Prestigious prizes celebrate nearly 60 of the UK’s best hospitality brands, businesses, venues and individuals

With 89% of consumers now using card or contactless every time, or most times they visit a pub, bar or restaurant, the rising popularity of contactless payment methods and other emerging technologies is leading to a significant and long-lasting behaviour-shift in hospitality.

The Peach 20/20 Conference and Awards takes place at The Roundhouse on 18 October 2022. Our theme this year is: Create to Transform. 

Plan B, the mentoring platform designed to accelerate women’s representation on boards, has announced the launch of a survey to better understand the sentiment of women working within the hospitality sector.

Boxpark founder Roger Wade was a very popular guest speaker at Peach 20/20’s Summer Meet-Up—and you can now listen to his compelling session on the 

Top Table Podcast. Here are just five top takeaways. 

Karen Bosher is on a mission to change the British pub - or at least public perceptions, by making her pubs more diverse, inclusive and relevant to all communities.

As hospitality pushes back the digital frontiers, how can brands properly engage consumers and make the most of their data? Digital expert Olivia Fitzgerald, chief sales and marketing officer at Zonal, shared some of the secrets with Peter Martin on Peach 20/20’s Top Table Podcast. Here are just five of the top insights.

Inflation in the foodservice sector reached 11.5% in June, the latest edition of the CGA Prestige Foodservice Index reveals.

The founder and CEO of the Rockfish, who has just been named Restaurateur of the Year at the Cateys, joins the speakers’ roster at this year’s Peach 20/20 conference. 

Plan B, the mentoring platform designed to accelerate women’s representation on boards, has announced two new speakers for its first conference on October 5th at 30 Euston Square, London. 

Solid sales growth in restaurants, pubs and bars has helped Britain’s regional city centres recover their vibrancy in the first half of 2022, although London is still struggling, new research shows.

Access to capital is tight. The cost of living crisis is hitting consumer and investor confidence so where are the opportunities for ambitious operators?  Ashton Crosby from Capdesia and Alice Keown of British Land shared their take on the market opportunities at the Peach Summer Meet Up.

From costs to labour to supply, bars and restaurants face a sea of challenges at the moment. But as Revolution Bars’ commercial director Fiona Hall told Peach 20/20’s Top Table Podcast, agile brands that respond fast to changing conditions will thrive. Here are five insights from her chat with Peter Martin.

The Peach 20/20 Summer Meet Up opened with Peter Martin giving his take on the big trends that are shaping the hospitality sector as it looks to scale up – and finds good news amid the gloom. Drawing on data from CGA, here’s his analysis. 

Hospitality leaders headed to Boxpark Wembley for the Peach 20/20 Summer Meet Up. Here are some of the top messages from the expert speakers. 

Out-of-home food and drink sales are in growth in all of Britain’s 10 biggest city centres, new research from CGA by NielsenIQ shows.

Legendary hospitality management guru Jim Sullivan joined the Peach 20/20 Podcast to discuss big issues in staffing and training. He told Peter Martin about the future of leadership in a world altered by COVID, the new rules of engagement with teams and the ways to find and keep top talent. 

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups in May were just 0.1% ahead of the pre-COVID-19 levels of 2019, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

Peach 20/20’s first ever Summer Meet Up will bring together an exciting panel of industry thought-leaders, at Boxpark Wembley on 28 June, to discuss the theme: ‘Scale it up; Shake it up’.

According to Forbes the European Union is planning to impose 40% board gender quotas. Whether that’s a good thing is up for debate but it does bring home how gender equity has moved from a tick box issue to the mainstream business and political agenda. 

Supply chain challenges, food security, investment, workforce skills and hospitality’s role in levelling-up were all on the agenda at UK Hospitality’s summer conference in London in May.

Our Summer Meet up will now take place on Tuesday 28 June 2022.

Miami is rich and expensive, as those on this month‘s Atlantic Club tour discovered. 

Unsociable hours, increased workload and pay not matching the job were the top reasons given by employees to explain current staff crisis in hospitality in a recent survey by Peach 20/20 partners Harri and CGA. They were also the key issues addressed in a special webinar with industry leaders hosted by Harri and chaired by Peach 20/20 founder Peter Martin.

Peach 20/20’s first ever Summer Meet Up, at Boxpark Wembley on 21 June, will bring together an exciting panel of industry thought-leaders to discuss the theme: ‘Scale it up; Shake it up’.

Miami more than lives up to its reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative cities for eating and drinking out, as the Atlantic Club discovered when it came to town for three days in May.

New research highlights the impacts of the war on Ukraine on key food commodities.

When the Italian restaurant brand Vapiano launched in 2002 its service style was considered cutting edge and a novelty in the industry. The guest journey was based on customers being given a RFID (Radio-frequency identification) card to order and eventually pay.

Inflation and rising food and labour costs are top of mind challenges as the industry collectively tries to determine how to best offset losses to margins.

Peach 20/20’s new Summer Meet Up event at Boxpark Wembley on June 21 is not to be missed by anyone looking to drive growth

The second edition of the Inside Hospitality Report finds worryingly high levels of concern about the impact of racism in the workplace, further cemented by 28% of Asian, 37% of Black and 39% of mixed ethnicity respondents experiencing or witnessing racism in their current place of work.

The fall-out from the Russian invasion of Ukraine is affecting business around the globe. Teams from international business advisory firm RSM have produced papers highlighting the risks of both cyber attacks and food shortages in the wake of the conflict, while advising on measures that might be taken to reduce the threats.

The inaugural Peach 20/20 Summer Meet Up will take place on 21 June at Boxpark Wembley.

Ahead of the upcoming Atlantic Club Miami tour, the Peach 20/20 team look to uncover what makes key locations across The Magic City desirable and inspirational for hospitality operators. 
 

New research from Peach 20/20 partners CGA and Fourth highlights widespread job vacancies and increased pressure on labour costs

What are the big consumer trends to track in 2022, and how will the market shake down after COVID? Phil Tate, CEO of top hospitality analysts CGA, shared some crucial clues with Peter Martin on the Top Table Podcast from Peach 20/20. Here are just five of his messages for operators and suppliers.

Simon Mitchell of street food pioneer KERB is the latest guest on Peach 20/20’s Start-up Hub Podcast. He joined Peter Martin to talk about incubating new talent, moving beyond food halls, and big issues like delivery and pricing. Here are five of the top takeaways from the chat. 

Peach 20/20 executive director Peter Martin reflects on the key findings from the latest research compiled by CGA and Harri. 

Ajith Jayawickrema hasn’t just launched one big restaurant brand—he’s created two. The Las Iguanas and Turtle Bay founder joined Peach 20/20’s Start-up Hub Podcast to share start-up stories and the ups and downs of entrepreneurialism.

A research collaboration between Peach 20/20 partners Harri and CGA offers in-depth insight into hospitality workers’ views of the sector and their jobs

How can eating and drinking out brands stay relevant, compelling and competitive in an increasingly digital-first world? From seamless delivery to delighting customers to winning the talent wars – technology is proving a crucial brand differentiator. Even investors are taking note.  

The latest ‘Top Cities’ report from On Premise consultancy CGA and Wireless Social, the leaders in guest wi-fi and data insight, combines sales and device log-in data to assess the performance of Britain’s 10 most populous cities over the four weeks to 12 March 2022.

Sessions founder Dan Warne is the latest guest on the Start-up Hub Podcast from Peach 20/20. He tells Peter Martin how Sessions incubates the next generation of dynamic hospitality brands via food halls and support with logistics and delivery. Here are just five of the takeaways from the conversation.

If you don’t think technology is worth investing in, ask your staff? And your customers may have something to say about it too.

New research shows how much the public want personalisation when they go out – and that they are prepared to pay for it in personal data

According to the restaurant legend that is Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group: “The next frontier for restaurants is to expand hospitality through technology”.

In a special edition of the Top Table Podcast to mark International Women's Day, Plan B founders Ann Elliott, Emma Causer and Holly Addison discussed gender imbalance in hospitality leadership. They reflected on progress since their mentoring programme began, the work that still needs to be done, and ways to accelerate change.

Experts from international law firm Bird + Bird provide timely advice on navigating the new virtual world.

Tortilla Mexican Grill’s dynamic leadership duo of CEO Richard Morris and Chair Emma Woods are the latest guests on the Top Table Podcast from Peach 20/20. From the opportunities and challenges of delivery to IPOs to turbocharging growth, here are some of the top takeaways from their chat with Peter Martin.

In the first Start-up Hub Podcast from Peach 20/20, international brand rollout guru Marcel Khan tells Peter Martin about bringing Italian pasta brand Miscusi to London and beyond. He chats about the concept’s appeal, the importance of sustainability and purpose, the art of growing brands and much more—and here are just five of the messages from the conversation.

Inflation means price increases are all but inevitable across all industries and hospitality leaders are bracing themselves for the challenge. So how do you raise your prices without frightening the horses, or indeed your customers, into the arms of cheaper competitors? 

As consumers return cautiously to pre-COVID out-of-home habits, brand trust and reliability are likely to be more important than ever in their decision-making – and especially among older customers.

Global business consultancy RSM has launched its biggest survey of the UK hospitality sector and would like to hear from industry leaders about their hopes and challenges for 2022.

Rockfish founder and CEO Mitch Tonks and non-executive director and industry icon John Barnes are the latest guests on the Top Table Podcast from Peach 20/20.

They tell Peter Martin how the pandemic has accelerated Rockfish’s transformation from a restaurant group in the south west into a diverse, digital-savvy and nationwide seafood business. Here are five of our top takeaways from the conversation.

Miami has one of the most vibrant food and drink cultures in the world—and Atlantic Club is heading there on May 11-13.

One of the industry’s most inspiring leaders is Hawksmoor co-founder and CEO Will Beckett. He talks candidly to Peter Martin on the Top Table podcast about the importance of optimism and ambition – alongside building a business with an ‘ethical heart’ and creating an adult, respectful workplace.

We asked our good friend, globetrotter and hospitality strategist, Myles Doran, to give us a taste of what’s hot and happening in Miami ahead of the Atlantic Club Tour in May. From cafecitos and croquetas to ultra-cool roof top bars and a booming cosmopolitan art, design and restaurant scene..it does not disappoint.  

With “no quick fixes on food inflation” supply chain issues are top of mind for operators. Andrew Selley, CEO of Bidfood takes stock on the challenges ahead.

CGA’s latest Consumer Pulse research shows that more than two thirds (70%) of consumers now feel confident about visiting pubs, bars and restaurants—double the number (34%) who felt the same way at the start of last year.

Optimism about recovery in the UK drinking-out market grew in January as sales rebounded — but what’s being consumed has changed.

Recruitment drives this month by holiday park operator Parkdean, with 550 staff vacancies open, and Travelodge looking to fill 600 jobs have only underlined the depth of the labour crisis facing hospitality. Hospitality Rising is one initiative now taking shape to change the public's perception of working in the sector.

Tech continues its onward march. As the news that Aldi has opened its first checkout-free supermarket, Peter Martin argues for a smooth approach.

Consumer confidence about returning to bars and restaurants is growing, according to new CGA research – and both in the UK and US. Meanwhile, Britain has seen the first increase in the number of licensed premises in five years

If you are running bars in London you probably feel that December was a complete right off. On the other hand, if you’re in the restaurant business away from the capital you might be thinking you’ve dodged a festive bullet.

Miami’s reputation as a high energy party city is undeniable – and for that reason alone it deserves its place as the Atlantic Club’s first foray stateside since 2019. Yes, we are back on tour from May 11-13, exploring one of the most dynamic cities in the US.

News of a major office investment in central London doesn’t mean an end to working from home, says Peter Martin. It’s more like the start of a hybrid experiment.

New research reveals attitudes to technology and hospitality among the next generation – and life is not all about the digital world

Asking customers if they enjoyed their meal is standard practice for any restaurant hoping to understand what guests thought of their dining experience, but the question is a lot less effective than it seems. Infact, it’s the perfect question to ask if you want to be lied to, says Yumpingo founder Gary Goodman

Peter Martin takes a look at the latest research on what lockdowns have done to people’s domestic diets, including an increasing taste for cheese

If the pub, bar and restaurant market wants to be an attractive career proposition, both at boardroom level and on the front-line, it needs to do more to embrace diversity. Peach 20/20 brought together experts to discuss the issues – from data gathering to reverse mentoring. Here are their thoughts.

Peach 20/20 brought together experts from the worlds of casual dining, marketing and research to examine the seismic shifts in consumer behaviour since early 2020 – and what it means for business in 2022. They pulled out 10 big trends

By analyzing over 180,000 out-of-home reviews, Yumpingo determined that digital customers are three times more likely to score an experience poorly if an item is missing from their order. Do you know how your out-of-home or off-prem business is performing?

Peach 20/20 founder Peter Martin is this year marking 40 years in the sector, but far from looking back, his focus is on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Which drinks categories fizzed in 2021, and which went flat? CGA’s exclusive data analysis provides an insight into the key market trends that are set to continue into 2022.

New research from Harri has revealed that 61% of employees in UK restaurants and fast-food businesses didn’t receive a pay rise in 2021. As a result, 45% of those are now planning to change jobs in 2022

In a survey conducted just before the introduction of Plan B restrictions in England, optimism among hospitality leaders had already fallen by four percentage points.

2022 is set to be a big year for the on- premise in the US, as sales return to pre-COVID-19 levels and consumer confidence grows, new research from CGA suggests.

It’s great to see our old friend and industry icon John Barnes writing again. His Marketing Judo book was an entertaining and easy to use guide to marketing for entrepreneurial operators – and despite being published 19 years ago is still full of good advice for leveraging your position using brains rather than budget.

How to navigate the here-and-how remains a major challenge for pub, bar and restaurant operators, but understanding the longer term implications of the new trading environment is just as vital.

Having the CEDA conference in Harrogate this year gave Peter Martin the opportunity to add a northern flavour as conference chair. 

What are the key trends and flavours shaping consumer choices in 2022? Peach 20/20 founder Peter Martin and Catherine Hinchcliff, Head of Corporate Brand and Insights at Bidfood, discuss the key themes on a new podcast, focusing on the ingredients, flavours and ‘cuisines less travelled’ that will help menus stay ahead of the curve.

Peach 20/20 brought together more than 300 industry leaders to discuss the crucial issues facing the out-of-home eating and drinking sector – with diversity, sustainability, and the new consumer high on the agenda.

Loungers co-founder and executive chairman Alex Reilley was named an Industry Icon at the Peach 20/20 Hero & Icon Awards on Wednesday (17 November).

Prestigious prizes recognise 15 leading brands and individuals across the eating and drinking out sector

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved modest sales growth in October amid mounting operational pressures, the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

Categories that capitalise on this trend - focusing on low sugar, low calories, low ABV - are growing in value rapidly. Myles Doran discusses the trend and its impact on the wider industry.

Peach 20/20 returns as a live event on Wednesday 17 November. A select, invitation-only gathering of 300 industry VIPs to debate the big issues of the day: how we can both make our businesses more successful and be a force for economic and social good in the world we live in. 

Peach 20/20 have teamed up with WiHTL- Diversity in Hospitality Travel & Leisure to find out and gauge industry sentiment around these vital issues ahead of the flagship conference next week. 

Our roster of speakers includes founders and entrepreneurs – Judy Joo of Seoul Bird fame, Nisha Katona, of rapidly growing Mowgli, Hamish Stoddart, the zero-carbon pioneer and founder of Peach Pubs and Justin Crawford, one of the visionaries behind Escape to Freight Island, one of Manchester’s hottest venues.

A recent ‘No-shows, no more’ webinar from CGA and Zonal tackled the hot issue of guests failing to fulfil reservations, following exposure of the problem in the latest GO Technology report and the new #ShowUpForHospitality campaign.

Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie leads tens of thousands of hospitality professionals and is joining the debate at this year's Peach 20/20, and highlighting how the regional brewer and pub owner’s history has shaped its steadfast commitment to inclusion and driving change not just in its own organisation, but across the sector.

Peach 20/20 has introduced a new category for this year’s Hero & Icon awards, reflecting the importance of trust and reliability for consumers in the post-pandemic market.

Restaurant and bar businesses making waves on the international stage will be recognised at this year’s Peach 20/20 Hero & Icon awards in London on November 17.

Agility and cost controls should be top priorities as the industry gets ready for a return to travel

Ongoing staffing problems posed by the pandemic have seen businesses in the U.K. hospitality sector struggle more than others to fill vacancies. In September, the ONS reported that the hospitality’s sector vacancy rate was twice that of the economy as a whole, despite the sector creating 122,000 new jobs between March and June.

Andrew Selley, CEO of Bidcorp UK and James Bielby, Chief Executive of FWD take a deep dive into some of the most immediate challenges facing the hospitality industry

Steve Hill, Head of Operations at the UK’s Bone Daddies, discusses the restaurant’s obstacles and successes through COVID-19 and partnership with QSR Automations. 

The shortlists for the 2021 Peach 20/20 Hero & Icon Awards have been announced, honouring dozens of outstanding operators across the out-of-home food and drink market.

Sustainability and the green agenda present real challenges for hospitality businesses – but ones that many are already embracing. The topic will feature prominently at this year’s Peach 20/20 conference on November 17.

In Harri’s recent event series, Redefining Staff Retention, this session encompassed operators from hotels to talk about the importance of retaining staff during this turbulent period of reopening and returning to some sort of normality in today’s society.