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
Guinness recalls non-alcoholic stout over safety concerns November 11, 2020 Guinness has urged customers not to drink its new non-alcoholic stout due to a microbiological contamination. The brand, which is owned by drinks giant Diageo, recalled its Guinness 0.0, saying the product may not be safe to consume. Guinness’ alcoholic stout is not affected by the contamination issue. It told customers to return the non-alcoholic [...]
CHEERS: ‘Click-and-collect’ pints allowed during lockdown November 3, 2020 “Click-and-collect” and phone orders of alcohol will be allowed from pubs and microbreweries during England’s second lockdown. Conservative MP Richard Holden tweeted that takeaway orders will be allowed even as pubs and restaurants close in new restrictions. “Delighted to be able to confirm – “Click-and-collect” & phone orders of alcohol will now be allowed from [...]
Fuller’s reports £10m hit on trading due to coronavirus pandemic July 30, 2020 Pub chain Fuller, Smith and Turner said this morning it has taken a hit of more than £10m this year due to the impact of coronavirus on trading. The figures Fuller’s said revenue in the year ended 28 March was up three per cent to £333m. Profit before tax was £174.5m, including proceeds from the [...]
Supermarket growth slows as shoppers return to pre-lockdown habits July 21, 2020 Grocery sales in the the UK rose 14.6 per cent year-on-year in the four weeks to 12 July, but lost the momentum seen at the beginning of lockdown as restaurants, pubs and cafes were allowed to reopen. Supermarket sales slipped from 18.9 per cent growth the previous month, as shoppers tentatively returned to their normal [...]
Coronavirus: Off-licences added to list of essential retailers March 25, 2020 Off-licences have been added to the government’s list of essential retailers that are permitted to stay open during the UK coronavirus lockdown. Off-licences and “licenced shops selling alcohol, including those within breweries” have today been reclassified as essential stores, amid reports that supermarkets were beginning to sell out of beer and wine. Customer stockpiling saw [...]
UK distillery numbers jump as craft gin popularity booms March 16, 2020 The number of distilleries in the UK has surged as craft gin continues to grow in popularity, according to the latest research. Distilleries jumped 20 per cent to 246 over the last year, up from 205 the previous year, as the UK gin industry toasted a nine per cent increase in export sales to £672m [...]