A report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on preventable food-borne diseases indicates that food-poisoning affects as many as one in ten of the world’s 6 billion population every year, totalling 600 million, with deaths running at 420,000, or 0.07%

Many deaths are of young children, and most are among the poor in Africa and South-East Asia. Children under 5 account for 40% of poisoning cases and 30% of the deaths. Common killers are bacteria such as salmonella, along with viruses, parasites such as the pork tapeworm, toxins and chemicals, and the WHO has called for better inspections of foods at farms and factories and training of street food vendors, a common source of contaminated foods.

Nearly 200 jobs are being axed at Merlin Entertainment’s Alton Towers theme park due to lower takings following the June accident on the £18 million Smiler extreme roller-coaster.

Five people were seriously injured, with two young women both losing a leg. Continue reading →

Spending on live music concerts and festivals reached £2.1 billion this year, 45% up on 2010.

According to research company Mintel, who say that 40% of us go to a show at least once a year, the reason is an increased focus on live events as streaming has hit recording sales. Apparently 7% of us go at least once a month, and the surge in demand has been matched by an increase in ticket prices.

Also significantly more popular, to the tune of £80 billion are eating out, going to the pub and seeing films at the cinema, this last enjoyed by the 70% of us who see at least one film.

The number of new openings of London restaurants is at its highest level for 25 years.

This has been revealed in the 2016 edition of Hardens London Restaurants, the 25th, published last month. This rates around 1500 restaurants in the capital on their food, service and ambience, based on reviews from 6,700 contributors. Also noted is the continuing rise of Japanese cuisine, and the enduring popularity of Italian. Continue reading →

Organisers are being offered free food and drink to the value of their space booking at Newcastle United’s St James’ Park Stadium.

The offer, dubbed “Eat Your Suite” is made by the managers of catering at the venue, Sodexo Prestige Venues and Events and applies to rooms, suites or executive boxes hired for events between January and March 2016. Continue reading →

One of London’s most thought-provoking venues offered for events is the Foundling Museum in Brunswick Square, which explores the work and history of the Foundling Hospital.

This operated as the UK’s first children’s charity, and the UK’s first public art gallery due to the support given by artists, from 1739 when it’s founder Thomas Coram was granted a Royal Charter to take in and care for unwanted children. At the time it was common for babies to be left on London’s streets to die. And the mortality rate for under 5’s was 75%, and 90% in workhouses. Continue reading →

Those looking for a classy seaside venue in the North-West with an impressive space for corporate events will want to look at the independent Dalmeny Resort Hotel.

This overlooks the seafront at St Annes on Sea, a very British seaside town for families on the Lancashire coast a few miles south of very different Blackpool, and offers a modern, light and airy, high-ceilinged, white-painted Atrium Suite for conferences, presentations and dinners with a capacity around 180, depending on layout. One recent customer was a Porsche dealership that showcased its luxury cars there, offering test drives, and the suite serves as a fitting venue for the hotel’s own party nights, with a variety of themes. Continue reading →

Birmingham is the most popular destination outside London for corporate events, for the seventh consecutive tear.

This is the finding of the 2015/2016 seventh annual British Meetings and Events Industry Survey (BMEIS) carried out among 500 British event organisers from the corporate and not for profit sectors.

It also emerged that, in choosing a destination for an event, access, location in the UK and value for money were the most important criteria.