in brief

WORKING TIME RULES

A survey of 19 local authorities has found there have been no prosecutions so far under the working time regulations which came into force in October. The survey was carried out by solicitors Lewis Silkin. The Health & Safety Executive said it, too, had made no prosecutions so far.

TRAINING ACCOLADE

Sutcliffe Catering and Queens Moat Houses are among the top 14 firms to be presented with 1999 National Training Awards by the Department for Education and Employment. A total of 58 companies won awards for their training this year.

WHITBREAD MOOTS MOVE

Whitbread has confirmed that it is considering moving out of its City headquarters, the Brewery, where it was established 250 years ago. It is understood that the group is seeking cost-cutting measures. A spokesman said that the site was too big for the number of people working there.

LONDON SHINES IN POLL

London has achieved the second-highest room yields in an Arthur Andersen survey of 18 cities in Europe and the Middle East. The capital's hoteliers also retained their position as the most efficient in the study of 1998 figures. They converted 51% of their revenue to profit, excluding fixed charges such as paying off debts and rent.