Rebuilding the Pub Sector

The Lock In Podcast

Season finale: The challenges ahead

26-Jun-2023 By Ed Bedington

With season three of the Lock In podcast coming to a close, we take a look at some of the current challenges, energy, supply, inflation etc - and where we see things heading.

More than a third have faced discrimination in sector

20-Jun-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Social enterprise Be Inclusive Hospitality’s latest report has found more than a third of hospitality workers (33.7%) have experienced discrimination in the workplace.

Star licensees given free PoS kits to support new charity deal

19-Jun-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Heineken UK has announced a new charity partnership with the Marmalade Trust in a bid to help tackle loneliness.

Drinks sales hit 15% year-on-year growth

19-Jun-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Drinks sales in managed venues achieved double-digit year-on-year growth in the seven days to Saturday 10 June, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NIQ has revealed.

‘Treat potential employees as you would guests’

16-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Hospitality’s recruitment crisis can be tackled through revising the hiring process, putting wellbeing first and keeping an open mind in employment, advised the founder of consultancy agency Sixty Eight People.

Hospitality needs to change the "relentlessly negative" narrative

15-Jun-2023 By Ed Bedington

The hospitality sector needs to change the narrative on doom and gloom if it wants to attract young talent into the business, according to former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King.

A third willing to pay more for sustainable options at pubs

14-Jun-2023 By Gary Lloyd

More than a third (34%) of Brits are happy to spend more money on sustainable options when eating at pubs, bars and restaurants.

Gov support could see hospitality boost economy by £29bn

14-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The past six years have seen hospitality boost its annual economic contribution by £20bn to £93bn, according to new research by UKHospitality (UKH).

75% lack confidence in their business's future

14-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Three quarters of business leaders lack confidence in the future, new research from The Morning Advertiser has revealed.

BBPA calls for Gov action as sector boosts GDP figures

14-Jun-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has called for “meaningful action” to tackle fiscal headwinds as GDP figures released today (Wednesday 14 June) showed a 0.2% increase to the economy – buoyed by visits to pubs.

Foodservice inflation jumps back above 20%

14-Jun-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Year-on-year foodservice inflation has jumped up to 21.4% after slowing at the end of March – the first time it had dropped below 20% since mid-2022.

£3m fund to help pubs’ energy costs from Heineken

14-Jun-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Drinks business Heineken UK has vowed to invest £3m into helping cover the cost of selected pubs’ first energy saving audit along with up to £5,000 towards the cost of any improvements needed.

OPINION

Are pubcos going to exploit rate relief?

14-Jun-2023 By Phil Dixon, trade adviser

It was ‘Black Country Bus’ Syndrome: Two, one million pounds turnover local publicans contacting me in the matter of a few days.

Hilton boss takes over chair role at UKHospitality

13-Jun-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Hilton UK & Ireland managing director Steve Cassidy will take over the role of chair at UKHospitality (UKH) tomorrow (Wednesday 14 June) from Steve Richards, CEO of Parkdean Resorts, who will become president for the trade body.

Almost 37k nights workers at risk of double ULEZ charge

12-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has called for a revision of London’s current Transport for London system, which currently puts some 36,990 night workers at risk of being charged twice in one shift under the ULEZ scheme.

POLL: Have your say on the sector

06-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Business leaders are torn on how they feel about trade, with some struggling but others feeling confident for the future.

Optimism rising among hospitality leaders

05-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Optimism among leaders of Britain’s top hospitality groups has risen since the start of 2023, according to the latest Business Confidence Survey from CGA by NIQ and Fourth.

Bistro hit with worst trading week in 7 years

05-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The operator of the Pig & Whistle, Beverley, was left “broken” after rail strikes and the cost-of-living crisis triggered the worst trading week in seven years.

Sixty Eight People arrives in England’s capital

01-Jun-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Female-led hospitality recruitment and training consultancy Sixty Eight People has launched a new office in Euston, central London.

Pubs prosper on final May bank holiday weekend

31-May-2023 By Gary Lloyd

A huge weekend of sport combined with great weather ensured the latest bank holiday resulted in strong sales for the on-trade.

£97.5k ploughed into grassroots music venues

30-May-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Some 23 grassroots music venues, including four pubs, have scored charity grants in the fourth round of Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) pipeline investment fund.

Continued drinks sales growth impacted by inflation

30-May-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Early May bank holidays have helped pubs and bar drinks sales reach year-on-year growth for fourth week in a row but with inflation still in double digits, real-terms growth remains elusive.

'Eye-watering' impact of rail strikes to hit £3.25bn

30-May-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Half-term rail strikes will cost the sector £132m, bringing the total “eye-watering” impact of the year-long strikes to £3.25bn, trade body UKHospitality (UKH) has claimed.

Sacha Lord to help hospitality battle energy company commission scandal

26-May-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord is finalising a plan to help hospitality businesses recover hidden commissions paid to brokers by energy companies.

Essex pub opens new coffee shop

25-May-2023 By Rebecca Weller

An Essex pub has opened a new on-site coffee shop to help its local community.

Sales growth in April tempered by inflation woes

24-May-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups in Great Britain achieved like-for-like and year-on-year sales growth of 6.9% in April 2023 against last year, according to the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker.

OPINION

Strangling hospitality demand not the solution to inflation

16-May-2023 By Ed Bedington

The idea that raising interest rates to try to curb consumer spending in pubs, bars and restaurants is another slap in the face for a sector that seems to have become the whipping boys for the authorities.

Food inflation drops below 20% for first time in five months

12-May-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The hospitality sector has received a small amount of respite on increasing prices with inflation dropping to 18.9% in March 2023.

BrewDog boss wants Gov to install hospitality representative

12-May-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The Government needs to appoint a representative who recognises the huge contribution hospitality makes to the UK economy, according to BrewDog Bars chief executive James Brown.

Over-55s hold greatest influence over where to drink and eat

10-May-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Customers aged over 55 are the key decision makers when it comes to choosing which hospitality venues to visit, new research has revealed.

Brighton best city for a night out

10-May-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Brighton has topped lists as the UK’s best place for a night out, but more than half (54%) of cities have seen nightlife go downhill over the past decade.

12.6 venues lost per day in 2022

02-May-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The hospitality sector lost nearly 4,600 venues in the 12 months to March 2023, but closures slowed early this year.

Sales rise again but March is slowest month of 2023

24-Apr-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed pub, bar and restaurant groups in March were 1.4% ahead of last year’s levels.

Drinks sales over Easter weekend show 'solid trading'

17-Apr-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Easter bank holiday sales helped push drinks sales in on-premise settings into double-digit year-on-year growth, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NIQ's has revealed.

Drinks sales show 'fragility' of year-on-year growth

11-Apr-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Drinks sales in the on-trade were down by 3% in the seven days to Saturday 25 March, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NIQ’s Drinks Recovery Tracker has revealed.

Cost of living catches up with late-night spending

11-Apr-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The cost-of-living crisis means more than three quarters of Brits are going on fewer late nights out, according to recent research by Rekom UK.

Drop in drinks sales and rising costs indicate ‘challenging spring’

27-Mar-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Drinks sales in managed venues have fallen year-on-year for the second week in a row, the latest CGA by NIQ’s Drinks Recovery Tracker has revealed.

OPINION

Governor's inflation calls a slap in the face

24-Mar-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Bank of England Governor has called on businesses, including pubs, to not raise prices to avoid fuelling inflation.

Sales boost for sector but costs continue to cripple

21-Mar-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Pubs, bars and restaurants saw sales grow in February but did so while battling soaring costs.

Economy boss praises Manchester on return to pre-Covid levels

20-Mar-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Data that shows footfall in Manchester has returned to pre-pandemic levels has been praised by Night-Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord.

Drinks sales fall behind 2022 levels for the first time

20-Mar-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Average drinks sales in managed venues in the week to Saturday 11 March were 3% behind compared with the same period last year, the latest CGA by NIQ’s latest Drinks Recovery Tracker has revealed.

Fewer than 1 in 3 sites admit passing costs on to customers

10-Mar-2023 By Gary Lloyd

More than two thirds of pubs and bars are reporting the cost of drinks and food they buy rose in January versus December but fewer than one in three has admitted to passing these costs on to customers.

February sees 'considerably smaller' uplift in consumer spending

09-Mar-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Pubs, bars and clubs saw a “considerably smaller” uplift in consumer spending last month compared with January, the latest figures from Barclaycard have revealed.

UKH calls for urgent OFGEM intervention

07-Mar-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

UKHospitality (UKH) has urged OFGEM to immediately intervene in the non-domestic energy market as businesses struggle with eyewatering costs and a looming reduction in Government support.

London shines as lfl sales grow for 4th month in row

22-Feb-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Managed pubs, bars and restaurant groups collectively achieved like-for-like (lfl) sales growth of 10.9% in January 2023, marking a rise for four months in row.

Hospitality leaders confident despite ‘immense challenges’

21-Feb-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Leaders of Britain’s top managed hospitality groups remain cautiously optimistic about the future despite spiralling costs, the 2023 Business Leaders’ Survey from CGA by NielsenIQ and Fourth has revealed.

Train strikes to cause travel chaos in March

20-Feb-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

A fresh wave of rail strikes will take place in March and April, after workers voted for more industrial action in an ongoing dispute over pay.

'Support your local’ says licensee as pub shuts doors

17-Feb-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Suffolk pub the Smokehouse at the Chequers in Eriswell closed for good on 26 February due to “many issues”, but reactions from guests have been a mixed bag.

New Scottish First Minister urged to champion hospitality

16-Feb-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Trade bodies are hoping for a new First Minister who will put business first and protect hospitality, after Nicola Sturgeon announced she would step down as the leader of Scotland’s government.

Gov has ‘failed’ cultural sector

15-Feb-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Independent businesses and culture are most at risk according to the second NTIA Night Time Economy Report, and officials claim Government has “failed” the sector.