News

Hospitality grows 1.4% in February 2024

1.4% growth in Feb ‘disappointingly slow’

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Britain’s top hospitality groups achieved like-for-like sales growth of 1.4% in February, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker has revealed.

Food pricing: Inflation drop a 'positive sign' but challenges ahead (Credit: Getty/ J Studios)

Food inflation falls to 12.6%

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index recorded year-on-year inflation of 12.6% in January – a drop of 1.2 percentage points from December’s rate of 13.8%.

10 years of Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs winners

A decade of Great Britain’s best gastropubs

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Unruly Pig in Suffolk was named the best gastropub in the country in The Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub Awards just last month in a prestigious ceremony.

Celebration: Pubs across the country have been recognised by The Michelin Guide

5 pubs awarded Bib Gourmands

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Five pubs have been awarded Bib Gourmands in the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2024.

Remain alert: new border checks could 'put momentum back into inflation' (Credit: Getty/Photo_Concepts)

New border checks risk fuelling food inflation

By Rebecca Weller

New border checks could cause disruptions to supply chains and push foodservice price inflation, the latest Foodservice Price Index (FPI) from CGA and Prestige Purchasing has warned.

New ways: Lucky Saint research offers insight into changing consumer habits (Credit: Getty/NoSystem images)

74% Brits see pub as key to community

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Three quarters of Brits (74%) see the pub as key to the community, research from alcohol-free beer brand Lucky Saint has revealed.

The Purefoy Arms pub Preston Candover Hampshire to shut

The Purefoy Arms to close for good

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Award-winning gastropub the Purefoy Arms, Hampshire, will shut its doors permanently at the end of the month due to “unexpected happenings”.

CGA Prestige shows food inflation fell to 15% in November

Food inflation fell to 15% in November

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Food Inflation as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) fell again during the month of November to 15.0% - its lowest level since July 2022.

Kicking off 2024: James Watt wants to make January 'as painless as possible'

£1 burgers and pizzas at BrewDog bars

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

From 3 January, BrewDog is offering customers burgers and pizzas for a quid as part of a ‘buy one, get one £1’ deal at any of their UK sites.

(image: Getty/BrianAJackson)

Strangest reasons people cancel bookings

By Nikkie Thatcher

An unexpected council meeting and seagull problems are just two of the strangest reasons customers have given for cancelling bookings in pubs, bars and restaurants, new research has found.

Foodservice price inflation falls by 20% in October

Foodservice price inflation drops 20%

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Foodservice price inflation (FPI) decreased for the fifth consecutive month in October, the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index has revealed.

'Tis the season: JDW's Christmas menu will be available from 15 November

JDW hikes Christmas dinner price by 13%

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has raised the price of its Christmas dinner by 13% for 2023, but the pub goliath claims it’s still “excellent value”.

Shooting for the stars: What sets a Michelin-rated gastropub apart?

What makes a Michelin Star pub?

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

21 gastropubs have gained Michelin stars since the trailblazing Stagg inn became the first pub to win the accolade in 2001. But what makes Michelin-starred pubs a cut above the rest? We spoke to chefs of some of the country's most prestigious venues...

Stephen Terry’s Abergavenny restaurant The Hardwick closes

Top 50 Gastropub closes its doors

By Restaurant

Stephen Terry’s Abergavenny restaurant The Hardwick has closed suddenly after nearly two decades in business.

Bright side: Food inflation marginally slows (Credit: Getty/SolStock)

Food inflation falls to 21.7%

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Inflation as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index fell marginally to 21.7% year-on-year in July.

Plated up: What times of day do you offer food? (Credit: Getty/ Pekic)

POLL: What times of day do you serve food?

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Pubs are tapping into the brunch trend, with more and more venues serving up all-round food offers and upping the game with their breakfast offering.

Business option: Chef Central will utilise the existing Booker infrastructure

Booker unveils low-cost business function

By Nikkie Thatcher

Food and drink wholesaler Booker has launched a new business function, designed to be a low cost, high service option for new customers.

One's a crowd: How should pubs handle solo dining? (Credit: Getty/ DjelicS)

'Solo diners should feel welcome'

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Pub operators have shared their two cents on guests eating alone after a two Michelin-starred restaurant announced solo diners would be charged double for the price of a tasting menu.

Threat to post-pandemic recovery: 50% of businesses concerned about food costs (Credit: Getty/andresr)

Business confidence hit by food cost concerns

By Rebecca Weller

Half of senior-level operators have expressed concern over the sector’s post-pandemic recovery due to rising food and drink prices, new data from CGA by NIQ and Fourth has revealed.

Cost increase: Inflation sees summer veg prices rise (credit: Getty/ YelemaYemchuk)

Summer veg prices rocket by over 30%

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Summer seasonal veg prices have shot up by 31.3% versus a like-for-like period in 2022 while fruit prices have dropped, according to The Morning Advertiser’s analysis of Government data.

Following on: former England cricketer Harry Gurney and current England cricketer Stuart Broad

My Pub

My Pub: Tap & Run, Upper Broughton, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

By Gary Lloyd

When the Tap & Run pub was destroyed in a fire in June last year, owners and England cricket players Harry Gurney and Stuart Broad, were distraught but vowed to bring the site back even better than before. Here, Gurney tells The Morning Advertiser...

Inflation impact: Hospitality hit by soaring costs (Credit: Getty/ Hispanolistic)

Food inflation hit 21.6% in May

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Year-on-year inflation, as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index, increased to 21.6% in May – only just below the record high of 22.9% of December 2022.

Struggling sector: Hospitality tackles a perfect storm (Credit: Getty/Art Event ET)

Spiralling food costs pack pressure on hospitality

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Ongoing hikes in food and drinks prices are piling the pressure on hospitality operators, as supply chain fragility continues to hit the industry hard, a new report from Fourth has revealed.

Menu planning: Lynx Purchasing's Market Insight offers insight into food prices

Quality British food ‘key’ to menu success

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

High quality produce with a focus on the best of British is a key chance for hospitality businesses to thrive beyond the cost-of-living crisis, according to hospitality buying specialist Lynx Purchasing.