Breakfast and brunch fuel sales surge at pub giant Butcombe January 29, 2025 A surge in customers ordering breakfast and brunch has helped sales surge at pub and brewing group Butcombe. The North Somerset-headquartered group has reported an increase in its total managed like-for-like sales of 7.8 per cent for the year to 25 January, 2025. Its food category jumped by 12 per cent while both accommodation and [...]
London pubs giant targets new openings after sales success January 27, 2025 One of London’s largest independent pubs and dining groups is preparing for further expansion after reporting a jump in sales for its latest financial year. Urban Pubs & Bars (UPB) has announced that its turnover increased by 16 per cent to £60.5m in the 12 months to 28 April, 2024. The group added that the [...]
British wine industry calls on Eurostar to bring back Kent services January 22, 2025 Britain’s wine industry has called for Eurostar to restart services from two Kent stations to boost the South East of England’s vineyards. The high-speed operator suspended operations from Ashford International and Ebbsfleet in the early stages of the pandemic. But it has faced mounting pressure to bring back the popular routes over the last year [...]
Naked Wines CEO: How to choose the right bottle of wine January 14, 2025 Meet the chief executive "fighting" to turn around Naked Wines, which enjoyed huge success during the pandemic but has been struggling since.
Ryanair’s airport booze ban is a bootleggers and baptists problem January 14, 2025 Ryanair has reiterated calls for a two-drink limit in airport bars. Like the prohibition-era bootleggers who lobbied for Sunday closing laws, they’re just trying to increase their own sales, says Christopher Snowdon The budget airline Ryanair has called for a two-drink limit in airport bars to create “a safer travel experience for passengers and crews”. [...]
Bacardi: Martini maker shaken as UK drinkers move away from spirits January 7, 2025 UK drinkers ditching spirits in favour of wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks has hit the sales of Bacardi, it has been revealed. The division of the Bermuda-headquartered drinks giant has said its performance has also been impacted by “a combination of post-Covid challenges, ongoing global conflicts and a tough economic environment marked by rising living [...]
Renais: Gin brand co-founded by Harry Potter star Emma Watson raises £5m January 6, 2025 The luxury gin brand co-founded by Harry Potter star Emma Watson and her brother has raised almost £5m. Renais Gin, which was launched in May 2023, has secured £4.95m on the back of expanding into the US last year. The spirit is now sold in 11 countries while the company has distribution deals agreed with [...]
25 amazing Dry January events in London where going alcohol free needn’t be boring January 3, 2025 Dry January is often a sombre affair, where abstinence is the order of the day. But London’s bars, restaurants and events organisers seem to be taking a different tack this year: many are spreading the message that going alcohol free needn’t mean losing out on having fun. The message is that alcohol free drinks can [...]
Someone is throwing a ‘death to Dry January’ party with a coffin and hearse January 2, 2025 Dry January doesn’t exactly have the best reputation – the idea of not drinking for an entire month is a miserable thought for many Brits, especially after the indulgences of Christmas. But one alcohol-free drinks brand is hoping to change all that. Mash Gang is throwing a ‘death to Dry January’ party on Saturday 18 [...]
Why you should still go to the pub in Dry January January 2, 2025 Dry January has crept up on us once again — a month in which avid pub-goers look to kickstart a healthier year ahead. For some, it’s a month to start fresh with new beginnings. For others, such as the hundreds of independent pubs across the nation looking for growth, it is yet another challenge. Especially [...]