The biggest hospitality stories in 2016

There’s been plenty to talk about in 2016, especially for the hospitality industry, from new openings and the latest technology to Brexit and Byron there has been a lot of news to keep track of. Although we’ve forgotten about most of the big stories the repercussions from them will continue to affect the industry for 2017 and beyond, so as 2016 comes to an end we take a look back at the year’s biggest hospitality stories.

1. Work-life balance
Many restaurants used 2016 as an opportunity to curb the high staff turnover rate which plagues the hospitality industry.  The improvement of staff members work-life balance was a focus for restaurants, including ones with Michelin stars. Michelin starred Hibiscus cut opening hours early in the year to give staff a total of three days off per week.  Owner of the Mayfair restaurant, Claude Bosi, scrapped two lunch services during the week as he wanted to give staff a greater opportunity to refresh.

2. Sugar tax
Although not officially announced until August the government’s proposed sugar tax was a talking point ever since George Osborne introduced the idea in his March budget. In August Theresa May gave the go-ahead to a levy on sugary drinks with implementation expected from April 2018. The British Beer and Pub Association immediately responded saying the levy would be a burden on the industry and would see pub goers paying more. Jamie Oliver who has already introduced a 10p tax on sugary drinks in his UK restaurants said the levy was disappointing.

3. The war on tipping
Tipping remained a concern for both staff and customers in 2016 as operators were urged to ensure staff took home 100% of their tips. Trade Union, Unite, called on the Government to make it illegal for restaurants to take a cut of staff tips. Currently Unite’s campaign is ongoing and will likely be further explored in 2017.

4. Naked dining
One of the most talked about restaurants in 2016 was London pop-up the Bunyadi. As London’s first naked restaurant, the Bunyadi attracted a lot of attention. The three-month venture was designed by Lollipop, who were already on the London scene as the creators of the ABQ Breaking Bad cocktail bar. With seating for only 42 guests the Bunyadi boasted a waiting list of over 45,000 as people flocked to experience the freedom of naked dining. Following success of the pop-up, founder Seb Lyall has secured a permanent site for the restaurant due to open in 2017.

5. Brexit and its impact
As with every other industry, Britain’s referendum vote to leave the EU caused quite a stir within the hospitality sector. With some operators pleased by the outcome others were initially unsure how the vote would affect their business and their staff. As the year continued the hospitality industry seemed unfazed by the Brexit controversy as sales growth continued to rise.

6. Vegetarians had their say
Research carried out during National Vegetarian Week in May revealed the types of dishes vegetarian diners wanted to see in restaurants. Less meat substitutes and more natural ingredients were requested with greater options for pasta dishes, curries and stir-fries. London’s vegetarians rejoiced when Pret-A-Manger opened their Little Veggie Pop Up which served 45 meat-free dishes created especially for the concept. Pret now has plans open more vegetarian-only stores after the positive reviews it received.

7. UK’s first Hard Rock Café
There were a lot of firsts for the hospitality industry in 2016. Halfway through the year Hard Rock announced they would be opening the UK’s first Hard Rock Hotel in London. The Cumberland Hotel in Marylebone will be re-branded and re-opened as Hard Rock Hotel in the Summer of 2018. The hotel will feature a Hard Rock Café, signature restaurant, spa and a speakeasy bar.

8. Boycotting Byron
Byron Hamburgers came under scrutiny when they were accused of working with the Home Office to organise a phony training day where 35 of their illegal workers were arrested and deported. Protestors targeted their London restaurants and incidents, such as releasing cockroaches, caused the temporary closure of two sites.

9. Rise of the robots
Technology continued to advance throughout 2016 with fears robots could soon be replacing traditional restaurant jobs. Pizza Hut in Japan began trialling a robotic waiter called Pepper, who could interact with customers. There were also three robots on display at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

10. Heathrow decision welcomed
The government’s decision to approve the construction of a third runway at Heathrow airport was welcomed by hospitality associations who said the expansion would help drive the country’s growth. Hotel operators especially supported the decision and said the airport expansion is vital to their own business.