Legislation

Record redundancies as support for hospitality urged

10-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Redundancies reached a record high in the three months to September as hospitality bore the brunt of pandemic pressure.

Restrictions forced 12k licensed venues to close ahead of lockdown

10-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Trading restrictions meant almost a third of Britain’s licensed premises shut their doors on October – signalling the sector could be substantially reduced upon reopening in December, new research has found.

Covid-19 could rob British night club sector of ‘world leader’ status

10-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

The Night Time Industries Association’s (NTIA) CEO, Michael Kill, believes that the lack of a ‘robust financial package’ for the late night sector could threaten British venues’ position as some of the best on the planet.

Birmingham pub hit with £10k fine as pubs warned about lockdown breaches

09-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs have been warned not to break coronavirus rules after one site was slapped with a £10,000 fine.

Takeaway freedom to be extended until next year

09-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs will receive automatic permission to provide takeaway services for another year, it has been confirmed today (Wednesday 11 November).

‘Real living wage’ rises to £9.50 per hour

09-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

More than a quarter of a million people working for an employer signed up to the “real living wage” will see 20p added to their hourly rate of pay.

39% of operators 'somewhat prepared' for second lockdown

06-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Almost two fifths (39%) of operators have stated they feel 'somewhat prepared' for the second national lockdown, which came into force yesterday (Thursday 5 November).

Three quarters of hospitality anxious about job security

06-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Nearly three quarters of hospitality workers have said they are worried about losing their job amid the current lockdown, according to a snap survey.

Grave concerns about Government strategy

06-Nov-2020 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser’s Ed Bedington spoke to Top 50 Gastropub operator, Brendan Padfield of the Unruly Pig, in Bromeswell, Suffolk, to get his views on the big stories of the past week.

Pubs operating takeaways are eligible for grants

06-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Hospitality businesses serving takeaways are able to claim the business grants as their main mode of business has been banned, The Morning Advertiser (MA) has learnt.

PM assures ‘lockdown will end on 2 December’

05-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reiterated the current national lockdown restrictions will expire on 2 December and the tiered system will come into force thereafter.

Furlough extension welcomed ahead of 'tough winter'

05-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the furlough scheme will be extended until the end of March.

12,000 pubs at risk of permanent closure

05-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Almost a third (31.9%) of England’s pubs will not reopen after the second lockdown is lifted, a trade body has predicted.

'Christmas Eve atmosphere' as pubs shut for lockdown

05-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Punters came out in force last night for one last hurrah and to support their locals ahead of a four-week lockdown in England.

Where in the world can you go for a pint?

05-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

With England moving into its second national lockdown, The Morning Advertiser scoured regulations governing hospitality operators across the rest of Europe to see where in the world beers are still being served.

breaking

MPs approve pub closures in second lockdown

04-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

MPs have voted in favour of the new set of lockdown rules, which will come into force later tonight.

Welsh pubs subject to 'rule of 4'

04-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Welsh pubs have received confirmation of operating rules before they resuming trading next week.

Regulator retains 500-site pubs code threshold after review

04-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

A review into the pubs code has revealed that the Government will keep the current threshold of 500 or more tied pubs for pub-owning businesses but this will be kept under review.

Pub companies announce lockdown rent plans

04-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pub companies including Greene King and Stonegate Pub Company have confirmed rent reductions for tenants to 10% for the second lockdown period.

Lockdown revisited

04-Nov-2020 By Ed Bedington

With a second lockdown looming, The Morning Advertiser revisited some of the operators we spoke to during the enforced spring and early summer closure, along with a Great British Pub Award winner, to gauge their response to the news and what preparations...

Pubs face fines of up to £10k for breaking lockdown

04-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Businesses can be hit with fines of up to £10,000 for breaking coronavirus rules amid the second lockdown.

The Lock In Podcast

The Lock In Podcast: The joy of customers, Trip Advisor and online reviews

04-Nov-2020 By Ed Bedington

In this week's episode of The MA's Lock In podcast, Ed Bedington, James Cuthbertson and Heath Ball talk about customer service, bad behaviour and their mutual love of online reviews, including the dreaded Trip Advisor. Tune in to the latest...

‘It’s clear no one in Government has ever worked in hospitality’

03-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Licensees have told The Morning Advertiser (MA) of their frustrations about the Government ordering pubs to close as part of the national lockdown again.

Self-employed support to double again

03-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

The Government has announced it is increasing the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme from 40% of trading profits to 80% for November.

How to manage your risk when closing a venue due to Covid

03-Nov-2020 By Mark Flanagan, CEO of Shield Safety Group

The recent introduction of tiered alert systems, fire breakers, lockdowns and circuit breakers across the UK and Ireland means that for thousands of hospitality businesses adapting, planning and preparing have never been more crucial.

Opinion

Has the Government declared war on pubs?

03-Nov-2020 By Christopher Snowdon

I have long harboured the suspicion than the ultimate objective of British politics for the last fifteen years has been to destroy the pub trade.

Allowing takeaway drinks will 'unpick' the lockdown measures claims PM

02-Nov-2020 By Nicholas Robinson

The rules have changed, see below: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said allowing takeaway drinks from pubs and bars during England's second lockdown would result in the measures being 'unpicked'.

Opinion

What exactly is it about wet-led pubs that the Government seems to hate?

02-Nov-2020 By Ed Bedington

I mean hospitality in general seems to be the whipping boy for the Government to target during this pandemic, but they seem to have singled out the wet-led operators for an extra kicking.

Confusion about alcohol takeaways for pubs

02-Nov-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

The pub trade is calling for clarity on serving takeaway alcohol while shut, ahead of the nationwide lockdown and enforced closure of hospitality this week (Thursday 5 November).

lockdown live

Prime Minister pledges cash for wet pubs

02-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Most areas in England will be placed into tier two measures this week while pubs in a number of areas must remain closed under the strictest rules.

Lockdown 2.0 – what it means for pubs

02-Nov-2020 By Nicholas Robinson

Pubs will close again for at least one month in England’s second national lockdown set to go ahead on Thursday 5 November.

Lockdown 2.0 'nightmare before Christmas'

31-Oct-2020 By Nicholas Robinson

England's month-long lockdown has been described as a "nightmare before Christmas", with pubs and suppliers to the sector in need of support in addition to furlough.

Breaking

All pubs to close in national month-long lockdown

31-Oct-2020 By Nicholas Robinson

Pubs and other “non-essential” businesses will be forced to close from Thursday 5 November for a month as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a second national lockdown, a move considered by experts as extremely worrying for the hospitality sector....

Tier three pubs doubtful they will reopen 'this side of Christmas'

30-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Operators are bracing themselves for another period of closure, with tier three measures coming into force in West Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire this weekend.

Government closes tier three social club 'loophole'

30-Oct-2020 By Stuart Stone

The Government has closed an apparent loophole in its coronavirus alert system allowing social clubs in tier three to serve alcohol.

BBPA demands rates reform to save pubs amid appeals spike

30-Oct-2020 By Stuart Stone

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has responded to the Treasury’s call for evidence on business rates as new data reveals more than 1,000 new rates appeals per day in last six months.

Quarter of operators ‘cannot properly adhere to restrictions’

29-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 24% of hospitality operators feel they can’t “properly adhere” to the Government’s policies such as the rule of six, saying the rules are difficult to enforce, new research has found.

G-A-Y curfew challenge refused by courts

29-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

G-A-Y’s judicial review proceedings, challenging the Government’s 10pm curfew, have been refused by the courts.

Welsh pubs 'victims' without further support

29-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

The Welsh Government has been urged to explain where hospitality in the country will stand once the ‘firebreak’ lockdown ends.

Nottinghamshire moves to tier 3

29-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Nottinghamshire has been put into the highest measures of the Government's tiered system from this week, affecting more than 700 pubs.

Alcohol restrictions leave Scottish pubs in ‘no man's land’

28-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Scottish pubs will face varying restrictions on serving alcohol when a new levelled system of coronavirus restrictions begins on Monday 2 November.

1% of Test and Trace incidences ‘from hospitality’

28-Oct-2020 By Nicholas Robinson

A survey from leading hospitality trade organisations has claimed just 1% of respondents to a poll said their venues were linked to NHS Test and Trace contact incidences.

Strictest measures will be needed by Christmas, advisers say

28-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

The Government’s scientific advisers have advised the imposition of tier three restrictions on the entire country by mid-December, it has been reported.

Trade bodies demand late-night levy freeze

28-Oct-2020 By Stuart Stone

UKHospitality (UKH), the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) have written to the Government demanding a reprieve for venues still required to pay the late-night levy.

The Lock In Podcast

The Lock In Podcast: Bad wine experiences, blind tasting and tier 2

28-Oct-2020 By Ed Bedington

In this week's episode of The MA's Lock In podcast, Ed Bedington, James Cuthbertson and Heath Ball talk bad experiences drinking wine, tier two and Ball is treated to a blind wine tasting, but will he guess them right? Tune in to the latest...

784 more pubs face closure under tier 3 measures

27-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 784 pubs in Nottingham and surrounding areas could be closing due to the region moving into ‘very high’ tier restrictions.

Revolution Bars Limited CVA launched

27-Oct-2020 By Stuart Stone

Nationwide bar operator Revolution Bars Group has launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) of subsidiary Revolution Bars Limited in a bid to improve the wider group’s long-term financial position.

Warrington pubs forced to close

26-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs in Warrington, north-west England, will have to close unless they can serve meals with alcohol.

Low transmission levels mean measures 'unjustified'

26-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Health officials have hardly touched data provided to them by pubs, according to a survey carried out by UKHospitality (UKH).

Third of tier three pubs, bars and restaurants closed or plan to shut

26-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 33% of hospitality businesses in the ‘very high’ tier three do not have sufficient support to remain viable and have closed already or plan to, an industry survey has found.