Venue Insight January 2021 Issue OUT NOW
Firstly, we’d like to wish everyone a happy and healthy 2021. Secondly, it’s so nice to wave goodbye to the worst year in living memory. We haven’t started the New Year exactly how we would have liked but there is hope on the horizon with a vaccine programme now firmly in place. The tiered system was hard enough to operate in and the latest lockdown has been so hard to stomach for the whole of the UK, not least the hospitality sector. It has taken blow after blow, but it’s still standing and will come out the other side. It’s easier said than done I know, but if hospitality can keep its nerve until the spring, then we’re in for the biggest season of parties and celebrations since VE Day, 1945!
Kate Nicholls OBE, Chief Executive at industry voice and trade body UKHospitality, shares her thoughts on the state of play and what we can expect in the early part of 2021. Kate has worked tirelessly to get the industry the support it needs and her recent OBE awarded in the New Year’s Honours List recognises that fight. Congratulations Kate and thanks for all of your efforts.
There is still life and innovation happening all the time out there, regardless of venues having to temporarily close and events grinding to a halt. Celebrating the spirit of independent venues, Independent Venue Week has announced its return at the end of January. Nightcap, a new company led by hospitality entrepreneur and ex-Dragon’s Den investor Sarah Willingham, has announced an intention to float on AIM and that it has agreed a deal to acquire the London Cocktail Club group of bars. Authentic steakhouse, Tomahawk, known for its high-quality steaks, has a brand-new restaurant all ready to go in London. The group has ventured down South following the success of its Northern sites located across Yorkshire – the opening marks its 10th site nationwide and its first in London.
On the tech front, we hear from Animesh Chowdhury, Founder and CTO at POS solutions experts Goodtill on how hospitality can find success in 2021. We also find out what it’s like to launch a hospitality app in the middle of a pandemic with Bradley Gough of Groubook. Experts in EPoS, payments and self-serve, Lolly tell us what to look out for in a pre-order app.
We celebrate ‘Ginuary’ with our good friends at Brockmans Gin. What better way to step into the brave new world of 2021 with a Ginuary Gimlet or the Ginuary Fizz, or both!!
Hang in there and take care.
Rob Taylor
Editor
