Trade bodies say Scottish Budget falls short in helping sector
UKHospitality Scotland has claimed changes made to business rates in the Scottish Budget “bear no relation to the trading environment” facing hospitality businesses.
News
Mission Mars delivers record festive trading
Mission Mars has reported record revenue of £36.2m for the three-months to 28 December 2025.
MY PUB
MY PUB: The Two Pigs, Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire
Food is a big deal for the Two Pigs pub in the village of Barton-under-Needwood.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Diageo to hike price of Guinness by 5.2%
Diageo is set to increase the price of a number of its products, including Guinness Draught, The Morning Advertiser (The MA) has learnt.
Government ‘did not have access’ to full picture on rates ahead of Budget, says business secretary
Business secretary Peter Kyle has insisted the Government did not see the full set of new rateable values before announcing its Autumn Budget.
Stonegate appoints advisers as it seeks to streamline business
Stonegate has appointed advisers as its looks to streamline its business structure in a bid to soften the impact of tough trading conditions and its £3bn debt.
Loungers grows revenue beyond £400m
Loungers has reported revenue of £406.4m in its most recent financial results for the year ended 20 April 2025, up from £353.5m the year before.
Rates review must include pubs with rooms and hotels, says RedCat CEO
RedCat Hospitality chief executive Richard Lewis has warned that any Government intervention on business rates must extend beyond pubs to include the wider accommodation sector.
UK’s first ops accelerator revives hospitality awards legacy
North Star Hospitality has revealed it is launching its Competitive Operations Leadership Accelerator programme, reimagining the ALMR/UKH Ops Awards.
Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2026 list unveiled
This year’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars, sponsored by Franklin & Sons, is almost here and as we prepare to share who has taken the coveted top spot, we can now announce who is on the list.
Card spending dips in December but pubs see festive lift
UK consumer card spending fell in December as households continued to rein in discretionary purchases, although pubs enjoyed a modest festive boost after three consecutive months of decline.
Sector faces over 2,000 closures in 2026 without urgent rates reform, UKH warns
More than 2,000 hospitality venues could shut their doors in 2026 without a sector wide solution to business rates, new modelling from UKHospitality has revealed.
Heineken CEO to step down
Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink has announced he will be stepping down from his roles at the brewing giant.
DISH DECONSTRUCTED
How to make The Devonshire’s roast scallops, bacon and malt vinegar
In this Dish Deconstructed, The Devonshire’s co-founder and chef Ashley Palmer-Watts shares how to make the pub’s popular roast scallops with bacon and malt vinegar.
JDW appoints John Herring to board as NED
JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has appointed John Herring as a non executive director with immediate effect, marking a return to the business more than a decade after he last served on its board.
Clarkson’s biz rates to almost double at the Farmer’s Dog pub
Jeremy Clarkson has issued a strongly worded warning over the future of pubs, arguing that a combination of tax rises, regulatory reform and economic pressure is pushing the sector “towards collapse”.
FEATURE: What’s shaping pub food menus in 2026?
Last year was challenging for pubs.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Diageo responds to Guinness shortage fears
Diageo has dismissed claims Guinness is in short supply, insisting stock is being replenished after the busy festive period.
Shepherd Neame to reopen historic city pub after £1.8m refurb
Shepherd Neame is reopening a landmark London pub next month (February) following a £1.8m renovation.
THE MONTHLY ROUND: WHAT IS SHAPING TRADE
THE MONTHLY ROUND: Pubs unite against biz rates as events and heritage beer steady trade
Unity within the sector has forced the Government to take action against soaring business rates, while events, earlier visits, and desire for heritage beer has steadied trade this month.
BII welcomes biz rates U-turn but blasts Gov over ‘lack of understanding’
The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has welcomed a potential rethink on business rates for pubs from the Government.
A royal visit: How an 18th century micropub became a tourist destination
An historic Windsor pub has found international fame after Prince William stopped in while filming a TV show.
Rates U-turn won’t be enough for sector, trade boss warns
Pessimism remains high over claims the Government is doing a U-turn on rates, with one trade association leader warning it won’t be enough.
Where hospitality design is heading in 2026
Maximalism with impact, experience-led spaces and authentic, sustainable interiors that endure are just three of the design trends expected in 2026, experts have revealed.
Urban Pubs & Bars acquires five pubs
London-based Urban Pubs & Bars has announced the acquisition of five venues in the capital.
OPINION
OPINION: Don’t allow cheap offers to count against your business
Happy new year – I do hope you all had a strong festive season in your pubs.
Review of the Week
‘We’ve got to carry on pushing’
With the announcement of a possible Government U-turn on rates, the MA’s Ed Bedington caught up with UKHospitality’s Allen Simpson for his take on the week’s events.
Biz rates backtrack: Valuations must be ‘rooted in economic reality’
Pubs aren’t asking for “special treatment” from the Government - but rates valuations must be “rooted in economic reality”, an industry expert has urged.
OPINION
OPINION: Sector needs more than a sticking plaster
Most operators know the most effective way to keep control of potentially unruly punters is to threaten to bar them, and so it would seem it is also the most effective lobbying tool as well.
Hofmeister secures UK distribution deal
Lager brand Hofmeister has announced a new deal to secure its logistical supply following the challenges around Keystone Brewing Group.
Reports of Gov U-turn on business rates ‘potentially huge win for pubs’
The Government is expected to reveal a U-turn on hikes to business rates.
How Hospitality Rides can help prison leavers’ careers
Welcome to the latest update of Avani Solutions managing director Amanda Thomson’s Hospitality Rides five-day cycle challenge across Cuba.
Grants worth thousands available for pubs to add new services
Not-for-profit organisation Pub is The Hub has highlighted how pubs can apply for grants of up to £6,000 to create additional services and activities.
Time for the Government to be honest about pubs
It’s time for the lying to stop. This Government needs to step up and own the situation it has created and either do something about it, or just be honest and open about the fact they don’t actually give a monkeys about the hospitality industry.
Belhaven confirms £5m investment but calls for biz rates help
Belhaven has invested £5m across its 22 pubs following the launch of its franchise model – but has warned the business rates issue must be tackled by the Scottish government.
Pubs outperform market over Christmas
Pubs outperformed the wider hospitality market over the festive period, new research has found.
FEATURE
FEATURE: Why a pub should consider self-pour beer taps
Everyone wants to join in the fun – and the pub is the perfect place for that to happen.
Sally Abé departing Cotswolds gastropub
Chef Sally Abé has announced she is departing Oxfordshire gastropub the Bull in Charlbury.
Mini pubs boom: Brands and operators tap demand for ‘tiny’ drinking experiences
A wave of miniature pub concepts is emerging across the UK as operators, drinks brands and content creators experiment with compact, novelty led formats designed to drive footfall, social media reach and incremental sales.
‘We are continuing to work with and talk to sector’ says Starmer
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has claimed the Government is working with the industry on business rates support, he told the House of Commons.
Investment in public transport demanded as drink-drive limit reduction explored
The Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) has demanded Government investment be made into improving or creating “realistic night-time alternatives” if the drink-drive limit is to be reduced.
Kerridge: Business rates are ‘killing pubs off’
Celebrity chef and pub operator Tom Kerridge has highlighted the issues the hike in business rates is having at his four pubs.
Pubs report ‘record-breaking’ Christmas trade
Pubs enjoyed a bumper festive period with operators reporting double-digit growth thanks to earlier trading and sporting events.
Scottish trade bodies demand retention of 40% biz rates relief
Scottish trade associations have joined forces in urging the retention of the 40% business rates relief and remove the £51,000 rateable value cap.
PROPERTY ROUND-UP
PROPERTY: Greene King’s Beehive Inn to undergo major refurbishment
This property round-up includes mentions from Greene King, Proper Pubs, NEOS Hospitality and more.
Operators push back on Starmer’s ‘further support’ for pubs
Pub operators have reacted to Sir Keir Starmer’s suggestion that the Government could offer “further support” to hospitality businesses facing sharp increases in business rates, with JDW’s Tim Martin calling for “fairness and tax equality”.
FA Cup matches could be tonic for ‘tough month’ in pubs
As sport continues to drive trade in many pubs, publicans may be wise to sign up to TNT Sports after the broadcaster announced it will show 26 FA Cup matches in 10 days this month.
THE CASK PROJECT
Hydes launches seasonal cask calendar with Hairy Porter beer
Salford-based brewer Hydes is beginning its 12-month seasonal cask beer calendar with a dark beer named Hairy Porter.
Red Oak boosts funding platform as NatWest joins lender group
Red Oak Taverns has expanded its lender group as NatWest Bank joins its existing funder OakNorth, in a move the pub company says will support its long-term acquisition strategy.
Punch Pubs reports EBITDA uplift
Punch Pubs has reported an increase in EBITDA for the 52 weeks to 10 August 2025, to £95.9m, compared to £88.6m the prior year.