Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from February 2003

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from February 2003

Disability law COULD hit restaurants hard.(impact of Disability Discrimination Act 1995)
February 6, 2003... The majority of stand-alone restaurants will be penalised when the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 comes into effect next year unless they become more disabled-friendly, a hospitality expert warned this week. David Phillips, chief...

A template for success.(hotel planning in poor economic periods)
February 6, 2003... What do you remember about 1993? Ireland won the Eurovision Song Contest yet again, Arsenal won the FA and League Cups, beating Sheffield Wednesday in both finals. And Quaglino's opened in London. Yes, it's hard to imagine, but Conran's...

Change of pace.(Kath and Liam Berney's new Cottage in the Wood hotel)
February 6, 2003... Kath and Liam Berney are ready to put their own stamp on the Cottage in the Wood by trying out some new ideas. Chris Druce reports Even the most cynical of us get swept up, perhaps only briefly, in the wave of enthusiasm each new year...

Last supper.(gourment cuisine selections)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... Faced with the prospect of your last meal on earth, what would you eat and drink, and with whom? We asked chef Gary Rhodes to share his hypothetical moment What menu would you choose? Souffle Suissesse (Swiss cheese souffle - a classic...

Critical temperatures.(molecular gastronomy, slow cooking at low temperatures)
February 6, 2003... It's been a long time since cooking meant merely heating something until it turned brown. Today, the best temperature for preparing food varies from item to item and can be frustratingly precise. Michael Raffael explains Ask a baker or a...

Carry-on food fills airline service gap.(CarryOnCuisine offers restaurant food that can be carried onboard airplanes)
February 6, 2003... A US firm is looking to fill a void left by cash-strapped airlines by selling restaurant food to airline passengers. CarryOnCuisine, a venture backed by Web travel provider Sabre, offers customers the opportunity to make orders online and...

Ulster tourist boom fuels growth in hotel stock.(new Radisson SAS facility; tourism statistics)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... Northern Ireland's flailing peace process is failing to put a damper on the tourism industry, as hotel stock and conference business booms. A Radisson SAS opened this month in Limavady, County Londonderry. The four-star, 118-bedroom...

Mansion House chef bows out.(Michel Giquet will be succeeded by Jonathan McCann; interview with night porter at Express by Holiday Inn)(Interview)
February 6, 2003... The head chef at the Lord Mayor of the City of London's home, Mansion House, has retired after 19 years' service. Michel Giquel estimates he has prepared more than a million dishes at everything from working breakfasts to 1,500-strong...

table talk.(Whitbread Book Awards, and some recent book launches related to food industry)
February 6, 2003... Whitbread awards bash ends in beers Last week's Whitbread Book Awards was marked by an illustrious gathering of literati at the Brewery in London's Chiswell Street. It made an unusual cocktail: writers, including Joanna Trollope and...

Get out your young guns.(Catering Forum Young Guns competition)
February 6, 2003... Now in its third year, the Catering Forum Young Guns competition is once again setting out to find the two best work-placement students. And the prize - a chance to get to know the most influential people in the business on board P&O's luxury...

Quaglino's a decade on.(Company Profile)
February 6, 2003... It may not be every food critic's favourite eaterie, but the impact of Quaglino's on London's restaurant scene is indisputable in terms of design, glamour and sheer scale. So, as the restaurant celebrates its 10th birthday, we ask: will the...

And the winner is...(Cherry Valley chef's competition)
February 6, 2003... Cherry Valley's recent competition challenged chefs to come up with an outstanding dish featuring duck. Here are the results and the winning recipe As an ingredient, duck is often overlooked on menus. So, to raise its profile, duck breeder...

Whitehouse kicks off on third hotel.(in Shropshire)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... Privately owned Whitehouse Hotels has started construction work on its third hotel, a pound sterling6.5m project alongside Telford United Football Club in Shropshire. It's also pursuing a fourth property in Cheshire. The...

From truffles to chips.(two British chefts form The Chipper to offer fish and chips in New York, New York)
February 6, 2003... You might think New York has all the fast-food joints it can handle. But two British chefs have found a gap in the market - with good old fish and chips There can't be many fine-dining chefs who harbour ambitions to own their own fish and...

Political unrest kills off millions of tourism jobs.
February 6, 2003... widespread job losses... no sign of recovery, but revpar rises in Europe BYLINE: By Christina Golding The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that some 6.6 million tourism jobs, mainly in hotels and restaurants, were lost...

people On the move.
February 6, 2003... GEORGE McIVOR, executive chef for Baxters food group, has been appointed Scottish chairman of the Master Chefs of Britain. The role will involve supporting the government's healthy eating plan and supporting initiatives aimed at young chefs...

Chefs do battle.(Hospitality Week competitions)
February 6, 2003... There was fierce competition among the chefs competing at Hospitality Week. Amanda Afiya saw how their mystery baskets of ingredients turned into award-winning menus The competition arena at Hospitality Week took on a different guise this...

Mad about the job.(Madalene Bonvini-Hamel, chef of hospitality for BaxterSmith)(Interview)
February 6, 2003... To many chefs, it would be madness to swap Gordon Ramsay's kitchens for a job in contract catering. To Madalene Bonvini-Hamel, it makes perfect sense Madalene Bonvini-Hamel doesn't waste a minute on small talk. Her words spill out in a...

Andrew Cony.(typical day for general manager at De Vere Cavendish St James)(Interview)
February 6, 2003... The general manager at the De Vere Cavendish St James's, aims to transform this formerly ailing hotel into a premier London destination. Here's his typical working day "Daddy, I've pooed," were the first words I heard this morning. I got...

Suppliers not prepared for congestion charge.(London to charge fees on commercial and private vehicles during high-traffic hours; effect on hospitality industry)
February 6, 2003... some firms predict financial and administrative chaos BYLINE: By Dan Bignold London's food and drink suppliers are this week waiting in trepidation for the impact of Mayor Ken Livingston's congestion charging, which comes in next week....

Sweeney's success cuts into capital's restaurant robberies.(decline in number of armed roberies in London restaurants)
February 6, 2003... The number of armed robberies on London restaurants dropped by one-third last year, according to the latest figures from the capital's Flying Squad, the special armed division of the Metropolitan Police that deals with robberies and...

Ireland stubs out smoking.(proposal for restaurants and pubs)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... By david harris An outright ban on smoking in restaurants and pubs will be introduced in the Republic of Ireland, the Dublin government announced last week. Irish health minister Micheal Martin said smoking would be forbidden in all...

Third-party politics.(pros and cons of outsourcing for hospitality industry)
February 6, 2003... To outsource or not to outsource? That's the question hoteliers are increasingly asking themselves. Does it save you time and money or could it all end in tears? Jessica Gunn looks at the pros and cons Outsourcing has become all the rage...

Gary Rhodes blasts off with Rhokett project.(forms patisserie supply business)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... Gary Rhodes, who recently announced his split from Sodhexo, is setting up a patisserie supply business with former chef-patissier Martin Dockett. The company will specialise in patisserie desserts, ice-creams, sorbets and panna cotta. The...

Campbell Gray plans hotel in Caribbean.(first overseas hotel)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... By Jenny Webster Leading London hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray is to open his first hotel overseas on the Caribbean island of Antigua. The hotel, called Carlisle Bay, will be operated by Campbell Gray Hotels, a new company set up to act...

Norwegian chef scoops Bocuse d'Or.(Charles Tjessem)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... Charles Tjessem, the Norwegian chef from oil firm Statoil in Stavanger, won the g20,000 (pound sterling13,140) top prize in the Bocuse d'Or last week in Lyons, France. Tjessem beat France's Franck Putelat by one point; Germany's Claud...

Devon's Northcote Manor hotel sold.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... The 11-bedroom Northcote Manor country house hotel in Burrington, north Devon, has been bought for an undisclosed sum. Jean-Pierre and Jan Mifsud, owners of the 19-bedroom Lake Country House Hotel in Llangammarch Wells, Powys, and the...

Reader diary.(construction management at Idle Rocks hotel in St. Mawes, Cornwall)
February 6, 2003... Yvonne scott is general manager of the Idle Rocks hotel in St Mawes, Cornwall, a privately owned, 27-bedroom property oh, it's great to be back - or is it? After a week's skiing in fabulous Italian snow, I returned to work with some...

Global report.(Accor to manage Japanese hotel; Starwood Hotels & Resorts' sales and earnings, tourism in Israel, and other hospitality news)
February 6, 2003... EUROPE Ups and downs of airline caterer The demand for in-flight catering from scheduled and charter airlines remains depressed, airline catering group Alpha Airports said this week. This situation was partly offset by an increase in...

School meals funding under fire.(government mandates healthy eating but doesn't provide extra funding)
February 6, 2003... By BEN WALKER The Government has come under fire from a major school caterer for "inflicting" healthy eating on it without providing extra funding. In April 2001 the Government introduced minimum nutritional standards. Primary school...

Ainsworth steps down as Good Food Guide editor.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... Jim Ainsworth stepped down as editor of the Good Food Guide last week and has been replaced by his deputy Andrew Turvil. Ainsworth will continue as consultant editor. Turvil plans a constantly updated Good Food Guide website, which would...

stockwatch.(hospitality industry; discusses effect of possible war with Iraq)
February 6, 2003... Two weeks ago the likelihood of war in Iraq caused the FTSE Top 100 index to plummet to its lowest point in seven years, and the threat continues to drag down share prices. A hotel-sector notice from analysts Salomon Schroder Smith Barney...

Hotel company sues builders for [pounds sterling]18m.(Great Eastern vs John Laing Construction)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... The Great Eastern Hotel Company, owned by Sir Terence Conran and US hotel company Wyndham International, is suing the company which renovated the building for more than pound sterling18m. In a High Court writ, the Great Eastern blames John...

Review of the reviews.(five newspaper critics discuss five restaurants)
February 6, 2003... Our round-up of what the critics are saying... Matthew Norman answers the question: is the food at London's Sketch worth the money? The Sunday Telegraph, 2 February "The answer, I suppose, and you'll have to forgive the cop-out,...

Chief bows out from the Hard Rock Cafe.(Pete Beaudrault departs)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... The Hard Rock Cafe` last week parted company with its chief executive, Pete Beaudrault, with immediate effect. Beaudrault's departure follows a troubled period for the worldwide chain, which is struggling with falling profits. In the first...

Road Chef secures M6 Toll road contract.(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... Motorway services operator Road Chef has won the contract to operate the only motorway service area to be built on the new M6 Toll road, due to open at the end of this year between the M42 junction and Cannock, Staffordshire. The company...

Games effect keeps Manchester buoyant.(long-lasting effect of Commonwealth Games on hoteliers in Manchester)
February 6, 2003... By Angela Frewin Hoteliers in Manchester report that business has remained buoyant in the wake of the Commonwealth Games held in the city over 10 days last July. Fears that the city might face the same post-games hangover suffered by...

Riesling rules.(new Eden Valley Riesling is called Mesh)
February 6, 2003... Robert Hill Smith, the legendary proprietor of Australia's oldest family-owned winery, Yalumba, has joined forces with Clare Valley guru Jeffrey Grosset to create a new Eden Valley Riesling. Called Mesh, it was launched in Oz last summer and...

How was it for you?(Hospitality Week 2003)
February 6, 2003... Hospitality Week saw a mix of exhibitors and visitors from all sectors of the industry, and most found their visit worthwhile. Caterer's Dan Bignold and Joanna Wood were on the scene Halls 18, 19 and 20 of Birmingham's National Exhibition...

Fruit flavours from Alice's restaurant.(Book Review)
February 6, 2003... Chef Peter Robinson reviews the latest book by Californian restaurateur Alice Waters and finds it doesn't disappoint Chez Panisse Fruit is the seventh book by Alice Waters, the inspirational chef-proprietor of the Chez Panisse restaurant...

Control of asbestos in buildings.(legal issues)
February 6, 2003... Neil Toner, a property partner at Lewis Silkin solicitors, looks at the implications of the latest asbestos laws and the need for a proper asbestos survey The first rule is, don't do it yourself: spotting asbestos can be tricky. Before the...

140 Park Lane.(hotel's restaurant to attract wide clientele; features open kitchen)
February 6, 2003... Chef David Ali takes pride in his dramatic presentation of dishes, which, as he tells Gaby Huddart, he hopes will put his hotel's menu on the map David Ali is probably best known for his days working as head chef of the Canteen, the...

Bland steps aside at Six Continents.(Six Continents Hotels EMEA names new managing director; to demerge pub and restaurant division)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2003... David Bland, managing director of Six Continents Hotels EMEA, has been edged out of the top position in the run-up to the proposed demerger of the pub and restaurant division in April. Richard Hartman, formerly managing director of Six...

done deals.(members to buy Skibo Castle, new buyer for Abbots Mews hotel in Bootham, new Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa, among other briefs)
February 6, 2003... Skibo Castle set for sale to members Skibo Castle, the Highland estate turned into an exclusive club by Peter de Savary, looks likely to be sold to its members for about pound sterling27m. Shareholders in the estate, in Dornoch, Sutherland,...

Restaurant round-up.(new restaurant in Teddington, Ma Potters to expand, Skirrid Mountain inn sale, among other briefs)
February 6, 2003... Teddington launch for Ray Neve Former Mosimann's head chef Ray Neve has opened a new 180-seater restaurant in Teddington, Middlesex. The riverside restaurant, named the Wharf, is housed in a converted boathouse overlooking Teddington...

One High Street.(a discussion of a new restaurant in the Hampshire resort of Milford on Sea)
February 13, 2003... Last year, Amy Frearson and Sarah Laskey opened a new restaurant in the Hampshire resort of Milford on Sea, where they serve an imaginative menu When they took over a 38-seat restaurant in Milford on Sea on a 25-year lease, Sarah Laskey...

For a full list of this year's events see www.caterer.com/eventsEvents Caterer.
February 13, 2003... February 18 February Caterer.com masterclasses Time management Savoy hotel, London 020 8652 3423 traci.cooper@rbi.co.uk 20 February Caterer.com masterclass Manage and motivate Sheraton Skyline...

Last supper.(Conran Restaurants chef-director Chris Galvin discusses what his ideal 'last supper' would be)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 13, 2003... What menu would you choose? Seared scallops, followed by a spit-roast lamb we could all share, then an apple tart fine to finish. What cocktail would you serve? Kir Royale. Where would you eat the meal? Somewhere warm,...

contract catering round up.(briefs including a new contract for Leith's at the Old Royal Naval College)
February 13, 2003... Leith's drops anchor on pound sterling6m Naval College contract Leisure caterer Leith's has won a contract at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London, that will turn over pound sterling6m over five years. Under the royalty-based...

shorts.(alcohol industry news briefs)
February 13, 2003... OPPORTUNITY TO explore the world of wine There's still time to enter this year's Geoffrey Roberts Awards, the international travel bursary made to potential achievers in the worlds of wine, food and/or travel. Possible winners might include...

School meals: a question of cash?(a discussion of school meals in United Kingdom schools)
February 13, 2003... School meals are a hot topic. Critics say they're neither healthy nor nutritious, and caterers complain about tight budgets and argue that kids won't choose healthier food anyway. We visited three schools to check the facts The kids don't...

Kit Chapman, the essential restaurateur.(Interview)
February 13, 2003... He has the rare distinction of running a hotel restaurant which has won a Michelin star under four different chefs. He also runs the brasserie chain Brazz and is the subject of an ITV fly-on-the-wall documentary starting next week. We spoke to...

Call for Government action over high salt consumption.(Brakes approves of the work of Consensus of Action on Salt and Health)
February 13, 2003... Chilled distributor giant Brakes has applauded the work of pressure group Consensus of Action on Salt and Health (CASH) in highlighting the dangers of too much salt in the diet. Food manufacturers have shouldered much of the blame for...

One for the chocoholics.(Real Chocolate by Chantal Coady)(Book Review)
February 13, 2003... Stuart McLeod, Castle House's executive chef, reviews a book written by a true chocolate lover - but warns against the savoury recipes It is very evident from the first few pages of this book that Chantal Coady is a true champion for the...

In-store wine bar at Waitrose.(positioned to help singles meet)
February 13, 2003... Waitrose has taken supermarket dating on to a whole new level with the opening of a wine bar The supermarket aisle has long been recognised as a prime pick-up spot for singletons, as they cruise the shelves, swapping telephone numbers over...

Starvation deaths may make NHS think again.(treating malnutrition at hospitals; Park Plaza Hotels Europe to expand)
February 13, 2003... A rash of high-profile court cases against health authorities that let patients starve to death would be an effective way to convince NHS managers food is a key part of treatment, a prominent nutritionist said last week. Rick Wilson,...

Who's who: Corinthia Hotels International.(expansions and other company information)(Company Profile)
February 13, 2003... Corinthia boosted its roomstock by 20% in the last quarter of 2002 alone and plans to double its hotels in the next three years. Angela Frewin charts its rise Corinthia? It sounds Greek. No, Corinthia Hotels International (CHI) is the...

Contractors would call on volunteers to aid military.(Sodexho's contracts with Ministry of Defence; discusses Compass, Aramark)
February 13, 2003... Contract caterer Sodexho, which has pound sterling100m-worth of business with the Ministry of Defence, is now providing additional support at Army training camps in Europe, and although its staff would go to the Middle East in the event of war,...

Top chefs run to help kids' charity.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... Savoy maitre chef des cuisines and marathon runner Anton Edelmann is pulling together a fundraising dinner in aid of a national children's charity with the help of fellow pavement-pounders Antony Worrall Thompson, Paul Heathcote and Philip...

Reader diary.(reasons to choose hotelkeeping over dentistry)
February 13, 2003... something to get your teeth into A friend of mine some years ago gave up his lucrative dental practice to buy a hotel. What, I wondered, could have possessed him to abandon such a rewarding and steady profession for the demands and risks...

Andrew Paine.(chairman and executive director of Warwick Hospitality)(Interview)
February 13, 2003... Warwick Conferences is part of the University of Warwick's commercial operations. Chairman Andrew Paine is also executive director of Warwick Hospitality, which oversees campus facilities I arrive at my office at 7.30am after a leisurely...

A great place to work.(Angie Risley, human resources director at Whitbread and chairman for industry charity Springboard's careers festival)
February 13, 2003... Angie Risley's full-time job is about recruiting and retaining the right people - but her role in the industry doesn't stop there Whitbread's human resources director, Angie Risley, makes no apology for the fact she really enjoys her job,...

The young ones.(Percy's trainee chef wins British Meat Chef of the Year competition)
February 13, 2003... There's joy in the kitchens at Percy's. Rosalind Mullen found out why Tina Bricknell-Webb is cock-a-hoop. Sadly, it's not because Percy's has been awarded the grant it needs to build its Acadamy of Culinary Excellence - but the next best...

Crime watch.(Radisson Edwardian's ten London hotels launch security initiative)
February 13, 2003... A security drive at Radisson Edwardian's 10 London hotels last year is paying dividends in new business and reduced crime. Angela Frewin investigates In 2002 the Radisson Edwardian group spent more than pound sterling250,000 on upgrading...

Gold mettle.(Bocuse d'Or competition results)
February 13, 2003... As Norway emerged victorious at the expense of the French in the Bocuse d'Or competition, Eyck Zimmer achieved Britain's best result in the history of the event. Janet Harmer reports The noise was deafening. All around me a cacophony of...

table talk.(hospitality industry trends, customer relations, trivia and other information)
February 13, 2003... Crisis?What crisis? This lot will last for years... The place to be in a time of crisis is the House of Commons, where the hospitality wine cellar holds drink stock worth a cool pound sterling1.5m - about 37,000 bottles, according to junior...

Global report.(briefs include Accor's turnover, Hilton Vienna's renovation and Accor's new hotel in Phnom Penn; offers information by region)
February 13, 2003... EUROPE Accor's UShotels depress annual figures French group Accor has reported a 0.3% decline in hotel turnover to g5.03b (pound sterling3.3b) during 2002. Total group sales fell by 2.1% to g7.1b (pound sterling4.6b), although...

people On the move.
February 13, 2003... COLIN GRAY, vice-captain of the Welsh national culinary team, has retired from competing after nine years. He will continue his links with the senior and junior Welsh teams in a coaching capacity. RICHARD THROWER has been appointed...

Jarvis: ready to go international?(may enter a deal with Ramada)
February 13, 2003... Striking a deal with Ramada may mean the end of the Jarvis name in the UK hotel industry, but it gives the company a globally recognised name to take it into new markets. Christina Golding reports You might think there would be a hint of...

My career.(interview with Alan Walker, executive director of Eaton Group)(Interview)
February 13, 2003... Eaton Group executive director Alan Walker talks about his role Q What is the Eaton Group? A We're an independent contract caterer based in London. We specialise in staff restaurants and fine dining for clients, predominantly in the...

UK hoteliers turn to local short-break and leisure markets.(to compensate for losses due to impending war with Iraq)
February 13, 2003... UK hoteliers are relying on domestic and European leisure markets to keep trade afloat during a war with Iraq - but they have concerns that there may not be enough to go round. London, which is still suffering from the drop in long-haul and...

Nairn supports careers project.(chef/restaurateur to help attract people to careers in tourism and hospitality)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... Glasgow-based chef and restaurateur Nick Nairn is supporting a new project that aims to attract more people to careers in tourism and hospitality. The Working in Tourism and Hospitality (WITH) project was devised by Scottish Enterprise...

Aikens plans London opening this spring.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... Tom Aikens, former chef-proprietor of London restaurant Pied a Terre, is to open his own restaurant in the capital in April. Aikens, a one-time holder of two Michelin stars, will open Tom Aikens, the restaurant, after more than three years...

Review of the reviews.(from various publications)
February 13, 2003... Our round-up of what the critics are saying... Giles Coren extols the virtues of vegetables at Roussillon in London's Belgravia The Times Magazine, 8 February "My meat-free missus did not need more than a second to order....

Spirit close to [pounds sterling]108m deal for Tom Cobleigh.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... Spirit Group, the private pub company headed by former Cafe Rouge boss Karen Jones, is in talks to acquire the rival Tom Cobleigh chain for pound sterling108m. The company, which already has 1,150 pubs under such brands as Mr Q's and Wacky...

news round-up.(briefs include sales for Regent Inns' bar operations, Aramark's new supermarket in Equatorial Guinea and Tatler's new restaurant guide)
February 13, 2003... Discounting stand pays off for Regent Inns A refusal to discount hit like-for-like sales at bar operator Regent Inns during the six months to 4 January. The group's Australian-themed Walkabout bars saw like-for-like sales fall by 2.8% and...

Philadelphia tops new Zagat survey.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... The latest Zagat guide to the USA's top restaurants has given three outlets in the relatively unfashionable city of Philadelphia a higher mark than any in New York City or Los Angeles. Fountain, Le Bar Lyonnais and Le Bec Fin in...

One up, two down in Michelin Benelux guide.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... The Michelin publishing season continued last week with the release in Britain of its Benelux guide. There are no new three-star restaurants in the guide and only one new two-star: the Vermeer restaurant at the Hotel Brabizon Palace in...

stockwatch.(Illustration)
February 13, 2003... Regent Inns and Scottish & Newcastle made the biggest splashes in a largely insipid week for leisure share prices. The star performer, percentage-wise, was bar operator REGENT INNS, which owns the Walkabout and Bar Risa/Jongleurs chains....

Oban castle hotel put up as prize in lottery.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... Four Austrian tax advisers who stumbled across a small, dilapidated castle on the west coast of Scotland and turned it into a hotel are giving 350,000 people the chance to win it in an online raffle. Tax and economy consultants Wolfgang...

No relief for hotels in Jordan.(effects of impending war and conflicts in Israel)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... The prospect of an imminent war and the continuing conflict in Israel are crippling Jordan's hotel and tourism industry. Despite being considered the safest Middle Eastern country and, therefore, a haven for journalists and UN officials...

Home deliveries set to boom as customers stay in to watch war.(effects of impending war with Iraq on restaurant industry)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... Many British restaurants were this week bracing themselves for a slump in business should war break out in the Middle East, but home-delivery specialists were preparing staff for more work and an increase in takings. Ian Neill, chief...

Threat of war drives operators to sell up.(Brief Article)
February 13, 2003... The threat of war in Iraq is proving just another reason for chef-proprietors whose businesses have suffered a downturn to sell up. Steve Scuffell, chef-patron of the Tutto! restaurant in Sunningdale, Berkshire, has decided to sell after...

No such thing as a short war.
February 13, 2003... Officially, a war with Iraq remains undeclared, but 30,000 British troops and one-third of the Royal Air Force haven't gone to the Middle East for a spot of R&R and, despite the continued debate, hostilities seem inevitable. The question...