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NEW NORMAL

Australian wine exports, will continue to im- a “coiled spring”. He said that there are “enor-
pact the global industry landscape. mous amounts of pent-up financial energy
z Post-Brexit discussions will be key for ar- waiting to be released”, and once the restric-
rangements within Europe. Industry stakehol- tions are lifted, a combination of record hou-
ders will be paying close attention, for exam- sehold savings and a desperation to catch up
ple, to developments that could impact trade on missed socialising will drive the recovery.
flows, as well as future EU laws on alcohol in- Similar expectations reign in Czech lands
gredients labelling, which would impact the too.
Scotch industry in particular. That desperation to catch up on socialising
z Governments may also review legislation will be good news for the pubs. However, the
on beverage alcohol e-commerce – for instan- delayed reopening of the pubs, with custo-
ce, a liberalisation of currently restrictive e-co- mers in England welcomed (probably) out-
mmerce regulations in large markets such as doors from 12 April and indoors from 17 May,
Russia or India could have a significant impact means the sector will miss out on the lucrative
on route-to-market. Easter period. That could have provided a wel-
come cash flow boost after the pubs were for-
GOOD NEWS TO THE END ced to miss out on the all-important festive
Although the recovery of UK pubs has been season.
delayed by the lengthy restriction phase-out, Once the restrictions are fully lifted, it’s ex-
there are signs that they could bounce back. pected that pubs closest to national parks and
Andy Haldane, chief economist at the Bank of the coast will rebound first, as they’ll benefit
England, recently likened the UK economy to from the increase in domestic tourism. Pubs

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