All Opinion articles – Page 55
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Opinion
The restaurant producer
The Polpo restaurant business may be small and relatively new but, as Mel Flaherty finds out when she interviews Richard Beatty (one of its founders), it is also extremely influential and, irritatingly, much copied
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OpinionBeds & Bars enters new phase
2014 promises to be a big year for Beds & Bars under new MD Murray Roberts. He shares his vision for the company with M&C Report and discusses plans to expand and evolve
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Opinion
Defending the VAT cut campaign
JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin responds to criticism about the VAT Club from high-profile MP Andrew Griffiths and emphasises the importance of the tax break for the sector
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OpinionPressure rises on health debate
The Government continues to put its trust in the Responsibility Deal amid rising pressure from health campaigners and the Labour Party to take legislative action. What future for the partnership approach, asks John Harrington
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OpinionA food law headache is served
A new EU-wide law that will make it mandatory for operators to provide customers with information about the contents of their food is likely to create problems for those running hotels, pubs and restaurants. Fourth’s James England looks at the implications
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OpinionThe price is wrong
Tenanted pub companies have been putting their houses in order in recent years, but one area of the relationship remains unregulated and potentially unfair - beer pricing
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Opinion
Time to unpick tied beer prices
Often the best tied licensees are making the least profit because beer discounts are not passed on fairly, argues pub industry consultant Phil Dixon
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Opinion
Guardian of tradition
JW Lees is poised for growth thanks to developing the best bits of tradition and not being afraid to close failing pubs, managing director William Lees-Jones tells Phil Mellows. Free pies have helped, too
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OpinionBrand focus: Pizza Hut
On Friday Pizza Hut Restaurants unveiled the first of its new-style restaurants at Crawley Leisure Park in West Sussex as part of a £60m estate overhaul that will affect more than 80 outlets by the end of 2014. M&C Report saw the new design and caught up with chief executive Jens Hofma and operations director Mike Spencer
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OpinionExile's over for Graham Turner
Dominic Walsh assesses the return to business of Graham Turner, the new executive chairman of Novus Leisure, and recent statements made by Gondola CEO Harvey Smyth
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OpinionTaking Tragus forward
Mark Wingett talks to Tragus chief executive John Derkach about his first year at the helm of the Café Rouge, Strada and Bella Italia operator. The former Costa Coffee managing director talks about how Bella is primed for growth, Café Rouge is going through a process of reinvigoration and working to make Strada special again, while touching on some wider sector issues
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OpinionDefining craft beer
BrewDog founders James Watt and Martin Dickie attempt to draw up a “tangible and solid” definition of the increasingly popular drinks category
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Opinion
Cheshire Cat pauses to consolidate
Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars, the pub company founded by former Greenalls executives Tim Bird and Mary McLaughlin, is pausing to consolidate after opening five pubs in five years
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OpinionThe campaign game
Jacques Borel’s VAT campaign is just one example of a recent trend of single-issue lobbying in the sector. John Harrington examines the trend and what it means for established trade associations
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OpinionDay parts? What day parts?
Aubaine founder Hani Nakkach tells Mel Flaherty why his flexible, French restaurant format is a hit with ‘new-school’ diners
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OpinionOn the turnaround trail
Nick Basing, chief executive of Essenden, tells how he set about the task of leading the recovery of its Tenpin bowling business by focusing on staff engagement, sharing performance data, and changing the culture
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OpinionSpirit enters the premium league
Spirit Pub Company last month launched its second Premium Pub site with the conversion of a former Chef & Brewer in Kew, south-west London, which re-opened as the Cricketers. John Harrington spoke to Martin Braisby, brand director of the Premium Pub concept, and the Cricketers’ general manager Paolo Corgiolu, about Spirit’s move into a more premium territory
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OpinionAgents of change
Operators need to be agents of change and have clarity of vision for their people and brand, says Chris Muller, the leading academic expert in the field of chain restaurant management
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Opinion
Carlsberg UK grows market share, turnover dips
Carlsberg UK increased its UK market share in 2012 from 15% to 15.3%, driven by a “notable increase in the on-trade”, as turnover dipped 0.5% to £994.5m
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Opinion
The licensing legacy
It’s now more than 10 years since the passing of the Licensing Act, which aimed to radically alter the licensing regime and drinking culture in this country. Jon Collins examines its consequences