Task A

(http://www.ibisworld.co.uk/market-research/catering-services.html)
The Catering Services industry has struggled during the past five years. Since 2008-09, a severe economic downturn has led businesses and households to spend less on catered events. Businesses faced with plunging profitability cut back sharply on catered events such as office parties, corporate seminars and product launches, and reduced average spend per head for events that did go ahead. The deteriorating consumer climate led consumers to put off discretionary events and choose to cater events themselves or spend less at a restaurant rather than use the industry's services.

Similar to the textiles and fashion industry, the catering industry is interesting in the sense that it is part leisure, part necessity. Countries within the UK, and even cities and towns within those countries, are painted strongly in character by their decided method of foodservice and how they have attempted to either follow on the waves of change, or stubbornly resist it. There are places within Britain even – Lavenham, for instance - which are still extremely traditional in their foodservice and have scarcely changed at all with the times. Pubs, cafes and small bakeries being just about the only type of eating establishment one might find. Turning dining into a leisure activity is much the sign of a matured, metropolitan capitalist-model society. Independent, “commercial” business rise to seize or exploit potential niches in the market and make themselves a profit. With the rise of such a profit and free-enterprise-oriented society as ours, many regulations and legislature have come into place in attempt to standardise and/or control the employing methods of such companies. A few of which would be the “Sex Discrimination Act” of 1975, stating that discrimination of an individual on the grounds of their gender or marital status, leading to them being denied opportunities or training for promotion would be unlawful.

Similarly, the “Race Relations Act” of 1976 and the “Asylum and Immigration Act” of 1996 seek to allow legal immigrants into the UK work force, requiring that they have the right paperwork – proof of right to work in the UK, and recognised bank account.

(http://www.hospitalityandcateringnews.com/2013/06/uk-branded-restaurant-market-to-grow-by-5-6-billion/)
The UK’s Branded Restaurant Market is set for encouraging growth as branded chains continue to win market share from independents. This authoritative report covers all sub-sectors of the branded restaurant market including Fast Food, Pub Restaurants and Casual Dining Restaurants. With an expected turnover of £16.4bn in 2013, this market is set for accelerated growth through physical expansion and positive like-for-like performance, including modest underlying volume growth.

Eating out habits are changing
Consumers’ eating out habits are, however, becoming less structured and more informal, and a defining core capability that will influence the changing dynamic of the market is the capacity for restaurants to trade all day.

New entrants, new owners
Consumers passionate about food, demanding higher quality, better value and more diversity, will shape the future branded restaurant marketplace. The street food revolution is bringing exciting new authentic cuisines, and this low-cost market entry model is gathering momentum, encouraging fast growth and is poised to directly influence strong operators and challenge weaker small brands and independents.
Allegra’s forecast of 5 year 6.1% CAGR in the value of the branded restaurant market will comfortably out-perform the wider hospitality and retail markets, and will attract growing interest from a wide spectrum of parties including food retailers, private equity, large corporates and contract caterers, all looking to invest in a robust, growing market

(http://www.hodderplus.com/catering/pc/extra1.pdf)
Hospitality and catering, like all leisure markets,