Legislation

Must protect pubs: Scotland Small Business Minister Richard Lochhead (credit: Scottish Government)

Mixed reaction to Scottish pubs code move

By Gary Lloyd

CAMRA and the SLTA have welcomed a move by the Scottish Government that will see the introduction of a Scottish pubs code from 7 October, if ratified, while the SBPA has expressed disappointment.

Sector impact: UKH boss Kate Nicholls says hospitality continues to suffer as collateral damage in the rail dispute (image: Getty/ coldsnowstorm)

Train strikes to hit sector for £387m

By Nikkie Thatcher

Industrial action on train services this weekend (Friday 5 April to Monday 8 April) is estimated to cost the hospitality industry £387m.

Unchanged: interest rates remain at 5.25% (Credit:Getty/MicroStockHub)

BoE interest rates hold shows 'positives' for economy

By Rebecca Weller

The Bank of England's (BoE) decision to hold interest rates at 5.25% indicates the economy is moving in the right direction despite short term challenges, operators have told The Morning Advertiser.

Responses made on Martyn's Law: Emma McClarkin and Kate Nicholls

Trade bodies back changes to Martyn’s Law

By Gary Lloyd

Trade bodies have given their backing to the Government’s revised changes to Martyn’s Law, which will require businesses to increase their readiness to act should there be a terrorist attack.

Pubs and breweries disappointed by Spring Budget 2024

Spring Budget 'profoundly disappointing' for pubs

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The pub sector has reacted with “extreme disappointment” to the Spring Budget, with slashed VAT and reform of business rates needed to make a real difference.

Freeze ends: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (fourth from left) has taken no action on business rates (credit: UK Parliament/Maria Unger)

SPRING BUDGET 2024

Business rates to go up as freeze ends

By Gary Lloyd

Despite the hospitality sector’s calls for a reduced business rates burden in the Spring Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s lack of action on the subject means companies in England will endure a combined tax hike of £1.66bn from 1 April.

Was there a hospitality VAT cut in the Spring Budget 2024

Gov ignores VAT cut pleas in Budget

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Despite pleas from across the hospitality industry, the Chancellor did not announce any changes to VAT in the Spring Budget today (6 March).

Rally call: NTIA CEO Michael Kill has called for action on VAT from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (right)

NTIA: 5,000+ call for VAT reduction to 12.5%

By Gary Lloyd

Calls for the Government to slash VAT down to 12.5% from its current 20% level in the Spring Budget have poured into MPs’ offices, according to the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA).

Call to action: the open letter has been signed by a number of hospitality leaders (image: Getty/ilkercelik)

Bosses call for help at Budget

By Nikkie Thatcher

A number of hospitality CEOs have written to the Chancellor, urging him to take immediate action at the Budget next week (Wednesday 6 March).

Cash laws: New tipping legislation will come into force on 1 July (Credit: Getty/Drazen Zigic)

How can pubs prepare for new tipping laws

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

WMT Troncmaster Services managing director Peter Davies has offered advice on how pubs can prepare for new tipping laws which are due to come into force this summer.

Business research: a survey from sector trade bodies showed a quarter of businesses are out of cash reserves (image: Getty/claudiodivizia)

1 in 4 firms out of cash

By Nikkie Thatcher

A quarter of businesses have no cash reserves left while less than a third (29%) have under three months’ left, new research has shown.

Sector worry: the BBPA and UKHospitality highlight concerns about the UK entering a technical recession (image: Getty/yevtony)

UK entering technical recession ‘big worry’

By Nikkie Thatcher

Official figures indicating the UK fell into a technical recession at the end of last year are ‘hugely concerning’ for the hospitality sector, one trade body said.

Significant pressure: BBPA calls for change ahead of Spring Budget amid static inflation rates (Credit: Getty/Zedelle)

Stagnant inflation shows need for 'vital' changes

By Rebecca Weller

Unchanging inflation rates show the Government must make “vital” changes in next month's Spring Budget to “alleviate significant pressure”, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has warned.

Driving change: The mayors of the North and West Midlands discuss the night-time economy (Credit: Elspeth Moore)

Mayors of the North call for VAT cut

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Mayors of the North united to call for an industry-wide VAT cut in the Spring Budget at the Night Time Economy Summit last week.

Pubs need help: hospitality leaders have written to the Government (credit: Getty/miodrag ignjatovic)

BBPA members demand help ahead of Budget

By Gary Lloyd

Leaders of more than 80 of the UK’s pub companies and breweries – who are members of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) – have written to the Chancellor to demand action at next month’s Budget on VAT, business rates and beer duty.

No money for margin or investment: Kate Nicholls says Government demands are leaving the sector in dire straits

Kate Nicholls: Cost of doing business is too high

By Gary Lloyd

With the Spring Budget approaching, UKHospitality (UKH) chief executive Kate Nicholls has told the Government “the cost of doing business is just too high” and steps must be taken.

Time is ticking on more than one issue: Andy Slee says the Chancellor must do something for the sector in Budget

OPINION

Utility firms’ £1bn weekly bonanza and Covid loans timebomb

By Andy Slee, chief executive, Society of Independent brewers (SIBA)

I am optimistic about the long-term future of hospitality. If lockdown taught us anything, it was people’s hunger to meet friends and family and to support local community pubs and breweries.

Company news: there was a significant jump in the number of insolvencies in the hospitality industry in the fourth quarter of 2023, RSM UK's Robyn Duffy says (image: Getty/Fentino)

Hospitality insolvencies up more than a third

By Nikkie Thatcher

The number of firms in the accommodation and food services sector becoming insolvent has increased by 37% on an annual basis, official statistics have found.

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