A survey conducted at the end of 2013 by industry social media expert Digital Blonde on behalf of Mars Foodservice and the Craft Guild of Chefs found that while many chefs (92.5%) are social media savvy 65.5% would like additional training. And an overwhelming 90.1% of chefs agreed that social media was a great way to increase footfall to their establishment, with 87.9% also … [Read more...]
Westminster Kingsway wins Brakes Student Chef Team Challenge
A team from Westminster Kingsway College has emerged triumphant from the 2013/14 Brakes Student Chef Team Challenge live cook-off final, held as part of Hotelympia on 28 April. In front of a panel of eminent judges, the winning students beat off fierce competition from seven other outstanding college teams. Farnborough College of Technology came a close second, and South … [Read more...]
Pubs proving popular for investors returning to sector
Canny City investors are building funds to buy up surplus pubs in prime areas of the South as the hospitality sector emerges from three decades of doom and gloom. That’s according to Colliers International hotels director Peter Brunt, who said the fast-recovering sector was now being seen as a prime investment territory. Values to rise with growing operating … [Read more...]
March record for Manchester hotel occupancy
New hotel occupancy data – supplied by STR Global Ltd and released by Visit Manchester – shows that Manchester city centre achieved its strongest March on record with the average reaching 81%. This represents a 4% rise on March 2013 figures (77%) and a 7% rise on the March average from the years 2000-2013 (74%). Impact of Event + Conference activity A 98% occupancy … [Read more...]
New Forest’s The Penny Farthing hotel on the market
Freehold The Penny Farthing, currently rated #1 Lyndhurst hotel on Tripadvisor, is on the market for the first time in 21 years. The current owner, Mike Sarqui, has instructed leisure property specialists Fleurets, who are marketing the hotel from a guide price of £1,590,000. “The property is situated in the heart of the New Forest National Park and is a profitable, well … [Read more...]