Euro 2020: Less than one in three Brits plan to watch the football in a pub June 11, 2021 Less than a third of Brits plan to watch the Euro 2020 football tournament in a pub over the coming weeks despite the easing of restrictions, according to a new survey. Boozers are gearing up for a major boost to business as fans flock to their local for the delayed footie extravaganza. Yet pubs may [...]
Calorie labelling to be mandatory for large hospitality businesses from April 2022 May 12, 2021 The government has confirmed it will bring in mandatory calorie labelling for tens of thousands of English restaurants, pubs and cafes from April 2022. The Department of Health announced today that legislation will be brought forward to force all “out-of-home food businesses” with more than 250 staff to display calorie information for all non-prepacked food [...]
Freedom Friday: How lockdown is being eased across the UK from today April 23, 2021 People can finally get a hair cut in Northern Ireland from today, while those in Wales are looking forward to more freedom this weekend as coronavirus restrictions are eased. Travel between Scotland, England and Wales will be be permitted from Monday and tourist accommodation can welcome back visitors. Here is an overview of the state [...]
Cement the Special Relationship with some American Whiskey March 30, 2021 Earlier this month the Biden administration announced it was suspending Trump-era tariffs on the import of Scotch whisky to the US, reducing the price of single malts for American consumers. If you wanted to reciprocate, there are many long-established American whiskeys you could purchase, but if you’re willing to try something new, your adventurous spirit [...]
Budget 2021: Pubs, restaurants and retailers toast Sunak’s announcement but warn of gaps in support March 3, 2021 The hospitality and retail sectors have welcomed the Chancellor’s extended support for pubs, restaurants, shops and salons, but said more could be done to encourage consumers back to the high street after lockdown. Rishi Sunak this afternoon announced measures including a business rates holiday extension, new “restart” grants, a VAT cut extension and a beer [...]
Wetherspoons boss calls for pubs to open alongside non-essential shops February 15, 2021 Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin has urged the government to reopen pubs at the same time as non-essential shops, as the Prime Minister prepares to lay out his “roadmap” for exiting lockdown. Martin called for a clear timeline for pubs across the UK to resume selling pints, warning the industry is “on its knees” from months [...]
No-and-low alcohol spirits are here to stay, so do it in style January 29, 2021 Dry January has always been a challenge, but 2021 has made going sans alcohol even harder. If you have stuck with it this far – through Zoom meetings, home-schooling, and an inescapable sense of existential dread – then you deserve a treat in this final weekend of the month. We’re already well-versed in low- or [...]
Guinness owner Diageo hikes dividend despite impact of pub closures on sales January 28, 2021 Diageo, the owner of Guinness and Smirnoff, this morning announced it will hike its dividend despite the impact of coronavirus restrictions on pub and bar sales. Reported net sales fell 4.5 per cent during the second half of the year, while operating profit declined 8.3 per cent to £2.2bn. Organic net sales increased one per [...]
Beat Dry January with booze-free alternatives, from fizzy tea to CBD January 6, 2021 Despite this being the most miserable January in living memory (™), droves of us are keen to give up even more of life’s basic pleasures. This is set to be the most widely-practiced Dry January yet, with various unscientific surveys claiming that anywhere between 6.5m UK adults (up from 3.9m last year) to half of [...]
Covid-19: London in Tier 2 restrictions – what are the new rules to follow? November 27, 2020 The covid-19 restrictions have been strengthened since before the lockdown, so what are the new rules for work, home and socialising now that London's in Tier 2