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‘Critical’ staff shortages costs hospitality £21bn in trade

Published:  23 June, 2022

Staff shortages in the hospitality industry are reaching critical levels and causing nearly half (45%) of operators to cut trading hours or capacity in order to cope, a new survey has said.

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Garda DOC Consortium seeks higher profile in UK market

Published:  09 May, 2022

The president of the Garda DOC Consortium, Paolo Fiorini, has announced plans to raise awareness of the region’s wines in the UK, following a study undertaken by Wine Intelligence.

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Paper wine bottle lands in Ocado

Published:  20 April, 2022

Anglo-Italian wine brand, When in Rome, is about to debut its paper bottle via a national listing in Ocado, where it is due to land sometime this month.

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Calls to review ‘punishing’ tax regime aired in Parliament

Published:  22 March, 2022

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has convened a meeting of MPs and Lords to hear first-hand from British businesses how the ‘punishing’ proposals for duty reform from three to 27 tax bands will negatively impact the drinks industry and consumers.  

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British office workers excited about return to pub lunch occasions

Published:  03 February, 2022

Despite the inevitable trepidation surrounding the Omicron variant, 85% of British office workers say they are looking forward to a return to the office and getting to spend more time with colleagues – with work social events high on the agenda.

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English wine producers named in '50 Most Influential People in British Luxury' list

Published:  12 January, 2022

Ruth and Charles Simpson, founders of Simpsons Wine Estate in Kent, have been named as one of the '50 Most Influential People in British Luxury' in the Walpole Power List 2022.

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"Landmark" UK/Australia trade deal finalised

Published:  17 December, 2021

The UK and Australia have reached an historic agreement on trade, in a move that has been welcomed by the WSTA.

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Concerns over Christmas bookings for hospitality

Published:  03 December, 2021

Leading trade associations have raised concern about the impact that Covid-19 and the new variant Omicron is having on Christmas bookings for the sector.

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SME distillers call for duty freeze to prevent the British gin bubble from bursting

Published:  12 October, 2021

Britain’s gin makers are calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to freeze spirit duty and extend hospitality’s VAT cut to alcoholic drinks to help boost British business.

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UK brands soar in value but still trail global giants

Published:  29 September, 2021

The UK’s leading brands are showing positive signs of recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaping in value by 22% to reach a new record high of $278.8 (£207 billion), according to Kantar’s BrandZTM Most Valuable UK Brands 2021 ranking. However, growth rates show they are lagging behind the biggest global brands.

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English and Welsh wine exports soar despite pandemic disruption

Published:  07 September, 2021

Exports of English and Welsh wine – both still and sparkling – have risen dramatically over the past 12 months, despite the on-going challenges of the Covid pandemic.

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Soapbox: Talking of funny foreigners

Published:  19 January, 2021

Have you ever used the ‘F word’ during a meeting with your biggest client? I have. Several times and, to make it worse, several times during the same meeting. The client was Jon Woodriffe, now of Origin Wines, but then Sainsbury’s buyer for French wines.

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Trade slams new lockdown ban on takeaway drink sales

Published:  02 November, 2020

In a new blow for England’s on-trade, the government has banned the sale of takeaway alcohol for the duration of the second national lockdown, which begins at midnight on Wednesday 4 November.

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Wine GB launches industry hallmark for classic method wines

Published:  15 October, 2020

Wine GB has announced its first ever collective campaign for producers in England and Wales, including a hallmark to help to differentiate English and Welsh PDO sparkling wines made using the “time and craft-intensive classic method”.

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Relief as gin spared from US tariff hikes, but battle for Scotch continues

Published:  13 August, 2020

The US has backed down on its threat to expand a 16-year old trade fight with the European Union to impose tariffs on gin – a move which would have been “hugely detrimental” for the British alcohol industry.

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British vineyards hit by Covid crisis

Published:  02 June, 2020

The Covid-19 outbreak is causing serious damage to the UK’s wine industry, according to a survey of its members commissioned by Wines of Great Britain.

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Distil and BHC end new joint venture

Published:  31 March, 2020

British drinks companies Distil and British Honey Company have folded their recently launched joint venture.

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Michel Roux Snr passes away

Published:  13 March, 2020

Legendary chef Michel Roux Sr OBE, who set a new bar for British gastronomy through his restaurants Le Gavroche and the Waterside Inn and inspired a generation of chefs, has passed away.

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UK distillery numbers hit record high

Published:  02 March, 2020

The British gin boom is far from over, if the latest distillery numbers from HMRC are any guide.

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Friday Read: Ten years of Koshu

Published:  14 February, 2020

Koshu was virtually unknown in the UK a decade ago when the Koshu of Japan promotion began. Jo Gilbert looks at the rise of a distinctively eastern wine in a western market

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