Slash price of meals after 9pm to save London's nightlife, says top chef
Restaurateurs in London should consider cutting the price of meals after 9pm to help save the capital's dying nightlife, one of Britain's top chefs has said.
Vivek Singh, the owner of the Cinnamon Kitchen restaurant group, said offering discounted meals later in the evening could aid business owners as they battle to revive the capital's late-night economy.
He suggested they could mimic the 'dynamic pricing' used by airlines, where tickets for less popular flights are sold at cheaper prices.
Mr Singh said: 'Demand needs to be created. Sectors like airlines, they're all dynamically priced. Nobody questions why their seat is half the price it was last night.'
Mr Singh is widely regarded as one of the UK's most influential and successful Indian chefs. He opened his first restaurant, the flagship Cinnamon Club, in 2001, and has since grown the company into a group of five across the UK and one in Dubai.
His comments come amid a mounting outcry over the capital's declining nightlife. Hundreds of venues have closed since the pandemic, during which restaurants were forced shut for months at a time.
The closures have been blamed on a combination of soaring costs, sky-high taxes, draconian licensing rules and younger people going home earlier and drinking less.
Mr Singh said: 'It's completely unlike any other time in the past 25 years that I have been here in London. We never had to encourage people to book a table at 9pm or beyond, it was just unthinkable.
'When I opened The Cinnamon Club, we were trading from 12pm to 2.30pm and then opening at 6pm and taking bookings until 10pm because there were still people looking to book at 10pm in the night. Now we take bookings only until 9.30pm and we barely get any [at 9:30].'
He said there had been an increase in people eating far earlier in the day, with an increase in diners wanting to eat as early as 5pm.
Mr Singh said: 'If you're trying to change diner behaviour, or footfall, or demographic, and want to do something rather than just sit there and complain that there's not enough business, then this is one of the things that people will consider.'
Ministers have said they will hand fresh powers to Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, allowing him to 'call in' blocked planning applications, and have kicked off consultations with other industry chiefs about how best to revive the UK's nightlife.
However, restaurants are also grappling with increased taxes and labour costs in the wake of the Chancellor's Budget. The Telegraph revealed earlier this month that some pubs are now calling last orders as early as 9pm to cut costs.
The practice of dynamic pricing, though common in other industries, has proved controversial when implemented in pubs, restaurants and bars in the past. Pub giant Stonegate, for instance, was heavily criticised when it emerged it was charging customers more for pints at busy times in 2023.
Mr Singh stressed that he does not believe restaurants should increase prices at busier times. He added: 'The bit that I'm talking about is not necessarily surge pricing, it is just a slightly more refined way of discounting. You're not going to put your tasting menu up to £150 just because a lot of people want to have it at that time.'
He added he believed restaurateurs had previously stayed away from practices such as dynamic pricing owing to a 'romantic' view of how hospitality businesses should operate.
However, Mr Singh said: 'We live in a totally different world now, and the way people are both experiencing, transacting and consuming is so different that it does require a completely different prism to look at it through.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Before crash, Air India spent years attempting a turnaround after emerging from government control
The deadly crash of an Air India flight carrying more than 240 people on Thursday arrives after years of efforts to turn around the country's flag carrier — which had been plagued by tragedy and financial losses under prior state ownership. In 2010, an Air India flight arriving from Dubai overshot the runway in the city of Mangalore and plunged over a cliff, killing 158 people out of the 166 on board. And in 2020, a flight for Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, skidded off a runway in Southern India during heavy rain and cracked in two — killing 18 people and injuring more than 120 others. Both of those incidents involved older Boeing 737-800 aircrafts — and occurred while Air India was still under governmental control. Indian conglomerate Tata Sons took over Air India in 2022, returning the carrier to private ownership after it was run by the state for decades. The 180 billion rupee (then worth $2.4 billion) deal was in some ways a homecoming for Air India, with roots that date back to the Tata family's founding of what was then-called Tata Airlines in 1932. It was also part of an wider effort to save the airline — which had become a money-losing, debt-saddled operation. Jitendra Bhargava, former executive director of the airline and author of 'The Descent of Air India,' said government ownership fostered an archaic work culture, outdated processes, and management by bureaucrats unfamiliar with the aviation industry. 'You are getting a recipe for disaster. And we went through it," Bhargava told The Associated Press. As a result, he said, the company hemorrhaged money — which had a 'cascading effect' because it couldn't invest in upgrades. By the time of the Tata Sons takeover, Air India's market share was around 12% and at risk of shrinking as competitors expanded. Bhargava and other aviation experts stress that shedding government control was necessary for Air India to compete with other private rivals — and the carrier has since worked to reinvent itself by modernizing both its operations and fleet. Over recent years, Air India redesigned its branding and ordered hundreds of new planes from both Boeing and Airbus. Analysts don't expect Thursday's crash, which involved a 12-year-old Boeing 787 Dreamliner, to change such partnerships. "Admittedly, Air India and the Tata organization have been very proud about the fact that they've made a major commitment to Boeing," said Anita Mendiratta, an aviation and leadership consultant. While acknowledging that Boeing has been bruised in recent years, largely due to problems with its 737 Max, Mendiratta noted that there's still been a 'hunger' from airlines around the world to add the company's new planes to their fleets after recent delivery delays. That includes demand for the 787 Dreamliner — which, she said, is 'one of the most important aircraft when it comes to sustainable aviation, emissions reduction, managing the costs of aviation.' Boeing has been plagued by its own safety issues, including past deadly crashes. This, however, was the first crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. And the cause of Thursday's crash is still unclear. An international investigation is underway, and Boeing has said it's 'working to gather more information.' Air India said it's also working to get answers around what caused the crash — while promising to support those impacted by the tragedy. 'This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India,' CEO Campbell Wilson said in recorded remarks. 'Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.' Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, added in a statement that 'no words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment.' He said that the company would provide 10 million rupees (nearly $116,795) to the families of each person "who has lost their life in this tragedy' — and also cover medical expenses of anyone who was injured. The Boeing 787 crashed into a medical college after takeoff in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad. A single passenger survived the crash, according to a senior Indian official and Air India. But the airline said there were no other survivors — putting the latest death toll at 241. Beyond the fatal accidents in 2010 and 2020, an Air India Boeing 747 flight also crashed into the Arabian Sea in 1978, killing all 213 aboard. The carrier was under government control from 1953 through 2022. Other fatal accidents involving India's state-owned airlines include the more than 50 people who died in a crash in the eastern city of Patna in 2000. In 1993, a flight crashed in the western city Aurangabad, killing 55. In 1988, over 130 died when a plane crashed while landing in Ahmedabad and in 1991, a crash near northeastern city Imphal killed 69 people aboard. __________ Grantham-Philips reported from New York and Ghosal reported from Hanoi. AP Writer Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Jio BlackRock gets nod to operate as investment adviser in India
Jio BlackRock Investment Advisers, the joint venture between Jio Financial Services and BlackRock, has obtained a certificate of registration from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to operate as an investment adviser. In a regulatory filing, the company announced, "Please note that the Securities and Exchange Board of India, vide letter dated 10 June 2025, has granted certificate of registration to Jio BlackRock Investment Advisers Private Limited ('JBIAPL') to act as an Investment Adviser." With the SEBI registration in place, Jio BlackRock Investment Advisers said it is poised to focus on creating digital-first products tailored to the "evolving needs of today's investors". Jio Financial Services managing director and CEO Hitesh Sethia said, 'As Indian investors increasingly seek personalized, insight-driven financial solutions, this joint venture is poised to democratize access to world-class advisory services. We are confident that JioBlackRock will redefine the future of wealth creation in India by empowering investors with global expertise and local relevance.' Additionally, the firm has announced the appointment of Marc Pilgrem as its chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD). Pilgrem brings over two decades of experience in the global financial services industry to his new role at Jio BlackRock Investment Advisers. The announcement follows the recent unveiling of the executive leadership team at Jio BlackRock Asset Management, tasked with steering the company's operations. Furthermore, Jio BlackRock Investment Advisers has launched its official website and an early access programme. This initiative offers users the opportunity to engage with educational content on investing and to preview the upcoming digital-first offerings that the company plans to introduce. "Jio BlackRock gets nod to operate as investment adviser in India" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Live Updates: Over 260 Dead After Air India Crash, Official Says, With One Survivor
Boeing suffered another setback on Thursday, when a crash of one of its passenger jets in western India renewed scrutiny of the company's safety record following a yearslong quality crisis. It could take months or years to determine the cause of the crash, in which an Air India passenger plane, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers and crew members, slammed into a medical college in Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat. Manufacturing issues may ultimately have little to do with what went wrong, but the episode — the first fatal crash involving a Dreamliner — could still lead to more scrutiny into concerns about Boeing's production practices that go back years. 'Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,' Kelly Ortberg, Boeing's chief executive, said in a statement. Mr. Ortberg also said that he had spoken with N. Chandrasekaran, the chairman of Tata Group, the conglomerate that owns Air India, and offered Boeing's support. The company said it had a team ready to help with the investigation, which is being led by India's aviation regulators. Plane crashes are typically caused by multiple factors that can include things like bird strikes, pilot error, manufacturing defects and inadequate maintenance. Early hypotheses are often ruled out during lengthy, technical crash investigations. The first Dreamliner was delivered in 2011 to All Nippon Airways, Japan's largest airline. There are more than 1,100 in service today, including nearly three dozen operated by Air India, according to Cirium, an aviation data firm. The plane involved in the crash on Thursday was delivered to Air India in January 2014 and had accumulated more than 41,000 flight hours, according to Cirium. The plane had taken off or landed nearly 8,000 times over its life, a typical amount for a Dreamliner of that age. Thursday's crash comes as Boeing is still dealing with repercussions from two deadly accidents involving its 737 Max plane in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. The company reached a deal with the Justice Department last month, which would spare Boeing from taking criminal responsibility for the crashes. Boeing has agreed to admit to obstructing federal oversight, pay a fine, contribute to a fund for the families of the victims and invest in safety and quality programs. The agreement, which requires the approval of a judge, was opposed by some of the families of crash victims. The airplane manufacturer has faced other prominent safety issues in recent years. In January 2024, a hole blew open on a new 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight, exposing passengers to forceful winds. Boeing told regulators last August that it would redesign the panels to better detect any malfunctions. That episode prompted widespread reforms at the company. Among them was an overhaul of senior management, including its chief executive, substantial changes in quality processes and procedures, increased regulatory scrutiny and Boeing's purchase of a major supplier of Max bodies. The Dreamliner has been the subject of quality concerns, too. Deliveries of the plane were paused for more than a year until the summer of 2022, when the Federal Aviation Administration approved a Boeing plan to make some fixes that included filling paper-thin gaps in the plane's body and replacing certain titanium parts that were made with the wrong material. Those problems had no immediate impact on the safety of Dreamliners, Boeing said at the time. Last year, the F.A.A. investigated claims by a Boeing engineer who claimed that the company had taken shortcuts around the time of the delivery pause in fitting together parts of the Dreamliner fuselage, or body. The whistle-blower, Sam Salehpour, said that the improper procedures could cause premature damage over years of use. Boeing disputed the claim, including at a briefing last year for reporters at the factory in North Charleston, S.C., where the Dreamliner has been assembled for years. Two top Boeing engineers said then that the company had found no evidence to support the whistle-blower's concerns after conducting exhaustive tests, inspections and analyses of the plane during its development and in recent years. One 787 airframe had been subjected to testing that put it through 165,000 'flight cycles,' the equivalent pressurization and depressurization of that many flights. That figure far exceeded the plane's expected useful life and the airframe still showed no signs of fatigue, Steve Chisholm, a vice president and the functional chief engineer for mechanical and structural engineering at Boeing, said at the briefing in South Carolina. Boeing also said then that nearly 700 Dreamliners had gone through thorough six-year maintenance checks, and eight had gone through 12-year checks. Mechanics found no signs of premature fatigue in those jets, either, according to the company. Other whistle-blowers have raised concerns about the South Carolina factory where the Dreamliner has been assembled for years. Among them was John Barnett, a former quality manager with almost three decades of experience at Boeing, who went public with his concerns about shoddy practices in 2019. Mr. Barnett killed himself last year after a yearslong legal battle with the company, which he accused of retaliating against him for raising his concerns. Last month, Boeing settled a lawsuit with Mr. Barnett's family concerning his death. But the Dreamliner involved in Thursday's crash predated those concerns: It was built years earlier in Seattle and delivered to Air India in 2014, according to Cirium. Mr. Ortberg, who took over as Boeing's chief executive last summer, described 2025 as 'our turnaround year' in a message to employees in April, when the company released better-than-expected quarterly financial results. At the time, the company said it had stabilized Dreamliner production at five planes per month, but planned to increase that to seven later in the year. The company's shares were down about 5 percent in midafternoon trading Thursday. Air India, one of the country's biggest carriers, had a cluster of dangerous incidents about 15 years ago. Before Thursday's crash, the airline's last fatal crash was in August 2020. The airline, which was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022 after decades of government ownership, has been working in recent years to improve its safety record and upgrade and expand its plane fleet. Alex Travelli and Pragati K.B. contributed reporting.