Hattingley releases still red wine

Hattingley Valley has added a Pinot Noir to its recently launched still wine range.

Brits almost halve alcohol intake during lockdown

Brits consumed 1.3 billion litres of alcohol during the UK’s lockdown period, almost half the 2 billion litres recorded during the same period last year, according to new data from Nielsen Scantrack and CGA.

IXSIR partners with monks for southern Lebanon expansion

Lebanese winery IXSIR has added a new vineyard to its portfolio in the southern Quatine area of the country, planted in partnership with Maronite monks that own the land.

Waitrose Supports South African Wine Industry

Waitrose is offering a specially curated case of South African wines at 25% off in a bid to help support the beleaguered Cape wine industry. 

Howard’s Folly launches rosé

Portuguese boutique winery Howard’s Folly has launched its first rosé wine. 

New Majestic stores spearhead post-lockdown growth plans

Majestic Wine has confirmed the opening of new stores in Henley and Beckenham later this year as part of a five-year growth strategy aimed at increasing sales by 10%. 

More than 53,000 outlets sign up for Eat Out To Help Out scheme

More than 53,000 restaurants, bars and cafes across the UK have signed up to the government’s Eat Out to Help Out Scheme offering diners a 50% discount during August.

Cellar Trends strengthens portfolio with Beau Joie

Drinks distributor Cellar Trends has strengthened its sparkling portfolio with the addition of Beau Joie Champagne as part of its UK growth strategy. 

Jascots expands Spanish portfolio with Bierzo producer

Jascots Wine Merchants has added Bierzo producer Vinos de Losada to its growing portfolio. 

The Wine Show branches out with TWS Creative

The Wine Show’s commercial arm has been renamed TWS Creative to better reflect the digital marketing and branding consultancy services offered by the business.

UK hospitality takes a £30bn tumble

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

Campari Group profits drop one third in Q2

The Campari Group has reported a 33.5% drop in net profit, down to €77.6m, across the second quarter of 2020, with sales down 11.3%, at €768.7m.

Eat Out to Help Out postcode checker launches alongside guidance for businesses

The government has released new guidance for businesses on the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, which will enable bars and restaurants to claim back customer-facing discounts from 7 August.

Johnson’s anti-obesity drive triggers ‘hidden calorie’ consultation

A consultation is being launched as to whether the ‘hidden calories’ in alcohol should form part of wider communication across both the on- and off-trades in order to tackle soaring obesity rates.

Border model could leave the UK between a rock and a hard Brexit

Co-op reports record growth as market share soars

The Co-Op has reported record sales over the past quarter, with the fastest share growth in the grocery retail industry for the 12 weeks to 14 June (Kantar). Sales are up 29.1%, bringing their market share to 7.4% – their highest since 2001.

Approval rating of ‘new look’ on-trade reaches 94%

The vast majority of consumers who have visited pubs, restaurants and bars in England in the two weeks since reopening have been satisfied with safety measures and their overall experience, a new survey has revealed.

Lords advocate ditching VI-1s in favour of digital wine passport

The introduction of burdensome VI-1 forms to wine entering the UK from the EU has found its way into the House of Lords where members debated scrapping them via an amendment to the Agriculture Bill. 

Staff shifts still down 69% across the UK

The challenge facing the hospitality sector has been reiterated by new figures which show that shifts worked by employees are still down 68.9% across the UK.

James Sommerin left ‘devastated’ by restaurant closure as he issues plea to customers

Top chef James Sommerin has spoken about the cruel circumstances surrounding the closure of his family restaurant after the pressures of Covid-19 became too much to bear.