Hospitality biggest casualty as record UK recession confirmed

Britain’s economy shrank by 20.4% in the three months to June 2020, marking the deepest contraction currently of any major economy, with the Accommodation & Food sectors among the hardest hit, slumping by 86.7%.

Eat out to help out totals 10.5m claims in its first week

UK diners have been quick to adopt the Treasury’s plan to boost the hospitality industry by taking advantage of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Covid-19 takes the fizz out of the UK sparkling market

The loss of celebratory drinking occasions has put the breaks on an already slowing thirst for sparkling wine in the UK, new research has revealed.

Kylie goes vintage with Benchmark expansion

International pop star Kylie Minogue is continuing to grow her presence in the UK wine aisles with the launch of a new 2019 Côtes de Provence rosé.

Bespoke lands Eat Spain Drink Spain account

Drinks-focused marketing agency Bespoke Drinks Media has won the account for the annual Eat Spain Drink Spain campaign.

Global online buying frenzy levelling out

The extraordinary upward curve in online wine and spirit sales appears to be flattening, suggests the latest data from Wine-Searcher.

Mud House pushes outdoors lifestyles in new global campaign

Leading NZ wine brand Mud House has launched a new global campaign titled ‘Taste the Adventure’.

Brave new cocktail world?

As consumers attempt to recreate a simplified on-trade experience in the home, which new trends and habits will remain post-lockdown? Lisa Riley reports.

Apothic adds first single-varietal to range

Premium Californian wine brand Apothic is to add its first single-varietal wine to its portfolio next month.

Second wave lockdown spreads from Manchester to Aberdeen

Aberdeen has become the latest city to suffer from a second spike in coronavirus cases, leading pubs and bars to close.

Soapbox: Five steps toward wine industry diversity

Black wine professional Magnavai Janjo urges the trade to swap discomfort for progressive conversation and sustainable steps towards greater inclusivity. 

Premium spirits to defy Covid pressures

Premium-and-above spirits are forecasted to increase their global volume market share to 13% by 2024 as consumers continue to search for “authenticity and status”, according to the IWSR.

Casual Dining Group remerges from administration as The Big Table

Casual Dining Group (CDG), the failed restaurant group that owned the Las Iguanas, Bella Italia and Café Rouge chains, has been rescued by private equity firm, saving 4,000 jobs across the UK and over 150 outlets.

UK hospitality takes a £30bn tumble

The closure of the hospitality industry between April to June left a £30bn hole in the British economy, it has emerged.

Hospitality needs customers if it's to stop going hungry

The hospitality sector is beginning to reopen, but it needs many more customers if its future is to be secured. By Andrew Catchpole

Eat Out to Help Out postcode checker launches alongside guidance for businesses

The government has released new guidance for businesses on the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, which will enable bars and restaurants to claim back customer-facing discounts from 7 August.

Border model could leave the UK between a rock and a hard Brexit

Co-op reports record growth as market share soars

The Co-Op has reported record sales over the past quarter, with the fastest share growth in the grocery retail industry for the 12 weeks to 14 June (Kantar). Sales are up 29.1%, bringing their market share to 7.4% – their highest since 2001.

Staff shifts still down 69% across the UK

The challenge facing the hospitality sector has been reiterated by new figures which show that shifts worked by employees are still down 68.9% across the UK.

On-trade trading at near 70% of pre-Covid norms

Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups in England have reported improving sales in the second week after shut-down was lifted, boosted by the reopening of more sites, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker data.