Coronavirus
We reported extensively on the impact of coronavirus across the UK foodservice and hospitality sector, from the initial lockdowns and emergency legislation to the reopening phases, staffing challenges, and long-term recovery. This brings together our coverage of how restaurants, pubs, cafés, bars, and catering firms navigated one of the most disruptive periods in industry history. From furlough and financial support to operational pivots, supplier disruption, and shifting consumer behaviour, our reporting offers critical context for hospitality professionals reflecting on the crisis and preparing for what comes next.
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Feb- 2021 -10 FebruaryFeatures
David Berkley QC: Interruption and insurance in the age of Covid
As we emerge from one of the most tumultuous periods in living memory, it perhaps comes as little surprise that insurance has been thrust into the spotlight. The unprecedented impact of the pandemic has brought a renewed focus to the issue of business security and, more specifically, business interruption coverage. …
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3 FebruaryPubs and Bars
Pubs vital in battle against isolation
Pubs are key in tackling loneliness and provide a social value far beyond their economic contributions to society, according to research conducted by Loughborough University. The Open Arms report, which was conducted in tandem with Heineken UK and the Campaign to End Loneliness, found that institutions such as pubs are…
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Jan- 2021 -29 JanuaryCoronavirus
Manchester City footballer raises money for local restaurants
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gündogan has launched a campaign to help support local Manchester hospitality businesses hit by the pandemic. Gündogan is now auctioning off items such as personal ‘meet and greets’ and signed jerseys – with all proceeds going to restaurants and cafes. The footballer said he was inspired…
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26 JanuaryCoronavirus
Unemployment rises 5% to 1.7m
The UK unemployment rate rose by 5% in the three months to November with over 1.7 million people now out of work, according to the latest figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Since February 2020, the number of payroll employees has fallen by 828,000, however, the ONS said larger falls…
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25 JanuaryPubs and Bars
The Lamb and Flag to shutter permanently
The Lamb and Flag pub in Oxford is set to permanently close after 400 years of trading. The pub which has been located on St Giles since 1613 is due to close on 31 January as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. According to St John’s College which operates the…
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22 JanuaryCoronavirus
New ‘cash cocktail’ urgently needed, says UKHC
UKHospitality Cymru has urged the Welsh government to find a “new and potent cash cocktail of financial support” to help the hospitality sector survive. The plea comes hours before first minister Mark Drakeford is set to give an updated coronavirus briefing regarding the level of infection rates today (Friday 22…
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21 JanuaryCoronavirus
Chancellor considers further furlough extension in March budget
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering another extension to the government’s Job retention Scheme (JRS) as it continues to try and mitigate the impact of covid-19 on the UK economy. According to Bloomberg, Sunak is considering a fifth extension to the furlough scheme that will cover roughly 5 million workers…
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19 JanuaryGovernment
Sunak looks to raise corporation tax in March budget
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly looking to raise corporation tax in the upcoming March budget to pay off the estimated £400bn borrowed by the UK throughout the pandemic. According to The Financial Times, the alleged move has sparked uproar among business owners who claim they are still struggling with the economic impact of Covid-19. However, it…
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18 JanuaryFeatures
The idea behind: Plant Hustlers
They say when entering the world of business the only thing to expect is the unexpected. Aaron Bryans, the owner of Plant Hustlers, a vegan restaurant in Bournemouth knows this all too well. With just a year of trading under his belt before the pandemic hit the North London native…
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18 JanuaryCoronavirus
Sacha Lord calls for hospitality to reopen alongside non-essential retail
Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester’s night time economy advisor, has claimed that hospitality “must reopen” alongside non-essential retail as part of a return to the Covid-19 tiered system. The comment came in response to Dominc Raab’s confirmation on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that a phased transition out of national…
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