Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has shared a video showing the stark reality of Christmas cancellations, with hundreds of hospitality businesses calling on the Government to offer proper financial support.
The chef owns several restaurants and pubs across the UK, including two-Michelin star pub The Hand and Flowers and the acclaimed Bull & Bear in Manchester city centre’s Stock Exchange Hotel.
Kerridge is arguably one of the most successful restaurateurs in the country – but even he is warning that many places ‘will crumble’ without help.
Tom Kerridge.
Businesses are now calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to give them some relief, saying that the ‘cost of protecting the NHS is being put onto businesses’.
The Government hasn’t ordered the closure of pubs and restaurants at this stage, but the rapid spread of the Omicron variant and the introduction of ‘Plan B’ restrictions is having a devastating impact on the industry anyway.
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Kerridge posted a video on Twitter yesterday that showed a list of cancellations received in just one of his restaurants.
The list is pages and pages long and shows 654 guests pulling out of reservations.
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Here we are… This is the list of cancellations taken in one of our restaurants in the past six days… 654 guests I understand why. Public health is THE most important thing. But what will the government do to support the industry? Many places will crumble without help… pic.twitter.com/OyA2xTustJ
He wrote: “Here we are… This is the list of cancellations taken in one of our restaurants in the past six days… 654 guests.
“I understand why. Public health is THE most important thing.
“But what will the government do to support the industry? Many places will crumble without help…
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“And before some gammon faced idiot says “you can afford it fat lad!” ….. yes I probably can, but this isn’t about me or my restaurants. It’s about our industry and peoples livelihoods.”
Gusto
Gusto’s CEO Matt Snell echoed this, posting: “15% of our booked covers cancelled on the day. 7% just didn’t bother to show up and didn’t let us know. This cost us almost 100k in sales.
“For us it hurts, for some it will finish them off! @RishiSunak”
Michelin starred chef Tommy Banks said: “Devastating!! @ChefTomKerridge asks the right question of the government. What are you going to do to support the industry’s affected?”
Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc also replied to Kerridge, writing: “Hello Tom @ChefTomKerridge. I know my dear friend. It is the very same in all our @brasserieblanc. its a carnage. And we all hope that the governement will help the industry best.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted: “Getting London’s economy back on its feet is a top priority but businesses are already being hit very hard again this winter – this time without additional support. The Govt must provide proper financial support to get them through this difficult period.”
Prof Christina Pagel added: “Independent SAGE have been calling for more support for hospitality (& other affected) industries. (correct) Messages to avoid social contact *without* support or legislation puts the cost of protecting NHS onto businesses. Govt should step in – it’s a collective responsibility.”
Publican Adam Brooks has also shared shocking photos of an empty pub just days before Christmas, a time when most venues are packed to the rafters.
I’m sat in my pub atm doing some paperwork, it’s 11 days before Christmas Day…@BorisJohnson@RishiSunak what have you done?..
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Daisy Jackson -
15th December 2021 
