Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Alcohol duty frozen till February 2025

Published: 06 March, 2024

The government dashed hopes of a cut to alcohol duty following the announcement of the Spring Budget today (6 March) by chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

WSTA makes ‘last-ditch plea’ for duty cut

Published: 01 March, 2024

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) along with over 100 UK wine and spirit producers, retailers and hospitality businesses have called on the government to cut duty in a ‘last-ditch plea’ ahead of the Budget announcement on 6 March.

Tax cut would generate £1.6bn for Treasury says SWA

Published: 26 February, 2024

A duty cut to Scotch Whisky and other spirits would generate an extra £1.6bn over five years for public services, a new report has found.

Quarter of hospitality businesses run out of cash reserves

Published: 19 February, 2024

A joint survey by UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association, British Institute of Innkeeping and Hospitality Ulster has revealed the cost pressures facing venues compared to 2023.

WSTA calls on Chancellor to cut duty in spring budget

Published: 25 January, 2024

Faced with falling wine and spirit sales and subsequent diminishing revenues to the Exchequer, the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has called upon the Chancellor to reduce duty on the sector in the 6 March Spring budget.

Teetotal PM headed for No. 10

Published: 24 October, 2022

It’s likely that alcohol will play little to no role in the celebrations in the Sunak household this evening, as the UK prepares for a new – and perhaps its first ever teetotal Prime Minster – in Number 10.

Hospitality sector urges government to stall VAT hike in April

Published: 08 February, 2022

In a campaign organised by UKHospitality, more than 250 business leaders from the service and leisure industries have written to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak, urging the government to keep VAT at 12.5% beyond March 2022.

Unpicking the duty system

Published: 15 November, 2021

Now the dust has settled and the Chancellor has published proposals to change the UK alcohol taxation system, Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, picks apart the pros and cons of the suggested model.

UKH pushes for further support

Published: 10 May, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) has called on the government to provide further support for the sector by improving access to capital and to stick to the roadmap of lifting all restrictions from 21 June.

UKH: ‘Business rates relief cap could strangle sector recovery’

Published: 24 March, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) has warned that the business rates relief cap will jeopardise the future of thousands of hospitality venues, which will face full rates bills within weeks following the unrestricted opening of the sector planned for June.

Budget: Chancellor freezes all alcohol duty

Published: 03 March, 2021

Duty on wines, spirits and beers is to be frozen, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in today’s Budget.

Hospitality leaders show long-term optimism

Published: 25 February, 2021

Hospitality leaders are optimistic about the long-term future of the sector and its role in the UK’s economic recovery, with many businesses seeking to grow rather than shrink, the latest CGA Business Leaders' Survey has revealed.

Pandemic fails to halt UK distillery boom

Published: 09 February, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has failed to halt the UK’s distillery boom with new figures showing a record number of distilleries were registered in 2020.

Beale: ‘Punishingly high duty rates stifling home grown wine and spirit businesses’

Published: 28 January, 2021

The WSTA has renewed its calls on the Chancellor to cut alcohol duty to allow UK businesses to “thrive and compete on a global stage”.

Prolonged VAT reduction and duty cut will aid UK recovery, says WSTA

Published: 14 January, 2021

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is calling on the Chancellor to extend the VAT reduction as well as the duty cut for alcohol as it says businesses in the on-trade have been ‘unable to feel the benefit’ of the schemes.

Up to 310,000 hospitality jobs at risk without 5% VAT extension

Published: 14 January, 2021

Up to 310,000 jobs across the hospitality and tourism sector are at risk without an extension of the reduced 5% VAT rate, a new survey has revealed.

Furlough scheme extended to March

Published: 05 November, 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that the government’s Job Retention Scheme, better known as the furlough scheme, will be extended until the end of March 2021, with government once again paying 80% of wages up to £2,500 to see businesses through a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

Trade bodies welcome Chancellor’s latest support package

Published: 23 October, 2020

Trade bodies across the industry have welcomed the Chancellor’s latest support package for businesses announced yesterday afternoon.

UKH: Additional extensive financial support crucial

Published: 12 October, 2020

UK Hospitality (UKH) has welcomed the new support for closed hospitality businesses but said that support for others must go further, repeating its call for a much more comprehensive package of support for the whole sector to cover rent and other overheads.

Trade bodies urge govt to provide more targeted support

Published: 24 September, 2020

Trade bodies have urged the government to provide more sector targeted support following Chancellor Sunak Rishi announcement of the Winter Economy Plan earlier today.