in brief

brewery to the lords

Independent brewer Shepherd Neame is to take its legal fight against UK beer duty to the House of Lords after a decision by the Court of Appeal not to refer the case to the European courts. The brewer claims recent increases in beer duty break European law.

chartwells' done deal

Contract caterer Chartwells will take over school meals in the London Borough of Lewisham from 22 February under a 10-year private finance deal. The two parties spent nearly a year agreeing details of the £65m contract, initially signed last March.

fab four-star?

A new four-star hotel is planned for Liverpool. The developer, the Beetham Organisation, has bought the former St Paul's Eye Hospital site and aims to build a 29-storey building, including 400,000sq ft of hotel space.

Ron Jones honoured

Ron Jones, whose hotel career has spanned 50 years, has been awarded the honourary degree of Doctor of the University of Derby. Jones was general manager and director of London's Claridge's hotel for 10 years and is co-author of Grand Hotelier: Inside the Best Hotels.

Green to chair ECA

Peter Green, managing director of Sovereign Catering Services, has been appointed chairman elect of the European Catering Association. He has been a member of the ECA Council since 1994.