Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

The Drinks Trust launches charity auction

Published: 15 November, 2021

The Drinks Trust has unveiled plans to run an annual online charity auction ‘Cream of the Crop.'

The Drinks Trust launches industry survey in the wake of the pandemic

Published: 04 November, 2021

The Drinks Trust has launched a new survey for 2021, which is seeking to establish how members of the hospitality and drinks industry are feeling in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Young consumers set to embrace Christmas trading

Published: 02 November, 2021

Young adults are set to embrace pubs, bars and restaurants for Christmas celebrations, but older people may be more hesitant about eating and drinking out, new research from CGA has revealed.

The Drinks Trust partners with Equal Measures to deliver greater equality

Published: 01 November, 2021

The Drinks Trust is partnering with Equal Measures, an initiative to deliver greater opportunities for under-represented groups in the drinks industry.

New Pix wine platform on global ‘matchmaking mission’

Published: 29 September, 2021

An ambitious new wine discovery platform is soon to launch with the aim of becoming the “biggest wine platform in the world,” according to its creators.

Scottish passport plans ‘capture swathes’ of the night time economy

Published: 22 September, 2021

The Scottish vaccine passport plans are likely to cover more venues than just nightclubs after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled the details of the plans yesterday.

Survey: Indie minded

Published: 21 September, 2021

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.

‘Return to normality’ impacts sales of BWS in grocery sector

Published: 14 September, 2021

The latest data released by Kantar indicates that UK drinkers are consuming less alcohol at home, with total grocery sales of BWS falling significantly over the past three months.

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

Published: 14 September, 2021

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

Scottish vaccine passport plan ‘threat hanging over the whole hospitality industry’

Published: 02 September, 2021

Industry bodies have voiced their concern following the Scottich government’s announcement yesterday that vaccine passports will be required for entry to nightclubs and many large events in the country from later this month.

‘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.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Seeing the big picture is more essential than ever

Published: 22 July, 2021

Many decades ago, I studied economics at university. The difference between theory and practice bothered me. All too often the first didn’t seem to describe the latter, let alone explain it. The problem was usually people – they simply didn’t behave as the theory said they should.

Clubs hit back over Covid passports

Published: 20 July, 2021

The late-night sector has reacted with anger over the introduction of mandatory Covid passports from September, with Michael Kill of the Night Time Industries Association, branding it “an absolute shambles”.

Ageism in hospitality

Published: 12 July, 2021

Staff shortages in the hospitality industry have reached alarming levels, but will employers relax their natural tendency to favour younger workers and take on older people instead?

Soapbox: Bordeaux’s cold war

Published: 08 July, 2021

Château Bauduc owner Gavin Quinney ponders an intractable issue for frost-impacted producers up against the strictures of Bordeaux

Jerry Lockspeiser: Lessons from the BrewDog affair

Published: 24 June, 2021

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.” Warren Buffett

Jerry Lockspeiser: Why claiming wine is good for health is bad for business

Published: 19 May, 2021

The wine trade can be a wonderful place to work. Yes, we have had our share of stresses and strains since Covid used its airmiles. True, people running wine businesses can spend more time with PnL spreadsheets and cashflow projections than they do with the latest vintage from Chateau Marvellous. But overall, the balance sheet for working with wine is very strong.

Wales’ restrictions relaxed further than England and Scotland with indoor reopening

Published: 12 May, 2021

Wales is the latest member of the UK to announce that hospitality businesses can open indoors from 17 May, following in the footsteps of England and Scotland, but with up to six people from different households able to meet.