This week we welcome some cheer in the Chancellor’s budget, Deliveroo continues to pedal success, The Alchemist reaches carbon neutral status and Giggling Squid raises a smile…
New business rate relief to help hospitality recover
In this week’s budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, unveiled a new 50% business rate relief for the retail and hospitality sector to help business hardest hit by the pandemic. He announced that retail, hospitality and leisure sector would be able to claim a 50% discount on their bills up to £110,000 maximum for a year. “Apart from the Covid relief bill, this is the biggest single tax year cut to business tax in over 30 year,” Sunak told the House of Commons.
Deliveroo order double despite restaurants reopening for dining in
It was great news for Deliveroo this week. Demand for its food delivery services has continued to strengthen since Covid restrictions easing. Orders doubled to 148.8 million in the first half of this year, while the value of its transactions also doubled.
Responsible kitchen habits help The Alchemist reach carbon neutral status
High five to the Alchemist, which has revealed it is now a carbon neutral company and published what it calls “five pillars of change” underlining its commitment to sustainability. The restaurant operator said it is aiming to unlock the power of its bars and restaurants to lead change in the industry through the pillars, which it has titled ‘energy’, ‘waste’, ‘transport’, ‘community’ and ‘pledge’. The Alchemist has appointed a dedicated ‘Green Keeper’ champion in each of its venues who are tasked with keeping its energy saving targets in check.
Giggling Squid coming to a town near you
It looks like our favourite Thai restaurant group, Giggling Squid, is having a good chuckle as it recovers from the pandemic and sets out to acquire top-quality retail units to fulfil its expansion ambitions. With plans to open a minimum of seven new sites in the current financial year, new restaurants Harborne (Birmingham), West Bridgford (Nottingham) and Mere Green (Sutton Coldfield), were all trading “ahead of management’s initial expectations”. A fourth site opened in Hornchurch last week and a further two new sites are due to open before Christmas in Welwyn Garden City and Chelmsford, with sites for next year already secured in Winchester and Maidstone.