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Uncertainty over new variant: 78% of publicans see increase in cancellations (Credit: Getty/No-Mad)

Most operators seeing Christmas booking cancellations

More than three quarters (78%) of publicans have noticed an increase in cancellations since the announcement of the new Omicron Coronavirus variant, a snap poll conducted by the Morning Advertisers (MA) has found.

A look back at Fuller's mergers and acquisitions

Brewer and operator Fuller’s has a long history for its pub and brewing business and The Morning Advertiser has taken a deep dive into the company’s merger and acquisition deals.

Content provided by Carlsberg UK

CARLSBERG CONTINUES IN ITS PURSUIT OF BETTER BEER

Danish brewer Carlsberg has been busy making changes that have a big impact on consumers and the planet.

Captain Morgan Spiced named UK’s most popular rum

The top two best-selling rums in the UK on-trade have remained the same since last year with Captain Morgan Spiced and Bacardi Carta Blanca coming in at first and second respectively.

Death by a thousand cuts?

And so we find ourselves, once again, standing at a potential cliff edge, waiting for the casual and careless shove of our political leaders to send us into the abyss.

The pub where Liverpool and Everton football clubs were formed on the market at £3.75m

The property round-up this week includes details of a pub site for sale that was home to the formation of Liverpool and Everton football clubs up for sale, a hip hop speakeasy in Shoreditch to open in February and an Admiral Taverns site reopens after...

Vote now: have you seen Christmas cancellations?

Poor communication about coronavirus variants from the Government has caused widespread uncertainty in the hospitality sector and has impacted cancellations, according to the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA).

‘The catering industry is a drug’: Operator speaks up on addiction

Restaurant owner and former alcohol addict Justin Bone opened up about his drinking dependency and said the unsustainable ‘hedonism’ of hospitality jobs was often a path to addiction.

Still can't get the staff... the ongoing recruitment challenge

The Lock In team tackle the challenges around the ongoing recruitment and staffing crisis, with special guests Osh Rogers of the Guinea Grill, Dan Razavi of Leisure Jobs and Mark McCulloch of Hospitality Rising all providing some expert insight into how...

Star Inn at Harome fire ‘started deliberately’

A fire at Michelin-starred the Star Inn at Harome in North Yorkshire is believed to have been started deliberately, according to a police statement.

New pub deal from Marston’s proclaimed a “game-changer”

Marston’s is hoping to reinvent the pub trading partnership with the launch of what it describes as a “game-changing” deal for operators.

Jack Daniel’s leads whiskies category as top three unchanged

While none of the top 10 whiskies on this year’s drinks list showed any growth in volume or value on last year, the top three selling brands have stayed the same.

Brewers welcome Small Brewer Relief changes

Brewers and trade bodies have today welcomed the Government’s proposals to improve the current structure of Small Brewer Relief (SBR) to align more closely with economies of scale and remove barriers to growth.

‘Adviser needed in every major city to save night-time sector’

Placing an adviser for the night-time economy in every major city across the UK is the “only way” to save the sector, according to the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA).

Punch deal rumours remain unconfirmed

Speculation over a potential deal for the purchase of Punch Pubs & Co continues to swirl with both parties refusing to comment.

Dorking pub named overall winner at the 2021 Griffin Trophy Awards

The Queen’s Head in Dorking has been named the winner of the overall winner of this year’s Fullers Griffin Trophy as well as winning in the Best Town/Local category.

Unite calls for mandatory mask wearing in pubs

The union Unite has called for the culture secretary to ensure mandatory mask wearing at UK hospitality venues after masks became mandatory on public transport.

Morrisons and StarStock step in to help hospitality industry amid supply issues

Pub operators across the UK have been offered help to fulfil food and drink orders from supermarket chain Morrisons and online marketplace, StarStock.

Coca-Cola remains top soft drink by a large distance

There has been little change in the top 10 order in the soft drinks category and just one new entry to the list as J20 Orange & Passionfruit slips out of the table.

GBPA 2021 winner through to next round on MasterChef: The Professionals

The winner of Great British Pub Awards (GBPA) 2021 Best Young Pub Chef award has made it through to the next round on BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals.

Tonics division title taken by Fever-Tree

There was little movement in the tonic water list and Fever-Tree continued to dominate the market with mixers claiming first and second place.

Concern over new variant as face masks ruled out at pubs

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has voiced concern over the new Covid variant Omicron but has welcomed the Government's decision to not ‘mitigate against hospitality’ by preventing enforced use of face masks.

Gordon’s plunders top two positions in gin section

This year’s list of the UK’s top gin brands was full of familiar faces and most brands hadn’t budged from last year’s rankings.

The number of operating pubs and bars in the UK has fallen by 3,247

The total number of operating pubs and bars in the UK fell by 3,247 between March 2020 and September 2021.

Strongbow tops the list as best-selling cider for another year

The UK’s most popular cider in the on-trade is still Strongbow, new data from The Morning Advertiser’s Drinks List 2022 has revealed.

Prospect Pubs & Bars to open fifth site

Prospect Pubs & Bars has announced it will open its fifth site, The Joiners Arms in Bloxham, Oxfordshire after major refurbishment and extension.

Smirnoff Red remains top of the spirits category class

Despite a drop in volume of sales by 16% (15% in value), Smirnoff Red has remained the top selling spirit on The Drinks List, followed by Gordon’s Pink Gin and Jägermeister.

JDW signs 20-year deal with Budweiser, ends 41 years with Heineken UK

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) will end its 41-year association with Heineken UK after announcing a new 20-year supply partnership with Budweiser Brewing Group that will begin on 15 December – it has also signed deals with other industry heavyweights.

Smirnoff Red outstrips rivals to land top vodka brand title

This year’s top five vodka brands may have all declined in both volume and value sales but there is a new entry to the list as Russian Standard Vodka drops away.

400 million pints of Britain’s no1 lager brewed using renewable electricity*

An estimated 400 million pints of Carling have now been made using 100% renewable electricity, according to brewer Molson Coors Beverage Company**.

Doom Bar leads cask ale sales in on-trade

There has been much discussion on how cask ale’s fortunes are potentially at a tipping point during the past few years and the closure of pubs has certainly been no help in that scenario.

The Drinks List – top brands to stock in 2022

This year’s Drinks List has been impacted by the fact the on-trade sector was either in lockdown or operating under restrictions from October 2020 to July 2021, which was a longer period than when the results was previously compiled.

Carling retains top place as best-selling lager

The top two best-selling lagers have remained the same for another year with Carling and Foster’s taking the number one and two spots.

Staffing levels 'still down 18% against 2019'

For the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, all sectors within hospitality saw staff headcount increase in October, compared to last year, but staffing levels were still down 18% in comparison to the same period two years ago.

Heineken 0.0 retains top spot in no to low division

The no and low-alcohol category was another division that saw losses on this year’s The Morning Advertiser’s Drinks List, though the top five selling brands in the group remained the same as last year.

The lock-in that’s lasted three nights

Customers trapped in the Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales after heavy snowfalls have been locked in for three nights now.

Camden Town Hells Lager tops chart consecutively

The overall value of the UK on-trade’s eight best-selling craft beers plummeted by £26.3 in the past year, with 34,617 fewer hectolitres (HL), that’s 7m pints, sold.