Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Think Insights day to deliver spirited agenda on drinks sector

Published: 15 March, 2021

Harpers and Drinks Retailing News readers are invited to join us for our Think Insights 2021 day of spirit-focused events on Wednesday 24 March.

Scottish food and drink wholesalers to receive £5m resilience fund

Published: 07 December, 2020

A new Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund has been established by the Scottish government to help wholesalers affected by Covid-19 restrictions to cover fixed costs for a six-month period from October 2020.

New UK immigration system goes live

Published: 01 December, 2020

The UK’s new points-based post-Brexit immigration system is now operational.

Second national lockdown a "calamity" for hospitality without more govt support

Published: 02 November, 2020

There are deep concerns across the hospitality sector about the impact of the government’s latest lockdown measures for England which were announced on Saturday evening by the prime minister.

New Covid clampdowns wreck hospitality recovery

Published: 05 October, 2020

The introduction of new government restrictions to tackle the Covid-19 crisis has wreaked havoc on the nascent recovery in the UK’s hospitality industry, acording to the latest survey from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

EOHO helps pull down inflation but sector still at risk of 'bloodbath'

Published: 16 September, 2020

The success of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme in August helped push the UK inflation rate to a five-year low, according to data from the ONS.

Quarter of licensed premises remain closed as ‘rule of six’ rolls out nationwide

Published: 14 September, 2020

Nearly a quarter of Britain’s licensed premises were still to reopen at the end of August, with the London market particularly slow to recover, new data has shown.

Portman Group launches pandemic blog series

Published: 07 September, 2020

The Portman Group is launching a new bi-weekly blog to examine how the drinks sector is confronting the responsibilities and challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

UK hospitality takes a £30bn tumble

Published: 28 July, 2020

The closure of the hospitality industry between April to June left a £30bn hole in the British economy, it has emerged.

Hospitality needs customers if it's to stop going hungry

Published: 28 July, 2020

The hospitality sector is beginning to reopen, but it needs many more customers if its future is to be secured. By Andrew Catchpole

Staff shifts still down 69% across the UK

Published: 24 July, 2020

The challenge facing the hospitality sector has been reiterated by new figures which show that shifts worked by employees are still down 68.9% across the UK.

“Kickstart scheme” for young people to lift up hospitality sector

Published: 08 July, 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has revealed plans to subsidise work placements for young people in a move that is believed to be aimed at stimulating the hospitality and tourism industries while tackling unemployment post-Covid.

Shakedown looms for English and Welsh spirits

Published: 06 July, 2020

A restructure could be on the cards for the English and Welsh spirits sector, as pressure from an impending recession begins to squeeze brands at either end of the price spectrum. Jo Gilbert reports

Casual Dining Group to close 91 restaurants

Published: 03 July, 2020

Casual Dining Group (CDG), the company that owns Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Las Iguanas and Belgo, has announced 91 of its 250 sites will remain closed permanently, resulting in the loss of 1,900 jobs to the on-trade sector.

Self-imposed regulations risk UK’s standing as fine wine trading hub

Published: 01 July, 2020

The UK's status as a global trading hub for fine wine will face major risks from the additional burdens of government-imposed regulations when the UK ends its Brexit transition period at the close of the year.

Government urged to end rent stalemate to save hospitality sector

Published: 18 May, 2020

UK Hospitality has again called on the UK government to intervene in the ongoing rent stalemate to prevent “widespread job losses and business failures” across the sector.

Hospitality has the UK's highest number of business closures and (almost) the most furloughed staff

Published: 14 May, 2020

A new survey showing how UK business are coping financially with the coronavirus pandemic has shone a light on the pressures being put on the out of home food and drink industry.

Independents: Open to trade

Published: 03 April, 2020

With merchants fast adapting to survive, Andrew Catchpole surveyed the indie scene to discover how companies are adapting.

Berkmann launches new scheme to support hospitality sector

Published: 02 April, 2020

Berkmann Wine Cellars has launched a new online platform to raise funds for the hospitality sector through consumer sales.

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.