UK pub and bars predicted to recover fully by 2024

The UK pub and bar market is set to recover to 64% of its pre-pandemic value in 2021 to £14.8bn, Lumina Intelligence has revealed, with full recovery to follow by 2024, possibly exceeding 2019.

Future-proofing the on-trade

With the buffeting the on-trade has received it’s hardly surprising that many are talking about ongoing change, as Andrew Catchpole asks what form that may take.

Survey: Indie minded

With our UK’s 50 Best Indies 2021 list unveiled, we’re revealing (anonymously) some of the insights gleaned from our entrants’ survey responses as to how businesses adapted their portfolios and subsequently thrived during the pandemic. Andrew Catchpole picks the persistent trends.

Inflexible hospitality sector faces continued labour crisis, as job vacancies surge past one million

The UK’s hospitality industry must embrace more flexible working patterns if it intends to survive, a leading commentator has claimed.

Fine wine becoming a ‘regular luxury’ for British consumers

A recent survey commissioned by fine wine merchant Bordeaux Index suggests that the pandemic has led to a surge of interest in fine wine buying – either for immediate consumption or longer term investment.

UK’s 50 Best Indies 2021: 31-50

Welcome to the release of our second tranche of our 50 Best Indies list, from 31-40, also featuring all of those that have made it into the 31-50 ranking so far.

Vinpro: ‘Hopeful for a positive outcome’

Vinpro has said it is “hopeful for a positive outcome” following the announcement by the Western Cape High Court that it reserved judgement in the court case during which the industry body contested the approach followed by government towards alcohol ban restrictions.

Bouncing Back Q&A: Jamie Wynne Griffiths, Propeller

It’s been a one-of-a-kind 18 months for the trade. Here, as we begin to push into the second half of the second year of the pandemic, Harpers is catching up with businesses to find out how they’re focusing on recovering from the shock, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

Hospitality overpays business rates by £2.4bn per year

UK Hospitality (UKH) and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) have called on government to introduce business rates reform after estimating that the sector overpays by £2.4bn each year.

Bouncing Back Q&A: Tim Fordham, Liberty Wines

It’s been a one-of-a-kind 18 months for the trade. Here, as we begin to push into the second half of the second year of the pandemic, Harpers is catching up with businesses to find out how they’re focusing on recovering from the shock, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

BWS grocery sales decline 6%

Beer, wine and spirits (BWS) sales through supermarkets continued to slide in the four weeks ending 14 August 2021, down 6% compared with the same period last year, according to Total Till data from NielsenIQ released today.

Bouncing Back Q&A: Craig Durham, Buckingham Schenk

It’s been a one-of-a-kind 18 months for the trade. Here, as we begin to push into the second half of the second year of the pandemic, Harpers is catching up with businesses to find out how they’re focusing on recovering from the shock, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

Bouncing Back Q&A: Andrew Lundy, Vino Wines

It’s been a one-of-a-kind 18 months for the trade. Here, as we begin to push into the second half of the second year of the pandemic, Harpers is catching up with businesses to find out how they’re focusing on recovering from the shock, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

Deliveries and takeaways to maintain significant share of restaurant and pub sales

Deliveries and takeaways are set to maintain a “significant share” of restaurant and pub groups’ operations despite restrictions on indoor service lifting following Freedom Day, the latest CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker has predicted.

Vinpro pledges to continue fight as court case starts

Vinpro has pledged to continue its fight to help fully reopen and rebuild the SA wine industry.

Customers return to on-trade quicker than last summer

A total of 56% of consumers visited a hospitality venue in the first 10 days following July’s Freedom Day, according to a new UK Hospitality (UKH) survey, supported by data from CGA, released today.

Bouncing Back Q&A: Nik Darlington, Graft Wine

It’s been a one-of-a-kind 18 months for the trade. Here, as we begin to push into the second half of the second year of the pandemic, Harpers is catching up with businesses to find out how they’re focusing on recovering from the shock, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

Bouncing Back Q&A: Tom Smith, Accolade Wines

It’s been a one-of-a-kind 18 months for the trade. Here, as we begin to push into the second half of the second year of the pandemic, Harpers is catching up with businesses to find out how they’re focusing on recovering from the shock, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

On-trade reopening: Limited freedom

Bouncing Back Q&A: Jay Wright, Virgin Wines