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Business boss: BrewDog co-founder James Watt

Pressure mounts on BrewDog CEO over claims of inappropriate behaviour

BrewDog CEO James Watt is facing mounting pressure after being accused of inappropriate behaviour towards women and abuse of power in the workplace.

Government funds: local authorities received the grants earlier this month (January) (image:Getty/ Jitalia17)

Business secretary urges councils to distribute Omicron grants

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng has written to councils across England, calling on them to allocate the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grants.

Learning to live with Covid: From 4am on Friday 11 February 2022 fully vaccinated international visitors to the UK no longer need a Covid test on arrival (Credit: Getty/ honglouwawa)

'Sensible and pragmatic' travel restrictions lift welcomed by sector

The removal of mandatory coronavirus tests for fully vaccinated international travellers to the UK has been welcomed by trade bodies across the hospitality sector.

Award-winning: (l-r) head chef Dave Wall, owner Brendan Padfield and head chef Karl Green from the Unruly Pig in Woodbridge, Suffolk take the number one slot at the 2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

Unruly Pig takes top spot in 2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

Suffolk-based the Unruly Pig has been crowned number one on this year’s Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list.

Latest news: openings and renovations are in the property update this week

Tonight Josephine to launch, Pub is The Hub helps open shop at Cumbrian site

The latest property news includes a Tonight Josephine cocktail bar opening, Pub is The Hub helps a Cumbria village pub open a shop for essentials, a £120,000 overhaul for a Berwick high street pub, a renovated Red Lion Holdings site and Inception Group's...

Red tape: Colliers claimed forms are much more complicated for hospitality businesses than for other industries (image: Getty/ilkercelik)

‘VOA aggressively pursuing fines to hospitality firms’ says Colliers

The Government’s Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is issuing and “aggressively pursuing” fines for late Valuation Forms of Return, according to real estate property agent Colliers business rates team.

End of restrictions: Sector welcomes the end of uncertainty but must be allowed to continue trading indefinitely according to the NTIA (Credit: Getty/joec)

Sector welcomes the 'end of uncertainty' after Covid restrictions lift

Hospitality will ‘celebrate’ the end of ‘Plan B’ and ‘uncertainty’ as restrictions across the country are lifted, but night-time businesses need to be able to continue trading indefinitely, according to the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA).

CGA On Premise Measurement Service: Gin, whisky, wine and cask lose popularity while Tequila, Rum and vodka gain favour (Credit: Getty/Henrik Sorensen)

Rum, Tequila and vodka see sales rise as wine and cask slips out of favour

Rum, Tequila and vodka are expected to be among the more popular drinks for 2022, while wine, gin and whisky are among those suspected to take a dip in popularity this coming year, according to the latest CGA On Premise Measurement Service.

Returning to pubs: More than two thirds of consumers felt more confident visiting pubs during December 2021 than at the start of 2021 (Credit: Getty/ Henrik Sorensen)

Consumer confidence doubles since the start of last year

More than two thirds of consumers felt a higher level of confidence when visiting pubs, bars, and restaurants, during December 2021 than at the start of 2021, according to the CGA Consumer Pulse Survey.

Recovering Rekom: Boss Peter Marks is 'cautiously optimistic' for the future

Rekom UK CEO ‘cautiously optimistic’ for post-Plan B trade

Despite a rocky festive trading period, Rekom UK chief executive Peter Marks was “excited” for a future free from Plan B restrictions, and said young people should be celebrated for their responsibility.

'Vital support': Scottish Brewers Support Fund one-off grant welcomed by sector (Credit: Getty/Stefano Gilera)

One-off grant of up to £29,500 for Scottish breweries welcomed by sector

The announcement of a one-off grant of up to £29,500 as part of the Scottish Brewers Support Fund has been welcomed by the sector.

New cocktail bar: the opening will be the eighth iteration of Mr Fogg’s for co-founder Charlie Gilkes

Inception Group to open another Mr Fogg’s site in late spring

London-based bar operator Inception Group is set to open a Mr Fogg’s site in Mayfair at the former Balls Brothers site.

Acquisition history: Christie & Co's report looked at some of the biggest deals in the sector from last year (image: Getty/ Adam Gault)

Pub sales volumes up more than 100%

Transaction volumes for the pub sector rose by 103% in 2021, a new report from business property adviser Christie & Co has revealed.

Wells & Co offers 10% rent concession: Omicron grants welcomed but don't 'reflect the true statistic' of what businesses lost during December (Credit: Getty/Andrew Brookes)

Wells & Co announces rent concession for its partners

Pub operator Wells & Co has announced a 10% rent concession for all its 130 leased and tenanted sites across the UK.

Pub sales down 29.2% in December 2021: Lifting of restrictions means businesses can look forward to better conditions to aid their recovery in 2022 (Credit: Getty/monkeybusinessimages)

Saturday 4 December most profitable trading day

Pub sales were down 29.2% in December 2021 when compared to 2019 with New Year’s Eve sales down some 30%, however staff headcounts and hours worked were in good stead, the latest Fourth Hospitality Report has shown.

Restart the party: vaccine passports will remain in place at Scottish nightclubs (credit: Getty/agrobacter)

Scottish restrictions ‘worth it’ as nightclubs reopen

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said restrictions that have hit hospitality hard during the pandemic had been “worth it” as nightclubs and large indoor events were permitted to resume from Monday 24 January.

The end of Plan B may be too late for some pubs

Parting present from the partying PM?

And just like that Boris Johnston announced the end of Plan B, and much rejoicing was heard throughout the country.

Hospitality saw 10,650 more businesses in 2021 vs March 2019: Research reflects 'resilience and excellence' of the sector (Credit: Getty/glegorly)

Hospitality site numbers up 10,650 against pre-Covid

There were 10,650 more food and drink businesses across the hospitality sector in 2021 than in March 2019 and 3,650 more when compared with March 2020, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) official UK Business Count.

Relocation effort: everything is expected to be up and running at Robinsons by 2025

Robinsons will invest £12m to relocate brewery, staff and all operations to one site

Robinsons Brewery is set to invest more than £12m to relocate its Stockport town centre brewing and head office operations to its packaging centre site in Bredbury.

The Boathouse at Boulters Lock in Maidenhead: Peach Pubs sees 'remarkable' effort from its teams and an increase in sales despite mass cancellations

Peach Pubs sees slight sales rise despite 23k cancellations over Christmas

In the five weeks of Christmas and New Year, Peach Pubs was up 3.1% on 2019 with like-for-like sales compared to 2019 increasing by 21% in the six months to 2 January, 26% over the summer, 10% in autumn and 3% at Christmas.

Options for your bar: plenty on offer to entice customers through the door

Gunpowder Gin form BrewDog’s spirit arm, Liberation Brewing’s first non-alcoholic beer

There are plenty of new products being launched at the moment so there’s a good chance something will help you light up your offer in the run-up to Burns Night and Valentine’s Day.

Still short of pre-coronavirus trading: Drinks sales in the week to Saturday 15 January were down 12% (Credit: Getty/AleksandarNakic)

Drinks sales down 12% in the week to 15 January

Average drinks sales by value in Britain’s managed pubs, bars and restaurants in the week to Saturday 15 January were 12% down when compared to the same week in 2020, according to the latest CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker.

Halted trade: December put a stopper in hospitality's recovery (Getty/Leo Patrizi)

13 sites a day lost since pandemic’s onset

While Britain’s hospitality sector grew modestly in the last quarter of 2021, tough trading conditions now threaten to halt the sector’s upturn, the Market Recovery Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners has revealed.

Easing of restrictions in Northern Ireland: Hospitality Ulster’s Colin Neill hopes the move will ‘herald a transition’ for the sector

Easing of NI restrictions welcomed by trade body

Hospitality Ulster has welcomed the news restrictions in Northern Ireland are set to be eased at the end of the week.

UKH Benchmarking Survey: Publicans urged to take part in the future shaping survey

UKH survey to help Government shape future of sector

UKHospitality (UKH) has urged operators, including pubs and nightclubs, to take part in its upcoming annual Benchmarking Survey, following its hiatus last year due to the pandemic.

Hope for a stronger second half performance: JDW saw total sales decrease by 11.7% when compared to the same period in 2020

JDW sees sales decrease by 11.7% in half year to January

J D Wetherspoon (JDW) saw like-for-like sales and total sales decreased by 11.7% and 13.3% respectively in the 25 weeks to 16 January 2022, when compared to the similar period in financial year 2020.

Project Breakfast Club: The Salmon pub is fundraising to support disadvantaged children in Leicester (Credit: Getty/Daly and Newton)

Leicestershire pub fundraising to provide breakfast for disadvantaged children

A Leicestershire pub has started a fundraising project to provide disadvantaged children at a nearby school with a healthy breakfast.

Trade association reaction: UKHospitality boss Kate Nicholls and British Beer & Pub Association head Emma McClarkin had their say on the Plan B announcement

Plan B rules lift ‘good news’ but severity of impact ‘must not be underestimated’

The Government's latest announcement that Plan B rules are being scrapped has been cautiously welcomed by trade bodies, alongside calls for further support.

Property developments: news on renovations, sales and investments

Revolution restarts the party at Electric Press, sites hit market in Scotland and North Yorkshire

The party has started again for Revolution with a £300k revamp at a site in Leeds, properties have been put on the market in Scotland and North Yorkshire while GK has invested jointly on a Wirral pub and Baker Hospitality takes on a third site.

‘Covid Passes were this year’s version of the Scotch egg’

Covid Passes led to confusion, conflict and cost in what was "this year's version of the Scotch egg", according to Revolution Bars chief executive Rob Pitcher, who said the Government must do more than roll back Plan B restrictions.

Financial provision: OakNorth Bank says The Inn Collection Group has a strong site election policy

Inn Collection Group secures £42m funding for renovation and expansion

Pub operator The Inn Collection Group has secured an additional £42m funding from OakNorth Bank to revamp about half of its 26 sites and develop its property portfolio.

Government announcement: Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed MPs in a statement in the House of Commons (image: Andrew Parsons /No 10 Downing Street via Flickr)

Work from home advice scrapped, Gov confirms

Plan B measures including guidance to work from home and mandatory Covid passes for nightclubs are to be dropped, the Government has announced.

Hard hit: Pubs and bars had the toughest trading period over Christmas (Getty/ Dimensions)

Pubs and bars hit hardest over festive period

Britain’s managed pub, bar and restaurant groups suffered a double-digit sales drop from pre-Covid levels in December, yet pubs and bars were hit particularly hard over the festive period, the latest CGA Business Tracker revealed.

Reciprocal relationship: online training offers skills to your staff that will help your business

Feature: Get the right staff and let tech help you win in business

We all know that if we want to make money in our pubs, we need customers to buy drinks and food but there are many aspects needed to enable that to happen from having the right staff to do the right things through to back-office tech to help make the...

Omicron restrictions lifted in Scotland from Monday: Sector welcomes the end of table service but late night venues still require clarity regarding dancefloors ((Credit: Shutterstock/Terry Murden)

'Long and arduous recovery' for Scottish pubs after restrictions lift

The announcement of coronavirus restrictions in Scotland being lifted as from Monday (24 January) has been welcomed by hospitality trade bodies, however the sector has called for clarity regarding dancefloors.

Pedalling for Pubs has almost reached its fundraising milestone of £150,000: Participants will cycle across Jordan in challenging conditions for charity this March

Pedalling for Pubs raises almost £150,000

Charity cycle event Pedalling for Pubs has almost reached its fundraising milestone of £150,000, having reached £146,000 as of Tuesday 18 January.

SA Brain reported to be selling pubs to Song Capital and Cerberus

SA Brain in deal to sell estate

Leading Welsh brewer SA Brain is reported to be set to sell the freeholds of the majority of it’s pubs to a global consortium for a reported £100m.

Rebecca and Joseph standing outside of the Royal Oak Hotel

Cumbrian pub opens only shop in village

Publicans of the Royal Oak Hotel in Beckermet, Cumbria have come to the rescue of local residents by opening the only store in the village.

Freixenet Copestick acquires Bolney Wine Estate: A new chapter for the English sparkling wine estate

Freixenet Copestick acquires English sparkling wine estate

Freixenet Copestick has entered the English Sparkling Wine market with its acquisition of Bolney Wine Estate on 14 January.

Plummeting sales: Hospitality's worst week of trading in eight weeks was the week starting 3 January

Hospitality Ulster calls for lifting of NI restrictions after worst trading week in months

Hospitality Ulster has called for strict measures to be lifted and nightclubs reopened in Northern Ireland, after data revealed the week commencing 3 January 2022 to be hospitality’s worst week of trading in two months.

Anger growing: operators feel unfairly penalised for no real reason (image: Getty/Bridgendboy)

Welsh government accused of ‘reckless posturing’ as anger in hospitality grows

While Welsh operators will be looking forward to the lifting of restrictions in a couple of weeks, anger is growing as to whether the restrictions were needed at all.

The Morning Advertiser Lock In Podcast episode 35

Hard times ahead?

The Lock In team review the Christmas that wasn't and take a look to the months ahead and what to expect. We talk the challenging financial situation with top advice from expert advisor Chris Worden from 1st Business Rescue, hear from award winning...