Post-Budget fallout looms over UK insolvency reprieve

Hospitality in resurgence after 'easing financial pressure' buoys consumer confidence

A new survey by Lumina Intelligence has revealed promising signs of a modest recovery in the UK on-trade, with both consumer spend and frequency of visits rising in October 2024.

Zum Barbarossa

Launching this month, Zum Barbarossa is Soho’s newest speakeasy, offering an intimate underground cocktail experience. The drinks menu is the centrepiece, with expertly crafted cocktails such as the Spicy Rose Paloma, Hot Honey Highball and Tommy’s Spicy Mezcalita. Other highlights include the Banana & Pineapple Daiquiri and the rich Zespresso Martini. Each drink has been designed by top mixologists to provide bold and exciting flavours, while the refined small plates, including caviar and dressed oysters, complement the drinks offering. In this atmospheric basement venue, the focus is squarely on delivering an exceptional cocktail experience.

Cahoots Postal Office

Opened in October, Cahoots Postal Office in Borough Yards takes visitors on a 1940s-themed cocktail journey in an old-fashioned post office setting. Signature drinks – such as Par Avion featuring Grey Goose vodka, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered made with Bombay Sapphire gin – are served through a unique pneumatic tube system that delivers cocktails directly to tables. The playful, interactive experience is aimed at cocktail enthusiasts seeking an immersive and theatrical venue in one of London’s historic locations.

Hospitality ramps up range rationalisation in response to growing costs

Nearly a quarter of hospitality operators have changed the routes-to-market of their drinks ranges and more business are seeking to reduce their delivery partners than increase them, leaving drinks brands at risk of being de-listed, new research has revealed.

The Coal Shed

Now open in its new home on North Street, The Coal Shed Brighton continues to bring London-level gastronomy to its Sussex counterpart as part of a much-needed revamp of the city’s downtown shopping district. Considerable work has gone into relocating and upscaling the Brighton restaurant, which is part of the same group behind The Salt Room and Burnt Orange. In its newest guise, the restaurant boasts an expansion to The Coal Shed’s signature over-fire beef cooking offer, while guests are greeted at the door with a dedicated cocktail bar. For the first time, the bar will be open seven days a week from noon till late.

Jeroboams Group acquires Davy’s storage

The Jeroboams Group has announced the acquisition of another in-bond storage facility, bolstering its leadership in the fine wine and private client market.

Sommelier Wine Awards 2025 now open for entries

The Sommelier Wine Awards (SWA) is once again open for entries for its 2025 round of judging.

Modest start to autumn for hospitality as groups’ sales rise

Britain’s leading hospitality groups recorded modest year-on-year sales growth in September, continuing a trend of like-for-like growth that has been in situ since the beginning of the year.

Champagne: Gold blends

The art of assemblage is being mined for new opportunities by Champagne houses looking to premiumise in a tough trading environment. Jo Gilbert reports.

Bodega Argento partners with Freixenet Copestick for UK distribution

Bodega Argento, one of Argentina’s leading wine producers, has entered a new distribution agreement with Freixenet Copestick in a bid to strengthen its presence in the UK market. The partnership, set to commence on 1 January 2025, will see Freixenet Copestick take on the distribution of Bodega Argento’s premium wine range across the UK.

Hospitality insolvencies jump 16%

New company insolvency statistics from auditing firm RSM show insolvencies in hospitality saw a significant increase in the year to July, as an underwhelming summer compounded the challenges facing the sector.

UK hospitality faces employee burnout

Labour shortages and employee burnout continue to plague hospitality, a new report has found, as more than half (53%) of UK managers working in the sector say their company and staff are suffering.

Klearhos Kanellakis: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

We continue our summer Q&A series with Klearhos Kanellakis, head sommelier at Ekstedt at The Yard.

Oriole

Oriole reopens on 28 August in Covent Garden, offering innovative cocktails and Latin American-inspired cuisine. The downstairs restaurant, designed as a speakeasy, features dishes like hamachi tiradito and lamb rump with huacatay. The Bamboo Bar upstairs offers aperitivo-style cocktails and bar snacks.

UK pub market forecast to grow by 1.7% in 2024, reaching £23.6bn

The UK pub and bar market is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2024, reaching a total value of £23.6 billion, according to Lumina Intelligence’s latest report. 

Margo

Margo, a new dining and drinking destination by Scoop restaurant group, opens this September in Glasgow. Headed by chef Robin Aitken, the menu focuses on seasonal produce, Scottish seafood and in-house crafted bread and pasta. Highlights include smoked haddock churros with manchego and saffron and Margo focaccia with prawn head butter. Desserts like baked rice pudding crème caramel offer a sweet finish.

Lolo

Chef José Pizarro’s new venture, Lolo, opens this month on Bermondsey Street. This all-day dining concept features a menu divided into breakfast and lunch/dinner offerings. Breakfast highlights include eggs with PX sherry-cured salmon, while lunch and dinner feature octopus salad with roast tomato and blackeye beans. The drinks menu includes Bloody Marys and Mediterranean wines.

Vanessa Stolz: 'Looking Back, Forging Ahead'

Restaurant Pine's head sommelier Vanessa Stolz opens our summer Q&A series with a taste of life on Newcastle's buzzing restaurant scene.

On-trade: The highs, lows and holding on

Clinton Cawood examines the sectors of the market faring best and those suffering the most.