05/01/2022
£1bn Government business grant scheme launched to help hospitality and leisure industry
A new £1bn business grant scheme has been unveiled by the Government. The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant provides local councils with one-off grant funding to support hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses, in recognition that the rise of the Omicron variant means that some businesses are likely to struggle. The Government said funding will be made available to all Local Authorities from this month. The scheme will close for applications on 28 February and all final payments must be made and dispersed to recipients by 31 March 2022.
Consumers urged not to abandon pubs during 'dry January'
Hospitality bosses have urged consumers not to desert their local pubs during "dry January", as hard-hit venues struggle to recover from a tough Christmas. Takings over the crucial festive weeks have fallen by as much as 60% compared with the same period in 2019. Several leading figures in the hospitality industry told the Guardian that pubs would fall into even greater financial difficulty unless people kept visiting them during January, the annual month when some people choose to stop drinking. Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of the trade body UK Hospitality called on people who are trying to avoid alcohol to consider choosing something else at the bar or going out for food.
The Government looks to extend licensing hours for Queen's Platinum Jubilee
Pubs, clubs and bars could be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours over the extended bank holiday weekend for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the Government has announced. To support the celebrations, the Home Office is launching a public consultation on extending licensing hours for pubs, clubs and bars from the normal 11pm to 1am on Thursday 2nd, Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th June, reports Big Hospitality.
Hard Rock Cafe UK secures extended financial support from parent company
Hard Rock Cafe UK has secured an extended financial lifeline from its parent company as coronavirus restrictions continue to impact trading. Accounts for the UK arm of the chain said it had received confirmation of continued financial support from its US parent firm to allow it to keep operating for at least the next 12 months. The group said it was difficult to predict the impact of coronavirus on its brands and future prospects as it had never previously experienced such a prolonged disruption of its operations, reports The Caterer.
NTIA call on Government to further reduce coronavirus isolation period
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has called for the UK Government to update coronavirus isolation rules once more and adopt a US-style system by reducing the isolation period to five days, advises Morning Advertiser. The call from the NTIA to follow in America's footstep comes after many pubs experienced staff shortages due to multiple team member having to isolate at the same time over the festive period.
And Finally...
Sitting on Queen Victoria Street, London, The Blackfriars is a tall and slim boozer, which has perked the interest of Dr Who fans, who describe the pub as 'tardis' vibes', according to My London.