USA Today recently published a wide-ranging interview by Maria Bartiromo with Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz. The interview not only explores Starbucks’ global ambitions (see link below), but also what Schultz describes as ‘universal relevance’, a concept that many hospitality operators seek – not just coffee shops but, for example, pubs and bars. Starbucks’ business is … [Read more...]
Shops and cafes losing out as they fail to be family friendly
Research released today by GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.), a provider of technology-enabled solutions for global market research, reveals the differences in how parents of pre-school children believe the high street in Britain is failing them. Parents look for shops offering baby changing facilities (74%), toilet facilities (72%), larger parking spaces (72%), trolleys with … [Read more...]
Small Business Rate Relief time bomb could cost pubs £15 million
Failure to extend Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) from April 2014 could cost pubs in England and Wales some £15 million over the next year, according to new figures from the British Beer & Pub Association. The BBPA has written to industry bodies inviting them to work together to encourage the Government to continue this important relief for pubs. SBRR sees a variable … [Read more...]
Chipotle launches The Scarecrow for iPhone, iPad & iPod
Chipotle Mexican Grill, which now operates six restaurants in London and over 1,500 in the USA, has launched “The Scarecrow,” an arcade-style adventure game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, along with a companion animated short film of the same name. The game and the film depict a scarecrow’s journey to bring wholesome food back to the people by providing an alternative to … [Read more...]
Amber Taverns funds for growth
Lancashire-based traditional pub company Amber Taverns has agreed a £27.5 million funding deal with Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking in Liverpool as it continues to expand its estate over the next three years. Amber Taverns aims to increase its existing portfolio of 86 pubs to around 120 across Northern England, the Midlands and North Wales by 2016. Under the new deal, the … [Read more...]