All news articles for 2022

Critical level: staff shortages impacting industry and economic recovery (Credit: Getty/South_agency)

Staff shortages damaging economic recovery

By Rebecca Weller

Staff shortages within the hospitality sector have caused almost half (45%) of operators to cut trading hours or capacity in order to cope, costing the industry £21bn in lost revenue, a joint survey by UKHospitality (UKH), the British Institute of Innkeeping...

Cash change: all Bank of England bank notes are now available on polymer (image: Flickr/Bank of England)

100 days left of paper £20 and £50 notes

By Nikkie Thatcher

The Bank of England has urged anyone who still has paper £20 and £50 notes to use them or deposit them to the bank, ahead of the cash being withdrawn later this year.

Day part eating up: pubs have captured 13.9% of the eating-out market in the most recent 12-week period (credit: Getty/Henrik Sorensen)

Increase in spend and numbers eating dinner at pubs

By Gary Lloyd

The number of people eating dinner at pubs has risen and their average spend during this day part has increased by 10%, according to data from Lumina Intelligence’s Eating & Drinking Out Panel.

Ensuring customer safety: safeguarding schemes essential for the sector (Credit: Getty/Peter Cade)

Safeguarding schemes 'essential' for hospitality

By Rebecca Weller

Schemes such as ‘Ask for Angela’ are essential in helping hospitality venues ensure the safety of customers, especially women or those considered vulnerable, amid “increasingly common” risk of drink spiking and violence, according to independent London...

Championing hospitality: Chris Wayne-Wills becomes UKH Scotland chairman

UKH Scotland appoints new chairman

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Crerar Hotels chief executive Chris Wayne-Wills has been appointed UKHospitality Scotland chairman as the sector grapples with unprecedented financial pressures and workforce shortages.

Cost of living crisis: food prices hikes have pushed inflation to a record high

Inflation hits 40-year high at 9.1%

By Gary Lloyd

Rising food, energy and fuel costs has seen the rate of inflation hit 9.1% for May – the fastest rise in 40 years, according to the latest statistics from the Office of National Statistics.

Fibre Bottles: Carlsberg announces launch of first bio-based bottles

Carlsberg launches first bio-based bottles

By Rebecca Weller


Carlsberg has announced the launch of Fibre Bottles, its first bio-based bottle, available to 100 consumers to trial via social media giveaways throughout the summer from Friday 24 June.

Who won the BII Licensee of the Year Award?

Heron Inn scoops top award

By Ed Bedington

A Cornish operator was celebrating after taking home the prestigious title of Licensee of the Year (LOYA) yesterday.

Relocation:

Inn Collection Group relocates HQ

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Northern pubco the Inn Collection Group has relocated its head office to larger premises in Newcastle to accommodate ongoing growth across its operations.

It’ll change your life: Maisie Adam joins Black Sheep Brewery’s cask campaign

Black Sheep partners comedy star to fight back on cask

By Gary Lloyd

Masham-based Black Sheep Brewery has launched the latest phase of its Drink Cask Beer campaign with the launch of a ‘mean tweets’ video starring comedian Maisie Adam that addresses haters of the cask category.

The Morning Advertiser Lock In Podcast episode 45

The Lock In Podcast

The ongoing impact of the Pubs Code...

By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team take a look back at the Pubs Code and the impact of MRO - how has the legislation reshaped the UK pub market for the better or worse, and what does the future hold?

New build: Brewers Fayre will open new site this summer

Brewers Fayre to open first site in 5 years

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Whitbread’s family pub brand, Brewers Fayre, has announced its first opening in five years with the launch of a new site, the Willen Dragon, in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Catastrophe ahead: NTIA braces for impact of rail strikes (Getty/ Monty Rakusen)

NTIA braces for strike action impact

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The events sector is bracing itself for this week’s planned rail strikes, which are due to have a substantial hit on trade, according to the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA).

Ainsworth and Banks (l-r): the key is to experience work life at different venues

Gastropub celebs launch employee exchange programme

By James McAllister

Gastropub chefs Paul Ainsworth and Tommy Banks have launched an employee exchange programme, enabling teams to swap companies for a week and experience the workings of another business.

Father’s Day weekend: trade was good at UK pubs even though the weather wasn’t perfect (credit: Getty/djiledesign)

Weather dampens weekend but footfall high

By Gary Lloyd

Trade at pubs during the Father’s Day weekend was good despite predictions for blistering sunshine quickly turning into a damp squib, particularly on Saturday, for many across the UK.

Go after those diners: pubs can offer the same quality, and more, than restaurants (credit: Getty/Xsandra)

Pubs can win custom from restaurants

By Ed Sibley, commercial director, Lumina Intelligence

Consumers are concerned. Whether you are already feeling the pinch or know it’s coming round the corner, the vast majority of the UK are looking to cut back.

To beer or not to beer: multiple operator Fuller’s has put opera and Shakespeare shows on and gained huge traction with customers

Events & Occasions feature

FEATURE: Be wise before the events and occasions

By Michelle Perrett

There is nothing like an event or a big night to pull in the punters. Offering something special in the current climate to get people to come out is becoming more of a challenge than ever before.

What's in the news 17 June?

The MA's Review of the Week

‘Deliveroo, over my dead body’

By Ed Bedington

Hospitality and experience will be key in the fight for the consumer spend according to Sarah Weir as she discusses the events of the week and the market challenges with the MA's Ed Bedington.

Why do we sell cask beer too cheaply?

Let's stop being cheap with cask

By Ed Bedington

Our consistently cheap approach to the sale of cask beer is one of the main reasons we struggle to ignite the category.

Sector suffering: managed pubs lfl sales have dropped while bars remain flat and restaurants show modest growth (credit: Getty/Charday Penn)

Spending stalls as managed pubcos lfl sales fall

By Gary Lloyd

Like-for-like (lfl) sales at Britain’s leading managed pub groups in May fell by 1% versus pre-Covid-19 levels of 2019, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker has revealed.

Licensing solicitor Poppleston Allen on off-trade sales after Covid

How do off-trade sales work post-Covid?

By Poppleston Allen, licensing solicitors

Operators may recall that in July 2020, the Government passed legislation through the Business & Planning Act 2020 that provided a relaxation for those premises that did not have the benefit of off-sales provision on their premises licence.

Dealing with the bumps in the road: Brendan Padfield of the Unruly Pig

Calm in a cost-of-living crisis?

By Brendan Padfield

Brendan Padfield, owner of the Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk, reflects upon the growing storm clouds facing hospitality.

Tree planting among company’s schemes: BrewDog co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie

BrewDog launches £12m eco-friendly plant plan

By Gary Lloyd

Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog has commissioned work to create a £12m bio-energy plant at its Ellon base that will power the production of 176m pints per year while reducing carbon emissions by 7,500 tonnes.

Greene King and Carling team up for pub football contest

Pub tournament brings back the Carling Cup

By Ed Bedington

An inter-pub football tournament has helped to raise more than £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support thanks to Greene King Pub Partners and Carling.

New powers: HMRC has already begun to take action (credit: Getty/bogdankosanovic)

HMRC targets hospitality EPoS fraudsters

By Gary Lloyd

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has targeted users of ‘Electronic Sales Suppression’ as it bid to use its new powers on this form of tax evasion.

Immersive arcade bar experiences: NQ64 opens ninth site in Newcastle (Pictured: NQ64 Edinburgh)

NQ64 launches ninth site in Newcastle

By Rebecca Weller

NQ64 has launched its immersive arcade bar experiences with nightlife vibes and retro games in Newcastle, the operators first site in the Northeast.

Recruitment crisis: Some 90% unwilling to invest in training despite staff shortages (Getty/ Kobus Louw)

90% managers reluctant to invest in training despite staff shortages

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

While almost 90% of managers in the sector believe further training investment would help to recruit and retain staff, three-quarters are put off by the perceived time investment for junior team members, revealed new research from HIT Training.