All Opinion articles – Page 42
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OpinionCentury maker
As Bella Italia, the Casual Dining Group (CDG)-owned brand gears up to open its one hundredth restaurant this week, Mark Wingett takes a closer look at the turnaround of the fast-growing concept. At the same time, are the Kaye family set to provide another success story with Wildwood-operator, Tasty?
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OpinionThe lasting value of founders
Pret chief executive Clive Schlee discusses some of the guiding principles established by the group’s founders which still define it today. He discusses why companies who put purpose above profit are likely to enjoy greater longevity, why you have to change to stay the same and why most companies are not murdered by the market place – they just die:
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Opinion
MAD world of healthy fast food
The slow rollout of MAD Greens restaurants was deliberate, but now the Colorado-based eatery is upping the pace. Kerstin Kühn investigates
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Opinion
Familiar name is back in the hat
Benito’s Hat founder Ben Fordham talks to Mark Wingett about stepping back into running the Mexican food concept, eyeing expansion after exiting underperforming sites and how the business is striving to remain unique in an increasingly competitive category
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Opinion
Inside Track: NewRiver rising
Former Punch director Jackie Moody-McNamara returned to the sector at the end of last year when she was appointed the first ever pub portfolio director at NewRiver Retail. James Wallin met her to discuss the creation of a new pubco and how NewRiver is applying lessons learnt from its shopping centres portfolios into its pub estate.
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Opinion
No stone left unturned
Just under a year and a half since his appointment, Simon Longbottom, chief executive of Stonegate Pub Company, is continuing to build on the managed operator’s growth momentum, while looking to give the business even more impetus. He talks to Mark Wingett about honing the group’s business strategy
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OpinionPubco Galacticos know it’s all to play for
The pub sector is emerging from a period of significant transition with difficult decisions taken by some of the biggest players in the sector on the fundamental nature of their businesses. The work on the training ground has now been completed and it is time for the sector to deliver results. In June MCA introduces a brand new event – THE Pub Conference – in which these themes will be discussed by the Pubco Galacticos – Greene King’s Rooney Anand; Enterprise Inns’ Simon Townsend; Punch’s Duncan Garrood and Marston’s Ralph Findlay. Here MCA examines the opportunities and challenges facing each, and what it means for the eating and drinking out sector.
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OpinionI’m McLoving it
A year into his role at McDonald’s UK, Paul Pomroy is determined to continue to listen to customers and build on current momentum. He sets out the challenges the brand faces and the changes he is overseeing
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Opinion
The Marmite effect of Brick Lane
Cinnamon Club founder Iqbal Wahhab discusses why he is offering to help restore Brick Lane’s curry mile:
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Opinion
Dirty Martini to shake up regional cities
Scott Matthews has a passion for living in the moment and is all geared up for branching out of the capital with Dirty Martini. Mel Flaherty finds out more about the CG Restaurants & Bars man
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Opinion
When Hawksmoor met Harrison
Last year, neighbourhood restaurants Sam’s and Harrison’s were snapped up by the Hawksmoor Group. But it wasn’t the typically hostile takeover many have to come to expect in the industry. Restaurant talks to Hawksmoor co-founder Will Beckett and Sam Harrison about what happened
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Opinion
Flavour innovation on the menu
Darren Tristano looks at how US restaurants draw in consumers with a variety of spicy, smoky and sweet items
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Opinion
Rewarding custom works both ways
Loyalty to a restaurant may be a concept that many think is dying out, but Jan-Pieter Lips of marketing and loyalty analytics company Aimia, explains why finding the right way to reward customers by using the data you have compiled on them will help win business in the long-run
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OpinionTim Martin: Time for real debate on EU
JD Wetherspoon founder and chairman Tim Martin argues that laws and key decisions should be made by national parliaments and not by the “non-democratic EU”
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OpinionBig boys have craft credentials
Heineken UK managing director David Forde was appointed the new chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association at the end of last year. He tells James Wallin why the sector deserves the Government’s support and explains why he thinks the great British pub is well-placed to see off competition from any corner
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Opinion
No middle ground for Myers
When Busaba Eathai came knocking on Jason Myers’ Dubai door, it had to be pretty special to convince him to up sticks and move back to the UK. Mark Wingett discovers why he did just that
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OpinionPutting spotlight back on brands
Casual Dining Group is gearing up for substantial growth over the next few years, fuelled by seemingly unstoppable growth from the Bella Italia brand. CDG property director Phil Derbyshire talks to James Wallin about the evolution of brands, cannibalisation and how landlords are continually raising the bar for operators
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Opinion
Pitt the elder
This month Pitt Cue relocates to a new City site, transforming itself from a tiny, rough ’n’ ready barbecue bolt hole to a bigger and more grown up meat restaurant (spoiler: it won’t serve pulled pork or picklebacks)
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OpinionThe Neapolitan don
After an underwhelming start in the UK, in the hands of Handley Amos, Neapolitan pizza chain Rossopomodoro has begun to expand steadily thanks to a menu overhaul and link-up with John Lewis. Joe Lutrario reports
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OpinionJonathan Downey: Streets ahead
His street food markets will attractmore than one million visitors this year and his latest business, London Union, is backed by Jamie and Nigella. Now, as Stefan Chomka discovers, Jonathan Downey has his sightson creating the world’sbest food and drink market.