Confidence among Britain’s hospitality leaders has plunged as sector challenges deepen, with CGA by NIQ’s latest Business Confidence Survey revealing worsening sentiment amid squeezed margins and reduced consumer spending.
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Failure to tackle some of their most pressing concerns have left trade bodies and operators frustrated. James Bayley rounds up their thoughts.
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The Autumn Budget’s employment tax measures will raise the cost of employing full-time staff by at least £2,500, according to an analysis released by UKHospitality.
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The hospitality sector is facing a substantial increase in operating costs as the Chancellor confirms a 6.7% rise in the National Living Wage, set to take effect in April 2025. The uplift will raise the hourly rate from £11.44 to £12.21, directly impacting more than 3 million workers and adding an estimated £1.9bn to the hospitality sector’s wage bill.
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With only a few months remaining before the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme begins, UK businesses are calling on the government to delay its rollout, citing confusion, unpreparedness and unclear costs. In a joint letter to Defra, over 80 companies have urged postponing the scheme until there is more clarity on its operation and expenses.
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UKHospitality has welcomed the government’s focus on employment flexibility in the Employment Rights Bill but cautioned that the proposed changes could lead to additional costs and require further consultation to avoid unintended consequences.
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The Bank of England’s base rate, also referred to as the Bank Rate or simply the interest rate, is a key economic tool that affects the cost of borrowing and returns on savings in the UK. Set by the Bank of England, it helps control inflation and maintain economic stability.
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The latest insolvency figures show just how hard the hospitality industry has been affected by the cost-of-living crisis and soaring energy bills, with pubs, bars and restaurants some of the worst hit among UK businesses.
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Mounting pressure is being placed on the government to ease the ‘financial fragility’ of the hospitality sector during its upcoming review of business rates, as businesses continue to suffer rising supply chain costs and runaway inflation.
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New figures have shown how the hospitality sector’s staffing crisis is worsening under growing stagnancy in the job market, as the gap between new job creation and people willing to enter the workforce is widening.
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Promotional body Sherry from Spain has launched a new promotional drive in the UK market, designed to build awareness and transform sherry's image across both the on-trade and direct-to-consumer channels.
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The easing of Covid-19 restrictions is having a positive impact on drink sales across the on-trade, according to the latest CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker.
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Britain’s hospitality sector grew modestly in the last quarter of 2021, according to the latest CGA Market Recovery Monitor.
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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.
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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.
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Consumer footfall across the UK’s hospitality sector increased between Christmas and New Year, according to the latest CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker.
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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”.
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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.
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Liberty Wines’ latest report has noted the positive effect of the reversal of the trends from the on to the off-trade over the course of the pandemic, with the growth in popularity of independent wine retailers during lockdown and an overall move towards experimentation feeding back into the on-trade and helping to boost sales.
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The British tabloids have spoken: Christmas 2021 is unlikely to yield much festive cheer. Unfortunately, this isn’t simply press hyperbole – the UK’s food industry is under enormous pressure, while retail supply chains continue to be stymied by a lack of HGV drivers.
Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released a set of data in September which confirmed that the on-trade staffing crisis has not abated. “Sourcing staff has been one of our biggest challenges since we reopened,” says Avinash Shashidhara, head chef at Pali Hill restaurant in London.
