Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

The fast supper: The new pace of casual dining

Published: 26 October, 2021

Jo Gilbert reports from last month’s Casual Dining Show, where the FutureFoodservice report, The Rebuilding of Hospitality, predicted the shift of the sector towards faster, ‘social re-fuelling’ occasions

Casual Dining Group to close 91 restaurants

Published: 03 July, 2020

Casual Dining Group (CDG), the company that owns Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Las Iguanas and Belgo, has announced 91 of its 250 sites will remain closed permanently, resulting in the loss of 1,900 jobs to the on-trade sector.

Carluccio's bailout saves under half of its restaurants

Published: 22 May, 2020

Italian restaurant chain Carluccio’s has completed its bailout deal with Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), saving 30 of its 71 restaurants and costing 1,000 furloughed workers their jobs.

Casual Dining cancelled as venue converted to hospital

Published: 30 March, 2020

This year’s Casual Dining and Commercial Kitchen events are the latest to be cancelled in the wake of coronavirus (Covid-19).

Wet-led businesses helping high street to recover from “poisonous cocktail” of regulatory costs

Published: 19 July, 2019

Renewed investor interest is improving the health of a malnourished high street – driven mostly by wet-led venues, a group of suppliers and industry leaders were told this morning.

Carluccio’s boss calls out casual dining operators for aggressive expansion plans

Published: 04 March, 2019

Carluccio’s CEO has criticised the UK restaurant sector for focusing on “capex-heavy investments” – the same focus which almost brought the chain to brink of collapse last year.

Heineken launches “plug and pour” dispenser for casual diners

Published: 11 October, 2017

Heineken is releasing a new countertop draught beer dispenser, which it says could help to capture growth of on-tap in the unrepresented casual dining sector.