Industry Insights

In recognition of International Women’s Day on 8th March, for the whole of the month, we’re opening up the conversations about the issues women in hospitality consistently tell us matter most.One theme surfaces again and again.Women …

In the hospitality industry, we sell a dream of seamless luxury, excitement, and flawless experiences. But behind the scenes, the reality of our daily operations can sometimes feel like an endless loop. Whether it is polishing a hundred wine …

In the hospitality industry, we are trained from day one to look outward. We are conditioned to anticipate the guest's needs before they speak them, to scan the dining room for raised hands, and to gauge our success by the immediate feedback loop of…

It is the most common question in the modern world. You meet someone new, shake hands, and within seconds, one of you asks: "So, what do you do?"In hospitality, we often answer with a title—"I’m a Chef," "I’m a GM," "I’m in…

In the high-pressure world of hospitality, some would argue, we have long subscribed to a specific, grueling formula for life.It is a blueprint that has been drilled into every chef, hotelier, and service professional from day one since time immem…

Most organisations still treat happiness at work as a cultural add-on. A nice-to-have. A morale initiative. Something delegated to HR, posters, or Friday afternoon gestures.That framing is already obsolete.In 2026, happiness at work is no longer…

If you were to believe the news, everything in Hospitality is broken.Guest contributor Aaron Barnett argues that this is nonsense.***Usually, January is the month when we all sit in the office staring at P&Ls, moaning about the "quiet," an…

Sometimes you think you’re saying yes to a challenge.Only later do you realise you were saying yes to a turning point.That’s what comes through so clearly in Paul Cook’s story. What begins as a casual conversation in a pub abou…

So barely a week in, how you doing on those goals?If you've already lapsed, don't worry.January often begins with good intentions. Fresh plans. Clear goals. A quiet determination that this is the year things will feel more balanced.Then the se…

January always arrives with that familiar mix: hope, ambition, and the quiet dread of what “big goals” actually mean when you’re still catching up from December.Here’s the honest truth: most goal-setting fails, not because …

Christmas is often sold as joyful and effortless. In hospitality, it reveals something else entirely. Long shifts, emotional labour, and the quiet determination of people who keep showing up while the rest of the world slows down. Always Open for Ch…

December is when hospitality is at full stretch. The pace is relentless, expectations are high, and the margin for error feels thinner by the day. Teams are still turning up, still delivering, still caring — but the energy it takes to do that …

In hospitality, Christmas and alcohol are often treated as inseparable. Long shifts end with drinks. Celebrations are built around bottles. Stress relief is poured, not discussed.But that assumption is starting to shift — and not just becaus…

Christmas comes with expectations. Joy. Togetherness. Celebration.For many hospitality professionals, it also comes with exhaustion, isolation, and the emotional whiplash of caring for others while quietly running on empty.In an upcoming Talking…

November sits in a strange place. Not festive. Not calm. Dark mornings, dark evenings, colds, financial pressure, and the knowledge that December is coming.This is where standards wobble if leadership goes quiet.What effective leaders focus on…

Why Black Friday is a risk momentBlack Friday creeps into hospitality every year. Some businesses generate smart cash flow. Others fill diaries with low-margin bookings and spend January wondering what went wrong.Black Friday exposes how well yo…

Why Bonfire Night is differentBonfire Night looks simple on paper and complicated in real life. Earlier drinking, unpredictable footfall, families out, teenagers roaming, taxis backing up, and teams trying to hold standards while managing crowd be…

Why this matters right nowNovember arrives, moustaches appear, and conversations about men’s health start to bubble up. In hospitality, that matters more than we often admit. This is an industry built on long hours, emotional labour, pressur…

Halloween has crept far beyond trick-or-treating. For the UK’s hospitality and events sector, it’s now one of the most lucrative (and creative) weeks of the year. But behind the costumes and cocktails lies a smart business lesson —…

Diwali — the festival of lights — celebrates new beginnings, community and the triumph of light over darkness. For hospitality, it’s a timely reminder that great service is about more than presentation — it’s about warm…

Representation isn’t just a social talking point — it’s a business advantage. In hospitality, the most diverse teams create the most memorable experiences. When every culture, background and voice is part of the story, guests feel …

Across Britain’s hotels, restaurants and event venues, Black professionals have shaped the food we serve, the stories we tell and the experiences we create. Yet too often, their influence has been overlooked. This month, let’s not only c…

The conversation around hiring British workers in the hospitality sector has been ongoing for over a decade. What started as a campaign to fill vacancies post-Brexit has now evolved into a critical part of reshaping the UK’s hospitality workfo…

5 Wellbeing Tactics Every Hospitality Temp Should Actually UseIf you’re temping in hospitality – whether it’s for a few weeks or a whole season – your performance depends on one thing: how well you look after yourself. Here…