News

Majority of licensees not looking to have completely vegan menu, snap poll finds

23-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The results from a recent poll conducted by The Morning Advertiser (MA) has revealed 60% of operators would not consider switching to an all plant-based menu.

Food prices set to rise at least 3% by new year

17-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Foodservice prices will be under severe pressure in the run up to Christmas due to rising demand, product shortages and distribution issues, new research has revealed.

Managed pubs, bars and restaurants rolling 12-month sales down 4.5%

15-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Managed pubs, bars and restaurants rolling 12-month sales were down 4.5% in October but overall sales were up 3% from pre-coronavirus levels, the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker has revealed.

45% revenue drop shows 'industry in peril'

12-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Full 12-month figures were nearly half what they were over the same period pre-pandemic, according to data from latest edition of the UKHospitality and CGA Quarterly Tracker.

Pubs urged to be disciplined with Christmas ordering

11-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Beef, pork, and salmon are set to be in short supply over the festive period this year while turkey has made a comeback following the CO2 supply problems.

Previous Great British Pub Awards winners back in business

09-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Great British Pub Awards Pub of the Year 2014 winners Joel Czopor and Susie Clarke are excited to be back in the trade after a five-year hiatus.

JDW to slash food prices by 16% for 3 months

09-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is dropping its prices on a variety of meals across 660 of its sites until the end of February next year.

Rising inflation causes consumer cutbacks in hospitality

09-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Spending in pubs, bars, and clubs was lower in October compared to September according to data from Barclaycard.

Turkey crowned king of Christmas

08-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Turkey crowned king of Christmas despite a growing desire for new traditions this year, a study conducted by supermarket chain Tesco has revealed.

Supply chain issues ‘here to stay for foreseeable future’

08-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Disruption to the supply chain is an issue that doesn’t seem to be going away, one operator has predicted.

Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

Entries for Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs awards now open

05-Nov-2021 By Top 50 Gastropubs

Think you’ve got what it takes to be crowned Newcomer of the Year or Front of House Team of the Year at the 2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub awards then enter the coveted special awards now.

The White Lion pub saved after a year of closure

05-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The White Lion pub in Cerrigydrudion, Wales, has been saved by the local community after more than a year of closure.

Licensee’s message to new publicans

05-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Prospective publicans should be warned about the hard work and challenges involved in running a pub before entering the trade, one licensee has stated.

Licensees loaned £138m to pubs and bars during Covid

02-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Licensees were left with no option but to inject personal loans in excess of £2000,000 into their businesses last year as high street banks tightened lending criteria.

3.6% of TripAdvisor reviews ‘fake’ in 2020

27-Oct-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Review site TripAdvisor has claimed it identified 3.6% of review submissions last year as fake, with the majority being rejected before they were posted.

Teaching an old dog new tricks: Britain’s best pub for dogs reveals secrets to success

26-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Dog beer and handmade peanut butter treats are just a few of the dog-related delicacies that won Derbyshire’s the Flying Childers Inn the title Best Pub for Dogs at this year’s Great British Pub Awards.

Return of students a ‘large boost’ for UK pubs

22-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The return of students to universities across the UK this month has boosted business in pubs due to an increased footfall, a number of publicans have said.

Delivery and takeaway sales soar for restaurants and pubs

22-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Britain’s leading managed pub and restaurant groups more than doubled their delivery and takeaway sales from pre-pandemic levels in September, the latest edition of the CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker revealed.

Brighton pub serves award winning meals on wheels to community

20-Oct-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The UK’s only community owned pub on a housing estate, The Bevy, Brighton, has won the prestigious NACC award for Meals on Wheels services.

Food prices rise by 1.2%, further increases predicted into 2022

19-Oct-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Food prices were pushed up by 1.2% in August and further increases are likely in the coming months, according to the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index.

Soaring energy prices pose new problems for pubs

18-Oct-2021 By Rebecca Weller

A potential surge in energy costs poses a new struggle for pubs already facing a multitude of problems such as staff shortages supply issues and rising tax.

Pig price drop - hog the profits

18-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

Pub operators are being urged to take advantage of low pork prices and stage a hog roast as the autumn gathers pace.

Managed pubs, bars and restaurants strong in September but challenges continue

18-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Britain’s managed pubs, bars and restaurants saw their second successive month of year-on-year sales increases, up 8% on pre-pandemic levels of September 2019, and 42% from September 2020, according to the latest Coffer CGA Business tracker.

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”.

Britain’s most remote pub saved by local community

13-Oct-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The Old Forge in Inverie, listed as the Guinness World Records most remote pub in mainland Britain, has received £508,000 through the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) after months of fundraising.

A pub should have banter, says Gareth Ostick

13-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The casual atmosphere and homely feel is what sets fine-dining pubs apart from restaurants, according to the joint-owner of the White Swan at Fence, East Lancashire.

Deal struck to secure CO2 supply until January

12-Oct-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The Government has agreed a deal with the CO2 industry to confirm the continued production of the gas until the beginning of next year.

Pubs and bars enjoy 43.5% boost during September

12-Oct-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Pubs, bars and clubs benefited from a 43.5% boost during September while entertainment saw its strongest growth in more than two years with an increase of 28 % owing to new film releases, gigs and theatre shows encouraging Brits back to venues.

Food and drink waste sparks staff concern

06-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The majority of pub employees worry about food and drink waste, a new survey commissioned by the anti-food waste app Too Good To Go suggests.

Natasha’s Law comes into force on Friday

01-Oct-2021 By Michelle Perrett

New allergen legislation requiring food businesses to provide full ingredients labelling on food that has been pre-packed for direct sale is set to come into force on Friday (1 October).

Brits tip an average £4.64 after a having a meal or drink out

23-Sep-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Brits will tip an average of £4.64 after a meal or drink experience, new research by comparethemarket.com has shown.

Consumers are happy to pay deposits for bookings, new research shows

23-Sep-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Half of UK pubgoers are happy to pay a deposit to book a table, while 55% revealed they are in favour of paying no-show fees, new research from Zonal and CGA has said.

Gov to step in to help solve CO2 crisis

22-Sep-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The Government has announced a temporary agreement with American-owned firm CF Fertilisers in a bid to help ensure a continued supply of CO2 to UK businesses.

Morrisons to sell direct to pubs after signing deal with StarStock

20-Sep-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Supermarket chain Morrisons is to begin selling direct to pubs through it wholesale business after signing a deal with online marketplace StarStock.

Managed pubs and restaurants almost treble delivery and takeaways sales

17-Sep-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Delivery and takeaway sales for managed pub and restaurant groups in August were almost treble their pre-pandemic levels, the latest edition of the CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker has revealed.

Opinion

The great restaurant pricing debate

13-Sep-2021 By Sarah John, director, Boss Brewing

It was popcorn at the ready for me recently as I saw the argument unfold between Wine Expert Guy Woodward and Celebrity Chef Tom Kerridge on Twitter.

Industry joins forces to highlight the impact of no shows

01-Sep-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Leading hospitality companies and leaders are joining forces to highlight the issue of no-shows, which cost sector £17.6bn each year.

News round-up: draymen strike postponed and pork scratching recall

27-Aug-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The top headlines this week include the news about a proposed beer driver strike being postponed while a revised pay offer is considered alongside concerns about salmonella in a popular bar snack.

Hospitality worst hit sector for supply issues

27-Aug-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 20.4% of accommodation and food service operators have had issues with getting goods or services, official statistics have revealed.

Mr Porky, Jay’s and The Real Pork Crackling Company products in recall over salmonella fears

26-Aug-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Tayto’s, which produces Mr Porky, Jay’s and The Real Pork Crackling Company snacks, has recalled some packs of pork scratchings after salmonella fears.

Food and drink demand ‘likely to peak again in September’

18-Aug-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The issues around food and drink supply after pubs reopened and warm weather are likely to increase again with demand predicted to rise in September, when schools and businesses push up order levels.