Furlough
Our coverage of the furlough scheme and its impact on the UK foodservice, hospitality, and catering sectors. We report on government policy updates, employer experiences, sector-specific challenges, and the operational and financial implications for restaurants, pubs, bars, and contract caterers. From workforce retention and reopening strategies to lessons learned post-scheme, this content supports industry professionals navigating staffing, recovery planning, and long-term resilience in a post-pandemic landscape.
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Mar- 2021 -5 MarchPubs and Bars
Barkby Pubs ‘poised for significant growth’ post-lockdown
The Barkby Group, operators of Barkby Pubs, has announced that like-for-like sales across its pub estate were down by 45% between 1 October and 31 December 2020, but said the group is “poised for significant growth and a return to profitability” once the sector reopens this spring. Between 1 July…
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4 MarchTrade Associations
Hospitality industry welcomes budget package
The UK hospitality industry has responded warmly to the confirmation of financial support in the government’s budget for this year. Yesterday (3 March), chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £65bn support package for the economy as the country prepares to leave lockdown restrictions in April. Under the new budget, hospitality and…
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3 MarchFeatures
An insight into the pub sector’s investor interest
Following a spate of high profile investment rounds and acquisition rumours within the UK’s pub sector, a number of questions have been raised. Why has investor interest recently spiked within the industry? Why are a number of high profile deals falling through? And more simply, what do these kinds of…
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3 MarchComment
Is enough being done to upskill the UK’s hospitality sector?
On 22 February Boris Johnson announced the government’s roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions in England. The plan, which he described as a “one-way road to freedom”, came almost exactly 11 months after the UK became submerged in a national lockdown that disrupted life as we know it. For business…
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3 MarchGovernment
Budget 2021: Chancellor unveils new £65bn support package
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has outlined a new £65bn support package in his March budget, confirming the decision to extend the furlough scheme until the end of September as well as new loan schemes of up to £10m for businesses. In what is Sunak’s second budget since he joined office in…
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3 MarchCoronavirus
Sunak to extend furlough scheme until September
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to extend the furlough scheme until September as part of his March Budget which will be announced today (3 March). According to The Times, Sunak will state that the country is in a “moment of crisis” as he extends furlough for another five months, taking…
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1 MarchCoronavirus
‘Decisive financial support’ needed to save hospitality, says APPG
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hospitality and Tourism (APPG) is urging chancellor Rishi Sunak to provide “decisive financial support to protect sector businesses crucial to communities around the UK”. The plea comes in a letter signed by more than 80 MPs written to Sunak ahead of this week’s Budget, with…
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1 MarchCoronavirus
Chancellor to unveil £5bn support package
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to offer over 700,000 retail, hospitality and other businesses grants of up to £18,000 as part of a £5bn rescue package to be included in his Budget speech on Wednesday (3 March). The new ‘Restart Grants’ will be directly distributed from local authorities from April…
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Feb- 2021 -26 FebruaryCoronavirus
Over 200 hospitality leaders plead for emergency support
More than 200 industry leaders and trade bodies representing the UK’s hospitality and pub sectors have warned the Government that, unless a “substantial package of support” is announced at the Budget, nearly two thirds of businesses may not be able to make it to the end of lockdown. UKHospitality, the…
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25 FebruaryFeatures
Q&A with Michael Kill
How does the Vaccine help bars and late night restaurants businesses bounce back? I think the vaccination roll-out is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. However, we’ve got to consider the facts, in terms of measures that the government will still want to be in place while…
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