Extending Licensing Hours for King’s Coronation Would Provide ‘Much-Needed Boost’ for Sector

The extension of licensing hours for the King’s Coronation in May will provide a “much-needed boost” for the sector according to UKHospitality

The government launched a public consultation in December 2022 on extending licensing hours from 11pm to 1am from Friday 5 May until Sunday 7 May in England and Wales

This extension will grant pubs, bars and clubs an extra two hours trading to mark Charles III being crowned on 6 May in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London

Responding to the consultation UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate

Nicholls said: “The King’s coronation will be a spectacle celebrated by millions and hospitality will no doubt be at the centre of a historic moment for the countr y

“I’m pleased the Government is proposing to extend licensing hours and UKHospitality is fully behind the plans Not only will it benefit customers, but it also means businesses will be able to trade for longer, increase footfall and generate additional sales

“At a time when the sector has been ravaged by the cost of doing business crisis, as well as recruitment challenges and strike disruption, this extension would provide a much-needed boost and aid hospitality’s recover y ”

Restaurants & Diners Raise £750,000 for Homeless Charity

Restaurants and diners throughout the UK have raised £750 000 for the homeless, following another successful StreetSmar t campaign It adds to the more than £12million that the charity has put towards good causes since its founding 25 years ago

StreetSmar t s scheme , which adds an optional £1 donation to diners bills, raised a record total, with London restaurants alone contributing over a £250,000 Throughout the UK, 550 restaurants par ticipated in the fundraising scheme , which helps more than 50 homeless charities, and costs restaurant’s nothing and customers ver y little ,, is suppor ted by LandAid, who cover all the campaign’s costs As such, ever y penny of what’s raised goes towards helping those who need it

The campaign saw restaurants add £1 per table to diners bills (optional) during the festive period and now the money raised will help tackle homelessness in cities across the UK during the current cold snap and beyond

It was a successful year for the campaign with over 550 restaurants involved from Burnt Orange in Brighton raising £6,000, to Celentano’s in Glasgow raising £2,000 to fund projects in their local communities

Meanwhile in London, The River Café in Hammersmith raised £14,000, Cubitt House group of pubs raised £24,000 and ACME Fire Cult in Dalston raised £1,300, showing the diverse nature of those who took par t but all of whom come together once a year to suppor t StreetSmar t

Glass Door is one such charity operating in West and South London suppor ted by StreetSmar t funds Their CEO JO Car ter says: “As temperatures plummet, it is becoming life threatening to be sleeping on the street Glass Door s vital night shelter circuits are open to provide those with nowhere else to go somewhere safe and warm to sleep We’re proud to have been working with StreetSmar t for 15 years This year, their donation could suppor t 50 guests to stay in our emergency winter night shelter for one week ”

The eateries in Selfridges alone raised £97,000 These funds will be used to provide accommodation for 18–25-year-olds who do not have a safe and secure place to call home , distributed between Centrepoint in London and Manchester, and St Basils in Birmingham Both charities will be able to create new bed spaces to suppor t dozens of young people who otherwise could end up sleeping on friend’s floors, night buses or on the streets

This vital suppor t is needed more now than ever, as sadly latest figures show a 21% increase in rough sleeping in London alone compared to the same period last year

Paul Morrish, Chief Executive at LandAid, said: “I am delighted at the total raised from the 2022 StreetSmar t campaign LandAid are proud of the special relationship that we have with StreetSmar t, and it has been amazing to see such enthusiasm across the hospitality and proper ty industries in suppor ting the campaign, par ticularly during some testing years This small choice will create huge impact in suppor ting homelessness projects that will bring both relief and security to those who need it most across the countr y ”