On-Trade - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Four Seasons appoints new head of bars

Published: 14 March, 2025

The Four Seasons Hotel at Tower Bridge has appointed top mixologist Michele Lombardi to lead the drinks offer at one of the group’s key London locations.

Mounting costs drive hospitality confidence to two-year low

Published: 12 March, 2025

Hospitality business confidence has hit a low not seen since October 2022, when inflation peaked at a 40-year high.

Drinks Trust wellbeing initiative sees positive first year

Published: 12 March, 2025

The Business Advisory Programme (BAP) was launched by The Drinks Trust in late 2023 to help drinks and hospitality businesses place wellbeing at the heart of their people strategy. In its first year 14 companies representing 3,500 industry employees have joined while 46 wellbeing champions have been trained.

Autumn Budget to cost Wetherspoon £60m

Published: 07 March, 2025

The first Labour-backed Budget of the new government is expected to have a significant impact on the balance sheet of popular pub group J D Wetherspoon, just as the company was on track to return to steady growth.

Nearly two thirds of SMEs see tax as biggest challenge

Published: 27 February, 2025

Data from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) can reveal that 63% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) saw taxation as their primary business challenge. The data, which was gathered following the Autumn Budget, represents an increase compared to Q3 of 2024 when 48% of business owners saw it as their primary challenge.

Hospitality suffers sales drop for January

Published: 27 February, 2025

Figures from CGA by NIQ and RSM’s Hospitality Business Tracker reveal that year-on-year sales dropped by 1.3% in January 2025 compared to the same month last year. This represents only the tracker’s second recorded month of negative trading since early 2022.

Hospitality sector awaits EU youth mobility scheme decision

Published: 24 February, 2025

Recent reports indicate the UK government could introduce an Australia-style youth mobility scheme for EU citizens as part of efforts to reset post-Brexit relations. The decision could have significant implications for the hospitality sector which has faced recruitment challenges since Brexit.

Majestic announces new lead for commercial arm

Published: 19 February, 2025

Matt Davies, former Enotria&Coe and Sipsmith director, has been appointed general manager of Majestic Commerical, the B2B arm of Majestic.

Hospitality trade sees growth again in December

Published: 13 February, 2025

New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) can reveal hospitality had another strong month in December 2024, with output for the food and drink sector growing 2%. This made it the largest contributor to growth for the wider consumer-facing services industry.

New figures show night time economy in slight decline

Published: 12 February, 2025

A new report by CGA by NIQ and the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), the trade association representing the night time industry, shows that the total number of nightclubs, late-night bars and casinos fell by 2.8% to 2,264 venues as of December 2024.

Vagabond announces suite of new senior appointments amid expansion drive

Published: 11 February, 2025

Four new senior appointments have been made by the Majestic-owned wine bar business Vagabond, including the hiring of Jack Merrylees as head of marketing and PR.

Hospitality closures hold steady in 2024

Published: 29 January, 2025

The UK’s ‘licensed’ venues saw virtually no change in total numbers last year, with 4078 closures and 4085 openings, according to the Hospitality Market Monitor, from CGA by NIQ and Alix Partners. The total number of venues, including pubs, bars, restaurant, nightclubs and hotels, sat at 99,120 operating in December 2024.

Bar Rioja-owner opens two new London venues

Published: 22 January, 2025

Camino, the Spanish tapas bar and restaurant whose portfolio includes Bar Rioja, a bar dedicated solely to wines from the region, is opening two new venues in Farringdon and Kings Cross.

Maximising Christmas returns in hospitality

Published: 10 January, 2025

Jo Gilbert set out to discover if December will be haunted by the ghosts of Covid and Brexit past and, if so, what the sector can learn from them.

Food & Beverage programme relaunches to help 'struggling hospitality sector'

Published: 06 January, 2025

Leading restaurateur Neville Abraham CBE is encouraging applicants of all backgrounds to apply for his innovative F&B Manager Development Programme, initially launched in October last year.

Vivat Bacchus join forces with Africa College Foundation to ‘empower South African youth’

Published: 06 January, 2025

London-based South African restaurant Vivat Bacchus has unveiled a new partnership with the charity Africa College Foundation, forging a pact to “support education for disadvantaged youth in South Africa”.

Soho House extends low & no offer as Dry January gets into full swing

Published: 03 January, 2025

The Soho House group has unveiled a new range of non-alcoholic and low ABV cocktails, as UK businesses prepare for a long month of sobriety and abstinence.

UK bar sector celebrates ‘welcome boost’ during festive period

Published: 03 January, 2025

A new report from CGA by NIQ, the first of 2025, contains some good news for the UK’s beleaguered hospitality industry, as bar sales surged by 20.5% over the pre-Christmas week.

Hospitality sector enjoys ‘first real-terms growth since June 2024’

Published: 18 December, 2024

Britain’s leading hospitality groups recorded year-on-year sales growth of 2.7% in November 2024, marking the first ‘real-terms growth’ since June this year.