Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Pandemic fails to halt UK distillery boom

Published: 09 February, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has failed to halt the UK’s distillery boom with new figures showing a record number of distilleries were registered in 2020.

Industry needs to ‘redouble efforts’ to scrap VI-1s

Published: 27 January, 2021

Victoria Prentis, minister for fishing and farming, this week confirmed that the government will “consider in due course whether there is a case for revisiting the requirements of the VI-1 certification”.

Calls for UK trade to help crippled SA by freeing up tank space

Published: 25 January, 2021

Richard Bampfield MW has issued a call to the UK trade to support the beleaguered South African wine industry as producers continue to suffer crippling government restriction and oversupply issues.

UKH: ‘GDP figures highlight importance of hospitality’

Published: 18 January, 2021

GDP figures for November, released last Friday, have highlighted the impact of hospitality on the UK’s economy and made the case for the sector to be “at the heart of reopening plans”, UK Hospitality (UKH) has said.

Takeaway alcohol banned in latest lockdown

Published: 05 January, 2021

Bars, pubs and restaurants have been banned from selling takeaway alcohol under England’s latest lockdown rules announced by Boris Johnson last night.

Level 4 climbdown offers some relief for Scotland

Published: 09 December, 2020

Level 4 restrictions will come to an end for parts of west central Scotland from 6pm on December 11. However, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) has said that there is much left to be done if businesses are to survive ongoing government measures.

UKH calls for govt to earmark ‘Tesco hand back’ for hospitality

Published: 02 December, 2020

UK Hospitality (UKH) has called for the establishment of a Hospitality and Tourism Recovery Fund to support hospitality businesses that have not received any grant support and are at risk of closure.

Trade bodies call for revamp of alcohol duty system

Published: 01 December, 2020

UK Hospitality (UKH) and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) have called on the government to “revamp and simplify” the system of alcohol duty in order to boost businesses and deliver on the government’s public health initiatives.

PM promises u-turn on support for hospitality trade

Published: 30 November, 2020

Boris Johnson is set to offer more support to pubs and restaurants, the Daily Telegraph is reporting.

Oz wines hit with huge Chinese import taxes

Published: 30 November, 2020

China has imposed taxes of up to 212% on imports of Australian wine.

Lockdown will end in Tiers (2 and 3 for most of England)

Published: 26 November, 2020

The end of lockdown will bring little relief for England’s hospitality sector, which is returning to the rule of alcohol “only to be served with substantial meals” or stricter for most of the country.

Calls for government to set out budgetary plans and provide businesses with certainty

Published: 24 November, 2020

The lack of certainty on key budgetary announcements is creating untenable instability for businesses, leading tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg has said, adding calls for the government to announce full budgetary plans sooner rather than later.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Can we plan for the unknown?

Published: 23 November, 2020

“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.” Charles Bukowski

Soapbox: Southern bias leaves a bitter taste

Published: 17 November, 2020

After enduring three months of local restrictions with little help, Sara Saunby, owner of Manchester hybrid Salut, says Whitehall’s belated decision to help the North is too little, too late

Furlough extension “wasted investment” without further support

Published: 06 November, 2020

Trade bodies have welcomed the extension of the Job Retention (furlough) Scheme (JRS) but warned that this alone is not enough to keep hospitality alive.

UKH: ‘Decision to permit takeaway alcohol vital lifeline for businesses’

Published: 04 November, 2020

UK Hospitality (UKH) has welcomed the “pragmatic decision” to allow restaurants, bars and pubs to sell pre-ordered takeaway alcohol sales during lockdown 2.0.

Govt U-turn on pub lockdown sales

Published: 04 November, 2020

In a U-turn, the government has agreed to allow England’s pubs to sell takeaway alcohol during the national lockdown that begins on Thursday.

‘Shop out to help out’ scheme needed for small retailers

Published: 02 November, 2020

Extra help is needed to support small, independent retailers through a second lockdown, including a ‘Shop out to help out’ scheme and a cashflow windfall, it has been suggested.

Second national lockdown a "calamity" for hospitality without more govt support

Published: 02 November, 2020

There are deep concerns across the hospitality sector about the impact of the government’s latest lockdown measures for England which were announced on Saturday evening by the prime minister.