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I have been thinking a lot recently about the food scene in Wrexham. Having both a Hotel and Pub in Wrexham I have really become connected to the city. There are good restaurants here. There are talented chefs here. There are independent businesses doing interesting things and there is absolutely an appetite for better food and better experiences. But if we are being realistic, Wrexham still does not have much of a fine-dining scene. If you want a tasting menu, a guest-chef e

This might feel like slightly old news now, but I don’t think the conversation has gone away. In fact, since Chester Zoo first raised the issue back in March, it has gathered considerably more momentum. And having operated outdoor events ourselves, I completely understand why. In March 2026, Chester Zoo led a campaign calling for changes to the way weather forecasts are displayed on apps. Importantly, they weren’t questioning the accuracy of the forecast itself. Their argumen

Tom Kerridge has called for the Government to create a dedicated Ministry for Hospitality. And I agree with him. Because, if I’m honest, I find it quite frustrating that we are still having this conversation. Hospitality is one of the biggest employers in the country. It supports millions of jobs, contributes billions to the economy and is made up of businesses that are often working on incredibly tight margins. Yet when decisions are made that directly affect us, we still se

There has been a lot of discussion this week about relaxing working rules for 16 and 17-year-olds, particularly around evening and weekend work. UKHospitality has backed the idea, and so do I. Somewhere along the way, I think we have become so focused on protecting young people from anything remotely difficult that we are in danger of protecting them from the very experiences that help them grow up. And work is one of those experiences, if not the most important to future pro

Image By Andrew Ward Photography A year ago, Foxxy Foods did its very first event at Deva Fest 2025. At the time, none of us really knew exactly where the business would go. We had a van, a concept, a lot of enthusiasm and, most importantly, two people who were willing to get stuck in and make it work: my son Scott and Dill, who is our Head Chef at The Chester Townhouse. They are the ones who run the van day to day, prep the food, travel to the events, deal with the customers

In my opinion breakfast can make or break a hotel stay. You can have a comfortable bed, a spotless room and brilliant service, but if the final experience before checking out is a disappointing breakfast, that is often what the guest remembers. It is the last proper interaction many guests have with the hotel. It can influence the review they leave, whether they recommend you and, ultimately, whether they choose to return. So why is breakfast still treated like an afterthough