Almost anyone who has used the postal system in the UK will have experienced the frustrations of late or missed deliveries, damaged packages or unhelpful tracking services.
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The Scottish government has announced its support for the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which aims to cut VAT on hospitality to 10%.
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The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) has called on the government to delay the implementation of its deposit return scheme (DRS), after what it called “a shocking lack of details”.
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Pubs at risk of closure for conversion to another use are set to receive protections under new planning regulations in England, which come into force today (Monday 17 August).
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According to the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) UK Brewery Tracker, the rate of brewery closures has slowed in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025.
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Andy Burnham has been deliberately difficult to pin down in recent weeks. Since Keir Starmer resigned a little over a month ago (22 June), Burnham has managed to minimise media scrutiny – appearing in precious few interviews and refusing to answer questions after public appearances.
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The government has announced that pubs, clubs and live music venues across England are set to receive a 20% business rates cut from April 2027.
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Chef and publican Tom Kerridge is urging the hospitality industry to sign a new petition backing VATsTheProblem – a campaign to cut VAT for the sector to 10%.
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True hospitality consists of giving the best of yourself to your guests,” once observed Eleanor Roosevelt. But after two years of relentless inflation, compounded by April’s increases in wages and business rates, few operators can still afford to be generous. The UK’s beleaguered hospitality sector finds itself at a critical juncture – venues have already streamlined, simplified and raised prices as far as they dare. Yet further increases may be unavoidable, creating the very real risk of significant impacts on footfall and average spend.
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Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) chief executive Miles Beale used a platform at the opening of this year’s London Wine Fair (LWF) to call for an ongoing and urgent drink and hospitality industry reset with regard to lobbying government.
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In a letter to the chancellor, UK Hospitality has proposed six measures that the government could implement to help hospitality businesses through increasing energy costs.
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Against the backdrop of an incredibly challenging chapter for the drinks and hospitality sectors, Brett Fleming, MD of Armit Wines, decries a government that refuses to listen to the trade.
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The wine and spirits sector has hit back against what the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) called “the UK's uniquely punitive excise duty regime”.
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The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has announced the appointment of former UK ambassador Ian Duddy (pictured) as its next international director.
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Alcohol-free social impact business Club Soda has launched what it claims is the first ‘benchmarking’ survey of the low, no and mid-strength sector, aimed at gathering data to inform government policymaking. The survey is open to low & no brands, to ensure that they get a voice.
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Mike Nesbitt, the health minister for Northern Ireland, has said that he will be unable to deliver minimum unit pricing (MUP) before the Stormont election in May 2027, as reported by the BBC.
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New proposals to introduce a tourist levy in England could deliver a £1.6bn tax hit to consumers while shrinking the wider economy and reducing employment, according to UK Hospitality.
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The WSTA has called on the government to end the “doom loop” caused by its decision to continue to increase alcohol duty at the last Budget (as Harpers reported).
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The hospitality industry has reacted to yesterday’s announcement by the government that pubs and music venues would receive a rates relief package costing £80m next year alone (as Harpers reported).
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The government has revealed a support package aimed at helping pubs and music venues in England, worth £80m.
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