All Opinion articles – Page 5
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OpinionIntroducing technology doesn’t mean losing personality
Technology will be integral to hospitality businesses as they face a shake-up of labour costs, Vita Mojo VP Commercial Nick Liddle writes
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OpinionProduct and productivity: the watchwords for 2025
If anything, now’s the time to double-down on quality, not compromise it, as consumers are looking for a return on experience, not just price, Peter Martin writes for MCA
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OpinionTrouble in the engine room
This year is all about survival, and building a new and solid margin base for 2026, David Read, founder and chairman of Prestige Purchasing argues
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OpinionComptoir colleagues ‘kiss and make up’
Dominic Walsh hears from Chaker Hanna about burying the hatchet with Comptoir Libanais founder Tony Kitous and returning to lead the listed restaurant company, after their boardroom bust-up two-and-a-half years ago
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OpinionThe Dom Walsh Awards 2024
MCA’s long-standing columnist on a change of approach at Marston’s and Loungers, long-term problems at TGI Friday’s, and an unexpected happy ending for creditors of Lord Billmoria
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OpinionIs this the tipping point for tech?
Hospitality is at a tipping point when it comes to next generation technology, but while the prospect of increased labour costs is worrying, cutting back on front-line teams is as dangerous as trying to impose blanket price rises. Peter Martin writes
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OpinionA new emerging trend within the UK’s pubs
Shelley Sandzer’s Ted Schama foresees a trend where consumers will have difficulty in differentiating their favourite restaurant or their favourite pub, as both will blend seamlessly together, having broken the shackles of tradition
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OpinionWe need to go beyond the traditional crisis playbook
Operational efficiency can mitigate profit impacts of the recent Budget, but the easy wins are mostly already gone, David Read, founder and chairman of Prestige Purchasing argues
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OpinionBudget risks loss of human connection in hospitality, warns Dame Karen Jones
Great customer care comes down to “exceptional communication and training”, which risks being compromised if operators look too much to automation, she wrote in The Sunday Times
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OpinionCan going retro reverse Starbucks’ slump?
Dominic Walsh examines the coffee company’s bid to reconnect with its community ethos, while he reflects on a career reporting on the sector following his retirement from The Times
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OpinionLabour: the balance of cost vs business growth
Pressure on labour costs is leading many operators to close sites early during quieter off-peak trading periods. Yet this inconsistency plays havoc with guest and team expectations, with a better balance needed between labour costs and business target, writes operations specialist Jay Heathcote
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OpinionWhy men need to lean in
While progress on has been made on the percentage of women on boards at FTSE 350 companies, if you look a little deeper the picture is far hazier, Peter Martin writes
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OpinionCompeting for oxygen with the board
UKHospitality’s recent Environmental Sustainability Seminar once again highlighted the need for more board engagement, David Read, founder and chairman of Prestige Purchasing, says
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OpinionThe Sussex village that remains fiercely independent
Dominic Walsh takes a look at well-heeled Forest Row which has eschewed chains on its high street, as well the nearby vineyards which are in need of new capital to remain competitive with their neighbours in Champagne
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OpinionInfected Punk IPA highlights ongoing issues at BrewDog
In another woe for Britain’s biggest craft brewer, BrewDog has been forced to throw away millions of pounds worth of Punk IPA impacted by hygiene issues
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OpinionHow to create long-lasting change in a hospitality business
Change is part of the hospitality industry’s DNA. But to truly adopt a change mindset, the sector should look at how transformation is approached in the world of tech, writes Vita Mojo co-founder Nick Popovici
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OpinionBristol is buzzing
London may still have some of the best bars and restaurants around but these days Bristol is not far behind, Dominic Walsh finds on a rare trip outside the capital
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OpinionA word in your ear, minister
Public nervousness in the wake of the government’s warnings of tougher times ahead is hitting home – and it’s a problem of the cabinet’s own making, Peter Martin, MCA’s contributing editor, warns
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OpinionFinding the right questions is the key to agility
When leaders are pressured to have all the answers, they can all too easily stay within the bounds of what they know, David Read, founder and chairman of Prestige Purchasing warns
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OpinionPeople want experiences – but not at the cost of good food and drink
While the allure of delivering a unique experience might get diners through the door, it’s the quality of food, drink, and genuine hospitality that will keep them coming back, writes Harrison chairman Philip Harrison