Brexit

Brexit has cost UK growth, admits Johnson

23-Aug-2022 By Ed Bedington

Hospitality entrepreneur and leave campaigner Luke Johnson has admitted that Brexit has cost the UK economy growth.

Most operators reporting cashflow worries

18-Aug-2022 By Rebecca Weller

More than half (58%) of operators expect overall costs to further increase this year with 98% having reported cashflow concerns, a new survey by international business payments firm, Equals Money, has revealed.

Jacob Reese-Mogg delays post-Brexit checks on EU goods

29-Apr-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Reese-Mogg has announced a fourth delay in the commencement of post-Brexit checks on EU goods in a move he claimed would save British businesses £1bn in annual costs.

Operators cite staffing crisis as biggest issue at ‘very worrying time’

28-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Operators of gastropubs cited lack of staffing as the biggest issue they were currently tackling, with Covid, Brexit and staff leaving the industry creating the “perfect storm”.

Bidfood cancels delivery slots amid ‘supply chain strain’

14-Oct-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Wholesaler Bidfood has cancelled delivery slots and stopped serving some accounts, putting it down to “significant pressures across the supply chain”.

Pubs set to be hit by chicken supply issues

18-Aug-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Pubs are set to be plagued by a lack of chicken supplies due to the impact of Brexit and the ongoing ‘pingdemic.’

Recruitment challenges exacerbated by Brexit

11-Aug-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Pre-existing recruitment challenges - particularly in the hospitality market - have been worsened by Brexit, new research from the Lumina Intelligence Top of Mind Business Leaders Survey has revealed.

Proportion of EU workers in hospitality sector falls as ‘potent combination’ of Brexit and Covid-19 hits

26-Jul-2021 By Michelle Perrett

The proportion of EU workers in the hospitality sector is at its lowest level since 2016 due to the “potent combination” of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, new data from Fourth has revealed.

Boosting wages not a 'fix' to staff shortage

28-Jun-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Pub operators have said they are boosting wages in a bid to protect themselves against the sector’s staff shortage.

UK/Australia trade deal to save UK wine businesses £16m, claims WSTA

16-Jun-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

The first major trade deal negotiated by the Government since the UK left the EU has been welcomed by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) for reducing costs for drinks businesses and positive knock-on effects for hospitality firms.

‘I can’t find anyone looking for work apart from teenagers’

02-Jun-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Trade bosses have warned that there is a lack of confidence in hospitality as a career as pubs struggle to fill roles.

Hospitality job postings up by 46% amid indoor reopening

25-May-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs are desperately seeking more hands on deck with the number of new hospitality job vacancies rising by 46% in the past two weeks.

Pubs must prepare their businesses for Brexit now

22-Jan-2021 By Nicholas Robinson

Pubs have been urged by business minister Paul Scully to ensure they are properly prepared amid changes brought about by the end of the Brexit transition period.

Government should use temporary increase in EU State Aid limits to support hospitality

21-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

Real estate service provider Colliers International has urged the Government to take advantage of the European Union’s increase in State Aid limits due to Covid-19 to support the UK’s ailing hospitality sector.

Countdown to Brexit

On-trade increasingly split between ‘strongly positive’ and ‘strongly negative’ Brexit forecasts

27-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

According to Lumina Intelligence’s UK Pub Market Report 2020, both strongly positive and strongly negative opinions of Brexit have become more prevalent within the on-trade over the past 12 months.

Countdown to Brexit

Filling hospitality’s post-Brexit ‘talent hole’

16-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

It’s widely forecast that Britain’s departure from the European Union will trigger a dearth in workers from the continent on which the hospitality sector traditionally relies.

Countdown to Brexit

Post-Brexit supply chains: ‘We don’t know what we’re preparing for’

16-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

As Britain edges towards the end of an 11-month Brexit transition period, drinks makers and pub sector stakeholders remain hopeful the lack of clarity over supply chains will be addressed in the coming weeks.

Brexit countdown

Brexit transition period ends in less than a month

12-Nov-2020 By Stuart Stone

Pushed down the political pecking order by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Britain’s exit from the EU has burst back onto the agenda with less than a month and counting until the Brexit training wheels come off.

UK public ‘will not be tricked’ by EU deal, says Tim Martin

26-Feb-2020 By Alice Leader

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) founder and chairman Tim Martin has warned UK and EU negotiators the public will shun EU goods if a deal fails to achieve a real restoration of democracy.

Spotlight

What did the pub sector say about Brexit in 2019?

29-Jan-2020 By Stuart Stone

Hot or not? We look back on some of 2019’s biggest Brexit takes and weigh up whether or not publicans need to batten down the hatches during the imminent transition period

Brewery ‘remains neutral’ with its Brexit Ale

14-Jan-2020 By Alice Leader

A brewery has sold 2,000 bottles of its Brexit Ale with the message that it doesn’t matter what you voted for – it is a beer for everyone.

Pub operators less confident about accommodation growth

06-Nov-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Although more customers would prefer to stay in a pub than a hotel, pub operators with accommodation are less confident than in recent years.

MA poll says 44% of operators want to remain in the EU

30-Oct-2019 By Nikkie Thatcher

A poll conducted by The Morning Advertiser (MA) found almost half (44%) of respondents want to remain in the European Union (EU).

Exit interview

'I’m not a person who believes we can keep every pub open'

18-Oct-2019 By Stuart Stone

Outgoing British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Brigid Simmonds examines her time in the role.

UKHospitality and Tourism Alliance publish Brexit no-deal guidance

11-Oct-2019 By Alice Leader

UKHospitality and Tourism Alliance have joined forces to publish guidance for the hospitality and tourism sectors in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Pubs stockpile for a no-deal Brexit

10-Oct-2019 By Alice Leader

A Belgian-themed pub in Norwich has stockpiled goods amid fears the business could be ‘flipped onto its head’ if the UK is left with a no-deal Brexit.

Uncertainty is the only certainty, says Shepherd Neame boss

25-Sep-2019 By Stuart Stone

Following the disclosure of Shepherd Neame’s latest financial results, chief executive Jonathan Neame discussed the brewer-operator’s approach to Brexit and growing its managed estate.

‘Government hell-bent’ on ignoring wine and spirits sector

23-Sep-2019 By Emily Hawkins

The UK Government has neglected the importance of the wine sector to the country’s economy, according to the head of the wine and spirits association (WSTA).

Brexit will be at ‘worst time’ for premium spirits producers

09-Sep-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Premium spirits producers could see a drop in demand this Christmas because of economic anxieties, according to the founder of a Warwickshire-based distillery.

Bath Pub boss: ‘You can’t find any kitchen porters’

20-Aug-2019 By Emily Hawkins

The director of a city pub company has expressed his fears about recruiting kitchen staff after Brexit.

No-deal Brexit could cut sector value by £5.4bn

13-Aug-2019 By Emily Hawkins

A no-deal Brexit could reduce the value of the eating-out market by up to £5.4bn, according to MCA Insight.

Migration reform ‘needs to go further’ to support hospitality

31-May-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Recommendations to relax migration restrictions for jobs with skills shortages would not do enough to help the hospitality sector, trade bodies have claimed.

Trade bodies demand halt to consultations until Brexit resolved

11-Feb-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Food industry chiefs have said the sector is beleaguered with no-deal Brexit uncertainty and urged consultations on other matters, including plastic use and a deposit return scheme, be put on hold.

JDW staff claim Brexit materials are ‘exploitative’

29-Jan-2019 By Emily Hawkins

JD Wetherspoon employees have formed a group to protest the pubco chairman’s advocacy of a no-deal Brexit within his pubs, arguing “migrants don’t drive down wages; but wealthy, exploitative bosses like Tim Martin do”.

EU workers needed for sector growth, UKHospitality says

22-Jan-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Businesses are concerned they will struggle to fill vacancies if the Government restricts migration after leaving the European Union, according to trade body UKHospitality (UKH).

Sector welcomes abolishing of EU ‘settled status’ fee

21-Jan-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Prime Minister Theresa May has scrapped the fee millions of EU citizens would have had to pay to be able to continue living in the country after Brexit – a move that has been met with a sense of relief from the pub industry.

UKHospitality joins calls to scrap EU citizen settled status fee

21-Jan-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Trade body UKHospitality (UKH) has pressed the Government to scrap ‘settled status’ application costs for EU nationals living in Britain after Brexit.

Pubcos pledge to pay settled status application costs for EU staff

14-Jan-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Several pub groups will cover the administrative cost of ‘settled status’ applications for its workers who are EU nationals.

Pub trade bodies call for certainty amid Brexit chaos

11-Dec-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Trade bodies UKHospitality and the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) have said further uncertainty over Brexit is damaging to businesses.

Brexit deal offers an ‘inferior scenario’ to EU membership, say drinks manufacturers

10-Dec-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Drinks manufacturers have described the proposed Brexit Withdrawal Agreement as offering a “scenario inferior” to the status quo of EU membership.

Trade reacts to new Brexit declaration

22-Nov-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Trade leaders have been responding to the announcement that the political declaration on the future relationship of the UK and EU has been agreed.

Brexit food fears are founded

08-Oct-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Fears over food shortages following a ‘no deal’ Brexit could be warranted, with warnings of a potential disaster, according to a group of major suppliers.

Hospitality sector must change image, says workforce report

11-Sep-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Changing the perception of the hospitality industry is key to securing its workforce, a cross-parliamentary report has recommended.

Hospitality chiefs endorse report to 'scrap blunt immigration targets'

10-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Hospitality chiefs have backed calls on the Government to secure the rights of EU citizens working in the sector after Brexit.

Why is hospitality staff retention so low?

08-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Unsociable working hours and low pay are among the top reasons the bar and restaurant industry struggles to retain workers, according to new research.

Wetherspoon Brexit beer mats support ‘no deal’

08-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

JD Wetherspoon have launched a Brexit beer mat outlining the pubco's view that the UK should not strike a deal with the EU and opt out of EU tariffs.

Heatwave could mean vegetable shortage

07-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

A difficult harvest caused by recent hot weather means buyers may struggle to buy certain produce, a leading procurement experts has warned.

Brexit 'slowing down' catering equipment industry

20-Jul-2018 By Emily Hawkins

The catering equipment industry is apprehensive about its future, with fears Brexit will have a detrimental impact, a survey has revealed.

Minister says Brexit challenges 'most acute for hospitality and tourism'

10-Jul-2018 By Claire Churchard

Brexit challenges for the UK workforce are “most acute for hospitality and tourism”, according to the minister for hospitality Michael Ellis.

Licensing Hub – Legal with Poppleston Allen

How could Brexit affect licensing laws for pubs?

03-Jul-2018 By Poppleston Allen

With less than nine months to go until the UK leaves the European Union (EU), Lisa Sharkey, managing partner at law firm Poppleston Allen, outlines the impact Brexit could have on the country’s licensing laws.