Great industry, great coverage

What happened in 1878? The Casino at Monte Carlo opened, the Orient-Express made its first journey, Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore was presented for the first time at the Savoy Theatre - and a journal called The Caterer was launched.

Yes, the magazine is 125 years old (or young) this week, and we are celebrating with a special supplement that looks back at how hospitality has developed over the period. It's a fascinating account, full of entrepreneurial spirit, resilience and inventive ingenuity. Always central to the story, interwoven in the tapestry of the tale, keeping readers abreast of the moves, deals and personalities of the day, has been The Caterer, Hotel Keeper and Restaurateurs' Gazette (to give it its full, original name).

The longevity and success of Caterer has been dependent on one important factor - the strong, ongoing relationship that the magazine enjoys with its market and its readers. It is a relationship based on mutual interest, integrity and trust.

That relationship has allowed Caterer to become more than just a weekly magazine. In a fragmented industry, it has been a focal point of communication, and it has developed events and activities that have become institutions in their own right - the Cateys, the Acorn Awards, Hotelier of the Year and the annual Chef Conference, to name but a few.

The magazine has become an integral part of the day-to-day business of hotels, restaurants, contract catering and tourism. It lives and breathes the profession of hospitality.

Caterer has never been afraid to review what it is or the way it does things. It listens - it listens to readers, advertisers, sponsors, institutions and associations. It moves with the times and it adapts to the changing needs of the market. With your help, it has been a success for 125 years.

And there's no reason why it can't continue for another 125.

Enjoy reading about the history of the industry. Here's to the future.

Forbes Mutch, Editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper (aged 125)