The Evolv Collection expands its portfolio footprint with Orrery by Pierre Minotti, a reimagining of the original Terence Conran venue. The eponymous executive chef – formerly of two Michelin-starred Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal – roots his cooking in French tradition, drawing from the best of ‘British terroir’. Upon arrival diners enter Salon du Vin, a wine room where guests are welcomed with champagne and can peruse the venue’s 800-strong wine list. The celestial-inspired dining room is the next setting, with a centrepiece marble bar – classic French flavours amid futuristic interiors. A five or seven-course tasting menu will include the likes of galette bretonne and bouillabaisse. Minotti takes the food seriously, but aims for a relaxed atmosphere, an experience during which diners can unwind while enjoying this unique venue.
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Although often underappreciated, the global hospitality industry has a significant environmental impact, with Deloitte estimating that it represented 3% of worldwide carbon emissions in 2022. To put this into perspective, this is roughly similar to the CO2 output of Japan (the world’s fifth-largest emitter), according to the International Energy Agency.
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Quality Turkish food is a hallmark of the London dining scene and Harpers hopes long may this continue. Step in Lokal – the new restaurant from the team behind Fred Bakery and Faros – to enhance this already burgeoning offer. Head chefs Salih Serden and Akacan Agir draw inspiration from across the vast nation to craft reinterpretations of classics such as lamb tandir, served alongside a lush array of mezze and salads. The cocktail menu offers some head-spinning curiosities. Take Mesopotamia, a blend of padrón pepper-infused tequila, rosé wine, Campari and rosehip cordial. The 110-cover indoor-seating restaurant is supported by 14 outdoor covers to allow patrons to observe the goings on of Fitzrovia while dining on Anatolian delights. A dedicated cocktail bar rounds out the offer.
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Internet superfame has seen Nigel Ng (aka Uncle Roger) take his brand from Malaysia to the world. London’s Chinatown is the latest beneficiary of this entrepreneurial endeavour. Opening early May, Kawan by Uncle Roger is a collaboration between the man himself, restaurateur Keng Yew and Malaysian executive chef Daren Liew. The MO of the venue is sociability – ‘Kawan’ translating to friend or companion – with a strong emphasis on food sharing. Inspiration is drawn from across Asia for the lively menu with dish names afforded Uncle Roger’s humorous touch. Sarawak pepper belly delight or wasabi boom boom sausage will see chef Liew channel Uncle Roger’s joviality into exciting fare. And of course, a venue could not be befitting of the Uncle Roger name without a headline fried rice dish.
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The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) has released an open letter addressed to Scotland’s next MSPs just days before the Scottish Parliamentary election, due to take place this Thursday (7 May).
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Published: 20 April, 2026
A new study from UK-based card payment provider Dojo has found that hospitality businesses’ operating costs have been hit harder by inflation than any other sector over the past decade.
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Published: 17 April, 2026
Consultancy firm RSM UK has analysed the latest company insolvency statistics, with February 2026 seeing a 22% month-on-month rise to 270 in terms of accommodation and food services insolvencies. This compared to the 222 insolvencies seen for hospitality in January of this year.
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Published: 14 April, 2026
New on-trade data for March 2026 from market intelligence company The Oxford Partnership shows improving average occupancy and dwell time year on year compared to March last year. In terms of the former this rose +1.1% to 65.4%, while the latter saw visit length rise +3.4% to 153 minutes.
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Published: 06 April, 2026
In the fight to stay in business in an increasingly competitive world, independents are focusing on the ‘local factor’. Oliver Catchpole reports.
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Published: 01 April, 2026
Fresh survey data from four leading hospitality trade bodies reveals that as a result of the government’s 1 April cost hikes 64% of on-trade businesses will cut jobs.
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Published: 31 March, 2026
Front-of-house was never my strong suit. I’d forget the daily specials, mix up orders and drop trays of glasses. I’m still haunted by the time I spilled an entire finger bowl of murky prawn water into a customer’s lap at the end of a meal. Safe to say his first date didn’t last long after that. I’ve always been in awe of people with the magic touch for hospitality – the servers and sommeliers who glide between tables intuiting the needs of their guests, able to multitask with ease and stay calm amid the carnage of a busy service. When I became a journalist it was a no-brainer what I would write about. Truth be told, the actual liquid has always come second for me. It’s the people behind the bottle – those who produce as well as pour it – that make for great stories. It’s those stories that keep me coming back.
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Published: 31 March, 2026
Front-of-house was never my strong suit. I’d forget the daily specials, mix up orders and drop trays of glasses. I’m still haunted by the time I spilled an entire finger bowl of murky prawn water into a customer’s lap at the end of a meal. Safe to say his first date didn’t last long after that. I’ve always been in awe of people with the magic touch for hospitality – the servers and sommeliers who glide between tables intuiting the needs of their guests, able to multitask with ease and stay calm amid the carnage of a busy service. When I became a journalist it was a no-brainer what I would write about. Truth be told, the actual liquid has always come second for me. It’s the people behind the bottle – those who produce as well as pour it – that make for great stories. It’s those stories that keep me coming back.
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Published: 19 March, 2026
Tennessee Whiskey brand Jack Daniel’s has announced a number of initiatives including an event for UK bartenders and a trip to the producer’s Lynchburg, Tennessee home.
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Published: 13 March, 2026
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that the UK showed no GDP growth in January 2026. During the month, ‘food and beverage activities’ fell a concerning 2.7%.
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Published: 13 March, 2026
Opening in March, this Ukrainian-founded cocktail bar describes itself as “method-driven”, with its signature technique – the loggerhead or flip-dog – involving plunging a 1200°C iron poker into its cocktails to caramelise sugars in the drinks, intensifying flavours and enhancing textures. Complementing these cocktails will be a seasonal sharing menu, inspired by both eastern Europe and Asia. In the heart of Old Street, the bar was designed by Kyiv-based YOD Group and is structured around two different levels – the first a 20-cover space on the ground floor, inspired by pop-up installations, and the second a quieter and “more refined” 80-seat lower level.
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Published: 11 March, 2026
Describing itself as “Friday markets in Cairo colliding with a Soho bar”, Impala is a charcoal grill restaurant which combines influences from Egypt to England. The debut restaurant from chef Meedu Saad, who previously worked as head chef at Kiln, the space – an “awkward 1960s building” – will be based around an open kitchen. The presence of an in-house butchery is also a standout feature. Food will be seasonal, with dishes collected from Saad’s formative cooking experiences. Meanwhile the wine list, run by Penny Vine and Martina Larnach, can be expected to be idiosyncratic and distinct, with back vintages of Italian alpine greats, and a project underway to import Bourgeois Dias – a zero-sulphite Champagne producer.
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Published: 09 March, 2026
Acclaimed British chef Sally Abé will open her first standalone restaurant at the end of this month, named after her favourite game bird. Recognised for her ‘robust’ approach to food – which is rooted in British cooking and a nostalgia for the classics – the menu will include dishes such as haunch of deer, pickled walnuts and cavolo nero and Cornish mussels, Jersey royals, cauliflower and sea kale. Co-owner Abe Drewery will curate the wine list, which will be continually changing, with limited cases refreshed throughout the season – focusing on Champagne (a favourite of Abé’s), along with rich Chardonnays and Bordeaux reds to complement her cooking.
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Published: 09 February, 2026
New independent Italian Vieni opens its doors at the Goodsyard in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter early this month, promising Nonna-inspired cooking from Agrigento in Sicily. Chef-founder Angelina Adamo, who has spent a decade working across various Michelin-starred restaurants and hotels, and manager Charlotte Carter will draw on generous regional cooking and Sicilian street food to recreate a taste beyond the popular Italian image of pizza and pasta. From lemon granitas to whole sea bass and chargrilled beef ribs, decadent cannoli and affogatos, the drinks menu naturally dips into Sicilian wines, with spritzes and Italian liqueurs also to the fore. With 40 covers in this light and airy development, Vieni should easily meet its brief of being the flagship hospitality venue at Goodsyard.
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Published: 05 February, 2026
A new report on the premium on-trade from Liberty Wines, released today (5 February) and shared exclusively with Harpers, suggests that the only way to drive sales is to compete on quality.
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Published: 04 February, 2026
The hospitality industry is well known for its tricky work-life balance. Whether it be long, demanding shifts, unpredictable and irregular hours or excessive workloads, the trade’s reputation is that its demands often eat into employees’ personal lives, impacting their mental and physical health.
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