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I've been to plenty of trade shows over the years. Some are worth it. Some are a long day on your feet and a bag full of leaflets you'll never read. This year, SAVVY Collective took a stand at The Independent Hotel Show in London. Stephen Miles and I headed down with the team to meet independent owners, have some proper conversations and see what the industry was really talking about. I came away with more than I expected. Just not always from where I expected it. First thing

Last week I read the open letter from Barbakan Delicatessen & Bakery to Andy Burnham, and I genuinely don’t think I could have said it better myself. The letter spoke about the reality of running an independent business today. Rising costs, increasing pressure and the feeling that no matter how hard you work, there always seems to be another cost coming around the corner. It struck a chord because we are living it too. We are an independent hospitality business and we are pro

This week, 25 town criers from eight nations have descended on Chester for a tournament that hasn’t been held in the city since 2014. It is fun, unusual and completely in keeping with a city whose town crier tradition dates back to 1554. But the part we find really interesting is what has gone on behind it. Marketing Cheshire secured £50,000 of funding through Airbnb’s Best of British Fund to bring the tournament back to Chester. And that kind of investment matters. An event

We have officially gone down the brownie route. Bakerz Collective is our latest venture, and like a lot of things in business, it started because I spotted an opportunity and could immediately see where it could fit. We already have Foxxy Foods, our food truck, which is doing well and getting stronger all the time. I also have a perfectly good kitchen at The Chester Townhouse which, once breakfast is finished, is largely sitting there doing very little, and that has always bo

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