All Azzurri Group articles – Page 2
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News
In pictures: ASK Italian's new community concept restaurant
Learnings from the revamped restaurant in Horsham will be rolled out to other ASK Italian sites in the coming year.
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News
Coco di Mama travels same road as Leon and Pret
As it continues to diversify away from its central London heartland, the Azzurri Group brand is trialling a pasta counter at Roadchef’s Norton Canes service area, and looking at various other opportunities in airports, train stations and commuter towns, MD Jim Attwood told MCA
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News
Coco di Mama to make travel hub debut
The trial with Roadchef marks the next step in an evolution for the brand, which has diversified into new sales channels during the pandemic
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Interviews
Zizzi: ‘We are on a mission to become a superbrand’
The Italian restaurant operator told MCA it had sharpened its brand identity as part of its drive to become an omnichannel leader, with a new retail range launching in Tesco this week
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News
Azzurri: ‘Coco di Mama has become omnichannel’
Coco Di Mama has gone from being a central London bricks and mortar business to having a nationwide proposition, with licensing and franching opportunities in play. And it’s all down to the pandemic.
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News
Azzurri: Staff shortages impacted by business rates
The chief executive of the Azzurri group, which operates the Ask Italian and Zizzi casual dining brands, is finding new ways to cope with staff shortages, while at the same time raising the issue of “outdated” business rates.
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News
Scrapping of Test and Trace self-isolation requirement ‘fundamental to recovery’ of hospitality
Abolishing the requirement for staff to self-isolate for ten days when pinged by the NHS Test and Trace app is vital for the recovery of the hospitality sector, MCA has heard.
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News
Sector calls for apprenticeship protections
Apprenticeship funding and youth employment must be protected if training and development of the future hospitality workforce are to be a cornerstone of the country’s economic recovery, sector leaders have said.
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Analysis & Insight
How technology is revolutionising the post-pandemic restaurant sector
At the end of 2019, if a customer wanted to order and pay for their food using their mobile phone the number of restaurants in which they could do this would have been relatively small. Fast forward to this year and, once lockdown is lifted, the number of places offering digital order and pay will be significantly bigger.
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Interviews
Steve Holmes: ‘We have scenarios coming out of our ears’
The inability to effectively plan for the long-term is an issue that has blighted restaurant operators during the pandemic, but an Easter reopening makes the most sense to work to, says Steve Holmes, CEO at Azzurri Group.
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News
Karen Jones: Why is it so important that hospitality wholeheartedly supports NHS Test and Trace?
So it’s a Bank Holiday weekend, pay day for many and the last EOTHO on Bank Holiday Monday. Many of our restaurants and pubs across the UK will be very busy and it seems an opportune moment to remind ourselves of the vital importance of all our places fully supporting NHS Test and Trace. Why is it so important that hospitality wholeheartedly supports NHS Test and Trace? Because hospitality offers safe spaces for people to enjoy being with friends and family. Because we are often at the centre of our communities and high streets. We have a real responsibility to keep our customers, our teams and our communities safe and well. NHS Test and Trace is a powerful way to do just that: collecting and providing the information to help break the chain of transmission and control the virus.
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News
Alix Partners: Sensible debt is good financial management
Private equity debt financing will return to the casual dining sector as it begins to recover, Alix Partners MD Graeme Smith has predicted.
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Opinion
Dominic Walsh: Casual dining one of ‘big losers’ of pandemic
It used to be so simple. Come up with a restaurant concept and a brand, open one restaurant, then a second, then aim for five outlets then ten and 20, and if it’s still working, press the button on a nationwide rollout. Well, something like that, anyway.
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Analysis & Insight
AlixPartners: Gradually building momentum
Just over a month since restart, it is obvious that the sector’s revival will take time, and sadly it will not include everyone.
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News
Anand steps down from CDG
Rooney Anand has stepped down from his role as non-executive chairman of Casual Dining Group.
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News
How Azzurri Group went into administration
One of the star performers in a competitive casual dining sector, and an even more competitive Italian subsector, Azzurri Group was formed out of the break-up of Gondola.
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News
Azzurri latest to announce closures after rescue deal
The Azzurri Group has been acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners via a pre-pack administration process, but 75 sites will close. Azzurri, which is made up of 301 restaurants including Zizzi, Ask and Coco di Mama, said when the coronavirus hit it acted “swiftly to protect its employees and customers, deciding to close all restaurants ahead of the government’s lockdown. Azzurri took all possible steps to protect the financial position of the business by ceasing all capex, renegotiating rental payments and food supplier costs and furloughing all restaurant staff and non-critical central staff.”
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News
Azzurri in advanced talks over pre-pack sale
Azzurri Group could be on the verge of a pre-pack administration which would involve the closure of 20-25 restaurants, The Times reports.