Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Licensed sector shrinks by 10,000 sites

Published: 13 October, 2021

The licensed sector has shrunk by nearly 10,000 sites from pre-Covid levels, the new Market Recovery Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners has revealed.

Investment shortfall highlighted as PM tells hospitality to fund its skills and pay gap

Published: 06 October, 2021

The hospitality sector is expected to invest in funding the sector’s skills and pay gap itself, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has signalled.

Hospitality leaders fight to recruit and retain staff as labour shortages bite

Published: 04 October, 2021

One in six (16%) hospitality jobs currently lie vacant, triggering intense competition among firms to recruit and retain team members, the latest Business Confidence Survey from CGA and Fourth has said.

UKHospitality urges fairness to all parties in new tipping legislation

Published: 27 September, 2021

The introduction of legislation regulating the sector’s management of staff gratuities has been welcomed by UKH, with a major caveat.

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

Published: 06 September, 2021

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.

UKH: ‘Mandatory vaccine passports unworkable’

Published: 06 September, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) has said a mandatory Covid vaccine passports scheme for certain venues and events would be unworkable, cause conflict between staff and customers and would force business to deal with “complex equality rules”.

Optimism among hospitality professionals dips

Published: 31 August, 2021

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

Staycations: mixed reactions to summer boom

Published: 11 August, 2021

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.

‘Pingdemic’ brings more pain

Published: 09 August, 2021

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

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

Published: 03 August, 2021

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.

'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.

A third of fled hospitality workers looking to return

Published: 21 July, 2021

A third of hospitality workers who have left the industry within the last 12 months are looking to return, according to new research by The Burnt Chef Project.

Severe staff shortages dampen Freedom Day

Published: 20 July, 2021

The number of new job vacancies in the hospitality sector rose by almost 10% in the last seven days, according to new analysis by audit, tax and consulting firm RSM.

Self-isolation rules discriminate against young workers

Published: 07 July, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) has warned that delays to the end of self-isolation rules will put additional pressures on a hospitality industry which is being crippled by staff shortages, as the government confirmed that rules around isolating at home for those who aren’t double-jabbed will continue until next month.

Staff shortages to hit crisis levels

Published: 23 June, 2021

Staff shortages in the hospitality sector are set to hit crisis levels following the 30 June, when it will become more difficult to hire EU workers, a leading City law firm has warned.

Hospitality under pressure

Published: 14 June, 2021

In a piece written before the government warned of a one-month delay to Covid restrictions lifting, Jacopo Mazzeo takes the temperature of the UK on-trade as staff shortages and restrictions continue to eat into venues’ ability to turn a profit.

Recruitment and retention ‘huge’ concerns for hospitality

Published: 03 June, 2021

Fears of staff shortages after the pandemic and Brexit, plus challenges in keeping post-furlough teams productive have come out as key concerns for hospitality business leaders.

UKH launches Jobcentre Plus initiative

Published: 03 June, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) has joined forces with the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) to launch a Jobcentre Plus initiative to promote sector opportunities to jobseekers.

Hospitality to help ‘reignite’ UK economy

Published: 15 March, 2021

Hospitality can play a critical role in rebooting the UK economy if it receives the necessary levels of support from government.

CGA: ‘Staff engagement crucial over lockdown’

Published: 11 January, 2021

Businesses need to stay close to their teams during Britain’s lockdown to make sure staff are engaged and motivated when venues reopen, according to CGA’s latest Business Confidence Survey.