Empire Cafe Leeds: Fish Street business 'proud' to be named one of the happiest places to work in the UK
A Leeds cafe has been named one of the happiest places to work in the UK.
Empire Cafe in Fish Street, Leeds city centre, was one of 22 businesses to be named on CODE Hospitality’s list of Happiest Places to Work 2024.
CODE Hospitality, founded in 2012, is a network for the hospitality industry in the UK.
And this inaugural list is designed to spotlight businesses that represent the UK hospitality sector at its most people-focused and progressive.
CODE Hospitality says these businesses are setting new standards in employee welfare and well-being and making their values and practices as integral to their identity as their food and drink. They are making the industry a better and happier place to be, now and for the next generation.
Empire Cafe opened in the former La Strega venue in April 2023 by couple and business partners Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton.
Still in its infancy, the cafe has made a name for itself among the Leeds community of independents, been praised by food critic Jay Rayner and won big at the Oliver Awards 2024.
The team behind Empire Cafe shared the recent news on their social media channels, saying: “We are so proud to announce we made it to the @codehospitality UK Happiest Places to Work list for 2024.
“Thank you for all our staff who made this happen.
“Remember, if you don’t work on your business from the inside out and fail to recruit people who are better than you, you're always going to struggle more than others.”
This year’s list, sponsored by Planday, had more than 2,500 responses across 300 nominated companies.
Respondents anonymously answered 10 questions (for example: “I can be myself at work” and “I have sufficient opportunities for team socialising and bonding”) to generate an overall Happiness Score and Advocacy Score for each company.
The judging panel, which is made up of industry professionals, convened to decide on the final 22 and overall winner, considering company scores alongside total team size and survey uptake, as well as supporting evidence provided by the shortlisted companies.
CODE founder Adam Hyman comments, ‘Evolving our Happiness in Hospitality into Happiest Places to Work is part of our continued commitment at CODE to making hospitality a better place to work.
“We can all learn something from the 22 businesses in this year’s list and it’s a pertinent reminder that people will always be at the heart of hospitality.’
Here is the full list of CODE Hospitality’s Happiest Places to Work 2024
Forza Restaurants, London (Overall winner)
All The Best (Formerly Tiny Dancer Group), London
Apricity, London
Atomeca, Schofield’s Bar and Sterling, Manchester
Bubala, London
Carousel, London
Chefs in Schools, London
COR, Bristol
Crystal Palace Wine Club, London
The Empire Café, Leeds
Furna, Brighton
Grace & Savour, Birmingham
Honest Crust Sourdough Pizza, Manchester, Altrincham, Macclesfield
Inver, Scotland
JÖRO, Sheffield
Mr Bao Group, London
Mriya Neo Bistro, London
Noble Rot, London
The Longs Arms, Wiltshire
TOAD Bakery, London
Urban Leisure Group, London
Where The Light Gets In, Stockport