Inflexible hospitality sector faces continued labour crisis, as job vacancies surge past one million

The UK’s hospitality industry must embrace more flexible working patterns if it intends to survive, a leading commentator has claimed.

HGV shortage could lead to a watered-down Christmas, Accolade warns

Accolade Wines has warned that truck driver shortages could have a major impact on Christmas sales, with on-going recruitment issues likely to limit stocks and drive up costs.

No-shows cost sector £17.6bn

Customers not turning up for their bookings are costing the hospitality sector £17.6bn each year, according to a new CGA and Zonal report.

Optimism among hospitality professionals dips

Optimism among hospitality professionals has dipped amid staffing challenges and safety concerns, according to a new survey by CGA and CPL Learning.

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

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

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.

Drinks Trust backs PR internship for pandemic-affected workers

The Drinks Community – the professional members platform from The Drinks Trust – has partnered with UK drinks public relations agency Domino Communications to offer an internship for those working in the hospitality and drinks industry, whose livelihoods have been negatively affected by the pandemic.

Restaurants and bars emerge as the big winners of Freedom Day

Britain’s managed pub, restaurant and bar groups lifted sales back close to pre-Covid-19 levels in July, new data has revealed, with restaurants and bars benefitting the most from the easing of restrictions.

On-trade reopening: Limited freedom

Staycations: mixed reactions to summer boom

The UK’s regions are enjoying a burst of attention with staycationers going in search of the British sun. It’s a shame venues can’t get the staff, says Jo Gilbert.

Bar trend for cocktails spills into nightclubs

Nightclub visitors have, in line with trends seen after the restart of restaurants, pubs and bars from April, been celebrating reopening of the sector with cocktails, according to CGA research.

‘Pingdemic’ brings more pain

Pandemic restrictions may have been lifted, but for hospitality businesses desperate to welcome punters back, a new challenge is thwarting their ambitions. Lisa Riley reports

Scottish trade hails reopening but raises concerns for the future

The hospitality sector has welcomed news that Scotland will be easing Covid-19 restrictions from next week but has called for more clarity on the details.

Industry welcomes NHS Covid-19 app changes to ease ‘pingdemic’

Trade associations have welcomed news that the Government is to update the NHS Covid-19 app to reduce the numbers of people being forced to self-isolate.

Investment in hospitality sector halves in Q1

Business investment in the hospitality sector halved in the first quarter of this year on an annual basis, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.

Diageo reports 8.3% jump in sales

Diageo has reported an 8.3% jump in sales to £12.7bn with strong organic growth offset by an adverse foreign exchange impact in the year to 30 June 2021.

Hospitality footfall boosted by ‘Freedom day’

The lifting of all Covid-19 trading restrictions in England on 19 July saw a significant boost in footfall, according to the latest Presence data from Wireless Social, with the UK reaching 80% pre-Covid levels.   

‘Freedom day’ provides lift for bars

The long-awaited easing of Covid restrictions on 19 July saw like-for-like drinks sales at a GB level dropping by just 5% on the same day in July 2019, according to CGA’s Drinks Recovery Tracker.

Venue closures and reduced service looming for hospitality

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'

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.