Clare Nicholls

1 week ago | thecaterer.com | Clare Nicholls

The mayor of London has announced new al fresco dining and drinking hotspots that are intended to boost the capital’s hospitality industry this summer. Sadiq Khan’s £300,000 Summer Streets Fund, first revealed in May, aims to enable areas across the capital to open-up this summer. The fund will initially see streets in Lambeth, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Westminster boroughs transformed into open-air dining areas, ahead of new licensing powers being developed by government.

1 week ago | thecaterer.com | Clare Nicholls

Whitbread insists it is making ‘good progress’ on its strategic priorities, as UK accommodation sales fell by 2% year on year in the 13 weeks to 29 May 2025. UK food and beverage sales dropped by a steeper 16% in the same period, but reflected the Premier Inn owner’s expectations considering the impact of its accelerating growth plan to optimise its food and beverage offerings at a number of sites and unlocking 3,500 new extension rooms.

1 week ago | thecaterer.com | Clare Nicholls

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) have advised that slush ice drinks containing glycerol should not be sold to children aged under seven. This raises the minimum age by three years, from four years old, which was the threshold recommendation in the food standards bodies’ previous guidance update in August 2023.

1 week ago | thecaterer.com | Clare Nicholls

From front of house to in-room amenities and software, a hotel’s operations are multifaceted and require constant attention to make sure guests are satisfied and the bottom line is in the black. And with competition tighter than ever, many hotels may be looking to invest in the latest equipment and technology to ensure they stay ahead of the pack. Therefore, we have rounded up the latest and greatest kit launches aimed at UK hotels.

2 weeks ago | thecaterer.com | Clare Nicholls

Hospitality educational alliance the Oxford Cultural Collective (OCC) has opened applications for its latest annual scholarships for young hospitality professionals and students. Two £5,000 awards are available – the Lou Willcock Scholarship, which reflects creativity in the hospitality sector, and the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, the first of its kind in the UK for those interested in East and Southeast Asian food and hospitality.