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Alcohol

The Caterer’s 40 trends: drinks

‘Drinking less, but drinking better’ is a phrase increasingly heard in relation to changing drinking habits, as volume sales of alcohol dip and value edges up as consumers switch to premium options Read more

Buyers circling as Conviviality calls in administrators

Potential buyers are believed to be circling troubled alcoholic drinks wholesaler Conviviality after it announced its intention to call in administrators PwC, having failed to raise £125m to save the business. Read more

Troubled drinks wholesaler Conviviality to call in administrators

Conviviality, the troubled wholesaler of alcoholic drinks in the UK, has said it will call in administrators within 10 days after failing to raise £125m to save its business. Read more

CEO of troubled drinks wholesaler Conviviality stands down

Conviviality, the UK’s biggest wholesaler of alcoholic drinks, has announced that CEO Diana Hunter has stepped down with immediate effect. Read more

Wholesaler Conviviality issues profit warning following discovery of £30m tax bill

Conviviality, the UK’s biggest wholesaler of alcoholic drinks, has issued its second profit warning in less than a week following the discovery of a £30m tax bill. Read more

Frankie & Benny’s issues apology for serving four-year-old alcoholic cocktail

Frankie & Benny said “human error” was to blame for an alcoholic cocktail being served to a four-year-old girl who became drunk at the brand’s Warrington restaurant. Read more

Three million people to give up alcohol in January

Some three million people in the UK are expected to give up alcohol next month, putting further pressure on pubs and restaurants. Read more

Pubs ranked number one consumer choice for out-of-home occasions

Pubs have been identified as the number one destination for consumers despite 50% of the population now moderate alcohol intake. Read more

On-trade alcohol sales continue to fall due rising prices

Sales of alcohol by volume in the on- and off-trade have continued to drop for the fourth quarter in a row due to ongoing price rises. Read more

Pensioners fined after drunken rampage at a Macdonald hotel

Two pensioners who threatened and abused staff at the 47-bedroom Macdonald Loch Rannoch hotel in Kinloch Rannoch, Perthshire, haven been fined nearly £5,000. Read more

Wake-up call: Don’t let a drinks promotion leave you with a hangover

If your campaign even hints at encouraging excessive alcohol consumption, you will find yourself in trouble. Duncan Reed explains Read more

WSTA calls on government to halt £1b pubs tax raid

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has found that pubs around the UK are to face a tax raid of £1b over the next five years. Read more

BrewDog and Wolf pub launch collaborative gin following trademark dispute

BrewDog’s spirits brand LoneWolf has teamed up with the Wolf pub in Birmingham to launch the limited edition Wolf Pack gin, following a trademark dispute earlier this year. Read more

Consumer spending on late night leisure up 6.3%

The latest Deltic Night Index shows consumer spending on late night leisure is up 6.3% to £55.56 per person on the previous quarter – February to April 2017, compared to November 2016 to January 2017. Read more

Jamie Jones is Diageo Reserve GB’s World Class Bartender of the Year 2017

Jamie Jones of the Social Company has been named Diageo Reserve GB’s World Class Bartender of the Year 2017 following a two-day finale held at the Mondrian hotel, London. Read more

Value of out-of-home alcohol sales climbs 1.8%

The value of alcohol sold in Britain’s pubs, bars and restaurants rose by 1.8% in 2016, figures from CGA Strategy reveal. Read more

Champagne exports to the UK drop 8.7%

The volume of Champagne exports to the UK were down by 8.7% last year due to a reduction in sales of cut-price Champagne. Read more

Budget 2017: alcohol duty rise could dampen consumer spending

Failure in today’s Budget by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to freeze or cut the previously announced increases in alcohol duty has been met with disappointment by the hospitality industry. Read more

HMRC to crack down on operators buying dodgy booze

The Alcohol Wholesale Registration Scheme (AWRS) will come into force from 1 April – making it an offence to buy alcohol from an unapproved UK wholesaler. Read more

George & Dragon takes Camra National Pub of the Year 2017 award

The cooperatively-owned George & Dragon pub in Hudswell, North Yorkshire, has won the Campaign for Real Ale’s (Camra) National Pub of the Year award. Read more