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Industry calls for alcohol duty suspension for at least six months

Published:  18 March, 2020

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is calling on officials to urgently suspend all alcohol duty to ease the tax burden on beleaguered businesses ahead of next week’s deadline. 

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Coronavirus: Supplier responses to the Chancellor’s support measures

Published:  18 March, 2020

As the extraordinary complexity of the current situation fully sinks in, Andrew Catchpole discovers how those supplying the on-trade have reacted to the Chancellor’s support measures for businesses.

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New date for Think Spirits

Published:  18 March, 2020

The launch of Harpers’ bigger and better spirits event, which is expanding in order to reflect a raft of dynamic and fast-moving drinks categories in the UK, is to take place later in the year.

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Major restaurant groups close as coronavirus bites

Published:  18 March, 2020

D&D London and Wolseley have become the latest major on-trade coronavirus casualties with both having announced they are temporarily closing its restaurants with immediate effect.

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Michael Broadbent MW passes away

Published:  18 March, 2020

Harpers has learned of the sad passing of critic and auctioneer Michael Broadbent MW, who has died, aged 92.

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Chancellor announces additional £20bn support for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors

Published:  17 March, 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has increased promised government support for the hospitality sector, with a mix of tax cuts and grants, amounting to a £20bn support package, in addition to an overall support package of government backed and guaranteed loans available to business of £330bn. 

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Diageo unveils GB on-trade support package, including £1m pledge for bartender wages

Published:  17 March, 2020

Drinks industry giant Diageo has marked St Patrick’s Day with a pledge via its Guinness brand of £1m to support bartenders in the UK, with similar fund is being set up in Ireland.

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Familia Torres launches ancestral winegrowing project

Published:  17 March, 2020

Family-owned winery Familia Torres has kicked off the latest stage of on an ongoing growing project in Alts d'Ancosa in the Penedès, where it will be planting historic local variety, Forcada.

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Big Fortified Tasting latest coronavirus casualty

Published:  17 March, 2020

The Big Fortified Tasting is the latest trade tasting to be cancelled in the wake of the deepening coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

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Industry petitions government not to wash its hands of responsibility on venue closures

Published:  17 March, 2020

The trade can now sign a petition that is urging the government to take urgent to action to provide financial and practical advice for the UK’s pubs, bars and restaurants.

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Majestic reassures over stock after big spike in demand for EU wines

Published:  17 March, 2020

Majestic Wine has realised a statement saying “shelves will stay stacked with wine” after customer stockpiling drove dramatic increases in demand for wines over the weekend.

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Coronavirus: Don’t leave pubs and bars in “limbo”

Published:  17 March, 2020

The industry is galvanising its voices to urge the Prime Minister to take decisive action at this afternoon’s coronavirus briefing after pubs, bars and restaurants are left in “limbo” just as the outbreak looks set to take hold in the UK.

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France lockdown presenting challenge for some UK importers

Published:  17 March, 2020

President Macron’s announcement on Monday (16 March) that France is to close its borders to all but essential movement and trade, coupled with a ban on non-essential movement of people domestically, is also seeing some warehouses and businesses shut up shop as the coronavirus situation worsens.

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PM urges public to avoid pubs, clubs and social venues

Published:  16 March, 2020

Socialising in groups and travelling for non-essential reasons is no officially a no-no the government has said as it introduces stricter measures for dealing with the spread of coronavirus (Covid–19).

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LWF update now expected Wednesday

Published:  16 March, 2020

Harpers has learned that the board of Hemming Group, owner of the London Wine Fair (LWF), has delayed a meeting to assess the viability of all upcoming events until Wednesday (18 March), with a statement to be made "later in the week". 

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Desperate times for bars and restaurants facing “short-term cashflow catastrophe” as footfall plummets 50%

Published:  16 March, 2020

Pressure is being piled on chancellor Rishi Sunak to introduce emergency measures to stem the knock on effect of coronavirus (Covid-19) as footfall to UK businesses fell by almost 50% over the weekend.

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Coronaviris: Harpers to assist business with exchange of ideas, advice and information

Published:  16 March, 2020

In response to the advancing coronavirus crisis, the Harpers team is asking off and on-trade business, large and small, to share strategies and initiatives designed to help drive commercial activity and sales through a period of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty.

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Campari donates 1 million euros to tackle coronavirus outbreak

Published:  16 March, 2020

Campari Group has announced it is making a major donation to a public healthcare institution on the front line of battling the coronavirus (Covid-19) in Italy.

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Coronavirus: Drinks trade disruption deepens as more events cancelled or postponed

Published:  16 March, 2020

As central banks around the world coordinate to fight the economic impact of coronavirus (Covid-19), the drinks trade is already feeling the impact of the crisis, with the postponement of events being the most visible effect.

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Wines from Spain annual tasting postponed

Published:  13 March, 2020

Wines from Spain has announced that it will postpone its annual tasting. The event, planned to take place at Sky Garden on March 31 will be moved to a later date. 

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