Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Analysis: Trade expresses disappointment over Budget

Published: 04 November, 2024

Failure to tackle some of their most pressing concerns have left trade bodies and operators frustrated. James Bayley rounds up their thoughts.

Sporting events boost summer spending in UK hospitality

Published: 20 August, 2024

Summer 2024 has been a significant period for Britain’s pubs, bars and restaurants, with major sporting events like Men’s Euro 2024, Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics contributing to an 11% rise in consumer spending compared to last summer.

Friday read: Maximum impact – the cancelled train strikes impacting bookings by 50%

Published: 19 January, 2024

The ongoing threat of strikes is causing unmitigated damage to the UK hospitality industry, with business telling Harpers they can impact trade by 50% or more, even if they don’t go ahead.

Letter to Scottish government calls for delay to DRS

Published: 07 March, 2023

Hundreds of businesses have joined forces calling on the Scottish government to “delay, review and rethink” its Deposit Return Scheme.

Pub and bar company insolvencies jump by 83% in past year to 512

Published: 13 February, 2023

Insolvencies of pub and bar companies have increased by 83% in the past year, from 280 in 2020/21 to 512, says UHY Hacker Young, the national accountancy group.

Majestic freezes on-trade prices until April in bid to help hospitality sector

Published: 12 December, 2022

Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, will freeze its on-trade prices until April 2023 to help UK pubs, bars and restaurants, it has been announced today.

The charity helping vulnerable people find work in hospitality

Published: 21 July, 2022

Only A Pavement Away, the hospitality sector charity aiding prison leavers, veterans and those facing homelessness back into employment, has laid out plans to assist the industry in tackling the staffing crisis.

Hospitality sector recovery stymied by labour shortages, rising costs, and a drop in consumer confidence

Published: 13 July, 2022

A new report, Future Shock – Leaving Covid Behind, shows sales are back to pre-pandemic levels, but 15% of roles remain vacant, costs are spiralling, and the cost of living challenges is impacting consumer spending.

Christmas 2021: boom or bust?

Published: 24 January, 2022

James Lawrence finds the festive season was a mixed bag, with reduced sales in many areas but some sectors exceeding expectations.

Hard hit hospitality calls for further government support

Published: 17 December, 2021

As the hospitality industry continues to face a mounting crisis of cancellations and closures in the wake of Omicron and Plan B restrictions, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has urged the government to step in and save many businesses from going under.

Hospitality sector remains in ‘fragile state’

Published: 15 September, 2021

Following the UK government's unveiling of its strategy for managing Covid-19 during the autumn and winter months, UK Hospitality (UKH) chief executive Kate Nicholls has issued a stark warning about the importance of allowing businesses to remain open.

Hospitality overpays business rates by £2.4bn per year

Published: 25 August, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) have called on government to introduce business rates reform after estimating that the sector overpays by £2.4bn each year.

Deliveries and takeaways to maintain significant share of restaurant and pub sales

Published: 23 August, 2021

Deliveries and takeaways are set to maintain a “significant share” of restaurant and pub groups’ operations despite restrictions on indoor service lifting following Freedom Day, the latest CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker has predicted.

Customers return to on-trade quicker than last summer

Published: 23 August, 2021

A total of 56% of consumers visited a hospitality venue in the first 10 days following July’s Freedom Day, according to a new UK Hospitality (UKH) survey, supported by data from CGA, released today.

Nicholls appointed hospitality disability ambassador

Published: 28 July, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) CEO Kate Nicholls has been appointed as the hospitality sector’s first disability ambassador to date as part of the government’s new National Disability Strategy.

Venue closures and reduced service looming for hospitality

Published: 26 July, 2021

The hospitality sector is facing a summer of venue closures and reduced service following the government’s decision to leave the industry off the self-isolation exemption list, UK Hospitality (UKH) has warned.

'Easing of restrictions does not mean easing of challenges'

Published: 22 July, 2021

The scale of the challenges facing hospitality businesses as they look to rebuild from the effects of the pandemic means government support continues to be essential, key industry bodies have said.

Business leaders optimistic about next 12 months

Published: 15 July, 2021

A majority of business leaders now feel optimistic about market prospects for the next 12 months, while consumers are increasingly confident about going out, according the latest Future Shock report from CGA and UK Hospitality (UKH).

Welsh industry fears staffing issues and tourism confusion

Published: 15 July, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) Cymru has said it fears holidaymakers will be confused by Covid regulations in Wales and has heightened staffing concerns as it welcomed plans by the Welsh government to further relax restrictions.

The Drinks Trust gets behind National Hospitality Day

Published: 06 July, 2021

The Drinks Trust has partnered with a taskforce of the hospitality industry’s main trade associations, professional bodies and charities to call on the nation to support the sector by visiting their favourite venue on 18 September – National Hospitality Day.