Finance

Freeze ends: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (fourth from left) has taken no action on business rates (credit: UK Parliament/Maria Unger)

SPRING BUDGET 2024

Business rates to go up as freeze ends

By Gary Lloyd

Despite the hospitality sector’s calls for a reduced business rates burden in the Spring Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s lack of action on the subject means companies in England will endure a combined tax hike of £1.66bn from 1 April.

Was there a hospitality VAT cut in the Spring Budget 2024

Gov ignores VAT cut pleas in Budget

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Despite pleas from across the hospitality industry, the Chancellor did not announce any changes to VAT in the Spring Budget today (6 March).

What's the story of Amy Lamé? The Morning Advertiser finds out

THE BIG INTERVIEW

The Big Interview: 'You only get one chance to be London's first night czar'

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

On Saturday I’m cutting shapes at Fabric. On Monday I’m at City Hall to meet London’s night czar Amy Lamé. 15 minutes before the interview, I phone to get let in. After some confusion, the press officer double checks, “you are at Docklands right?” No....

Rally call: NTIA CEO Michael Kill has called for action on VAT from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (right)

NTIA: 5,000+ call for VAT reduction to 12.5%

By Gary Lloyd

Calls for the Government to slash VAT down to 12.5% from its current 20% level in the Spring Budget have poured into MPs’ offices, according to the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA).

Food pricing: Inflation drop a 'positive sign' but challenges ahead (Credit: Getty/ J Studios)

Food inflation falls to 12.6%

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index recorded year-on-year inflation of 12.6% in January – a drop of 1.2 percentage points from December’s rate of 13.8%.

Great ingredients that shine: The premise of the dish reflects Wall's ethos and style

DISH DECONSTRUCTED

How to make: Braised cod loin, potato & mussel ragu

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Dave Wall, head chef at Britain's no.1 gastropub, the Unruly Pig, takes us through how to make braised cod loin with potato & mussel ragu, with caper, raisin and dill.

Business landscape: the figures looked at the closures in the sector last year (image: Getty/Anukoon Supawong)

194 pubs lost forever in 2023

By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 194 pub buildings were lost due to conversion or demolition last year, new figures have found.

Grab your sports fans: the new F1 season about to begin

Higher footfall and sales expected as new F1 season starts

By The Morning Advertiser

Formula One (F1) fans are frequent visitors to pubs and bars so sites screening the action can expect higher footfall when the season starts in Bahrain between Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March.

Cash laws: New tipping legislation will come into force on 1 July (Credit: Getty/Drazen Zigic)

How can pubs prepare for new tipping laws

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

WMT Troncmaster Services managing director Peter Davies has offered advice on how pubs can prepare for new tipping laws which are due to come into force this summer.

All change: new banknotes featuring the portrait of King Charles III are set to enter circulation in June

8 things to know about King Charles III banknotes

By Nikkie Thatcher

With new banknotes showing the portrait of King Charles III set to enter circulation this summer, we’ve looked at what you need to know about the new notes and delved into the history of polymer cash.

New horizons: Two exciting sites open in the capital and there are also openings elsewhere

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

New bars open in the capital

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

An Italian seafood bar is set to open in the capital, while a Welsh pub reopens under new ownership and Inception Group launches a new site.

Latest acquisition: The Piano Works concept is now in the Sarah Willingham-led Nightcap portfolio

Nightcap acquires The Piano Works

By Gary Lloyd

Nightcap – the operator of 46 bars under brands including The Cocktail Club, Barrio Familia and the Adventure Bar Group – has acquired live entertainment concept The Piano Works.

Threadbare tightrope: rising beer prices 'grim reflection' of modern life (Credit: Getty/FreshSplash)

CAMRA: beer prices a 'grim reflection' of modern life

By Rebecca Weller

Rising beer prices are a “grim reflection” of modern life and demonstrate the “threadbare tightrope” pubs and brewers are walking upon, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has said.

Administration sale: Rekom UK sold for £19.5m (Pictured: Rekom UK chairman Peter Marks)

Rekom UK sold for £19.5m

By MCA

The assets of late-night operator Rekom UK were sold to a connected party for £19.5m in a pre-pack administration process.

Business research: a survey from sector trade bodies showed a quarter of businesses are out of cash reserves (image: Getty/claudiodivizia)

1 in 4 firms out of cash

By Nikkie Thatcher

A quarter of businesses have no cash reserves left while less than a third (29%) have under three months’ left, new research has shown.

Come and tech a look: technology is now vital for smooth service across all aspects of the on-trade

FEATURE - Technology

FEATURE: Finding the right tech to fit your pub

By Fiona Griffiths

Pub operators everywhere are facing challenging times but choosing the right technology solutions can help your business to survive – and even thrive.

Blue Monday: Parkers Arms chef-patron Stosie Madi ponders why quality from suppliers is allowed to fall while prices remain high

OPINION

Price increase, quality decrease

By Stosie Madi, chef-patron of the Parkers Arms

It is uncanny how product quality has decreased and prices have increased.

Sector statistics: pubs saw like-for-like sales growth of 1 .5% in January (image: Getty/Yau Ming Low)

Flat sales reported for January

By Nikkie Thatcher

Hospitality groups reported like-for-like sales growth of 0.1% in January, new figures have shown.

Sector worry: the BBPA and UKHospitality highlight concerns about the UK entering a technical recession (image: Getty/yevtony)

UK entering technical recession ‘big worry’

By Nikkie Thatcher

Official figures indicating the UK fell into a technical recession at the end of last year are ‘hugely concerning’ for the hospitality sector, one trade body said.

Significant pressure: BBPA calls for change ahead of Spring Budget amid static inflation rates (Credit: Getty/Zedelle)

Stagnant inflation shows need for 'vital' changes

By Rebecca Weller

Unchanging inflation rates show the Government must make “vital” changes in next month's Spring Budget to “alleviate significant pressure”, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has warned.

Future plans: The brewer is working with Alvarez & Marsal to store up its finances

Adnams instructs advisers

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Historic Suffolk brewery Adnams has called in advisers to explore a range of options to fund its future growth plans.

Difficult trading conditions: drinks sales down for fourth consecutive week (Credit: Getty/miodrag ignjatovic)

Drinks sales down for fourth consecutive week

By Rebecca Weller

Drinks sales in Britain’s managed pubs and bars have dropped year-on-year for a fourth successive week, with train strikes adding to the challenges facing operators.

Single focus: Tim Bird wants a VAT reduction on food and soft drinks

OPINION

Are we asking the Government for too much?

By Tim Bird, owner of Cheshire Cat Pubs & Inns

The new year is now well under way in the hospitality business and with it I always feel an air of optimism.

Pubs need help: hospitality leaders have written to the Government (credit: Getty/miodrag ignjatovic)

BBPA members demand help ahead of Budget

By Gary Lloyd

Leaders of more than 80 of the UK’s pub companies and breweries – who are members of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) – have written to the Chancellor to demand action at next month’s Budget on VAT, business rates and beer duty.

Spotlight

(credit: Getty/ViewApart) Experts give comment for the Beer Report 2024 The Morning Advertiser's Lock In Podcast episode 77 S4 Ep. 14: Stars in bars! (Feat. James May, Candice Brown and more) Competition kicked off: entry for the 2024 Great British Pub Awards is now open Hunt is under way for the Great British Pub of the Year The Morning Advertiser's Lock In podcast shortlisted for award Lock In podcast shortlisted for top award

Property of the week

KENT - HIGH QUALITY FAMILY FRIENDLY PUB

£ 60,000 - Leasehold

Busy location on coastal main road Extensively renovated detached public house Five trade areas (100)  Sizeable refurbished 4-5 bedroom accommodation Newly created beer garden (125) Established and popular business...

Most popular News

Follow us

The MA Lock In Podcast

Join us for a Lock In

Pub Trade Guides

View more