British bar shows in good spirits following strong attendance

Attendance figures revealed from this week’s BCB London (11-12 May) and April’s Edinburgh Bar Show (13-15 April) reveal that thousands of bar trade professionals passed through the events in the capital cities.

Harpers Top 50 Sommeliers 2026 listing is open for nominations

Our annual Harpers Top 50 Sommeliers feature celebrates the best in the somm world, focusing in on the professionalism and talent shown by those behind many of the great wine and drinks offers we are lucky enough to have in restaurants and hotels across the UK.

Coravin highlights research indicating by-the-glass growth

At a recent industry lunch, Coravin highlighted the results of three surveys conducted in 2025, which suggest that consumers are ordering more wine by-the-glass (BTG) than they were two years ago. The company is also expanding its guide to BTG lists. 

UK Hospitality urges government to provide energy support for sector

In a letter to the chancellor, UK Hospitality has proposed six measures that the government could implement to help hospitality businesses through increasing energy costs.

Diageo confirms finalists for World Class GB 2026

Diageo has revealed the ten bartenders who will take part in this year’s World Class GB final, with contestants hailing from around the UK.

STA calls on incoming MSPs to ensure support for hospitality

The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) has released an open letter addressed to Scotland’s next MSPs just days before the Scottish Parliamentary election, due to take place this Thursday (7 May).

Study finds hospitality SMEs hit hardest by inflation

A new study from UK-based card payment provider Dojo has found that hospitality businesses’ operating costs have been hit harder by inflation than any other sector over the past decade.

Hospitality insolvencies persist with rise seen for February

Consultancy firm RSM UK has analysed the latest company insolvency statistics, with February 2026 seeing a 22% month-on-month rise to 270 in terms of accommodation and food services insolvencies. This compared to the 222 insolvencies seen for hospitality in January of this year.

Cocktail festival to return to Brighton with 50 bars announced

Brighton Cocktail Festival has announced that it is returning for its second year of city-wide celebrations, running from 18 to 27 September.

On-trade outlook: Spring visits up but volumes down

New on-trade data for March 2026 from market intelligence company The Oxford Partnership shows improving average occupancy and dwell time year on year compared to March last year. In terms of the former this rose +1.1% to 65.4%, while the latter saw visit length rise +3.4% to 153 minutes.

Chorus of industry bodies laments April price hikes

Fresh survey data from four leading hospitality trade bodies reveals that as a result of the government’s 1 April cost hikes 64% of on-trade businesses will cut jobs.

Survey: 93% of workers would recommend a career in hospitality

Software provider Access Hospitality has said that belief in hospitality remains strong, despite “short-term morale” falling.

Pub and bar closures hit five-year high as macroeconomic pressures bite

Economic outlook: UK shows no growth in January as hospitality takes a hit

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that the UK showed no GDP growth in January 2026. During the month, ‘food and beverage activities’ fell a concerning 2.7%.

Drake & Morgan raises £500k for cancer charity Maggie’s

Bar and restaurant group Drake & Morgan has raised £500,000 for Maggie’s cancer charity.

Report: Widening gap between on-trade engagement and consumption

Market intelligence firm The Oxford Partnership has released its ‘snapshot’ of January 2026 for hospitality venues, which highlights what it called a “widening gap between engagement and consumption”.

Hospitality insolvencies lowest in two years

Released today (18 February), new figures from The Insolvency Service show that accommodation and food services insolvencies fell to their lowest level in two years in December 2025.

Michelin stars for Top 50 somms

Five restaurants associated with Harpers’ Top 50 Sommeliers 2025 have earned their first Michelin Star at the Michelin Guide Ceremony Great Britain & Ireland in Dublin this week.

One-in-eight pubs now at imminent risk of insolvency

One-in-eight pubs in the UK are in “severe financial distress” and at imminent risk of insolvency, according to accountancy firm Price Bailey.

Hopsitality: Pursuing work-life balance

The hospitality industry is well known for its tricky work-life balance. Whether it be long, demanding shifts, unpredictable and irregular hours or excessive workloads, the trade’s reputation is that its demands often eat into employees’ personal lives, impacting their mental and physical health.