Optimism about recovery in the UK drinking-out market grew in January as sales rebounded — but what’s being consumed has changed.

Recruitment drives this month by holiday park operator Parkdean, with 550 staff vacancies open, and Travelodge looking to fill 600 jobs have only underlined the depth of the labour crisis facing hospitality. Hospitality Rising is one initiative now taking shape to change the public's perception of working in the sector.

Tech continues its onward march. As the news that Aldi has opened its first checkout-free supermarket, Peter Martin argues for a smooth approach.

Consumer confidence about returning to bars and restaurants is growing, according to new CGA research – and both in the UK and US. Meanwhile, Britain has seen the first increase in the number of licensed premises in five years

If you are running bars in London you probably feel that December was a complete right off. On the other hand, if you’re in the restaurant business away from the capital you might be thinking you’ve dodged a festive bullet.

Miami’s reputation as a high energy party city is undeniable – and for that reason alone it deserves its place as the Atlantic Club’s first foray stateside since 2019. Yes, we are back on tour from May 11-13, exploring one of the most dynamic cities in the US.

News of a major office investment in central London doesn’t mean an end to working from home, says Peter Martin. It’s more like the start of a hybrid experiment.

New research reveals attitudes to technology and hospitality among the next generation – and life is not all about the digital world

Asking customers if they enjoyed their meal is standard practice for any restaurant hoping to understand what guests thought of their dining experience, but the question is a lot less effective than it seems. Infact, it’s the perfect question to ask if you want to be lied to, says Yumpingo founder Gary Goodman

Peter Martin takes a look at the latest research on what lockdowns have done to people’s domestic diets, including an increasing taste for cheese

If the pub, bar and restaurant market wants to be an attractive career proposition, both at boardroom level and on the front-line, it needs to do more to embrace diversity. Peach 20/20 brought together experts to discuss the issues – from data gathering to reverse mentoring. Here are their thoughts.

Peach 20/20 brought together experts from the worlds of casual dining, marketing and research to examine the seismic shifts in consumer behaviour since early 2020 – and what it means for business in 2022. They pulled out 10 big trends

By analyzing over 180,000 out-of-home reviews, Yumpingo determined that digital customers are three times more likely to score an experience poorly if an item is missing from their order. Do you know how your out-of-home or off-prem business is performing?

Peach 20/20 founder Peter Martin is this year marking 40 years in the sector, but far from looking back, his focus is on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Which drinks categories fizzed in 2021, and which went flat? CGA’s exclusive data analysis provides an insight into the key market trends that are set to continue into 2022.

New research from Harri has revealed that 61% of employees in UK restaurants and fast-food businesses didn’t receive a pay rise in 2021. As a result, 45% of those are now planning to change jobs in 2022

In a survey conducted just before the introduction of Plan B restrictions in England, optimism among hospitality leaders had already fallen by four percentage points.

2022 is set to be a big year for the on- premise in the US, as sales return to pre-COVID-19 levels and consumer confidence grows, new research from CGA suggests.

It’s great to see our old friend and industry icon John Barnes writing again. His Marketing Judo book was an entertaining and easy to use guide to marketing for entrepreneurial operators – and despite being published 19 years ago is still full of good advice for leveraging your position using brains rather than budget.

How to navigate the here-and-how remains a major challenge for pub, bar and restaurant operators, but understanding the longer term implications of the new trading environment is just as vital.

Having the CEDA conference in Harrogate this year gave Peter Martin the opportunity to add a northern flavour as conference chair. 

What are the key trends and flavours shaping consumer choices in 2022? Peach 20/20 founder Peter Martin and Catherine Hinchcliff, Head of Corporate Brand and Insights at Bidfood, discuss the key themes on a new podcast, focusing on the ingredients, flavours and ‘cuisines less travelled’ that will help menus stay ahead of the curve.

Peach 20/20 brought together more than 300 industry leaders to discuss the crucial issues facing the out-of-home eating and drinking sector – with diversity, sustainability, and the new consumer high on the agenda.

Loungers co-founder and executive chairman Alex Reilley was named an Industry Icon at the Peach 20/20 Hero & Icon Awards on Wednesday (17 November).

Prestigious prizes recognise 15 leading brands and individuals across the eating and drinking out sector

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved modest sales growth in October amid mounting operational pressures, the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

Categories that capitalise on this trend - focusing on low sugar, low calories, low ABV - are growing in value rapidly. Myles Doran discusses the trend and its impact on the wider industry.

Peach 20/20 returns as a live event on Wednesday 17 November. A select, invitation-only gathering of 300 industry VIPs to debate the big issues of the day: how we can both make our businesses more successful and be a force for economic and social good in the world we live in. 

Peach 20/20 have teamed up with WiHTL- Diversity in Hospitality Travel & Leisure to find out and gauge industry sentiment around these vital issues ahead of the flagship conference next week. 

Our roster of speakers includes founders and entrepreneurs – Judy Joo of Seoul Bird fame, Nisha Katona, of rapidly growing Mowgli, Hamish Stoddart, the zero-carbon pioneer and founder of Peach Pubs and Justin Crawford, one of the visionaries behind Escape to Freight Island, one of Manchester’s hottest venues.

A recent ‘No-shows, no more’ webinar from CGA and Zonal tackled the hot issue of guests failing to fulfil reservations, following exposure of the problem in the latest GO Technology report and the new #ShowUpForHospitality campaign.

Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie leads tens of thousands of hospitality professionals and is joining the debate at this year's Peach 20/20, and highlighting how the regional brewer and pub owner’s history has shaped its steadfast commitment to inclusion and driving change not just in its own organisation, but across the sector.

Peach 20/20 has introduced a new category for this year’s Hero & Icon awards, reflecting the importance of trust and reliability for consumers in the post-pandemic market.

Restaurant and bar businesses making waves on the international stage will be recognised at this year’s Peach 20/20 Hero & Icon awards in London on November 17.

Agility and cost controls should be top priorities as the industry gets ready for a return to travel

Ongoing staffing problems posed by the pandemic have seen businesses in the U.K. hospitality sector struggle more than others to fill vacancies. In September, the ONS reported that the hospitality’s sector vacancy rate was twice that of the economy as a whole, despite the sector creating 122,000 new jobs between March and June.

Andrew Selley, CEO of Bidcorp UK and James Bielby, Chief Executive of FWD take a deep dive into some of the most immediate challenges facing the hospitality industry

Steve Hill, Head of Operations at the UK’s Bone Daddies, discusses the restaurant’s obstacles and successes through COVID-19 and partnership with QSR Automations. 

The shortlists for the 2021 Peach 20/20 Hero & Icon Awards have been announced, honouring dozens of outstanding operators across the out-of-home food and drink market.

Sustainability and the green agenda present real challenges for hospitality businesses – but ones that many are already embracing. The topic will feature prominently at this year’s Peach 20/20 conference on November 17.

In Harri’s recent event series, Redefining Staff Retention, this session encompassed operators from hotels to talk about the importance of retaining staff during this turbulent period of reopening and returning to some sort of normality in today’s society. 

The Peach 20/20 Atlantic Club ‘London is Open Tour’ - our first since the pandemic hit - did not disappoint. Here are our top 5 takeaways…

Peach 20/20 Founder Peter Martin opened the Casual Dining Show last week with a bold and optimistic vision of the future for eating and drinking out brands. 

Deliveries and takeaways accounted for nearly a third of managed operators' total sales in August, according to the latest CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker.

Wine suppliers and producers face opportunities to drive On Premise sales for the year ahead as the channel recovers after a turbulent 18 months.

Final spaces available for Atlantic Club London event available as more details announced.

As the sector continues to bounce back from the pandemic employers need to address the ongoing challenges facing hospitality teams to retain staff in the long term.

NEWS RELEASE - Harri, a market-leading employee experience platform, receives significant growth financing in response to enterprise momentum and transformation.

Casual Dining - the definitive restaurant, pub & bar event is returning to ExCeL London on 23-24 September 2021 and as part of the programme will feature Peach 20/20’s executive director Peter Martin.

We'll be attending Casual Dining from the 23 - 24 September in London. See you there?

The Peach 20/20 Atlantic Club is back ‘live’ this September and heading for London, the beating heart of the UK restaurant, pub and bar market.

We are moving our main invitation-only event to Exhibition London, a newly opened, purpose-designed, events and conference complex in the heart of White City and the Westfield development.

 

‘Big ideas for ambitious brands’, a Peach 20/20 Atlantic Club webinar hosted by Peter Martin, brought together industry experts to explore the future for the On Premise in the US, UK and beyond. Here are ten of the top messages from the event.

The Tim Bacon Foundation is a Registered Charity (No. 1173108) and was established in Tim’s name to recognise his achievements, continue his legacy and to echo his legendary spirit of generosity. 

This year our board of high-profile, industry change-makers will not only help us to develop this year’s conference agenda for our flagship event taking place in London in November but will also feed ...

Danny Meyer is a hero of the global restaurant industry, never afraid to be radical or provocative – but the decision of the legendary New York entrepreneur to require indoor diners and drinkers at his Union Square Hospitality Group establishments to show they have been vaccinated against Covid will divide opinion both sides of the Atlantic.

Former Wagamama CEO Emma Woods will be back in the industry spotlight in November when she takes on the role of co-chair of hospitality’s most influential conference, Peach 20/20.

Lack of staff is probably the biggest issue facing UK hospitality today. Operators that survived the pandemic are struggling to trade their way out and rebuild balance sheets because of diminished operating capacity - directly brought on by the lack of available talent, writes Megan Ong, senior lead marketing partnerships at Mr Yum.

The Tim Bacon Foundation is organising a major fundraising initiative on Thursday 8 September in memory of Peach Industry Icon and founder of the multi-award winning Living Ventures, Tim Bacon.

With nearly half of social media users (48%) already using the channels to search for hospitality venues, the latest GO Tech report highlights the opportunity for businesses in the sector to drive bookings and footfall through social media.

Peach 20/20, hospitality’s most influential annual event, returns in 2021 refreshed and refocused, with its flagship conference and Hero & Icon awards ceremony set for London on November 17. 

This year we’ve extended our Advisory Board to ensure we focus on the right questions, bring fresh and valuable thinking and convert those insights into action.

 

 

Smart use of franchising and robust protection of Intellectual Property are very effective routes to brand growth. Experts from global law firm Bird & Bird joined the Peach 20/20 Summer Meet Up to share top tips for successful strategies on both—here are just ten of their insights.

We are excited to announce that our venue for this year’s Peach 20/20 Conference and Hero & Icon Awards dinner is The Roundhouse in London - one of the most exciting live performance spaces in the world. 

Real progress on sustainability will only be achieved with collaboration across hospitality, business leaders at the Peach 20/20 conference stressed. Significant change will also require buy-in from those at the top of companies.

Hot on the heels of last week’s news unveiling nominees in the Industry Hero categories, Peach 20/20 turns the spotlight on the Consumer Hero Awards, powered by data from CGA by NielsenIQ BrandTrack consumer survey. 

CGA’s research into sales and consumer attitudes in the US and Canada provides extensive insights into COVID-19’s recent impacts across the On Premise. Here are some of the most notable numbers and what they mean for suppliers and operators.

Neat Burger and Gail’s Bakery are two of the UK’s fastest growing brands, and their leaders shared the secrets of their success at the Peach 20/20 Summer Meet Up. Here are seven top takeaways from their session. 

New research highlights five key factors that can influence consumer decision-making when going out to eat and drink

Hospitality Rising, the initiative to raise the profile of the hospitality sector with the public through an ambitious advertising campaign, is continuing to recruit new supporters, including Whitbread, Soho House and Maybourne Hotel Group, owner of Claridge's, The Connaught and The Berkeley.

Don’t miss hospitality’s most respected leadership expert - in London for one day only - on Tuesday 20 September. Learn how high performing teams and leaders are navigating the talent war, maximising sales and minimising costs. Here’s 7 great reasons why you don’t want miss out. 

Plan B, the mentoring platform designed to accelerate women’s representation on boards, has announced the launch of its first conference on October 5th in central London.

Plan B, the mentoring platform designed to accelerate women’s representation on boards, has partnered with Peach 20/20 to launch a Diversity Champion Award – to be presented at the Peach 20/20 Awards dinner on 18 October in London.

How do established brands stay fresh and ahead of the curve on guest experience? Jenny McPhee, the first brand director of pioneering cocktail bar group The Alchemist, shared some of the secrets on the Peach 20/20’s Top Table Podcast. Here are five of her insights.