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A restaurant in London has sparked criticism over its decision to introduce a minimum spend next month that will see solo diners charged double for their meals. In August, Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal, which boasts two Michelin stars, will increase the prices of its tasting menus. Currently, a five-course tasting menu costs £125 per person, while it’s £175 for seven courses. However, from 17 August, the restaurant will increase its prices by 11 per cent, bringing five courses to £165 and seven courses to £195. This is due to an increase in supplier costs and rising staff shortages in London, due to Brexit, that has put pressure on the business. For those dining alone, though, the new minimum spend means solo visitors could be charged a minimum of £330 to visit the restaurant due to the volume of requests they receive. However, the restaurant confirmed that they keep one to two tables for solo diners for every service without the minimum spend. So solo diners who book within 24 to 48 hours of their required booking time could be able to swerve the minimum spend depending on whether those tables are available at the time. Nonetheless, the initiative sparked outrage on Twitter, with commenters quick to point out the joys of dining alone, and how solo diners are often stigmatised. “F*** the Hotel Café Royal then… Solo dining is one of life’s great pleasures,” tweeted one person. “Oh great news. Yet another penalty for being single,” another added. Hugh Smithson-Write, who works in restaurant PR, tweeted: “A classic example of making the customer the problem, rather than finding a solution. “If you get ‘many solo diner requests’ how about you reconfigure your dining room to accommodate that and maximise the revenue? This is the very opposite of hospitality!” Victoria Sheppard, chief executive at Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal, told The Independent: “Since achieving our two Michelin stars the demand for solo dining has increased dramatically and whilst we make every effort to accommodate solo diners, we also have to be considerate to the running costs of our business. “That said, we are increasing our opening hours from 17 August and will be able to accommodate more solo diners (without any discretionary minimum spend). 95 per cent of our solo diners requesting tables since we implemented a discretionary minimum spend when we are at capacity for solo diners have been more that happy to proceed with their booking, enjoying wine pairings or champagne of wine alongside their meal. “Nightclubs in our local vicinity have minimum spends for tables or hotels you pay the same price whether one guest or two which is never under dispute.” Read More Michelin star chef Marcus Wareing gives controversial answer to the best pizza in London Tom Kerridge addresses backlash to his £35 fish and chips at Harrods: ‘They shout at me’ Chef defends viral chicken recipe after TikTok backlash: ‘PSA to the seasoning police’ Restaurant with ‘tips are a privilege’ policy sparks intense backlash on social media Cher is launching a gelato brand called ‘Cherlato’ Popeyes widely mocked for attempt to join ‘girl dinner’ trend

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We’ve been hit with a September heatwave and, for runners – whether beginner or seasoned – it means added concerns around dehydration, chafing and generally keeping safe in the heat. Ultramarathon runner Leon Bustin, 36, completed a 220km run through the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan in October 2022, so he knows a thing or two about dealing with hot weather while exercising. Here is the athlete’s advice for heatwave running right now. Be sun safe “Covering your skin to avoid too much direct sunlight will really help,” says Bustin, who is also a content creator for Lean Machines and a personal trainer. “I highly recommend using a good zinc stick under the eyes and across the nose as well. “I used a bright purple one in the desert to remind me of my daughter and also to show very clearly if there was a part I’d missed. [Use] a higher factor than you think you need.” Hydration starts before a run “Working on your hydration starts before you take a single step out of the door,” he says. “I even start my day with an electrolyte-rich glass of water as we even become dehydrated in our sleep. “So having a good 500ml of electrolyte-rich water pre-run will really help, then as a good basic guideline take a further 500ml for each hour you are out. “The important thing is adding the electrolytes to the water. If we over-consume [pure water] we may dilute and flush out essential electrolytes and trace minerals as we pee.” Cool bare skin “Try cooling the glabrous – or none hairy- areas, it really helps flush heat out of your body fast,” says Bustin. “Those areas include the palms of your hands, under eyes, ears and soles of your feet. “Every time l arrived at an aid station in the desert l would hand over my water bottles to be refilled and plunge my hands straight into a bucket of coldish water, splash my face then keep the hands there for a good 30 to 40 seconds.” For those of us without air stations, Bustin suggests wetting exposed skin with water from a bottle. Pop a flannel in the freezer before going on a run and run it across your skin afterwards, or midway. “The key to keeping cool on a run is managing your core temperature because if that rises too much, put simply, it will be the end of your race,” he adds. Breath correctly “Breathing right for you is really important to get nailed down regardless of the running conditions, but especially in the heat as we don’t want to put any unnecessary extra stress on our bodies – because it will just cost more energy,” says Bustin. “We all tend to over-breathe through our mouth so simply focusing more of our inward breaths to be through the nose will help more than you think and over time both bring down and regulate your average heart rate greatly.” Be careful of the chafe Chafing can put you off pretty early in your running journey, and in the heat, where shorts can leave thighs rubbing together and slick with sweat, it’s a run-ruiner. “Anti-chafe cream is your best friend in the key areas (between the thighs and under the arms),” says Bustin, “but also if you get lots of toe blisters like me. “I put a generous dose between my toes of a good oil-based anti-chafe or even just some good old Sudocrem to keep those toes gliding. The right cream for you will take trial and error and is also combined with wearing the right run kit for you as well.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Women being invited to help shape the future of reproductive healthcare – from period pain to menopause How to style your home like a professional One in 10 ‘spending beyond their means’ – try these 7 cutbacks guaranteed to save families money

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“New year, new me,” is what Jupiter would say if it could talk, probably. The Planet of Luck and Expansion is leaving behind its spot in fiery Aries and entering into a new era of astrological fun. That’s right, Jupiter is entering Taurus on May 16, where it’ll stay until May 24, 2024.