16/01/2024 13:22:00
A leading holiday park operator has announced it has signed an exclusive agreement with J D Wetherspoon to operate at its parks, reports Pub & Bar. The agreement means that Haven is the first and only UK holiday park operator to enter a commercial partnership with the pub company, which operates over 830 pubs in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The first Wetherspoon/Haven pub will open at Haven Primrose Valley Holiday Park in North Yorkshire, with the first pint to be pulled in March.
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has released the results of a comprehensive flash poll involving over 453 NTIA member businesses within the UK's Night Time Economy (NTE). The poll aimed to evaluate trading levels and impacts over the festive period, revealing critical insights that underscore the urgent need for targeted government support with the upcoming Spring Budget. While 55.7% of businesses estimate they can last up to four months without further support, 25.7% project sustainability between 2-3 months. Hospitality & Catering News says that this indicates a critical need for immediate government action to prevent a substantial portion of businesses from facing financial distress and potential closures.
Occupancy and room rates of UK hotels held up better than expected in November. Despite following seasonal trends and declining slightly, both indicators outperformed the same period in 2022, according to the RSM Hotels Tracker. The data, which is compiled and produced by Hotstats and analysed by RSM UK, shows occupancy was down from 79.2% in October to 76.8% in November in the UK and from 81.9% to 80.8% in London. Although occupancy is yet to reach pre-pandemic levels, it surpassed those seen last November in both the UK (75.2%) and London (77.5%), advises Caterer Licensee Hotelier News.
The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has demanded Government investment in pubs in the upcoming Budget as more than six out of 10 pubs reported revenues losses or flat trade in 2023. The independent licensee support organisation for individuals working in hospitality has written to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt calling for vital investment in pubs at the Budget on 6 March, says Morning Advertiser. The BII said a survey conducted in the last few days across its 13,000 UK members, the majority independently operating single pubs, has highlighted the challenges they are facing: 2023 revenues were flat or down for 62% of pubs, exceptional cost of energy, staffing, food & drinks supply biggest impact to profit and three in four pubs operated unprofitably in 2023.
Global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group has acquired a portfolio of 10 properties from Edwardian Hotels for an undisclosed sum. The portfolio represents 2,053 rooms, which Edwardian will continue to operate on a transitional basis. Edwardian will also retain and continue to operate The Londoner and its two Radisson Collection hotels: The May Fair and The Edwardian Manchester. Boutique Hotel News understands that Axiom Hospitality has been appointed to manage the portfolio under Starwood. Bloomberg reported that the deal was worth around £800 million. The acquisition adds to Starwood's existing portfolio of European hotel investments, which following the transaction will comprise 47 hotels of circa 10,000 rooms.
Multiple operator Arc Inspirations has reported record sales in the last month of 2023 and has revealed plans for expansion, reports Morning Advertiser. The group, which has brands including Banyan, Box and Manahatta, announced like-for-like sales for the four weeks to the end of 2023 were up almost a fifth (19.9%) against December 2022. Looking at the different brands, Box led the way and was up 30%, Manahatta a quarter (24%), while Banyan was up 10%. Moreover, Arc had a momentous week in the second week of December with more than half (12) of the group's 21-strong estate recording their best ever sales week. Looking ahead, Manahatta Edinburgh is next on Arc's agenda - its debut Scottish site, which will be the brand's 10th venue and the group's 21st. Furthermore, the business is eyeing expansion with launches in Cardiff, Liverpool and London this year with these growth plans potentially creating around 300 jobs.
The Caterer reports that a £5,000 crowdfund has been launched to support staff who were impacted by the sinking of a floating bar, restaurant and nightclub in London. The Bar & Co boat, which was moored at Temple Pier on the River Thames, sank amid heavy rainfall from Storm Henk on 4 January.