On-Trade - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Tube strikes will mean more losses for London's restaurants and bars

Published: 24 April, 2014

London bars and restaurants face losses as more Tube strikes are lined up, says the British Hospitality Association.

Brazilian nightclub to open in Battersea in time for the World Cup

Published: 23 April, 2014

Cocobananas is a new Brazilian nightclub that is set to open in Battersea, south London in time for people to celebrate the World Cup.

Spend on eating out grows

Published: 23 April, 2014

Consumer spending on eating out has risen in the last quarter, according to the latest Deloitte Consumer Tracker.

Douglas Blyde unleashes his senses on José Sanfins' wines at London's Clos Maggiore

Published: 22 April, 2014

According to research recently published in journal, "Science", the average human is equipped to differentiate some one trillion odours (999,999,990,000 more than previously thought). Buoyed by these findings, I was keen to apply my apparently amazing snout to the finery at Clos Maggiore's wine club. Tonight's instalment was hosted by Matt Thomas. Formerly a store manager at Majestic Wines, Thomas joined Hallgarten Druitt, as account development manager six months ago. Despite Clos Maggiore's Covent Garden location, Thomas's territory, work-wise and residentially is Dalston where he secured accounts, White Rabbit and Jones & Son, which he highly recommends are worth a visit

Pub and restaurant sales jump 4.6% in March

Published: 22 April, 2014

Sales at the UK's largest pub and restaurant groups rose 4.6% on a like-for-like basis in March, compared to the same month in 2013, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

Tesco ups casual dining focus as profits slide

Published: 16 April, 2014

Tesco is boosting its store refurbishment programme by opening 100 new Giraffe, Decks and Harris + Hoole outlets in the next year

Douglas Blyde visits Putney's new Italian trattoria BIBO

Published: 09 April, 2014

BIBO, defined as "simply the Latin, Bibo (I drink) - Bibo ergo Sum if you will," by consultant-sommelier, Zeren Wilson, is brought to you by restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas, mind behind local stars, Sam's Brasserie and Kitchen W8, and chef Chris Beverley, "one of Theo Randall's top boys."

Liberty Wines recruits commercial director

Published: 08 April, 2014

Liberty Wines has recruited Jon Worsley as commercial director to boost the company's premium position.

Restaurant review: ?Margaux

Published: 04 April, 2014

Margaux, 152 Old Brompton Rd, London SW5 0BE; barmargaux.co.uk

Why UK bars, restaurants and retailers are putting their faith in sherry in the UK

Published: 04 April, 2014

Douglas Blyde talks with 10 of the UK's most influential sherry opinion formers in the UK, including leading figures in on and off-trades, suppliers and importers, on how sherry is enjoying a new lease of life across the country

Drinkaware accuses trade of not doing enough to promote unit guidelines

Published: 04 April, 2014

Drinkaware says consumers are confused over unit guidelines and called on the industry to do more.

Morgenrot launches bee-saving wine at M&B

Published: 03 April, 2014

Manchester-based importer Morgenrot has teamed up with Mitchells & Butlers to launch Planetbee, a South African Chenin Blanc, which is donating money from each sale to safeguard the bee population.

Get your five a day with new vegetable cocktail range

Published: 02 April, 2014

Those struggling to get through their five or seven fresh vegetables a day might want to try a new range of vegetable cocktails from mixologist Thomas Weinberger of Barschule München.

Heston Blumenthal to take Fat Duck and Dinner to Melbourne

Published: 31 March, 2014

Heston Blumenthal is to close his three Michelin star restaurant, the Fat Duck, and re-open it in Melbourne, Australia as part of a six-month deal with the Crown Melbourne Resort. When it returns to the UK it will be replaced by his other UK Michelin restaurant, Dinner.

Over 200 restaurants, bars and merchants back natural wine in April for Real Wine Fair

Published: 31 March, 2014

Natural and biodynamic wines are being included on over 200 wine lists and shelves of independent merchants throughout April as part of a nationwide promotion to bring attention to the Real Wine Fair that takes place in London on April 13-14.

Wines of Brazil hopes official World Cup wine will help boost its wines sales in the UK

Published: 28 March, 2014

Wines of Brazil hopes the release of a new limited edition official licensed wine for the FIFA World Cup will bring added attention to all the country's wines in the UK and all its key export markets around the world.

Wine sales down 2% in on and off-trade, says WSTA report

Published: 27 March, 2014

Wine is still struggling in both the on and off-trade, with sales down 2% over the last year, says the latest WSTA market report.

Q&A with James Marvin, winner of BBC's Michel Roux's Service programme, three years on

Published: 26 March, 2014

The BBC programme Michel Roux's Service focused on recruiting young people to consider the hospitality industry and in particular front-of-house as a career. It first screened in 2011, and has just been repeated on BBC Two.