The introduction of 40% business rates relief for hospitality venues in Scotland with a rateable value of up to £51,000 will be a welcome introduction for many but could see more than 2,500 businesses ineligible for the scheme.
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Next up in our end of year trade talking heads is Archie McDiarmid, manager at Luvians Bottleshop in St Andrews, as he reflects on a tough ride for the trade.
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Key stakeholders in Scotland’s hospitality and retail sectors have warned of dire consequences unless the government delivers “urgent reform” in the forthcoming Budget.
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Bookings are now open at Margo restaurant – a new concept from Scottish restaurant group Scoop and headed up by Glasgow native Robin Aitken. Due to open this month in Glasgow, the new drinking and dining outpost is intended to be an evolution of Scoop’s first restaurant Ox and Finch, which has just celebrated its 10th birthday. Situated in the city centre, Margo will maintain a flavour-led approach with a focus on Scottish meat and seafood, while the drinks list will be led by cocktails designed specifically to complement Aitken’s food. Margo will also offer Scoop’s most comprehensive wine list to date, with classic fine wines sitting alongside natural and biodynamic bottles from small, independent producers.
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The overall efficacy and knock-on effect to businesses from minimum unit pricing (MUP) is in the crosshairs once again following the news that the floor price for alcohol will rise from 50p per unit to 65p in Scotland, further adding cost and margin pressures for retailers.
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"Less spend, fewer visits and less time spent in venues" is the current reality for the Scottish hospitality sector as businesses face a double whammy of consumer reluctance and rising costs.
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Tom Slaven, retail director of Glasgow-based United Wholesale Grocers, has been elected to the role of president of the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA), taking over from Julie Dunn.
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Independent distiller Eden Mill opens its first brand-owned venue this month in Edinburgh, offering two interactive mixology experiences.
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The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) and the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) have issued a joint appeal to support their sector after it emerged that English businesses will receive a 75% reduction in rates bills for the financial year 2024-25.
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The Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) is pleading for more support to help protect the hospitality sector, as venues report the crippling impact of staff vacancies and ‘a continued wave of cost increases’.
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Vino’s boss is a familiar face well beyond the Edinburgh scene, but his passion remains rooted in retailing great wine to locals. Andrew Catchpole dropped by.
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The Scottish Government has officially announced a delay to the launch of its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) until October 2025, following weeks of speculation as to the future of the initiative and a UK-government enforced exemption of glass.
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The Scottish retail and hospitality sectors have added mounting calls to government to reassess its proposed ban on alcohol advertising, as the consultation reaches its close.
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Circularity Scotland has announced that £22 million of cashflow support will be made available to Scottish producers preparing for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
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Luvians manager Archie McDiarmid fears for the future of the alcohol industry in Scotland if government proposals go ahead
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From the Deposit Return Scheme to a new consultation paper on restricting alcohol advertising, the Scottish drinks industry faces a barrage of problems. James Bayley reports.
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Scotland’s pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels face an unprecedented cocktail of challenges, according to the most recent Scottish Licenced Trade Association (SLTA) survey.
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The newest launch date for a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in England and Northern Ireland has re-confirmed that businesses will not be required to participate in a new system for glass recycling. However, confusion still abounds around the roll-out of four different national DRS schemes and how they will work in practice.
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An inquiry led by the cross-party beer and pubs group in the Scottish Parliament has warned that a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) cannot be successfully implemented without drastic changes to the scope and remit of the proposed initiative.
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Pernod Ricard has partnered with local communities in London and Scotland for the tenth edition of its Responsib’All Day – an initiative set up with the aim of helping to protect and restore biodiversity around the UK.
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