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.

Hospitality to help ‘reignite’ UK economy

Published: 15 March, 2021

Hospitality can play a critical role in rebooting the UK economy if it receives the necessary levels of support from government.

Technology key focus for investment and innovation

Published: 08 March, 2021

Technology is set to be a key focus for investment and innovation as hospitality opens up again, according to the latest CGA’s Business Leaders’ Survey.

Pubs to reap rewards of outside trading over bars and restaurants

Published: 03 March, 2021

Fewer than half of England’s pubs, bars and restaurants will have any space to operate outside when the lockdown is relaxed—but pubs could be set to have a head start with 72% having outside space, CGA research has revealed.

Average of 30 licensed premises closing a day

Published: 01 March, 2021

Nearly 12,000 licensed premises have closed in Britain since December 2019 — an average of around 30 a day and the highest rate on record, according to the latest Market Recovery Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners.

Hospitality leaders show long-term optimism

Published: 25 February, 2021

Hospitality leaders are optimistic about the long-term future of the sector and its role in the UK’s economic recovery, with many businesses seeking to grow rather than shrink, the latest CGA Business Leaders' Survey has revealed.

Wine most popular online drinks purchase

Published: 24 February, 2021

Wine has been pinpointed as the most popular e-commerce purchase during the Covid pandemic.

Hospitality not 'significant area' of Covid transmission

Published: 17 February, 2021

Hospitality businesses were not "significant areas" of Covid transmission in 2020 and should be central to reopening plans in 2021, according to new research by CGA, commissioned by UK Hospitality (UKH).

Covid propels delivered drinks market into the mainstream

Published: 16 February, 2021

Lockdown is giving the on-trade and suppliers a chance to claim share of the delivered drinks market from supermarkets, according to CGA’s latest consumer research.

Pandemic cost hospitality £200m a day in 2020

Published: 28 January, 2021

Turnover for the hospitality sector dropped to less than half of 2019 levels in 2020, slipping by almost £72bn, which translates to nearly £200m a day, according to the latest edition of the UK Hospitality (UKH) and CGA Quarterly Tracker.

CGA: ‘Suppliers well placed to help operators capitalise on post-lockdown opportunities’

Published: 19 January, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered important changes in people’s attitudes to food and created a split between those seeking quality and value, but suppliers are well placed to help operators capitalise on post-lockdown sales opportunities, a new CGA survey has suggested.

Game on 2021: Hospitality needs to come out fighting fit

Published: 14 January, 2021

The new edition of Harpers, out today, will reach readers hot on the heels of a parliamentary debate on the need for the creation of a minister for hospitality role in UK government. Resulting from the success of the Seat at the Table petition launched by hotelier Robin Hutson, of The Pig group and (formerly) Hotel du Vin fame, the proposal gained “an overwhelmingly positive response from all corners”, as reported by Harpers.

GCA calls on suppliers to say if retailers are treating them 'fairly and lawfully'

Published: 13 January, 2021

Mark White, the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), has launched the annual survey with a call to wine and spirit suppliers to tell him if retailers are treating them “fairly and lawfully”.

CGA: ‘Staff engagement crucial over lockdown’

Published: 11 January, 2021

Businesses need to stay close to their teams during Britain’s lockdown to make sure staff are engaged and motivated when venues reopen, according to CGA’s latest Business Confidence Survey.

Half measures for on-trade groups post lockdown

Published: 14 December, 2020

Around half of Britain’s managed pubs, restaurants and bars were open and trading last week as lockdown ended and the new tier levels came into force in England, but sales were significantly down even in those sites able to open.

Cautious optimism returns for hospitality’s businesses prospects

Published: 07 December, 2020

A new survey has revealed a rise in optimism among hospitality operators for the future of their business over the next 12 months, albeit from a very low threshhold – but representing a substantial increase from the third quarter of the year.

New UK immigration system goes live

Published: 01 December, 2020

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

Research highlights supply chain plight

Published: 01 December, 2020

Covid has caused supply chain difficulties for more than nine in 10 hospitality businesses since they reopened in July, according to new CGA and Prestige Purchasing research released today.

Port: Weathering the Covid storm

Published: 24 November, 2020

The UK remains at the forefront of the premium Port category, with sales of late-bottled vintage (LBV), quality white Port, aged tawnies, single vineyard and classic vintage ports, all remaining resilient through Covid. A nation of consumers stuck at home, looking to indulge, appears to have been largely positive for the quality end of UK Port sales. Built on a long-standing relationship with the UK, sales at Symington Family Estates are up 10% by value and 9% by volume compared with this time last year.

On-trade group sales go into reverse following tougher restrictions

Published: 13 November, 2020

Tougher Covid restrictions have seen bar, restaurant and pub group sales go into reverse in October, according the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker report released today.