Would you like to visit a Fourth regional site closer to you?

Barry Lane

Article

2024 in review – what happened in the UK hospitality industry this year?

Dec 16, 2024
2024 in review – what happened in the UK hospitality industry this year?

Fourth’s Barry Lane takes a look back at the highs and lows of 2024 for the UK Hospitality industry, in a year dominated by rising labour costs

Learn more

Article

A positive 2023 for Garden Centres Courtesy of Catering

Feb 1, 2024
A positive 2023 for Garden Centres Courtesy of Catering

Fourth’s Barry Lane shares his assessment of the Garden Center Association’s latest barometer of trade figures and explains why catering is helping the sector to optimise through adversity.

Learn more

Article

Catering helps UK Garden Centers chart a 2.27% sales increase year-to-date

Dec 8, 2023
Catering helps UK Garden Centers chart a 2.27% sales increase year-to-date

Fourth’s Barry Lane shares his take on this month’s Garden Centre Association barometer of trade figures, discussing what it could mean for UK garden centres as we head into the festive season.

Learn more

Article

Masters of Workforce: Greene King on the value of convincing not cajoling when it comes to tech

Oct 30, 2023
Masters of Workforce: Greene King on the value of convincing not cajoling when it comes to tech

Greene King’s Andy Incles joins Fourth’s Barry Lane to chat all things workforce management in the hospitality industry. From insight into the challenges facing the UK’s largest managed pub chain, to the tech and processes they’re putting in place to overcome them, Andy shares his expert insight into how operators can optimise workforce management.

Learn more

Article

Garden centres kick off Christmas… in September

Oct 30, 2023
Garden centres kick off Christmas… in September

Fourth’s Barry Lane shares his take on September’s Barometer of Trade stats, released last week by the Garden Center Association, highlighting the parallels with the wider retail sector – and where garden centres outperform. 

Learn more

Article

Garden Centres enjoy a blooming good August

Sep 25, 2023
Garden Centres enjoy a blooming good August

The latest GCA barometer of trade shows garden centres are weathering a challenging economic climate well, helped by diversification. Fourth's Barry Lane explores the highs and lows of August's data, sharing expert insight into how garden centres can supercharge their growth with data and analytics.

Learn more

Article

Masters of Supply Chain: Why PizzaExpress is going back to basics

Sep 22, 2023
Masters of Supply Chain: Why PizzaExpress is going back to basics

Spencer Playle, Supply Chain Director of PizzaExpress shares his views on the key issues impacting restaurant supply chains following a tumultuous few years for the industry.

Learn more

Article

In bloom and heading for a boom: why workforce management has never been more critical for UK garden centres

Sep 18, 2023
In bloom and heading for a boom: why workforce management has never been more critical for UK garden centres

Evolution of garden centers: From retail to vibrant destinations, powered by innovation and diverse offerings. Tech solutions streamline operations, benefiting both staff and customer experience.

Learn more

Article

Garden Centres remain resilient despite washout weather, according to latest GCA figures

Aug 25, 2023
Garden Centres remain resilient despite washout weather, according to latest GCA figures

Despite erratic UK weather, garden centers bloom. July sales up 1.03% YTD, cafes & gifts shine. Tech solutions vital for optimal ops & staff engagement.

Learn more

Article

5 Ways to Boost Your Business

Jun 11, 2023
5 Ways to Boost Your Business

In a fast-paced environment such as retail, managers want daily operations to run as smoothly as possible. However, gaps in the internal communication flow can lead to frustrated employees, poor service, and increased turnover.

Learn more