All Opinion articles – Page 5
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Opinion‘Hospitality held back by extra costs,’ says Whitbread boss
The hospitality sector “finds itself on the receiving end of a series of government interventions which together will significantly hold back our ability to contribute to growth”, Dominic Paul wrote in The Times
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OpinionMenu planning – are we playing a broken record?
It’s flexibility, creativity and speed of change that can have the largest impact on bottom line when it comes to menu planning, David Read, founder and chairman of Prestige Purchasing writes in MCA
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OpinionStop kicking the can down the road on AI
Hospitality is changing and needs to adapt. Harnessing technology and the promise of AI is going to be fundamental in navigating that shift, writes Peter Martin
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OpinionSmoke and mirrors
Dominic Walsh reads between the lines on the recent rumours surrounding Diageo and Deliveroo and gives his take on C&C Group’s new CEO
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OpinionPubs must wake up and smell the coffee: morning money is the future
With the night-time economy in decline, pubs are now competing with Greggs and McDonald’s to be the cheapest breakfast provider, Harry Wallop writes for The Times
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OpinionHow to do more with less
Operations specialist Jay Heathcote unpacks the much-used phrase, as he consider how operators can continue to deliver in an increasingly cost challenged environment
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OpinionPM pubs campaign: ‘Popping into his local won’t make any difference’
Keir Starmer may still frequent his local pub, but the sector needs material support in the form of business rate discounts and lower VAT, pub leaders tell MCA
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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