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A new law requiring businesses to pass on 100% of tips and service charges to staff comes into force. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, which was proposed in 2021 and received Royal Assent in May last year, makes it illegal for businesses to withhold service charges from employees, ensuring that staff receive all earned tips. Workers can bring claims to employment tribunals if employers fail to comply, which may result in fines or compensation for the affected staff.
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Former Holborn Dining Room chef and pie expert Calum Franklin is set to return to London to oversee the evening menu at Harrods’ The Georgian restaurant during its relaunch next month. The new dinner menu will highlight British ingredients and classic dishes, particularly Franklin’s renowned pies. This marks Franklin’s first significant project in London since leaving Holborn Dining Room in Summer 2022. The restaurant will also maintain an afternoon tea menu created by executive pastry chef Markus Bohr and Harrods’ in-house pâtisserie team. The evening menu aims to honor the restaurant’s 120-year history with modernized recipes inspired by the Harrods archive.
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Chef Richard Corrigan has stated that trading conditions in the hospitality sector are more challenging than ever as his group reported a loss exceeding £1 million. Richard Corrigan Restaurants, which encompasses several locations in London and Ireland, experienced a turnover increase from £15.7 million to £16.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, describing it as an "ambitious year" with both achievements and struggles. In his group’s accounts, Corrigan mentioned sales growth at his Virginia Park Lodge in Cavan, Ireland, which saw a 7% revenue increase and a 57% rise in adjusted EBITDA. However, the group had to close its Dublin location, The Park Café, after just over a year due to its unviability stemming from timing, location, and broader economic issues, resulting in a reported loss of £1.1 million, up from £216,897 in 2022.
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Michael O’Hare has closed his Leeds restaurant Psycho Sandbar just seven months after its opening in a previous location of his Michelin-starred The Man Behind The Curtain. O’Hare stated that the decision was driven by his future plans and was indicative of the changes in the experience market today, marking the end of his decade-long presence in Leeds.
- Homeless charity StreetSmart is looking for new restaurant partners for its annual Christmas campaign aimed at raising essential funds for the homeless. Approximately 500 restaurants nationwide have registered for this year’s campaign, which begins on November 1. Diners can opt to add a voluntary £1 donation per table to their bills throughout November and December. New participants include the recently reopened Julie’s in London’s Holland Park, Kolae by Andy Oliver and Mark Dobbie near Borough Market, as well as Simon Martin’s Mana in Manchester and Upstairs by Tom Shepherd in Lichfield.
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