‘Not all sunlit uplands’: Pub bosses weigh in on whether Brexit leaves a bitter taste June 23, 2026 A decade on from the referendum, has Brexit left a bitter taste? The bosses of the UK’s biggest pub firms have their say Notoriously outspoken, the bosses of the UK’s leading pub brands are usually shouting about the same thing: the tax and regulatory burden threatening watering holes across the country. But, on the anniversary [...]
Would a £10bn VAT cut really save hospitality? June 20, 2026 Calls for the government to slash VAT on hospitality firms have been backed by pub and restaurant bosses, and Prime Minister hopeful Andy Burnham. What would this tax break really mean for the economy? The UK’s pubs, hotels and restaurants say they are at breaking point. Higher business rates, hikes to national insurance and minimum [...]
‘Reason to be optimistic’: Hospitality bosses say World Cup a lifeline for pubs June 9, 2026 Pub bosses are hoping for a much-needed boost from the World Cup this summer, as the hospitality industry warns of a crushing tax and cost burden. Leading pub chains Greene King and JD Wetherspoon have told Morning Wire they are hoping for a “useful boost” to counteract the “layering of costs” they have faced in [...]
Burnham vows to cut the price of a pint as he turns on Labour tax rises June 6, 2026 Andy Burnham has launched a major policy intervention of the Makerfield by-election campaign with a pledge to cut business rates for pubs and ease the tax burden on small businesses, marking a clear break with Keir Starmer’s government. The Greater Manchester mayor said Labour had “got it wrong” on small businesses as he unveiled plans [...]
Inside City’s latest Irish pub: London’s poshest Guinness served here June 5, 2026 The Square Mile’s latest Irish pub, London’s poshest, serves steaks with a Guinness jus From the polished mahogany bartops to the Prince-Charles-pulling-a-pint photos, pubs tend to trade on their ubiquity. No one wants to think about design credentials when they go for a pint. Or do they? The Horsemen & Fitzgerald’s, a new City watering [...]
Family-owned Tottenham brewer falls into administration as industry pressures mount May 28, 2026 A beloved family-owned Tottenham brewery that was a key player in London’s craft beer renaissance has fallen into administration amidst mounting cost pressures on the industry. Redemption Brewing Company, which was the first commercial brewery to open in Tottenham in nearly 100 years, is officially listed on the formal register of new insolvency appointments as [...]
‘Pint prices are crazy’: Meet the legends ensuring London still has £5 pints May 14, 2026 Outrage this week as one Mayfair establishment was caught froth-handed charging £11 for a pint of Moretti. It wasn’t even a special craft pint, just a bog standard lager. But as our City Editor Simon Hunt points out, it’s wrong to immediately stick it to London’s pubs, which are facing insurmountable costs forcing them to [...]
Team behind BuzzBallz launch new shots – available in London off-licences now May 13, 2026 The team that brought BuzzBallz cocktails to the UK market has launched a new shot sized 50ml product which is available in cornershops and off-licences around London now. The shots are the equivalent of a double serving and come in three flavours, cherry sour, apple sour and raspberry sour. Called ’99’ the products are “aimed [...]
Tax hikes call time on two pubs a day crushing 2,400 jobs May 5, 2026 The government’s bitter round of tax hikes imposed on the hospitality industry is said to have forced the closure of two pubs a day in the first three months of the year in yet another blow to the already bruised sector. Figures from the Beer Bar and Pub Association (BBPA) showed 161 pubs across Britain [...]
The City pub boasting taxidermy boar, deer and squirrel April 29, 2026 Our Toast the City Awards celebrating the best of the Square Mile returns later this year. Adam Bloodworth dines at City pub The Jugged Hare WHAT’S THE VIBE? At The Jugged Hare, I pass a boar growling at me. It has been upturned and beheaded and presented unceremoniously on a dining table. Fierce-eyed boars, slender [...]