Ghost Ship brewer Adnams cuts staff after ‘challenging’ trading September 4, 2026 Adnams, the brewer of Ghost Ship ale, has resorted to letting go of staff as it takes emergency measures to face up to “challenging” trading conditions. The Suffolk-based brewer and pub owner told shareholders it has kicked off “a series of operational, commercial and labour management initiatives” after facing worse-than-expected sales at the start of [...]
Brewdog founder James Watt hits out at ‘total silence’ over new venture August 26, 2026 Brewdog co-founder James Watt has hit out at the “total silence” surrounding his latest venture, a drink designed to prevent hangovers. The craft beer tycoon wrote on LinkedIn: “Normally, if I cough loudly, three journalists file copy about it. Yesterday we did a world first and the press said nothing. “Not a peep. Total silence,” [...]
Burnham accused of ‘piecemeal’ business rates reform August 24, 2026 Andy Burnham has been accused of taking a “piecemeal” approach to business rates instead of committing to Labour’s manifesto pledge to replace the tax system. The government has launched a review into how business rates bills are calculated for pubs and hotels, but industry bodies have urged the Prime Minister to commit to wholesale reform [...]
Treasury launches business rates review for pubs and hotels August 24, 2026 The Treasury has launched a review into how business rates are calculated for pubs and hotels in the government’s latest bid to boost businesses operating in town centres. Launched on Monday, the government said the review will “look at improving fairness for businesses” and will aim “to ensure the system is fair and transparent, and [...]
City institution Simpson’s Tavern reborn as British restaurant August 19, 2026 Simpson’s Tavern, the City’s oldest chophouse which closed in 2022, is to reopen later this year as a modern British restaurant. Cloth Cornhill will open on 1 October on the site of the former pub, which first opened in 1757 and was a favourite drinking haunt of Charles Dickens and William Thackeray. A new era [...]
New planning rules ‘could blight high streets with empty pubs’ August 18, 2026 Angela Rayner’s attempt to stop pubs being redeveloped into offices and housing could “blight high streets” with empty venues, property experts have warned. The housing secretary has unveiled reforms to planning rules which mean that developers can only turn a pub into housing or an office if there is no reasonable prospect that it can [...]
Andy Burnham to ‘go further’ in business rates reform August 12, 2026 Andy Burnham said he would “go further” in introducing business rates reform after already announcing that property taxes would be cut for pubs in return for higher levies on vape shops. The Prime Minister said he will look to bring in more radical changes to the business rates system as part of efforts to ease [...]
World Cup leads UK spending boost as confidence rebounds August 11, 2026 Consumer spending across the UK jumped in July as Brits’ splurged on a summer of sport and sunshine, fresh data from Barclays has shown. Card spending jumped two per cent to its highest level in 12 months following a surge in transactions at pubs, bars and clubs during England’s World Cup run. Overall hospitality and [...]
No 10 backs ‘vertical drinking’ in Soho pubs August 7, 2026 Downing Street has waded into the debate over so-called “vertical drinking” and called on Westminster City Council to “work with” the industry to maintain the culture of pints outside London pubs. “Busy pubs full of people talking to each other is not a public nuisance, it is British life and it is thousands of jobs,” [...]
Heineken-owned pubs group faces probe over eviction threat August 5, 2026 One of the UK’s biggest pub chains is facing a potential probe by the UK’s pubs watchdog after it threatened to evict one of its London tenants. Star Pubs, which operates more than 2,000 sites across Britain and is owned by Dutch brewing titan Heineken, has been told it will be referred to the Pubs [...]