“I’ve really enjoyed working with Scoop, the whole team are so friendly, approachable and knowledgeable. Nothing seems to be too much trouble. the team have helped us with every request we have had all while showing extreme patience. We have been very happy with our relationship across all facets including local press, national press and organising events. Overall a very positive experience with a cool bunch of people.”
Serving the North: Doubling Down on Hospitality with NRB25 & lunch! NORTH
- Client: NRB25 & lunch! NORTH
- Communications, Live Event
- Date:
The North’s biggest hospitality trade event, Northern Restaurant & Bar (NRB), has long been a cornerstone for industry professionals and 2025 was its biggest year to date. Not only was NRB25 returning to Manchester Central for another unmissable show, it also marked the launch of lunch! NORTH – a brand-new co-located event dedicated to the café, coffee shop, and food-to-go sectors.
Our job? To build awareness, momentum and drive sign-ups with a punchy press office that made noise across hospitality and F&B trade media. We needed to cement NRB’s position as the North’s leading hospitality event, while launching lunch! NORTH as a must-attend event from the very start.
The Challenge.
With two shows, one venue, and a shared team behind the scenes, the biggest challenge was making sure each event had its own identity – without blurring the lines.
We needed to introduce lunch! NORTH as a fresh, standalone concept with its own purpose and personality, while still keeping up momentum and excitement for NRB25, a well-established industry staple. Clear, confident messaging was key – making sure audiences knew what each show stood for, who it was for, and why they couldn’t afford to miss either.
The Solution.
Our approach focused on making both shows unmissable moments in the hospitality calendar. For NRB25 and lunch! NORTH, we ran a smart, targeted press office – drafting and distributing tailored press releases that blended need-to-know event updates with thought-led angles to capture media attention, drive awareness, and boost registrations through coverage across trade, hospitality, and regional titles.
We managed press RSVPs ahead of the shows and handled all on-the-day media coordination, ensuring journalists had everything they needed to cover the events with ease and impact.
To strengthen positioning and long-term discoverability, we produced strategic written content pieces for both show websites, built to support SEO and help both brands speak with authority in the wider industry landscape.
Our Approach.
This wasn’t about ticking trade PR boxes – it was about leading the conversation. We went beyond just announcing speakers and award shortlists, building a press office strategy rooted in statistics, insight and influence. This included new research and data-led PR in partnership with CGA that championed the North – proving how the region was outperforming the South across key hospitality metrics. It gave media a powerful narrative to lead with, and positioned NRB25 as championing the North’s hospitality scene with confidence and credibility.
We regionalised relevant stories to give local press a reason to shout about their own patch – turning one release into a series of regional headlines.
On the ground, we gave media contacts a real reason to attend the shows. From founder-led talks to exclusive intel on new openings, we made sure top-tier trade media walked away with stories worth telling – securing premium coverage in key titles like The Caterer.
“12,187 visitors attended the two-day trade event in Manchester, which took place on 11th and 12th March at Manchester Central, with over 400 food, drink, tech and equipment suppliers showcasing the very best innovation across the sector.” – Bar Magazine
What our clients say
John Gillespie, Phenix Salon Suites
“Scoop and the team really took on board what our aim was and worked with us throughout the period to deliver excellent results. Communication and updates were made very easy and we honestly felt It was well worth it! We have already recommended scoop PR to other business owners.”
Shaza Ul-Hassan, Frurt
“Pippa and her amazing team at Scoop helped us to connect with some great networks and partnerships in the Manchester and Cheshire area. The team always goes the extra mile to support on any project or task needed and have been a pleasure to work with helping us deliver some great quality press and influencer content during our peak booking months.”
Annie Ramrachia, Secret Spa
“I would highly recommend Pippa the team, they were a pleasure to work alongside and really impacted our marketing direction. The initial workshop created by the team was a fantastic way to gather the data around who we are as a business and where our strengths lie. Pippa and the team have their finger on the pulse with current marketing trends and I would highly recommend their services if you’re looking to expand your brand to new audiences, yet keep your current customers engaged in your product.”
Acacia Cairns, Partington’s Holiday Parks
“Pippa and her team originally worked with us to deliver the PR for the launch of our Manchester restaurant, but we’ve since expanded their remit to lead the PR & marketing for all of our venues nationally. The team really get stuck in, are a pleasure to work with, reliable and deliver incredible results across the board.”
Paul Goodale, PizzaLuxe
“12,187 visitors attended the two-day trade event in Manchester, which took place on 11th and 12th March at Manchester Central, with over 400 food, drink, tech and equipment suppliers showcasing the very best innovation across the sector.” – Bar Magazine
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