Scotland
We report on the key developments shaping Scotland’s foodservice and hospitality sector, from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Aberdeen, Inverness, and beyond. This archive covers restaurant and pub openings, catering contracts, chef appointments, regulatory changes, trading updates, and regional challenges unique to the Scottish market. Whether you’re a local operator, part of a national brand with Scottish sites, or a supplier monitoring demand shifts, we provide the insights you need. Our editorial focus ensures that chefs, landlords, caterers, and hospitality executives stay informed on what’s happening across Scotland’s diverse and dynamic food landscape.
-
Oct- 2020 -13 OctoberCoronavirus
Number of licensed establishments fallen by 25,000
Nearly 25,000 fewer licensed premises are currently operating when compared with pre-lockdown numbers. A total of 90,000 establishments had returned to trading by the end of September, according to the Market Recovery Monitor report conducted by CGA and Alix Partners. This means that roughly one in five sites remains closed…
Read More » -
12 OctoberCoronavirus
PM unveils three-tiered lockdown system
Prime minister Boris Johnson this afternoon announced a new three-tier lockdown system that will see some hospitality businesses in the North-West forced to close from Wednesday. Under the new system, different rules for regions will be classified as being on ‘medium’, ‘high’ or ‘very high’ alert depending on the rate…
Read More » -
9 OctoberCoronavirus
Gov to cover 67% of wages for firms forced to shut
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that businesses forced to shut due to local restrictions will be eligible for a grant that pays two-thirds of staff salaries. The government will pay two-thirds, or 67%, of each employee’s salary, up to a maximum of £2,100 a month, if the business is forced…
Read More » -
9 OctoberPubs and Bars
Star Pubs & Bars invests £2.8m in rent reductions
Star Pubs & Bars has invested a further £2.8m investment in its rent concession programme throughout November for its leased and tenanted pubs. Further investment in the programme will be subject to review on a monthly basis from Star Pubs & Bars. The pub company’s total investment in rent reductions…
Read More » -
8 OctoberCoronavirus
Pubs and restaurants in central Scotland to close
Pubs and restaurants across Scotland’s central belt, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, are set to close as part of new measures targeted at preventing the increase of Covid-19 cases in the area. In other parts of the country, pubs and restaurants can remain open but can only sell alcohol outdoors. The…
Read More » -
7 OctoberCoronavirus
New Scottish Covid-19 restrictions ‘risk young people’s future’
A member of the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) has warned that renewed Covid-19 restrictions are a “risk [to] young people’s future”. Stephen Montgomery, who owns two hotels in Dumfries, said that restrictions being mulled by authorities which may come into force after the furlough scheme ends “will cost jobs”. He…
Read More » -
1 OctoberCoronavirus
‘Better’ if Eat Out to Help Out ‘hadn’t happened’, says Sturgeon
Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday (30 September) that it “may have been better” if the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme “hadn’t happened.” Speaking on ITV’s Peston yesterday evening, Sturgeon, when questioned about the link between the scheme and the current rise of covid-19 cases across the…
Read More » -
Sep- 2020 -29 SeptemberRegulations & Policies
Government enforces music ban on pubs
Loud music, singing and dancing have all been banned under new emergency Covid-19 laws. Under the new legislation, pubs and restaurants are not allowed to play music which exceeds 85 decibels. These new measures state landlords and venue owners must take ‘‘all reasonable measures’’ to stop singing and dancing by…
Read More » -
25 SeptemberBusiness
Star Pubs and Bars re-opens Dundee pub after four year closure
A local Dundee pub has re-opened its doors following a four-year closure and a £630,000 investment from Star Pubs and Bars. Previously called the Mercantile pub, the bar has been renamed The Barrelman and has undergone a £630,000 refurbishment by Heineken-owned company and its new licensees Tommy and Jacqueline Fox. …
Read More » -
25 SeptemberCoronavirus
Scottish university students must avoid pubs, says government
University students in Scotland must avoid pubs, following an outbreak of Covid-19 in student accommodation across parts of Scotland, according to new measures announced by the Scottish government. Following a meeting between university principles and government ministers, further measures and messaging have been introduced to stop the spread of the…
Read More »
