On-Trade - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

UKH encourages hospitality teams to write to their MP

Published: 22 September, 2025

UKHospitality (UKH) has launched a new online tool for hospitality teams to call on the Government to support the sector by writing to their MP.

What should bars stock amid the low & no boom?

Published: 22 September, 2025

Walk into any pub or bar in the UK and you’re likely to find at least one decent non-alcoholic beer on offer. It’s great news for those off the booze, but with a range of innovative options now available, from kombucha to adaptogenic spirits and CBD soft drinks, bars relying on beer to satisfy the growing demand for low & no may be missing out.

Almost 1m adults have experienced spiking in past year

Published: 17 September, 2025

New research from Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University can reveal that approximately 2% of UK adults have been a victim of drink spiking in the past year.

UKHospitality announces job losses set to reach 111,000 by Budget

Published: 16 September, 2025

UKHospitality has projected that a total of 111,000 hospitality jobs will have been lost by the Budget on 26 November.

Research revealing the social value of pubs released

Published: 15 September, 2025

New research from Pub is The Hub has put a figure on how much social value pubs provide.

The results: Top 50 Sommeliers 2025

Published: 05 September, 2025

Harpers Top 50 Sommeliers 2025 listing has landed, celebrating the very best in the UK restaurant world.

The curious shift to earlier dining in the on-trade

Published: 29 August, 2025

A recent report by Zonal and CGA by NIQ Insights has revealed that the average preferred time for dinner bookings now is 6.12pm, which suggests that for every group sampling a set menu at 7.30pm, another is sharing small plates and a mineral water at 5.00pm.

Over half of all job losses since Budget in hospitality

Published: 26 August, 2025

Fresh analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) jobs data by UK Hospitality can reveal that more than half of all job losses since the Autumn Budget have been in the hospitality sector.

Survey reveals hospitality venues operating at only 85% capacity

Published: 20 August, 2025

A new survey from leading hospitality trade bodies has revealed that 69% of businesses queried are operating at or below 85% capacity.

Soho House results show healthy rise in revenue

Published: 11 August, 2025

Soho House has released its second quarter results, showing total revenue up 8.9% to $329.8m (£244.9m) on the same period last year, and membership revenues up 15.9% to $118.6 million (£88m).

JKS Restaurants announces US debut with two new venues

Published: 06 August, 2025

On-trade heavyweight JKS Restaurants has announced a stateside expansion with two new launches set to open.

Hospitality: Two closures per day in first half of 2025

Published: 05 August, 2025

Fresh data from the Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners can reveal that the UK hospitality sector saw 62 net closures per month in the first half of 2025. This figure equates to approximately two closure per day.

Charting the challenges facing the British on-trade

Published: 01 August, 2025

The closure of the three M Restaurant sites in London in May is, perhaps, as good a metaphor for the UK’s beleaguered restaurant trade as any. The first venue opened in 2014 as a big steak, big wine bling-fest for flush City workers, expanding with further venues pre and post Covid. It was plush, premium and successful. Now, following a huge rent increase from its landlord, it’s no more.

Vagabond to open ‘cathedral to wine’

Published: 25 July, 2025

Vagabond Wines is set to open what it says will be the UK’s largest urban winery at London’s Canada Water later this year.

Hospitality hit hard as job losses escalate

Published: 18 July, 2025

With the latest ONS labour market figures showing the number of payrolled employees in hospitality down from 2,111,898 in April to 2,100,827 in May, UK Hospitality is calling for urgent government action.

Taylor’s David Guimaraens: Reinvigorating Vintage Port’s on-trade promise

Published: 15 July, 2025

At the inaugural Taylor’s Port Vintage Years UK Sommelier Challenge at Berry Bros & Rudd’s Napoleon Cellar, Taylor’s David Guimaraens (pictured, left) impressed the vital role of sommeliers in championing Vintage Port within the on-trade.

On-trade: Finding value in hidden gems

Published: 04 July, 2025

It is not, to paraphrase P. G. Wodehouse, difficult to distinguish between the current world of hospitality and a ray of sunshine. Many businesses have never fully recovered post Covid; inflation (and short vintages) have sent prices skyrocketing, and customers are feeling the pinch. They eat out less, spend less and grumble more.

KAM conference: Venues ignore low and no at their peril

Published: 25 June, 2025

At KAM’s Low & No: Drinking Differently conference yesterday (24 June), data from their latest insights report revealed that 37% of people have left on-trade venues early due to poor low and no options.

Record performance for still wines at ninth WineGB Awards

Published: 25 June, 2025

Still wines have outshone sparklers for the first time at the annual WineGB Awards, accounting for more than half the entries and gaining 161 medals compared to sparkling’s 151.

New London venue for Vagabond Wines

Published: 25 June, 2025

Self-pour wine bar group Vagabond is to open a flagship site in Paternoster Square, St Paul’s, London, in August – its first new location since joining the Majestic Wine Group. A second bar will follow in Liverpool Street in the autumn.