Coronavirus

May- 2021 -

17 May

Indoor hospitality in Glasgow and Moray hit by further restrictions

Indoor hospitality operators in Glasgow and Moray are in dismay over the recent news that both areas are set to remain in Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions, despite the rest of the country moving further out of lockdown. First minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the two areas will remain under restrictions for…

17 May

UK to spend £2.5bn this week as indoor hospitality reopens

The UK is set to collectively spend £2.5bn this week as indoor hospitality reopens and restrictions further ease, giving a “much-needed” boost to the high street. According to a new VoucherCodes.co.uk report, conducted by the Centre for Retail Research (CRR), 104 million people are predicted to visit hospitality venues this…

14 May

April pub and restaurant sales down 60% against 2019

Managed pub and restaurant groups recorded a 60%% drop in total sales in April compared to the same month in 2019, according to the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker. Restaurants performed marginally better than pubs, with declines of 51% and 67% respectively, due to strong delivery and…

13 May

Hospitality SMEs anticipate rising demand and revenues, says Barclaycard

With lockdown restrictions continuing to ease across the UK, SMEs predict a 9.8% rise in revenue this quarter, rising to 21% in the hospitality sector, according to new research from Barclaycard Payments. This marks the highest anticipated increase since the SME Barometer was launched in February 2020. The research, which…

11 May

Rise in service sector confidence due to vaccine rollout, says BDO

The UK’s service sector is reportedly receiving a surge in renewed confidence due to the vaccine rollout and easing of lockdown restrictions, according to BDO’s Services Optimism Index. Confidence rose by 1.36 points in April from 98.50 to 99.86, primarily due to the lifting of restrictions on indoor entertainment venues…

4 May

High Court rules against Sasha Lord in hospitality reopening case

The High Court has rejected Sacha Lord and Hugh Osmond’s bid to challenge the Government’s indoor hospitality reopening stall. The case had been set in motion by Lord, Manchester’s night-time economy advisor, and Osmond, founder of Punch Taverns, who argued that a lack of scientific evidence had been provided to…

4 May

UKH calls for ‘decisive’ government action on rent debt

UKHospitality has written to the government urging it to adopt its proposals to help tackle the £2.5bn rent debt crisis that “threatens to wreck the hospitality sector’s recovery and risks further widespread job losses”. For more than a year, the trade association has been highlighting the threat that rent debt…

Apr- 2021 -

22 April

Half of English consumers have returned to hospitality since reopening

Almost half (44%) of adult consumers in England have returned to hospitality businesses in England since their reopening, according to CGA’s Consumer Pulse survey. This figure is an increase from the 35% of consumers who returned in the first ten days of reopening after the end of England’s first national…

21 April

355,000 fewer employees in hospitality than last year, says ONS

There are around 355,000 fewer employees in the hospitality sector in 2021 compared to the year before, according to employment figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Some 78% of those leaving the hospitality payroll employment were under the age of 35, and more than half who lost…

20 April

Outdoor hospitality in Northern Ireland to reopen on 30 April

Hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland will be allowed to reopen operations outdoors from 30 April. Licensed and unlicensed premises will be allowed to welcome customers outdoors with a limit of up to six people from two households per table. Furthermore, overnight visits in self-contained tourist accommodation will be allowed for…