Chris Yates, managing director, Cafe Murano
Hospitality has been treated awfully throughout 2020. The campaign for a minister for hospitality is vitally important. Property costs (rent and rates) in central London are unsustainable. This crisis and the impact on high streets should lead to revision of business rate structure and the commercial lease model. Fixed rents with five-yearly upward only reviews should be a thing of the past. During 2020 many sensible landlords have moved to turnover rents to support tenants and this has to be the model for the future of commercial leases.
Roland Horne, CEO and founder, WatchHouse coffee
All operators and landlords will likely stress the imperfection in the Business Rates regime by way of taxing the high street. These were incredibly out of kilter (in both directions not only just too expensive) and therefore the Government will need to relook at how this should be exacted going forward. Our fear borne out of the need to clear the Governm
Turnover rents
For better or worse, the impact of the pandemic is having a profound effect on the commercial property market. Since the lease forfeiture moratorium was introduced last year, tenants and landlords have been trying to negotiate new lease terms that suit both parties; often unsuccessfully - a recent study carried out by commercial property restructuring specialist Cedar Dean found that 77% of hospitality operators are currently being forced to look at restructuring or insolvency options, with current rents remaining unaffordable for the vast majority of businesses. A switch to turnover rent, which links rent payments to the turnover achieved at each site, is something many operators have pursued since the moratorium was introduced as a means of limiting liability going forward. And there’s a hope that, over time, this shift could become permanent. “Property costs (rent and rates) in central London are unsustainable,” says Chris Yates, managing director at Cafe Mur
Prawn on the Lawn will re-open its Prawn on the Farm summer pop-up following the success of its inaugural run at Trerethern Farm near Padstow last year.
Expected to re-open in mid-April for the duration of the summer, the 52-cover restaurant will be set up in a similar way to last year offering views of Camel Estuary and will support Cornwall s fish and shellfish industry,
“It’s been such a journey creating this Cornish seafood al fresco love-affair. Not only the hard work and demands the project itself asked of us, but doing so during the beginning of the pandemic,” says co-owner Katie Toogood.
Valentine s Day recipes from top chefs at home
Lockdown means a rare opportunity for chefs to be at their own stoves on February 14. Cue the ultimate romantic menu from their kitchens…
14 February 2021 • 5:21pm
From oysters and fizz to a molton chocolate tart, these chefs have Valentine s Day sorted
Credit: Haarala Hamilton and Valerie Berry
If Valentine’s Day usually means a slap-up meal out with your true love, the prospect of dinner at home this year may fall flat. But for the chefs who usually sacrifice their own romantic evening to make ours special, lockdown offers an opportunity that’s rather unique – the chance to enjoy the night off with their nearest and dearest.
Oysters and Cornish
Rick Stein, chef and founder of Rick Stein restaurants, nationwide
I love it at Christmas, when there are festive lights all around the harbour and the pubs are at their cosiest. This year, Iâm spending it at my cottage in Padstow. Iâll be cooking goose with sage and onion stuffing, potatoes roasted in goose fat with artichokes and parsnips and a melange of vegetables â broccoli, peas, broad beans and carrots â all cut small and braised in butter and tarragon. Itâs not traditional but I canât have Christmas at my place without two or three dozen native oysters from the river Fal to start, and Cornish blue cheese instead of stilton with the port.