Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Cold Christmas in the on-trade

Published: 18 January, 2022

Already battered on-trade businesses suffered further in what should have been their busiest time of year. Clinton Cawood reports.

Indies: Fighting fit?

Published: 17 January, 2022

Adaptability has been key for indies that have sought not just to survive, but to thrive, as Angela Mount reports.

UK hospitality sector endures 'devastating' Christmas period, says new data

Published: 13 January, 2022

Newly released data from UKHospitality and CGA Strategy paints a grim picture for on-trade businesses, with sales in UK pubs, restaurants and bars falling 60% on Christmas Day, 31% on Boxing Day and 27% on New Year’s Eve, when compared to 2019.

Hospitality sector urges Scottish government to rescind indoor dining restrictions

Published: 12 January, 2022

Nicola Sturgeon's announcement that the limitations and restrictions on indoor dining would continue until at least 24 January has been widely condemned by interest groups in Scotland.

Tough Christmas prompts new calls for extended relief for hospitality

Published: 04 January, 2022

New figures from UKHospitality show that pubs, bars and restaurants lost £10,335 on average in the week leading up to Christmas, due to fears over the new Covid-19 variant.

Hospitality underwhelmed by Chancellor's £1bn rescue package

Published: 22 December, 2021

Businesses are split in their response to the Treasury's £1 billion support package, with enthusiasm from some quarters, while others have claimed that the amount “borders on insulting”.

Sunak announces new relief for hospitality sector

Published: 21 December, 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a further round of grants of up to £6,000 per hospitality premise, also committing to a top up of discretionary grant funding, as part of a £1 billion package to support the sector.

Devolved regions to receive emergency on-trade funding, while concern grows in England

Published: 20 December, 2021

Scotland and Wales are to receive additional funding from Westminster to help struggling businesses cope with new Covid restrictions, as England awaits news on further restrictive measures.

Hard hit hospitality calls for further government support

Published: 17 December, 2021

As the hospitality industry continues to face a mounting crisis of cancellations and closures in the wake of Omicron and Plan B restrictions, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has urged the government to step in and save many businesses from going under.

New variant bears down on hopes of buoyant festive trade

Published: 15 December, 2021

The enforcement of ‘Plan B’ rules continues to dampen spirits across the sector this festive season, as a growing number of venues report mass cancellations.

Scotland's winter budget offers relief to struggling businesses

Published: 10 December, 2021

SNP finance secretary Kate Forbes outlined the 2021/22 budget in the Scottish parliament yesterday (9 December), with some good news for ailing retailers and hospitality venues.

Scottish hospitality sector relieved as passport scheme not extended

Published: 24 November, 2021

Yesterday's announcement by the Scottish government that the Covid-19 passport scheme will not be expanded to encompass the wider licensed hospitality industry has been met with relief and jubilation.

Scotland delays implementation of Deposit Return Scheme

Published: 18 November, 2021

A perfect storm of Covid-19, Brexit and a struggling hospitality sector has delayed the introduction of Scotland's inaugural DRS scheme, according to Scottish Minister Lorna Slater.

Increased supplier costs for SMEs as price of raw materials rack up

Published: 02 November, 2021

Supply chain issues and increasing costs have impacted small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country with four out of five (79%) revealing they have faced increased prices from suppliers over the past six months.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Can we trade our way out of this mess?

Published: 28 October, 2021

Sitting in reception at one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets waiting for the wine buyer to appear for our appointment, I flicked through my newspaper. When he arrived, I hurriedly stuffed the paper into my briefcase, but not before the buyer had caught sight of it. “Ah, you are one of those are you?” he said, having identified my copy of The Guardian.

Long read: Top tips for a roaring recovery

Published: 21 October, 2021

All businesses were hit hard by the pandemic, though arguably none more so than the hospitality industry. Having worked with hundreds of bars, cafes, wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries across the world, Erik Wolf, executive director of the World Food Travel Association, takes us through his top tips on how beverage business managers and owners can super-charge their post-pandemic recovery.

Trade groups call for PM to keep VAT at 12.5% to help economic recovery

Published: 12 October, 2021

A coalition of the country’s hospitality, tourism trade and membership bodies has called on the Prime Minister to keep VAT low for businesses to help them play their part in the Government’s levelling-up and job creation agenda.

UK brands soar in value but still trail global giants

Published: 29 September, 2021

The UK’s leading brands are showing positive signs of recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaping in value by 22% to reach a new record high of $278.8 (£207 billion), according to Kantar’s BrandZTM Most Valuable UK Brands 2021 ranking. However, growth rates show they are lagging behind the biggest global brands.

UKHospitality urges fairness to all parties in new tipping legislation

Published: 27 September, 2021

The introduction of legislation regulating the sector’s management of staff gratuities has been welcomed by UKH, with a major caveat.

Price spikes predicted as 3/4 of hospitality prepare to pass on costs

Published: 23 September, 2021

Costs resulting from ongoing supply chain issues are likely to be passed onto the customer this autumn, CGA has predicted, with three-quarters of hospitality businesses admitting that they are likely to raise prices as a result.