Retail & Consumer
Welsh Heather Honey gets protected geographical status
Welsh Heather Honey has become the first honey in the UK to receive the coveted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, a legal designation that protects food and drink products from imitation and misuse. As a result, Welsh Heather Honey has joined the burgeoning family of food and drink products from Wales that, by virtue of their unique characteristics and location, receive protection under the UK Geographical Indication Scheme. Some 24 Welsh food and drink products that enjoy PGI status, including Welsh Lamb, Welsh Beef, Carmarthenshire Ham, Traditional Welsh Caerffilli, and Traditional Welsh Cider. Wales’ Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, who has responsibility for climate change and rural affairs, said: “This recognition strengthens Wales’ growing family of protected foods, showcases the extraordinary quality of our produce, and reflects our commitment to high-quality, sustainable food production. The application for PGI status was made to the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by the members of the 15-strong Food & Drink Wales Honey Cluster, who sought to protect Welsh Heather Honey’s unique attributes and thereby the livelihoods of the beekeepers whose bees produce the honey. The Food & Drink Wales Honey Cluster is part of the Welsh Government Cluster Programme, which brings together food and drink businesses, suppliers, academia and government with the objective of helping businesses collaborate to achieve accelerated growth in sales, profit and improved productivity. North Wales beekeeper Alex Ellis, of Border Honey, said: “Achieving PGI status for Welsh Heather Honey will help producers because it will demonstrate to the public that it is a special and unique product that can only be produced in Wales. Consumers can have confidence that when they choose Welsh Heather Honey, they are getting the real thing.” Gruffydd Rees, of Gwenyn Gruffydd Ltd in Carmarthenshire, said: “I am delighted that Welsh Heather Honey’s precise origin and characteristics have been recognised. “The UK GI application process is long, and it is wonderful that Wales is the first UK nation to have a honey receive PGI status.” Dawn Wainwright, of Aberystwyth-based Wainwright’s Bee Farm, said: “Heather (Calluna vulgaris) blossoms abundantly across the Welsh mountain uplands during late summer. “The bees gather a small harvest of a distinctive aromatic honey from the ling heather flowers with unique characteristics. The chemistry of the heather flower nectar gives the honey a protein content which produces a thixotropic or gel-like texture with crunchy crystals suspended throughout.
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Retail & Consumer
Bristol Hoteliers Association appoints new chair
Bristol Hoteliers Association has appointed a new chair. Adam Flint, general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City Centre, is taking over from Raphael Herzog who has been in the post for six years. Mr Flint will now oversee the non-profit organisation, which promotes the interests of the city's hotels. He said: “I am confident that, with the support from everyone, we will continue to run a fantastic organisation. My passion for hospitality and the industry continues to be stronger than ever, and this new role enhances this even more.” Mr Flint studied hotel and catering management at Manchester Metropolitan University, qualifying in 1999 and starting his career as a graduate manager with Marriott International, for whom he worked in a variety of roles for more than 18 years. He then moved to Hilton International, holding general manager roles and resulting in his current job. He said: “Our main focus for 2025 and beyond is to develop our ‘people strategy’, working with industry partners, colleges and learning and development organisations. “To that end, we will strive to support Bristol as a whole and be the lead in industry for our sector, via our social and charitable network, too." Mr Flint said 2025 posed "new challenges" for the sector, including rising costs such as wages, National Insurance and the price of goods. “The impact on profit margins remains and we must think differently and smarter to overcome these challenges," he added. "Our ability to work with key leaders within the city and surrounding areas allows us to voice and steer many things to the good of the industry. "In terms of the city, changes and developments will continue and it is so important that the BHA remains involved and supportive across the board.” Mr Herzog said he was proud of representing the association and the wider hospitality sector during the Covid pandemic. “During my tenure, I saw a big difference in the sector in terms of pressure on costs for employers," he said. "Mental wellbeing is so much more on the agenda today, as is the need for the hospitality sector to offer a better work-life balance. “I am confident Adam will ensure the BHA continues to represent our industry well and be a voice in the city; we need to continue to promote our sector to younger people."
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Retail & Consumer
UK hospitality sector's confidence plummets, facing higher costs and tax pressures
Confidence among Britain's hospitality sector leaders is dwindling, with only a third feeling optimistic about the forthcoming year's trading amid escalating costs. This troubling trend marks the fifth consecutive month of declining confidence in the industry, as reported by CGA by NIQ's most recent Business Confidence Survey, as reported by City AM. Morale has now plummeted to its bleakest point since late 2022 and stands as the second lowest since the Covid lockdowns of 2020. Michael Kill, the head of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), has openly expressed that the current climate is "more concerning than anything we saw during the pandemic". Adding to this concern is the reality that profitability has been significantly undermined by rapidly increasing labour expenses, with an overwhelming 99 per cent of enterprises acknowledging a rise in their wage bills over the previous year. Despite many in the hospitality sector experiencing robust trade over Christmas, merely a third of businesses have reported a profit uptick during this interval. The situation is expected to become more strenuous from April when employers will be hit with additional labour costs. Insights from UKHospitality indicate that changes to national insurance contributions (NICs) are anticipated to inflate the cost of employing an average worker by £2,500. Earlier in the week, it emerged that a third of UK hospitality companies might have to downsize their workforce due to increased taxation. Alarming figures from UKHospitality suggest that one in ten may need to shutter at least one establishment, while just shy of two thirds are set to withdraw investment plans. "Pubs, brewers and hospitality venues will be forced to make painful decisions to weather these new costs, which will have damaging impacts on businesses, jobs and communities," warned the UK's three core hospitality trade associations – UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping and Hospitality Ulster – in a joint statement. Recently, City broker Peel Hunt raised alarms about the future of British pub culture, stressing that structural pressures and tax increases are putting it at risk. Hospitality was noted as the primary contributor to economic growth in November and December; however, according to Peel Hunt, tax rises announced in the October budget "halted and reversed a year-long upgrade cycle". Both hospitality and retail sectors have been appealing to the Government for a phased introduction of changes to employer's national insurance (NICs), and earlier this year, Baroness Noakes introduced a related bill.
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Retail & Consumer
New Look to close all stores in Republic of Ireland in 'difficult but necessary' decision
High street fashion behemoth New Look has announced its complete withdrawal from the Republic of Ireland, putting all of its employees in the country at risk of redundancy. The retailer's Irish division, which employs approximately 347 individuals, has initiated redundancy procedures following years of sustained losses, as reported by City AM. The privately-owned firm cited an increasingly unpredictable external environment as the reason for its decision to cease trading in the Republic of Ireland, according to the BBC. "We have adapted to this evolving landscape by investing in our product proposition and digital offer. However, due to the increasingly volatile trading conditions we needed to expedite our existing plans, which included conducting a review of our operations in the Republic of Ireland," the company stated. New Look has faced a turbulent few years, with job cuts at its head office, a reduction in total store count from 800 to 400, and a shift in focus towards online shopping. Staff were informed immediately after the appointment of liquidators at the High Court and a 30-day staff consultation process has begun, reports suggest. The change will reportedly not affect its parent company in the UK, which will continue to trade both online and in-store. The retail sector has been grappling with challenges for over a decade, with the shift towards online shopping being exacerbated by the aftermath of Covid-19 and high taxation. As early as 2023, customer footfall was down by 10% compared to 2019 levels, and even lower in major cities. According to the British Retail Consortium, retail costs are expected to rise by an additional £7bn across the industry next year due to a combination of the minimum wage increase, the packaging levy and higher national insurance costs. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has forecasted that over 200,000 retail jobs and more than 17,000 stores are set to vanish next year. A spokesperson for New Look stated: " Over the past few years, we have had to navigate a tough external environment which has only become more unpredictable. While we have adapted to this evolving landscape by investing in our product proposition and digital offer, the increasingly volatile trading conditions have meant we need to expedite our existing plans." "Following a review of our operations in the Republic of Ireland, we concluded it was no longer viable to continue trading so had to make the difficult but necessary decision to put the business into liquidation."