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The hotel industry is forecast to consolidate dramatically during 2000, according to Hilton International chief executive David Michels. He believes the new century will see the industry dominated by only 5 main hotel chains, all offering specific services to niche markets. Restaurant chains will be forced to invest more time and money in the safety aspects of catering, providing opportunities for outsourcing, according to industry experts.

PizzaExpress is one of several restaurants which expect significant growth over the next five years. PizzaExpress is to add 20 outlets to its chain of 78 franchised and owned units during 1996, with 10 new restaurants to be opened during 1995. Details of the forecasts of other businesses in the hospitality sector are given, including: Aroma, Bar Central, Littlejohn's Restaurants, Harry Ramsden's, Mongolian Barbeque, Pierre Victoire, Paramount Hotels, Oriel Leisure, Regal Hotel Group, Stakis, Theobalds Park Hotel, and Whitbread Travel Inns.

Representatives of various sectors of the hotel and catering industry make predictions for 1993. Most forsee the economy beginning to recover from recession with tourism benefitting from the devalued pound. Lower interest rates should help businesses but restaurants will continue to struggle to attract custom. Value for money, quality and competition will be the watchwords for many caterers while suppliers are looking towards opportunities in the Single European Market.

The UK hospitality industry is likely to see slower growth in 1998 than in 1997. Hotel room rates have been increasing very sharply, and this trend cannot continue much longer. Similarly, occupancy rates are unlikely to rise much further. For hotels, restaurants and pubs, the business environment is likely to become increasingly competitive as growth rates decline. The largest operators will be seeking to accelerate their rates of acquisition in order to ensure that profit levels remain high.

Despite a gloomy economic outlook for the property market as a whole, the South-east of England is trading reasonably well. Yet, with quality and value for money at the top [...]

Hospitality is one of the sectors still being worst hit by the recession, new figures confirm. The latest PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) research found that 239 hospitality and leisure companies became insolvent [...]

When did you last have Wind turbines, solar panels, cycling to work - you've heard it all from David Cameron and his advisers, but how far has hospitality travelled down [...]

Being a woman can help you get on in the hospitality industry, but there are still hurdles to get over. Personal performance coach Charlie Damonsing explains The hospitality industry is [...]

It's still a man's world, they say. Or is it? All over the hospitality industry there are women running their own businesses or taking senior roles in large companies. Here [...]

How will hospitality develop in the next 25 years? Andy Cooney, head of marketing and development, Marston's 'Hospitality operators will have to increase their quality and variety of offering to [...]

Weather takes its toll as coastal break bookings falter By Christopher Walton The bad weather has not only impacted hospitality operators directly hit by the floods, according to research released [...]

Our final visit to Arbutus finds owners Will Smith and Anthony Demetre just a fortnight away from opening their second restaurant, Wild Honey, in London's Mayfair. Amanda Afiya is given [...]

Industry wants department to play a stronger tourism role By Emily Manson Industry leaders have welcomed a Whitehall review that called on the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) [...]

Caught with his trousers down Judging by a recent episode at the boutique Soho hotel in London, the UK still has a long way to go before it catches its [...]

Next week's Hospitality at the NEC, Birmingham, is the biggest show of the year for the industry, with something of interest for beginners and top-level decision-makers alike. Catherine Bennion-Pedley highlights [...]

Welcome to Caterer and Hotelkeeper's and CatererSearch's Green Month. Over the next four weeks, we will devote a proportion of our coverage to the environmental agenda and the impact it [...]

Once you have committed to going green, make sure you have everything covered. Here's an A-Z of what you might want to consider, compiled by Rosalind Mullen and CESHI (Centre [...]

Going green is no longer just an option for the hospitality industry, it's a necessity. Those of you who fail to address energy conservation, recycling, renewable resources and waste-reduction do [...]

England's planning system is still hampering growth, especially in the hotel and retail sector, claims an interim report by the Bank of England. However, the report found some improvements in [...]

There's a difference between being dominant and being domineering: one may be good management, the other is bullying - and it's dangerous and destructive. Stephanie Sparrow looks at the repercussions [...]

BY JESSICA GUNN Restaurants are opening in London at an unprecedented rate and charging more than ever, according to the latest edition of Harden's London Restaurants guide. It records 142 [...]

Hospitality companies had mixed fortunes on the Stock Exchange this week. Most hotel groups have had a quiet week, while pub and restaurant groups have seen some big swings in [...]

Hospitality companies reacted calmly to last week's announcement of another hike in the national minimum wage, despite it being way above average wage increases. A British Hospitality Association (BHA) spokesman [...]

by Graeme Smith, associate director at the Glasgow office of Christie & Co Now is the time that many prospective buyers decide to become their own boss and operate their [...]

Hurricane winds and torrential rain tore through the North of England last weekend, wreaking havoc on hospitality businesses across the region. Center Parcs was forced to close its Oasis Whinfell [...]

The personal tragedies of the Indian Ocean tsunami are still unfurling three weeks after the event, but analysts have already begun to try and assess the impact it will have [...]

Caterer's business editor Karl Cushing gets to grips with what the chancellor has in store for the hospitality industry, as outlined in his pre-Budget speech last week PIFs or REITs [...]

Liverpool The hospitality scene in Liverpool has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, buoyed by its appointment as the 2008 European City of Culture. A marked area [...]

by Jean-Pierre van der Rest, lecturer in business economics and strategic marketing at Leiden University in the Netherlands What's wrong with pricing? During the past decade structural changes have taken [...]

Coventry When people think of Coventry they tend to think of the perfume factory that was bombed in the war, a naked Lady Godiva riding her horse through the city... [...]

Poor weather hits profits at Hartford Hartford Group, the owner of Jamies bars, last week blamed poor summer weather for a weak sales performance. A trading statement revealed that like-for-like [...]

Ireland's ban on smoking in pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants has had only a minimal impact on trade, according to the latest report from Ireland's Central Statistics Office. The Retail [...]

You may be fed up with hearing about it, but the final stages of the Disability Discrimination Act are nearly upon us. If you haven't done so already, it's time [...]

COULD EMPLOYERS BE MORE PROACTIVE IN SOLVING THE SKILLS AND RECRUITMENT CRISIS IN THE UK? It depends on the organisation. I think hotels are fairly good at developing skills. But [...]

Latest figures on the UK hotel industry reveal it is well on its way to recovery, but still has some way to go before being given a clean bill of [...]

With market saturation and price discounting, high-street pub companies are coming under increasing pressure. But despite a need for consolidation, rumours of their demise may be exaggerated, as Karl Cushing [...]

Providers of corporate hospitality know that today's guests will be satisfied only if their expectations are exceeded. Karl Cushing finds out how they do it Last week it was the [...]

Hospitality businesses in England and Wales are bracing themselves for hefty increases in tax payouts as the government considers the valuation data for a revision in business rates. Karl Cushing [...]

Internet purchasing and third-party procurement companies are streamlining the buying process, saving time and reducing costs Pick up the phone, tell the supplier what you want and the next day [...]

Hoteliers are getting better at providing decent in-room technology and business facilities, according to a survey by American Express. The credit card company's Corporate Travel Barometer survey shows that almost [...]

It's hard to judge a beast that keeps changing shape says Peter Birnie, chief hotel and restaurant inspector, AAHotel Services The hospitality industry is a service industry. It's simple, right? [...]

Eight hospitality companies were celebrating last week after being judged the fastest-growing businesses in the UK. Some of the industry's most successful entrepreneurs picked up awards at the Park Lane [...]

NOTTINGHAM University town Nottingham, home of two league football teams, a fine castle, and all things Robin Hood-related, has long had a reputation for its night-life. The local hospitality trade [...]

by Melvin Gold, of hotel industry consultants Melvin Gold Consulting, former managing director for hotel consultancy services at PKF Hoteliers, this is your wake-up call! Beware, the giant is awakening! [...]

Cornwall Scenic Cornwall, with its stunning coastline and glorious countryside, offers a great escape for tourists, surfers and hospitality entrepreneurs alike. And in recent years it has seen a lot [...]

regional spotlight Chester With its Roman ruins, city walls and medieval architecture, historic Chester is one of the North-west's prettiest towns and most affluent enclaves. Graham Allman, corporate director at [...]

You've read Wired and now everyone else is going wireless; you've slimmed down your operations and now you have to install broadband; you worry about profits above the line but [...]

Effective marketing for independent hoteliers is about advance planning to maximise revenue streams and avoid peaks and troughs. And there are plenty of events on the calendar that allow you [...]

Have you ever wanted to know, in an instant, what the future holds for the hospitality industry; how operators and suppliers are performing; what challenges they face; and how they [...]

Future trends in food, wine and restaurants? We asked the experts what they thought. Reporting by Chris Druce, Joanna Wood and Fiona Sims Crystal ball gazing is hardly a science, [...]