Lockdown

Sheffield City Region agrees to move into Tier 3

21-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

The Sheffield City Region will move into Tier 3 lockdown after local leaders agreed a financial package deal with the Government to support businesses.

Government forces Greater Manchester into Tier 3 lockdown

20-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Greater Manchester's Coronavirus alert level will be raised to 'very high' from Friday (23 October), Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed.

Greater Manchester faces Tier 3 restrictions after talks with Government end without deal

20-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Greater Manchester is set to have Tier 3 restrictions imposed on it imminently, with pubs and bars across the region ordered to close for at least a month.

Loophole suggests 'working lunches' could be exempt from tougher Coronavirus restrictions

20-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

An apparent loophole has emerged in the Government's Coronavirus alert level restrictions that suggests working lunches could still be allowed despite bans on people from different households mixing.

HospoDemo: "Let's hope they listen, or we'll be back here again soon"

20-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

The organiser of yesterday's (19 October) hospitality demonstration in Parliament Square against restrictions being imposed on businesses in the sector has vowed to return if the Government fails to act.

Hospitality sector: "we want to be open for usual at Christmas"

19-Oct-2020 By Restaurant

Almost two thirds of hospitality operators (64%) would rather shut down for a ‘circuit-breaker’ now if it meant they could open as usual for the Christmas period, according to the latest Hospitality Leaders Poll.

Greater Manchester to receive government support for tier 3 status

19-Oct-2020 By Restaurant

Manchester’s council leaders could be offered a support package of up to £100m to accept the Government’s proposed tier 3 restrictions.

Hospitality industry to stage London protest over Coronavirus restrictions today

19-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Hundreds of hospitality workers will converge on Parliament Square this morning (19 October) to peacefully protest the restrictions being imposed on businesses in the sector.

Wales poised for 'circuit breaker' decision

19-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

The Welsh Government is expected to announce this morning whether it will impose a two-week 'circuit breaker' lockdown, which will see pubs and restaurants across the country ordered to close.

Pubs and bars in Lancashire face closure as Coronavirus alert level raised

16-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Pubs and bars across Lancashire will have to close from midnight tonight (17 October) as the region becomes the second in England to enter the highest Coronavirus alert level tier.

“We’re all limping on” – Anger, despair and exhaustion as London restaurateurs face new restrictions

16-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Restaurateurs across London have seen consumer confidence plummet and bookings collapse as the impact of forthcoming new Coronavirus restrictions in the capital takes hold.

Northern leaders stand firm against Tier 3 restrictions without proportional support

15-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has said he will not back plans to raise the region's Coronavirus alert level without a comprehensive package in place to help protect businesses.

More than 10,000 hospitality businesses to be hit as London smacked with further restrictions

15-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

London's Coronavirus alert level will be raised from 'medium' to 'high' this weekend in a move that 'could be the death knell' for thousands of hospitality businesses.

Prime Minister faces pressure to introduce two-week 'circuit breaker' in England

14-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under increasing pressure to bring in a two-week 'circuit breaker' lockdown for England that would see restaurants and pubs across the country forced to close.

Hospitality venues in Northern Ireland saddled with four-week 'circuit breaker' closure - updated

14-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Restaurants and pubs in Northern Ireland must close for four weeks from Friday (16 October) under tough new 'circuit breaker' restrictions.

Up to 970 Liverpool pubs face closure as new restrictions condemned for being 'simply wrong'

13-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has condemned the Government's decision to target pubs for closure in areas deemed 'very high' risk under its new three-tier alert system.

Many hospitality businesses face 'point of no return' as Prime Minister sets out new restrictions - updated

12-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Pubs and bars in the Liverpool City Region will be required to close from Wednesday (14 October) under new Coronavirus restrictions announced by the Prime Minister.

Job Support Scheme slammed for not going far enough

12-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

The Government's latest wave of furlough support, which will cover two-thirds of workers’ wages if their employer's business is forced to close, has been slammed for not going far enough.

Diners have new-found concern for the environment post lockdown, says poll

12-Oct-2020 By Restaurant

Diners have a new-found concern for the environment with a growing number more willing to opt for a sustainable dish on a restaurant menu, according to new research by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA).

Hospitality leaders prepare legal challenge to "disproportionate and unjust" Coronavirus lockdowns

12-Oct-2020 By Restaurant

England’s Night Time Economy and hospitality leaders are preparing a legal challenge to the Coronavirus local lockdowns set to be put in place by the Government later today (12 October).

Manchester MPs say they won't support tier three measures for the city

12-Oct-2020 By Restaurant

Manchester MPs say they will not support the city being put into tier three of the lockdown measures set to be unveiled today (12 October) by the Government.

Northern pubs braced for closures as Government prepares to unveil three-tier alert system

12-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

The Prime Minister will lay out new Coronavirus rules today (12 October) that will see pubs and bars in areas with the highest infection rate forced to close.

Government to pay two-thirds of workers' wages for businesses hit by lockdown

09-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Rishi Sunak has announced that the Government will cover two-thirds of workers’ wages if their employer's business is forced to close as a result of local Coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Ministers accused of using 'cobbled together' statistics to justify hospitality closures

09-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

MPs claim to have been shown 'meaningless' figures during a presentation by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty to help 'retrospectively' prove need for closures of hospitality venues in the north.

UKHospitality calls for new employment support to match previous furlough levels

09-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Trade body UKHospitality has this morning (9 Ocotber) called for levels of employment support for hospitality to be in line with the previous furlough scheme.

Two thirds of hospitality operators will collapse in six months without support, says poll

09-Oct-2020 By Stefan Chomka

Almost two thirds of hospitality operators now don’t believe they can survive the next six months of a 10pm curfew, according to the latest weekly Hospitality Leaders Poll.

Sunak set to introduce local furlough for businesses hit by lockdown

09-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce a local furlough scheme designed to support businesses in areas hit by local lockdowns.

"This is worse than the lockdown" - Scottish restaurateurs react to new restrictions

08-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Coronavirus restrictions set to be imposed on Scotland, which will see all restaurants in Glasgow and Edinburgh forced to close, have been met with anger and despair by industry voices.

Hospitality in north of England face fresh restrictions with closures likely

08-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is drawing up plans to impose further Coronavirus lockdown restrictions on pubs and restaurants across the north of England, with closures likely in many areas.

Sturgeon 'signs death sentence' for Scottish hospitality as new restrictions announced

07-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Hospitality businesses in central Scotland will be required to close for 16 days from Friday, with licensed premises across the rest of the country temporarily banned from selling alcohol indoors.

Scottish hospitality braced for further restrictions

07-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Restaurants, pubs and bars in Scotland could face fresh restrictions and even be forced to close completely under new Coronavirus lockdown measures due to be announced later today (7 October).

The Lowdown: music in restaurants

01-Oct-2020 By Restaurant

Music has become the latest casualty in the fight against Coronavirus, with restaurants and pubs no longer allowed to crank up the sound system.

Bolton hospitality venues given green light to reopen

01-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

Pubs and restaurants in Bolton will be able to reopen for dine-in customers from Saturday (3 October) following an easing of local Coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Alok Sharma: Government has provided "a lot of specific support" for hospitality

30-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Business Secretary Alok Sharma has defended the Government’s 10pm curfew enforced on restaurants and pubs in England, stating that it has provided “a lot of specific support” for the hospitality sector.

Calls grow for Government to review 'hard' curfew on hospitality

28-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Pressure is mounting on the Government to review its 'hard' 10pm curfew on hospitality businesses amid criticism the new rules are leading to people filling the streets en masse after visiting restaurants and pubs.

MasterChef finalist Andrew Kojima's Koj has closed permanently

24-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

MasterChef finalist Andrew Kojima says he will not reopen his Cheltenham-based casual dining Japanese restaurant Koj as a direct result of the Government’s further restrictions on hospitality during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Comment

Moving last orders to 9-9.30pm could be calling time on thousands of hospitality businesses

23-Sep-2020 By Stefan Chomka

When Rishi Sunak announced in July the Eat Out to Help Out initiative I, like a number of people in the industry, viewed it with an air of scepticism.

Hospitality staff must wear face masks, says Government

22-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Hospitality staff will have to wear face masks at work under new rules introduced by the Government.

'Another crushing blow' for hospitality as Government tightens restrictions on sector

22-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Pubs and restaurants across England must have a 10pm closing time from Thursday (24 September) under new Coronavirus restrictions that have been described as 'another crushing blow' for the sector.

Sunak set to extend business support loans

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to extend the Treasury’s UK-wide programme of business support loans.

Hancock refuses to rule out ordering pubs to shut again

21-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has refused to rule out the possibility that pubs could be ordered to close again by this weekend.

Hospitality businesses in Lancashire and Merseyside face curfews

18-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Hospitality businesses in Lancashire and Merseyside are set to be hit by a curfew similar to the one introduced earlier this week in the North East, with a national lockdown also still not being ruled out, as cases of Coronavirus continue to surge in...

Rule of six will hit hospitality hard, says poll

18-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

The Government’s ‘rule of six’ will negatively impact an overwhelming majority of hospitality businesses, according to the latest Lumina Intelligence’s Hospitality Leaders Poll.

2,400 hospitality businesses affected by "significant blow" of North East curfew

18-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Nearly 2,400 restaurants and pubs in the North East are affected by the Government’s 10pm curfew measures, according to figures.

Curfew restrictions imposed on hospitality in north-east England

17-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

A 10pm curfew on pubs, restaurants and bars in parts of north-east England has been announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Hospitality venues in north-east England face curfew as lockdown restrictions tighten

17-Sep-2020 By James McAllister

Pubs and restaurants in parts of north-east England could be forced to close at 10pm every night under new local lockdown restrictions expected to be announced later today (17 September).

Loungers reports strong performance and is 'sufficiently confident' about the future

16-Sep-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

Loungers has reported a “significant market out-performance” since reopening, with net like for like sales growth of +29.9% from 4 July to 13 September 2020.

Sponsored by Ritter Courivaud

Community Heroes: Clare Smyth and her team

14-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

During the restaurant lockdown the Core by Clare Smyth chef-patron and her team cooked thousands of meals for people who were hit badly by the pandemic, as our new video series Community Heroes shows.

New body calls on Scottish Government to shut down premises flouting distancing rules

11-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

A new body representing a number of Scotland's most successful restaurant and bar owners has called on the Scottish Government to shut down licensed premises that flout social distancing regulations.

Wales to introduce 'rule of six', but only for indoor gatherings

11-Sep-2020 By Restaurant

Wales has become the latest UK country to introduce the ‘rule of six’ that limits the number of people that can attend indoor social gatherings.