Just Filters

03/06/2026

🍽️ What if cutting VAT from 20% to 10% could help save hospitality businesses?

That's exactly what some of the UK's best-known chefs are calling for this week, as they warn the industry is facing some of the toughest conditions they've ever experienced.

And honestly, the backdrop is pretty sobering.

Industry figures suggest three hospitality businesses are closing every day in 2026.

Not because restaurants and pubs have suddenly become unpopular.

But because operators are trying to balance rising wages, higher employment costs, business rates, energy bills and changing consumer spending habits... all at the same time.

Whether VAT is the answer or not, one thing feels hard to argue with... hospitality is operating with very little room for error, and when margins become that tight, even small costs and inefficiencies start to matter a lot more than they used to.

Would reducing VAT to 10% make a meaningful difference to hospitality businesses?

Tom Kerridge, Yotam Ottolenghi, Ravneet Gill and Simon Rogan told BBC Newsnight VAT should be halved to ease mounting pressure on the hospitality industry.

01/06/2026

🍽️ “Lunch embarrassment is the price of progress.”

That’s one of the more striking lines from a recent piece on women in bars and restaurants.

And it says a lot about where hospitality is right now.

The industry has changed, more inclusive, more open, more representative than it used to be.

But progress doesn’t always feel smooth.

Sometimes it still comes with awkward moments, old habits, and subtle barriers that take time to disappear.

What matters is that it’s moving in the right direction.

Because better environments don’t just feel better to work in, they perform better too.

If you’ve worked in hospitality, what’s one moment that stuck with you from your early days?

https://www.thecaterer.com/news/the-caterers-inspiring-women-in-bars-restaurants-lunch-embarrassment-is-the-price-of-progress

Women from across the restaurant sector came together for networking and nourishment at The Caterer’s Inspiring Women’s Lunch

29/05/2026

☀️ Hands up if you’ve had to work through this May heatwave? 👋 🌡️

So at what point does a kitchen stop being “busy”… and start becoming uncomfortable to work in?

There’s growing discussion around introducing an upper temperature limit for workplaces in the UK, particularly in sectors like hospitality, where heat isn’t occasional… it’s part of the job.

But here’s the reality:

UK law currently sets no maximum workplace temperature.

Instead, employers are expected to maintain a “reasonable” working environment under health and safety law, even during heatwaves.

And that’s where things get complicated.

Because in a busy kitchen, “reasonable” isn’t always easy to define.

Ovens are running.
Extraction systems are under pressure.
Teams are moving fast in tight spaces for long periods.

And when external temperatures rise on top of that, conditions shift quickly.

Not just in comfort, but in focus, fatigue, and consistency during service.

Which is why this debate isn’t really just about temperature. It’s about performance under pressure in environments that don’t slow down when conditions get harder.

What degree do you think the limit should be?

https://www.thecaterer.com/news/government-urged-to-introduce-upper-temperature-limit-for-workplaces

The measures would be designed to protect employee safety in the face of climate change

28/05/2026

🍺 With around 45,000 of them… Britain has always been known for its pubs.

But that picture has been changing for a long time. Since the early 2000s, the UK has lost roughly one third of its pubs.

And now, the pace hasn’t slowed. New figures show almost two pubs a day are closing in 2026.

📊 161 closures in just three months
📊 Around 2,400 jobs lost

On paper, this gets described as “economic pressure” or “market change”.

But pubs have never really been just part of the economy.

They’re part of how places function, familiar spaces that sit at the centre of communities, routines, and local identity.

And that’s why the decline feels different from a normal industry shift.

Because when a pub closes, it doesn’t just leave a market.

It leaves a gap in a place people actually recognise.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9d355nw7jzo

The British Beer and Pub Association says 161 pubs have closed in the first three months of this year.

27/05/2026

Hospitality is feeling the pressure, and the latest numbers show it’s not easing up.

New ONS figures paint a pretty clear picture:
📊 UK unemployment has risen to 5%
📊 Youth unemployment has hit 14.7%, the highest since 2014
📊 Payrolled employees fell by 100,000 in April alone

And hospitality is right in the middle of it.

The ONS says the sector has seen some of the largest falls in payroll numbers, both recently and over the past year.

Now, headlines like this usually focus on “jobs lost” or “employment trends”.
But on the ground, it looks a bit different.

It looks like tighter teams.
More pressure on shifts.
Less flexibility in already stretched kitchens and venues.

And when that happens, efficiency stops being a nice-to-have… and becomes the difference between coping and not coping.

Where are you seeing the pressure most right now?
Staffing? Costs? Or operations?

https://www.ukhospitality.org.uk/unemployment-rises-in-march-our-response/

Rising unemployment and fewer job opportunities is the result of endless cost increases for hospitality businesses.

22/05/2026

☀️ Looks like the Bank Holiday weekend is coming in hot... literally.

If you’ve stepped outside this week, you’ve probably already noticed it feels like summer has just skipped spring.

The BBC have a good breakdown of what’s coming here 👇

🔗 https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c3328epvm2do

For hospitality, this is the kind of weather that looks great on paper… but can quietly turn into a stressful few days behind the scenes.

Hot weather means busier venues, hotter kitchens, and systems working harder than usual. And when everything ramps up at once, the small things (like airflow, extraction, and maintenance) suddenly matter a lot more than they did last week.

It’s rarely one big issue that causes problems, it’s the little ones stacking up when pressure increases. So while everyone else is enjoying the sunshine, it’s worth making sure the bits you don’t always think about are actually doing their job properly.

Because when it’s 30°C outside and service is in full swing… the last thing you need is avoidable strain in the background.

Stay cool out there ☀️

The warmest weather of the year is forecast over the bank holiday weekend as some places may reach the earliest 30 Celsius in the UK since 1952.

30/04/2026

📉 3 hospitality venues closing every day in the UK. That’s not a headline, that’s the current reality.

Rising energy costs, wage increases, and falling consumer spend are all stacking up, and for many operators, the margins just aren’t there anymore.
But what’s interesting is this…

When margins get tight, it’s rarely the big decisions that make or break a site.
It’s the small, everyday operational details.
Energy efficiency.
Equipment reliability.
Preventative maintenance.

The things that don’t get attention, until they start costing you money.
It’s not about cutting corners.

It’s about tightening control over the things you can control.
💬 Where are you seeing the biggest pressure on your margins right now?
https://www.restaurantonline.co.uk/Article/2026/04/27/uk-hospitality-hits-three-closures-per-day-due-to-soaring-costs/

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

29/04/2026

🔥 Kitchen fires aren’t rare incidents, they’re a constant risk in busy hospitality environments.

And more often than not, they come down to build-up.
Grease.
Heat.
Poor airflow.

All things that happen gradually… and get missed when teams are under pressure.

The challenge is that nothing feels urgent, until it suddenly is. Regular maintenance, clean extraction, and properly functioning filters aren’t just “nice to have”... they’re a critical part of keeping kitchens safe, compliant, and running smoothly.

Especially heading into peak season.
💬 When was the last time your extraction system had a proper check?

https://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/25834966.whispering-angel-ramsey-closed-kitchen-fire/

The Whispering Angel, High Street, Ramsey, has been forced to shut until further notice after a fire which ripped through its kitchen.

30/03/2026

🎬 We watched Being Gordon Ramsay on Netflix, and yes, the chaos is real, but so is the strategy.

Even the biggest brands face the same challenges as smaller venues: launches that slip, marketing that misses timing, and logistics that quietly make or break a service.

FY-end takeaway: check your systems, anticipate risks, and don’t let small operational issues quietly eat your margins.

Read our tips for smooth kitchen operations 👉 https://justfilters.co.uk/blog

26/03/2026

🔧 Did you know a clogged or dirty kitchen filter can reduce extraction efficiency by up to 30%, hike energy bills, and increase staff fatigue and safety risks?

A quick inspection and clean now can protect your margins and save headaches before the new financial year hits.

What’s your go-to maintenance hack that keeps kitchens running smoothly? Share below...let’s crowdsource the tips that actually work.

Learn more about keeping your kitchen running efficiently 👉 https://justfilters.co.uk/maintenance