The blog for smart businesspeople
Friday, 12 December 2025
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Christmas Catering Warning: Why Food Safety Failures Can Destroy a Business
For many businesses, Christmas is the busiest and most profitable time of the year. Hospitality venues run at full capacity, offices host festive events, charities provide community meals, and temporary catering operations spring up everywhere.
It is also the time of year when food poisoning outbreaks spike, and when a single mistake can cause lasting reputational, legal and financial damage to a business.
Food safety at Christmas is not just a hygiene issue. It is a business risk.
Why Christmas Increases Food Safety Risk for Businesses
The festive period creates conditions that significantly raise the likelihood of foodborne illness:
High volumes of food prepared in short timeframes
Seasonal or temporary staff with limited training
Overcrowded cold storage and rushed prep areas
Extended opening hours and staff fatigue
Increased use of buffets, shared platters and pre-prepared food
Under pressure, even well-run kitchens can slip. Regulators, however, do not offer festive exemptions.
The Business Consequences of Food Poisoning Outbreaks
Environmental Health investigations
Temporary or permanent closure
Poor hygiene ratings published online
Legal claims and compensation payouts
Loss of customer trust and future bookings
Severe reputational damage on social media
In extreme cases, particularly where vulnerable people are affected, businesses may face criminal prosecution.
At Christmas, when incidents attract higher media attention, the fallout can be swift and unforgiving.
Key Food Safety Risks Businesses Must Control
1. Temperature Control Under Pressure
Overfilled fridges and hot holding units are common in December.
Cold storage must remain at 5°C or below
Hot food must be held at 63°C or above
Cooked food must be cooled quickly and stored safely
Reheating must be thorough and done only once
Temperature logs should never be guessed or backfilled.
2. Seasonal Staff Are a Known Weak Point
Temporary workers are essential during peak periods, but they increase risk.
Food hygiene training must be provided before handling food
Supervision is critical during busy services
Assumptions about prior experience are dangerous
Lack of training is one of the first issues identified during inspections.
3. Cross-Contamination Risks Increase at Christmas
Busy prep areas make separation harder but more important.
Raw and ready-to-eat foods must be kept strictly separate
Colour-coded boards and utensils must be enforced
Handwashing procedures must be followed consistently
Festive menus often involve poultry, gravies and large joints of meat, all high-risk if mishandled.
4. Buffets and Shared Service Need Extra Care
Self-service food significantly increases contamination risk.
Food must not be left out beyond safe time limits
Serving utensils must be replaced regularly
Clear allergen labelling is essential
High-risk foods may be inappropriate for certain settings
Buffets are convenient, but they require careful management.
Vulnerable Groups Increase Duty of Care
Businesses serving older people, children, pregnant women or immunocompromised individuals must apply stricter controls.
Care homes, hospitals, schools, charities and community events must avoid high-risk foods and ensure clear allergen management. Failure here can have serious legal and ethical consequences.
Compliance Is a Commercial Asset
Strong food safety practices are not a burden — they are a competitive advantage.
Better inspection outcomes
Higher hygiene ratings
Increased customer confidence
Reduced risk of disruption during peak trading
At a time when customers are choosing venues carefully, visible professionalism matters.
A Preventable Risk in a High-Value Season
Christmas food poisoning outbreaks are rarely the result of one dramatic error. They are usually caused by small shortcuts, rushed decisions, or systems failing under pressure.
For businesses, the cost of prevention is always lower than the cost of recovery.
Christmas should be remembered for record takings and satisfied customers, not for investigations, illness and reputational damage that lasts long into the new year.
Tuesday, 9 December 2025
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Saturday, 6 December 2025
Why Every Organisation, From SMEs to Large Corporations and Charities, Should Use Pressat to Reach the Media
In a crowded marketplace, even the most innovative business or the most impactful charity can struggle to get its message heard.
Journalists’ inboxes are overflowing, social media algorithms change daily, and consumers are bombarded by more content than ever before.
This is where a trusted newswire service becomes essential, and why Pressat remains one of the UK’s most effective tools for distributing press releases with real impact.
Whether you run a small family business, a growing SME, a national brand or a charitable organisation, Pressat offers a fast, efficient and credible route to media exposure that you simply cannot achieve through organic reach alone.
A Direct Line to Journalists and Media Outlets
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| Busy journalists find Pressat very helpful |
Instead of hoping your email reaches the right person, Pressat ensures your announcement appears directly in the inboxes and news feeds of people who are actively looking for stories.
From my personal perspective this service works well as my inbox receives special emails concerning my specific requirements from Pressat.
For SMEs and charities in particular, this levels the playing field. You don’t need an in-house PR team to get national coverage, Pressat does the heavy lifting for you.
Immediate Visibility in Major Search Engines
Press releases published through Pressat are indexed quickly by Google, Bing and other major search engines. For organisations of all sizes, this delivers:
A boost in online visibility
Fresh, relevant content for search engines to recognise
Improved brand authority
Higher chances of appearing in news search results when people look up your industry or cause
For businesses working on SEO and brand recognition, this alone makes Pressat an invaluable tool.
Targeted Distribution for Better Engagement
Pressat allows users to tailor their distribution to specific sectors such as:
Environment and sustainability
This ensures your news reaches media professionals who actually cover your field, increasing the likelihood of engagement, follow-up queries and coverage.
Building Long-Term Brand Credibility
Press releases are more than just announcements they build a digital footprint. With consistent use, Pressat helps organisations establish:
Proven legitimacy
A history of growth and activity
A steady trail of authoritative media mentions
For charities, this reinforces trust with supporters. For SMEs and larger companies, it signals to customers, suppliers and investors that you are active, transparent and evolving.
Cost-Effective PR for Organisations Without Big Budgets
Hiring an agency or in-house PR team can be expensive. Many small businesses and charities simply can’t justify the cost. Pressat provides an affordable alternative:
No monthly retainers
No complex contracts
Simple, clear pricing per release
You stay in control of your budget while still accessing a professional media distribution service.
Support for Time-Pressed Organisations
Pressat offers additional features such as writing assistance, proofreading and editing. This is ideal for busy SMEs, stretched charity teams or corporate departments needing to get polished, accurate news out quickly.
The platform ensures your announcement is crafted in the right format, using journalist-friendly language and industry-standard layout, all essential for successful coverage.
An Essential Tool in Modern PR
In today’s media environment, relying on traditional outreach alone simply isn’t enough. A high-quality newswire service bridges the gap between organisations and the journalists who shape public conversation.
Pressat offers:
Speed
Reliability
Clear distribution channels
SEO advantages
Affordable access
Professional production standards
Whether you’re promoting a new product, announcing a charity campaign, highlighting achievements or sharing financial results, Pressat ensures your story is seen, heard and taken seriously.
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Old Skool Bus Events shortlisted in TWO categories of the Festival Supplier Awards 2026
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| Kate Packham with chefs Libby and Nik |
Taking place on Thursday 29th January at the De Vere Connaught Rooms in central London, the awards celebrate outdoor events and all the fantastic suppliers and production teams who deliver them.
The company is shortlisted in the Best New Product/Service of the year category, AND the Best Support Service – Crew Catering category for its work on Glastonbury Festival 2025.
Director, Kate Packham, has worked in event management for 25 years, everything from running a corporate event company, organising parties and weddings, to on site roles in festivals including Boomtown, Shambala, Glastonbury, The Great Escape, Pride, and Secret Garden Party.
However she only started the original business ‘The Old Skool Bus & Kitchen’ in lockdown 2020 with two friends, using the food truck for charity projects! Fast forward three years and separating from her original partners, she relaunched as ‘Old Skool Bus Events - Kitchen & Bar’.
The business operates in two main event sectors, event catering locally in Sussex with food trucks for private parties, weddings and corporate events, and also, the main one, in the UK festival industry.
Kate told That's Business: “We're absolutely blown away that in just 18 months of relaunching our ‘Old Skool Bus Events - Kitchen & Bar’ that we would be shortlisted in TWO award categories in the UK Festival Supplier Awards!”
She added: “We regularly trade with our food truck, named ‘Bella’, at festivals and outdoor events, however it's within the crew catering services that we have progressed the most. This year we were the first crew caterer to open on site at Glastonbury’s Worthy Farm, and we were the last to close eight weeks later. We served over 40,000 meals in those 56 consecutive days of dishing up breakfast, lunch and dinner to the incredible, hard working crew!”
Kate qualified in Nutrition & Health Coaching in February 2025, to put her in a much more knowledgeable position to develop sustainable and nourishing menus for crew and artists on site, who need to feel energised to work hard and perform well. Kate also claims that they have totally restructured the new business in terms of standards and policies, staff welfare, sustainability, inclusivity, and in Spring 2025 she recruited a whole new selection of awesome chefs and staff.
The Festival Supplier Awards are now in their eleventh year and are a firm favourite in the festival and outdoor event industry’s calendar, providing an opportunity for companies to showcase innovation, expertise and dedication within the sector.
Michelle Tayton, event director of the Festival Supplier Awards comments: “Once again, we’ve been amazed and pleased by both the volume and calibre of entries for the Festival Supplier Awards. Our finalists really highlight the creativity, capability and capacity that exists within the outdoor event industry. Making the shortlist is an achievement in itself and Old Skool Bus Events has been recognised for its hard work and ability to deliver.”
With a focus on delivery, customer service and sustainable initiatives, the awards are judged by an esteemed panel of high-profile industry experts.
These include Roger Hooker, Hooked on Events; Elle McMahon, The Ticket Crowd; Jake Vernum, Production Manager; Tess Wilson, IMG; Ben Hardy, REM Events; Jess Noakes, LS Events; Ben Craddock, London Marathon Events; Catherine Bishop, Stable Events; Mark Currie, Royal Highland Show; Kat Brown, Engine No.4; Neil Levene, CarFest; Kim Bickell, CSG Events; Paul Dunstan, Ryder Cup; Frankie Tee, EnTEEtainment; Harry Guthrie, HG Event Production; Joe Nichols, NW Live; Jess Shields, Far and Beyond; Kate Middleton, Bray Leino Events and Rik Weightman, Live Nation.
The award ceremony and dinner will be held at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London on Thursday 29 January.
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