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CGA: ‘Venues must walk fine line between safety and experience’

Published:  12 April, 2021

Most consumers will remain sharply focused on safety despite a growing boldness about going out as lockdown restrictions ease, according to CGA’s latest Consumer Countdown to Reopening research.

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Perfect match for Jascots

Published:  06 April, 2021

When the pandemic overwhelmed long-standing merchant Jascots, Freixenet Copestick spotted an opportunity to create the ideal symbiotic relationship. Lisa Riley reports.

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“Bitter disappointment” over Scotland’s recovery roadmap

Published:  24 February, 2021

The plan for a tentative reopening of Scotland’s economy including shops, bars and restaurants has been met with criticism by hospitality businesses who say an end of April start date will be too late for many.

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Rates relief to be extended in Scotland

Published:  17 February, 2021

Hospitality, leisure and retail businesses in Scotland will pay no rates during 2021-2022 as part of a new relief package proposed by the Scottish finance secretary Kate Forbes on 16 February.

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Guy Woodward: Reasons to be cheerful(ish)

Published:  14 January, 2021

Four things I’m excited about in 2021…

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Lockdown heroes: Top Cuvée

Published:  07 January, 2021

Top Cuvée’s story is like many others in 2020. A restaurant forced to close, hard decisions to be made, while leaning into other parts of the business in order to bump through furlough and intermittent lockdowns. However, like so many, there’s another story beneath. For Top Cuvée, 2020 has been an exercise in pure agility, with its co-founders having to pedal – quite literally, in some instances – from one new venture to the next in a bid to keep the lights on.

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Takeaway alcohol banned in latest lockdown

Published:  05 January, 2021

Bars, pubs and restaurants have been banned from selling takeaway alcohol under England’s latest lockdown rules announced by Boris Johnson last night. 

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UKH calls for recovery roadmap and pledges to assist vaccine roll-out

Published:  05 January, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) has called for a road map to recovery and has committed to assisting the vaccine roll-out.

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UK 2020 Timeline

Published:  15 December, 2020

From the first indications that a novel coronavirus brewing in the east had reared its ugly head in the west, 2020 fast played out as the year when Covid-19 turned the trade upside down. On-trade restrictions and closures, pivoting of businesses, innovation in every shape and form, plus the super-charging of ecommerce and an amazing collective response by individuals, companies and trade bodies alike all became the ‘new norm’. As a year most of us wish to see the back of stumbles to a close, the Harpers team rounds up some of the most significant events of 2020.

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Shopping boost for England falls short of 2019 figures

Published:  07 December, 2020

Lockdown fatigue has led to a boost in retail numbers as shoppers flocked back to the high street, though footfall has failed to deliver pre-pandemic levels.

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Lockdown will end in Tiers (2 and 3 for most of England)

Published:  26 November, 2020

The end of lockdown will bring little relief for England’s hospitality sector, which is returning to the rule of alcohol “only to be served with substantial meals” or stricter for most of the country.

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Return to tougher Tier system brings limited cheer for hospitality

Published:  24 November, 2020

The news yesterday (23 November) that England will return to a three-tier system post lockdown has highlighted the ongoing struggle faced by pubs, bars and restaurants.

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Naked Wines revenue soars 80%

Published:  19 November, 2020

Naked Wines has reported an 80% jump in revenue to £157.1m for the half year ending 28 September 2020, boosted by lockdowns as customers stayed home and ordered delivery. 

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Q&A: Mark Driver, Rathfinny Wine Estate

Published:  10 November, 2020

As the 2020 vintage came in, Rathfinny owner Mark Driver spoke with Andrew Catchpole about the challenges of flexing the business in a remarkable year

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Furlough scheme extended to March

Published:  05 November, 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that the government’s Job Retention Scheme, better known as the furlough scheme, will be extended until the end of March 2021, with government once again paying 80% of wages up to £2,500 to see businesses through a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

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The cost of lockdown 2.0 in numbers

Published:  04 November, 2020

There’s no escaping the imminent impact of lockdown 2.0 on on-trade Christmas sales, even if we go back to the tiered system in December. 

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Govt U-turn on pub lockdown sales

Published:  04 November, 2020

In a U-turn, the government has agreed to allow England’s pubs to sell takeaway alcohol during the national lockdown that begins on Thursday.

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‘Shop out to help out’ scheme needed for small retailers

Published:  02 November, 2020

Extra help is needed to support small, independent retailers through a second lockdown, including a ‘Shop out to help out’ scheme and a cashflow windfall, it has been suggested.

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Trade slams new lockdown ban on takeaway drink sales

Published:  02 November, 2020

In a new blow for England’s on-trade, the government has banned the sale of takeaway alcohol for the duration of the second national lockdown, which begins at midnight on Wednesday 4 November.

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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.

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