wotsists. Pub operations manager Barry Shaw came up with the idea a few months ago and initially posted it on social media as a joke reports Manchester Evening News.