A sleepy village pub has been thrust into the limelight after being named the best in the UK by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. In an idyllic setting across from a small stream and surrounded by green fields, The Swan with Two Necks in Pendleton, Lancashire, has beat off competition from over 57,000 pubs across the UK to be crowned CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year. Steve … [Read more...]
Smart Group launches new ‘Experiences’ Brand at Royal Ascot
Smart Group has announced the launch of its new stand-out hospitality brand, Smart Experiences, launching its first package at Royal Ascot in June – which will include everything from a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party to a Friday night curry night. Working with Angela Hartnett Currently working alongside Smart Hospitality’s Creative Director, Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett, … [Read more...]
January sales bounce for pub and restaurant operators
Pub and restaurant groups enjoyed an upbeat start to 2014 - thanks to the weather. Collective like-for-like sales were up 7.2% on January 2013, a month that was badly affected by snow. Total sales, including the impact of new openings, were ahead 10.1%. Like-for-like sales up 3.3% The latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker, the sector's leading sales … [Read more...]
Christie + Co to secure hotel operator for strategic Harrogate site
In conjunction with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), specialist hotel developers Frontier Estates have appointed Christie + Co to find an operator for a new hotel development proposed at the society’s Harrogate headquarters site (above). It is envisaged that the ideal hotel format could be budget or mid-market orientated and that the building would occupy a high … [Read more...]
Wagamama signs up to Visa’s digital wallet, V.me by Visa
Visa Europe and WorldPay have announced that wagamama customers will soon be able to make purchases online using the V.me by Visa digital wallet service. wagamama, the pan-asian restaurant chain, has over 100 restaurants in the UK. In addition to restaurant dining, wagamama also offers take-out services available via phone, online, in person and, more recently, via the … [Read more...]