CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, and Gabe Cook, author of Modern British Cider, are working together to champion reform of cider duty during CAMRA’s October Cider Month celebrations.

The consumer organisation, and its nearly 170,000 members, celebrate Cider Month twice a year in May and October to reflect key times in the seasonal production of real cider and perry. As well as celebrating harvests, orchards and the cider community this October, CAMRA is also urging consumers to lobby their MPs and call for three key changes to be made by Government.

With author Gabe Cook.

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The Amsterdam Coffee Festival, celebrating Amsterdam's vibrant coffee scene, is set to return to Westergas in Amsterdam between 8th and 10th July 2022.

The festival will feature tastings and demonstrations, a street food market, a roasters village, workshops and lectures.

It will also host barista competitions, the final of the Dutch Barista Championship, the final for the Latte Art, The Dutch Brewers Cup and The Cuptasters Championship.

For further information.

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The London Coffee Festival is returning to The Old Truman Brewery between 31st March and 3rd April 2022 to celebrate London’s bustling and vibrant coffee scene.

The London Coffee Festival promises to be an unmissable event for discerning coffee lovers and those working in the coffee scene.

The festival will feature artisan coffee and gourmet food stalls, tastings and demonstrations from world-class baristas, interactive workshops, street food and coffee-based cocktails.

For further information.

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Chair of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA NI) has made comment on the Executive’s decision to axe social distancing in pubs in Northern Ireland from 31 October.

Ruth Sloan said, “The long-awaited lifting of remaining restrictions at the end of the month will be a huge step on the road to recovery for our pubs, giving them the chance to be able to trade at full capacity again.

“As we begin to return to the authentic pub experience, CAMRA NI is urging everyone to support our pubs, and wherever possible to choose drinks from local breweries and cider makers.

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Just Eat has today launched Just Eat Pay in the UK, a new and innovative employee benefit service for businesses across the UK through its corporate arm, Just Eat for Business.

The new and flexible solution serves as an online canteen. It allows small, medium and large businesses to provide employees with a daily or monthly allowance to order a meal from a wide variety of food options via Just Eat’s 58,000+ restaurant partners.

The launch comes at a pivotal time where many offices are making their return after 18 months of Covid-19 restrictions.

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ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has announced the finalists of the Raj Aggarwal Award, a new trophy marking the legacy of independent retailer, Raj Aggarwal.

The trophy will be awarded to retailers who have been exceptional in community retailing and helping their fellow retailers.

The finalists are:
• Nico Ali, Tasa Shops Jarrow
• Linda & Sophie Williams, Broadway Convenience
• Julie Kaur Duhra.

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The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has declared Aaron Watson of Primrose Bank Care Home, Poulton-le-Fylde, the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2021.

Watson was awarded the coveted title today (Thursday 7 October) in front of NACC members and delegates during the official opening of the NACC Training & Development Forum 2021 at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham.

Matt Knott of Fernhill House Majesticare, Worcester, and Daniel Kavanagh of Green Tree Court, Lexicon Healthcare.

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A major new campaign from UKHospitality – #VATsEnough – is calling on the Chancellor Rishi Sunak to make the 12.5% VAT rate permanent for hospitality and tourism.

Doing so will enable sector businesses to create 125,000 jobs, rebuild their balance sheets, boost investment, avoid damaging price increases and accelerate the UK’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

The #VATsEnough campaign comes in the wake of the VAT rate for hospitality and tourism businesses rising to 12.5%, on 1 October. While the Treasury’s landmark decision last year to reduce VAT for these sectors helped many venues survive the crisis.

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The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has announced a brand-new format for its annual business conference, which will take place on Wednesday 23 February 2022, at Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilsworth.

The Frozen Food Report Live event will highlight and address the challenges facing the industry and celebrate its achievements with a diverse line-up of industry speakers.

The new format has been designed to mirror the Frozen Food Report 2022, which is due to be published early next year. Both will cover five key areas.

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The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has called on the Treasury to freeze wine and spirit duty and extend the hospitality VAT reduction in the Autumn Budget to allow the country to climb out of the Covid-19 slump.

In a submission sent to the Treasury, the WSTA has appealed to the Chancellor to give British business and consumers a break, in the face of a slowing economic recovery, rising inflation, rising energy costs and surging fuel prices.

The impact of the pandemic, closure of the hospitality sector.

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The hospitality group behind Gaucho and M restaurants, Rare Restaurants has launched a new sister brand, The Crane Tap.

Opening its doors today in Twickenham, the new venue will offer affordable, high-quality food and drink in a casual neighbourhood setting.

The menu will showcase signature dishes by ‘M’, a beef offering through a unique partnership with ‘Gaucho’, and burgers inspired by the successful lockdown delivery service, ‘Meat & Bun (by Gaucho)’. Rugby day experiences, hosted by Simon Shaw OBE will also be available to guests.

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Having survived 18 months of enforced closure and harsh trading restrictions, the hospitality sector is now not only facing a critical shortage of staff and severe supply chain issues, but the triple threat of punitive business rates, rent demands and an increase in VAT.

Under these circumstances, a targeted package of post-pandemic support for the sector is essential if it is to have any hope of a complete recovery.

In its Budget submission to the Government, UKHospitality is asking for measures including:
• Meaningful reform to the business rates system.

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Professor Susan Jebb has been confirmed as the new chair of the Food Standards Agency. In her three-year term she wants to use evidence-based decision-making and has suggested school meals might be in line for scrutiny.

Reacting to the appointment, Jebb said, 'I am delighted to be appointed to chair the Food Standards Agency. This is an important time for our food system, and I am looking forward to building on the trust that government has placed in the FSA to play a full and active role in the challenges which lie ahead.

“Most importantly I want to ensure that the department continues to be highly effective in protecting public health and delivering its mission of ‘food we can trust’.

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Profitroom, a provider of hotel technology, is in celebratory mood having won the ‘Hotel Innovation Award’ at this year’s Hotel 360 Expo — marking a successful year in a turbulent hospitality climate with a prestigious award win.

The Hotel 360 expo, which was held at London’s ExCeL on the 28th and 29th September, seeks to connect hospitality professionals with key solutions, services and innovations that can enhance their business – with the awards incorporated as part of the event.

Profitroom.

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ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is reminding retailers about the new allergen law that comes into force today.

From 1st October, any food that is prepared on site and pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) must be labelled with the name of the food and a full ingredients list.

Foods that are pre-packed for direct sale are packaged at the same place that they are offered for sale or sold to customers.

Examples of PPDS foods include:
• Sandwiches.

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Ubamarket has today announced its integration with one of the leading EPoS providers, Point Four.

With a respective client base of over a thousand retail stores across the UK, the partnership will enable Ubamarket's retail technology to be implemented widely across some of the nation's best loved convenience stores, including Budgens, Nisa, Premier, SPAR, James Retail, Tuffins, Best-Way and Londis, to name just a few.

The integration is a testament to the ever-growing confidence retailers and PoS systems share in the app's services.

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HOSPA, the Hospitality Professionals Association, is set to celebrate the industry’s inspirational leaders at its annual awards ceremony in November – with nominations for worthy candidates now open.

The event, which follows on from the success of its 2019 pre-pandemic awards, is set to celebrate those who work in the sector who have gone above and beyond despite the challenges of the Covid crisis.

Set to cover a number of categories, the awards will take place on 18th November at The Royal Lancaster Hotel London.

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The consumer group, CAMRA, which represents hundreds of thousands of pub-goers across the UK, is urging the public to continue supporting their locals – even if they are giving up alcohol this month.

With charity and health campaigns asking people to stay sober throughout October, CAMRA – the Campaign for Real Ale – is urging people raising money for good causes to continue to support their local as our pubs recover from the pandemic.

Commenting, CAMRA's national chairman Nik Antona said.

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LACA, the school food people, has announced that Jacquie Blake has taken over as its new national chair after immediate past chair Stephen Forster completed his time in office.

Brad Pearce has taken up the position of national vice chair and will be working closely with Blake over the next 12 months with Anita Brown announced as the new national vice chair elect of LACA.

Commenting on her appointment, Blake said, “It really is a great honour and I certainly have some big shoes to fill. In my day job [commercial operations manager at Nottingham City Council] we have created a service that moves with the times and I think this is key for any business in order to survive and being the new chair of LACA is just the same.

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HOSPACE 2021, the annual conference of the Hospitality Professionals Association, is offering hoteliers complimentary tickets to the event – as it seeks to increase access to hoteliers looking for support and guidance around the factors impacting the sector.

With hospitality hard hit by the pandemic and many other issues buffeting the industry, HOSPA is offering hoteliers complimentary access to HOSPACE for the first time as it seeks to facilitate improved accessibility for operators looking to learn from the expertise on offer.

The event.

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