Today’s news in brief – 26/09/23
Brighton Pier Group reported a decrease in total revenues, falling from £17.3m to £16.2m in H1, primarily due to declining sales in its bar division. Ongoing inflationary pressures impacted operating margins, resulting in lower earnings compared to the previous year. EBITDA dropped from £3m to £1.4m, with a loss before tax of £1m, down from a £700k profit in the previous year. However, improved trading was seen in the first three weeks of September, but the group anticipates below-expectation operating profits for the current year, citing persistent challenges like high inflation and cautious consumer spending.
Festive season hiring is set to surge this year, says Axonify, as over half of hospitality managers are hiring more seasonal workers for the upcoming festive season to meet increased demand. Axonify’s data showed that 29% of hospitality businesses and 30% of food service businesses will be adding seasonal staff. To attract more applicants, 65% of managers have revised job descriptions, while 64% have offered flexible work schedules.
Pasture Restaurant Group is set to open its Birmingham location in early Spring 2024. The new restaurant will be situated in a former Barclays Bank building at 15 Colmore Row, near Cathedral Square, and will create approximately 100 new jobs. Chef-owner Sam Elliott will oversee this fifth opening, alongside existing restaurants in Bristol and Cardiff. In 2024, Elliott plans to launch “Prime by Pasture,” encompassing a butchery, deli, cookery school, and burger joint in Bristol’s Redcliffe Quarter.
The Royal Shakespeare Company has welcomed Iain Miller as the new head chef for its Rooftop Restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon. With over 30 years of culinary experience, Miller’s career began at Michelin-starred Simpsons Restaurant in Birmingham. His recent role was at Michelin-starred restaurant The Cross in Kenilworth, where he worked alongside chef-director Adam Bennett. Miller will introduce a new pre-theatre menu, as the Rooftop Restaurant’s cocktail bar has also reopened.
