Trading, VAT cut, business rates, Cook’s Coffee, BrewDog & other:

A DAY IN THE LIFE:

So, whilst the traditional time for spring-cleaning may have passed, here’s the perennial question:

Do you put stuff away and never use it, or do you leave everything lying around and utilise it from time-to-time whilst living in what may well then look like a junkyard?

Well, it may be because the latter involves inaction rather than action that it’s the route I’ve most often gone with.

But, when every single flat area is heaped with papers, electrical devices and the like – rarely discarded food or drink containers, vermin we could do without – you might find yourself a little pushed for space.

And, ultimately, whilst what you may be physically really, really close to what you really, really need in the moment, your car keys, your phone, wallet or a file of papers, the thing could be buried in or under several cubic feet of other bumph.

Hence here’s the plan. Tidy up.

But, as the football’s on for a while yet and then there’ll be the Hull City’s Premiership pre-season campaign to follow, the planning stage could last longer than does the resolution to tidy up.

Anyway, good luck to Scotland when the points for other teams are worked out and let’s move on to the news:

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PUBS & RESTAURANTS:

Trading – impact of football & the weather:

The Oxford Partnership reports that UK drink sales have been boosted both by the hot weather and by England’s mid-week Ghana match. It says that the ‘group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered another significant boost for the UK’s hospitality sector, with pubs and bars recording a 77% increase in draught beer and cider sales compared with a typical Tuesday….’

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VAT cut:

The reduction in VAT from 20% to 5% for the period from today, 25 June, to 1 September, comes into force today. The tax cut, which the government has indicated it believes should be passed on to families in order to improve demand, should reduce the price of access to theme parks, zoos and museums as well as cutting the price of children’s meals…

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Business rates:

UKH reports that ‘plans to improve hospitality business rates through tax reforms on online giants would be a positive step.’ It says that ‘the Government is consulting on plans to more effectively enforce VAT collection rules for online marketplaces, with a commitment that ‘any revenue raised will be ploughed into improvements for the business rates system for pubs, restaurants, hotels and other businesses on the high street.’ It welcomes the move, saying ‘we’ve backed the plans, and said the additional revenue should be used to meaningfully lower business rates for hospitality businesses most affected….’

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COMPANY NEWS:

Cook’s Coffee has reported full year numbers saying that revenue was up 87% at NZ$12.8m. EBITDA was NZ$1.22m (vs NZ$0.5m). On a normalised basis, EBITDA was NZ$1.9m, up some 36%. The company reports that ‘there were 105 Group sites operating in the UK and Ireland at 31 March 2026, up 18% from 89 at 1 April 2025….’

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BrewDog owner Tilray Brands has updated on its ongoing World Cup plans saying that that it is ‘announcing plans to celebrate a major global football milestone with what could be the world’s biggest bar tab — £1 million in free pints — if England, Scotland or the United States reaches the final of the world’s biggest football tournament….’

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Bacardi has announced that it has completed on the purchase of the Teeling Whiskey Company. It says that founders Jack and Stephen Teeling will remain with the company. Bacardi CEO Mahesh Madhavan says that the company is a perfect fit and adds that ‘there is so much long-term potential for the Irish whiskey category globally and with Teeling we are perfectly positioned to take advantage of every opportunity.’

The FT reports that forecourt retailer EG Group has filed confidential plans with regulators for a listing in the US, in a move that could value the UK-based petrol station empire founded by the billionaire Issa brothers at more than $9bn….

HOLIDAYS & LEISURE TRAVEL:

The FT comments on Europe’s EES saying that ‘Rome’s airports will be forced to suspend the EU’s new controversial biometric border system to cope with summer tourist numbers, the head of the capital’s airports company has warned….

TTG reports that travel professionals remain concerned that new EU border checks will disrupt travel over the peak summer period. It quotes ACI Europe President and Fraport Chief Executive Stefan Schulte as saying ‘I don’t know how we’ll cope this summer….’

Carnival UK is reported to have started a formal consultation process that could lead to redundancies at its P&O Cruises and Cunard brands in the UK…

OTHER LEISURE:

YouTube owner Google is reported to have settled a legal action brought against it by a 16yr old who claimed that the social media app had been harmful in their mental health crisis. The terms of the settlement are confidential but TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram are set to face trial in July.,,,

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The family of a woman killed in her own home when a Tesla car crashed into it are reportedly suing both the company and the driver.

FINANCE & MARKETS:

The SMMT reports that UK vehicle output rose by 2.7% to 51,178 units in May. This is the first rise this year. The number produced in the first five months of the car was 317,779, down 8.7% on the same period last year…

Sterling lower at $1.3181 and €1.1595. Oil sharply lower, down around $6, at $72.61. UK 10 year gilt yield down at 4.69%. World markets mixed yesterday & London set to open down around 23 points as at 6.30am.

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