All Opinion articles – Page 3
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OpinionOpinion: Wahaca leads the way with its sustainable credentials
Healthy and sustainable food is a necessity not a choice, even in the face of sector headwinds, argues David Read, founder of Prestige Purchasing
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OpinionAndy Burnham: ‘His record in Manchester is a very good one’
Now that the outgoing Greater Manchester mayor has seen off a lacklustre by-election challenge from Reform, attention turns to what his premiership might look like for the hospitality sector
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OpinionBlanket ban on social. Like?
Swiping away social will not stop under 16s accessing their favourite content, and could cause a headache for a hospitality sector which is increasingly reliant on social media marketing and digital content storytelling
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OpinionLoyalty should feel like a relationship, not a one-night stand
Loyalty doesn’t always need to be transactional. It can come in many forms, and is paid back by customers through word of mouth, brand love and future custom that won’t appear neatly in a dashboard, Mark McCulloch writes for MCA
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OpinionIs Andy Burnham hospitality’s knight in shining armour?
The ‘King of the North’ has promised to shower hospitality with shiny trinkets including business rate reductions and VAT cuts should he triumph in Makerfield and take Labour’s crown
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OpinionCan the government be swayed on VAT?
While calls for a permanently reduced rate of VAT for the hospitality sector are certainly not new, the voice of the sector has become louder on this issue in recent years in the hope the government will finally take action. Is #VATsTheProblem the answer?
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OpinionSummer VAT relief: ‘It’s not a lot really’
For a government that is desperately in need of some positive press, Rachel Reeves’ VAT relief for children’s meals and attractions is an attempt to seize control of the overwhelmingly negative narrative around the administration, and show it cares about the cost-of-living pressures on families
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OpinionWhitbread: Its next chapter as a pure-play hotel business
Less than two years since launching a new five-year plan for Premier Inn and Beefeater owner Whitbread, chief executive Dominic Paul has rolled out a fresh one. MCA columnist Dominic Walsh assesses the reasoning and impact of its latest strategy
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OpinionPickled passengers shouldn’t be allowed to take flight
Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin argues his airport pubs are are responsible and that drink restrictions are unworkable - but he may need to share some accountability for rising incidences of on-flight drunkenness
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OpinionBeefeater’s slide from market leader to samey follower
In its heyday Beefeater was an iconic best-in-class brand, its restaurant designs pivotal to its success. But in subsequent evolutions, the original ethos was lost and its core values completely eroded, Philip Harrison writes
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OpinionTrailblazing Beefeater faces the chop
With owner Whitbread long ago losing interest in branded restaurants in favour of more proftiable hotels, it was surprising Beefeater and Brewers Fayre lasted as long as they did, their dependency on Premier Inn maintaining the brands on terminal life support
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OpinionLessons in leadership: Prestige Purchasing’s journey from start-up to sale
From start-up creation to eventual sale, David Read, founder of Prestige Purchasing, shares his personal journey building a business, following the acquisition of the procurement consultants by Entegra
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OpinionMoment of Caring for missed M&A opportunity
Serial investor Luke Johnson, who sold The Ivy, J Sheekey and Le Caprice to Richard Caring in 2005 in a £31.5m deal, admitted he didn’t see the possibility of turning The Ivy into a chain
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OpinionStaycationers steer clear of Kernow
Cornwall’s stunning beaches and dramatic scenery has long made it a go-to destination for holidaymakers. But the region’s flagging visitor numbers and unpredictable weather is proving a cause for consternation for hospitality leaders in the South West region
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OpinionHeaven and the fault lines of the licensing system
An iconcic LGBTQ+ nightclub was nearly shut down due to a concocted campaign of AI-generated complaints, a case which demonstrates the vulnerable position of night-time businesses, and how shaky evidence can trigger a licensing review
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OpinionPeter Coulson: 6 August 1943 - 27 March 2026
A specialist licensing lawyer, journalist and publisher, Coulson founded what was then M&C Report with Peter Martin, the pair lending their initials to the title, which went on to become MCA after merging with Allegra Foodservice
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OpinionKids in pubs: the great divide
Nobody wants their well-deserved after work drink, or meal out with friends or family, to be disrupted by the shrieks of unruly children running amok in their local, but pub operators are walking a delicate tightrope over the issue of whether children should be allowed in pubs
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OpinionThe never-ending roller coaster of sector headwinds
It’s time for new paradigms about food and drink supply, David Read, founder of Prestige Purchasing, says
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OpinionLyndon Lea’s cosy Epstein connections are ‘no concern’ for Lion Capital
The private equity firm behind Gordon Ramsay’s expansion drive has told MCA it sees no conflict with co-founder Lyndon Lea’s close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and its stated position on slavery and human trafficking
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OpinionA celebration of the industry’s best
Whether a winner or runner-up, last night’s festivities at the MCA Hospitality Awards are very much deserved after so much hard work