Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Eat out to help out totals 10.5m claims in its first week

Published: 12 August, 2020

UK diners have been quick to adopt the Treasury’s plan to boost the hospitality industry by taking advantage of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Berkmann winds up successful Help 4 Hospitality scheme

Published: 11 August, 2020

Berkmann Wine Cellars has called time on its Help 4 Hospitality lockdown initiative, which has raised some £75,000 to help businesses in the hospitality sector weather the crisis.

UK hospitality takes a £30bn tumble

Published: 28 July, 2020

The closure of the hospitality industry between April to June left a £30bn hole in the British economy, it has emerged.

Hospitality needs customers if it's to stop going hungry

Published: 28 July, 2020

The hospitality sector is beginning to reopen, but it needs many more customers if its future is to be secured. By Andrew Catchpole

On-trade trading at near 70% of pre-Covid norms

Published: 24 July, 2020

Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups in England have reported improving sales in the second week after shut-down was lifted, boosted by the reopening of more sites, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker data.

Government releases details of temporary alcohol off-sales extension

Published: 22 July, 2020

The government has released details of its temporary alcohol off-sales permissions.

Restaurant Rescue project launched by Cape winemakers

Published: 17 July, 2020

A new initiative urging wine estates to adopt a restaurant has been launched in Cape Town in response to the blow of the renewed government ban on drinking.

On-trade reports 40% drop in weekly sales

Published: 17 July, 2020

Sales across on-trade sites open in England in the first week after lockdown was lifted were down 39.8% compared to the same week last year, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker data released today.

“Kickstart scheme” for young people to lift up hospitality sector

Published: 08 July, 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has revealed plans to subsidise work placements for young people in a move that is believed to be aimed at stimulating the hospitality and tourism industries while tackling unemployment post-Covid.

Six-month VAT cut to 5% for hospitality and tourism

Published: 08 July, 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a major cut to VAT for the hospitality and tourism sectors as they emerge from lockdown, as well as a first of its kind government-backed discount to help encourage customers to get back to the nation's bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Hospitality reopening weekend spend down 45% on previous year

Published: 08 July, 2020

Despite a big bounce in transactions as many pubs, bars and restaurants reopened their doors on the weekend, overall spend was down across the hospitality, leisure and entertainment sector by 45% compared with the same weekend in 2019.

Covid-19 estimated to cost food and drink SMEs £21k each

Published: 07 July, 2020

New research has estimated that small hospitality businesses operating in food and drink will on average lose £21,586 in lost work, earnings and loan repayments as a result of Covid-19.

One million hospitality staff due back to work in July

Published: 30 June, 2020

Almost 1 million hospitality staff are expected to be back in work before the end of July, according to a new survey by UK Hospitality (UKH).

Berkmann research suggests 71% of diners plan to spend the same or more

Published: 29 June, 2020

New research by Berkmann Wine Cellars suggests that 71% of those who used to visit restaurants more than once a week will spend the same or more post lockdown.

FMV in consultation with staff over future of business

Published: 24 June, 2020

Fields, Morris & Verdin (FMV) is understood to be in consultation with its staff over the future of the company.

Diageo launches $100m on-trade recovery fund

Published: 24 June, 2020

Diageo has unveiled a new global programme to support pubs and bars to welcome customers back and recover following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Government publishes re-opening guide

Published: 24 June, 2020

The government has this morning published the re-opening guide for the hospitality industry.

Quarterly rent day dampens relief over 2 metre relaxation

Published: 23 June, 2020

The quarterly rent due 24 June, just a day after PM Boris Johnson relaxed the 2 metre rule while confirming 4 July reopening for hospitality, comes as a sobering reminder that the on-trade’s woes are far from over.

PM confirms on-trade reopening as 4 July and reduces ‘distancing’ to 1 metre

Published: 23 June, 2020

PM Boris Johnson has confirmed the reopening date for the hospitality sector as 4 July, while also reducing the current social distancing rule from 2 metres to 1 metre.

Post-pandemic staffing

Published: 22 June, 2020

With a shortage of qualified on-trade staff an industry issue pre Covid-19, what will be the outcome for those that weather lockdown? Chris Losh reports.