To start with a big thank you.

Well time I think for another look round the news and happening of the world of catering and hospitality.  Well when I say that only the bits that are of interest to me, and I hope to you as well. But first I want to say a really big thank you to any one who keeps coming back and looking at my blog.  Over the past few months, I have seen the daily viewing fingers go up and up far faster than I thought it possible.  This is I must admit very encouraging and I hope an indication that you might like what I am doing with this blog. So let me start by saying a bit thank you to you all .

Gordon Ramsay has opened his first restaurant since the 2010 Mayfair’s Savoy Grill.  It is the Bread street kitchen at One new Change in the City of London. It has a 1970s industrial design with vintage avocado brown armchairs.  Who cares, I would like to see the wine Balcony that it says holds 2000 bottles of wine.  Also the food does not sound as if it will cost you a arm and a leg, short rib burger, braised mutton pie to name but two.  From the look of the photos I like the open plan kitchen, something I have always liked seeing what is going on, gives the place a bit of a buzz. Another restaurant to add to my bucket list.  The only problem is that the list just gets longer and longer.

The liver pool hospitality industry is expecting a £15 million boost right now as the Labour party annual conference is taking place. This is the first time that conference has taken party in that city and with 11,000 delegates and 2,000 journalists over five days The ACC will be operating at full capacity.  An interesting fact is that 1200 staff will be serving what will be expected in the region of 60,000 cups of tea and coffee.  Having worked in and around the Harrogate conference centre I can well image that this will be the case.

Now something to think about British beer drinkers pay 40% of the European beer tax bill. According to a report commissioned by the European brewing industry by Ernst & Young.  The UK has 12 percent of the EU population and 13% of total beer consumption but the UK Beer tax bill is now £3.2bn per year.  This is five times as much as the total paid by the Germans, who according to the report drink twice as much beer as the British.  The reason for this is that the EU has tried to raise tax on beer but this has made people buy more from supermarkets, tempted by cheap deals.  This in turn putting pubs and bars out of business.   Now the reason are long and complicated as to the why and wherefores of why this should be.  But one reason is that 51% of British beer is consumed in pubs bars and restaurants  and only 37% in Europe. Also that we have one of the largest brewing sectors with the second highest amount of breweries.  So to protect the local pubs and what is a major employer in the country could all our politicians do some thing about this.